EP-4739471-A1 - SMART MANIPULATOR FOR MANIPULATING CONTAINERS WITH COMPACT MOTOR GROUP

Abstract

Manipulator (1) for manipulating containers, comprising: a head (2);a gripper (3) for gripping the containers and supported by the head (2), the gripper (3) comprising a first jaw (31) and a second jaw (32), so that a movement of the first jaw (31) and the second jaw (32) with respect to the head (2) corresponds to a regulation of the opening degree of the gripper (3), and a space (S) is defined between the jaws (31) and (32) to grip the containers; a first motor (41) for generating said movement of the jaws (31) and (32);a second motor (42) for rotating the head (2) on itself, around a rotational axis (X) of the head (2), the first motor (41) being mounted on the head (2) along the rotational axis (X) of the head (2), the head (2) supporting the gripper (3) to make the gripper (3) integral with the rotational motion of the head (2) on itself; a first transmission device (9) for converting the rotation in output from the first motor (41) in the movement of the jaws (31) and (32).

Inventors

• LANZI, MAURO

Assignees

• Sidel Participations

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20230707

Claims (1)

1. CLAIMS 1.Manipulator (1) for manipulating containers (C), comprising: a head (2); a gripper (3) for gripping the containers and supported by the head (2), the gripper (3) comprising a first jaw (31) and a second jaw (32), so that a movement of the first jaw (31) and the second jaw (32) with respect to the head (2) corresponds to a regulation of the opening degree of the gripper (3), and a space (S) is defined between the jaws (31) and (32) to grip the containers; a first motor (41) for generating said movement of the jaws (31) and (32); a second motor (42) for generating a rotational motion of the head (2) on itself, around a rotational axis (X) of the head (2), the first motor (41) being mounted on the head (2) along the rotational axis (X) of the head (2), the head (2) supporting the gripper (3) to make the gripper (3) integral with the rotational motion of the head (2) on itself; a first transmission device (9) for converting the rotation in output from the first motor (41) in the movement of the jaws (31) and (32). 2. Manipulator (1) according to Claim 1, wherein: the manipulator (1) comprises a second transmission device (10) for converting a rotation in output from the second motor (42) in the rotational motion of the head (2) on itself; the first motor (41) is positioned through the second transmission device (10). 3. Manipulator (1) according to Claim 2, wherein: the motorized axis (Y) of the second motor (42) is offset with respect to the motorized axis of the first motor (41), the motorized axis (Y) of the second motor (42) being preferably parallel to the motorized axis of the first motor (41), the motorized axis of the first motor (41) being preferably coincident with the rotational axis (X) of the head (2); the second transmission device (10) comprises a first transmission element (101) which can receive the torque from the second motor (42) and a second transmission element (102) which can be rotated by the first transmission element (101), the second transmission element (102) being integral with the head (2) and being preferably coaxial with the rotational axis (X) of the head (2); the first motor (41) comprises a fixed part (411) which is positioned through the second transmission element (102) and is fixed to the head (2), and a rotating part (412) which can rotate with respect to the fixed part (411), the fixed part (411) being integral with the head (2) so that a rotational motion of the head (2) on itself corresponds to a rotational displacement of the rotating part (412) with respect to the fixed part (411) or viceversa, the first transmission device (9) being operatively interposed between the rotating part (412) and the jaws (31, 32), to receive the torque of the first motor (41) from the rotating part (412). 4. Manipulator (1) according to Claim 3, wherein the rotating part (412) comprises a reducer gear unit having a transmission ration which is less than 1:10, or less than 1:40, or less than 1:100. 5. Manipulator (1) according to Claim 3 or 4, wherein: the first transmission device (9) comprises a rocker (91) which is integral in rotation with the rotating part (412) of the first motor (41); the first transmission device (9) comprises a first mechanical linkage (92) which is operatively interposed between the rocker (91) and the first jaw (31), and a second mechanical linkage (93) which is operatively interposed between the rocker (91) and the second jaw (32). 6. Manipulator (1) according to Claim 5, wherein the head (2) comprises an horizontal frame (21) which is transversal to the rotational axis (X) of the head (2), and a vertical frame (22) which is fixed to the horizontal frame (21); the fixed part (411) of the first motor (41) is fixed to the horizontal frame (21). 7. Manipulator (1) according to Claim 5 or 6, wherein: for each jaw (31; 32), the manipulator (1) comprises a respective first coupling (5) associated to the jaw (31; 32) and operatively interposed between the head (2) and the jaw (31; 32), and a respective second coupling (6) associated to the jaw (31; 32) and operatively interposed between the head (2) and the jaw (31; 32), each second coupling (6) being preferably mechanically in parallel with respect to the respective first coupling (5); the first linkage (92) is operatively interposed between the rocker (91) and the second coupling (6) associated to the first jaw (31), and the second linkage (93) is operatively interposed between the rocker (91) and the second coupling (6) associated to the second jaw (32). 8. Manipulator (1) according to Claim 7, wherein each coupling (5; 6) comprises a respective arm (51; 61), a first hinge (52; 62) for hinging the arm (51; 61) to the head (2), and a second hinge (53; 63) for hinging the arm (51; 61) to the jaw (31; 32); the first linkage (92) is operatively interposed between the rocker (91) and the first hinge (62) of the second coupling (6) associated to the first jaw (31), and the second linkage (93) is operatively interposed between the rocker (91) and the first hinge (62) of the second coupling (6) associated to the second jaw (32), so that the rotation of the rocker (91) imparted by the first motor (41) can generate a rotation of the arm (61) of each second coupling (6) around the first hinge (62), by means of the respective linkage (92; 93). 9. Manipulator (1) according to Claims 6 and 8, wherein, for each jaw (31; 32), the first hinge (52) of the respective first coupling (5) hinges the respective arm (51) to the vertical frame (22), and the first hinge (62) of the respective second coupling (6) hinges the respective arm (61) to the vertical frame (22). 10. Manipulator (1) according to any of the previous claims, comprising a wall (7) which is movable with respect to the head (2) by means of an actuator (8) between an upper not operative position, and a lower operative position in which the wall (7) divides the space (S), so that at least two groups (G1, G2) of containers may be gripped on opposite sides of the wall (7), the actuator (8) being preferably mounted on the head (2), the manipulator (1) comprising the actuator (8). 11. Manipulator (1) according to any of the previous Claims, comprising an automatic control unit (12). 12. Manipulator (1) according to Claim 3 or 4 and according to Claim 11, wherein the automatic control unit (12) is configured for automatically correlating the rotational position of the head (2) around the rotational axis (X) of the head (2) with the torque of the first motor (41), the control unit (12) being preferably in communication with the second motor (42) and the first motor (41). 13. Manipulator (1) according to Claim 10 and according to Claim 11 or 12, wherein the automatic control unit (12) is configured for automatically controlling the wall (7) between said upper position and lower position, based for example on an input of a user. 14. Palletizing machine for palletizing containers, comprising a manipulator (1) according to any of the previous Claims. 15. Sorting system for sorting containers, comprising a manipulator (1) according to any of Claims from 1 to 13.

