Package making – Combined
Patent
1988-11-03
1990-08-28
Coan, James F.
Package making
Combined
53137, 53251, 53374, 53564, B25J 1500, B65B 4318, B65B 5106
Patent
active
049514458
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention concerns a gripping head and/or work head intended to equip a handling device with several degrees of freedom. It also concerns a handling device equipped with this head; it further concerns a packaging installation (for example an installation for packing cardboard boxes) comprising such a handling device.
There are already known automatic handling devices with 4, 5 or 6 degrees of freedom. They are generally intended to perform awkward, difficult tasks with great precision.
There is also known an automatic handling device in accordance with French patent No. 77.21226 dated July 8 1977 permitting extensive degrees of travel. This device, well suited to palletizing tasks, comprises a horizontal arm which can move transversely in relation to itself, along which moves a carriage carrying a work head (or work or gripping hand) adapted to rotate about a vertical axle.
Through the versatility of its movements and through its design, this automatic handling device, or robot, was found to be capable in principle of performing tasks, sometimes difficult, other than palletizing, thus replacing many highly specialized, different existing machines. To accomplish this necessitates mounting on the device a work hand or head the structure of which is chosen according to the tasks to be performed.
The object of the present invention is a work head or hand adapted to perform a number of functions. More particularly the object of the invention is a work head advantageously adapted to perform individual packaging tasks for packages or loose materials; it may concern for example, in the case of packaging in cardboard boxes, the performance of all or some of the following operations: or compartments,
Another object of the invention is a handling robot, notably adapted to perform packaging tasks through the use of one or more multiple function work heads.
Another object of the invention is a packaging installation comprising a robot with four degrees of freedom equipped with a multiple function head, and various processing modules or stations disposed in the space through which the head can move, or wherein each module or each station is associated with at least one individual packaging operation.
The invention proposes a gripping head for a handling device comprising a support, of the type with a shaft linking said gripping head to said support, and a first packaging tool consisting of an axial gripping device adapted to grip an object in prolongation of said shaft, wherein said gripping head comprises at least one other packaging tool. Such heads or hands are notably adapted to perform various successive packaging operations involving gripping, by suction for example (or even by mechanical clamping), reshaping of containers (in particular opening cardboard boxes and folding their flaps) and/or standard handling operations (boxing, packing, palletizing-unpalletizing ...) The concept of packaging tool in this context covers any tool intended to act upon packaging (cardboard box, packing case ...) with a view in particular to gripping, shaping and closing it.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said other packaging tool is a lateral gripping tool adapted to grip an object (packaging) transversely to said shaft.
According to advantageous features of the invention, the lateral and axial gripping devices comprise a common suction device which can pivot (through 90.degree. in practise) or two juxtaposed suction devices disposed at right angles; one of said suction devices advantageously contains individual gripping parts such as suckers. According to a preferred feature of the invention said head comprises a closing tool consisting for example of an adhesive paper or gum application assembly, and/or a frame for folding the top flaps of a cardboard box. Such a head is advantageously adapted to be equipped selectively with tools appropriate to the tasks to be performed, for example storage on a shelf, and capable of being changed automatically by the robot itself.
Said other packaging tool can
REFERENCES:
patent: 3410050 (1968-11-01), Bell
patent: 4194442 (1980-03-01), Martelli
patent: 4720958 (1988-01-01), Wright et al.
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