U.S. patent application number 14/815652 was filed with the patent office on 2016-02-04 for article grouping & transfer apparatus.
This patent application is currently assigned to Douglas Machine Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Douglas Machine Inc.. Invention is credited to Christopher T. Davis, Daniel L. Floding, Aaron M. Frederick.
Application Number | 20160031573 14/815652 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 55179241 |
Filed Date | 2016-02-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160031573 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Davis; Christopher T. ; et
al. |
February 4, 2016 |
ARTICLE GROUPING & TRANSFER APPARATUS
Abstract
Apparatus for receipt and select accumulation of individual
articles so as to form an article group, and subsequent transfer of
the article group in furtherance of cartoning same, is provided.
The apparatus includes a track assembly, an article receiver and an
article group advancer. The track assembly delimits a track travel
path, the track travel path characterized by an individual article
ingress segment, and an article group egress segment. The article
receiver is operatively supported by the track assembly for travel
corresponding to the track travel path, the article receiver
receiving individual articles at the article ingress segment of
said track travel path. The article group advancer selectively
engages and advances an article group formed in relation to the
article receiver within a segment of the track travel path
downstream of the individual article ingress segment thereof,
received articles having a first orientation at the individual
article ingress segment of the track travel path, select
accumulated articles having a second orientation at the article
egress segment of the track travel path.
Inventors: |
Davis; Christopher T.;
(Alexandria, MN) ; Floding; Daniel L.;
(Alexandria, MN) ; Frederick; Aaron M.;
(Alexandria, MN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Douglas Machine Inc. |
Alexandria |
MN |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Douglas Machine Inc.
Alexandria
MN
|
Family ID: |
55179241 |
Appl. No.: |
14/815652 |
Filed: |
July 31, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62031297 |
Jul 31, 2014 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/147 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 5/061 20130101;
B65B 5/068 20130101; B65B 35/36 20130101; B65B 39/145 20130101;
B65B 43/52 20130101; B65B 2220/18 20130101; B65B 35/44 20130101;
B65B 35/56 20130101; B65B 35/50 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B65B 5/06 20060101
B65B005/06 |
Claims
1. Apparatus for receipt and select accumulation of individual
articles so as to form an article group, and subsequent transfer of
the article group in furtherance of cartoning same, the apparatus
comprising: a. a track assembly delimiting a track travel path,
said track travel path characterized by upstream and downstream
portions, an individual article ingress segment, and an article
group egress segment, said individual article ingress segment and
said article group egress segment within said upstream portion of
said track travel path; b. an article receiver operatively
supported by said track assembly for travel corresponding to said
track travel path, said article receiver receiving individual
articles at said article ingress segment of said track travel path;
and, c. an article group advancer for select engagement and
advancement of an article group formed in relation to said article
receiver within a segment of said track travel path downstream of
said individual article ingress segment thereof, received articles
having a first orientation at said individual article ingress
segment of said track travel path, select accumulated articles
having a second orientation at said article egress segment of said
track travel path.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said article receiver
and said article group advancer is selectively driven with respect
to said track assembly.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said article receiver
and said article group advancer is selectively driven with respect
to said track via servos.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said article receiver comprises
first a second article receivers and said article group advancer
comprises first and second article group advancers.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said article receiver comprises
first a second article receivers and said article group advancer
comprises first and second article group advancers, said first
article receiver and said first article group advancer, and said
second article receiver and said second article group advancer each
operably pairable within said upstream portion of said track travel
path in furtherance of effectuating article grouping
operations.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said article receiver comprises
first a second article receivers and said article group advancer
comprises first and second article group advancers, said first
article receiver and said first article group advancer, and said
second article receiver and said second article group advancer each
operably pairable within a segment of said track travel path
substantially delimited by said individual article ingress segment
thereof and said article egress segment thereof in furtherance of
effectuating article grouping operations.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said article group advancer is
operatively supported by said track assembly for travel
corresponding to said track travel path.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said article receiver
and said article group advancer are operatively supported for
travel upon said track assembly at select variable speeds.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said article receiver
and said article group advancer are operatively supported for
travel upon said track assembly at select variable speeds via
servos.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a grouped article
carrier characterized by leading and trailing elements operatively
supported for travel upon said track assembly at select variable
speeds, said leading element comprising said article receiver, said
trailing element comprising said article group advancer.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said article receiver and said
article group advancer delimit grouped article carriers
characterized by a longitudinally expansible element uniting said
article receiver with said article group advancer.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said grouped article carrier
is dimensionally alterable at said individual article ingress
segment and at said article group egress segment.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said grouped article carrier
is dimensionally alterable at said article group egress segment so
as to top load grouped articles in either of a vertical stand-up
pattern or a horizontal laydown pattern.
