Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor system for arranging or rearranging stream of items – By queueing items from quantity source of items into stream...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-20
2003-05-20
Bidwell, James R. (Department: 3651)
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor system for arranging or rearranging stream of items
By queueing items from quantity source of items into stream...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06564925
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to methods and devices utilized in automatically aligning objects and particularly for use in aligning elongated objects as part of an automated processing system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Objects such as screws, nails, and elongated plastic leg elements in fastening devices such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,156, issued Oct. 13, 1981, usually require a longitudinal alignment such as for packaging or further processing into a finished product. These and other similar objects have, in the past, either been aligned by hand, a very costly and time consuming operation, or they have been aligned by vibration action in a bowl feeder. However, the vibration action tends to damage fragile parts and also sometimes results in tangled elements with possible jamming and the necessity for the complete shutdown of processing machinery.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a method and device for the non-vigorous (“gentle”) handling and automated longitudinal aligning of objects and particularly elongated objects.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide said method and device with a rotating cylinder structure and object pickup structure which, in combination with gravity action, serves to positively align the objects in a desired uniform direction.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a belt feed line, which further also automatically provides a single directional orientation for the aligned objects, which have ends of different width dimensions.
Generally the present invention comprises a device for the automated non-vigorous uniform alignment and uniform directional orientation of objects for subsequent automated packaging, processing, manufacturing and the like.
The device comprises longitudinal rotating means with object pick-up elements and wherein the pick-up elements comprises means for picking up objects in various alignments and further comprises means for initial removal of non-aligned objects from the pick-up elements and removal of aligned objects thereafter. Said device further comprises means for collecting the aligned objects, and maintaining the aligned objects in said alignment, but not the non-aligned objects, after removal of the aligned objects from the pick-up element. The device further optionally comprises means for orienting the aligned objects into a uniform orientation. Said orientation means comprises means for separating rearward from forward facing objects and means for re-combining said objects all in a rearward or forward facing orientation (“rearward” and “forward” are relative to a selected end configuration of the objects).
The alignment method of the present invention comprises the steps of:
a) using means for collecting and elevating appropriately aligned and non-aligned objects together; whereby at least one of said objects is securely seated within said collecting and elevating means;
b) using gravity to cause the non-aligned objects to fall off the elevating means prior to use of gravity for causing aligned and securely seated objects to fall off the elevating means, with only the aligned objects being collected and maintained in alignment and transported to processing means and wherein the non-aligned objects are returned to be elevated by said elevation means.
In a preferred embodiment, the collected and transported aligned objects, are further uniformly oriented by orienting means.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more evident from the following discussion and drawings in which:
REFERENCES:
patent: 4583635 (1986-04-01), Timmer et al.
patent: 4984678 (1991-01-01), Fauchard
patent: 5353914 (1994-10-01), Stephen et al.
patent: 5427224 (1995-06-01), Suehara et al.
patent: 5765676 (1998-06-01), Kalm
patent: 192594 (1986-08-01), None
patent: 2456060 (1981-01-01), None
patent: 2-305709 (1990-12-01), None
Cadwallader Robert H.
Lee Yu-Cheng
Bidwell James R.
Mechanical Plastics Corp.
Nissenbaum Israel
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