Modular clipping packaging apparatus and associated devices, methods, systems and computer program products

• US 20050247026A1
• Filed: 06/13/2005
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tipper Tie Incorporated (John Bean Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Delaware Capital Formation Incorporated (Dover Corporation)
• Inventors: Poteat, William M., May, Dennis J., Griggs, Samuel D., Brown, Derek L., Wince, David T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,966,793 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 53/131.400
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 11/125 by clipping; Removal of clips
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 25/064 of poultry processing of poultry A22C21/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 51/04 Applying separate sealing or securing members, e.g. clips, applying separate lids or covers B65B7/28
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 59/04 Machines constructed with readily-detachable units or assemblies, e.g. to facilitate maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 9/15 the preformed tubular webs being stored on filling nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Packaging apparatus modules include a frame with a base adapted to reside on a support floor, the frame having opposing right and left hand frame sides and at least one lateral beam that extends therebetween, the right and left hand frame sides comprising respective upwardly extending frame portions which are configured to reside on opposing sides of a longitudinal product travel path having an axially extending centerline; and a clipper mechanism configured to selectively attach to either one of the right and left hand frame sides in a manner that positions the clipper mechanism at a substantially common operative full-clip location in the product travel path when mounted to either the right or left hand frame sides to thereby allow build options with selectable mounting orientations.

Claims

1. A packaging apparatus module, comprising:

a frame with a base adapted to reside on a support floor, the frame having opposing right and left hand frame sides and at least one lateral beam that extends therebetween, the right and left hand frame sides comprising respective upwardly extending frame portions which are configured to reside on opposing sides of a longitudinally extending product travel path having an axially extending centerline; and

a clipper mechanism configured to selectively attach to either one of the right and left hand frame sides in a manner that positions the clipper mechanism at a substantially common operative full-clip location in the product travel path when mounted to either the right or left hand frame sides to thereby allow build options with selectable mounting orientations.

2. A module according to claim 1, wherein the clipper mechanism is configured to attach to a predetermined upper portion of the right and/or left frame side to be able to pivot in toward the axial centerline of the product travel path to the full clip position whether mounted on the right or left side of the frame.

3. A module according to claim 1, wherein the frame is configured and sized to receive and hold the clipper mechanism to allow the clipper mechanism to travel transversely relative to the product travel path axial centerline, and wherein the product travel path axial centerline generally corresponds to an axial centerline of a product netting chute located upstream thereof.

4. A module according to claim 3, wherein the clipper mechanism has a clipper body that is pivotably attached to the frame and travels between a generally upright home position that is located laterally spaced apart from the product travel path centerline and an angled full clip position.

5. A module according to claim 4, further comprising a two-stroke actuation cylinder that is in communication with the clipper mechanism to direct the clipper mechanism to travel in a travel stroke cycle that includes, the home position, the full-clip position and a pre-clip position that is from between about 50-75% of the stroke distance between the home and full-clip positions.

6. A module according to claim 1, further comprising a voiding mechanism comprising first and second longitudinally spaced apart voiding plates mounted to the frame in a predetermined location so as to be in cooperating alignment with the clipping mechanism irrespective of whether the clipper mechanism is mounted on the first or second side of the frame for automatically gathering together a length of a leading and/or trailing edge portion of covering material held about a target product for clipping by the clipping mechanism.

7. A module according to claim 1, further comprising at least one gathering plate, a cutting member, and a cutting member guide channel held on the clipper mechanism, wherein the at least one gathering plate, the cutting member and the cutting member guide channel all travel with the clipper mechanism from a home position to the full clip position, wherein the cutting member guide channel comprises a downwardly extending channel sized and configured to slidably receive the cutting member and to allow the cutting member to slide therein during operative extension into a cutting position to sever gathered covering material with an upward stroke.

8. A module according to claim 7, further comprising a cutting actuation cylinder in communication with the cutting member that vertically extends and retracts the cutting member during a cutting operation.

9. A module according to claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a plurality of apertures formed in predetermined locations, the aperture locations providing alignment and/or mounting apertures for the clipper mechanism when mounted on the right or left hand side of the frame.

10. A module according to claim 1, further comprising a handle maker mounted to the right or left side of the frame, wherein the handle maker is mounted to a different side of the frame than the clipper mechanism.

11. A module according to claim 10, wherein the frame comprises a plurality of apertures formed in predetermined locations to define mounting apertures for alignment of the clipper mechanism and the handle maker, allowing each to be selectively mounted to either the right or left hand side of the frame.

12. A module according to claim 1, wherein the frame is configured to provide an input chute window configured in communication with the product travel path and sized to receive a discharge end portion of a netting chute and an opposing product output window located downstream of the input chute window configured to allow a product to exit therethrough.

13. A module according to claim 12, further comprising housing guards configured to attach to the frame, wherein the housing guards include first and second selectable left-hand housing guards, the first being a generally planar continuous upstanding sidewall that is used when the clipper mechanism is mounted on the left hand side of the frame and when the clipper is mounted to the right hand side of the frame with the module being devoid of a handle maker, and the second being a generally planar upstanding sidewall with a handle maker window formed therein.

14. A module according to claim 13, wherein the housing guards further include two selectable right-hand housing guards, one of which is a generally planar upstanding sidewall that is used when the clipper mechanism is mounted on the right hand side of the frame and when the clipper is mounted to the left hand side of the frame with the module devoid of a handle maker, and the other of which is a generally planar upstanding sidewall with a handle maker window formed therein used when a handle maker is mounted on the right hand side of the frame.

15. A module according to claim 10, further comprising a handle maker support bracket that extends outwardly from and attaches to the frame to hold the handle maker thereon so that a forward portion of the handle maker is in communication with the product travel path and a rearward portion extends outwardly generally orthogonal to the product travel path.

