U.S. patent application number 09/727172 was filed with the patent office on 2002-09-26 for packaging apparatus and method.
Invention is credited to Brash, Douglas J., Dimario, Paul E., Hurd, Ronald D..
Application Number | 20020134056 09/727172 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 24921609 |
Filed Date | 2002-09-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020134056 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dimario, Paul E. ; et
al. |
September 26, 2002 |
Packaging apparatus and method
Abstract
The present invention comprises a machine for the packaging of
goods in a box. A conveyor receives a designated number of goods
between a series of successive flights situated on the top surface
of the conveyor. The conveyor transports the goods up an incline
and then over a steep decline, or waterfall. The waterfall nests
the goods on a surface of the lead flight. The waterfall is covered
so that the goods do not fall off of the conveyor as it goes over
the waterfall. The conveyor then reaches a belt return, wherein the
lead flight moves out from underneath the goods and drops the goods
into the box. The box is positioned underneath the waterfall to
receive the goods by the action of an intermittent conveyor. A
sensor is positioned to verify that the queued box has received the
goods. If the sensor does not indicate to the second conveyor that
the queued box has not received the goods, the intermittent second
conveyor will not move the box. After the box has received the
goods, the intermittent conveyor moves the box away and queues
another box to receive goods.
Inventors: |
Dimario, Paul E.; (Lawrence,
MA) ; Brash, Douglas J.; (Remer, MN) ; Hurd,
Ronald D.; (Brooklyn Park, MN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
John A. O'Toole, Esq.
P.O. Box 1113
Minneapolis
MN
55440
US
|
Family ID: |
24921609 |
Appl. No.: |
09/727172 |
Filed: |
November 30, 2000 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/473 ; 53/249;
53/64 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 57/04 20130101;
B65B 5/101 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
53/473 ; 53/64;
53/249 |
International
Class: |
B65B 001/04; B65B
057/02 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for packaging goods in a box, comprising: (a) a
first conveyor for receiving an at least one good, the first
conveyor transporting the at least one good along a path, the path
including a waterfall operatively positioned along the path,
wherein the at least one good is moved over the waterfall by the
first conveyor; and (b) a box positioned below the waterfall,
wherein the box is in a position to receive the at least one good
from the waterfall.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the path further comprises an
incline, the incline positioned after the first conveyor receives
the at least one good and before the waterfall.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a second conveyor,
the second conveyor operably positioned below the waterfall to move
the box into the position where it receives the at least one good
from the waterfall.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a sensor, the
sensor operably attached to the second conveyor, the sensor further
positioned so that the sensor insures that each box receives the at
least one good provided by the first conveyor.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first conveyor further
comprises an at least one flight, each of the at least one flight
fixedly attached to the first conveyor at a regular interval.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a first wall and a
second wall, the first wall and the second wall operably attached
on either side of the first conveyor.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the first conveyor receives the
goods in a pitch, the pitch defined by the conveyor belt area
between two successive flights, the first flight called a lead
flight and the second flight called a trail flight.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a slide operably
attached to the first conveyor, wherein the slide transports the
goods to the first conveyor in a manner timed to place the goods in
successive pitches.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first wall forms a cavity
for receiving an end of the slide and the second wall further
comprises a stop, the stop operably positioned on an opposite side
of the first conveyor from the slide, wherein the stop insures that
the at least one good comes to rest on the first conveyor.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first conveyor is a
continuous motion conveyor.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first conveyor further
comprises a belt return.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second conveyor is an
intermittent motion conveyor.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first conveyor further
comprises a vibrator, the vibrator vibrating the first conveyor and
the at least one good to insure that the at least one good is
properly positioned on the first conveyor between the lead flight
and the trail flight.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the vibrator is fixedly
attached to the incline of the conveyor path.
15. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first conveyor further
comprises a cover placed over the waterfall area, the cover
confining the at least one good between the cover, the lead flight,
and the first conveyor.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the cover is hingedly
attached over the first conveyor so that it may be easily
positioned for the cleaning and maintenance of the first
conveyor.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the cover is made of
plastic.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the second conveyor further
comprises a guide, the guide operably attached above the second
conveyor and beneath the waterfall to channel the box into a
position to receive the at least one good.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the guide further comprises a
first guide and a second guide, the first guide and the second
guide operably attached above the middle conveyor for positioning
and holding the box in place to receive the at least one good from
the first conveyor.
20. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the second conveyor further
comprises a box conveyor and a take-away conveyor, the take-away
conveyor being a continuous motion conveyor and the box conveyor
being an intermittent motion conveyor, the take-away conveyor
operably attached to a downstream end of the box conveyor, the box
conveyor operably positioned beneath the waterfall, the take-away
conveyor taking the box from the box conveyor after the box has
received the at least one good.
21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein a sensor is operably
attached to the box conveyor, the sensor stopping the intermittent
motion of the box conveyor when the sensor perceives that a box has
not received the at least one good.
22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a second sensor,
the second sensor sensing whether a box is queued in position to
receive the at least one good.
23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the box is a cardboard
box.
24. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the conveyor surface further
comprises an at least one groove, the groove being laterally
disposed in order to removably nest the container placed
thereon.
