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KR-20260066728-A - Automatic stratification and filling system of multiple particles and assemblies in a restricted area and method thereof

KR20260066728AKR 20260066728 AKR20260066728 AKR 20260066728AKR-20260066728-A

Abstract

The present embodiment relates to an automated control for the charging, assembly, and integration of a charging module (CM) with all safety and operation interlocks, in particular to a system and method for facilitating the rapid and continuous vertically aligned distribution of layers of pallets for building stacks of layers of pallets, wherein the number of crystal grains distributed in each layer can be determined at the design stage or controlled via flappers during operation.

Inventors

  • 고세, 비카쉬
  • 세인, 아니루드하
  • 쿠마르, 아짓
  • 안사리, 모하메드 시디크
  • 푼달레, 스리니와스 샨카르
  • 칸카네, 데벤드라 쿠마르
  • 크로타팔리, 프랍하카라 수브라만냐 무르티

Assignees

  • 체어맨, 디펜스 리서치 앤드 디벨롭먼트 올거니제이션 (디알디오)

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20240812
Priority Date
20230814

Claims (14)

  1. As a system for the automated alignment, distribution, layering, collection and filling of pallets, assembly with a Charge Module (CM), and subsequent recovery of the integrated and filled Charge Module without human intervention, A plurality of tracks originating from a vibrating ball feeder (2) to allow grains to fall into a plurality of holes of a rotary grain aligner assembly (11) having a multi-perforated disc assembly for forming a layer of vertically aligned grains in a limited area - said tracks are communicably coupled to a vertical grain distributor (1) having a controlled distribution unit (13), said plurality of holes of said rotary grain aligner assembly are arranged in concentric circles having a central axis as a rotation axis, and said grain aligner assembly (11) is adapted to rotate about its own axis to facilitate the falling of said grains from said distributor (1) into said holes of said aligner assembly (11) during rotation - ; A plurality of stations for a grain holding table (6) and a grain positioner assembly (24); A control unit operably coupled to the distribution unit to stop the falling of grains from the corresponding track of the grain distributor (1) during the rotation of the alignment disk assembly (11) to control the number of grains to be placed in any layer during operation; A system comprising: a user terminal/computer coupled to the above-mentioned vibrating ball feeder (2), the above-mentioned vertical grain distributor (1) equipped with a controllable distribution unit (13), the above-mentioned rotary grain aligner assembly (11), the above-mentioned grain holding table (6) and grain positioner assembly (24) via a communication interface (21) so as to be communicable; wherein the user terminal is configured for motion control and data acquisition for the operation and control of the system via a plurality of encoders, a plurality of sensors, and a plurality of limit switches, and accordingly configured to actuate various actuators, such as motors, linear slides, and solenoid valves, for user desired functions of the system.
  2. In paragraph 1, The multi-perforated disk assembly (11) comprises a multi-perforated disk having a rotating array and an angle measuring unit; the grain positioner assembly (24) comprises a vertical linear slide (18), a pair of sliding collecting plates (12), and a pair of sliding splitting plates (19); and the grain holding table (6) comprises a grain holding base (having a load cell), a grain holder pipe (7), and a module lifter (8). The above system comprises: a main module locator disc (16) having a mechanism (14) for placing and removing a main module locator disc; and a lifting and tilting mechanism (10) for a semi-assembled unit (20) comprising a locking unit (23), a reciprocating slide (34), and a rotational unit and a linear slide for translation; wherein the main module positioning and locator system (16) comprises positioning of the main module and locating of the main module.
  3. In paragraph 1, A system in which the plurality of stations include a home position (station 2) of the grain retention table (6), a dummy covering disk (4) is operably disposed on the grain retention pipe (7), subsequently, an inner tube (3) is operably disposed on the dummy covering disk (4), and the grain retention table (6) is moved from station 2 to station 1.
  4. In paragraph 1, The above vibrating ball feeder (2) is operably coupled to an elevator adapted to lift a bundle of pallets from a hopper and drop them into the vibrating ball feeder, and The above vibrating ball feeder is adapted to maintain a required number of pallets and to feed through the plurality of tracks at a variable feeding speed through different tracks, The number of tracks in the above vibrating ball feeder is determined based on the number of grains to be distributed in a single layer and also based on the required dimensions of the grain positioner assembly (24), and the number of holes in the alignment assembly is changed by permanently blocking some of the holes by a special adapter based on the number of grains to be distributed in a single layer, and The above control unit is configured to electronically control the exact number of crystal grains to be distributed on a single layer through tracking the angular position of the aligner disk (11) via an encoder and the operation of a stopper for the distributor (1). A system in which the pair of split plates (19) are operably positioned below the aligner disk assembly (11) in a closed state to enable rotation of the aligner disk assembly (11) by 360° to distribute the crystal grains in a single layer, and the stopper of the distributor (1) is adapted to control the number of crystal grains on the layer.
