US 12,338,069 B2
Method for automatically handling a plurality of product containers, and a related system
Andrea Acciavatti, San Giovanni Teatino (IT)
Assigned to Fameccanica.Data S.p.A., San Giovanni Teatino Chieti (IT)
Filed by Fameccanica.Data S.p.A., San Giovanni Teatino (IT)
Filed on Nov. 22, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/992,330.
Claims priority of application No. 21210646 (EP), filed on Nov. 26, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0166908 A1, Jun. 1, 2023
Int. Cl. B65G 1/04 (2006.01); B65G 1/06 (2006.01); B65G 1/14 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 1/0435 (2013.01) [B65G 1/06 (2013.01); B65G 1/14 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for automatically handling a plurality of product containers, comprising:
providing at least one container shifting apparatus interposed between a shelving unit and a conveyor device,
wherein the at least one container shifting apparatus comprises at least one platform provided configured for automatically receiving containers of the plurality of product containers from the shelving unit and/or the conveyor device,
moving the at least one platform alongside the conveyor device and the shelving unit along a first horizontal direction and/or a vertical direction,
stopping the at least one platform at a selected position in which the at least one platform is substantially coplanar with the conveyor device and a determined compartment holding surface of the shelving unit,
driving shifting means associated with the at least one platform for shifting containers from the conveyor device to the shelving unit and vice-versa, via the at least one platform,
wherein the shifting means comprise shifting forks movably mounted along a second horizontal direction perpendicular to said first horizontal direction,
wherein said shifting means comprise a swivel unit associated with said at least one platform, provided for swivelling the at least one platform around a vertical axis, so as to move a container of the plurality of product containers positioned onboard the at least one platform from a first position adjacent to the shelving unit to a second position adjacent to the conveyor device, and vice-versa,
extracting a first container of the plurality of product containers out from the shelving unit by means of said shifting forks and shifting the first container at a first holding area,
extracting a second container of the plurality of product containers out from the conveyor device by means of said shifting forks and shifting the second container at a second holding area,
driving the swivel unit for swivelling the at least one platform, and
shifting the first and second containers, respectively towards the conveyor device and the shelving unit, by means of said shifting forks driven in an extended position.