25. An apparatus for the packaging of tubes, the apparatus further
comprising: (a) a first conveyor, the first conveyor running in
continuous motion and further comprising an incline portion and a
steep decline portion; (b) a first wall and a second wall, the
first wall and the second wall operably attached to each side of
the first conveyor and extending a vertical distance above the
first conveyor (c) a plurality of flights, each flight operably
attached to the first conveyor and positioned at a repetitive
distance along a top surface of the conveyor (d) a source of an at
least one tube, wherein the source of tubes provides the at least
one tube in a consistently timed manner, placing a predetermined
number of the at least one tube between each successive flight; (e)
a conveyor return, the conveyor return positioned at the end of the
steep decline of the first conveyor; and (f) a second conveyor, the
second conveyor being an intermittent conveyor that places a box in
a position below the steep decline to receive the at least one
tube.
26. A method of packaging goods in a box, the method comprising:
(a) placing an at least one good on a continuous motion conveyor;
(b) transporting the at least one good on the conveyor over a
conveyor path, the path including a steep decline at a downstream
end of the conveyor path; and (c) dropping the at least one good
from the conveyor decline into a box.
27. The method of claim 26 wherein the movable conveyor is a
continuously moving conveyor.
28. The method of claim 27 wherein placing the at least one good on
the conveyor further comprises positioning the at least one good on
a pitch, wherein the pitch is a section of the conveyor between a
lead flight and a trail flight.
29. The method of claim 28, wherein transporting the at least one
good on the conveyor further comprises moving the at least one good
up an incline, whereby the at least one good nestles against the
trailing flight.
30. The method of claim 29, further comprising a conveyor belt
return for returning the conveyor belt to an upstream end of the
conveyor belt path.
31. The method of claim 30, wherein dropping the at least one good
into a box further comprises: (a) moving the at least one good over
the steep decline by action of the conveyor, whereby the at least
one good is nestled against the lead flight and the conveyor; and
(b) allowing the at least one good to fall into the box when the
conveyor return moves the lead flight out from under the at least
one good.
32. The method of claim 31, further comprising moving the box to a
position underneath the steep decline by action of a second movable
conveyor.
33. The method of claim 32 further comprising a slide for placing
the at least one good between the lead flight and the trail
flight.
34. The method of claim 33, further comprising transporting the at
least one good to the waterfall through a smooth turn.
35. The method of claim 34 wherein the second movable conveyor is
an intermittent motion conveyor.
36. A machine for the packaging of goods in a box, the machine
comprising: (a) means for conveying goods from a product loader to
a waterfall, the goods being conveyed over the waterfall and
deposited into a container; and (b) means for positioning the
container underneath the waterfall to receive the goods and to move
the container with the goods away from the waterfall.
37. The machine of claim 36 further comprising an incline.
38. The machine of claim 37 further comprising: (a) means to
determine that a box is present; and (b) means to determine whether
the goods have been placed into the box.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This invention relates to the packaging of goods. More
specifically, this invention relates to an apparatus and method of
packaging goods using a continuous motion conveyor belt and a
waterfall delivery system.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Packaging goods in containers for shipment was originally
done by hand. Packaging by hand requires a person to unfold a
container to be used, pack the container, and then seal the
container for shipment. Automation continuously replaces manual
activities for more and more of these different packaging steps,
saving both time and money.
[0003] The packaging of containers has been automated at almost
every stage of the packaging process. In many packaging operations,
the product to be packaged does not have to be touched by human
hands, rather the products are moved from one area in a facility to
another by means of conveyor belts and various other mechanisms
known in the art. Conveyor belts, slide arrangements, and automatic
packaging facilities are of obvious utility for reducing labor
costs and expediting the packaging process, resulting in lower
priced products.
[0004] The machines used for packaging may be expensive to purchase
and expensive to operate. Operating expenses are increased by the
size of the machines as well as by the amount of required
maintenance that must be done. Large machines take up a large
amount of production facility floor space and cost more money to
utilize. Furthermore, maintaining machines that have a number of
different moving parts increases costs and may slow down production
when complicated or repetitive maintenance and repair is required.
A greater number of moving parts increases the likelihood of a
machine fouling and increases the number of parts that may wear out
and need to be replaced. Furthermore, constant stopping and
starting of intermittent motion devices increases the rate of wear
of the various moving parts.
[0005] An apparatus and method that will increase the efficiency
and reduce the cost of packaging products in a container is of
obvious utility. A need exists for a packaging machine that has
fewer separate moving parts that require maintenance and
replacement. Furthermore, a need exists for a packaging machine
that requires the minimal amount of human supervision to perform
its function. Ideally, this machine will be compact and easily
maintained both during operation and during routine maintenance.
Furthermore, eliminating motion devices and reducing the amount of
stopping and starting of these devices may reduce breakdown and the
costs associated with operational stoppages.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the machine of the present
invention from a first side.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the slide, conveyor belt,
the turn, and the incline of the present invention from the first
side.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a side view of the machine of the present
invention.
[0009] FIG. 3b is a side view of an alternative embodiment conveyor
surface.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a front view of the waterfall portion of the
present invention, including the second conveyor.
[0011] FIG. 5 is a downstream perspective view of the waterfall and
the second conveyor of the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the method of operating the
present invention.
[0013] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the interconnectivity of the
separate parts of the present invention.
