Product orienting apparatus
First Claim
1. - A product orienting apparatus for orienting a product, the apparatus comprisingA table comprising a rotatable device, the table having a table surface comprising at least a first surface area being provided by the rotatable device, the rotatable device being rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the table surface,An array of substantially identical spherical rollers, each spherical roller being suitable for contacting the product at a first contacting point of the spherical roller and for contacting the table surface with a second contacting point of the spherical roller, the array of spherical rollers comprising a first group of spherical rollers contacting the surface area of the rotatable device with their second contacting point thereby enabling to convert a rotation of the rotatable device into rotation of a product contacting the spherical rollers of the first group of spherical rollers,wherein the table furthermore comprises a plate having an aperture encompassing the rotatable device, the table surface comprising a second surface area provided by the plate, which second surface area is substantially coplanar with the first surface area.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A product orienting apparatus for orienting a product according to the present invention comprises a table comprising a rotatable device. The table has a table surface comprising at least a first surface area being provided by the rotatable device. The device is rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the table surface. The table also has an array of substantially identical spherical rollers, each spherical roller being suitable for contacting the product at a first contacting point of the spherical roller and for contacting the table surface with a second contacting point of the spherical roller. The array of spherical rollers comprises a first group of spherical rollers contacting the surface area of the device with their second contacting point thereby enabling to convert a rotation of the device into rotation of a product contacting the spherical rollers of the first group of spherical rollers. The table furthermore has a plate having an aperture encompassing the rotatable device. The table surface comprises a second surface area provided by the plate. The second surface area is substantially coplanar with the first surface area.
19 Citations
15 Claims
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1. - A product orienting apparatus for orienting a product, the apparatus comprising
A table comprising a rotatable device, the table having a table surface comprising at least a first surface area being provided by the rotatable device, the rotatable device being rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the table surface, An array of substantially identical spherical rollers, each spherical roller being suitable for contacting the product at a first contacting point of the spherical roller and for contacting the table surface with a second contacting point of the spherical roller, the array of spherical rollers comprising a first group of spherical rollers contacting the surface area of the rotatable device with their second contacting point thereby enabling to convert a rotation of the rotatable device into rotation of a product contacting the spherical rollers of the first group of spherical rollers, wherein the table furthermore comprises a plate having an aperture encompassing the rotatable device, the table surface comprising a second surface area provided by the plate, which second surface area is substantially coplanar with the first surface area.
Specification