US-12623864-B2 - Apparatus for transporting objects

US12623864B2US 12623864 B2US12623864 B2US 12623864B2US-12623864-B2

Abstract

A transport apparatus for transporting objects includes a reference surface; electric energizing device to selectively generate one or more magnetic fields associated with the reference surface; and at least one transport member configured to support and transport the objects and to move without contact with respect to the reference surface. The transport member includes a first magnetic device. The electric energizing devices are configured to interact with the first magnetic device and cause the displacement of the transport member. A second magnetic device includes at least one magnetic device configured to assume a first condition in which the magnetic device is inactive and a second condition in which the magnetic device is active and generates a magnetic attraction force suitable to interact with the first magnetic device to block the transport member with respect to the reference surface when a correct interaction between the electric energizing device and the first magnetic device is missing.

Inventors

Mattia Chianura
Claudio Trebbi

Assignees

I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230110
Priority Date: 20220111

Claims (14)

1 . Transport apparatus for transporting one or more objects comprising: a reference surface; electric energizing means to selectively generate one or more magnetic fields associated with said reference surface; and at least one transport member configured to support and transport said one or more objects and to be able to move without contact with respect to said reference surface, remaining at a distance from the latter, wherein said at least one transport member comprises first magnetic means and wherein said electric energizing means are configured to interact with said first magnetic means and consequently cause the selective displacement of said at least one transport member, and second magnetic means comprising at least one magnetic device configured to assume a first condition in which said magnetic device is inactive and a second condition in which said at least one magnetic device is active and generates a magnetic attraction force suitable to interact with said first magnetic means in order to block said transport member with respect to said reference surface when a correct interaction between said electric energizing means and said first magnetic means is missing.
2 . Transport apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein said at least one magnetic device comprises a plurality of fixed permanent magnets and at least one mobile permanent magnet, which is mobile between at least a first position in which it is offset with respect to said fixed permanent magnets when the magnetic device assumes said first condition, and a second position in which it is aligned with them when the magnetic device assumes said second condition, wherein said at least one mobile permanent magnet is connected to an actuation member commanded by a command member configured to command said actuation member in order to displace said at least one mobile permanent magnet between said first and said second position, and consequently take said magnetic device from said first condition to said second condition.
3 . Transport apparatus as in claim 2 , wherein said plurality of fixed permanent magnets and said at least one mobile permanent magnet are disposed coplanar with each other.
4 . Transport apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein said at least one magnetic device comprises a plurality of permanent magnets and at least one invertible magnet which is associated with a winding, wherein said invertible magnet is configured to invert the polarity of a generated magnetic field as a function of the sense of the electric current passing through said winding so as to take said magnetic device from said first condition to said second condition.
5 . Transport apparatus as in claim 4 , it also comprises further comprising a circuit that can be commanded by means of a command member configured to invert the sense of said electric current when said magnetic device has to be taken from said first condition to said second condition.
6 . Transport apparatus as in claim 2 , wherein said command member comprises a switch device configured to activate autonomously in the absence of a supply of electrical energy.
7 . Transport apparatus as in claim 2 , further comprising control means configured both to monitor a trajectory of said transport member with respect to a predefined path on the basis of data received from position sensors which are associated with at least one of either said reference surface or said at least one transport member, and also to activate said command member when said trajectory does not coincide with said predefined path.
8 . Transport apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein said second magnetic means are integrated in a support structure which encloses said electric energizing means.
9 . Transport apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein said second magnetic means are externally associated with a support structure in which said electric energizing means are disposed.
10 . Transport apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein said second magnetic means are distributed over the entire reference surface according to a grid-like disposition having a plurality of links, wherein each of said links has a smaller extension than the area of action of said first magnetic means of said at least one transport member.
11 . Transport apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein-said second magnetic means are concentrated in a strip disposed in a lower zone of said reference surface.