SUMMARY
[0014] An apparatus for packaging goods in a box, comprising a
first conveyor for receiving an at least one good, the first
conveyor transporting the at least one good along a path, the path
including a waterfall operatively positioned along the path,
wherein the at least one good is moved over the waterfall by the
first conveyor. The apparatus further comprising a box positioned
below the waterfall, wherein the box is in a position to receive
the at least one good from the waterfall.
[0015] An apparatus for the packaging of goods in a box, the
apparatus further comprising a first conveyor, the first conveyor
running in continuous motion and further comprising an incline
portion and a steep decline portion; the apparatus further
comprising a first wall and a second wall, the first wall and the
second wall operably attached to each side of the first conveyor
and extending a vertical distance above the first conveyor a
plurality of flights, each flight operably attached to the first
conveyor and positioned at a repetitive distance along a top
surface of the conveyor a source of an at least one good, wherein
the source of goods provides the at least one good in a
consistently timed manner, placing a predetermined number of the at
least one good between each successive flight; a conveyor return,
the conveyor return positioned at the end of the steep decline of
the first conveyor; and a second conveyor, the second conveyor
being an intermittent conveyor that places a box in a position
below the steep decline to receive the at least one good.
[0016] A method of packaging goods in a box, the method comprising
placing an at least one good on a conveyor; transporting the at
least one good on the conveyor over a conveyor path, the path
including a steep decline at a downstream end of the conveyor path
and dropping the at least one good from the conveyor steep decline
into a box.
[0017] A machine for the packaging of goods in a box, the machine
comprising means for conveying goods from a product loader to a
waterfall, the goods being conveyed over the waterfall and
deposited into a container, and means for positioning the container
underneath the waterfall to receive the goods and to move the
container with the goods away from the waterfall.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] Machine Overview
[0019] With reference to FIG. 1, an embodiment of a packaging
machine 10 of the present invention will be described. As shown in
FIG. 1, the packaging machine 10 may further comprise a conveyor
belt 12, a product loader 14, and a box positioning mechanism 18.
The product loader 14 may be operatively attached to the conveyor
belt 12 at an upstream point. The box positioning mechanism 18 may
be operatively attached to the conveyor belt 12 at a downstream
point.
[0020] The path of the conveyor belt 12 of the present embodiment
may further comprise a conveyor incline 16 and a conveyor waterfall
17. The incline 16 and the waterfall 17 may be integral parts of
the path of the conveyor 12. The incline 16 may be situated at a
point in the path of the conveyor 12 after the product loader 14.
The waterfall 17 may be situated after the incline.
[0021] The path of the conveyor 12 may start at the upstream point
before the product loader 14, pass by the product loader 14 to pick
up a number of the containers 26 to be packaged, go around a
continuous turn 28, up the incline 16, and over the conveyor
waterfall 17 at a downstream point. After the conveyor belt 12 goes
over the waterfall 17, the conveyor belt 12 may travel a return
journey to the starting point and repeat the path.
[0022] The present embodiment of the present invention is described
in terms of a disposable yogurt container 26. The yogurt container
26 of the present embodiment may be in the shape of a tube. The
yogurt container 26 may be produced and filled with product at
another area by a vertical form, fill, and seal device (a "VFFS"
device) known to those reasonably skilled in the art. After the
yogurt is packaged in the containers 26 of the present embodiment,
the containers 26 leave the VFFS machine and enter a slide 32 of
the product loader 14 as discussed below. These yogurt containers
26 may weigh a few ounces or more and be approximately eight inches
long. The product loader 14 illustrated in FIGS. 1-7 deliver six
containers 26 into each section of the conveyor 12. In alternative
embodiments, the number of containers 26 delivered may vary. In
addition, alternative embodiments may incorporate many different
types of containers 12 compatible with the nature and scope of the
present invention. Further embodiments may incorporate a different
filling device besides the VFFS one mentioned above.
[0023] The box of the present embodiment is a standard size
cardboard box 30 with a foldable lid. The box 30 may be made of
lightweight cardboard and may be folded into a shape designed to
receive the goods 26 at an area not within the scope of the present
invention. The lids of the box 30 may be unfolded and may be
integrally formed of the same piece of cardboard as the main body
of the box 30. As those reasonably skilled in the art will
appreciate, the box 30 of the present embodiment may be replaced
with other types of containers known in the art, for example,
shoebox type containers wherein the lid is placed on at a later
time. Additionally, containers made out of plastic or other
materials may also be utilized.
[0024] The Conveyor Belt
[0025] With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the conveyor belt 12
will be herein described. The conveyor belt 12 of the present
embodiment may further comprise a drive unit 20, a first sidewall
22, and a second sidewall 24. The drive unit 20 may be operatively
attached to the conveyor at a downstream end. The first sidewall 22
and the second sidewall 24 may be operably attached and situated on
alternative sides of the path of the conveyor belt 12. The first
sidewall 22 and the second sidewall 24 may extend vertically above
the conveyor belt 12. As will be appreciated by one skilled in the
art, in an alternative embodiment, the drive unit 20 may be
attached to any point along the path of the conveyor belt 12.
