U.S. patent application number 13/778597 was filed with the patent office on 2017-04-27 for food packaging with vertical to horizontal transfer loading.
The applicant listed for this patent is General Mills, Inc.. Invention is credited to Mark E. Arlinghaus, James W. Finkowski, Craig E. Gustafson, Ralph Stenvik, Dennis B. Usgaard.
Application Number | 20170113820 13/778597 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51386707 |
Filed Date | 2017-04-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170113820 |
Kind Code |
A9 |
Finkowski; James W. ; et
al. |
April 27, 2017 |
FOOD PACKAGING WITH VERTICAL TO HORIZONTAL TRANSFER LOADING
Abstract
A method and system for packaging products provides for
initially, vertically stacking a plurality of products during
production in a transfer canister, simultaneously removing a stack
of the products from the transfer canister, reorienting the stack
and horizontally loading the stack into a final product package
cavity. The invention has applicability to a wide range of
products, particularly food products, such as refrigerated dough
products. In one embodiment of the invention, the product package
cavity is thermoformed as part as an overall horizontal form, fill
and seal system.
Inventors: |
Finkowski; James W.;
(Andover, MN) ; Gustafson; Craig E.; (Bloomington,
MN) ; Arlinghaus; Mark E.; (Minneapolis, MN) ;
Stenvik; Ralph; (Coon Rapids, MN) ; Usgaard; Dennis
B.; (Crystal, MN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
General Mills, Inc. |
Minneapolis |
MN |
US |
|
|
Prior
Publication: |
|
Document Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20140237948 A1 |
August 28, 2014 |
|
|
Family ID: |
51386707 |
Appl. No.: |
13/778597 |
Filed: |
February 27, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
12845033 |
Jul 28, 2010 |
8407973 |
|
|
13778597 |
|
|
|
|
61229322 |
Jul 29, 2009 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 47/10 20130101;
B65B 61/06 20130101; B65B 51/10 20130101; B65B 9/04 20130101; B65B
5/08 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B65B 5/08 20060101
B65B005/08 |
Claims
1. A method of simultaneously packaging a plurality of products
comprising: vertically stacking the plurality of products in a
transfer canister; removing the plurality of products as a stack
from the transfer canister; horizontally loading the stack in a
product receiving cavity; and sealing the stack in the product
receiving cavity.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: opening the transfer
canister to exposed the stack of the products in order to remove
the stack from the transfer canister.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: opening the transfer
canister by opening one or more doors of the transfer canister.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising: engaging an activator
of the transfer canister by a pick-up device in order to open the
transfer canister.
5. The method of claim 2, further comprising: opening the transfer
canister with an auxiliary mechanism; and removing the stack with a
pick-off device.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising: forcibly pivoting a
door portion of the transfer canister relative to a support body
portion of the transfer canister with the auxiliary mechanism in
order to expose the stack of product.
7. The method of claim 2, further comprising: removing the stack
with a pick-off device which vertically clamps the stack.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the pick-off device further
clamps sides of the stack.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: forming the product
receiving cavity in a thermoforming device of a horizontal form,
fill and seal system.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising: forming and,
immediately thereafter, vertically supplying the product directly
into the transfer canister.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of
products is made from dough which is cut from a sheet of dough and
forcibly vertically loaded in the transfer canister.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a Divisional of U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 12/845,033 filed Jul. 28, 2010, which claims the benefit
of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/229,322 entitled
"Food Packaging with Vertical to Horizontal Transfer Loading" filed
Jul. 29, 2009.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention pertains to the art of packaging and, more
specifically, to packaging of various products, particularly dough
products, wherein the products are vertically loaded in canisters
during production and subsequently transferred from the canisters
for horizontal loading in final packaging.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] It is common to stack and package various products in a
vertical configuration. For instance, it is known to package a
refrigerated dough product in a canister of a fixed volume formed
from composite paperboard which is spirally wound into a cylinder,
with the refrigerated dough product being further proofed in the
canister. In one known system, a shaped packer is used to cut
hexagonal shaped dough pieces, such as biscuits, from a sheet of
dough and direct the dough pieces into respective canisters
traveling below the packer. This overall process can be used to
effectively stack multiple dough pieces, such as 4-10 biscuits, in
a single, substantially continuously indexed container at a high
rate. However, packaging products in cardboard is actually,
relatively expensive and, at least in connection with products
having a small profit margin, can be cost prohibitive.
