[0001] The invention relates to a centring device for packing bottles and to a bottle-packing
machine.
[0002] Machines for packing bottles generally comprise a movement device predisposed to
collect and deposit a determined number of bottles internally of cardboard boxes.
The bottles are generally removed from the movement device in an ordered matrix arrangement
which contains a certain number of groups of bottles. Each group of bottles is destined
to be inserted and contained in a single box.
[0003] Some types of bottles, such as for example sparkling wine or champagne, exhibit a
cylindrical bottom portion which extends in height over a more-or-less equivalent
tract to the neck portion. To contain box volume, these bottles are normally stacked
alternatively topside up and upside down in the box, i.e. such that an upright bottle
is next to an over-turned bottle. This means that the cylindrical bottom portion of
a bottle is next to the neck portion of an adjacent bottle, such that the space taken
up is about the sum of the diameter of the space occupied by the bottom portion and
the diameter of the neck portion. If the two bottles were placed side-by-side and
both upright, the overall diameter would be about twice the diameter of the bottom
portion.
[0004] The most widely-used packing boxes for this type of bottle contain six bottles, arranged
in two rows of three bottles, in which the bottles at the end are straight and the
intermediate bottles are over-turned. To prevent the bottles from being in direct
contact with one another in the boxes, before introducing the bottles a cellular structure
is interposed, made up of at least a larger wall, predisposed to separate the two
rows of three bottles, and at least two smaller walls, predisposed to separate the
bottles of each row.
[0005] Correct positioning of the bottles internally of the boxes means that each bottle
unerringly enters the cell provided therefor. This is obtained by interposing a centring
device between the boxes and the movement device, which centring device comprises
a cellular structure that defines a plurality of openings predisposed to enable passage
of the bottles. The openings of the cellular structure are aligned with the container
boxes of the bottles such that when the movement device descends the bottles each
enter the right cell, with no error.
[0006] The known centring devices have a predetermined structure in which the cellular structure
defines openings of a fixed shape and extension. This necessarily means that the upright
bottles and the over-turned bottles have to be introduced into the boxes in two distinct
stations, each of which exhibits a centring device suitable for passage of the upright
bottles or the overturned bottles. Thus it is necessary to provide two movement devices
and two centring devices if packing times are to be kept to a minimum.
[0007] The aim of the present invention is to provide a centring device and a bottle-packing
machine which enables contemporaneous introduction of upright and overturned bottles
internally of a box.
[0008] The invention enables a considerable reduction of the times required for packing
a carton with bottles without substantially increasing the costs of the apparatus
required.
[0009] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will better emerge from the
detailed description that follows, made with reference to the accompanying figures
of the drawings, given by way of non-limiting example, in which:
figure 1 is a perspective view of a centring device and of a bottle-packing machine
of the present invention;
figure 2 is a plan view of the centring device of the present invention;
figures 3, 5, 6, 7 and 9 show successive stages of the bottle-packing performed by
the machine and device of the present invention;
figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the stage shown in figure 3;
figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the stage shown in figure 7;
figure 10 is an enlarged perspective view of the stage shown in figure 9;
figures 11a, 11b are a schematic representation in plan view of a minimum realisation
of the invention for centring a pair of bottles, illustrated in two successive stages
of two bottles passing through the centring device;
figures 12a, 12b, 12c are a schematic representation in plan view of a more complex
realisation of the invention for centring a set of three bottles, illustrated in three
successive stages of the passage of three bottles through the centring device;
figures 13 and 14 schematically show two embodiments of the centring device, suitable
for contemporaneous centring of twelve bottles.
[0010] The centring device of the present invention is particularly applicable for use in
a machine for packing bottles which comprises a movement device 12, predisposed for
moving a certain number of bottles 51, 52 along at least a vertical direction. A determined
number of cardboard boxes 60 is arranged below the movement device 12, predisposed
to receive the bottles 51, 52 positioned upright and overturned in a determined pattern.