[0026] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the conveyor belt 12 of the
present embodiment may further comprise a conveyor surface 40 and a
plurality of flights 42. The plurality of flights 42 may be fixedly
positioned at a regular interval along the conveyor surface 40 of
the conveyor belt 12. The plurality of flights 42 of the present
embodiment may be approximately two inches tall, though in
alternative embodiments this height may be different. The flights
42 should be of a height and shape to effectively separate the
groups of containers 26 that are to be packaged in different boxes
30. Conveyor belts 12 of this type are well known in the art and
may be substituted by other types of conveyor belts 12 known to
those reasonably skilled in the art.
[0027] The flights 42 of the present embodiment may be narrow,
rectangular pieces of plastic. The flights 42 may be positioned so
they are vertically disposed on the surface of the conveyor belt
12, running substantially from the first sidewall 22 to the second
sidewall 24. The flights 42 may be a structure that separate
successive loads of containers 26 from one another. The flights 42
may be of such a height and shape that there is no interference
with the waterfall 17, or other parts of the path of the conveyor
belt 12. The flights 42 should made of such a material that will
allow them to withstand the weight of the containers 26 to be
packaged and the stress of the continuous operation of the present
invention packaging machine 10. The flights 42 of the present
embodiment may be substituted by other flights made with different
shapes and materials known to those skilled in the art that will
accomplish the functions as described further below.
[0028] The present embodiment may position the conveyor flights 42
on the conveyor surface 40 so that the flights 42 have a pitch 44
(the distance from one flight to the next, as represented in FIG. 2
as X-X.sup.1) of 12 inches. The pitch 44 may be the distance
between two successive flights 42 and describe the conveyor surface
40 therein. The two successive flights 42 of a pitch 44 may be
called a lead flight 42a and a trail flight 42b. As may be
appreciated by an observer, inherently the trail flight 42b of one
pitch 44 will also serve as the lead flight 42a of the next
successive pitch 44, depending on the perspective and focus of the
observer. This description will alternatively refer to flights 42
as lead flights 42a and trail flights 42b depending on the focus
needed for the current description. Furthermore, for purposes of
clarity, each flight 42 is labeled as flight 42 except for the lead
flight 42a and the trail flight 42b on either side of the slide 32
in FIG. 7.
[0029] As illustrated in FIG. 3b, an alternative embodiment of the
conveyor surface 40 may further comprise a number of corrugated
grooves 41. The corrugated grooves 41 may be transfixed laterally
to the direction the conveyor belt 12 moves. The corrugated slots,
as shown in FIG. 3b, run from one side of the conveyor 12 to the
other side of the conveyor 12. The grooves 41 of the present
embodiment may be of a width and length so that the containers 26
of the present embodiment may easily nest in each slot. As
mentioned above, the container 26 of the present embodiment may be
a tube. The shape of the tube may be especially adapted to
removably nest with the corrugated shaped conveyor surface 40.
[0030] The Product Loader
[0031] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the product loader 14 will
be further described. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the product
loader 14 may further comprise a slide 32, a stop 34, and a
sidewall gap 36. In the present embodiment, the slide 32 may be
positioned at any point along the first sidewall 22. The slide 32
may be operatively attached to feed the yogurt containers 26 of the
present embodiment through the sidewall gap 36 of the first
sidewall 22. The stop 34 may be fixedly attached to the second
sidewall 24 in a position directly across from the slide 32 and the
sidewall gap 36. As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art,
the product loader 14 may be positioned at any point compatible
with the space and size limitations of the area the packaging
machine 10 is to be placed in. Furthermore, though the present
embodiment utilizes a gap 26 in the first sidewall 22, alternative
embodiments may have the slide 32 simply run over the sidewall 22
without requiring a gap therein.
[0032] The slide 32 of the present embodiment transports the
containers 26 to the conveyor belt 12. As will be appreciated by
one skilled in the art, the present embodiment uses an automated
system to place substantially identical containers 26 on the
conveyor belt 12 to be packaged. Since the conveyor belt 12 of the
present invention operates in a continuous motion loop, it may be
desirable to place all the yogurt containers 26 to be packaged in
one box 30 onto the conveyor belt 12 at the same time. In
alternative embodiments, the conveyor 12 may collect the containers
12 individually or in pairs from different slide stations. In
alternative embodiments, the conveyor 12 may collect different
containers 26 or products to be packaged together in one box 30. In
still further embodiments, the present embodiment slide 32, which
has three slots in the present embodiment, may have a greater or
number of slots. As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art,
the containers 26 must be timed to leave the slide at a consistent
interval to place them on the conveyor 12 with the proper
separation.
[0033] The stop 34 may be positioned on the opposite side of the
conveyor 12 from the slide 32, operably attached to the second
sidewall 24. The stop 34 may be in a position to arrest the forward
momentum of the containers 26 as the containers 26 reach the end of
the slide 32. The stop 34 insures that the containers 12 come to
rest on the conveyor belt 12. It is important that the containers
12 do not accidentally travel over the second sidewall 24 and off
of the present invention packaging system 10. This would result in
waste, inefficiency, and a poor packaging apparatus if it were to
happen on a regular basis. The stop 34 may be of any size and shape
that will accomplish the intended purpose.
[0034] The slide 32 of the present embodiment transports the filled
yogurt containers 26 of the present embodiment from the filling
area to the present invention packaging machine 10. The containers
26, when they reach the bottom of the slide 32, are at such a speed
that they travel off the slide 32 to a position overtop of the
conveyor belt 12. The end of the slide 32 may be angled in such a
position so that the containers 26, as they reach the end of the
slide 32, are traveling in a direction and at a speed that may
allow them to contact the stop 34 and come to rest in the proper
position on the conveyor belt 12.