[0004] Mainly because of cost efficiencies and packaging
versatility, vertical and horizontal form, fill and seal packaging
systems have become increasingly popular, particularly in the food
industry. For instance, vertical form, fill and seal systems have
been used in connection with making sealed bags, such as potato
chip and other types of snack bags, while horizontal form, fill and
seal (HFFS) packaging systems have been known for use in
effectively packaging other food products. By way of an example, a
HFFS system can be employed to create product cavities or pouches
in a lower film, with the pouches being filled with frozen dough
products and sealed with an upper film. In any case, at least in
certain circumstances, there can be stacking and other advantages
associated with horizontally loaded packages.
[0005] Certainly, it is possible to make numerous products which
can be directly packaged in a horizontal fashion. However, it is an
aspect of the invention to form horizontally loaded packaging while
retaining the efficiency of vertical product stacking during
production. For instance, it is considered to be advantageous to
enable various food products which are known to be vertically
stacked and packaged, to actually be vertically stacked and
packaged horizontally, such as in pouches made by an HFFS
system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The invention is directed to a method and system for
packaging products wherein the products are initially, vertically
stacked during production and then transferred for horizontal
loading, as a stack. Although the invention has applicability to a
wide range of products, it is considered to be particularly
advantageous in connection with packaging food products, such as
refrigerated dough products. More specifically, in accordance with
the invention, multiple products are produced and stacked in a
transfer canister. The stack of products are then removed from the
canister and transferred to a final package in which the stack of
products is horizontally loaded. In one embodiment of the
invention, the canister incorporates a shutter door mechanism
wherein an actuator can be engaged, such as by a robotic pick-up
device, to automatically open one or more doors of the canister to
expose the stack. The stack can then be removed from the canister,
re-orientated and transferred for horizontal loading. In another
embodiment, an auxiliary device can be used in combination with a
pick-up device wherein the auxiliary device functions to open the
canister to expose the stack such that the pick-up device can
readily access and remove the stack for final packaging.
[0007] Additional objects, features and advantages of the invention
will become more readily apparent from the following detailed
description when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein
like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several
views.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a horizontal form, fill and
seal (HFFS) system which can be employed in an embodiment of the
invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 is perspective view of a portion of a product forming
and initial storing system employed in connection with the
invention.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a transfer canister
constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention
in a closed condition.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the transfer canister of
FIG. 3 in an open condition.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the transfer canister of FIG.
4.
[0013] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a pick-off system employed
in combination with the transfer canister of the first embodiment
of the invention.
[0014] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a transfer canister
constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention
in a closed condition.
[0015] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the transfer canister of
FIG. 7 in an open condition.
[0016] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a pick-off system employed
in combination with the transfer canister of the second embodiment
of the invention.
[0017] FIG. 10 is an upper perspective view illustrating a transfer
canister approaching an indexing and aligning mechanism employed in
connection with the pick-off system.
[0018] FIG. 11 shows the indexing and aligning mechanism in an
initial transfer canister orientation phase.
[0019] FIG. 12 shows the indexing and aligning mechanism in an
intermediate transfer canister orientation phase.
[0020] FIG. 13 shows the indexing and aligning mechanism in an
final transfer canister orientation phase.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0021] As will become more fully evident below, the invention can
be performed with various types of packaging systems and
containers. However, in accordance with an advantageous embodiment
exemplified in FIG. 1, a horizontal form, fill and seal (HFFS)
system 2 is employed. As shown, system 2 has associated therewith a
first or lower film 5 which runs from a payout reel 7 in the
direction of arrow A to a take-up reel 8. As will become more fully
evident below, the majority of film 5 is used in connection with
packaging products and take-up reel 8 receives the left over or
scrap film. In one form, take-up reel 8 merely receives lateral
edge portions of lower film 5, such as an inch (approximately 2.54
cm) of either side of film 5, while the remainder of the film 5 is
employed in the final package. In any case, lower film 5 is first
directed to a heating station 10 and is directed between upper and
lower heating units 12 and 13. In general, heating station 10 can
employ various types of heater units 12, 13 known in the art, such
as radiant and/or convection heaters. Basically, it is simply
desired to heat lower film 5 for delivery to forming station 18. In
forming station 18, a thermoforming unit 19 is employed to produce
product cavities 20 in lower film 5. To this end, thermoforming
unit 19 includes a lower cavity mold 21 having a main body 22
formed with recessed cavities 23. A linear actuator 24 is connected
to main body 22 and designed to vertically shift main body 22
during the forming of product cavities 20. For use in connection
with the forming process, fluid communication lines, such as that
indicated at 25, extend through main body 22 to recessed cavities
23. In conjunction with lower cavity mold 21, thermoforming unit 19
includes an upper cavity mold 30 which also includes a main body 31
from which extend various projection molds 32 that conform to
recessed cavities 23. In a manner similar to lower cavity mold 21,
upper cavity mold 30 is connected to a linear actuator 33 used to
vertically shift upper cavity mold 30 during a thermoforming
operation.
[0022] In general, thermoforming devices such as that employed in
connection with forming station 18 are widely known in the art and
do not form part of the invention. However, for the sake of
completeness, it should at least be understood that the function of
forming station 18 is to receive heated lower film 5 between lower
cavity mold 21 and upper cavity mold 30 at which time the movement
of lower film 5 is temporarily stopped, projection molds 32 are
mated with recessed cavities 23 in order to reshape lower film 5 to
include product cavities 20. To aid in this shaping operation,
fluid communication lines 25 can be hooked to a vacuum source in
order to draw lower film 5 against recessed cavities 23, as well as
to subsequently apply a positive pressure to aid in removing the
formed product cavities 20 from lower cavity mold 21 after the
thermoforming process is complete.
[0023] Once product cavities 20 are formed in lower film 5, lower
film 5 advances to a loading or filling station generally indicated
at 40. At this point, it should be recognized that filling station
40 can take various forms without departing from the invention. As
illustrated, filling station 40 includes a loading unit 42 used to
transport products, particularly a stack of products 46, into the
individual product cavities 20. As the invention is particularly
directed to the manner in which products 46 are initially stacked
in a vertical manner and then reoriented and transferred for
horizontal loading, such as by loading unit 42 into product
cavities 20, further details of filling station 40 will be provided
below after a further discussion of downstream packaging structure
of exemplary HFFS packaging system 2.
[0024] After products 46 are loaded into product cavities 20, lower
film 5 is advanced to a sealing station 52. As is widely known in
connection with standard HFFS systems, a second or upper film 56 is
drawn from a payout reel 57. After following various guide rollers
63 to sealing station 52, the remainder of upper film 56 is
directed to a take-up reel 65. At sealing station 52, upper film 56
is sealed to lower film 5 across product cavities 20 in order to
create an overall product package indicated at 68. Thereafter,
package 68 is directed to a cutter station 72 wherein a blade
element 73 is shifted vertically through the use of a linear
actuator 74 against an anvil member 75 in order to cut each package
68 from the overall web defined by the mated lower film 5 and upper
film 56.
[0025] As indicated above, the invention is particular concerned
with the manner in which products 46 are initially, vertically
stacked in canisters, subsequently removed from the canisters as a
stack, reoriented and transferred for horizontal loading into
product cavities 20. By way of example, further details of the
invention will be made to the formation, stacking, transferring and
subsequent packaging of refrigerated dough products 46. However, it
should be understood that the overall invention could be utilized
in packaging a wide range of products. In any case, with reference
to FIG. 2 for this exemplary embodiment, a hexagonal or other
product shaped packer 100 is employed for directly vertically
stacking refrigerated dough products 46. As shown, a series of
adjacent transfer canisters 69 are conveyed in a first direction X
and under a transport cutter plate 102. A sheet 104 of dough is
directed along a conveyor 108, beneath a roller 110 and upon
transport cutter plate 102 that moves in a second direction Y which
is angled, more specifically perpendicular in the embodiment shown,
relative to the first direction X. Transport cutter plate 102 is
shown to take a generally honeycomb form, defining various openings
112 established by interconnected dough cutting edges 116 arranged
in a hexagonal shape. This shape is desirable as it virtually
eliminates any residual dough, except perhaps at the lateral edges
of dough sheet 104. However, other shapes, such as circular or
various polygon-shaped openings, could be employed. In any case,
roller 110 forces the dough sheet 104 into openings 112 to create
the various products 46 prior to packer 100 as clearly shown in
this figure. Upon reaching packer 100 (shown as a stamping unit),
vertical shifting of packer 100 causes loading arms 118, which are
aligned with respective openings 112, to push or stamp products 46
directly vertically into respective ones of the transfer canisters
69. Thereafter, the products 46 will be re-directed to travel in
the first direction X.
