U.S. patent application number 12/301542 was filed with the patent office on 2009-08-06 for blister card loading system.
Invention is credited to Pierre-Yves Poget, Benoit Poutot.
Application Number | 20090193767 12/301542 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36660483 |
Filed Date | 2009-08-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090193767 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Poget; Pierre-Yves ; et
al. |
August 6, 2009 |
BLISTER CARD LOADING SYSTEM
Abstract
A loading system (10) for loading packaging cards (14) with
blister cards (22), which system comprises a magazine (15) for
holding a supply of blister cards and operable controllably to
release sequential blister cards onto a stationary runner (32)
disposed around a portion of a feeder wheel (24), at an input
position of the feeder wheel, the feeder wheel having means (30) to
convey the blister cards in sliding contact with said runner to a
transfer position of the feeder wheel, and means (26) sequentially
to transfer conveyed blister cards for loading onto packaging cards
during synchronized movement between the transfer means and the
packaging cards.
Inventors: |
Poget; Pierre-Yves;
(Chateauroux, FR) ; Poutot; Benoit; (Chateauroux,
FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MEADWESTVACO CORPORATION;ATTN: IP LEGAL DEPARTMENT
1021 MAIN CAMPUS DRIVE
RALEIGH
NC
27606
US
|
Family ID: |
36660483 |
Appl. No.: |
12/301542 |
Filed: |
May 18, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
May 18, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US07/69238 |
371 Date: |
November 19, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/476 ;
53/266.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 43/44 20130101;
B65B 35/18 20130101; B65B 35/26 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
53/476 ;
53/266.1 |
International
Class: |
B65B 7/00 20060101
B65B007/00; B65B 5/00 20060101 B65B005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 19, 2006 |
GB |
0609978.2 |
Claims
1. A loading system for loading packaging cards with blister cards,
which loading system comprises a magazine for holding a supply of
blister cards that is operable controllably to sequentially release
blister cards onto a stationary runner disposed around a portion of
a feeder wheel, at an input position of the feeder wheel, the
feeder wheel having means to convey the blister cards in sliding
contact with said runner to a transfer position of the feeder
wheel, and means sequentially to transfer conveyed blister cards
for loading onto packaging cards during synchronized movement
between the transfer means and the packaging cards.
2. A loading system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a guide rail is
provided to cooperate with said stationary runner and thereby to
retain blister cards within as working reach of the feeder wheel as
they are conveyed by the feeder wheel.
3. A loading system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means by
which the feeder wheel conveys the blister cards comprises lugs
that protrude from a surface of the feeder wheel, and which are
brought into abutment with a trailing edge of the blister cards by
rotation of the feeder wheel, and through which abutment subsequent
conveyance of the blister cards is achieved.
4. A loading system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the magazine
comprises protrusions that abut a proximate surface of a blister
card of the magazine, thereby preventing any blister cards from
being released, which protrusions may be controllably moved out of
abutment with said proximate surface, by displacement of the
protrusions and said surface relative to one another, and thereby
releasing a blister card from the magazine.
5. A loading system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the magazine
comprise pivotable hooks, the terminal ends of which form said
protrusions.
6. A loading system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the magazine
comprises Archimedean screws that release the successive blister
cards from the magazine through rotation of the screws, the thread
of which Archimedean screws forms said protrusions.
7. A loading system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the magazine
comprises star wheels which may be rotated to release successive
blister cards from the magazine, which star wheels comprises said
protrusions disposed around their peripheries.
8. A loading system as claimed in claim 1, arranged such that two
or more blister cards may be released onto runners of the feeder
wheel, and thereafter loaded onto the same packaging card,
simultaneously.
9. A method of loading a packaging card a blister cards
sequentially, from a magazine for holding a supply of blister
cards, onto a stationary runner disposed around a portion of a
feeder wheel, at an input positron of the feeder wheel, conveying
the released blister cards, in sliding contact with said runner, to
a transfer positron of the feeder wheel, using a conveying means of
the feeder wheel, and sequentially transferring conveyed blister
cards for loading onto packaging cards during synchronized
movements between the transfer means and the packaging cards.
10. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the blister cards are
controllably released from he magazine by moving protrusions out of
abutment with proximate surfaces of the blister cards.
11. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the protrusions
comprise the end of pivotable hooks and the protrusions are moved
out of abutment with said proximate surfaces by pivoting those
hoods.
12. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the protrusions
comprise the thread of Archimedean screws and the protrusions are
moved out of abutment with said proximate surfaces by rotating the
Archimedean screws.
13. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the protrusions
comprised the lugs of rotatable star wheels and the protrusions are
moved out of abutment with said proximate surfaces by rotating the
star wheels.
14. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein two or more blister
cards are released onto the runners of the feed wheel
simultaneously, and are thereafter loaded onto the same packaging
card simultaneously.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates particularly though not
exclusively to a system for loading blister cards onto packaging
cards, and more particularly though not exclusively to a loading
system that minimises damage to the surface of the blister card
during a loading process, and still more particularly though not
exclusively to a loading system that comprises a gate mechanism and
feeder wheel to carry out the loading process whilst minimising
dame to the surface of the blister card.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Current commercial blister card loading systems transfer
successive blister cards from a magazine, or other known storage
system, into contact with a corresponding packaging card. The
packaging cards often comprise an adhesive element with which the
packaging cards and the blister card are secured to one another.
These adhesive elements may be applied to the packaging card in an
activated form, or alternatively, heated such that preapplied
adhesive becomes activated. Thus the time between the adhesive
being heated, or applied to the packaging card, and the location of
the blister cards upon the packaging card must be kept to a minimum
so as to limit the exposure of the active adhesive to the air,
during which time it will lose part of its adhesive qualities. The
means of transferring the blister cards from the magazine to a
position of contact with the packaging card are therefore high
speed mechanisms that often subject the blister card to potentially
damaging levels of friction.
[0003] Examples of known loading systems are those that feed
blister cards onto a rotating feeder wheel that transfers
successive blister cards to a position proximate the packaging,
ready for a final accurate transfer mechanism to perform the final
loading action. However, such systems often result in damage being
caused to the blister cards as they are brought into contact with
the revolving surface of the feeder wheel. Such damage not only
lowers the aesthetic appeal of the blister card, but also risks
rupturing the blisters and loss of, or damage to, the any contents
thereof.
[0004] There is, therefore, a need for a loading system that may
transfer blister cards from a magazine to a position proximate the
packaging cards, into which they are to be loaded, which avoids
bringing the delicate blisters of the blister cards into contact
with a rotating surface, and yet will quickly transfer the blister
cards, so as to minimise the risk of the adhesive portions of the
packaging cards losing their adhesive qualities.
[0005] The present invention described herein seeks to overcome or
at least mitigate these problems highlighted in the loading systems
of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] A first aspect of the present invention provides a loading
system for loading packaging cards with blister cards, which system
comprises a magazine for holding a supply of blister cards and
operable controllably to sequentially release blister cards onto a
stationary runner disposed around a portion of a feeder wheel, at
an input position of the feeder wheel, the feeder wheel having
means to convey the blister cards in sliding contact with said
runner to a transfer position of the feeder wheel, and means
sequentially to transfer conveyed blister cards for loading onto
packaging cards during synchronized movement between the transfer
means and the packaging cards.
[0007] Preferably, a guide rail is provided to cooperate with said
stationary runner and thereby to retain the blister card within a
working reach of a feeder wheel as they are conveyed by the feeder
wheel.
[0008] Preferably, the means by which the feeder conveys the
blister cards comprises lugs that protrude from the surface of the
feeder wheel, and which are brought into abutment with a trailing
edge of the blister cards by rotation of the feeder wheel, and
through which abutment subsequent conveyance of the blister card is
achieved.
[0009] Preferably, the magazine comprises protrusions that abut a
proximate surface of a blister card of the magazine, thereby
preventing any blister cards from being released, which protrusions
may be controllably moved out of abutment with said proximate
surface, by displacement of the protrusion and said surface
relative to one another, and thereby releasing a blister card from
the magazine.