  5. In paragraph 1, Once a single layer of grains is distributed, the vertical linear slide (18) of the grain positioner assembly (24) is adapted to lower the pair of dividing plates (19) in a closed state to a point where the pair of dividing plates (19) is several millimeters away from the top surface of the grain holder pipe (7), and the pair of sliding collecting plates (12) of the grain positioner assembly (24) is adapted to close to form a circle around the inner tube (3).
  6. In paragraph 1, The pair of split plates (19) are opened all the way to allow the collected crystal grains within the annular region around the inner tube (3) to fall into the crystal grain holder pipe (7), and The above-mentioned grain positioner assembly (24) is adapted to move upward and simultaneously with the grain holder pipe (7) until the entire length of one grain is covered, and The pair of dividing plates (19) is closed, the pair of sliding collection plates (12) is opened to both ends, and the grain positioner assembly (24) is moved upward again until the closed pair of dividing plates (19) is positioned several millimeters below the grain aligner disk assembly (11). A system in which the alignment and arrangement of the crystal grains on the crystal grain holder pipe (7) continues until a desired number of layers of crystal grains are built inside the crystal grain holder pipe (7), wherein a separation disk is operably arranged between the construction of the layers.
  7. In paragraph 1, The above-mentioned grain holding table (6) is configured to move from Station 1 to Station 3 once a desired number of layers of grains are formed inside the grain holder pipe (7), and At station 3, the main module locator disk (16) is placed on the top of the crystal grain holder pipe (7) with the help of a mechanism (14) for placing and removing the main module locator disk (16), and When the grain holding table (6) is moved to another station, the main module (5) is in an inverted state with a polyester bag placed on the main module locator disk (16), a weight is placed from the top onto the main module base, and then the grain holder pipe (7) is slowly lowered to push the aligned grains into the annular area of the main module (5) where they are available, and the grain holder pipe is lowered until the top collar of the main module (5) is separated from the main module locator disk (16), and then the applied weight is removed from the top base of the main module and the grain holding table (6) is moved to station 5. The grain holding table (6) is located at station 5 and is adapted so that the module lifter (8) lifts the semi-assembled unit (20) to a required height, and in this raised position of the semi-assembled unit, the reciprocating slide (34) is actuated to bring the locking unit of the lifting and tilting system (10) onto the upper and lower parts of the semi-assembled unit (20), and the locking unit (23) of the lifting and tilting system (10) is adapted to hold and lift the semi-assembled unit (20). The module lifter (8) is lowered, and the linear slide for translation is operated to move the semi-assembled unit (20) away from station 5, and during the movement, the rotor of the lifting and tilting system (10) is rotated 180° around its axis to bring the main module (5) into a normal position, and the linear slide for translation brings the semi-assembled unit (20) to station 6, system.
  8. In paragraph 1, At Station 6, the locking unit (23) of the lifting and tilting system (10) is adapted to open the semi-assembled unit and place it on the table of Station 6, and at this station, the dummy covering disk (4) is taken out and the actual covering disk is placed inside, and The pressing unit is adapted to press the covering disc and secure it to the main module (5), and At the same time, different axes of the semi-assembled unit lifting and tilting system (10) are operated to bring them into a home position; and to bring the grain holder pipe (7) into a home position and move the grain holding table (6) to station 3, where at station 3, the main module locator disk (16) is removed from the top of the grain holder pipe (7) with the help of the mechanism (14) for the placement and removal of the main body locator disk (16), and the grain holding table (6) is moved to station 2 for the next cycle for the assembly of the next filling module (CM), and The number of crystal grains to be distributed in all layers is dynamically controlled based on the required weight of the filled main module, and The above-described controlled distribution unit substantially controls the number of crystal grains to be formed in the layer during operation by stopping the drop of crystal grains from the corresponding track of the distributor during rotation, and The electronic unit is adapted for fine control of the final weight of the main module by tracking the angular position of the aligner disk through an encoder and controlling the number of grains to be distributed on each layer through the operation of the stopper for the distributor, and by detecting the weight of the module being charged in real time through a load cell and accurately controlling the number of grains to be distributed on the last layer to achieve the required target weight of the module, and A system configured to charge any number of layers in the main module according to requirements.