14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein a portion of said
longitudinally expansible element intermediate said article
receiver and said article group advancer is operatively supported
by said track assembly.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said portion of said
longitudinally expansible element intermediate said article
receiver and said article group advancer delimits first and second
article group compartments for said grouped article carrier.
16. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein a portion of said
longitudinally expansible element intermediate said article
receiver and said article group advancer is operatively supported
by said track assembly for passive travel thereon.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said portion of said
longitudinally expansible element intermediate said article
receiver and said article group advancer delimits first and second
article group compartments for said grouped article carrier.
18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said track assembly comprises
first and second independently driven belt sets, said article
receiver comprising first and second article receivers, said first
article receiver supported by said first belt set, said second
article receiver supported by said second belt set.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a rotatable arm,
said article group advancer extending from an end portion thereof,
said arm driven so as to delimit an arm travel path having a
portion corresponding to a segment of said track travel path
delimited by said individual article ingress segment thereof and
said article egress segment thereof.
20. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a rotatable arm,
said article group advancer extending from an end portion thereof,
said arm driven so as to delimit an arm travel path having a
portion corresponding to a segment of said track travel path
delimited by said individual article ingress segment thereof and
said article egress segment thereof.
21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said article group advancer
comprises a pair of article group advancers, a first article group
advancer extending from a first end portion of said rotatable arm,
a second article group advancer extending from a second end portion
of said rotatable arm, said second end portion of said rotatable
arm opposite said first end portion of said rotatable arm.
Description
[0001] This is a United States national patent application filed
pursuant to 35 USC .sctn.111(a) claiming priority under 35 USC
.sctn.120 of/to U.S. Pat. Appl. Ser. No. 62/031,297 filed Jul. 31,
2014 and entitled ARTICLE AGGREGATION APPARATUS, the disclosure of
which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to one or more of
systems, apparatuses, assemblies, subassemblies, and/or methods for
aggregating/collating articles from a source of conveyed articles
so as to form a select set or group of articles. More particularly,
the subject illustrative, non-limiting disclosure is directed to a
track based article grouping and transfer apparatus to effectuate a
select aggregation of individually fed articles, via electronic
variable motion, and the transfer, transfer/loading of such
selectively aggregated articles in furtherance of the packaging of
same.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Various mechanisms are known to effectuate the
grouping/packaging of articles from a source of flowing articles in
a top-load fashion. Having generally evolved from rotating
"buckets," such top-load case loaders are presently and commonly
characterized by expensive robotic loaders or other pick-and-place
mechanisms, e.g., multi-axis servo loaders. Moreover, in addition
to the function of article transfer/loading, article collating and
orienting are believed advantageous, and in select case loading
scenarios, are in fact essential, for example, to maintain a
packaging friendly distribution of the article contents as is to be
appreciated with regard to flowable and/or settleable article
contents. Notionally, articles may comprising packages, pouches,
bags, etc., with flowable or settleable contents such as grains,
nuts, chips, etc. of particular but hardly exclusive interest.
[0004] Of heretofore known article transfer assemblies, many are
characterized by either or both of grouped article unloading
devices (i.e., pushers), e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,215 (Walz), U.S.