12 . Transport apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein said second magnetic means are concentrated in a plurality of strips disposed parallel to each other which extend substantially for the entire development of said reference surface.
13 . Transport apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein said second magnetic means are distributed according to a dotted or checkerboard pattern.
14 . Transport apparatus as in claim 1 , further comprising recovery means configured to return said transport member in proximity to said reference surface and in a correct position along a predefined trajectory following a displacement with respect thereto caused by the lack of said correct interaction.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention concerns an apparatus for automatically transporting one or more objects, for example components for making a product or a package, to and from a plurality of processing stations. The apparatus according to the invention can be used, for example, in a machine for making packages of products, especially low-mass products, for example in the chemical, cosmetic and/or pharmaceutical sector, such as bottles, flasks, caps, ferrules or other objects of similar sizes. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the industrial sector of packaging chemical, cosmetic and/or pharmaceutical products, various machines and methods are known for automatically transporting one or more components to make a package, in particular a package for a low-mass product, such as bottles, flasks, caps, ferrules, or other objects of similar sizes, from and to one or more processing stations, many of which are designed, manufactured and marketed by the present Applicant. In this sector, there is an increasing demand for machines that can move the components to make the package from one processing station to another, in a safe and aseptic, ecologically sustainable and silent environment, without generating pollutants and agents that can contaminate the product and/or its content, and in which the human intervention to carry out the usual operations in the sector (cleaning, format change, maintenance, monitoring of biological tests, or other) is reduced to a minimum, if not completely eliminated. In particular, transport devices of the electromagnetic type have been developed, also called “planar motors”, which comprise magnetic means which cooperate with associated electric energizing means and configured to selectively generate one or more magnetic fields to influence said magnetic means. In planar motors, the magnetic means are usually configured as coils included in a mobile transport member, and the electric energizing means are incorporated inside a fixed surface on which the transport member can move without contact thanks to the controlled electromagnetic field which is generated between the magnetic means and the electric energizing means. These planar motors are very versatile, since they allow to follow trajectories and paths that are very different from each other, both with rectilinear and also with curved segments, with respect to a movement surface, suitably commanding the electric energizing means. Furthermore, planar motors can be advantageously used both on horizontal and inclined movement surfaces, or even on vertical or upturned movement surfaces, even though in these latter cases damage can occur, even serious damage, if critical situations occur in which there is no correct interaction between the magnetic fields generated by the electric energizing means and those generated by the magnetic means present on the transport devices. Such critical situations can occur, for example, when there is an interruption in the supply of electrical energy to the electric energizing means, with consequent cancellation of the corresponding magnetic fields and therefore of the magnetic attraction force which allows the transport devices to be kept in position with respect to the movement surface. Planar motors which integrate a device configured as a safety system which intervenes in the event of sudden interruptions in the supply of electrical energy are described in patent application DE 102015209625 A1. Critical situations can also occur when control of one or more transport devices is lost, even without any interruption to the electrical energy. This can occur in the event of a request for excessive dynamic performance from the transport devices (for example in the event of strong dynamics, unbalanced loads, greater loads than expected), or also due to possible collisions between two or more transport devices, for example due to the unbalancing or slowing down of one of them, or due to possible collisions of the transport devices with other parts of the machine. In all these critical situations, the transport device is not supported adequately and with full control by the electromagnetic fields generated by the electric energizing means and can therefore fall downward due to the force of gravity. By carrying out operating tests on machines provided with such transport devices, the Applicant has found that, if the mobile part of the planar motors or the transport devices accidentally fall, the latter can suffer very serious damage due to the impact or coupling with any magnetic material whatsoever, and that the magnetic means inside them may even break, in practice rendering them unusable. Since, as is known, these transport devices are very expensive and difficult to repair in the event of considerable damage to the magnetic means, it is necessary to adopt measures to guarantee their correct operation even on inclined and/or vertical surfaces. There is therefore a need to perfect an apparatus for