[0026] As also mentioned above, canisters 69 are only designed to
temporarily stored products 46 in a stacked configuration. To this
end, the stacked products 46 in each canister 69 are to be
simultaneously removed, reoriented and transferred for horizontal
loading in a respective product cavity 20. In performing this
function, each canister 69 is designed to assume either a closed
configuration wherein only an upper portion of the canister is open
for receiving products 46 for vertically stacking and an open
configuration for enabling the formed stack to be removed. With
this in mind, it should be noted that the exact construction of
transfer canister 69 can vary in accordance with the invention
while still functioning as desired. However, for the sake of
completeness, reference will be made to certain exemplary canister
constructions employed to date.
[0027] FIGS. 3-5 illustrate one transfer canister embodiment for
use with the invention. As shown, canister 69 includes a base 126
above which is mounted a pedestal 128. Pedestal 128 is formed with
a pair of spaced, elongated grooves 129 and 130, although
additional grooves (shown but not labeled) could be provided as
well. Canister 69 includes a main upstanding body 132 which can
take various configurations but which is shown to be arcuate in
shape and to include an elongated airflow slot 134. Canister 69
also includes a pair of swingable door members 136 and 137. As
illustrated from viewing FIGS. 3 and 4, door members 136 and 137
can be shifted between closed positions as shown in FIG. 3 to open
positions as shown in FIG. 4. Although various mechanisms can be
employed in connection with repositioning door members 136 and 137,
FIG. 5 particularly illustrates one embodiment wherein door members
136 and 137 have associated support arms 143 and 144 which are
pivotally mounted through pins 146 and 147 beneath pedestal 128.
Support arms 143 and 144 are formed with respective gear portions
149 and 150 which mesh with respective pinion gears 151 and 152.
Opposite support arms 143 and 144, pinion gears 151 and 152 are
each meshed with a linear shifting rack gear 154. Rack gear 154
actually forms part of an overall actuator, generally indicated at
157, that includes a head 160 and an opposing shaft portion 161
which is shown to be biased by a spring 162.
[0028] With the above arrangement, the pushing of head 160 beneath
pedestal 128 causes spring 162 to compress. Due to the
interengagement between rack gear 154 and pinion gears 151 and 152,
pinion gears 151 and 152 are caused to rotate with this linear
movement of actuator 157. Correspondingly, the interengagement
between gear portions 149 and 150 and pinion gears 151 and 152
cause a corresponding rotation of support arms 143 and 144 such
that, upon the depression of actuator 157, door members 136 and 137
are caused to shift from the closed condition shown in FIG. 3 to
the open condition shown in FIG. 4. To accommodate the movement of
door members 136 and 137, support arms 143 and 144 are formed with
crevices 164 and 165 which receive edge portions 168 and 169 of
door members 136 and 137 as clearly shown in FIG. 5. Given the
inclusion of spring 162, door members 136 and 137 are biased to the
closed condition shown in FIG. 4. Although head 160 of actuator 157
could be arranged either flush with or recessed relative to door
members 136 and 137, when door members 136 and 137 are closed, it
is preferred to have head 160 exposed and slightly projecting
outwardly as depicted in FIG. 3.
[0029] As discussed above with particular reference to FIG. 2, each
transfer canister 69 is initially adapted to be filled with a stack
of vertically exposed products 46. For stacking purposes, canister
69 has an open top as clearly illustrated in these figures. When
products 46 are formed and stacked within canister 69, each
canister assumes the closed condition shown in FIG. 3. After a
series of canisters 69 are fully loaded, the canisters 69 are
shifted to loading unit 42 which includes a pick-off mechanism,
such as that shown in FIG. 6. As shown at the upper right portion
of FIG. 6, a series of canisters 69 are conveyed with stacks of
products 46. Along this line of conveyance there is shown another
set of canisters 69 with door members 136 and 137 open. Finally, a
further set of canisters 69 with the door members 136 and 137
closed are shown, but with the canisters 69 empty. In accordance
with the invention, it is the function of pick-off device 175 to
open door members 136 and 137 of each canister 69, grip the stack
of products 46, remove the products 46 from the canister 69,
re-orientate the stack of products 46 and horizontally load the
stack of products 46 in a respective product receiving cavity 20.
