Package making – Group forming of contents unit and subsequent or further... – Layer – stack – or column
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-29
2001-10-30
Vo, Peter (Department: 3721)
Package making
Group forming of contents unit and subsequent or further...
Layer, stack, or column
C053S252000, C053S543000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06308502
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to apparatus and methods in the packaging industry. More particularly, the invention relates to a barrel cam loader arm assembly incorporated into a barrel cam loading mechanism used within a packaging system.
2. Background Information
The state of the art in general includes various packaging devices and methods. These devices and methods are believed to have significant limitations and shortcomings. Specifically, the article groups may jam within an article group transfer mechanism and may damage the articles or the carton. One solution for detecting and relieving pressure associated with a load jam is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,796, owned by the applicants' assignee, which discloses a release mechanism that is connected to a cam assembly in the article group transfer mechanism. The release mechanism, such as a pressure release cylinder and piston, is controlled by a sensing mechanism such as a photoeye or capacitive proximity sensor. An excessive force placed on the outer rail of the cam assembly due to a jamming of the arm assembly, for example, will actuate the release mechanism enabling the outer rail to pivot away. However, the amount of force required to actuate the release mechanism will vary depending on where the loader arm is with respect to the pivot point on the outer rail assembly, i.e. more force is required near the pivot point and less force is required away from the pivot point. Additionally, once the release mechanism is actuated due to a jam, multiple lanes of articles and packages may be damaged, which requires an operator to clean and reset each of these lanes.
This invention provides each barrel cam loader arm assembly within the barrel cam loading mechanism with an independent means for detecting a load jam that is believed to constitute an improvement over existing technology. The sensitivity of the independent means for detecting a load jam is adjustable to account for the degree that the articles and packages are sturdy or delicate, and it remains constant or consistent as each arm assembly travels within the loader arm assembly.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a loader arm assembly incorporated into a barrel cam loading mechanism used within a packaging system such as a cartoner or a sleever. The loader arm assembly generally comprises an arm, a housing, and means for detecting a load jam condition. The housing is operably connected to at least one motive mechanism and is adapted for moving the arm to load product into a package. The arm has both a latched state and a released sate with respect to the housing. The arm normally is in the latched state to load product into the package, and enters the released state to relieve pressure upon detecting the load jam condition. The arm includes a base plate and a loading head.
The base plate has a first end and a second end. The housing is formed with a guide passage that is adapted for receiving the base plate. The means for detecting a load jam preferably includes at least one detent adapted for holding the base plate with respect to the housing in the latched state. The detent(s) preferably is formed by a tip of at least one plug extending through the housing to the guide passage. The tip is adapted for applying a holding force against the base plate. The first end of the base plate has at least one depression adapted for receiving the tip of the plug(s) in the latched state and for releasing the tip to slide on a surface of the base plate upon the application of a predetermined load pressure attributable to the load jam condition.
The motive mechanism(s) includes a flight chain and guide tube assembly adapted for providing a longitudinal motion to the housing and a control cam assembly operably positioned with respect to the flight chain and guide tube assembly to provide a lateral motion to the housing. The flight chain and guide tube assembly includes a parallel pair of flight chains and at least one guide tube connected to and extending between the flight chains. The housing has at least one guide tube aperture adapted for slidably receiving the guide tube(s), and includes a cam follower adapted for operably contacting the control cam assembly. The control cam assembly engages and influences the housing to laterally move along the guide tube(s) as the flight chain and guide tube assembly longitudinally transport the housing and the arm in a longitudinal direction.
The housing includes a body portion and a cover portion removably attached to the body portion. Both the body portion and the cover portion have cooperating channels to form the guide passage adapted for receiving the base plate and for laterally moving the arm to load product into a package if the arm is and remains in the latched state. The plug(s) extends through the cover portion to the guide passage. The plug(s) and depression(s) provide the arm with both the latched state in which the arm moves laterally with the housing and the released state in which the arm does not move laterally with the housing. The plug(s) have threads and extend through a threaded aperture in the cover portion. The holding force corresponding to the predetermined load pressure that is attributable to the load jam condition may be adjusted by turning the plug(s) or by using more or fewer plug(s). Therefore, each arm assembly in the barrel cam loading mechanism has an independent means for detecting a load jam that has a sensitivity that is adjustable to account for the degree that the articles and packages are sturdy or delicate, and is constant or consistent as each arm assembly travels within the loader arm assembly.
The loader arm assembly is described and shown within a barrel cam loading mechanism that is incorporated into a continuous motion packaging mechanism. The barrel cam loading mechanism generally comprises a plurality of the loader arm assemblies described above, a flight chain and guide tube assembly, and a control cam assembly. The flight chain and guide tube assembly is adapted for providing a longitudinal motion to the housing of each of the loader arm assemblies, and generally includes a parallel pair of longitudinally oriented flight chains and at least one guide tube for each of the plurality of loader arm assemblies connected to and laterally extending between the flight chains. The guide tube(s) has a slidable fit within guide tube aperture(s) in the housing. The plurality of loader arm assemblies are disposed along the flight chains at predetermined longitudinally spaced intervals. The control cam assembly is operably positioned proximate to the flight chain and guide tube assembly to provide a lateral motion to the housing of each of the loader arm assemblies. The control cam assembly influences the housing to laterally move along the guide tube(s) as the flight chain and guide tube assembly longitudinally transports the housing.
The packaging system may be a continuous motion packaging mechanism, or cartoner, which generally comprises a carton supply and transport mechanism, an article supply mechanism, an article group selection and transport mechanism, and the barrel cam loading mechanism described above. The carton supply and transport mechanism is adapted for providing a linear stream of longitudinally spaced carton sleeves. The article supply mechanism is adapted for providing streams of articles to a predetermined position. The article group selection and transport mechanism is disposed adjacent and parallel to the carton supply and transport mechanism, and is adapted for metering the articles provided by the article supply mechanism into predetermined article groups and for transporting a linear stream of longitudinally spaced article groups that are aligned with the carton sleeves, thus enabling the barrel cam loading mechanism to load the article groups into the carton sleeves. An example of a high-speed cartoner is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,796, owned by the applicants' assign
Geisenhof Gerald
Olson Allen
Huynh Louis K.
McLary Steve
Riverwood International Corporation
Skinner and Associates
Vo Peter
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