Apparatus and process for inspecting sealed packages

• US 6,105,419 A
• Filed: 07/14/1997
• Issued: 08/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frito-Lay North America Incorporated (PepsiCo Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Recot Incorporated
• Inventors: Michels, John, Bierschenk, Pat
• Primary Examiner(s): LARKIN, DANIEL SEAN
• Application Number:
  US08/892,316
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 73/49.3, 73/52, 73/41, 73/45, 73/45.1, 73/45.4
• US Class Current: 73/49.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/329 for verifying the internal pressure of closed containers

Abstract

An apparatus for inspecting sealed packages of product includes a conveyor belt for receiving the packages. An inspection belt contacts the packages and moves away from the conveyor belt a particular distance depending on whether the packages are properly sealed. When engaged by a package with a good seal, the inspection belt is moved a first distance which causes an indicator carried thereon to send a signal which prevents removal of the good package from the conveyor belt. However, when a leaky bag contacts the inspection belt, the inspection belt is moved a second distance which is insufficient to cause the indicator to send a signal. Consequently, the improperly sealed package is removed from the conveyor belt. The inspection belt may be mounted for linear or pivotal movement upon being contacted by the packages carried by the conveyor belt. In addition, a package engaging member can be used to press the packages prior to passing under the inspection belt to facilitate the discharge of air from leaky packages, e.g., pre-squeezing the packages.

Claims

1. An apparatus for inspecting sealed packages of product, the apparatus comprising:

a conveyor belt for receiving sealed packages of product and conveying the packages in a first direction;

an inspection belt disposed adjacent to said conveyor belt, said inspection belt being pivotally connected to a support wherein the inspection belt pivots upon being contacted by the packages located on said conveyor belt;

a detector for detecting movement of said inspection belt upon said inespection belt being contacted by the packages;

a package engaging member disposed adjacent to said conveyor belt, said package engaging member contacting the sealed packages of product on the conveyor belt to facilitate discharging of air from a leaky package, the inspection belt being disposed downstream of the package engaging member;

wherein said package eagaging member is a movable belt member which applies pressure against the packages; and

wherein said movable belt member has one end pivotally connected to said apparatus to permit said belt member to pivot when contacted by the packages.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherem said conveyor belt, said movable belt member, and said inspection belt are driven at substantially the same speed.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said inspection belt is pivotally connected at a first end thereof, and an indicator is located at a second end thereof.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said conveyor belt is disposed at an angle relative to a horizontal plane.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said conveyor belt and said inspection belt are driven at substantially the same speed.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor disposed adjacent said conveyor and upstream of said inspection belt for sensing a presence of packages on said conveyor belt.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said inspection belt extends around a first inspection belt section having one end pivotably attached to said support and a second inspection belt section that is pivotally connected to said first inspection belt section at an end opposite said one end, and wherein said movable belt member of said package engaging member extends around a first package engaging member section having one end pivotally attached to a support and a second package engaging member section that is pivotally connected to said first package engaging member section at an end opposite said one end.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said second inspection belt section has a bracket member that is arranged to be raised by a corresponding bracket member attached to said second package engaging member section so as to raise said second inspection belt section when a package is beneath said second package engaging member section.

9. An apparatus for inspecting sealed packages of product the apparatus comprising:

a conveyor belt for receiving sealed packages of product and conveying the packages in a first direction;

an inspection belt disposed adjacent to said conveyor belt, said inspection belt being pivotally connected to a support wherein the inspection belt pivots upon being contacted by the packages located on said conveyor belt;

a detector for detecting movement of said inspection belt upon said inspection belt being contacted by the packages; and

wherein said detector is a photoelectric sensor which receives light emitted by a photoemitter.