Pat. No. 5,768,856 (Odenthal), U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,601 (Odenthal et
al.), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,866,140 (Iwasa), and fixedly dimensioned
pockets for the receipt and transfer of articles, e.g., Walz, U.S.
Pat. No. 5,331,790 (Benner Jr. et al.), Odenthal, and Iwasa.
Moreover, to the extent that on-the-fly adjustment of an article
pocket is contemplated for article transfer without an orientation
change (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 7,752,828 (Gudim et al.)), inner and
outer chain assemblies are used for such function. Further still,
to the extent that the condition of flowable or settleable article
materials in process are addressed in the art (Benner Jr. et al.),
cumbersome conditioning and inversion are contemplated. Finally,
while package orientation is further disclosed in connection to
rotary type package transfer systems (e.g., Odenthal), there
appears no versatility for variable orientation and maintenance of
dimensional article uniformity in advance of top loading or the
like. Thus, a need remains for an elegantly simple, robust solution
to transfer and accumulation of articles in furtherance of top
loading same while maintaining or re-establishing an article group
condition to enable reliable case or carton
registration/loading.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Apparatus for receipt and select accumulation of individual
articles so as to form an article group, and subsequent transfer of
the article group in furtherance of cartoning same, is provided.
The apparatus includes a track assembly, an article receiver and an
article group advancer. The track assembly delimits a track travel
path, the track travel path characterized by an individual article
ingress segment, and an article group egress segment. The article
receiver is operatively supported by the track assembly for travel
corresponding to the track travel path, the article receiver
receiving individual articles at the article ingress segment of
said track travel path. The article group advancer selectively
engages and advances an article group formed in relation to the
article receiver within a segment of the track travel path
downstream of the individual article ingress segment thereof,
received articles having a first orientation at the individual
article ingress segment of the track travel path, select
accumulated articles having a second orientation at the article
egress segment of the track travel path.
[0006] In a first embodiment, a track traveling collated article
carrier is provided. The carrier generally includes a longitudinal
expansible element having leading (e.g., an article receiver) and
trailing (e.g., an article group advancer) portions supported upon
the track via leading and trailing linear servos. An optional
intermediate element, supported and passively guided upon the track
may suitably be provided, first and second grouped article
compartments thereby delimited. Via select operation of the
contemplated apparatus, either of vertical stand-up or horizontal
laydown top load patterns are realized.
[0007] In a further embodiment, an article receiver and an article
group advancer functionally delimit a grouped article carrier
characterized by a single compartment. Each of the receiver and
advancer are operatively linked to the track/track assembly via
linear servos for independent, select variable speed travel
thereon.
[0008] In yet a further embodiment, the article receiver and the
article group advancer have discrete but nonetheless related travel
paths. The track assembly includes first and second independently
driven belt sets which operatively support first and second article
receivers. The article group advancer is operatively supported at
an end portion of a rotatable arm, the arm driven so as to delimit
an arm travel path having a portion corresponding to a segment of
the track travel path delimited by the individual article ingress
segment thereof and said article egress segment thereof. More
specific features and advantages obtained in view of those features
will become apparent with reference to the drawing figures and
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIGS. 1-19 are provided herewith wherein:
[0010] FIG. 1 depicts, animation still in the context of an article
packaging system or process, a contemplated article aggregation
apparatus operatively intermediate an article infeed conveyor and a
case conveyor;
[0011] FIG. 2 depicts receipt of discrete articles from the article