[0010] Preferably, the magazine comprises pivotable hooks, the
terminal ends of which form said protrusions.
[0011] Alternatively, the magazine may comprise Archimedean screws
that release the successive blister cards from the magazine through
rotation of the Archimedean screws.
[0012] Another alternative being that the magazine comprises star
wheels which may be rotated to release successive blister cards
from the magazine.
[0013] Preferably, the loading system is arranged such that two or
more blister cards may be released onto runners of the feeder
wheel, and thereafter loaded onto the same packaging card,
simultaneously.
[0014] A second aspect of the present invention provides a method
of loading a packaging card a blister card, which method comprises
the steps of controllably releasing blister cards sequentially,
from a magazine for holding a supply of blister cards, onto a
stationary runner disposed around a portion of a feeder wheel, at
an input position of the feeder wheel, conveying the released
blister cards, in sliding contact with said runner, to a transfer
position of the feeder wheel, using a conveying means of the feeder
wheel, and sequentially transferring conveyed blister cards for
loading onto packaging cards during synchronized movement between
the transfer means and the packaging cards.
[0015] Preferably, the blister cards are controllably released from
the magazine by moving protrusions out of abutment with proximate
surfaces of the blister cards.
[0016] Preferably, the protrusions comprise the end of pivotable
hooks and the protrusions are moved out of abutment with said
proximate surfaces by pivoting those hooks.
[0017] Alternatively, the protrusions comprise the thread of
Archimedean screws and the protrusions are moved out of abutment
with said proximate surfaces by rotating the Archimedean
screws.
[0018] A further option being that the protrusions comprise the
lugs of rotatable star wheels and that the protrusions are moved
out of abutment with said proximate surfaces by rotating the star
wheels.
[0019] Preferably, two or more blister cards are released onto the
runners of the feeder wheel simultaneously, and are thereafter
loading onto the same packaging card simultaneously.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be
described, by way of example only, with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which:
[0021] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a loading system
according to preferred embodiment of the invention; and
[0022] FIG. 1A shows a schematic side view of the loading system of
FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] The present invention provides a loading system 10 which
comprises a gate mechanism 40 for intermittently releasing blister
cards 22 from a magazine 15. As the blister cards 22 are released,
they are transferred to locate upon respective packaging cards 14
that are disposed upon a packaging conveyor 28. The packaging cards
14 comprise a series of apertures 11 that accommodate blisters 21
that are disposed upon one side of the blister card 22.
[0024] Referring to FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment of the loading
system 10 comprises a magazine 15, containing blister cards 22,
positioned vertically above a feeder wheel 24 that is in turn
positioned above a rotary suction arm 26. This assembly is
positioned over packaging conveyor 28 and may advantageously be
positioned proximate an exit end of a heating hood 12. In the
illustrated embodiment, the magazine 15 comprises two adjacent
stacks of blister cards 22 so as to allow simultaneous loading of
two blister cards 22 upon each packaging card 14. It is, however,
contemplated that the number of stacks of blister cards 22 may be
higher or lower than the two shown in this exemplary
embodiment.
[0025] The magazine 15 is fitted with a gate mechanism 40 which can
be controlled to intermittently release the lowermost blister cards
22 of each stack in the magazine 15, onto runners 32 of a feeder
wheel 24. The gate mechanism 40 comprises, in a preferred
embodiment, a pair of hooks 44 (best shown in FIG. 1A), hinged upon
either side of the magazine 15. The terminal ends of each hook 44
are disposed inwardly of the magazine 15 so as to come into
abutment with a lowermost surface of the lowermost blister cards 22
of each stack in the magazine 15, which abutment retains all the
blister cards 22 in the magazine 15.