10. An apparatus for inspecting sealed packages of product, the apparatus comprising:

a conveyor belt for receiving sealed packages of product and conveying the packages in a first direction;

an inspection belt disposed adjacent to said conveyor belt, said inspection belt being pivotally connected to a support wherein the inspecton belt pivots upon being contacted by the packages located on said conveyor belt;

wherein said inspection belt includes an indicator which moves therewith upon said belt being contacted by the packages;

a detector for detecting movement of said indicator belt upon said inspection belt being contacted by the packages; and

wherein said indicator is an elongated member having one end connected to an end of said inspection belt and an opposite end disposed away from said inspection belt, and further including a flag located away from the one end of the elongated member, wherein movement of said flag is detected by said detector.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said elongated member forms an angle with said inspection belt.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said flag is located a predetermined distance from the pivoted connection of the inspection belt which distance is selected at least in part based on the angle between the elongated member and the inspection belt.

13. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said detector is a photoelectric sensor which detects light emitted by a photoemitter.

14. An apparatus for ispecting seal quality for leaks in sealed packages of product, the apparatus comprising:

a conveyor belt for receiving sealed packages of product and conveying the packages in a first direction;

an inspection belt disposed adjacent to said conveyor belt and being movably mounted on a support wherein the inspection belt moves away from said conveyor upon being contacted by the packages located on said conveyor belt;

a detector for detecting movement of said inspection belt upon said inspection belt being contacted by the packages; and

a package engaging member located upstream of the inspection belt which presses the packages to facilitate discharging of air from a leaky package;

said package engaging member having an inclined lower surface which contacts and is raised by packages on the conveyor belt; and

said package engaging member being free from any position detection means such that detection is conducted only at said inspection belt.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising means for engaging the packages to settle product therein before the packages are engaged by said package engaging member.

16. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said inspection belt is slidably mounted on at least one support rail so as to be movable toward and away from said conveyor belt.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said conveyor belt and said inspection belt are driven at substantially the same speed.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein a common drive source is provided for said conveyor belt and for said inspection belt.

19. An apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising means for removing packages having faulty seals from said conveyor belt.

20. An apparatus for inspecting sealed packages of product, the apparatus comprising:

a conveyor belt for receiving sealed packages of product and conveying the packages in a first direction;

an inspection belt disposed adjacent to said conveyor belt, said inspection belt being pivotally connectcd to a support wherein the inspection belt pivots upon being contacted by the packages located on said conveyor belt;

a detector for detecting movement of said inspection belt upon said inspection belt being contacted by the packages; and

wherein said inspection belt extends around a first section having one end pivotally attached to said support and a second section that is pivotally connected to said first section at an end opposite said one end.

21. An apparatus for inspecting sealed packages of product, the apparatus comprising:

a conveyor belt for receving sealed packages of product and conveying the packages in a first direction;

an inspection belt disposed adjacent to said conveyor belt and being movably mounted on a support wherein the inspection belt moves away from said conveyor belt upon being contacted by the packages located on said conveyor belt;

detector for detecting movement of said inspection belt being contacted by the packages; and

wherein said inspection belt extends around a first section having one end pivotally attached to said support and a second section that is pivotally connected to said section at an end opposite said one end.

22. An apparatus for inspecting seal quality for leaks in sealed packages of product, comprising:

a conveyor belt for receiving sealed packages of product and conveying the packages in a first direction;

an inspection belt disposed adjacent to said conveyor belt and being movably mounted on an inspection belt support such that said inspection belt moves away from said conveyor belt upon being contacted by packages on said conveyor belt;

a detector for detecting movement of said inspection belt upon said inspection belt being moved by contact with said packages; and

a separate package-engaging belt disposed upstream of said inspection belt and being movably mounted on a package-engaging belt support such that said package-engaging belt moves away from said conveyor belt by the force of contact with packages located on said conveyor belt;

wherein said package-engaging belt has a lower package contact surface that is inclined with respect to an upper surface of said conveyor belt such that packages upon said conveyor belt contact said inclined surface so as to raise said package-engaging belt;

whereby said package-engaging belt discharges air from leaky packages prior to inspection of the packages performed at the inspection belt; and

wherein said package-engaging belt is free from any measurement devices.

23. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said detector is an encoder.

24. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said detector is a photodetector.