This overall operation is represented in FIG. 6 and discussed
further below.
[0030] As illustrated in FIG. 6, each pick-off device 175 generally
includes a base 176 to which is attached a support rod 178. In the
exemplary embodiment shown, three such pick-off devices 175 are
operated concurrently and, commensurately, canisters 69 are
conveyed in sets of three. Of course, this number and arrangement
could readily vary without departing from the invention. In any
case, each pick-off device 175 includes upper and lower grippers
181 and 182, as well as a pair of side grippers 184 and 185. More
specifically, each of the upper and lower grippers 181 and 182
include a slidable plate 188 from which project a pair of pins 189
and 190. On the other hand, each of side grippers 184 and 185
includes a side plate 192 which is pivotally mounted to base 176
and an elongated side bar 193. Projecting from one end portion of
base 176 is an auxiliary mechanism defining an activating member
196 which, as will be discussed more fully below, is adapted to
engage actuator 157 when pick-off device 175 is directed at
canister 69 in order to open door members 136 and 137.
[0031] More specifically, the series of pick-off devices 175 are
adapted to be interconnected by a common robotic arm (not shown)
which is associated with vertical loading unit 42 and manipulates
each pick-off device 175 through support rod 178. Not shown for
sake of clarity of the drawings are actuating mechanisms adapted to
shift upper and lower grippers 181 and 182, as well as side
grippers 184 and 185. In general, such actuating mechanisms are
widely known in the art of robotics. In one form of the invention,
these actuators simply constitute pneumatic linear actuators
operating between base 176 and the various grippers 181, 182, 184
and 185. Electric solenoid units could be equally employed. With
this arrangement, each of the grippers 181, 182, 184 and 185 can be
selectively extended and refracted. More specifically, once each
canister 69 reaches a pick-off location, an associated pick-off
device 175 approaches the canister 69 with upper and lower grippers
181 and 182 being vertically spaced and side grippers 184 and 185
extending along substantially vertical axes. Upon directly
approaching pick-off device 175, activating member 196 abuts head
160 of actuator 157 and causes shaft portion 161 to shift linearly,
thereby compressing spring 162. Simultaneously, rack gear 154 is
shifted linearly which causes rotation of pinion gears 151 and 152,
as well as gear portions 149 and 150 of support arms 143 and 144.
Shifting of support arms 143 and 144 causes door members 136 and
137 to open.
[0032] At this point, it should be understood that the central set
of canisters 69 in FIG. 6 are shown open without their associated
pick-off devices 175 directly adjacent the canister 69. This is
only illustrated for the sake of clarity in order to indicate the
stacking of products 46 within the canisters 69 with door members
136 and 137 open. Instead, in this embodiment, it is auxiliary
mechanisms carried by the pick-off devices 175 which actually open
the door members 136 and 137 as discussed above. In the
alternative, each actuator 157 could simply engage fixed structure
provided adjacent the canister conveyor (not labeled) when the set
of canisters is at the predetermined unloading position thereby
establishing another potential type of auxiliary door opening
mechanism. In one alternative arrangement, the door members 136 and
137 are opened by having actuator head 160 exposed on an opposite
side of canister 69 and engaged by an auxiliary mechanism (not
shown) which is separate from the pick-off device 175. With this
arrangement, pinion gears 151 and 152 are not needed. Instead, gear
portions 149 and 150 directly interengage with rack gear 154. In
any case, once the door members 136 and 137 are open, the pick-off
devices 175 can shift within canisters 69 such that pins 189 and
190 of each lower gripper 182 extend within elongated grooves 129
and 130 of pedestal 128, thereby being positioned below the lower
most product 46. At the same time, upper grippers 181 are
positioned above the uppermost product 46 within a respective
canister 69. In the embodiment shown, canister 69 generally takes
the form of cylinders, while products 46 are hexagonal in shape.
This arrangement provides ample room for side grippers 184 and 185
to be positioned on the side portions of the stack of products 46
within the canister 69. Once each pick-off device 175 is located in
this position, the upper and lower grippers 181 and 182 are shifted
vertically relative to each other in order to squeeze down on and
compress the stack of products 46, then the side grippers 184 and
185 are drawn against the stack of food products 46. At this time,
pick-off devices 175 can remove the entire stacks of food products
46 from canisters 69, re-orient the stacks of food products 46
until they assume a substantially horizontal configuration as
clearly shown in FIG. 6 and then load the respective stacks of food
products 46 in respective product cavities 20, preferably through
the simultaneous release of upper, lower and side grippers 181,
182, 184 and 185, such that the individual products 46 are
horizontally arranged. This operation occurs at filling station 40
such that, once the operation is complete, packaged products 46
continue down the line of system 2 for the sealing and cutting
operations in the manner discussed above.
[0033] As indicated above, the construction of the canisters can
vary in accordance with the invention. Instead, it is only
important that the various products 46 be able to be vertically
loaded, preferably cut and immediately vertically loaded
thereafter, in an effective and efficient manner corresponding to
the manner in which refrigerator dough products have been loaded in
composite paperboard containers in the past. Thereafter, the
invention provides for the vertically loaded products to be removed
in stacked form from the canisters, and re-orientated to a
horizontal position for loading in the product receiving cavities.
FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate another potential embodiment for canisters
69' which can operate in accordance with the invention. In this
embodiment, each canister 69' includes a base 226 which defines a
pedestal 228 formed with a pair of spaced elongated grooves 229 and
230. Canister 69' also includes an upstanding arcuate main body 232
and a single door member 236 which can assume a closed position as
shown in FIG. 7 and an open position shown in FIG. 8. For this
purpose, door member 236 is provided with a pair of upper support
arms 243 and 244 which are mounted through pins 246 and 247 to
extension arms 249 and 250 of main body 232. With this arrangement,
door member 236 can pivot about an axis defined by pins 246 and 247
relative to main body 232 from the closed position shown in FIG. 7
to the open position shown in FIG. 8.
[0034] In a manner directly analogous to the prior embodiment
described, canisters 69' are adapted to be vertically loaded with
stacks of food products 46 and then shifted to filling station 40
wherein a robotic device removes the entire stack of products 46
from each canister 69', re-orientates the stack of products 46 such
that they assume a horizontal condition and then the stacks of
products 46 are placed in respective product receiving cavities 20.
Due to the different mounting of door 236, each main body portion
232 is preferably formed with a pair of lower grooved regions 253
and 254 which operate with additional structure for opening of door
member 236 as will be discussed more fully below with reference to
FIG. 9.
[0035] As shown in FIG. 9, identical pick-off devices 175 are
employed except that there does not exist any corresponding
activating member 196. As the remainder of the structure is
identical, like reference numerals to those discussed above with
respect to pick-off device 175 have been utilized and the structure
and function of these elements will not be duplicated here. More
importantly, this embodiment of the invention includes the addition
of an auxiliary mechanism in the form of a lifter unit indicated at
262. Lifter unit 262 includes a frame 264 from which laterally
project pivot rods 266 and 267. Also extending from frame 264 is a
motion lever 269. Extending away from frame 264 in a direction
generally opposite to motion lever 269 are various spaced arms, one
of which is indicated at 271. Each arm has fixedly secured and
extending there through a respective pin 274.
[0036] As with the embodiment described above, canisters 69' are
shown to be delivered to filling station 40 in sets of three,
although the particular number can greatly vary and preferably
corresponds to the number of laterally adjacent product receiving
cavities 20 formed at thermoforming device 18. For use in
connection with three adjacent arranged canisters 69', lifter unit
262 includes four correspondingly constructed and spaced arms 271
as clearly shown in FIG. 9. However, for sake of clarity, lifter
mechanism 262 is only shown to be operating upon a single canister
69 in this figure, although it is to be understood that multiple
canisters 69' are meant to be simultaneously opened for access to
the stack of products 46 for loading purposes in a manner
corresponding to the embodiment described above. In any case, when
the set of canisters 69' reaches the loading station, lifter unit
262 is caused to rotate about the axis defined by pins 246 and 247
(note the fixed structure supporting pins 246 and 247 is not shown
for clarity purposes) through the use of a linear actuator (also
not shown) acting upon motion lever 262. This rotation of frame 264
causes a respective pair of pins 274 to enter grooved regions 253
and 254 of a respective canister 69' until the pins 274 abut the
door member 236 of the canister 69'. Continued rotation of frame
264 causes the pins 274 to ride up door member 236, while
simultaneously pivoting door member 236 relative to main body 232.
