PACKING APPARATUS

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a packing apparatus.

In particular, the present invention provides a packing apparatus configured to gently and efficiently pack boxes or cartons with fruit. However, those skilled in the art should realize that other uses for the present invention are available and reference to the above only throughout this specification should in no way be seen as limiting.

BACKGROUND ART

There are many industries that require products to be packaged into boxes or cartons before transportation. Items may be packaged into boxes in many ways and filling material is often used to fill up any empty spaces remaining. When packaging many small, loose items, boxes may be filled without including any filling material to reduce the costs involved. The number of small items which may be packed into a box may also increase when there is no filling material present.

This type of ‘loose packing’ may be used with many different small items to be packed, and is often seen when packing food items.

In particular, this loose packing Is used to fill cartons of fruit and vegetables for transportation to markets, outlets, or internationally. Items that are packed this way include such things as onions and potatoes, as well as more delicate fruit such as kiwifruit, peaches, apricots, nectarines etc.

There are many ways of getting the items into the cartons and boxes. In most cases, this involves a conveyor belt system which automatically packs the boxes. However in some cases, such as with delicate fruit, the packing of the fruit into boxes or cartons is done manually by a person transferring the fruit from a feeding conveyor into the box. This is to avoid damage and bruising caused when delicate fruit falls from a conveyor into an empty box, or onto another fruit.

Ways of automating the process of moving the item to be packed from the conveyor into a box for packaging have been created previously. However, the prior art systems created for packaging into cartons are not used widely throughout the fruit industry. These prior art systems involve systems that allow efficient packaging of boxes, but these systems are not suitable for the packing of delicate product without damage. The prior art systems all involve relatively large drops from a conveyor into a packaging box and therefore the fruit can be damaged or bruised in this fall. This renders these systems suitable only for robust products e.g. potatoes or onions.

Most prior art automated systems use carton “filling heads” which are filled and then lowered into an empty box.

One such prior art device consists of a filling apparatus which is controlled by a pneumatic actuator. This is used in combination with a moveable packing assembly which consists of an open, three sided assembly, a retractable side curtain wall and a flexible floor. The side curtain wall is attached to a weight pulley arrangement situated underneath the conveyor belt. The items are processed along the conveyor belt onto this moveable floor. As the items fill the filling head, the head lowers into a waiting box. The filling head lowers in a motion synchronized to the inflow of items, lowering as more fruit is added into the filling head. This creates a pile of items on the moveable floor. When the head is fully lowered into an awaiting box, the pile of items is equivalent to that which will fill the box. At this stage, a pneumatic floor actuator is activated and the floor is released from its pulley end. The released flexible floor then is retracted from underneath the fruit and the fruit resettles within the box or container.

This method efficiently fills the boxes, but the weighted pulley holding the side curtain taut causes the level of the floor to initially be situated at a large distance below the conveyor. This creates a relatively large initial drop from the edge of the conveyor belt onto the filling head floor which may damage delicate items such as fruit.

Furthermore, to allow the floor to be pulled from under the fruit on release the floor is also made of a flexible material such as a plastic link belt. The drop between the conveyor and the floor as well as the texture of the flexible floor against the fruit as it is pulled out from under the fruit can cause bruising and scuffing on the skin of fruit to be packed. Therefore, this method is not preferred when handling fruit. This machine is instead used primarily for the rapid automatic filling of potatoes and onions in cartons, rather than the gentle placement of delicate fruit and produce.

As with other systems known in the field, the floor is pneumatically controlled, which requires a separate mechanism to control and drive the release and retraction of the floor as well as a mechanism for lowering the filling head into the box.

Another system is known which operates in a similar way, with three rigid sides and an extendable side curtain, but uses the curtain to support the packing assembly, which is raised and lowered by rotation of the curtain pulley. This system uses two hinged rigid flap doors to form the floor, operated by a pneumatic actuator. Again the curtain pulley causes a large drop off a feed conveyor, and the pneumatic opening of the floor to drop the items into a awaiting box is sudden, with a substantial drop. This is unsuitable for fragile fruit, forcing the fruit industry to pack by hand.

It would be preferable to have a way of automated filling of boxes with fruit that reduces the chances of fruit being damaged. It would be preferable to have a gentle automated way of “loose filling” fruit into boxes or cartons.

It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems or at least provide the public with a useful choice.

The discussion of the prior art states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of these references.

Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a packing assembly which includes

at least one flexible sheet defining a side curtain wall of the packing assembly, and

at least one transfer element associated with the packing assembly over which the flexible sheet is run, and

at least one drive mechanism configured to move the flexible sheet,

wherein the drive mechanism controls the amount of flexible sheet extended to control the height of the side curtain wall.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a packing assembly substantially as described above further including a bottom section wherein the bottom section includes at least one release flap which, when released, forms at least one opening in the bottom section.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a packing assembly substantially as described above wherein the drive mechanism also controls the release of the at least one release flap associated with the bottom section.

The present invention provides a packing assembly for use in an automated packing system. The packing assembly provided may aid in the filling of boxes or cartons with loose flowing items.

Examples of such items may include spare components, parts for electronic devices, or loose food articles. Preferably, the present invention may be used with delicate fruit which is to be loosely packed.

Reference throughout the specification will be made to use of the present invention in relation to kiwifruit. In particular, the type of kiwifruit is ZESPRI™ Gold kiwifruit, as normal green kiwifruit are quite robust and in general not as delicate as ZESPRI™ Gold kiwifruit. ZESPRI™ Gold kiwifruit is easily damaged when packing and the present invention may provide an automated way of packing this fruit with minimal damage to the fruit. However, those skilled in the art should realize that the automated packing system provided may be used with any number of items, and reference to its use with fruit or kiwifruit in isolation throughout this specification should in no way be seen as limiting.

Preferably the packing assembly provided may be used within an automated packing system which includes a feed conveyor, and a box conveyor. Preferably, the feed conveyor may convey a number of items into the packing assembly provided. The packing assembly may then transfer these items into a box located on the box conveyor. However, the present invention may be used with a number of packing systems, and reference to its use with a system that includes two conveyors as described above should in no way be seen as limiting.

Preferably the packing assembly provided is box shaped and includes at least three fixed side walls. These side walls may be configured to contain the items coming off the feed conveyor belt into the packing assembly. The use of three fixed side walls leaves at least one open side of the packing assembly, which will allow the items to flow into the packing assembly.

Alternatively, the present invention may include a single curved wall to contain items coming off the feed conveyor.

In a preferred embodiment a bottom section may be used to contain the free flowing items that travel from the feed conveyor into the packing assembly.

Preferably the bottom section may include at least one release flap. This flap may allow the items contained within the packing assembly and held up by the bottom section to be deposited in a waiting box on the box conveyor.

In a preferred embodiment, the bottom section may be formed from two pivoting flaps which meet in the middle. When the flaps are released, the bottom section then opens outwards to release the contained fruit to an awaiting box.

Alternatively, the bottom section may be made from multiple flaps with multiple openings, or from one release flap with an opening adjacent to a side wall. A flap may be released with a pivoting action, opening the bottom section to release the contained fruit into a waiting box. Depending on the number of flaps, the fruit may be released through a number of openings.

Reference throughout the specification will be made to the bottom section being configured as two flaps, which may be released to form an initial opening in the centre of the bottom section. However, those skilled in the art should realize that other ways of providing a bottom flap are available and reference to the above only throughout the specification should in no way be seen as limiting.

Preferably at least a portion of the open side wall of the packing assembly is covered by a flexible sheet. This flexible sheet can form a portion of a curtain side wall of the packing assembly. Preferably this sheet may be provided by a flexible plastic material. However, those skilled in the art should recognize that the sheet can be provided by any flexible material which may be wound around a transfer element and/or drive mechanism.

Preferably the transfer element provides a guide for the flexible sheet when used in combination with the drive mechanism. This allows the drive mechanism to be situated at a distance away from the flexible sheet, while still ensuring that the sheet may act as a side curtain wall to the packing assembly.

Preferably the transfer element may have a diameter of less than 22 mm. This is small relative to the size of existing box fillers (e.g. typical prior art diameters are 50 to 100 mm) and the transfer element preferably fits horizontally from and very near to the feed conveyor. This allows the packing assembly to be installed and used at a location which minimizes the gap between the bottom section of the packing assembly and the edge of the feed conveyor. This ensures that the items to be packed do not drop a long distance and, when used with easily damaged fruit, that the fruit is less likely to bruise. The small size of the transfer element means that the portion of the side wall provided by the flexible sheet may be minimized when the side curtain wall height is at its minimum point.

Preferably a drive mechanism moves the flexible sheet that forms the side curtain wall, controlling the height of this wall.

By controlling the height of the flexible sheet that forms the side curtain wall, the drive mechanism controls the movement of the entire packing assembly. Preferably the packing assembly is configured to move up and down to transfer the fruit from the feed conveyor to a box on the box conveyor located under the feed conveyor. As the packing assembly fills with fruit, it is lowered and the incoming fruit from the feed conveyor is fed onto the fruit already within the packing assembly. This continues until a batch is complete. At this time, the packing assembly travels directly to its lowest point. Preferably after this point, the release flaps can be released, and the packing assembly is raised slowly, further opening the release flaps and allowing the fruit in the packing assembly to be transferred into a waiting box.