infeed conveyor by an aggregate article carrier of the FIG. 1
apparatus;
[0012] FIG. 3 depicts alignment of a loaded FIG. 1 aggregate
article carrier with a case of the case conveyor in furtherance of
establishing a "stand-up" loaded article orientation;
[0013] FIG. 4 depicts the system/process of FIG. 1 wherein the
contemplated article aggregation apparatus is controlled/operated
so as to result in a manipulation of the aggregate article carrier
containing aggregated articles in furtherance of establishing a
"laydown" packaging operation;
[0014] FIGS. 5 & 6 depict the FIG. 4 system, elements eliminate
for the sake of clarity, with representative manipulations of the
aggregate article carrier containing aggregated articles
sequentially shown;
[0015] FIG. 7 depicts, animation still, a further contemplated
article aggregation apparatus operatively intermediate an article
infeed conveyor and a case conveyor;
[0016] FIG. 8 depicts receipt of discrete articles from the article
infeed conveyor by an aggregate article carrier of the FIG. 7
apparatus, and alignment of a loaded aggregate article carrier with
a case of the case conveyor in furtherance of establishing a
"stand-up" loaded article orientation;
[0017] FIG. 9 depicts the aggregate article carrier of FIG. 8;
[0018] FIG. 10 depicts, animation still, a further contemplated
article aggregation apparatus operatively intermediate an article
infeed conveyor and a case conveyor, grouped articles shown
received by an article receiver;
[0019] FIG. 11 depicts the apparatus of FIG. 10 at a later time,
the grouped articles captured between the article receiver and the
article group advancer, the group advanced towards an article group
egress segment of the track travel path;
[0020] FIG. 12 depicts substantive particulars of the article
aggregation assembly of FIG. 10, perspective side view, process
flow left to right;
[0021] FIG. 13 depicts the assembly of FIG. 12, alternate
perspective side view, elements removed to illustrate select
particulars;
[0022] FIG. 14 depicts the partial assembly of FIG. 13, "front"
elevation;
[0023] FIG. 15 depicts the partial assembly of FIG. 13, downstream
end elevation;
[0024] FIG. 16 depicts the partial assembly of FIG. 13, "rear"
elevation;
[0025] FIG. 17 depicts the partial assembly of FIG. 13, overhead
plan view;
[0026] FIG. 18 depicts the partial assembly of FIG. 13, upstream
end elevation; and,
[0027] FIG. 19 depicts the partial assembly of FIG. 13, underside
plan view.
SCOPE OF THE DISCLOSURE & DESCRIPTION
[0028] The instant disclosure generally sets forth illustrative,
non-limiting article aggregation apparatuses and attendant systems
and/or processes. Contemplated apparatuses are generally shown with
reference to any of FIGS. 1, 7, & 10. The apparatuses of FIGS.
1, & 7, shown in the context of a system, are initially taken
up, with an overview of the apparatus of FIG. 10, and the further
particularized mechanical illustrations thereof thereafter provided
as per FIGS. 12-19.
[0029] With general reference to FIGS. 1-9, articles are generally
and sequentially received, retained, and releasable from article
carriers or the like between an article ingress area and an article
egress area (e.g., FIG. 2 & FIG. 8), and, alternately, the
article sets may be retained, manipulated, and released from
article carriers between an article ingress area and an article
egress area (e.g., FIGS. 5 & 6). By way of contextual
illustration, and without intended limitation, contemplated
articles comprise bags, pouches, etc. that contain flowable or
settleable contents.
[0030] In connection to the operations of each of FIGS. 1, 4 &
7, a transfer assembly 100 operatively links articles 22 (e.g.,
bags or pouches) of an article inflow 20, and cases 42 of a case
conveyor 40. All assemblies contemplate article collation or
aggregation. "Stand-up" article orientation (i.e., a vertical
stand-up pattern (VSP)) for case loading is provided for as per the
operations of FIG. 1 or FIG. 7, with a "laydown" article
orientation (i.e., a horizontal laydown pattern (HLP)) for case
loading as per FIG. 4. The assemblies may be fairly characterized
by an article ingress/loading area 102 and an article
egress/unloading area 104, and generally include a track 110, an
article engaging or retaining member 120, spaced apart from a
portion of the track corresponding to the segment spanning the
loading and unloading areas, and collated article carriers 130/130'
travelable with respect to the track and guided thereby.