[0035] As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, various
changes may be made to the present embodiment product loader 14
without changing the scope of the present invention. For instance,
the slide 32 may be steeper or shallower, or a gate may be added to
halt the momentum of the containers 26 before allowing them to
gently topple onto the slide. In alternative embodiments, a cover
may by placed over the top of the conveyor 12 to further assist the
stop 34 in arresting the motion of the containers 26.
[0036] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the arrival of the containers 26
at the end of the slide 32 may be timed so that the containers 26
come off of the slide 32 as the lead flight 42a and the trail
flight 42b of the pitch 44 are situated on opposite sides of the
slide 32 and the sidewall gap 36. Since the conveyor belt 12 of the
present invention is in continuous operation, the timing of the
arrival of the containers 26 may be coordinated with the pitch 44
of the flights 42 by one reasonably skilled in the art using the
logic central feature described further herein. As the containers
26 move off of the slide 32, the motion of the containers 26 may be
halted by the stop 34 and come to a rest between the lead flight
42a and the trail flight 42b which define the queued pitch 44.
[0037] The conveyor belt 12 and product loader 14 of the present
embodiment together present an advantage to the present invention.
The continuous operation 12 of the conveyor belt 12 allowed by the
slide 32 of the product loader 14 results in less wear and tear on
the conveyor 12. In the prior art, where the conveyor 12 was being
constantly stopped and started, resulted in wear on the machine.
Less wear may result in a longer life for the machine 10, reducing
the production costs. Furthermore, any jams or problems with the
slide 32, or conveyor 12, may be easily viewable because of the
open nature of the packaging system 10.
[0038] The continuous motion of the conveyor 12 and the waterfall
17 (described below) allow for a higher speed packaging system 10.
The present invention allows the user to package 45 boxes or more
per minute. Faster packaging further lowers the overall cost.
[0039] The Path of the Conveyor 12
[0040] With reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the path of the
conveyor belt 12 will be herein described. The conveyor belt 12 of
the present embodiment may begin moving at a point upstream of the
slide 32. The conveyor belt 12 of the present embodiment may then
travel through a smooth ninety degree turn 28. The ninety degree
turn 28 of the present embodiment aligns the conveyor belt 12, and
the goods 26 resting thereon, in a position so they may travel up
the incline 16. In alternative embodiments, the conveyor path may
be substantially straight from the product loader to the waterfall
17, depending on the configuration desired by the user.
[0041] Once the conveyor belt 12 has transported the containers 26
through the ninety degree turn 28, the conveyor belt 12 transports
the containers up the incline path 16. After the incline 16, the
conveyor belt 12 may go over the waterfall 16. The incline path 16
of the present embodiment is approximately thirty degrees, but as
will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, this incline angle
may be more or less depending on the construction of the embodiment
and the nature of the containers 26 to be packaged.
[0042] The incline path 16 of the conveyor belt 12 may serve
several purposes in the present invention packaging machine 10. As
illustrated in FIG. 3, the incline 16 may insure that the
containers 26 are nested against the trail flight 42b of the pitch
44. Nesting the containers 26 against the trail flight 42b of the
pitch 44 may aid the uniform delivery of the containers 26 into the
box 30. The incline path 16 may also help to insure that the
containers 26 are not improperly aligned in the pitch 44 (for
example, aligned with the long side of the container 26 disposed
along the path of the conveyor belt 12 instead of transverse to the
same). As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the
vibrating member 50 will enable the misaligned containers 26 to
seat themselves properly. Finally, the incline path 16 of the
conveyor belt 12 transports the container 26 to a higher vertical
position so that the waterfall 17 of the conveyor 12 described
below has the vertical room to place the containers 26 into the box
30 in which they are to be packaged.
[0043] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the incline path 16 of the present
invention may further comprise a vibrating member 50. The vibrating
member 50 may help to insure that the containers 26 riding on the
conveyor belt 12 are properly positioned on the conveyor belt 12
resting against the flight 42b. In the alternative embodiment with
grooves 41 on the conveyor surface 40, the vibrating member will
insure that the containers 26 are properly nested in the
corresponding groove 41. The vibrating member 50 may be attached
below the conveyor belt surface 40 and between the first sidewall
22 and the second sidewall 24. In the embodiment illustrated in
FIG. 3, the vibrating member 50 may only actuate the conveyor
surface 40 over a short part of the path. An alternative embodiment
may have the vibrating member 50 actuating the conveyor over a
longer length of the conveyor belt 12 as it travels up the incline
16.
[0044] As noted above, the vibrating member 50 may aid in the
deposition of the containers 26 in the correct position between the
first flight 42a and the second flight 42b. The vibrator 50 may
accomplish this by providing a vibrating action to the conveyor
surface 40 and the containers 26 disposed thereon. Depending on the
shape and weight of the container 26 utilized in different
embodiments, the vibrator 50 may be required over a longer length
of the path of the conveyor belt 12 and may need to provide a
greater force or a higher speed vibration. In alternative
embodiments, the vibrator 50 and the incline 16 may not be
necessary to insure the proper placement of the containers 26.