After having collected the bottles 51, 52, the movement device 12 is brought into
a vertically-aligned position with regard to the boxes 60 and descends until it deposits
the bottles 51, 52 internally of the boxes 60. The centring device 1 is arranged in
an intermediate position between the movement device 12 and the container boxes 60
for the bottles, and its function is to correctly direct the bottles into the boxes
60.
[0011] The centring device of the present invention comprises a cellular structure 2 (figure
2) which defines a plurality of openings 21, 22, 23 predisposed to enable passage
of bottles 51, 52. As already mentioned, the cellular structure 2 substantially has
the function of being a centring template for directly correctly the bottles 51, 52
during the descent thereof towards the packing boxes 60.
[0012] Regulating means 3 are predisposed to cause a variation in the size and/or conformation
of the openings 21, 22, 23 during passage of the bottles 51, 52, such that each opening
21, 22, 23 enables progressive passage of consecutive sections of a bottle 51, 52.
Thanks to this possibility, the openings 21, 22, 23 can open or close progressively
to enable passage of the various sections of the bottles.
[0013] In a minimum embodiment of the invention, illustrated in figures 11a, 11b, the cellular
structure 2 comprises at least a first longitudinal wall 4 which separates at least
a first and a second opening 21, 22 from one another and which can slide along a transversal
direction X, such as to vary the size of the first and the second openings 21, 22
between a maximum extension configuration and a minimum extension configuration. This
embodiment of the invention enables centring a pair of bottles 51, 52 of which a first
is upright and the other is overturned. Consider for example two bottles 51, 52 adjacent
to one another which are translated to pass through two contiguous openings 21, 22.
The upright bottle 51 offers the bottom portion to the cellular structure 2, the section
of which is greater than the neck section, while the overturned bottle 52 offers the
neck portion towards the cellular structure 2. Initially a first opening 21 is in
a maximum extension configuration in order to enable passage of the bottom portion
of the upright bottle 51, while the second opening 52 is in a minimum extension configuration,
which enables passage of the neck portion of the overturned bottle 52. As the bottles
advance, the regulating means 3 contemporaneously vary the conformation and the size
of the openings 21, 22 such that the first opening 21 reduces in size in order to
follow the reduction of the section of the upright bottle 51 which transits from the
bottom portion to the neck portion, while the second opening 22 increases in size
in order to follow the increase of the section of the overturned bottle 52 which transits
from the neck portion to the bottom portion. If it is not possible to vary the size
of the two openings 21, 22 during the passage of the bottles 51, 52, the bottles would
not be able to transit contemporaneously through the openings 21, 22. The regulating
means 3 are predisposed to cause the sliding of the first longitudinal wall 4.
[0014] The minimum embodiment of the embodiment can be repeated several times either in
a longitudinal direction Y and in a transversal direction such as to enable contemporaneous
centring of several pairs of bottles 51, 52, both upright and overturned. For example,
by repeating this embodiment once in a longitudinal direction Y it is possible to
centre four bottles, of which two are upright and two overturned. By repeating the
minimum structure four more times in a longitudinal direction Y, twelve bottles can
be centred, arranged on two rows of six bottles, a row of upright bottles and a row
of overturned bottles. In this way it is possible to pack a box of twelve bottles
with a single operation.
[0015] In a more complex embodiment, the cell structure 2 comprises a second longitudinal
wall 5, arranged parallel to the first longitudinal wall 4 which separates the second
opening 22 from a third opening 23 and which can slide along the transversal direction
X. In this embodiment the invention enables centring of three aligned bottles, of
which the two end bottles are in an upright position and the intermediate bottle is
overturned, or vice versa. In this case the regulating means 3 are predisposed to
determine a relative sliding between the first and the second longitudinal wall 4,
5 such as to vary the size of the first, second and third openings 21, 22, 23, between
a maximum extension configuration and a minimum extension configuration.