Depending on the positioning of lifter unit 262 relative to the
conveyed canister 69', lifter unit 262 preferably causes angling of
main body 232 as illustrated or canisters 69' could be conveyed on
an angled to the vertical. However, this angling is not a required
feature of the invention. Once lifter unit 262 fully opens door
member 236, the set of pick-off devices 175 directly engage and
remove the stack of products 46 in the exact manner discussed above
with respect to the first embodiment. The stack of products 46 are
re-oriented and then loaded in a horizontal configuration within
the respective product receiving cavities 20 in a manner directly
corresponding to that discussed above.
[0037] Since products 46 are being removed from the canisters 69,
69' as a stack, it is important that each canister 69, 69' be
properly aligned such that the stack of products 46 are
appropriately exposed to the pick-off devices 175. FIGS. 10-13
illustrate an indexing and aligning mechanism designed to orientate
the canisters 69, 69' prior to pick-off device 175. For use in
connection with this aspect of the invention, each canister 69, 69'
is supported by a carrier 280 which moves along a conveyor 282.
Carrier 280 defines a plurality of canister receiving pockets 285
which, although not shown in these figures, have been loaded with a
stack of products 46. Of course, it should be realized that other
positioning and locating structure could be employed. In any case,
each canister has associated therewith a base 288 which rests on
conveyor 282. If desired to enhance the pick-off of the stack of
products 46, the canister 69, 69' can be angled upon conveyor 282
within a respective pocket 285. In any case, base 288 has
associated therewith a gear 290 having various spaced teeth 292 and
a flat segment 294. As will be discussed more fully below, teeth
292 are adapted to interengage with teeth 296 of a rack gear 297
which is fixed to a block 300 along the conveying path. Adjacent
rack 297 is an indexing mechanism 310 that includes a lever 312
which is secured to block 300 for pivotal movement about a fastener
315. Lever 312 is biased by a spring 325 such that an indexing
finger 330 extending from lever 312 projects into a travel path of
the canister, while being limited to pivot in this direction by
means of stop 335.
[0038] As a given canister is approaching the indexing and aligning
mechanism, the overall mechanism assumes the configuration shown in
FIG. 10. Upon reaching indexing mechanism 310, a tooth 292 of gear
290 will abut finger 330 which will cause indexing lever 312 to
pivot, while possibly rotating the canister, until indexing finger
330 clears a tooth 292 as shown in FIG. 11. Basically, indexing
mechanism 310 is employed to ensure that gear 290 does not jamb
with gear 297, but rather one of teeth 292 is properly oriented
such that an adjacent tooth will directly mesh with rack 297 as
shown in FIG. 11. Certainly, this indexing function can be
performed in various ways, such as by employing an energy absorbing
bumper (not shown) to cause the canister to rotate and properly
engage the gearing.
[0039] After gears 290 and 297 are interengaged, the continued
movement of conveyor 282 will cause the canister to rotate as shown
in FIG. 12 until flat segment 294 extends across a series of teeth
296 of rack 297 as shown in FIG. 13. It is at this point that the
canister is properly orientated for opening of door members 136 and
137 or door member 236 of the embodiments described above.
[0040] Based on the above, it should be readily apparent that the
invention provides for an efficient and effective way in which
products can be initially, vertically stacked in transfer canisters
during production and then re-oriented and transferred for
horizontal loading as a stack in a final package. Again, the
particular construction of the transfer canisters, the manner in
which the canisters are opened and the way in which the stack of
products are removed from the canisters, re-oriented, and loaded
into final packages can greatly vary in accordance with the overall
inventive concept. For instance, the transfer canisters could take
the form of tubular bodies that receive inserts into which the
products are stacked, with the inserts being removable from the
tubular bodies for opening and exposure of the products for
pick-off. In addition, it should be realized that the invention has
applicability to a wide range of products, including the disclosed
dough products. The invention can be employed with various types of
packaging systems, but is considered to be extremely advantageous
when used in combination with an HFFS packaging system.
Furthermore, other indexing and aligning mechanisms could also be
utilized to perform the desired orientation function for the
canisters in accordance with the invention. In any case, although
described with respect to exemplary embodiments of the invention,
it should be readily understood that various changes and/or
modifications can be made to the invention without departing from
the spirit thereof. Instead, the invention is only intended to be
limited by the scope of the following claims.
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