[0045] With reference to FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, the waterfall 17
portion of the conveyor of the present embodiment will be
described. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the waterfall 17 may further
comprise a conveyor decline 54, a belt return 56, a conveyor cover
58, and a container sensor 59. The belt return 56 may be
operatively attached to the conveyor belt 12 and the conveyor cover
58 may be operatively attached to the first sidewall 22 to the
second sidewall 24 in a position over the top of the conveyor 12,
from a point before the waterfall 17 until a position near the belt
return 56. The container sensor 59 may be operably and fixedly
attached to the waterfall 17. The container sensor 59 is described
more fully below in the context of the box positioning mechanism
18.
[0046] When the containers are moved over the waterfall 17 by the
action of the conveyor belt 12, all of the containers 26 resting in
each pitch 44, nested up against the front face of the trail flight
42b, may be moved by the force of gravity to a position on the rear
face of the lead flight 42a. The containers 26 come to nest in this
position as the conveyor belt 12 continues to travel down the
substantially downward vertical path. The previous nesting of the
containers 26 onto the front face of the rear flight 44b
facilitates the uniform falling of the containers 26 to a resting
position on the rear face of the front flight 44a.
[0047] The containers 26 do not fall off the conveyor 12 because
the conveyor surface 40 and the cover 58 bind the containers 26. As
will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the inside of the
conveyor cover 58 may be relatively smooth to facilitate the
passage of the containers 26 without catching or obstructing the
same. In an alternative embodiment with the grooves 41, the
containers 26 may go from resting in the corresponding groove 41 to
being nested up against the rear face of the lead flight 42a.
[0048] When the pitch 44 reaches the belt return 56, the conveyor
belt 12 may reverse direction to move back toward the upstream end
of the path of the conveyor belt 12. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the
movement of the conveyor belt 12 around the belt return 56 moves
the lead flight 42a out from under the containers 26. Without the
support of the lead flight 42a, the containers 26 drop into the box
30 positioned below the waterfall 17. The drop from the waterfall
17 to the box 30 of the present embodiment may be approximately
three inches. The containers 26 are now packaged in the box 30,
ready to be sealed and shipped.
[0049] As illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, the conveyor cover 58
will be further described. The conveyor cover 58 of the present
embodiment may be further comprised of a lower cover 60, an upper
cover 62, a lower handle 64, and an upper handle 66. The lower
cover 60 may be pivotally attached over the vertical section of the
waterfall 17 and the upper cover 62 may be pivotally attached over
the curved top portion of the waterfall 17. The lower handle 64 and
the upper handle 66 are fixedly attached on the face of the lower
cover 64 and the upper cover 66, respectively. The lower cover 60
and the upper cover 62 may be of such a size so that they form a
substantially continuous covering over the conveyor belt 12 from a
position just before the waterfall 17, all the way down the
waterfall 17, and until the position where the containers 26 fall
off of the lead flight 42a and into the box 30. In alternative
embodiments the cover 58 may traverse a larger or small amount of
the path of the conveyor 12.
[0050] The lower cover 60 and the upper cover 62 insure that the
containers 26, as they are moved over the waterfall 17, do not fall
off of the conveyor belt 12 and miss the box 30. The containers 26
may be confined between the upper cover 62 and the lower cover 64,
the conveyor belt surface 40, and the lead flight 42a. After the
conveyor belt 12 reaches the belt return 56, and the lead flight
42a moves out from under the containers 26, the containers 26 may
be confined between the lower cover 60 and the conveyor belt 12 as
the containers 26 fall into the box 30.
[0051] The pivotal connection of the lower cover 60 and the upper
cover 62 may provide an advantage to the present embodiment.
Because the lower cover 60 and the upper cover 62 may be pivotally
connected to the waterfall 17, the covers 60 and 62 may be easily
removed. The ability to remove the covers 60 and 62 ameliorates the
cleaning of the machine and the removal of any jammed containers
26. The covers 60 and 62 may also provide some degree of
safety.
[0052] The covers 60, 62 of the present embodiment may be made out
of a clear plastic material such as LEXAN.TM.. In alternative
embodiments, the covers 60 and 62 may be formed out of any material
known to those reasonably skilled in the art and useful for such an
application. In the present embodiment, the covers 60 and 62 may be
clear to provide a viewable waterfall 17, but as one reasonably
skilled in the art may appreciate, this is not necessary to the
scope of the present invention.
[0053] As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 5, when the conveyor belt 12
travels over the waterfall 17, the containers 26 accumulate on the
backside of the lead flight 42a. When the lead flight 42a reaches
the belt return 56, the containers 26 may slide off the backside of
the lead flight 42a and drop into the box 30.
[0054] In the present embodiment, the waterfall 17 moves the
conveyor belt 12 into a substantially downward vertical path at a
point soon after the conveyor belt 12 has reached the highest point
of the incline 16. In alternative embodiments, the conveyor belt 12
may instead have a longer plateau before going over the waterfall
17. Furthermore, the downwards slope of the waterfall 17 itself,
while substantially vertical, may be more gently sloping until the
conveyor belt 12 reaches the belt return and the lead flight 42a
may be moved out from a supporting position underneath the
containers 26. A variety of alternative embodiments may be imagined
by one reasonably skilled in the art.
