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EP-4737362-A1 - PLANT WITH PRODUCT TRANSPORT STATION AND EXCHANGE STATION

EP4737362A1EP 4737362 A1EP4737362 A1EP 4737362A1EP-4737362-A1

Abstract

A plant (1) for supplying and filling a product (P) comprising a product transport station (2). Said product transport station (2) comprises a product movement system (3) and at least one carriage (4). The product movement system (3) comprises at least one main track (30) and at least one auxiliary track (39) positioned spaced apart from the main track (30), wherein the auxiliary track (39) has the same shape as the main track (30). The product movement system (3) comprises a control device (31) for producing localized magnetic fields. Each carriage (4) comprises sliding means (40) comprising at least one base body (401) slidingly engageable with the main track (30) or the auxiliary track (39), a control plate (41), engaged with the base body (401), facing the control device (31), comprising a magnetically sensitive element (410), and at least one transport device (45) for supporting a product (P). The plant (1) comprises a carriage exchange station (8) positioned at one end of the product movement system (3), wherein the carriage exchange station (8) comprises at least one exchange track (80) on which the carriage (4) is movable and comprises movement means (85) suitable for moving the exchange track (80) between a position in which it is aligned with the main track (30) and a position in which it is aligned with the auxiliary track (39).

Inventors

  • Vignali, Matteo
  • Ronchetti, Marco
  • BIONDI, ANDREA

Assignees

  • G.D S.p.A.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20251016

Claims (17)

  1. A plant (1) for supplying and filling a product (P), preferably a bag, comprising a product transport station (2) extending with respect to a longitudinal axis (X-X), a vertical axis (V-V), and a transverse axis (Y-Y), comprising: i) a product movement system (3) comprising: - at least one main track (30), extending longitudinally rectilinearly; - at least one auxiliary track (39) positioned, preferably vertically and/or transversely, spaced apart from the main track (30), wherein the auxiliary track (39) has the same shape as the main track (30); - a control device (31), extending longitudinally, being suitable for producing localized magnetic fields; ii) at least one carriage (4) comprising: - sliding means (40) comprising at least one base body (401) slidingly engageable with the main track (30) or the auxiliary track (39); - a control plate (41), engaged with the base body (401), positioned transversely spaced apart facing the control device (31), comprising a magnetically sensitive element (410) stressable and movable by a magnetic field produced by the control device (31); - at least one transport device (45), engaged with the base body (401) and/or the control plate (41), suitable for supporting a product (P); in addition, the plant (1) comprises a carriage exchange station (8) positioned at one end of the product movement system (3), wherein the carriage exchange station (8) comprises at least one exchange track (80) on which the carriage (4) is movable and comprises movement means (85) suitable for moving the exchange track (80) between a position in which it is aligned with the main track (30) and a position in which it is aligned with the auxiliary track (39).
  2. Plant (1) according to claim 1, comprising a pair of carriage exchange stations (8) positioned at the respective ends of the product movement system (3) suitable for taking a carriage (4) from the main track (30) to move it to the auxiliary track (39) and vice versa, respectively.
  3. Plant (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the auxiliary track (39) has the same shape as the main track (30) so that the carriage (4), and in particular, the base body (401) is slidingly engageable with both the main track (30) and the auxiliary track (39).
  4. Plant (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the movement means (85) rotationally move the exchange track (80).
  5. Plant (1) according to claim 4, wherein the carriage exchange station (8) comprises a plurality of, at least two, exchange tracks (80) so that while one exchange track (80) is aligned with the main track (30), an additional exchange track (80) is aligned with the auxiliary track (39).
  6. Plant (1) according to any one of claims 4 and 5, wherein the movement means (85) comprise a preferably electric motor assembly (850) and a rotatable carousel (855) on which the exchange tracks (80) are housed, wherein said carousel (855) is operatively connected to said electric motor assembly (850).
  7. Plant (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the movement means (85) translationally move the exchange track (80), for example vertically.
  8. Plant (1) according to claim 7, wherein the movement means (85) comprise a preferably electric motor assembly (850) and a translation assembly (856), operatively connected to said electric motor assembly (850), suitable for transforming the rotary motion of the electric motor assembly (850) into alternating linear motion, wherein the exchange track (80) is housed on said translation assembly (856).
  9. Plant (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the carriage exchange station (8) comprises a longitudinally extending exchange control device (81), being suitable for producing localized magnetic fields by means of which the carriages (4) are moved.
  10. Plant (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the control device (31) comprises a plurality of mutually longitudinally aligned control members (310), each suitable for producing a respective magnetic field.
  11. Plant (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the product movement system (3) comprises two main tracks (30) vertically spaced apart, and the control device (31) is positioned between the two main tracks (30), wherein the sliding means of each carriage (4) comprise two base bodies (401) each slidingly engaged with a respective main track (30).
  12. Plant (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the main track (30) has a substantially rectangular section comprising transverse track surfaces (300) vertically spaced apart, wherein each transverse track surface (300) comprises a longitudinal track slot (340) ; wherein the base body (401) is slidingly engaged with the main track (30) comprising a track housing (4011) in which the main track (30) is housed and a plurality of sliding balls (405) housed in the base body (401) suitable for sliding in respective longitudinal track slots (340).
  13. Plant (1) according to claim 12, wherein the sliding means (40) comprise a plurality of pairs of sliding balls (405) longitudinally spaced apart, wherein each sliding ball (405) of a pair is slidingly housed in the longitudinal track slot (340).
  14. Plant (1) according to claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the track housing (4011) comprises transverse body surfaces (4012) facing the transverse track surfaces (300), wherein the sliding balls (405) are housed in the base body (401) protruding from the transverse body surfaces (4012) to be slidingly housed in the longitudinal track slots (340).
  15. Plant (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transport device (45) comprises at least one transport member (450), preferably a gripper assembly, suitable for operating on the product (P), preferably a bag.
  16. Plant (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transport device (45) comprises two transport members (450) suitable for operating in two longitudinally spaced apart regions of the same product (P), preferably a bag.
  17. Plant (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising at least two carriages (4) movable independently of each other.