[0016] If for example the two end bottles are upright and the intermediate bottle overturned
(figures 12a, 12b, 12c), the first and the second longitudinal walls 4, 5 are initially
in a position in which they are separated by a minimum distance, such that the intermediate
opening 22 is in a minimum extension configuration in order to allow passage of the
neck section of the overturned bottle, while the two end openings 21, 23 are in a
maximum extension configuration in order to enable passage of the bottom section of
the two upright bottles. As the bottles advance, the regulating means 3 distance the
first and the second longitudinal walls from one another such that the two end openings
21, 23 reduce is size in order to follow the reducing of the section of the upright
bottles 51 transiting from the bottom portion to the neck portions, while the intermediate
opening 22 increases in size to follow the increase in section of the overturned bottle
52 transiting from the neck portion to the bottom portion.
[0017] This more complex embodiment of the invention can also be repeated several times,
both in the longitudinal direction, as demonstrated in the figures, and in the transversal
direction, such as to enable centring of a greater number of sets of three bottles.
The packing of a twelve-bottle box can be obtained for example by repeating the centring
device three times for sets of three bottles, obtaining a device which enables centring
of twelve bottles arranged on three rows of four bottles in which a first row is of
upright bottles and a second row is of overturned bottles. This device could therefore
be repeated once in the transversal direction X such as to obtain overall a device
which enables centring of twelve bottles, arranged in four rows of three bottles each,
two rows of upright bottles alternated with two rows of overturned bottles.
[0018] Preferably, though not exclusively, the regulating means 3 comprise a cam 6 (figures
from 3 to 10). In the minimum embodiment of the invention the cam 6 is predisposed
to push the first longitudinal wall 4 to slide at least in an outward direction. Elastic
means 7, for example one or more helical springs, are predisposed to maintain the
first longitudinal wall 4 in contact with the cam 6 and to push the longitudinal wall
to slide in an opposite, return direction. Also possible is a desmodromic, or positive,
command in which the cam 6 actively determines both slidings of the longitudinal wall
4, the presence of elastic means no longer being necessary.
[0019] In the embodiment of the invention for sets of three bottles, the cam 6 is predisposed
to wedge between the first and the second longitudinal wall 4, 5 such as to distance
them from one another. Preferably the cam 6 is in the form of an elongate body provided
with a tapered end portion 6a. The longitudinal walls 4, 5 are provided with shaped
appendages 4a, 5a which project at an end of the walls are divergent upwardly such
as to define an entrance for the cam 6. The elastic means 7 are predisposed to maintain
the first and the second longitudinal walls 4, 5 in contact with the cam 6 and to
push the first and the second longitudinal wall 4, 5 towards one another. The presence
of the elastic means 7 can be omitted if the cam 6 command is desmodromic.
[0020] As already mentioned, the centring device of the invention can be structured such
as to enable the centring of a desired number of bottles. In the accompanying figures,
for example, the device is structured such as to enable centring of twenty four bottles
arranged in three rows of which the two ends are upright bottles 51, while the intermediate
row is made up of upturned bottles. Naturally the number of sets of three bottles,
which in the illustrated case is eight, can be increased or reduced according to needs.
Similarly, the device could be structured for centring of a determined number of pairs
of longitudinally-aligned bottles. In this case only the first longitudinal wall 4
would be necessary. Figures 13 and 14 show two possible embodiments of the centring
device suitable for centring twelve bottles.
[0021] To enable centring of a plurality of bottles, the cellular structure 2 comprises
a plurality of transversal walls 8 (figure 2) arranged perpendicular to the first
longitudinal wall 4 and separated by a certain distance. The cellular structure further
comprises two external longitudinal walls 9, 10, parallel to the first longitudinal
wall 4, between which the first and the second longitudinal wall 4, 5 are positioned.
By intersecting them, the various walls delimit a plurality of openings 21, 22, 23
the size of which is modified by the displacing of the first longitudinal wall 4,
in the embodiment for pairs of bottles, or by displacement of the first and the second
longitudinal wall 4, 5 in the embodiment for sets of three bottles.