[0055] The Box Positioning System
[0056] With reference to FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, the box positioning
mechanism 18 of the present invention will be described. As
illustrated in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, the box positioning mechanism 18
may be attached in a position below the waterfall 17. The box
positioning mechanism 18 may further comprise a box conveyor 70, a
first positioning bar 72, a second positioning bar 74, a take-away
conveyor 76, and a box sensor 78. The box conveyor 70 may be
operatively attached in a position underneath the waterfall 17. The
first positioning bar 72 and the second positioning bar 74 may be
attached in a position above the box conveyor 70 in a substantially
parallel path. The sensor 78 may be operatively attached to the box
conveyor 70 and in a position to monitor the placement of the
containers 26 in the box 30. The take away conveyor 76 may be
operatively attached downstream of the box conveyor 70.
[0057] The box conveyor 70 brings the boxes 30 to a queue position
underneath the waterfall 17.
[0058] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the box conveyor 70 may further
comprise a conveyor surface 80, a plurality of conveyor bars 82,
and a conveyor bar motivator 84. The plurality of conveyor bars 82
may be operably positioned at a point above the conveyor surface 80
and attached at either end to the conveyor bar motivator 84. The
conveyor bars 82 may be at a height to push the boxes 30 along the
surface 80 when the motivator 84 commences. The conveyor motivator
84 may be a belt drive or chain drive system known to those
reasonably skilled in the art. The boxes 30 may be brought to the
beginning of the box conveyor 70 by another conveyor (not shown) or
alternatively, may be placed thereon by an operator.
[0059] The box conveyor 70 utilizes intermittent motion to position
the box 30 under the waterfall 17 in a location to receive the
containers 26. The conveyor bar motivator 84 operates on a timed
intermittent path. The intermittent motion may be timed and
positioned to stop the box 30 underneath the waterfall 17 of the
conveyor belt 12 at a time before the containers 26 fall off of the
lead flight 42a. Intermittent motion conveyors of this type are
known to those reasonably skilled in the art and may be replaced by
other systems known to the same, for example, an alternative
embodiment may utilize a conveyor with flights such as the conveyor
12.
[0060] As previously noted, the sensor 59 may also be operably
attached to the waterfall 17 in a position to register the passing
of the container 26. The sensor 59 may indicate to the box conveyor
70 to delay moving a particular box 30 if that box has not received
containers 26. The sensor 59 of the present embodiment may be an
electronic eye sensor 59 that registers the passage of containers
26 into the box 30. If the eye sensor 59 does not register the
passage of containers 26 down the waterfall 17 and into the box 30,
the box conveyor 70 will not allow the box 30 to be moved to the
take-away conveyor 76.
[0061] The box sensor 78 may be operably positioned and fixedly
connected to the box conveyor 70. The box sensor 78 may indicate to
the waterfall 17 and the box conveyor 17 whether a box 30 is
properly queued in position to receive the containers 26. If a box
30 is not properly queued, then the sensor 78 may slow down or stop
the action of the conveyor belt 12. Once the sensor 78 does
register that there is a box 30 properly queued then the sensor may
cause the conveyor belt 12 to resume normal operating speed.
[0062] The interaction of the sensor 59, sensor 78, and the box
conveyor 70 represents one of the advantages of the present
invention packaging system 10. Unlike prior art devices, the
present invention packaging system 10 guards against empty boxes 30
and over packed boxes 30. The packaging system 10 further
accomplishes uniform box filling without the constant supervision
of an operator, reducing the overall cost of packaging.
[0063] The first positioning bar 72 and the second positioning bar
74 may help to insure that the box 30 may be in a position to
receive the containers 26 from the waterfall 17. The box conveyor
70 stops the box 30 underneath the waterfall 17 and the first bar
72 and the second bar 74 insure that the box 30 will be in the
correct position to receive the containers 26 as they are released
by the lead flight 42a of the conveyor belt 12. Furthermore, the
first bar 72 and the second bar 74 insure that the box 30 does not
tip or fall over when the containers 26 fall into it.
[0064] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the present embodiment may also
include a shoe horn 86 that engages the top of the box 30. The shoe
horn 86 may be fixedly attached on the lower cover 60 and extend
low enough to engage the box 30. As previously noted, the top of
the box 30 utilized in the present embodiment may be integrated
into the main body of the box 30 and may be of the fold down
variety. When the box 30 is pushed along by the box conveyor 70 and
engages the first bar 72 and second bar 74, the part of the box 30
top that is sticking up in the air may engage the shoehorn 86. The
shoehorn 86 may prevent the top of the box 30 from binding against
the structure of the waterfall 17.
[0065] The box conveyor 70 of the present embodiment allows a box
30 to be in position when the waterfall 17 releases the containers
26 that are to be packaged in the box 30. The timing of such a
system may be accomplished by known methods. After the containers
26 are placed in the box 30, the box conveyor 70 may push the box
30 to the take-away conveyor 76. The take-away conveyor 76 may move
the filled boxes 30 to another point to be sealed for packaging and
shipment.
[0066] As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, there may be a series of
rollers 90 between the box conveyor 70 and the take-away conveyor
76. The rollers 90 may be operably attached to the box conveyor 70
and the take-away conveyor 76. The rollers 90 facilitate the
movement of the box 30. The box conveyor 70 may present the box 30
to the rollers 90 with a certain forward momentum. The momentum
carries the box across the rollers 90 until the take-away conveyor
76 catches the box 30.