16. A module according to claim 12, further comprising first and second product discharge trays that can each mount to a generally common portion of the frame in communication with the product output window, the first tray comprising a roller floor and the second tray comprising a ribbed floor with pivoting flaps that trap the product upstream thereof.

17. A module according to claim 1, further comprising a printer support member that is configured to mount to the frame, the printer support member configured to position a printer to be in communication with a label feed window that feeds labels into the product flow path.

18. A module according to claim 17, further comprising a printer on the printer support member, wherein the printer support member is attached to the frame to position the printer upstream of the clipper mechanism, and wherein the printer support member is configured to attach to a selectable right or left side of the frame corresponding on the same side as the clipper mechanism.

19. A module according to claim 18, wherein the printer support member has an outer pivot leg that allows the printer support member to pivot laterally outward and away from the product travel path.

20. A module according to claim 1, wherein the module is configured to selectively cooperatively engage with a first front-end module having a gravity fed netting chute and a second front-end module having an automated pusher and netting chute to define a packaging apparatus.

21. A modular packaging apparatus having multiple predetermined selectable sub-module build configurations, comprising:

(a) a clipping module comprising;

a frame with a base adapted to reside on a support floor, the frame having opposing right and left hand frame sides, at least one lateral upper beam and at least one lateral lower beam that extend therebetween, the right and left hand frame sides comprising respective upwardly extending frame portions which are configured to reside on opposing sides of a longitudinal product travel path having an axially extending centerline;

a clipper mechanism selectively mountable to the frame at a predetermined location on either the right or left hand side of the frame;

selectable first and second discharge trays mountable to the frame downstream of the clipper mechanism;

an actuation cylinder in communication with the clipper mechanism for translating the clipping mechanism through a predetermined stroke cycle including a home and full-clip position; and

(b) selectable first and second front end modules, each comprising a product chute with an axial centerline extending therethrough configured to reside upstream of the frame of the clipping module, wherein each of the first and second front end modules are configured to selectively engage the clipping module to align the product chute with a travel path extending through the clipping module to supply product through the product chute to the clipping module, wherein the first selectable front end module chute is gravity fed and the second front end module includes an automatic pusher module that pushes product through the product chute.

22. An apparatus according to claim 21, the clipper module further comprising:

an optional printer module with a printer support member that is configured to mount to at least one predetermined location on the frame;

an optional handle maker with a handle maker support member that is configured to mount to a predetermined location on either the right or left hand side of the frame, the handle maker support member attaching to the frame on a side that is across from the clipping mechanism; and

a voiding mechanism that mounts to the frame in cooperating communication with the clipper mechanism.

23-30. -30. (canceled)

31. A method of building packaging apparatus with modularized selectable configurations, comprising:

providing a frame configured to accommodate right or left hand mounting at predetermined mounting locations for a plurality of predetermined selectable build modules including a handle-maker module and a clipper mechanism module;

selecting desired build modules to mount to the frame from a predetermined build list defining a plurality of selectable predetermined build modules including a handle maker module and a clipper mechanism module;

selecting a desired right or left hand mounting orientation for the clipper mechanism module; and

mounting the clipper mechanism module to the frame at the selected mounting orientation.

32. A method according to claim 31, wherein the predetermined list includes selectable right and left hand housing guards that accommodate the selected build modules and respective selected mounting orientation, and the method further comprises selecting the appropriate right and left hand housing guards corresponding to the selected build modules and mounting orientations.

37. A method according to claim 31, wherein the predetermined build list further includes:

a first front-end module that comprises at least one conveyor, a scale, and at least one axially extending product chute with a cavity; and

a second front-end module that comprises an in-feed conveyor, a pusher mechanism, and at least one axially extending product chute with a cavity that is in communication with the pusher mechanism.

40. A method according to claim 31, wherein the predetermined build list comprises a voiding mechanism module mountable to the frame to be in communication with the clipper mechanism, wherein the clipper mechanism module comprises a clipper mechanism body configured to deliver clips to a clip window and attach the clips to a gathered portion of covering material, the clipper mechanism having an automated stroke cycle that includes a retracted home position and a laterally extended full-clip position.

33-36. -36. (canceled)

38-39. -39. (canceled)

41-45. -45. (canceled)

46. A factory layout of side-by-side packaging apparatus, comprising:

a first packaging apparatus with a clipper module having a frame and a clipper mechanism attached to left side of the frame for applying at least one clip to gathered covering material; and

a second packaging apparatus disposed side by side relative to the first packaging apparatus, the second packaging apparatus having a clipper module with a frame and a clipper mechanism attached to a right side of the frame for applying at least one clip to gathered covering material.

49. A factory layout according to claim 46, wherein the first and/or second packaging apparatus further comprises a handle-maker attached to a side of the clipper module frame that is across from the clipper mechanism.

50. A factory layout according to claim 49, wherein the first and second apparatus both include handle makers, each extending generally outwardly away from their respective frames in opposing directions.

56. A factory layout according to claim 46, wherein the first and second apparatus frames have a substantially uniform size and configuration.

57. A factory layout according to claim 56, wherein the first and second apparatus frames are configured to allow right or left hand mounting of the respective clipper mechanism and handle maker.

58. A factory layout according to claim 46, wherein the first and second apparatus are spaced apart a distance to allow a common operator to attend to the discharge portion of each.

59. A factory layout according to claim 58, wherein the first and second apparatus are synchronized to output product in a timed manner that allows a single operator to attend to the discharge and/or input of each apparatus.

47-48. -48. (canceled)

51-55. -55. (canceled)

60-61. -61. (canceled)