Description

SMART MANIPULATOR FOR MANIPULATING CONTAINERS WITH COMPACT MOTOR GROUP TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a manipulator for containers and a palletizing machine for palettizing containers and comprising the manipulator. BACKGROUND ART In the field of packaging of pourable products by means of containers, it is known to use palletizing machines for palletizing the filled, closed, decorated, and possibly wrapped or packed containers. Commonly, the palletizing machine may comprises a manipulator for manipulating the containers to create the pallet. The manipulator comprises a gripper and a head supporting the gripper. The manipulator comprises two first motors for moving the jaws of the gripper to regulate the opening degree of the gripper, and a second motor for rotating the head on itself. The second motor and the two first motors act in series, in the sense that the second motor rotates the head and the first motors generate the movement of the jaws with respect to the head, said movement of the jaws corresponding to the regulation of the opening degree. Therefore, the first motors need to be positioned very close to the head, reducing the accessibility of the head and increasing the mechanical complexity of the manipulator. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION A manipulator according to present description or according to any one of the appended manipulator claims, presents a very less complex mechanical configuration with respect to manipulators belonging to prior art. A manipulator according to present description or according to any one of the appended manipulator claims, improves accessibility of the head supporting the gripper, for example to improve the cleanability of the manipulator. A palletizing machine according to present description or according to any of the appended machine claims comprises a manipulator according to present description or according to any one of the appended manipulator claims. The following brief description of the drawings and detailed description of the invention will be referred to a possible example embodiment of a manipulator according to present description and a possible example embodiment of a palletizing machine according to present description. In the following brief description of the drawings and detailed description of the invention, the example embodiment of the manipulator will be defined for the sake of convenience as “manipulator”. In the following brief description of the drawings and detailed description of the invention, the example embodiment of the palletizing machine will be defined for the sake of convenience as “machine”. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The following detailed description will be referred to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the manipulator, while a gripper belonging to the manipulator is adopting a first condition; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the manipulator, while the gripper is adopting a second condition; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the manipulator, while the gripper is adopting a third condition; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the manipulator from above and with some components removed to show some components of a first transmission device of the manipulator; Figure 5 is a frontal cross section view of the manipulator, while the jaws of the gripper belonging to the manipulator are adopting with respect to a head of the manipulator a position corresponding to the first condition; Figure 5A is a detail of Figure 5; Figure 6 is a frontal cross section view of the manipulator, while the jaws are adopting with respect to the head a position corresponding to the second condition or the third condition; Figure 6A is a detail of Figure 6; Figure 7 is a perspective view of the manipulator from below, with some components which are not visible to show other components which are visible; Figure 8 is a block diagram related to an aspect related to an automatic control of the manipulator; Figure 9 shows another perspective of the manipulator; Figure 10 is a further perspective of the manipulator; Figure 11 is a perspective view of the manipulator during a first method of use of the Manipulator, while the gripper is adopting a fourth condition; Figure 12 is a perspective view of the manipulator during a second method of use of the manipulator, while the gripper is adopting the third condition ; Figure 13 is a perspective view of the manipulator during a third method of use of the manipulator, while the gripper is adopting the second condition; Figure 14 is a perspective view of the manipulator during a fourth method of use of the manipulator, while the gripper is adopting a fifth condition. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The manipulator 1 is configured for manipulating containers C. Some containers C are indicated in Figure 2. The containers may be cans or bottles or flacons or jars or kegs or any other kind of containers. The bottles may be glass bottles or plastic bottl