Method and a system for forming units of packages

Abstract

A system for forming units of packages to be packed, each including a multiple of a number n of packages. The system has seats for accommodating stacks of packages, a store of packages, and mechanisms for loading the seats with stacks of packages, displacing the packages from the store to the seats and vice versa, moving compartments to receive packages, and transferring the packages from the seats to the compartments, as well as control and command means. The control and command means are configured so that the number of packages in each seat is equal to the number n or to zero and the movement mechanism is configured to make the compartments available in sequence on the base of the seats with a number of packages equal to the number n. Also described is a method for forming units of packages from two or more lines and a computer program.

1 . A method for forming units of packages to be packed, each unit comprising a multiple of a number n of packages, with the packages in arrival from two or more lines which operate contemporaneously, the method comprising steps of:
 providing seats, each for accommodating stacks of packages;   providing a store for accommodating packages;   providing compartments for receiving packages;   forming in succession groups of two or more stacks of packages, each with the packages in arrival from a respective line of two or more lines which operate contemporaneously;   supplying in succession groups of two or more seats, each seat with a stack of packages;   learning the number of packages supplied in each seat;   correcting the number of packages supplied in each seat which accommodates a number of packages different from the number n;   transferring the packages from the seats, with a number of packages equal to the number n, to the compartments which are made available in sequence;   wherein:   during the step of correcting the number of packages, packages are moved from the seats to the store and vice versa, so that the number of packages in each seat is equal to the number nor to zero;   during the step of transferring the packages, the compartments are made available on the basis of the seats with a number of packages equal to the number n, regardless of the seats with a number of packages equal to zero, so that each compartment receives a unit comprising a multiple of a number n of packages.   
     
     
         2 . The method  of the preceding claim 1 , wherein during the step of forming in succession groups of two or more stacks of packages, each group is completed when at least a stack of packages comprises a number n of packages. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein during the step of transferring the packages, one compartment alone, between two seats, is made available with a number of packages equal to the number n, regardless of the number of seats interposed there-between with a number of packages equal to zero, so that a sequence of compartments houses a unit of packages comprising a number of packages equal to the product of number n and of the number of compartments made available. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein during the step of correcting the number of packages, should the number of packages in the seat be lower than n:
 the packages are moved from the store to the seat if the number of packages collectable from the store is at least equal to the difference between the number n and the number of packages in the seat;   packages are moved from the seat to the store if the number of packages collectable from the store is lower than the difference between the number n and the number of packages in the seat.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of forming in succession groups of two or more stacks of packages comprises a preliminary step of phasing the packages, in arrival from a respective line of two or more lines which operate contemporaneously, with one another. 
     
     
         6 . A system for forming units of packages to be packed, each unit comprising a multiple of a number n of packages, comprising:
 seats, each for accommodating a stack of packages;   a store comprising at least a depot for accommodating packages;   loading means for loading the seats with stacks of packages, configured to supply in succession groups of two or more seats;   displacement means for displacing the packages, configured for displacing the packages from the at least a depot to the seats;   movement means for moving compartments to receive packages;   transfer means for transferring the packages from the seats to the compartments;   control and command means for controlling the number of packages in each loaded seat and for commanding the displacement means so as to correct the number of packages in each loaded seat with a number of packages that is different to the number n;   wherein:   the displacement means are also configured to move the packages from the seats to the at least a depot;   the control and command means are configured so that the number of packages in each seat is equal to the number nor to zero;   the movement means are configured to make the compartments available in sequence on the base of the seats with a number of packages equal to the number n, so that each compartment receives a unit comprising a multiple of a number n of packages.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the store comprises depots and wherein the displacement means of the packages are configured so as to be able to move packages from each of the depots to each of the seats of each group of two or more seats and vice versa. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , comprising a transporter that moves the seats from a loading zone of the packages to a transfer zone of the packages according to a movement direction wherein:
 the seats succeed one another in the movement direction;   each depot is arranged between the loading zone and the transfer zone so that during the movement of the seats a depot successively flanks each of the seats;   the transporter is configured to move the seats in step-fashion;   the displacement means comprise a pick-up element of the packages for each depot, the pick-up element being movable between a respective depot and the position of the seats when they are flanked to the same depot, so as to be able to move the packages from the seats to the depot and vice versa;   each of the pick-up elements displaces at most one package at each step of the transporter;   the store comprises a number of depots equal at least to the whole part of half the number n.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the store comprises a number of depots equal at least to the number n minus one. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the pick-up elements move in unison with the cadence of the transporter. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the loading means comprise two or more wings, each for supporting packages, the two or more wings being arranged in a line along the movement direction so that each is above a respective seat of each group of two or more seats in the loading zone, each of the two or more wings being movable between a first position in which it supports the packages so as to form a stack of packages and a second position in which it does not support the stack of packages so as to load the respective seat with the stack of packages;   the transfer means comprise a pusher for pushing the packages of a seat in the transfer zone, the pusher being movable in a pushing direction, transversal to the movement direction, between a retracted position and an extracted position;   the transporter is configured so as to be stationary when the two or more wings are in the second position;   the pusher is configured so as to move towards the extracted position between two steps of the transporter.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the movement means comprise a conveyor belt which bears groups of two or more compartments arranged in a line and wherein the movement means are configured to make available one compartment alone, between two seats with a number of packages equal to the number n, so that each group of two or more compartments forms a unit of packages comprising a number of packages equal to the product of number n and of the number of compartments made available. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 6  comprising phasing means to phase the packages from two or more lines so that the loading means receive the packages simultaneously from the two or more lines. 
     
     
         14 . A computer program product embodiment in a non-transitory computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions to operate and for control of a system to carry out the method of  claim 1 , wherein the system comprises:
 seats, each for accommodating a stack of packages;   a store comprising at least a depot for accommodating packages;   loading means for loading the seats with stacks of packages, configured to supply in succession groups of two or more seats;   displacement means for displacing the packages, configured for displacing the packages from the at least a depot to the seats;   movement means for moving compartments to receive packages;   transfer means for transferring the packages from the seats to the compartments;   control and command means for controlling the number of packages in each loaded seat and for commanding the displacement means so as to correct the number of packages in each loaded seat with a number of packages that is different to the number n;   wherein:   the displacement means are also configured to move the packages from the seats to the at least a depot;   the control and command means are configured so that the number of packages in each seat is equal to the number n or to zero;   the movement means are configured to make the compartments available in sequence on the base of the seats with a number of packages equal to the number n, so that each compartment receives a unit comprising a multiple of a number n of packages.