US 12,466,664 B2
Apparatus and process for the temporary storage of piece good stacks in a system for producing food products
Achim Klein, Iserlohn (DE); Kay Hauschulz, Sankt Augustin (DE); Mark Knapp, York (GB); Stephen Chapman, York (GB); and Sean Knight, Newcastle (GB)
Assigned to BÜHLER GMBH, Reichshof (DE)
Appl. No. 17/998,412
Filed by BÜHLER GMBH, Reichshof (DE)
PCT Filed Apr. 20, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/060146
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 10, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/228504, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 18, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 20173961 (EP), filed on May 11, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0183023 A1, Jun. 15, 2023
Int. Cl. B65G 47/51 (2006.01); B65G 47/90 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 47/5109 (2013.01) [B65G 47/90 (2013.01); B65G 2201/0202 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device for temporarily storing stacks of piece goods, wherein the piece goods are product carriers, which are provided in a clocked manner at a transfer point integrated in the device or adjacent to the device of a system for producing food products, wherein the device includes:
a buffer section comprising one or more storage points as well as a delivery point;
a transport apparatus for moving the stacks of piece goods, which is designed in such a way that, in the event of an interruption in operation in a downstream section of the plant, a conveyor path available for the stacks of piece goods can be extended by the transport apparatus, by moving the stacks of piece goods in the transport direction into the buffer section; and
a manipulator by means of which the transfer point, the delivery point as well as the storage points arranged therebetween can be approached;
wherein at least one piece of goods of a stack of piece goods can be transferred at once to the delivery point by the manipulator; wherein the stacks of piece goods can be separated at the delivery point and fed to the downstream section of the system; and wherein the flow of stacks of piece goods provided at the transfer point can be decoupled from the downstream section of the system by successively occupying the storage points,
wherein the transport apparatus is designed as a walking beam conveyor, wherein the conveyor comprises two push bars with drivers, which push bars are arranged parallel to each other, an electric linear drive for moving the push bars in a direction of transport, and at least one pneumatic drive for a vertical movement of the push bars.