[0022] The longitudinal walls 4, 5, 9, 10 and the transversal walls 8 intersect at nodes
where conical elements 11 are positioned which are predisposed to facilitate entry
of the bottles 51, 52 into the openings 21, 22, 23.
[0023] Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a bottle-packing machine comprising a centring
device 1 of the present invention. The machine comprises a movement device 12, predisposed
for moving ordered groups of bottles 51, 52 in which the bottles are aligned in at
least a first longitudinal row of upright bottles 51, a second longitudinal row of
overturned bottles 52 and a third row of upright bottles 51. A centring device 1 of
the present invention is arranged below the movement device 12.
[0024] The movement device 12, in a collecting station which is not illustrated, collects
an ordered group of bottles 51, 52 with gripping means 12a, 12b and moves into a position
in which the openings 21, 22, 23 of the cellular structure 2 are aligned along a vertical
direction with the gripping means 12a, 12b.
[0025] The movement device 12 is mobile vertically between an upper position, in which it
is at a greater distance from the centring device 1 and the bottles 51, 52 are above
the cellular structure 2, and a lower position, in which it is at a smaller distance
from the centring device 1 and the bottles 51, 52 are below the cellular structure
2. During the passage from the upper position to the lower position, the bottles 51,
52 transit through the openings 21, 22, 23 which, by effect of the regulating means
3, vary their size and/or their conformation such as to enable progressive passage
of consecutive sections of the bottles 51, 52.
[0026] The cam 6 is preferably associated to the movement device 12 (figures from 3 to 10)
such that, at a certain point in the descent of the movement device 12, the cam 6
enters into contact with the shaped appendages 4a, 5a of the first and the second
longitudinal wall 4, 5 causing the reciprocal distancing thereof along the transversal
direction X. As can be seen in figures from 3 to 10, the cam 6 is arranged, with respect
to the gripping means 12a, 12b, such as to enter into contact with the appendages
4a, 5a in order to cause distancing of the first and the second longitudinal walls
4, 5 in the moment at which the transit of the neck sections of the overturned bottles
through the cellular structure 2 has terminated and the transit of the larger section
has begun. Figure 5 shows the moment at which the transit of the neck portion of the
overturned bottles 52 terminates. The cam 6 is shaped such that the first and the
second longitudinal section 4, 5 progressively distance from one another as the overturned
bottles 52 proceed downwards, increasing the size of the section transiting through
the cellular structure 2. Figure 8 shows the moment when the transit of the cylindrical
bottom portion of the overturned bottles 52 begins and the cam 6 pushes the first
and the second longitudinal wall 4, 5 to the maximum reciprocal distance. In this
way, the change in size of the openings 21, 22, 23 of the cellular structure is perfectly
synchronised with the descending movement of the movement device 12.
[0027] As illustrated in figure 1, the boxes 60 for containing the bottles are successively
positioned below the centring device, in this case four boxes each for containing
six bottles. To this end a mobile conveyor plane (not illustrated) can be predisposed,
which supplies the boxes 60 to below the centring device 1, and, following the depositing
of the bottles, distances them towards the successive work stations.
[0028] The invention offers important advantages. The centring device enables the upright
and the overturned bottles to be introduced contemporaneously into the container boxes.
With respect to the centring devices at present available on the market, which allow
only separate introduction of the upright and overturned bottles, this enables bottle-packing
times to be reduced by half. Further, the greater productivity of the machine using
the centring device does not lead to an especially relevant increase in costs.
1. A centring device for bottle-packing, characterised in that it comprises: a cellular structure (2) which defines a plurality of openings (21,
22, 23) predisposed for enabling passage of bottles (51, 52); regulating means (3),
predisposed to determine a change in size and/or conformation of the openings (21,
22, 23) during passage of the bottles (51, 52), such that each opening (21, 22, 23)
enables progressive passage of consecutive sections of a bottle (51,52).