Preferably the drive mechanism may control this process through controlling the height of the side curtain wall. When the side curtain wall is at a minimum, the packing assembly is at its highest point, and the fruit from the feed conveyor is transferred directly onto the bottom of the packing assembly formed by the release flaps. As the drive mechanism releases more of the flexible sheet, it provides a taller side curtain wall, and the packing assembly will sink due to gravity. The fruit from the feed conveyor is then transferred onto the layer of fruit already within the packing assembly. This procedure continues until the drive mechanism has transferred the maximum amount of flexible sheet that it can, giving the maximum height for a side curtain wall. After emptying of the fruit from the packing assembly, the drive mechanism may then drive the flexible sheet in the opposite direction, reducing the height of the side curtain wall and raising the packing assembly.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the packing assembly may be lowered substantially all of the way Into the box in which the fruit is to be transferred. This means there is minimum distance from the opening of the release flaps to the bottom of the waiting box, thus there is reduced potential for damage to the fruit when being transferred from the packing assembly into the box.

Preferably on the actuation of the release flaps, the flaps may open only a small way before being impeded by the base of the box. The flaps may therefore only be released fully as the packing assembly is slowly raised. The flaps may preferably only be opened to their full extent when the packing assembly has moved upwards by a distance equal to the length of the release flaps. This means that when the release flaps are first opened a minimum amount of fruit is released and as the packing assembly is slowly raised, more fruit is released. The fruit can quickly settle, and the movement of the release flaps opening fully as the packing assembly is raised ensures that the items from inside the packing assembly are gently deposited within the box. This avoids a drop from the packing assembly into the box as the flaps are released, as the flaps can be released at a minimal height from the bottom of the waiting box.

Preferably, the batch may be pre-measured before placing on the feed conveyor for entrance into the packing assembly. It is important that a batch Is only of a certain amount, which must not overfill the waiting box on the box conveyor. It is also important that each batch is a consistent size. Alternatively completion of a batch of items to be placed in the packing assembly may be indicated by the level of the items within the packing assembly reaching a predetermined level. This level may be measured by a sensor, by weight of the packing assembly, or by any other means such as pressure sensitive load cells (for example). Other means of pre-measuring batches will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

Preferably a bottom conveyor conveys a box to be filled to a position under the packing assembly. Usually, this conveyor may be part of a conveyor system, the result of which is that a box is delivered to a point below the feed conveyor. This system may include a timer, or a sensor may detect that the box is in the correct place and stop or hold the box.

The present invention provides a way of automatically packing a box of free flowing items from a feed conveyor into a waiting box sitting on a box conveyor. The present invention makes use of gravity to slowly lower a packing assembly and fill same, with a minimum drop from a feed conveyor into the packing assembly. The invention provided then allows the items within a batch to be moved from the packing assembly into a box waiting below. This transference into the box again ensures that the items are dropped a minimum distance, and are gently and slowly lowered into the box.

The present invention provides an improved way of transferring delicate items such as kiwifruit which may be bruised easily into a waiting box. The packing assembly provided may use a purely mechanical system which makes use of weights and levers to lower items into an awaiting box, or it may use sophisticated electronics and sensors to detect when a box is fill, the level of a packing assembly, and/or the position of an awaiting box. However, in all embodiments of the present invention, the minimum distance between the packing assembly at its full height (determined by the size of the transfer mechanism), and the slow release opening flaps, help to provide an automated but gentle way of loose filling boxes.

This reduces the need for manual filling, as is currently used in many situations where the items to be packed are of a delicate nature, such as with packaging of ZESPRI™ Gold kiwifruit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a general cross-section view of a packing assembly with a full description of parts;

FIG. 2 shows a cross-section view of the same packing assembly in the upper position and labelled componentry;

FIG. 3 shows a cross-section view of the same packing assembly in a partially advanced (down) position;

FIG. 4 shows an external section view of the operation of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 shows a detailed view of the latch mechanism just before the upper trigger is reached, travelling upward (position F).

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a general cross-section view of the present invention configured in accordance with a preferred embodiment, a packing assembly which includes the following components:

1. Frame

2. Filling Head

3. Sensor Tab

4. Upper Sensor

5. Lower Sensor

6. Electrical Enclosure

7. Lever Plate

8. Upper Latch Arm

9. Lower Latch Arm

10. Upper Trigger

11. Lower Trigger

12. Latch Spring

13. Door Return Spring

14. Main Spring Pivot

15. Pull Rod

16. Flap Door

17. Drive Roller

18. Curtain Top Roller

19. Curtain

20. Feeding Conveyor

21. Transfer Plate (obscured)

22. Curtain Anchor Rod (obscured)

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the filling head in an upper position and partially advanced (down) position respectively. This shows more clearly the side curtain wall (19) as it is extended.

