US 12,110,195 B2
Transport system
Carlo Zaniboni, Ozzano dell'Emilia (IT); and Corrado Minghelli, Ozzano dell'Emilia (IT)
Assigned to I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A., Ozzano Dell'emilia (IT)
Appl. No. 18/014,064
Filed by I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.p.A., Ozzano dell'Emilia (IT)
PCT Filed Jun. 30, 2021, PCT No. PCT/IT2021/050204
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 30, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/003745, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 6, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 102020000015829 (IT), filed on Jul. 1, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0264904 A1, Aug. 24, 2023
Int. Cl. B65G 54/02 (2006.01); B65G 21/22 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 54/02 (2013.01) 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A transport system (10) for transporting products, the system comprising:
a stationary sliding track (11) extending along a continuous sliding path free of interruptions;
a mobile unit (12) which can be moved on said sliding track (11) in a direction of advance (A);
motor means configured so as to move said mobile unit (12) on said sliding track (11);
a first rolling guide (16) which extends along said sliding path, disposed in the proximity of said sliding track (11) and having at least one first rectilinear portion (16a) and at least one first curved portion (16b);
wherein said mobile unit (12) comprises at least a first rolling unit (18) configured to cooperate with said first rolling guide (16), wherein said first rolling guide (16) has a first transition zone (16c) interposed between the first rectilinear portion (16a) and the first curved portion (16b) and comprises a first and a second cam (20, 21) having respectively a first and a second rolling surface (20a, 21a), and said first rolling unit (18) comprises a first and a second rolling element (24, 25) configured to roll respectively over said first and second rolling surface (20a, 21a), around respective first and second rolling axes (X1, X2), not coinciding with each other and distanced in said direction of advance (A), said first and second rolling surfaces (20a, 21a) having a respective first and second width (L1, L2) constant along said sliding path and being disposed at a respective first and second rolling height (H1, H2) with respect to said sliding track (11), wherein the difference, in absolute value, between the value of said first and said second rolling heights (H1, H2) measured at an identical point of said sliding path, defines a cam profile offset (S) at the point in which it is measured; and wherein said first and second cams (20, 21) are configured and disposed so that both said first and second rolling heights (H1, H2) are invariable along said at least one first rectilinear portion (16a) and along said at least one first curved portion (16b), so that the cam profile offset (S) is constant both along the first rectilinear portion (16a) and also along the first curved portion (16b), while at least one of either said first or second rolling heights (H1, H2) has a variable value along the first transition zone (16c) and also the cam profile offset (S) has a variable value along the first transition zone (16c).