  9. A method for filling and assembling a filling module (CM) that automates the sorting, dispensing, layering, collection, and filling of pallets, the assembly of an integrated and filled filling module (CM), and the subsequent withdrawal operations without human intervention by a system for automated sorting, dispensing, layering, collection, and filling of pallets, by means of a system for automated sorting, dispensing, layering, collection, and filling of pallets. A step of detecting the position of all subsystems through a plurality of encoders, a plurality of sensors, and a plurality of limit switches, and accordingly, operating various actuators such as motors, linear slides, and solenoid valves according to the required step sequence of the system; A step of ensuring an event-driven safety interlock by determining the current state of the system through various encoders, sensors, and limit switches, and ensuring the issuance of a command for the next stage only when all operations of the current stage are completed; A step that facilitates a user monitoring the status of the system in a graphical user interface and, if necessary, performing a manual override operation; Step of feeding pallets to a vibrating ball feeder (2); A step of distributing grains through a plurality of tracks originating from the above-mentioned vibrating ball feeder (2) - said tracks are supplied to a vertical grain distributor (1) equipped with a controlled distribution unit (13); A step of allowing grains to fall into a plurality of holes of a rotary grain aligner assembly (11) having a multi-perforated disk assembly—the plurality of holes of the rotary grain aligner assembly are arranged in concentric circles having a central axis as a rotation axis; A step of rotating the grain aligner assembly (11) around its axis to facilitate the dropping of the grains from the distributor (1) into the hole of the aligner assembly (11) during rotation; A step of providing a plurality of stations for the grain holding table (6) and the grain positioner assembly (24) to facilitate the movement of the grain holding table for charging and assembly of the charging module in an automated manner; A step of controlling the start and stop of dropping grains from the corresponding track of the grain distributor (1) during the rotation of the aligner disk assembly (11) by means of a control unit operably coupled to the distribution unit, in order to control the number of grains to be placed in any layer during operation and the formation of an annular form of a layer of vertically aligned grains; and A method comprising the step of controlling the vertical grain distributor (1) equipped with a controllable distribution unit (13), the rotary grain aligner assembly (11), the grain holding table (6), and the grain positioner assembly (24) through a communication interface (21) by a user terminal/computer coupled to the vibrating ball feeder (2).
  10. In paragraph 1, The multi-perforated disk assembly (11) comprises a multi-perforated disk having a rotating array and an angle measuring unit; the grain positioner assembly (24) comprises a vertical linear slide (18), a pair of sliding collecting plates (12), and a pair of sliding splitting plates (19); and the grain holding table (6) comprises a grain holding base (having a load cell), a grain holder pipe (7), and a module lifter (8). The above system comprises: a main module locator disk (16) having a mechanism (14) for positioning and removing the main module locator disk; a lifting and tilting mechanism (10) for a semi-assembled unit (20) comprising a locking unit (23), a reciprocating slide (34), and a rotation unit and a linear slide for translation; wherein the main module positioning and locator system (16) comprises positioning the main module and locating the main module.
  11. In Paragraph 9, The above method is: A dummy covering disk is placed on the grain holding pipe (base) at the home position (Station 2), the inner tube is positioned on the dummy covering disk at Station 2, the grain holding table is moved from Station 2 to Station 1, and the grain aligner disk is rotated about its axis to allow the grains from the distributor to fall into the hole of the aligner, and the exact number of grains that can be distributed on a single layer is controlled by tracking the angular position of the aligner disk through an encoder and the operation of the stopper relative to the distributor, and the rotation of the aligner disk is allowed only when the pair of split plates is placed directly below the aligner disk, and the vertical linear slide of the grain positioner assembly is