US 12,275,547 B2
Device and process for feeding articles to be packaged
Salvatore Carboni, Bologna (IT); and Antonio Vitali, Bologna (IT)
Assigned to G.D S.P.A., Bologna (IT)
Appl. No. 17/998,583
Filed by G.D S.P.A., Bologna (IT)
PCT Filed Jul. 5, 2021, PCT No. PCT/IB2021/056003
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 11, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/009067, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 13, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 102020000016675 (IT), filed on Jul. 9, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0182944 A1, Jun. 15, 2023
Int. Cl. B65B 5/06 (2006.01); B65B 5/10 (2006.01); B65B 29/02 (2006.01); B65B 35/24 (2006.01); B65B 35/26 (2006.01); B65B 35/38 (2006.01); B65B 35/58 (2006.01); B65G 47/14 (2006.01); B65G 47/91 (2006.01)
CPC B65B 35/58 (2013.01) [B65B 5/06 (2013.01); B65B 5/105 (2013.01); B65B 29/022 (2017.08); B65B 35/24 (2013.01); B65B 35/26 (2013.01); B65B 35/38 (2013.01); B65G 47/1492 (2013.01); B65G 47/91 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A feeder device for articles to be packaged with a packaging apparatus, wherein the articles are configured to be transported on a first conveying line, the feeder device comprising:
at least one transfer device, to transfer the articles from said first conveying line to a second conveying line of the packaging apparatus, the at least one transfer device comprising a self-moving transfer arm, and a respective gripping device moved by said self-moving transfer arm,
wherein the gripping device is configured to remove said articles, and comprises a plurality of gripping elements, each gripping element configured to pick up a single article of said articles, the gripping elements being mutually movable from a first configuration, where the gripping elements are aligned with each other along a single row to match a corresponding row of articles in said first conveying line, and to grip the articles of said corresponding row of articles from the first conveying line, to a second configuration, where at least two of the gripping elements are staggered with respect to each other, to lay the articles on the second conveying line according to a predetermined pattern.