Description

The present invention relates to a plant. In particular, said plant is suitable for supplying and/or filling a product. Specifically, the technical field to which the present invention pertains is that of the packaging, transport and filling industry of products in the food sector. Alternatively, the technical field to which the present invention pertains is that of the packaging and filling industry of products in the pharmaceutical field. In particular, in the present discussion, the term "products" generically refers to containers of soft shape or rigid shape or semi-soft (or semi-rigid) shape adapted to contain a product, a foodstuff or a pharmaceutical product. Preferably, said foodstuff or pharmaceutical product is fluid or bulk. According to a preferred embodiment of the plant, the "product" is a bag. Known plants are adapted to operate and handle large quantities of products at high speeds, even in the order of hundreds of products per minute. In particular, the plants comprise specific transport systems adapted to move the products; it is also known that during said movements, by means of further specific systems included in the plant, specific operations are carried out on the products, for example filling operations. In this technical field, it is therefore required to have plants in which high speeds of product movements are achieved, together with high accuracies in performing said movements, in addition to exhibiting high accuracies of product positioning and/or dwelling. In particular, "accuracy" means the performance of operations in which desired geodetic positionings are executed and/or in which positionings and movements are executed according to desired timings. In the prior art, solutions of plants are known in which a compromise has been sought between the above-mentioned requirements, for example sacrificing speed for accuracy. The purpose of the present invention is to propose a plant that meets all the needs of the technical field, effectively solving all the above-mentioned problems. In other words, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a plant in which the products are transported both efficiently and effectively, thus achieving high speeds and high accuracies. Said purpose is achieved by a plant in accordance with claim 1. The claims dependent thereon seek protection for further features and involve further technical advantages. That is to say, the purpose of the present invention is achieved by a plant for supplying and/or filling a product, preferably a bag. Preferably, the plant comprises a product transport station extending with respect to a longitudinal axis, a vertical axis, and a transverse axis. Preferably, the plant comprises a product movement system. Preferably, the product movement system comprises at least one main track, which extends longitudinally in a rectilinear manner. Preferably, the product movement system comprises at least one auxiliary track having the same shape as the main track. Preferably, the auxiliary track is positioned vertically spaced from the main track. Preferably, the auxiliary track is positioned transversely spaced from the main track. Preferably, the movement system comprises a control device, preferably extending longitudinally, being suitable for producing localized magnetic fields. Preferably, the product transport station comprises at least one carriage. Preferably, each carriage comprises sliding means. Preferably, the sliding means comprise at least one base body slidingly engaged with a track. Preferably, each carriage comprises a control plate, engaged with the base body. Preferably, the control plate is positioned transversely spaced facing the control device. Preferably, the control plate comprises a magnetically sensitive element stressable and movable by a magnetic field produced by the control device. Preferably, each carriage comprises at least one transport device suitable for supporting a product in transport. Preferably, said transport device is engaged with the base body and/or with the control plate. Preferably, the plant comprises a carriage exchange station positioned at one end of the product movement system. Preferably, the carriage exchange station comprises at least one exchange track on which the carriage is movable. Preferably, the carriage exchange station comprises movement means suitable for moving the exchange track between a position in which it is aligned with the main track and a position in which it is aligned with the auxiliary track. In addition, further features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of its preferred embodiments, given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a plant according to the present invention, in accordance with a first embodiment, in a first operating configuration;Figures 2a, 2b and 2c are respectively a front view, a top view and a side view of