Handling: hand and hoist-line implements – Hook – hoistline – or grab type – Locking device
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-18
2001-05-29
Kramer, Dean J. (Department: 3652)
Handling: hand and hoist-line implements
Hook, hoistline, or grab type
Locking device
C294S106000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237978
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automated actuation device for releasing items within a confined space. In particular, the present invention relates to an automated pickup head and gripping plate assembly which is used to grip egg cartons or trays and place those egg cartons or trays in stacks in a shipping container or basket.
2. Description of the Art
Eggs are often packaged and sold in rectangular cartons containing a dozen or a dozen-and-a-half eggs (e.g., two or three rows of six eggs), which egg cartons are manufactured of a lightweight material such as polystyrene or cardboard. Eggs are also often shipped or processed using a generally square egg tray containing two-and-a-half dozen eggs (e.g., five rows of six eggs), which egg trays are generally manufactured of a pulp material or plastic. During a process of grading eggs at an egg farm or an egg processing plant, eggs are generally segregated according to, inter alia, size and condition, and are thereafter packed into the above-described egg cartons or trays. Usually, the egg cartons or trays are then stacked within larger shipping containers or wire plastic baskets for later transportation to a retail outlet. Because eggs are a fragile commodity, and because the egg cartons or trays into which eggs are shipped or processed are not particularly strong, it is necessary for the egg cartons or trays stacked in a shipping container or basket to be fairly tightly packed. Tight packing of egg cartons or trays in a shipping container or basket ensures minimum movement of the eggs and egg cartons or trays within the shipping container or basket, thereby reducing the chance of egg breakage during transportation.
Tight packing of egg cartons or trays within a shipping container or basket is generally accomplished using a shipping container or basket having very little clearance between the inside walls of the shipping container or basket and the outside edges of egg cartons or trays stacked therein. This small clearance can make gentle packing of egg cartons or trays, particularly those egg cartons or trays in the bottom of the shipping container or basket, difficult. Careful hand packing of the shipping containers or baskets can ensure gentle packing of egg cartons or trays within a shipping container or basket. However, hand packing of shipping containers or baskets reduces the speed at which the shipping containers or baskets may be packed, increases labor costs, and can result in repetitive motion injuries to the individuals doing the packing. It is therefore desirable to automate the process of packing shipping containers or baskets with egg cartons or trays. The limited clearance between the outside edges of egg cartons or trays being packed and the inside walls of the shipping container or basket severely limits the amount of space available for an automatic packing device to operate, presenting limitations on the design and operation of any automated packing apparatus. In particular, the limited clearance confines the dimensions of the packing device, which must be capable of being inserted within the interior of the shipping container or basket so as to prevent the need to drop cartons or trays into the bottom of the shipping container or basket. Furthermore, the limited clearance also confines the movement of the gripping structure on the packing device because the gripping structure must open to release the egg cartons or trays in the limited clearance between the outside edges of the egg cartons or trays and the inside walls of the shipping container or basket.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an actuation device which allows the automatic gripping of items such as, e.g., egg cartons or trays, and the insertion of those items into a confined space such as, e.g., a shipping container or basket. The actuation device includes a linkage system which allows an entire pickup head and gripping plate assembly to be inserted into a confined space and thereafter the gripping plates to be retracted from the gripped item. As few as one and a maximum of two actuation devices are needed to grip and release items using the device of the present invention. The actuation device of the present invention therefore provides cost advantages over the prior art.
The actuation device may be mounted on any known or conventional apparatus for moving and orienting the pickup head and gripping plate assembly to grasp individual items and to transfer those items to, and insert those items within, a confined space. Connected to the pickup head and gripping plate assembly is an actuating device. The actuating device is made up of an air cylinder, spider arm and actuating bar. The actuating bar is connected to an pin connection of the pickup head. The pickup heads are connected to the gripping plates by a first link and a second link. Both the first links and the second links are pivotally mounted on the pickup head. Further, however, an intermediate portion of each gripping plate is not only pivotally attached, but slidably attached as well to the second link. A biasing element such as, e.g., a torsional spring, attached on the second link biases the plate away from the pickup head toward a fully open position. The lower end of the gripping plates are preferably slightly curved, and are used to grip the side and bottom of the items to be inserted and/or removed within the confined space.
In operation of present invention, the actuation device is moved to a position above, and aligned with, the group of items to be inserted into the confined space. The gripping plates are retracted to their fully open positions, so that the ends of the gripping plates are in their widest-apart position. In such a position, the pin, attaching the gripping plate to the second link, slides in the slot in the second link to its outwardmost position in the slot due to the biasing force applied by the biasing element. Thereafter, the actuation device is lowered to a position adjacent the group of items to be gripped. The gripping plates are then actuated to their fully closed positions. Such actuation of the gripping plates causes the first links to rotate downwardly, causing downward movement of the gripping plates as well as inward movement of the gripping plate ends as the result of the restraint imposed by second links. In the fully closed position of the actuation devices, the curved ends of the gripping plates extend underneath the items to thereby support the items vertically and horizontally.
The pickup head is then moved to a position above the shipping container or basket to be filled, and thereafter lowered. The items are lowered until they are placed on top of a previous layer of items, or in the case of the first layer of items, until they are placed on the bottom of the shipping container or basket. After the items are lowered to their desired position, the actuating devices are retracted. Retraction of the retraction devices causes the first links to pivot upwardly, drawing the upper ends of gripping plates upwardly and inwardly. The pins slide inwardly in the slots on second links as the intermediate portion of the gripping plate pivots outwardly, as the result of contact of the gripping plates with the inner wall of the shipping container or basket. This contact overcomes the bias of the biasing elements which normally bias the gripping plates outwardly. After the gripping plates reach their fully retracted position, the ends of the gripping plates are no longer under the items, and the actuation device may be lifted, while leaving the items within the shipping container or basket.
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patent: 5398983 (1
Chin Paul T.
Diamond Automations, Inc.
Kramer Dean J.
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