US 12,358,736 B2
Apparatus and method for conveying articles and plant and method for packaging said articles
David Rosignoli, Pontegradella (IT); and Fabrizio Pavanelli, Ferrara (IT)
Assigned to CT PACK S.R.L., Valsamoggia (IT)
Filed by CT PACK S.R.L., Valsamoggia (IT)
Filed on Mar. 27, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/126,598.
Prior Publication US 2023/0312270 A1, Oct. 5, 2023
Int. Cl. B65G 54/02 (2006.01); B65B 23/12 (2006.01); B65B 57/14 (2006.01); B65G 35/08 (2006.01); B65G 43/00 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 54/02 (2013.01) [B65B 23/12 (2013.01); B65B 57/14 (2013.01); B65G 35/08 (2013.01); B65G 43/00 (2013.01); B65G 2201/0202 (2013.01); B65G 2203/0283 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for conveying articles comprising:
a planar conveying surface comprising a plurality of electrically magnetizable elements;
a plurality of conveying units for conveying articles, movable on said conveying surface, each of the conveying units being defined by a first transport element and by a second transport element configured for coupling with each other and defining, together, a seat for housing articles, the first and the second transport elements each comprising at least one magnetic element;
a control unit, connected to said electrically magnetizable elements of the conveying surface to activate and deactivate said electrically magnetizable elements, to generate a predetermined variable magnetic field on the conveying surface and thus allow the movement of said first transport element and second transport element above said conveying surface;
wherein the conveying surface further comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion not coinciding with the second portion, the control unit being configured to control the electrically magnetizable elements of the conveying surface to move the first transport elements in the first portion of the conveying surface along a first closed path and the second transport elements in the second portion of the conveying surface along a second closed path;
wherein the first transport elements move along the first closed path in a clockwise direction and the second transport elements move along the second closed path in a counterclockwise direction;
wherein the electrically magnetizable elements are configured to allow the generation of the predetermined variable magnetic field for moving the first and second transport elements of the conveying units in at least a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction on the conveying surface.