[0026] The hooks 44 may be brought out of abutment with the
lowermost blister cards 22 by pivoting the hooks 44 about pivots 42
a sufficient amount to allow the lowermost blister card 22 to pass
between the terminal ends of the those hooks 44. After the release
of the lowermost blister card 22 of each stack, the hooks 44 pivot
back to their original orientation to prevent the release of
successive blister cards 22 from the magazine 15. Alternatively, it
may be that dual pairs of gate mechanisms 40 are employed such that
a first gate mechanism retains the penultimate blister cards 22 of
each stack, whilst the second gate mechanism 40 retains only the
lowermost blister card 22 of each stack.
[0027] It is also conceived that the same gate mechanism function
may be achieved using Archimedean screws or star wheels (not shown)
as alternatives to the hooks 44 described above. For example, the
Archimedean screws could convey the blister cards 22 down through
the magazine 15 in a controllable fashion and would release the
lowermost blister cards as they reach the terminal free end of the
screw. Likewise, star wheels may be positioned such that lugs,
disposed around the periphery of each star wheel, come into contact
with the free edges of the blister card 22. The star wheels may
then be controlled so as to free the lowermost blister cards 22 of
the magazine 15 at controllable intervals.
[0028] Once the lowermost blister card 22, of each stack, has been
freed from restraint by the gate mechanism 40, it will descend,
under gravitational attraction, to a position of rest upon runners
32 of the feeder wheel 24. The runners 32 are provided in pairs for
each blister card, so as to support the blister card 22 in a stable
condition, and the number of pairs of runners 32 corresponds to the
number of stacks contained in the magazine, so that the blister
cards 22 may be accommodated side by side on the runners 32.
[0029] The runners 32 follow a path proximate to but offset from
the perimeter of feeder wheel 24, as is more clearly illustrated in
FIG. 1A. The feeder wheel 24 further comprises guide rails 33, that
similarly follow a path proximate the perimeter of the feeder wheel
24, although offset therefrom by a greater distance than that of
the runners 32. The released blister cards 22 drop onto the runners
32 directly beneath the magazine 15 and remain in place until a lug
30 is brought into contact with their trailing edges. The blister
cards 22 are disposed upon the runner 32 with the blisters 21
protruding toward the feeder wheel 24, the runners 32 being shaped
and arranged so as to contact a flat underside of the blister card
22 rather than the blisters 21 themselves. Thus, at the point at
which the blister cards 22 are brought into contact with the feeder
wheel 24, the blister cards are only subject to the forces of their
own weight resting upon the runners 32.
[0030] The lugs 30 protrude radially from the surface of the feeder
wheel 24 and thereby follow an annular path as the feeder wheel 24
is rotated. In the preferred embodiment, the lugs 30 are provided
in pairs, each lug 30 of each pair being aligned with the other lug
30 of that pair. There are provided four such pairs of lugs 30
around the periphery of the feeder wheel 24. If a different number
of stacks of blister cards 22 were being used, the number of lugs
30 in each set would be adapted accordingly from the exemplary
pairs. Once in abutment with an aforementioned trailing edge of a
blister card 22, the lugs 30 convey the blister cards 22 around a
portion of the periphery of the feeder wheel 24. A terminal end of
the guide rails 33 is positioned proximate the location at which
the blister cards 22 are initially positioned upon the runners 32,
such that, once the blister cards 22 are conveyed by the lugs 30,
the blister cards 22 quickly become disposed intermediate a guide
rail 33 and the runners 32. The guide rail 33 prevents the blister
cards 22 from separating from the runners 32. Thus the blister
cards 22 are conveyed by the lugs 30 around a portion of the feeder
wheel 24 in direction Tc until they reach a lowermost point of the
feeder wheel 24, at which point each blister card 22 is released
from the feeder wheel 24 as a result of the termination of the
guide rails 33. As each blister card 22 is released, it comes into
contact with a corresponding suction head 34 of a rotary suction
arm 26, with which a seal is created. The blister cards 22 are
thereby secured to the rotary suction arm unit 26, and are
orientated such that the blisters 21 are protruding away from the
rotary suction arm 26.
