Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02529043 2005-12-12
WO 2004/113174 PCT/US2004/018693
-1-
FEEDER MECHANISM FOR A PACKAGING MACHINE
Ba~ound of the Invention
This invention relates to packaging of primary articles such as cans ox
bottles in cartons and
is more particularly concerned with feeding the cartons in collapsed condition
from a hopper
and for transferring the cartons to an in-feed end of a packaging machine.
UK Patent GB 2 053 133 to Bosch concerns an apparatus for removing, folding
box blanks
to from a stationary magazine and erecting and transferring the blanks. It
comprises transfer
suction members which are mounted on four point linkages and arranged on a
rotary carrier
controlled by cams. During rotation, to facilitate the removal of the blanks a
stationary
condition of the suction members occurs. During the transfer of the erected
blanks to the
transport device, the suction members are moved synchronously with the
transport device.
US Patent US 4 625 575 to Le Bras concerns a cam assembly for a feeder
mechanism in
which the cam plate is formed for a continuous cam track and a shallower cam
track. Cam
track follower arms are used for relative movement within first and second cam
tracks. ~ Pick
up means is connected to the cam arm by an eccentric arm and the cam tracks
because the
pick up means to move to an outwardly extended position and to an inwaxdly
retracted
position.
German patent DE 3 525 448 to LM.A. concerns an apparatus for feeding and
erecting
collapsed cartons from a hopper mounted at an angle from the vertical. The
apparatus
comprises a rotatable frame to which vacuum cups are attached via a linkage.
As the frame
rotates, the suctions cups retract so as to remove the collapsed cartons from
the hopper and
then to simultaneously transfer the collapsed cartons whilst separating the
walls thereof. The
retractable linkage is complex and, therefore, expensive to manufacture and
maintain.
3o In WO 98/52825, there is shown a rotary feeder mechanism to supply blanks
from an inclined
hopper.
CA 02529043 2005-12-12
WO 2004/113174 PCT/US2004/018693
The prior art highlighted above refers to carton pick up means that rotates
continuously, to
cause the cartons to be withdrawn and accelerated to match the machine
throughput speed.
One problem associated with the transfer of cartons is that by combining the
withdrawal and
acceleration functions limits the machine speeds because a carton withdrawn by
a rotary
s feeder is restricted by the rotary action.
The present invention and its preferred embodiment seeks to overcome or at
least mitigate the
problems associated with the prior art.
l0 Summary of the Invention
In one aspect of the invention, there comprises, an apparatus for sequentially
manipulating
from a supply point of a hopper collapsed cartons having oppositely disposed
face contacting
panels and for transferring the cartons to an in-feed end of a packaging
machine, which
15 apparatus comprising carton pick up means for sequentially engaging one of
said face
contacting panels and for withdrawing from the hopper a collapsed carton. The
carton pick
up means is connected to a shaft by a frame and moveable to move the blank in
a transverse
plane to the flow of cartons, the frame being slidably secured on a collar
structure to move
the frame in a linear action relative to a rotatable transfer mechanism, to
transfer the carton
2o on for further processing.
Optionally, the carton is transferred to acceleration means to be accelerated
to match the
velocity of the packaging machine.
25 In some embodiments, the linear movement of the carton pick up means
immediately prior to
and during withdrawal of a carton from the hopper is arrested for a brief
interval by the action
of a cam controlled cam bar which is movable radially during such brief
interval and which is
operably connected with the carton pick up means.
3o In other embodiments, the carton pick up means comprises a vacuum supply
and a suction
cup.
CA 02529043 2005-12-12
WO 2004/113174 PCT/US2004/018693
-3-
A controller may be provided to control the velocity of the transverse and
linear motions and,
as the case may be, the acceleration means.
A second aspect of the invention provides a method of sequentially
manipulating from a
supply point of a hopper collapsed cartons having oppositely disposed face
contacting panels
and for transferring the cartons to an in-feed end of a packaging machine,
which method
comprises the steps of withdrawing a carton in a transverse direction to the
flow of cartons
lowering the cartons to an accelerating means and accelerating the carton to
match the speed
of the transfer apparatus at the in-feed of the machine.
l0
Brief Description of the Drawing-s
Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of
example only,
with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGURES 1 and 2 are perspective views of the carton blank feed mechanism of a
packaging
machine according to one aspect of the invention.
FIGURE 3 is a simplified drawing showing the feeder and blank transfer
mechanism.
FIGURES 4 to 9 illustrate the process of feeding a blank from a hopper to the
transfer
mechanism.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
Referring now to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, there is shown a feeder
mechanism 10 of
a machine for processing carton blanks. The upstream end of the packaging
machine
includes a hopper H in which a multiplicity of cartons in flat collapsed
condition are held
ready for processing. As shown in Figure 3, the cartons are removed from the
hopper H
3o sequentially by a feeder mechanism 10 and transferred to a blank transfer
mechanism 60 or
conveyor for further processing.
CA 02529043 2005-12-12
WO 2004/113174 PCT/US2004/018693
-4-
The feeder mechanism 10 comprises a carton pick up means 12 for withdrawing
the lower
most collapsed carton from the hopper. In this embodiment the carton pick up
means
comprises a plurality of suction cups 14, 16, 18, 20, for example four suction
cups, which are
each supported on cup holders and a frame 19. The cup holder frame 19 is
fixedly mounted
respectively on elongate support rods 24. In one class of embodiments, the
rods 24 are
slidably mounted respectively on a collar structure 22 which is rotatably
mounted to shafts
26, 28. The shafts 26, 28 are generally supported at their ends by a suitable
bearing structure
but which is conventional and which is mounted to a side frame. Suitable
driving
mechanism, for example a servomotor, is provided to rotate the shaft 26, in a
transverse
l0 manner Y-Y' (figures 4, 5 and 7) described in more detail below.
In order to move the slide rods 24 in a reciprocal linear action through the
collar structure 22,
the slide rods are connected to support frame 40, shown in Figure 2 for
transmitting the linear
motion from the drive means.
The feeder is powered by suitable drive means, for example a servo motor S,
driving a drive
belt D to transmit drive to a pair of indexers 44, 50. The indexers 44, 50
convert a continuous
drive input into a reciprocating, and optionally intermittent, drive output.
2o In order to impart a linear motion to the pick up means, linkages 43 and 42
that are pivotally
connected together, connect the drive output to the support frame 40. Thus as
linkage 43
rotates to and fro in a reciprocal manner, the linkage 42 is caused to move in
a linear motion
in directions X-X' (Figures 1, 5, 6, 7 and 8), resulting in the linear motion
of the frame 19 in
the same direction.
Likewise, to impart a transverse motion to the pick up means, linkages 48 and
46 that are
pivotally connected together, connect the drive output to the collar
structure. Thus, as
linkage 48 rotates to and fro in a reciprocal manner, the linkage 46 is caused
to move in a
linear motion in directions Y-Y', resulting in the transverse swinging motion
(about the shafts
26, 28) of the frame 19 in the same direction. .
CA 02529043 2005-12-12
WO 2004/113174 PCT/US2004/018693
-5-
In this embodiment, it is envisaged that a vacuum break is provided in the
feeder mechanism
which is used in conjunction with a vacuum supply to set the vacuum connection
and cut
off points thereby determining when the carton is held by the feeder mechanism
10.
5 Whilst the use of vacuum cups to supply cartons to the conveyor is
preferred, it is envisaged
that the present invention can be used or adapted to be used with other types
of pick up
means, for example grippers, without departing from the scope of the
invention.
In order to accelerate the cartons, once withdrawn from the hopper H,
acceleration wheels 34,
l0 36 are provided. In this embodiment, there comprises two pairs of
acceleration wheels
positioned adjacent each other to provide a nip in-feed point N to receive a
leading edge of
the carton and to allow the carton blank to pass there through. The
acceleration wheels 34,
36 are mounted to drive shafts 32, 38 which are driven by suitable drive
means, D1.
The acceleration wheels 34, 36 are mounted to the feeder frame 30, which can
be fitted to a
packaging machine or supplied as a separate module. It is envisaged that the
feeder
mechanism can be fitted to new machinery or fitted to existing machinery on a
retro-fit basis.
The hopper H is, preferably, a "gravity feed" type whereby the carton blanks
are held in the
2o hopper at an incline to provide a positive feed so a continuous supply of
cartons is
maintained.
The transfer process will now be described with reference to Figures 4 to 9.
In order for the
blank to be transferred from the inclined position, the feeder mechanism 10
continuously and
sequentially feeds cartons from the hopper to the in-feed transfer mechanism
which is
rotating constantly in direction V indicated by the arrow, shown in Figure 3.
The first step shown in Figure 4 is to move the pick up means 12 in a
transverse direction Y
towards the hopper H. The suction cup 20 is moved into contact with side wall
of carton. A
3o vacuum is then applied to the set of suction cups by the vacuum supply.
Thus, the carton is
withdrawn by moving the pick up means in a transverse direction Y'. As soon as
the carton
is moved in the transverse direction then the suction cup 20 is moved in a
linear downward
CA 02529043 2005-12-12
WO 2004/113174 PCT/US2004/018693
-6-
motion X to move the carton towards the acceleration wheels 34, 36, shown in
Figure 5.
Thereafter the carton is received in the nip in-feed of the wheels and is
accelerated, shown in
Figure 6. The vacuum is then maintained during this transfer stage so that the
suction cups
hold the side wall of the carton.
Once the carton is deposited at the wheels, the vacuum break disconnects the
vacuum supply
from the suction cups to release the carton, by moving the suction cup in a
transverse and
linear movements X', Y', shown in Figure 7.
The acceleration wheels 34, 36 accelerate the blank which is then placed in
contact with a
leading lug of the conveyor set shown generally at Figure 8. The lugs maintain
the position
of the carton and move the carton downstream to a set up station. At the same
time, the
suction cup 20 is returned to the start position shown in Figure 9.
It will be seen from Figures 4 to 9 that as the feeder withdraws and
manipulates the cartons,
they also undergo a translation about the path of the rotary movement of the
transfer
mechanism.
The feeder mechanism 10, the transfer mechanism are controlled by a controller
to coordinate
2o the throughput speeds of the cartons.
It is envisaged that the adjustments to the machine are controlled by computer
program which
enables adjustment to be automated thereby minimizing machine downtime. For
example,
speed of the feeder can be increased or decreased if it is required or the
acceleration vectors
can be increased or decreased to change the angle of movement.
It has been found that by separating the withdrawal function and the
acceleration of the
carton into two discrete functions, that the throughput speeds can be
increased as the risk of
carton damage is reduced.
A machine according to the present invention is adjustable in a number of
respects so as to be
able to process cartons containing numerous configurations of groups of
articles to create a
CA 02529043 2005-12-12
WO 2004/113174 PCT/US2004/018693
range of carton size and shape, for example, four bottles to eight bottles
without undue
amounts of downtime being spent in adjusting the machines. Indeed, the machine
can be
readily adapted to process cartons to produce a wide range of cartons having
numerous article
group configurations.