[0031] The carriers are generally characterized by leading and
trailing elements operatively supported for travel upon the track
at select variable speeds, as by linear servos. With reference to
the assemblies of FIGS. 1 & 4, the carriers may each generally
comprise a longitudinally expansible element 132 having leading 134
and trailing 138 portions supported upon the track via leading 140
and trailing 142 linear servos, with an intermediate element
portion 136 supported and passively guided upon the track. First
144 and second 146 carrier compartments are generally delimited by
the longitudinally expansible element. The compartments may be
readily, selectively and dynamically altered (i.e., their
configuration or shape, e.g., width) via increasing/decreasing a
gap for/between the servos upon the track. Via provisions of the
expansible element, both stand-up (FIG. 1) and laydown (FIG. 4)
case loading is enabled. With reference to the assembly of FIG. 7,
the carriers 130' are characterized by a single compartment 148
delimited by leading 150 and trailing 152 panels operatively linked
to the track via leading 140 and trailing 142 linear servos (FIGS.
8 & 9).
[0032] Via select changes in travel rates for the leading and
trailing carrier elements, articles may be readily and reliably
receiveable within one or more dynamically formed or formable
carrier compartments at the article loading area (see, e.g., FIG.
2, FIG. 6, and/or FIG. 8). Thereafter, collated articles are
effectively secured or securable, fore and aft, within the carrier
compartment while traveling to the unloading area (see e.g., FIG.
8), or otherwise prepared for release (e.g., via an altered
orientation, see FIGS. 4-6), with further select manipulations of
the travel rates for the leading and trailing carrier elements.
Finally, collated article egress from the compartments is likewise
facilitated via further select manipulations of the travel rates
for the leading and trailing carrier elements (see e.g., FIG. 3
(compare to FIG. 2)).
[0033] With reference now to FIGS. 10-19, a further contemplated
article aggregation assembly 100' is generally and notionally shown
in respect of FIGS. 10 & 11, with a representative,
non-limiting mechanized apparatus generally shown in FIG. 12, key
operative elements depicted in the several varied views of FIGS.
13-19. Generally, and as is best illustrated with reference to
FIGS. 10 & 11, the article group advancer is operatively
supported at an end portion of a rotatable arm, with the arm driven
so as to delimit an arm travel path having a portion corresponding
to a segment of the track travel path delimited by the individual
article ingress segment thereof and said article egress segment
thereof. In as much as two arms are depicted, a single arm with
opposingly paired advancers is contemplated in addition to
alternate structural embodiments.
[0034] In keeping with the disclosure to this point, sequentially
introduced articles are to be selectively collected at an article
ingress/loading area 102', retained as an article set or group, and
transferred as an article set, either with or without further
manipulation along the way, to an egress/unloading area 104' in
furtherance of reliable containerizing of the article set.
[0035] With reference now to FIGS. 12-19, notionally, and
preliminarily, belt mounted/supported tools (i.e., article
receivers, e.g., plates) periodically cycle about their sprockets,
to and through the loading and unloading areas of the apparatus,
for receipt of individual articles exiting the article conveyor.
Advantageously, the belt tools travel through their travel path at
a given or select velocity profile, a profile characterized by
any/all of acceleration, deceleration and/or constant velocity. A
rotating tool/tools (i.e., an article group advancer, e.g., a
paddle or the like) selectively sweeps through a 360/180 degree
path comprising the loading and unloading areas of the apparatus so
as to operatively engage and secure the article set received upon
the belt mounted tool, the article set effectively "book ended" by
the opposed tools (i.e., portions thereof) in advance of secure
arrival of the article set at the unloading area.
[0036] As will be later described, advantageously, and via select
operation of the belt and rotating tools, pressure may be applied,
and/or applied and maintained, to the article set (and thus the
articles of the article set), during the altering of their travel
orientation (e.g., from a horizontal (i.e., lay flat) to a vertical
(i.e., stand-up) orientation) whilst transferring articles from the
article conveyor to a container of the container conveyor. In doing
so, a substantially uniform distribution of article contents is
maintained, or re-established as the case may be, i.e., maintenance
of a lay flat content distribution relative to the article volume
is sought in transitioning 90 degrees+/- to a stand-up top load
orientation, thus aiding the packing/packaging of the article set.
