STACKING DEVICE FOR SIDE LOADER

Abstract

1. Method of preparing confectionary products for packaging in a side-loader packaging machine, where the confectionary products are conveyed one by one on a first pocket conveyor, and where a picking robot is arranged for pick- ing up a predetermined number of ice cream products from said first pocket conveyor and transferring the confectionary products to a bulking conveyor, said bulking conveyor having compartments suitable to accommodate a prede- termined number of confectionary products in one or more layers in each com- partment, where the picking robot can be in a first position above one or more compartments to be filled, and a second position above the pocket conveyor, where a) in a first step the picking robot, pick up a predetermined number of confectionary products corresponding to the number of confectionary products in a first layer from the pocket conveyor and thereafter positions the picking robot above one or more empty compartments on the bulking conveyor; b) in a further step determine that a further predetermined number of confec- tionary products corresponding to the total number of confectionary products needed for filling all consecutive layers are available on the pocket conveyor, ready to be picked up; c) releases the picked up confectionary products into the one or more compart- ment, and d) the picking robot moves to pick up the further predetermined number of confection- ary products from the pocket conveyor, and e) transfers the further predetermined number of products to the compartment creating a further layer of confectionary products, and f) repeat steps d) and e)) until the desired number of layers are arranged in the compart- ment, whereafter g) repeat steps a) to f).

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