COUNTER ROTATIONAL PACKAGE WRAPPING REMOVAL SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME

Abstract

A counter rotational package wrapping removal system and method of operation for cutting wrapping from a wrapped product has a transport for continuously moving the wrapped product in a downstream direction as the wrapping is cut. The system has a first cutter located at a distal end of a pivoting arm and preferably a second cutter located at the distal end of a second pivoting arm. Both cutters cut at least a portion of the wrapping along a leading side face of the wrapped product and each cutter cuts the wrapping at respective flanking side faces as the wrapped product move along the transport. The arms pivot in opposite directions and about respective pivoting axis orientated substantially parallel to one another and preferably perpendicular to the transport.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective forward view of a wrapping removal system embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a wrapped product on a transport of the wrapping removal system;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the wrapped product;

FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged view of the wrapping removal system taken from circle 4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective bottom view of a swing arm of the wrapping removal system;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a controller of the wrapping removal system;

FIG. 7 is a enlarge partial perspective view of the wrapping removal system illustrating an adjustable stop of the swing arm;

FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view of the wrapping removal system partially illustrating a support frame of the system;

FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view of the wrapping removal system partially illustrating another portion of the support frame of the system;

FIG. 10 is a perspective upstream view of the wrapping removal system cutting the wrapping on a first wrapped product; and

FIG. 11 is a perspective upstream view of the wrapping removal system completing the cutting of the wrapping on the first wrapped product and beginning the cutting of a wrapping on a next wrapped product.

Claims

1. A package wrapping removal system for cutting wrapping from a wrapped product, the package wrapping removal system comprising: a transport for moving the wrapped product in a downstream direction;a stationary support frame defining a pivot axis;an elongated arm pivotally mounted to the support frame about the pivot axis and having a distal end cantilevered outward from the support frame and over the transport; anda cutter disposed on the distal end for cutting the wrapping at a leading side face of the wrapped product during the pivoting of the arm about the support frame and for cutting a flanking side face after the arm has pivoted about the leading side face.

2. The package wrapping removal system set forth in claim 1 wherein the arm projects laterally over the transport and beyond a centerline of the transport for cutting a majority of the wrapping at the leading face and wherein the arm is arcuate and concave in an upstream direction for enabling placement of the cutter from the leading side face and to the flanking side face when pivoted.

3. The package wrapping removal system set forth in claim 1 wherein the cutter has a disc carrying a continuous circumferential apex for cutting the wrapping and lying in an imaginary plane orientated perpendicular to the pivot axis.

4. The package wrapping removal system set forth in claim 3 wherein the disc is mounted rotationally to the distal end.

5. The package wrapping removal system set forth in claim 1 further comprising an electric heat element supported by the distal end for heating the cutter.

6. The package wrapping removal system set forth in claim 1 wherein the downstream direction is horizontal and the pivot axis is vertical.

7. The package wrapping removal system set forth in claim 1 wherein the arm is biased in one of a clockwise direction or a counter-clockwise direction about the pivot axis for locating the distal end over the transport.

8. The package wrapping removal system set forth in claim 7 further comprising a rotation biasing device carried between the base end and the support frame.

9. The package wrapping removal system set forth in claim 1 wherein the support frame is an adjustable telescoping column for positioning the cutter with respect to the transport.

10. The package wrapping removal system set forth in claim 1 wherein the arm is arcuate and concave in an upstream direction with respect to movement of the transport.

11. The package wrapping removal system set forth in claim 1 further comprising: a second stationary support frame defining a second pivot axis;a second elongated arm pivotally mounted to the second support frame about the second pivot axis and having a second distal end cantilevered outward from the second support frame and over the transport;a second cutter disposed on the second distal end; andwherein the arm is a first arm and the first and second arms are counter-rotational with respect to one another.

12. The package wrapping removal system set forth in claim 11 wherein: the transport has a longitudinal first side, an opposite longitudinal second side, and a centerline extending along the downstream direction;the first arm is cantilevered over the first side and projects beyond the centerline; andthe second arm is cantilevered over the second side and projects beyond the centerline.

13. The package wrapping removal system set forth in claim 12 wherein the first and second arms pivot in a common imaginary plane disposed parallel to the transport.

14. A counter rotational package wrapping removal system for cutting wrapping from a product as the product moves in a downstream direction, the package wrapping removal system comprising: a transport for moving the wrapped product in the downstream direction as the wrapping is cut with the transport having a longitudinal first side, an opposite longitudinal second side and a centerline extending along the downstream direction;a pivoting first arm cantilevered over the first side and partially traversing the transport with the first arm having a base end about which the first arm pivots and an opposite distal end disposed between the centerline and the second side when the first arm is pivotally biased in a first normal position;a pivoting second arm cantilevered over the second side and partially traversing the transport with the second arm having a base end about which the second arm pivots and an opposite distal end disposed between the centerline and the first side when the second arm is pivotally biased in a second normal position; andfirst and second cutters carried by the respective distal ends of the first and second arms for cutting the wrapping of the product.

15. The counter rotational package wrapping removal system set forth in claim 14 wherein the first arm is pivotally biased in a clockwise direction and the second arm is pivotally biased in a counter-clockwise direction.

16. The counter rotational package wrapping removal system set forth in claim 15 wherein the first arm is located downstream of the second arm with respect to the transport.

17. The counter rotational package wrapping removal system set forth in claim 14 further comprising a heat element for each of the respective first and second cutters and carried by the respective distal ends of the first and second arms.

18. The counter rotational package wrapping removal system set forth in claim 14 further comprising: a first support frame for pivotally supporting the first arm;a second support frame for pivotally supporting the second arm;a first biasing device carried between the first support frame and the base end of the first arm for biasing the first arm in the first normal position; anda second biasing device carried between the second support frame and the base end of the second arm for biasing the second arm in the second normal position.

19. A method of removing wrapping from a wrapped product with the wrapped product having a leading face and flanking side faces, and the system having a transport and first and second arms with each of the arms carrying a cutter, the method comprising the steps of: positioning the wrapped product on the transport with the leading face of the product facing downstream with respect to movement of the transport;contacting the leading face with the first cutter of the first arm;pivoting the first arm to move the cutter of the first arm along the leading face;cutting the wrapping on the leading face;contacting a flanking first side face with the first cutter;cutting the wrapping by the first cutter along the flanking first side face;contacting the leading face with the second cutter of the second arm with the wrapping at the leading face;pivoting the second arm to move the second cutter along the leading face;cutting the wrapping on the leading face;contacting an opposite flanking second side face with the second cutter;cutting the wrapping by the second cutter along the flanking second side face.

20. The method set forth in claim 19 further comprising the step of heating the first and second cutters for melting the wrapping when cutting.

21. The method set forth in claim 19 further comprising the step of the first arm automatically pivoting back to a first normal position when the first flanking side face moves downstream of the first cutter.

22. The method set forth in claim 21 further comprising the step of the second arm automatically pivoting back to the second normal position when the second flanking side face moves downstream of the second cutter.