This is especially the case for flowable/settleable article
contents.
[0037] With general and passing reference now to FIG. 12, the
contemplated apparatus is illustrated, process flow left to right,
with article loading area 102' and article set unloading area 104'
as indicated, an article set or group guide 120' generally
intermediate thereof and generally delimiting same. Major assembly
components include belt sets 107, at least one belt mounted tool
109 for travel to and through the loading and unloading areas,
sprocket sets 111 for selectively driving the belts, sprocket
drivers 113 in the form of servo assemblies, a rotatable tool or
tools 115, 115' arranged and configured for travel to and through
the loading and unloading areas, and a servo assembly 117 for
driving the rotatable tool(s). Moreover, and as is generally shown,
structural elements and a variety of adjustment assemblies are
provided to facilitate the processing of a robust variety of
articles, article configurations, and/or article sizes.
[0038] With continued reference to FIG. 12 and particular reference
now to FIGS. 13-19, apparatus 100' is generally and fairly
characterized by a first belt set (e.g., BS1) and second belt set
(e.g., BS2), each belt BS1a, BS1b of the first belt set operatively
supported by a first set of sprockets (e.g., S1a, S1b), and each
belt BS2a, BS2b of the second belt set operatively supported by a
second set of sprockets (e.g., S2a, S2b), see especially, e.g.,
FIGS. 17 & 19. Each of the sprocket sets includes an active,
driven sprocket (e.g., S1a, S2b) and a passive or idler sprocket
(e.g., S1b, S2a). The driven sprocket of the first belt set S1a is
selectively driven by a first servo assembly SAa via a first
suitably journaled/configured shaft assembly 127, with the driven
sprocket of the second belt set S2b selectively driven by a second
servo assembly SAb via a second suitably journaled/configured shaft
assembly 129 (see e.g., FIGS. 17 & 19).
[0039] The first belt set carries a first belt tool 109a, and the
second belt set carries a second belt tool 109b (see especially
FIG. 19). Each of the belt tools may be fairly characterized by an
arm 123, advantageously an adjustable length arm, having an article
receiver 125 (e.g., a plate or the like) extending therefrom (see
e.g., FIG. 13, 15 or 19). As should be readily appreciated, travel
rates for each arm may be individually controlled and/or regulated,
one arm being operatively disposed for travel commensurate or
corresponding with the article group guide segment (FIG. 14) while
the other arm exits that segments and travels around, about and
over the downstream sprockets associated with the belt in
furtherance of a return to the article loading area.
[0040] With renewed reference to FIGS. 12 & 13, and particular
reference to FIGS. 14, 15 & 18, rotating tools 115, 115' are
provided at the end of a rotatable arm. Advantageously, but not
necessarily, tools are provided at opposing ends of the arm, for
example, paddles or plates as shown, more particularly, plates
generally configured at those part-and-parcel of the belt supported
arms. The arm is generally centrally rotatable, more particularly,
an axis of rotation thereof is axial aligned with the upstream
journaled shaft of the apparatus, a suitable servo drive assembly
117 provided as shown to effectuate selection rotation of the arm
and thus the tools. Notionally, the rotating tool is an "upstream"
tool and the belt tool is a "downstream" tool, gap G between the
rotatable tool and the upstream belt tool (FIG. 14) to be occupied
by a select article set or grouping.
[0041] Finally, since the structures of the assemblies,
subassemblies, and/or mechanisms disclosed herein may be embodied
in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or
general characteristics thereof, some of which forms have been
indicated, the embodiments described and depicted herein/with are
to be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive.
Moreover, while nominal processing has be described and detailed,
and to some degree alternate work pieces and systems, assemblies,
etc. with regard thereto referenced, contemplated processes are not
so limited. Accordingly, the scope of the subject invention is as
defined in the language of the appended claims, and includes not
insubstantial equivalents thereto.
* * * * *