FIG. 4 shows a step by step diagram of the present invention in use with a packing system.

Specifically the steps of operation are as follows:

• • A. A Feeding Conveyor (20) delivers fruit (shown as balls) to the Filling Head (2). The Flap Doors (16) are held closed by the engagement of the Lower Latch Arm (9) into the Lever Plate (7). Fruit initially can fall a maximum of 17mm from the Feeding Conveyor's Transfer Plate (21—obscured) onto the Flap Doors (16). Once Flap Doors (16) are covered by a first layer of fruit, subsequently-arriving fruit has negligible transfer height as it enters the Filling Head (2).
  • B. As the level of fruit in Filling Head (2) builds up back toward the Feeding Conveyor (20), the Filling Head (2) is lowered a small amount (indexed). This ensures that fruit are kept clear of the moving belt surface of the Feeding Conveyor (20), while maintaining a minimum distance for fruit to roll off the Feeding Conveyor (20) and into contact with the fruit already in the Filling Head (2), thereby minimizing potential impacts. The actual downward movement is controlled by the Drive Roller (17) rotating in such a way as to unroll the Curtain (19).
  • C. When a pre-determined quantity of fruit has been delivered into the Filling Head (2) (ie. the quantity required to fill a particular box), the Filling Head (2) is lowered fully in a single movement into a pre-positioned box. Boxes could be positioned manually or by some automatic box-feed system. A small distance above the bottom of the box, the Lower Latch Arm (9) comes into contact with the Lower Trigger (11). A further small amount of downward travel causes the Lower Latch Arm (9) to be disengaged from the Lever Plate (7), allowing the Flap Doors (16) to open against the bottom of the box. Downward travel is limited by the Sensor Tab (3) coming into proximity to and being detected by the Lower Sensor (5), and stopping the Drive Roller (17).
  • D. The rotation of the Drive Roller (17) is reversed, causing the Curtain (19) to be retracted and the Filling Head (2) raised. Flap Doors (16) are free to open out against bottom and sides of the box as the Filling Head (2) is raised, gently releasing fruit into the box. Fruit do not fall from the Filling Head (2), but are transferred directly, via the opening Flap Doors (16), onto the bottom of the box.
  • E. The Filling Head (2) continues to be raised. When the Flap Doors (16) open fully, the Upper Latch Arm (8) engages with the Lever Plate (7) to maintain the Flap Doors (16) in the open position. (Both the Upper Latch Arm (8) and Lower Latch Arm (9) are engaged at their respective times by means of the Latch Spring (12).) As the Door Return Spring (13) passes across the pivot axis of the Lever Plate (7) Oust prior to position E shown), due to the upward movement of the Filling Head (2) with respect to the Main Spring Pivot (14), the Door Return Spring (13) begins to apply tension to the Lever Plate (7).
  • F. The Flap Doors (16) are fully withdrawn from the box. The tension in the Door Return Spring (13) increases as the Filling Head (2) continues to move upward away from the Main Spring Pivot (14). The force applied by the Door Return Spring (13) against the Lever Plate (7) tries to rotate the Lever Plate (7) in such a way as would close the Flap Doors (16) (by lifting the Pull Rods(15)). However, rotation is prevented by the engagement of the Upper Latch Arm (8). The detail of the latch mechanism is shown more clearly in FIG. 5.
  • G. The Upper Latch Arm (8) comes into contact with the Upper Trigger (10), and is disengaged from the Lever Plate (7), allowing it to rotate. Immediately prior to this point, the amount of potential energy stored in the Door Return Spring (13) is at its highest.
  • H. Following disengagement of the Upper Latch Arm (8), the energy in the Door Return Spring (13) is released to rotate the Lever Plate (7), lifting the Pull Rods (15) and causing the Flap Doors (16) to begin to close. When the Flap Doors (16) reach the fully closed position, the Lower Latch Arm (9) re-engages with the Lever Plate (7) to maintain the Flap Doors (16) in this position. Upward travel is limited by the Sensor Tab (3) coming into proximity to and being detected by the Upper Sensor (4), and stopping the Drive Roller (17). The Filling Head (2) is now able to receive fruit again. The full box is removed and replaced with a new empty box.

The present invention provides an improved way of automatically filling a waiting box with items which may be easily damaged or bruised. The present invention can particularly be used in the ZESPRI™ Gold kiwifruit industry, but other applications are envisaged.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.