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the cellular structure (2) comprises at least a first
longitudinal wall (4) which separates at least a first and a second opening (21, 22)
from one another, and which can slide along a transversal direction (X), such as to
change a size of the first and the second opening (21, 22), between a maximum configuration
extension and a minimum configuration extension, the regulating means (3) being predisposed
to determine sliding of the first longitudinal wall (4).
3. The device of claim 2, wherein the cellular structure (2) comprises a second longitudinal
wall (5), arranged parallel to the first longitudinal wall (4), which separates the
second opening (22) from a third opening (23) and which can slide along the transversal
direction (X), the regulating means (3) being predisposed to determine a relative
sliding between the first and the second longitudinal wall (4, 5) such as to vary
the size of the first, second and third opening (21, 22, 23) between a maximum configuration
extension and a minimum extension configuration.
4. The device of claim 2 or 3, wherein the regulating means (3) comprise a cam (6), predisposed
to push the first longitudinal wall (4) to slide in a direction.
5. The device of claim 4, wherein the regulating means (3) comprise elastic means (7)
predisposed to keep the first longitudinal wall (4) in contact with the cam (6).
6. The device of claim 5, wherein the cam (6) is predisposed to wedge between the first
and the second longitudinal wall (4, 5) such as to distance them from one another.
7. The device of claim 6, wherein the elastic means (7) are predisposed to keep the first
and the second longitudinal wall (4, 5) in contact with the cam (6) and to push the
first and the second longitudinal walls (4, 5) towards one another.
8. The device of one of the preceding claims, wherein the cellular structure (2) comprises
a plurality of transversal walls (8) arranged perpendicular to the first longitudinal
wall (4) and separated by a determined distance.
9. The device of one of the preceding claims, wherein the cellular structure comprises
two external longitudinal walls (9, 10), parallel to the first longitudinal wall (4),
between which the first longitudinal wall (4) is positioned.
10. The device of claim 8 and 9, wherein the longitudinal walls (4, 5, 9, 10) and the
transversal walls (8) intersect at nodes at which conical elements (11) are positioned
which are predisposed to facilitate entry of the bottles (51, 52) into the openings
(21, 22, 23).
11. A machine for packing bottles, characterised in that it comprises: a movement device (12), predisposed for movement of ordered groups
of bottles (51, 52), wherein the bottles are aligned in at least a first longitudinal
row of upright bottles (51) and at least a second longitudinal row of overturned bottles
(52); a centring device (1) as in one of the preceding claims, arranged below the
movement device (12).
12. The machine of claim 11, wherein the movement device (12) is predisposed to assume
a position in which the openings (21, 22, 23) of the cellular structure (2) are aligned
along a vertical direction with gripping means (12a, 12b) of the movement device (12)
predisposed for gripping the upright bottles (51) and the overturned bottles (52).
13. The machine of claim 12, wherein: the movement device (12) is mobile vertically between
an upper position, in which it is at a greater distance from the centring device (1)
and the bottles (51, 52) are above the cellular structure (2), and a lower position,
in which the movement device (12) is at a smaller distance from the centring device
(1) and the bottles (51, 52) are below the cellular structure (2); during passage
from the upper position to the lower position, the bottles (51, 52) transit through
the openings (21, 22, 23) which, by effect of the regulating means (3), vary a size
thereof and/or a conformation thereof such as to enable progressive passage of consecutive
sections of the bottles (51, 52).
14. The machine of claim 13, wherein the cam (6) is associated to the movement device
(12) such that, at a certain point during the descent of the movement device (12),
the cam (6) interacts with the first longitudinal wall (4), causing a sliding therof
along the transversal direction (x).
15. The machine of claim 14, wherein the cam (6) interacts with the second longitudinal
wall (5) contemporaneously with the first longitudinal wall (4), causing a distancing
between the first and the second longitudinal wall (5, 6).