Method and apparatus for feeding and forming a single row of containers along a conveyor
First Claim
1. A pressureless combiner conveyor system, comprising:
- an input conveyor adapted to supply a plurality of containers having random orientation;
a combining conveyor which comprises at least one side-by side coplanar conveyor section adjacent to the input conveyor, the conveyor sections being driven at different speeds;
a guide rail spanning said input conveyor and said combining conveyor, said guide rail comprising an input guide rail section and a combining guide rail section;
said input guide rail section being configured to guide moving containers to the side of the input conveyor which is adjacent the combining conveyor;
said combining guide rail section being substantially linear, having an axis, and extending at a predetermined span angle across the combining conveyor;
said combining conveyor sections being tilted at a predetermined tilt angle about the axis of said combining guide rail section; and
an output conveyor aligned adjacent to the combining conveyor to output a single-file line of containers.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention is directed to a method and apparatus for combining randomly oriented containers on a conveyor into single file. The apparatus includes a pressureless combining conveyor having at least two or more conveyor sections adjacent to one another, and angled about the axis of a guide rail. The substantially linear guide rail extends at an angle across the combining conveyor. The guide rail is constructed such that the lower part of a container which starts to fall toward the guide rail contacts the guide rail first, then tilts toward the guide rail, touching the guide rail at a height of the container near the center of gravity of the container, and then returning to its stable position. The container'"'"'s center of gravity always remains within its stability region. The apparatus includes an input conveyor to supply a plurality of containers having no specific orientation, and an input guide rail section to guide moving containers to one side of the input conveyor. An output conveyor is aligned adjacent to the combining conveyor section for outputting a single-file line of containers and an ejector may be positioned along the output conveyor section to eject fallen containers on the output conveyor.
33 Citations
52 Claims
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1. A pressureless combiner conveyor system, comprising:
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an input conveyor adapted to supply a plurality of containers having random orientation;
a combining conveyor which comprises at least one side-by side coplanar conveyor section adjacent to the input conveyor, the conveyor sections being driven at different speeds;
a guide rail spanning said input conveyor and said combining conveyor, said guide rail comprising an input guide rail section and a combining guide rail section;
said input guide rail section being configured to guide moving containers to the side of the input conveyor which is adjacent the combining conveyor;
said combining guide rail section being substantially linear, having an axis, and extending at a predetermined span angle across the combining conveyor;
said combining conveyor sections being tilted at a predetermined tilt angle about the axis of said combining guide rail section; and
an output conveyor aligned adjacent to the combining conveyor to output a single-file line of containers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A conveying apparatus comprising:
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a combining conveyor;
a guide rail section having an axis and spanning said combining conveyor at an angle thereto;
said combining conveyor being tilted at a predetermined angle about the axis of said guide rail section; and
said guide rail section comprising a lower container support and an upper container support extending substantially the full length of the guide rail section, said lower container support being adapted to contact the containers at a lower portion thereof, said upper container support being adapted to contact the containers at a height which is near the center of gravity thereof;
to thereby maintain the center of gravity of the containers in the stability region thereof, whereby the stability of the containers on said combining conveyor is maintained. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for simultaneously conveying and combining a plurality of containers into single file, comprising;
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feeding a plurality of randomly oriented containers onto an input conveyor;
guiding the randomly oriented containers to an edge of the input conveyor onto an adjacent edge of a combining conveyor;
tilting the combining conveyor by a predetermined tilt angle such that the edge adjacent said input conveyor is lower than an opposite edge of said combining conveyor;
driving the combining conveyor at a faster speed than the input conveyor to accelerate the containers as they are fed onto the combining conveyor;
guiding the containers along the combining conveyor by a guide rail extending across the combining conveyor at a predetermined span angle determined at least in part by the tilt angle and combining conveyor speed such that containers become aligned in a single file along the guide rail as they are conveyed along the combining conveyor; and
outputting a single file line of containers on an output conveyor having an edge aligned adjacent to the combining conveyor. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method for maintaining stability of articles being conveyed on a combining conveyor which is tilted such that one side is lower than the other side, comprising:
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providing a guide rail section having an axis and spanning said combining conveyor at an angle thereto from the side which is lower to the side which is higher, said guide rail section having a lower container support and an upper container support extending substantially the full length of the guide rail section;
arranging said lower container support to contact the containers at a lower portion thereof;
arranging said upper container support to contact the containers a height which is near the center of gravity thereof;
to thereby maintain the center of gravity of the containers in the stability region thereof, whereby the stability of the containers on said combining conveyor is maintained. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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Specification