moved to the point where the split plates are directly above the uppermost surface of the grain holder pipe, thereby lowering the pair of sliding split plates from this closed state, closing the pair of sliding collection plates to create a circle of vertically aligned grains around the inner tube, and around the inner tube A method comprising the steps of: allowing the collected grains within the annular region to fall into the grain holder pipe; opening the pair of sliding split plates to the end and simultaneously moving the grain positioner assembly and the grain holder pipe upward until the entire length of the grains is covered; closing the pair of sliding split plates and opening the pair of sliding collection plates to both ends; moving the grain positioner assembly upward until the closed pair of sliding split plates is placed directly below the grain aligner disk assembly; placing a separation disk between layers as required; checking the number of layers of grains and automatically continuing the operation of grain alignment and placement until the number of layers built inside the grain holder pipe is one less than required; collecting a single layer of grains vertically aligned on the pair of sliding split plates based on the required number according to the required weight; and continuing the operation of collection and placement for the last layer of grains.
  12. In Paragraph 9, The above method is: A step of moving the grain retention table from Station 1 to Station 3 and placing the main module locator disk onto the uppermost part of the grain holder pipe; The step of moving the grain holding table to another station, placing the main module in an inverted state along with the internal polyester bag onto the main body locator disk, placing a weight (force) on the main module base from the top, slowly lowering the grain holder pipe to push the aligned grains into the main module in the available annular region until the main module top collar is separated from the main module locator disk, and removing the applied weight (force) from the top base of the main module; To lift the semi-assembled unit to a required height by a module lifter, move the grain holding table to Station 5, and actuate the reciprocating slide to bring the locking unit around the top and bottom of the semi-assembled unit, and to hold and lift the semi-assembled unit by the locking unit and move the semi-assembled unit away from Station 5; to actuate the linear slide for translation, and to bring the semi-assembled unit down to Station 6, simultaneously rotate the rotor by 180 degrees around its axis to position the main module; A method comprising the steps of: opening the semi-assembled unit by means of the locking unit and placing it on the table of Station 6; taking out the dummy covering disc, folding the polyester bag, placing the actual covering disc inside, operating the pressing unit, then pressing the covering disc to secure it to the main module, removing the assembled unit from Station 6, and bringing the crystal grain holder pipe to the home position (Station 2) for the next cycle for the assembly of the next filling module (CM).
  13. In Paragraph 9, A method wherein the plurality of vertical tracks are selected based on the number of grains in a single layer and the required dimensions of the grain positioner assembly, the dimensions of the tracks of the grain distributor are optimized based on the average diameter and length of the grains to be distributed and the required tolerances in their dimensions, the vertical gap (gap) between the grain distributor and the multiple perforated disk (rotating disk) is determined based on the length and diameter of the grains to be distributed, along with the distribution speed (rpm of the rotating disk), the shape of the grain positioner assembly is based on the required shape of the arrangement of grains in a single layer, the distributor is used for vertical alignment of the grains and to enable the dropping of grains into the holes of the rotating grain aligner, and the number of holes in the aligner assembly is changed by permanently blocking some of the holes by a special adapter based on the number of grains to be distributed in a single layer.
  14. In Paragraph 9, Forming multiple layers of crystal grains stacked layer upon layer is: Dynamically controlling the number of crystal grains to be distributed in all layers based on the above-mentioned required weight of the charged main module, By the above-mentioned control distribution unit, the dropping of crystal grains from the corresponding track of the distributor during the rotation is stopped to substantially control the number of crystal grains to be formed in the layer during the operation. A method comprising controlling the number of crystal grains to be distributed on each layer by an electronic unit through tracking the angular position of the alignment disk through an encoder and the operation of the stopper for the distributor, detecting the weight of the module being charged in real time through a load cell, and controlling the final weight of the main module by accurately controlling the number of crystal grains to be distributed on the last layer to achieve the required target weight of the module.

