Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor for changing attitude of item relative to conveyed... – By conveying randomly faced items and turning items to...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-12
2004-02-17
Crawford, Gene O (Department: 3651)
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor for changing attitude of item relative to conveyed...
By conveying randomly faced items and turning items to...
C198S377010, C198S384000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06691854
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for orienting a number of objects such as fruits.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
For the sale of fruit such as apples, pears and the like it is desirable for these to be arranged as attractively as possible in a packing box, i.e. all fruits with the stalk in the same direction and, if appropriate, with the bloom facing upward. In the prior art, this work is usually done manually.
The invention has for its object to provide a device with which this work, which is normally performed manually, can take place automatically.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This objective is achieved with the device according to the invention as disclosed. The lifting means can rotate the objects, such as fruits, such that for instance the stalks all point in the same direction. The subsequent packaging of the objects in the oriented positions can then take place simply with mechanical means.
By causing the lifting means to engage from below, the objects remain readily accessible from above and visible for the detector.
A favourable further development is disclosed herein. It is hereby possible to have the holder conveyor run continuously, whereby a high capacity of the device can be achieved. The lifting means engage the objects for rotating and rotate them if necessary as the holder conveyor advances.
A favourable, simple drive of the object carriers of the lifting means is obtained by the present invention. Rotating of the object carrier, for the purpose of turning the objects on the standing axis of rotation, is realized by the disc rolling along over the stationary strip. The detector determines when the desired standing rotational position has been reached and at that moment moves the stationary strip out of engagement with the disc, whereby the rotation stops.
The desired vertical movement of the lifting means for lifting the objects out of the holders is achieved in favourable manner. The vertical movement is here also brought about by the advancing movement of the carrier conveyor. In this way no separate drive means are thus required for either the lifting or the rotation. The movements are derived from the movement of the conveyor.
The device further enables rotation of the objects on a lying axis of rotation. It is hereby possible for instance in the case of particular fruits to turn the bloom upward so that the fruits for packing all come to lie in the final packaging with the most attractive side upward.
In per se known manner the rotation bodies can take a diabolo form, wherein two adjacent diabolos define in each case one holder. Through rotation of the rotation bodies the objects will also co-rotate on a lying rotation axis.
The rotating means can be embodied in very suitable manner. The rotational drive of the rotation bodies is therefore brought about by these rolling over the stationary strip. The detector ensures that the strip is held in contact with the rotation bodies as long as is required to rotate the objects in question into the desired lying rotational position. The strip is then moved out of contact with the rotation bodies so that the rotation stops.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3605984 (1971-09-01), Erekson et al.
patent: 4161366 (1979-07-01), Bol et al.
patent: 4872564 (1989-10-01), van der Schoot
patent: 5626238 (1997-05-01), Blanc
patent: 6079542 (2000-06-01), Blood
Crawford Gene O
Zovko Mark
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