The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
With reference to the drawings and in particular to
Two conveyer slots 11, 12 are defined in a central portion of the chassis 10 to correspond to the conveyer belts 30, 40, respectively. An inclination adjusting device 20 is mounted to the chassis 10 adjacent to each conveyer slot 11, 12. The inclination adjusting device 20 comprises an elongate circular bar 21 extending in the longitudinal direction and functioning as a rail for engaging and guiding the associated conveyer belt 30, 40 to move thereon. The inclination adjusting device 20 comprises a plurality of adjustors 22 spaced along the chassis 10. Each adjustor 22 comprises a mount 221 fixed to a side face of the chassis 10 and a bar support 222 fixed on and supported by the mount 221. A through hole 223 extending in a transverse direction of the chassis is defined in the bar support 222. A coupling bar 211 has an inner end fixed to the rail 21 and an outer end extending through the hole 223 of the bar support 222 in a movable manner. By moving the coupling bar 211 with respect to the bar support 222, the location of the rail 21 with respect to the chassis 10 and thus the belt 30, 40 in the transverse direction is adjusted.
An inner-threaded hole 224 is defined in the bar support 222 and in communication with the through hole 223. A bolt 225 engages the inner-threaded hole 224 with a tip of the bolt 225 extending into the through hole 223 to engage and thus selectively fix the coupling bar 211 and thus the rail 21 in position with respect to the chassis 10 and the belt 30, 40.
The conveyer belt 30, 40 is partially received in the conveyer slot 11, 12 and is positioned on the rail 21 of the inclination adjusting device 20. The conveyer belt 30, 40 is made of a material capable of deformation of twisting whereby when an outer edge of the conveyer belt 30, 40 is lifted by the rail 21, the belt 30, 40 is twisted to have an opposite inner edge of the belt 30, 40 lowered down, making the belts 30, 40 inclined toward and facing each other. Thus, an inclination of the belt 30, 40 is effected by the rail 21 positioned under the outer edge of the belt 30, 40. By moving the rail 21 in the transverse direction, the inclination of the belt 30, 40 is changed and adjusted.
The conveyer belts 30, 40 are thus inclined toward each other and the cup-shaped container 200 is supported on the conveyer belts 30, 40 by a cup rim engaging both inclined belts 30, 40. In other words, the outer rim of the cup-shaped container 200 are substantially tangential to the conveyer belts 30, 40 The conveyer belts 30, 40 are driven by respective driving devices 50 to move in different speeds, which induces different linear speed of the portions of the cup-shaped containers 200 that engage the belts 30, 40, and thus causing rotation of the cup-shaped container 200 about a center axis thereof while the cup-shaped container 200 is moved forward by the belts 30, 40. The rotation of the cup-shaped container 200 about the center axis thereof causes relative displacement of a plastic film that is tubular and that is fit over the cup-shaped container 200 with respect to the cup-shaped container 200 and thus correcting relative position of the plastic film with respect to the container 200 and realizing snug and correct fitting of the plastic film around the cup-shaped container 200.
Referring to
An inclination adjusting device is provided to change and adjust the inclination of each conveyer belt 30, 40. The inclination adjusting device comprises a plurality of adjustors 60, each comprising a block 61 that is interposed between an outer edge of the conveyer belt 30, 40 and the chassis 10 and that is movable in the transverse direction. The block 61 defines a through hole 611 that is internally threaded to engage a bolt 62. A tip end of the bolt 62 extends through the hole 611 and also extends through a transversely extended slot 13 defined in the chassis 10 and engages a nut 63. Thus, the block 61 is retained on the chassis 10 but is allowed to move along the transversely extended slot 13 by loosening the bolt 62 and the nut 63. By moving the block 61 along the transversely extended slot 13, the inclination of the belt 30, 40 is changed and adjusted. The nut 63 also functions to releasably fix the position of the block 61 with respect to the belt 30, 40.
The difference in speed between the conveyer belts 30, 40 causes the cup-shaped containers 200 that are in contact with and conveyed by the belts 30, 40 to rotate about a center axis thereof. This allows a plastic film fit over the cup-shaped container 200 to displace and thus correct relative position thereof with respect to the container 200 and thus realizing snug fitting of the film over the cup-shaped container 200.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.