Apparatus and method for assembling items onto a pallet
First Claim
1. Item layer assembly apparatus for continuously receiving items from a moving infeed conveyor carrying items and assembling an item layer from a plurality of items, all without the need to interrupt or modify the speed of the infeed conveyor, the item layer assembly apparatus comprising:
- an item receiving area having a surface for continuously receiving items from a moving infeed conveyor;
one or more side plate area having a surface and a side adjacent and substantially horizontally planar to said item receiving area surface;
means for moving items from said item receiving area surface onto said one or more side plate area surface;
means for activating said means for moving items from said item receiving area surface onto said one or more side plate area surface when a predetermined number of items are received on said item receiving area surface to thereby remove items from said item receiving area surface before said item receiving area surface overflows or allows items on the infeed conveyor to stop or backup, or requires the infeed conveyor to stop or alter the speed at which it feeds items onto said one or more item receiving area surface;
a layer forming plate positioned directly underneath said item receiving area surface; and
means for moving items from said one or more side plate area surface to said layer forming plate to form an item layer;
means for activating said means for moving items from said one or more side plate area surface to said layer forming plate to form an item layer;
whereby, a plurality of items carried by a moving infeed conveyor can be formed into an item layer without the need to stop or alter the speed at which the infeed conveyor feeds items.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An item layer assembly apparatus for continuously receiving items from an infeed conveyor, forming an item layer from a plurality of items, and loading the item layer onto a pallet is provided. The item a layer assembly apparatus comprises an item receiving area surface for continuously receiving the items from the infeed conveyor. At least one side plate area surface is adjacent and substantially horizontally planar to the item receiving area surface for receiving the items from the item receiving area surface. A item layer forming plate receives the items from each of the side plate area surfaces with the item layer forming plate positioned substantially under the item receiving area surface. A mechanism associated with the item layer forming plate forms a substantially rectilinear package layer wherein the item layer forming plate deposits the item layer onto the pallet.
50 Citations
11 Claims
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1. Item layer assembly apparatus for continuously receiving items from a moving infeed conveyor carrying items and assembling an item layer from a plurality of items, all without the need to interrupt or modify the speed of the infeed conveyor, the item layer assembly apparatus comprising:
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an item receiving area having a surface for continuously receiving items from a moving infeed conveyor;
one or more side plate area having a surface and a side adjacent and substantially horizontally planar to said item receiving area surface;
means for moving items from said item receiving area surface onto said one or more side plate area surface;
means for activating said means for moving items from said item receiving area surface onto said one or more side plate area surface when a predetermined number of items are received on said item receiving area surface to thereby remove items from said item receiving area surface before said item receiving area surface overflows or allows items on the infeed conveyor to stop or backup, or requires the infeed conveyor to stop or alter the speed at which it feeds items onto said one or more item receiving area surface;
a layer forming plate positioned directly underneath said item receiving area surface; and
means for moving items from said one or more side plate area surface to said layer forming plate to form an item layer;
means for activating said means for moving items from said one or more side plate area surface to said layer forming plate to form an item layer;
whereby, a plurality of items carried by a moving infeed conveyor can be formed into an item layer without the need to stop or alter the speed at which the infeed conveyor feeds items. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. Item layer assembly apparatus for continuously receiving items from a moving infeed conveyor carrying items and assembling an item layer from a plurality of items, and depositing them on a pallet located below the item layer assembly apparatus, all without the need to interrupt or modify the speed of the infeed conveyor, the item layer assembly apparatus comprising:
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an item receiving area having a surface for continuously receiving items from a moving infeed conveyor;
first and second side plate areas, each side plate area having a surface and side adjacent and substantially horizontally planar to said item receiving area surface, said first and second side plate area surfaces including a roller assembly item conveyor system;
said item receiving area surface including a plurality of rollers through its surface, and further including a rotatable belt member between at least two of said rollers, said rotatable belt being positioned to contact items on said item receiving area surface to move items from said item receiving area surface to said first and second side plate area surfaces;
means for moving items from said item receiving area surface onto said first and second side plate area surfaces;
means for activating said means for moving items from said item receiving area surface onto said first and second side plate area surfaces when a predetermined number of items are received on said item receiving area surface to thereby remove items from said item receiving area surface before said item receiving area surface overflows or allows items on the infeed conveyor to stop or backup, or requires the infeed conveyor to stop or alter the speed at which it feeds items onto said first and second side plate area surfaces;
a layer forming plate positioned below said item receiving area surface, wherein said layer forming plate includes a first layer forming plate portion and a normally adjacent second layer forming plate portion;
means for moving items from said first and second side plate area surfaces to said layer forming plate to form an item layer;
means for activating said means for moving items from said first and second side plate area surfaces to said layer forming plate to form an item layer, wherein said means for activating said means for moving items from said first and second side plate area surfaces to said layer forming plate to form an item layer includes a pivot means for each of said first and second side plate area surfaces for controllably allowing said side of each said first and second side plate area surfaces adjacent said item receiving area surface to pivot downwardly, whereby items on each said first and second side plate area surfaces move onto said layer forming plate to form an item layer on said layer forming plate;
means for retracting and separating said first layer forming plate portion from said second layer plate forming portion, and wherein when said first layer forming plate portion and said second layer plate forming portion are retracted and separated from one another, an item layer carried by said layer forming plate is deposited on to a pallet located below said layer forming plate of said item layer assembly apparatus;
whereby, a plurality of items carried by a moving infeed conveyor can be formed into an item layer deposited on to a pallet without the need to stop or alter the speed at which the infeed conveyor feeds items.
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Specification