25. An apparatus for inspecting seal quality for leaks in sealed packages of product, comprising:

a conveyor belt for receiving sealed packages of product and conveying the packages in a first direction;

an inspection belt disposed adjacent to said conveyor belt;

support means for supporting said inspection belt to contact packages on the conveyor belt and to move away from said conveyor belt by the force of contact with the packages on said conveyor belt;

a detector for detecting movement of said inspection belt due to contact with the packages;

a separate package-engaging member disposed upstream of said inspection belt;

engaging member support means for supporting said package-engaging member to contact packages on the conveyor belt and to move away from said conveyor belt by the force of contact with the packages on said conveyor belt while applying sufficient force via the package-engaging member to discharge air from leaky packages prior to the inspection of the packages performed separately at the inspection belt; and

wherein said package-engaging member and said package engaging support means are free from any measurement devices such that movement of said package-engaging member is not measured.

26. An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said package-engaging member is a pre-conditioning conveyor.

27. A method of inspecting seal quality for leaks in sealed packages, comprising the steps of:

conveying sealed packages in a first direction via a conveyor belt;

providing an inspection belt adjacent to said conveyor belt;

upwardly moving the inspection belt by contacting the inspection belt with packages on the conveyor belt so as to move the inspection belt upward from said conveyor belt by the force of contact with the packages on said conveyor belt;

detecting the movement of said inspection belt due to contact with the packages;

providing a separate package-engaging member disposed upstream of said inspection belt;

upwardly moving the package-engaging member by contacting the package-engaging member with the packages on the conveyor belt so as to move the package-engaging member upward from the conveyor belt by the force of contact with the packages on said conveyor belt while applying sufficient downward force via the package-engaging member to discharge air from leaky packages prior to the inspection of the packages performed separately at the inspection belt; and

keeping movement of said package-engaging member undetected and not measured for inspecting leaks.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said step of providing said package-engaging member includes providing said package-engaging member from a package-engaging belt.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said step of upwardly moving said package-engaging belt includes providing a bottom surface of said package-engaging belt at an angle with respect to a surface of said conveyor belt to allow packages to contact said bottom surface and move said package-engaging belt upward.

30. A method of inspecting sealed packages, comprising the steps of:

conveying sealed packages in a first direction via a conveyor belt;

providing an inspection belt adjacent to said conveyor belt;

upwardly moving the inspection belt by contacting the inspection belt with packages on the conveyor belt so as to move the inspection belt upward from said conveyor belt by the force of contact with the packages on said conveyor belt;

detecting the movement of said inspection belt due to contact with the packages;

providing a separate package-engaging member disposed upstream of said inspection belt; and

upwardly moving the package-engaging member by contacting the package-engaging member with the packages on the conveyor belt so as to move the package-engaging member upward from the conveyor belt by the force of contact with the packages on said conveyor belt while applying sufficient downward force via the package-engaging member to discharge air from leaky packages prior to the inspection of the packages performed separately at the inspection belt;

wherein said step of providing said package-engaging member includes providing said package-engaging member from a package-engaging belt; and

wherein said step of upwardly moving said package-engaging belt includes pivoting said package-engaging belt upon contact with packages.

31. A method of inspecting sealed packages, comprising the steps of:

conveying sealed packages in a first direction via a conveyor belt;

providing an inspection belt adjacent to said conveyor belt;

upwardly moving the inspection belt by contacting the inspection belt with packages on the conveyor belt so as to move the inspection belt upward from said conveyor belt by the force of contact with the packages on said conveyor belt;

detecting the movement of said inspection belt due to contact with the packages;

providing a separate package-engaging member disposed upstream of said inspection belt; and

upwardly moving the package-engaging member by contacting the package-engaging member with the packages on the conveyor belt so as to move the package-engaging member upward from the conveyor belt by the force of contact with the packages on said conveyor belt while applying sufficient downward force via the package-engaging member to discharge air from leaky packages prior to the inspection of the packages performed separately at the inspection belt;

wherein said step of providing said package-engaging member includes providing said package-engaging member from a package-engaging belt; and

wherein said step of upwardly moving said package-engaging belt includes supporting said package-engaging belt via slides and rails.