Patent Application
20070181470
For many automated packaging processes, it is important that certain packaging components be positioned in a desired orientation in order for the next step of the process to function properly and efficiently. For example, in an automated process of placing container lids on a container receptacle, the lids need to be positioned correctly or a downstream machine may not function properly and/or efficiently. There are two basic ways to solve orientation problems. One is through manual labor and another is through automated sorters that may be complicated in construction and operation. In the manual method, a worker visually inspects the lids and if one is not oriented correctly the worker can manually place the lid in the correct orientation. The use of manual labor may be undesirable in many respects and particularly because of the cost involved with manual labor. Also, manual labor may limit the speed at which sorting can be accomplished and if the required desired speed of sorting is too fast, mistakes may be made. With the use of mechanical sorters, they may be overly complicated or may not be sufficiently universal to handle enough different types of lid to warrant the capital investment. Therefore, there exists a need for an apparatus and method for orienting container components in a certain desirable orientation which can orient cheaply, quickly and with little involved manual labor.
The present invention involves the provision of an automated orienting device for orienting randomly oriented container components. The apparatus and method involves sorting the components which may be randomly oriented in three axes first to a two axes random orientation and then sensing which of two possible orientations the component may be in about one axis and rejecting those which are indicated as being improperly oriented in one of the two orientations. The device includes a receptacle for containing container components, a conveyor system for conveying container components from the receptacle and initially reorienting container components from random three axes orientation to a two axes orientation. The conveyor system transports the container components from the receptacle to a station for sensing one of two possible orientations, for example, right side in, right side out. When an improper orientation of the two possible orientations is sensed, the improperly orientated container component is ejected from the conveyor system in response to a signal from the orientation sensor. Properly oriented components may then be transferred to downstream processing equipment as desired.
The present invention also involves the provision of a method of sorting container components from a random orientation in three axes, first to a random orientation in two axes sensing one of two possible orientations about two axes, for example, right side out, right side in and ejecting container components which are determined by a sensor to be not properly oriented about the one axis. The ejected improperly oriented container components may be returned to the receptacle for reorienting.
Like numbers throughout the various figures represent like or similar parts or structure.
The receptacle 2 may be in the form of an open top hopper into which lids 4 may be dumped for temporary storage and sorting. In a preferred embodiment, the conveyor system 8 has a feed run segment 8A with a run 8B positioned adjacent the lower portion of the storage area of the receptacle 2 and has pockets 7 with an open side for receipt of lids 4 therein. Adjacent a trailing edge, 7A of each pocket 7, is a conveyor flight or link 9 that will engage container lids 4 which are lying generally in the plane of the feed run 8A and move them along the conveyor system 8 to the take away conveyor 3. The conveyor system 8 includes a plurality of run portions including generally the feed run 8A and the return run 8R, which are described hereinafter. The conveyor system 8 has run portions that move in different directions than the run 8B. The conveyor system 8 includes the conveyor device 10 which in a preferred form of invention is in the form of a scraper chain conveyor comprising a pair of chains 11L, and 11R plurality of transversely extending links 9 secured to and extending therebetween forming pockets 7 therebetween and along the length of the conveyor device 10. The conveyor device 10 is associated with the plurality of turning or redirecting devices such as pulleys, including an upper pulley assembly 12, a lower pulley assembly 14 and an intermediate pulley assembly 16. A power drive 15 is provided and is operably connected to the conveyor device 10 and is operable to move said conveyor device preferably in a continuous manner. Preferably the height H of each of the links 9 is substantially equal to or greater than the height HL of the lids 4. Herein, the operation and function of the apparatus 1 will be described in terms of processing lid components however it is to be understood that other container components may also be oriented with the device, including container receptacles or bottoms. The pulley assemblies 12, 14 and 16 engage the chains 11L, 11R. At least two of the pulley assemblies 12, 14 and 16 may be idler arrangements and can be driven by the chains 11 while at least one of the pulley assemblies is driven by power drive 15, for example, an electric motor. Such scraper chain conveyors and pulley assemblies are well known in the art. Tensioners, not shown, may also be provided to maintain the appropriate tension in the conveyor device 10 during operation. It is preferred, that the run 8A including runs 8B-D be in tension to maintain them adjacent to support panels 18 which are on the inside of the conveying device 10 and provides support for the lids 4 during movement on the conveying device 10. Typically, the pulleys 12, 14 and 16 are sprockets mounted to shafts which are in turn rotatably mounted to bearing arrangements to permit free rotation of the shafts and sprockets allowing low resistance movement of the conveyor device 10. In a preferred embodiment, the pulley assembly 16 is operably connected to a power drive 15, for example, an electric motor 19, while the pulley assemblies 12 and 14 can rotate freely and be driven by the chain's 11 each of which is engaged with respective pulleys on the pulley assemblies 12, 14. However, it is to be understood that any of the pulley arrangements 12, 14, 16 can be used to drive the conveyor device 10 and any of pulley assemblies 12, 14, 16 may be used to effect the power drive of the conveyor device 10.
The conveyor device 10, as discussed above, is preferably in the form of a scraper chain conveyor having a pair of chains 11 with links 9 connected to and extending therebetween. Each link 9 forms a pusher shoulder 9S which will engage a portion of the lid 4 to push lids that fall within the pockets 7 that are lying substantially in the planes of the portions of the run 8A. As the lids 4 are moved through the bottom portion of the receptacle 2, the plane of the conveyor device 10 and hence the plane of the lids 4 changes through a transition zone 8C for movement into the generally vertical run 8D. Idlers 21 engage the chains 11 to help effect the changes in direction between the runs 8B-D. The panels 18 define one side of and maintain the lids 4 within the pockets 7 formed between the chains 11 and the links 9. Once lids 4 are positioned within a pocket 7, and lie within the plane of the conveyor device 10, they are oriented in two axes A, C with orientation being one of two alternatives. In a preferred embodiment, apparatus 1 is particularly useful with container components that have a transverse dimension D or a pair of transverse dimensions, denoted D1, D2 for a generally rectangular container component, wherein D1, D2 are both preferably at least twice height HL of the lid 4. The height H of the link 9 is preferably substantially equal the height HL or may be greater than height HL of the lid 4. The container component, be it a lid 4 or a receptacle will have a side wall portion 31 and a top 32 or bottom wall portion defining a cavity 33. Thus, as the component is retained in a pocket 7 within the conveyor device 10 may have one of multiple orientations about axes A and C which is generally normal to the top 32 or bottom wall. In the case of a rectangular lid 4, lid 4 will generally be either in one of two orientations either standing up or lying down on its side seen in
Referring to
Each sensor 53 is shown directly above a respective air nozzle 57; however, the sensor 53 could also be above the respective air nozzle 57 or next to the air nozzle 57 and still be within the scope of the present invention. More than one are nozzle 57 and respective valve 61 may be sued to eject a lid 4. Further, a plurality of sensor 53 and air nozzles 57 are shown in
As mentioned, many orientation sensors are within the scope of the present invention and the exact structure, type, or function is not important. However, the preferred orientation sensor 53 is a photo eye, described above. A suitable photoeye operates by emitting light and sensing any light that is reflected back. The emitted light is focused a specific distance from the photoeye that allows for detection of incorrectly oriented container lids 4. This focal range will vary according to the particular dimensions of the container components. When a lid 4 passes in front of a photo eye's emitted light beam and it is within the focal range of the emitted light, then the light is reflected back to the photoeye. The photoeye senses the light and triggers an electrical current signal as in the PLC. However, when a lid 4 passes in front of a photoeye's emitted light beam and is outside of the focal point of the light beam, then the light is dispersed and not reflected back to the photo eye. When the photo eye senses the reflected light, an electrical signal is sent to a solenoid of the valve 61. The solenoid, then, triggers the valve 61 to direct air to the respective air nozzle 57 from the air source 59. The air nozzle 57 emits a burst of air which blows an incorrectly oriented lid off of the run 8D.
The exact type or structure of the air nozzle 57 is not important and any type would be within the scope of the present invention. The only limitations are that the energy of the emitted air is enough to knock a container lid 4 off the run 8D, but not too much so that the container lid is blown away from the receptacle 2.
The inclined portion 102 of the device 1 is preferably nearly vertical or slightly off vertical, most preferably at an angle A of from about 0 to about 10 degrees of vertical, where 10 degrees is in the direction away from the receptacle 2. This angle ensures that the center of gravity of the lids 4 can be utilized. If the angle is nearly vertical or in the direction away from the receptacle, the center of gravity of the lids 4 will hold the lids on the flights 9.
Thus, there has been shown and described several embodiments of a novel invention. As is evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of the present invention are not limited by the particular details of the examples illustrated herein, and it is therefore contemplated that other modifications and applications, or equivalents thereof, will occur to those skilled in the art. The terms “having” and “including” and similar terms as used in the foregoing specification are used in the sense of “optional” or “may include” and not as “required”. Many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the present construction will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and the accompanying drawings. All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.
