Container scanning and accounting device
First Claim
1. An apparatus for scanning containers, said containers each having a code and each having a longitudinal axis, comprising:
- (a) A conveyor for transporting said containers, said conveyor moving in a first direction at a predetermined speed;
(b) A guide diagonally mounted across the top of at least a portion of the conveyor at a predetermined angle relative to said first direction of said conveyor, wherein each of said containers contemporaneously moves along said guide and rotates about its own said longitudinal axis, and wherein said predetermined speed and said predetermined angle are established so that each container will complete at least one revolution within a predetermined distance along said guide; and
(c) scanner means for scanning said code on each of said containers, said scanner means having an orientation and a field of view wherein said predetermined distance along said guide is scannable by said scanning means.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus is provided to rapidly and automatically scan the UPC, or bar code, from a series of containers and maintain talleys of the brands and types of containers processed. A guide is placed diagonally across the top of the conveyor to catch and direct any containers moving along the conveyor. Continued motion of the conveyor beneath the containers at an angle relative to the guide causes each container to rotate as it slides along the guide toward the edge of the conveyor. One or more UPC scanners are positioned to read the UPC from each container as it slides along the guide. Because of the rotation of the containers, the entire sidewall of each container is exposed to the scanners. Any containers that are not successfully read by the scanners are rejected for subsequent manual processing.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. An apparatus for scanning containers, said containers each having a code and each having a longitudinal axis, comprising:
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(a) A conveyor for transporting said containers, said conveyor moving in a first direction at a predetermined speed; (b) A guide diagonally mounted across the top of at least a portion of the conveyor at a predetermined angle relative to said first direction of said conveyor, wherein each of said containers contemporaneously moves along said guide and rotates about its own said longitudinal axis, and wherein said predetermined speed and said predetermined angle are established so that each container will complete at least one revolution within a predetermined distance along said guide; and (c) scanner means for scanning said code on each of said containers, said scanner means having an orientation and a field of view wherein said predetermined distance along said guide is scannable by said scanning means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus for scanning containers, said containers each having a code and each having a longitudinal axis, comprising:
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(a) Conveyor means for transporting said containers in a first direction at a predetermined speed; (b) Means for directing the containers into a uniform orientation on the conveyor means; (c) A number of parallel lanes on said conveyor means, the release of containers from which is controlled by a gate; (d) A guide mounted diagonally across the top of at least a portion of the conveyor means at a predetermined angle relative to said first direction of said containers, wherein each of said containers contemporaneously moves along said guide and rotates about its own said longitudinal axis, and wherein said predetermined speed and said predetermined angle are established so that each container will complete at least one revolution within a predetermined distance along said guide; (e) scanner means for scanning said code on each of said containers, said scanner means having an orientation and a field of view wherein said predetermined distance along said guide is scannable by said scanning means. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification