Package making – Methods – Group forming of contents into a unit
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-14
2001-03-27
Vo, Peter (Department: 3721)
Package making
Methods
Group forming of contents into a unit
C053S147000, C053S448000, C053S544000, C053S547000, C198S383000, C198S443000, C198S446000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06205749
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to collating apparatus for collating loose articles and more particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for arranging and/or collating articles into a neat orderly array and a method of employing the apparatus.
BACKGROUND ART
Many different forms of collating arrangements are known in the art and one of the chief drawbacks of those existing arrangements is realized with the degree of labour intensity. Generally speaking, several personnel are involved in handling the articles to eventually be packaged and this often leads to difficulties in terms of damaged goods as well as complications with respect to health standards. Further limitations revolve around the fact that the additional personnel add labour costs to the overall process.
It would be desirable if there were a method for collating loose articles into an orderly array which is significantly less labour intensive and which reduces the contact between the product and the personnel packaging the product.
The present invention is directed to solving the difficulties as set forth herein.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
The present invention has utility in the food handling art.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for collating loose articles into an orderly array.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for orienting articles having edges and generally rounded opposed ends, comprising:
a plurality of continuous channels for slidably transporting the articles, each channel having a receiving end for receiving the articles and a discharge end for discharging the articles, each channel having a width dimension, a diagonal wall, an opposed wall and a top edge, each channel having a generally sawtooth configuration adjacent the receiving end with the width dimension progressively decreasing from the receiving end to the discharge end, each channel having substantially vertical and parallel walls adjacent the discharge end and reduced width relative to the receiving end, the receiving end being at a higher elevation than the discharge end; and
repositioning means at the top edge of each channel for repositioning an article contacting the edge into a respective channel, whereby when the articles are received in a relatively random form at the receiving end and are slidably transported under gravity to the discharge end, the channels and the repositioning means orient the articles from a relatively disordered form with respect to one another to an ordered collated array with respect to one another.
Any number of channels may be employed in the arrangement and this will depend upon the volume of article to be packaged among other factors. The channel may be formed of any suitable material having a low coefficient of friction in order to ensure quick transportation of the product from the receiving end of the apparatus to a discharge end. To this end, the receiving end will be elevated relative to the discharge end in order to provide a “ramp effect” and thus facilitate sliding of the article down the channel. Suitable materials for construction of the channels include aluminum, Teflon™ suitable plastics or other suitable metals acceptable to the food industry and also providing the necessary degree of friction. As a further feature, the temperature of the channels may be controlled (heated, cooled) depending upon the type of product to be collated.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for sorting and packaging articles, comprising, in combination:
conveyor means for conveying the articles;
a plurality of continuous channels for slidably transporting the articles, each channel having a receiving end for receiving the articles and a discharge end for discharging the articles, each channel having a width dimension, a diagonal wall, an opposed wall and a top edge, each channel having a generally sawtooth configuration adjacent the receiving end with the width dimension progressively decreasing from the receiving end to the discharge end, each channel having substantially vertical and parallel walls adjacent the discharge end and reduced width relative to the receiving end, the receiving end being at a higher elevation than the discharge end;
repositioning means at the top edge of each channel for repositioning an article contacting the edge into a respective channel; and
packaging means for packaging an array of oriented articles.
The channels may include pegs, cams or some additional element on the top edges in order to reposition, for example, a potato patty from a generally horizontal position relative to the channel to a position where the patty is vertically oriented within the channel. This may also be achieved by providing a texture on the top edge of the channels or simply having different material on adjacent top edges to provide a different coefficient of friction. This will ensure that any randomness in the orientation of the product is eliminated by the edging to reposition the article. In this manner, the channels provide a self-aligning feature for the articles contacting them.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of collating loose articles from a relatively disordered state, comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of channels for slidably receiving the articles, the channels tapering in width from a receiving end to a discharge end and having a substantially sawtooth configuration adjacent the receiving end and a parallel vertical wall configuration adjacent the discharge end, the receiving end being elevated relative to the discharge end, the channels being continuous and uninterrupted between the receiving end and the discharge end;
introducing the articles at the receiving end at any orientation relative to the channels;
sliding the articles, by gravity, down a respective channel to progressively collate the articles at the discharge end; and
discharging the articles in an ordered collated array.
Having thus described the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings illustrating preferred embodiments.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2775334 (1956-12-01), Jeremiah
patent: 3301378 (1967-01-01), Wayne et al.
patent: 3469672 (1969-09-01), Stutske et al.
patent: 3528213 (1970-09-01), Mottweiler
patent: 3752293 (1973-08-01), Fort
patent: 4146123 (1979-03-01), Cottrell
patent: 4163487 (1979-08-01), Dupuis
patent: 4339027 (1982-07-01), Lauer
patent: 4953343 (1990-09-01), Hellman
patent: 6006890 (1999-12-01), Crawford
(Marks & Clerk)
Crawford Paul
Huynh Louis
Sharpe Paul S.
Vo Peter
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