US 12,269,634 B2
Method for controlling a plurality of carts movable along an endless track
Fabio Bassissi, Modena (IT); Stefano Rossi, Reggio Emilia (IT); Claudio Palomba, Modena (IT); and Luca Capelli, Novellara Reggio Emilia (IT)
Assigned to Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A., Pully (CH)
Appl. No. 17/801,132
Filed by Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A., Pully (CH)
PCT Filed Mar. 12, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/056371
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 19, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/185698, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 23, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 20164424 (EP), filed on Mar. 20, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0086224 A1, Mar. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. B65B 43/52 (2006.01); B65B 7/28 (2006.01); B65B 57/08 (2006.01); B65B 61/18 (2006.01); B65B 65/02 (2006.01)
CPC B65B 43/52 (2013.01) [B65B 7/2807 (2013.01); B65B 7/2871 (2013.01); B65B 57/08 (2013.01); B65B 61/186 (2013.01); B65B 65/02 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for controlling a plurality of carts movable independently from one another along an endless track and configured to perform at least one task in order to carry out at least one operation onto respective articles; the method comprising the steps of:
a) advancing the carts along said track, said track comprising at least one task section and at least one transient section;
b) advancing each cart along a task-assignment section of said track arranged upstream of said at least one task section;
c) advancing a plurality of said articles along a feeding path and through an operation station at which said operation is carried out;
d) detecting the passage of each article at a detection station of the feeding path located upstream of said operation station; and
e) controlling one respective cart to perform the at least one task if an article is detected, during the step d) of detecting, when the cart is moving along said task-assignment section,
wherein each cart of the plurality of carts comprises a gripping device and is actuated by a control unit to perform the at least one task when the cart passes the task assignment section as an article is detected at the detection station, and
wherein the step e) of controlling comprises the step of:
f) preventing the cart from performing the at least one task if no article is detected during the step d) of detecting and while the cart is moving along said task-assignment section, and not actuating the gripping device to perform the at least one task if no article is detected during the step d) of detecting and while the cart is moving along said task-assignment section.