Description

System and method for automated layer formation and filling of multiple crystal grains in a limited area The present invention relates to a system and method for the automated charging and assembly of a Charge Module (CM). In particular, the present invention relates to an automated control for the charging, assembly, and integration of a Charge Module equipped with all safety and operational interlocks, in particular to a system and process that facilitates the rapid and continuous distribution of layers of pallets in a vertically aligned manner and the placement of stacked layers in a limited area for building a stack of layers of pallets, wherein the number of grains distributed in each layer can be determined at the design stage or controlled via a flapper during operation. The filling module (CM) consists of three components: a main module, a cover disc, and an inner tube; they interlock during the assembly process. In addition, grains of a predefined weight must be filled into the annular space of the main module according to requirements. To accommodate the required mass of grains within the limited space of the filling module, the grains are required to be filled in layers in a vertically aligned manner. Existing and conventional filling processes were based on manual processes of grain alignment in layers and subsequent filling into the annular regions of the filling module, which were time-consuming and required direct human contact. In this regard, reference is made to some of the existing patents in the field of packaging systems, such as U.S. Patent: 1972657, U.S. Patent: 864256, European Patent 0149822, European Patent 0619231A1, European Patent 1977974A1, and UK Patent GB2448816. Therefore, automated filling needs to be implemented to make the system more reliable in terms of repeatability, to make the filling process faster, and to prevent direct human contact. In this regard, there was a need to develop methods and systems to meet filling pattern and weight requirements, along with automated layering of pallets and automated stacking of layers without disturbing the integrity of the layers being formed. More specifically, in the packing module, the grains are arranged in a layered manner. In each layer, there are approximately 110/120 vertically aligned grains (the number is merely for indication). The arrangement of vertically aligned grains in six layers is essential to have a dense packing of grains within the smallest possible volume. In conventional methods, the arrangement of these grains in each layer is performed manually. To meet the requirements for faster production and assembly of these modules, it is essential that the alignment process in each layer be executed through machine automation. Therefore, there is a need for a process/mechanism/technique that is not only fast but also reliable in terms of creating layers of desired shapes (circular, circular, etc.). Currently, no process or mechanism is known for rapidly distributing vertically aligned grain layers one by one in succession. Multiple layers are stacked layer upon layer, and at the same time, the geometric integrity of each individual layer is also maintained. In this regard, it is necessary to provide a system and a method capable of distributing vertically aligned grains in a layer-by-layer format. The system can then be utilized to distribute the vertically aligned grains layer by layer. After distributing the vertically aligned grains of each layer onto a plate, a collection mechanism is implemented to gather the grains and form a circular, annular, or desired shape. These collected pallets of vertically aligned single layers are then placed on a plate and then (in this specific case) arranged into an annular area. To create a stack of the required number of layers in a module, these processes of vertical alignment, distribution, and placement of the aligned single-layer pallets need to be repeated. In addition to automated filling and assembly, automated retrieval of the filled and assembled modules also needs to be performed. The following provides a simplified summary of the invention to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not a comprehensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify the core or important elements of the invention or to describe the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detailed description of the invention that follows. The main objective of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. The object of the present invention is to provide a method and system for the automated filling, alignment, layer formation, stacking, assembly, and withdrawal of an integrated filling module of a pallet; to overcome the challenges of manual assembly and human intervention; and to save time and manpower for the end user. The ob