Device for Orienting Bulk-Fed Tubular Preforms

• US 20080142337A1
• Filed: 02/28/2006
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sidel Participations (Tetra Laval Holdings BV)
• Original Assignee: Sidel Participations (Tetra Laval Holdings BV)
• Inventors: Charpentier, Alain, Mouette, Patrick, Derouault, Philippe
• Granted Patent: US 7,472,783 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 198/394
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/2445 by means of at least two co-operating endless conveying elements

Abstract

A device for orienting tubular preforms which are fed in bulk by a supply device, including two continuous endless conveyors which are disposed side by side and which are equipped respectively with two parallel lines which are separated horizontally from one another by a distance that is greater than the largest cross-sectional dimension of the preforms. According to the invention, the preform-supply device is disposed above one end of the two conveyors. The two conveyors are moved by drive device in opposing directions in order to pivot any preforms that arrive positioned sideways across the conveyors and to drop the longitudinally-oriented preforms into the space between the two conveyors. The orienting device also includes an endless belt for collecting preforms, which extends beneath the two conveyors parallel thereto and which is used to collect and move the horizontally-laid longitudinally-aligned preforms one after the other.

Claims

1. An orientation device for orienting tubular preforms delivered in bulk by feed means, wherein it comprises:

two continuous endless conveyors positioned side by side and each respectively having two strands which run substantially parallel to one another and which are separated from one another horizontally by a distance greater than the longest transverse dimension of the preforms, the preform feed means being situated above these two endless conveyors and near one of their ends, these two conveyors being driven by drive means in opposite directions to one another so as to cause those of the preforms which arrive crosswise on the endless conveyors to pivot and drop, oriented longitudinally, into the space between the two endless conveyors, and

an endless collecting belt for collecting the preforms running under the aforementioned two endless conveyors and parallel thereto to collect the preforms and move them along, lying down longitudinally aligned one after the other.

2. The orientation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the endless belt has a speed appreciably higher than that of the two endless conveyors.

3. The orientation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two endless conveyors are driven in opposite directions at appreciably equal speeds.

4. The orientation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each endless conveyor is arranged vertically and in that the aforementioned parallel strands are the respective top strands of the two conveyors.

5. The orientation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two endless conveyors are endless belts or conveyor belts.

6. The orientation device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the respective top strands of the two endless conveyors are inclined transversely toward one another.

7. The orientation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two endless conveyors are externally bordered by respective casings able to prevent the preforms from falling off the device.

8. The orientation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the two endless conveyors is supported in such a way that it can move transversely so that the separation between the two endless conveyors can be adjusted according to the transverse dimension of the preforms.

9. The orientation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the endless collecting belt consists of several successive endless belts having increasing respective speeds so as to increase the spacing between the successive preforms so as to make it easier for them to be toppled over by a downstream system without interfering with one another.

10. The orientation device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the transition between the first and second endless belts is located between the two endless conveyors.