Positioning system for an automatic accumulation system
First Claim
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1. A method for accumulating articles, said method comprising:
- inputting a plurality of individual artides to deliver said articles from an article supply source onto an inclined slide having a guide surface, each article having at least a first major facing surface, a first article dimension extending along a first article direction, a second article dimension extending along a second article direction which differs from said first article direction, and an article edge region;
regulating said articles with a guide member; and
directing said articles to a first conveyor;
wherein said inputting of said articles has included a dispensing of said articles onto said inclined slide with a rotatable, metering drum which has an entry end, an exit end and an inside wall surface, said metering drum configured such that a rotation of said metering drum overcomes a static friction which inhibits a movement of said articles downstream through said metering drum; and
a ramp member has been configured to extend an operative distance into the volume of the metering drum at the exit end of the metering drum, and has been spaced away from the inside wall surface of the metering drum by a selected offset distance.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for accumulating articles (28) includes inputting a plurality of individual articles to deliver the articles from an article supply source (26) onto an inclined slide (42) having a guide surface. In particular aspects, the articles are regulated with a guide member (44), and directed to a first conveyor (50).
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method for accumulating articles, said method comprising:
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inputting a plurality of individual artides to deliver said articles from an article supply source onto an inclined slide having a guide surface, each article having at least a first major facing surface, a first article dimension extending along a first article direction, a second article dimension extending along a second article direction which differs from said first article direction, and an article edge region;
regulating said articles with a guide member; and
directing said articles to a first conveyor;
wherein said inputting of said articles has included a dispensing of said articles onto said inclined slide with a rotatable, metering drum which has an entry end, an exit end and an inside wall surface, said metering drum configured such that a rotation of said metering drum overcomes a static friction which inhibits a movement of said articles downstream through said metering drum; and
a ramp member has been configured to extend an operative distance into the volume of the metering drum at the exit end of the metering drum, and has been spaced away from the inside wall surface of the metering drum by a selected offset distance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for accumulating articles, said apparatus comprising:
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an article supply source for providing artides, each article having at least a first major facing surface, a first article dimension extending along a first article direction, a second article dimension extending along a second article direction which differs from said first article direction, and an article edge region;
an inclined slide that has a guide surface and is configured to receive artides delivered from said article supply source;
a guide member which is configured to regulate the articles delivered to said inclined slide;
a rotatable metering drum which is configured to dispense said articles onto said inclined slide;
the metering drum having an entry end, an exit end and an inside wall surface, and the metering drum configured such that a rotation of said metering drum overcomes a static friction which inhibits a movement of said articles downstream through said metering drum; and
a ramp member which is configured to extend an operative distance into the volume of the metering drum at the exit end of the metering drum, and is spaced away from the inside wall surface of the metering drum by a selected offset distance. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for accumulating articles, said method comprising:
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inputting a plurality of individual articles to deliver said articles from an article supply source onto an inclined slide having a guide surface, each article having at least a first major facing surface, a first article dimension extending along a first article direction, a second article dimension extending along a second article direction which differs from said first article direction, and an article edge region;
regulating said articles with a guide member;
directing said articles to a first conveyor; and
rotating selected articles with a turning system to operatively align the first dimension of the selected articles along a machine-direction of the first conveyor. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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32. A method for accumulating articles, said method comprising:
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inputting a plurality of individual articles to deliver said articles from an article supply source onto an inclined slide having a guide surface, each article having at least a first major facing surface, a first article dimension extending along a first article direction, a second article dimension extending along a second article direction which differs from said first article direction, and an article edge region;
directing said articles to a first conveyor;
rotating selected articles with a turning system to operatively align the first dimension of the selected articles along a machine-direction of the first conveyor; and
transporting said articles to and/or from the turning system with a second conveyor;
said second conveyor configured to accept articles transferred from said first conveyor, and configured to run at a second conveyor speed which is operatively faster than a first conveyor speed provided by said first conveyor. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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Specification