[0067] As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the rollers 90 and the
take-away conveyor 76 may be bordered by a first border 92 and a
second border 94 to prevent the box from falling off of the same.
The first border 92 and the second border 94 may be fixedly
attached at an appropriate height above the take-away conveyor 76
on either side of the same. Rollers 90 and borders 92 and 94 are
well known to those reasonably skilled in the art.
[0068] The Method of Operation
[0069] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the method of operation of
the present invention packaging means 10. This invention has
several operations that are performed in a simultaneous fashion.
Each operation will be described as a separate action independent
of the others that are concurrently running. The last figure, FIG.
7, shows a block diagram of the interconnectivity of the various
elements attached to and controlled by the Logic Circuit ("PLC").
The PLC is the central processing unit and programming platform
that controls the operation of this invention. The following
describes the method incorporating the commands of the PLC. Like
the embodiment above, the acts of the present invention method are
described in terms of an embodiment that utilizes a yogurt filled
container as the container 26 to be placed in the box 30.
[0070] As shown in FIG. 7, the PLC is connected the conveyor 12.
The PLC of the present embodiment controls the actions of the first
conveyor 12 and the box conveyor 70. The action of the box conveyor
70 may be controlled to insure that the there are an at least one
container 26 in each box 30. Once there is power flowing into each
of the parts of the present invention that require power, the
process of packaging the containers in a box 30 will begin.
[0071] As shown in Block 100, the first step in the present
invention method may be to place the containers 26 on the first
conveyor 30. The present embodiment utilizes a slide 32 to
transport the yogurt containers 26 from the filling area to the
packaging area. The slide 32 allows the containers 26 to shoot out
over the continuous first conveyor 12 and come to a rest between
two successive flights 42 on the conveyor 12, stopped into position
by the stop 34.
[0072] The PLC may be programmed to insure that the containers 26
arrive at the conveyor 12 when a lead flight 42a and a trail flight
42b are situated on either side of the slide 32. One skilled in the
art may program the PLC to synchronize the conveyor 12 to coincide
with the placement of the containers 26 onto the slide 32 of the
present embodiment.
[0073] The containers 26 of the present embodiment are placed in
corresponding pitches 44. As previously noted, the pitch 44 is the
area between one flight 42 and the next successive flight 42. When
the containers 26 are first placed in the pitch 44 by the slide,
32, the containers may be haphazardly strewn on the conveyor
surface 40. The containers 26 may be transported up an incline 16
to assure that the containers 26 are uniformly nested before
placement in the box 30. Block 102. The incline may uniformly nest
the containers 26 against the front surface of the trail flight
42b. During the incline, the conveyor 12 may be vibrated by the
vibrator 50 to insure that the containers 26 are nested against the
trail flight 42b of the pitch 44.
[0074] Once the containers 26 have been transported up the incline
16, the containers are transported over the waterfall 17. Block
104. The waterfall 17 places all of the goods against the back side
of the lead flight 42a. Block 106. The conveyor 12 then goes
through the conveyor return 58 that moves the lead flight 42a out
from underneath the containers 26 piled thereon. The containers
then drop into a box 30 that has been queued into position by the
action of the box conveyor 70. Block 108.
[0075] The waterfall 17 insures nests the containers on the forward
flight 42a and insures that there may be a separation between
groups of falling containers 26. If the containers were not first
gathered upon the lead flight 42a, or if there were no flights 42,
the containers may go over the waterfall in a random order and may
then get jumbled up with boxes 30 which may have not moved out of
the way yet in time for the next box 30 to be queued.
[0076] The box conveyor 70 may be the intermittent conveyor as
described above. The movement of the conveyor bar 82 may push the
box 30 through the positioning bar 72 and positioning bar 74 to a
position beneath the waterfall 17 in a position ready to receive
the containers 26. The sensor 78 indicates whether containers 26
were indeed dropped from a pitch 44 into the box 30. Block 108. If
the sensor 78 does not indicate placement of containers 26, the box
conveyor 70 will not actuate and move the box 30 out from
underneath the waterfall 17 until the sensor 78 indicates proper
packaging.
[0077] As illustrated in FIG. 7, the box conveyor 70 and the sensor
78 may be operably attached to the PLC. The PLC may be programmed
to interpret the signal from the sensor 78 and control the
operation of the box conveyor 70. The PLC may further be connected
to the first conveyor 12 and the take-away conveyor 76. The PLC may
be programmed to start the first conveyor 12 at such a time to
coordinate the arrival of the containers 26 from the slide 32 when
a pitch 44 is in the proper position to receive them.
[0078] Once the containers 26 are properly placed in a box 30, the
box may be pushed by action of the box conveyor 70 to the take-away
conveyor 76. The take-away conveyor 76 moves the box 30 out of the
present invention packaging apparatus 10. Block 110.
[0079] Although the description of this machine and the present
embodiment has been quite specific, it is contemplated that various
deviations can be made to this embodiment without deviating from
the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, it is intended
that the scope of the present invention be dictated by the appended
claims rather than by the foregoing description of this
embodiment.
* * * * *