Spout singulator for closure feed system
First Claim
1. A closure feed system for use on an associated form, fill and seal packaging machine for feeding and singulating closures from a closure storage region to a closure applicator, the feed system comprising:
- a chute for conveying the closures from the storage region to the applicator, the chute defining a conveyance path; and
a singulator, the singulator including upper and lower reciprocating members, the members configured for alternatingly reciprocating into and out of the conveyance path, only one of the upper and lower members including a separating element having an upper surface and a lower surface, one of the upper and lower surface being formed at an incline relative to the other of the surfaces such that a distance between the upper and lower surfaces increases as the member moves into the conveyance path, wherein the separating element is a wedge having a curved head portion including a concavity formed therein, and wherein the wedge is configured for insertion between adjacent closures and wherein the upper and lower surfaces are configured to contact the adjacent closures to separate the adjacent closures from one another.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A closure feed system for use on an associated form, fill and seal packaging machine for feeding and singulating closures from a closure storage region to a closure applicator. The feed system includes a chute for conveying the closures from the storage region to the applicator along a conveyance path defined by the chute. A singulator includes upper and lower reciprocating members configured for alternatingly reciprocating into and out of the conveyance path. The upper member includes a separating element having an upper surface and a lower surface. One of the upper and lower surfaces is formed at an incline relative to the other surface such that a distance between the upper and lower surfaces increases as the lower member moves into the conveyance path.
5 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A closure feed system for use on an associated form, fill and seal packaging machine for feeding and singulating closures from a closure storage region to a closure applicator, the feed system comprising:
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a chute for conveying the closures from the storage region to the applicator, the chute defining a conveyance path; and
a singulator, the singulator including upper and lower reciprocating members, the members configured for alternatingly reciprocating into and out of the conveyance path, only one of the upper and lower members including a separating element having an upper surface and a lower surface, one of the upper and lower surface being formed at an incline relative to the other of the surfaces such that a distance between the upper and lower surfaces increases as the member moves into the conveyance path, wherein the separating element is a wedge having a curved head portion including a concavity formed therein, and wherein the wedge is configured for insertion between adjacent closures and wherein the upper and lower surfaces are configured to contact the adjacent closures to separate the adjacent closures from one another. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A form, fill and seal packaging machine for forming, filling and sealing packages, the packages having a spout mounted thereto, comprising:
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a carton magazine;
a carton erection station;
a closure applicator station including a closure storage region and a closure applicator, the applicator station including a chute for conveying the closures from the storage region to the closure applicator, the chute defining a conveyance path, the applicator station including a singulator having upper and lower reciprocating members configured for alternatingly reciprocating into and out of the conveyance path, only one of the upper and lower members including a separating element having an upper surface and a lower surface, one of the upper and lower surfaces being formed at an angle relative to the other of the surfaces such that a distance between the upper and lower surfaces increases as the member moves into the conveyance path, wherein the separating element is a wedge having a curved heed portion including a concavity formed therein, the wedge being configured for insertion between adjacent closures and wherein the upper and lower surfaces are configured to contact the adjacent closures to separate the adjacent closures from one another;
a filling station; and
a top sealing station. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification