Orientation detection and control system

• US 6,918,485 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2002
• Issued: 07/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Ogle, Richard J., Hellmann, Steven A., Holston, Thomas R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bidwell, James R.
• Application Number:
  US10/288,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20040084279A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 198/374, 198/398, 198/401, 198/405, 198/417
• US Class Current: 198/417
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 35/46 by rotary conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/08 Packaging groups of articles, the articles being individually gripped or guided for transfer to the containers or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/1428 rotating movement
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/248 by turning over or inverting them B65G47/244 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/66 Fixed platforms or combs, e.g. bridges between conveyors

Abstract

A method and apparatus for selectively orienting an article (28) can include a selective indexing of a movable carriage (94) between a first carriage position and at least a second carriage position, thereby providing a selected face-alignment of a datum surface (74) of the article. In particular aspects, the first carriage position can be configured to provide for a first, twist displacement of the article, and the second carriage position can be configured to provide for a second, twist displacement of the article with the second twist displacement directionally opposite to the first twist displacement. In another aspect, the movable carriage can include an indexing wheel (120). In a further aspect, at least one set of twist-belts (66) can be connected to the carriage (94).

Claims

1. A method for selectively orienting an article, said method including a selective indexing of a movable carriage between a first carriage position and at least a second carriage position, thereby providing a selected face-alignment of a datum surface of said article wherein:

said first carriage position has been configured to provide for a first, twist displacement of the article;

said second carriage position has been configured to provide for a second, twist displacement of the article that is directionally opposite to said first twist displacements;

at least one article-set has been identified, the article-set containing a predetermined plurality of articles;

a pair of end-articles of the article-set have been identified;

a presence of an appointed datum surface with respect to each end-article has been detected; and

the method has been configured to appropriately orient each end-article so that both of the end-articles of the article-set have their datum surfaces positioned toward an interior of their corresponding article set, or both of the end-articles have their datum surfaces positioned toward an exterior of their corresponding article set.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein

said carriage includes a rotatable indexing wheel, and

at least a first set of cooperating twist-belts have been operatively connected to said indexing wheel.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein

said indexing wheel is supported and rotatably mounted in a frame;

and

said indexing wheel is operatively actuated to selectively oscillate and move through a wheel, angular movement of about ±

90 degrees.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein

a drive mechanism is operatively connected to actuate the indexing wheel through said angular movement;

and

said drive mechanism is configured to operatively engage a circumferential region of said indexing wheel.

5. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein

said indexing wheel has included an opening extending therethrough;

said first set of twist-belts has included a substantially stationary set of belt rollers, and a movable set of belt rollers;

said movable set of belt rollers has been operatively connected to said indexing wheel, and has been arranged to operatively position a belt nip region along a center region of said indexing wheel to thereby pass said articles through said wheel opening.

6. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein a system of cooperating, counter-rotating, lobed-cam rollers has been positioned relatively upstream from said first set of twist-belts to provide a desired, spaced-apart sequencing of said articles into said first set of twist-belts.

7. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein an exit from said first set of twist-belts has been configured to feed into a stacker conveyor.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, further including

arranging the at least one article-set in a stack or other configuration that is suitable for packaging, and

moving the article-set into a package.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said presence of said datum surface of said article has been identified by detecting a presence of a predetermined indicator.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein said detecting of said presence of the predetermined indicator has included a detecting of an adhesive.

11. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein said detecting of the presence of the predetermined indicator has employed an optical sensor.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said indexing of said carriage provides a selective twist displacement of an end-article of a predetermined article-set, to thereby provide said selected face-alignment of the datum surface of said end-article.

13. A method for selectively orienting an article, said method including a selective indexing of a movable carriage between a first carriage position and at least a second carriage position, thereby providing a selected face-alignment of a datum surface of said article wherein:

said first carriage position has been configured to provide for a first, twist displacement of the article;

said second carriage position has been configured to provide for a second, twist displacement of the article that is directionally opposite to said first twist displacement;

a first set of cooperating twist-belts have been mounted on said carriage, said first set of twist-belts having been configured to rotate said article in a first twist direction; and

at least a second set of cooperating twist-belts have been mounted on said carriage, said second set of twist-belts having been configured to rotate said article in a second twist direction which differs from first twist direction.

14. An apparatus for selectively orienting an article, said apparatus having:

a movable carriage which can index between a first carriage position and at least a second carriage position, to thereby provide a selected face-alignment of a datum surface of said article;

a mechanism which identifies at least one article-set that contains a predetermined plurality of articles and has a pair of end-articles; and

a sensor which detects a presence of an appointed datum surface with respect to each end-article;

wherein;

said first carriage position is configured to provide for a first, twist displacement of the article;

said second carriage position is configured to provide for a second, twist displacement of the article that is directionally opposite to said first twist displacement; and

the apparatus is configured to appropriately orient each end-article so that both end-articles of the article-set have their datum surfaces positioned toward an interior of their corresponding article set, or both of the end-articles have their datum surfaces positioned toward an exterior of their corresponding article set.

15. An apparatus as recited In claim 14, further including

a mechanism which arranges the at least one article-set in a stack or other configuration that is suitable for packaging, and

a mechanism which moves the article-set into a package.

16. An apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein

said carriage includes a rotatable indexing wheel;

a first set of cooperating twist-belts are operatively connected to said indexing wheel; and

a drive mechanism is operatively connected to actuate said indexing wheel through a wheel, angular movement.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein said drive mechanism is configured to operatively engage a circumferential region of said indexing wheel.

18. An apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein said drive mechanism is configured to actuate said indexing wheel through a wheel, angular movement which is from about ±

90 degrees to about +90 degrees.

19. An apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein said sensor is configured to detect an indicator located on said datum surface of the appointed end-article.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein said sensor is configured to detect an adhesive located on the datum surface of the appointed end-article.

21. An apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein said sensor is an optical sensor.

22. An apparatus for selectively orienting an article, said apparatus having:

a movable carriage which can index between a first carriage position and at least a second carriage position, to thereby provide a selected face-alignment of a datum surface of said article; and

an actuator which selectively indexes said carriage between the first carriage position and at least the second carriage position;

wherein

said first carriage position is configured to provide for a first, twist displacement of the article;

said second carriage position is configured to provide for a second, twist displacement of the article that is directionally opposite to said first twist displacement;

a first set of cooperating twist-belts are mounted on said carriage, said first set of twist-belts configured to rotate said article in a first rotational direction; and

at least a second set of cooperating twist-belts are mounted on said carriage, said second set of twist-belts configured to rotate said article in a second rotational direction that is opposite said first rotational direction.