[0031] In the preferred embodiment, the rotary suction arm unit 26
comprises two pairs of diametrically opposed arms 35 each
comprising a suction head 34. It is contemplated that the number of
pairs may be varied according to the requirements of the system,
wherein three pairs of arms may, for example allow for quicker
withdrawal of blister cards 22 from the feeder wheel 24. Similarly,
the number of arms in each set may be varied from the illustrated
pair to correspond to the number of stacks of blister cards 22 in
the magazine 15.
[0032] Once a seal has been created between the rotary suction arm
unit 26 and each blister card 22, the blister cards 22 are
displaced out of abutment with lugs 30 by pivoting the rotary
suction arm unit 26 about its central axis in direction Ta. The
lugs 30 are thereby freed to follow the return path of the feeder
wheel 24. The rotation of the rotary suction arm unit 26 is
synchronised with that of the feeder wheel 24, such that a suction
head 34 is correctly positioned proximate the lowermost point on
the feeder wheel 24, as each successive blister card 22 is released
from the feeder wheel 24.
[0033] The rotary suction arm unit 26 conveys the blister cards 22
about an annular path that brings them into a correct position upon
a packaging card 14 that is disposed upon the packaging conveyor
28. At this point, the blisters 21 of the blister cards 22 are
disposed toward the packaging card 14 and are each aligned in
registry with a corresponding aperture 11 in the packaging card
14.
[0034] Once blister cards 22 are positioned correctly with respect
to a packaging card 14, the seal between those blister cards 22 and
the respective suction heads 34 is broken, by virtue of, for
example, the removal of a negative pressure between the suction
head 34 and a surface of the blister card 22. As the seal is
broken, the blister cards 22 are freed from the rotary suction arm
unit 26 and are conveyed upon the packaging cards 14, by packaging
conveyor 28.
[0035] The packaging conveyor 28 conveys the packaging cards 14,
loaded with blister cards 22, between compression rollers 18 and
20. The compression rollers 18 and 20 are spaced apart and each
compression roller 18, 20 comprises at least one shaped pad, such
as pad 36 illustrated in FIG. 1. In the preferred embodiment, the
pads 36 are each sized and shaped to accommodate two blister cards
22 disposed adjacent one another and to protect the blisters 21
from damage whilst compressing the packaging card 14 against a flat
underside surface of the blister card 22. The compression ensures a
good contact between adhesive portions of the packaging card 14 and
the flat underside surface of the blister cards 22, thereby
providing a good seal between the two. Additionally, compression
rollers 18, 20 are synchronised with the packaging conveyor 28 such
that the pads 36, upon each compression roller 18,20,
simultaneously come into contact with both an uppermost surface of
the blister cards 22 and a lowermost surface of the packaging card
14, and avoid coming into contact with adhesive portions of
packaging card 14 that are not covered by the blister cards 22.
[0036] The loaded packaging card 14 is, thereafter, passed to
further mechanisms whereby the packaging process is completed. For
example, a further roller system may be employed to fold a separate
panel of the packaging card 14 over the uppermost surfaces of the
blister cards 22.
[0037] It is contemplated within the scope of the invention that
the exact nature of the non essential features of the loading
system may be altered whilst not departing from the scope of the
present invention. For example, the rotary suction arms 20, may be
replaced with mechanical gripping assemblies which perform the
function of transferring the blister cards 22, down into position
of alignment with the packaging 14. Additionally, the exact
orientation of the magazine 15, is not a limiting feature of this
invention and it is entirely contemplated that the magazine may be
at any angle; not only vertical or horizontal, as shown in FIGS. 1
and 1A. Further, the exact arrangement of runners 32 and guide
rails 33, illustrated in FIG. 1, is not a limiting feature of the
invention and it is contemplated that the paths along which the
blister cards 22 are conveyed may be adapted to suit the exact
requirements of the loading system as necessary. As described
above, numerous alternatives to the use of pivotable hooks 44 may
be employed to achieve the controllable gate mechanism 40.
[0038] Any directional references used in the above description,
such as "uppermost", "lowermost", "upper", "lower" are not limiting
features and are incorporated purely for the benefit of clarity and
ease of reference.
* * * * *