Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor for changing attitude of item relative to conveyed... – For changing both the elevation and the posture of...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-31
2001-04-10
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3651)
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor for changing attitude of item relative to conveyed...
For changing both the elevation and the posture of...
C198S408000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213281
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for combined transfer-turnover of packets of cigarettes.
In cigarette manufacturing and conditioning systems, finished cellophaned packets, i.e. enclosed in an outer wrapping impermeable to air, are fed successively by a conveyor in a first direction with a first given orientation, and are then turned over to assume a second orientation normally rotated 90° with respect to the first.
The packets are normally turned over by means of a turnover wheel rotating about a respective axis perpendicular to said first direction, and having a number of substantially radial arms, which move past the output end of the conveyor to receive respective packets and feed them forward with a second orientation rotated 90° with respect to the first.
As they are turned over, the packets must of course be guided by outer guide elements, along which a whole face of each packet slides.
Due to the increasingly high output speed at which modern systems are operated, the sliding movement of the packets may result in scoring of the outer wrapping, which, being made of increasingly thinner sheet material for environmental reasons, is normally less resistant to external stress than formerly.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,894,626 and the description entitled “Vacuum Conveyor Sucks Up Cartons” (MACHINE DESIGN—vol. 46, no. 2, Jan. 24, 1974. pages 40-40, XP002067430), show a conveying device for combined transfer-turnover of products, wherein the products are fed successively by a first conveyor in a first direction perpendicular to a front face of each product and along a portion of a path extending through a transfer station, at which each packet is engaged, at its front face, by a second suction conveyor removing the product from the transfer station in a second direction parallel to the noted front face.
The aforementioned second suction conveyor comprises a porous conveying surface movable over and along a vacuum chamber having a plurality of holes; and air drawn through the porous conveying surface by the vacuum chamber holds the front faces of the products in contact with the conveying surface of the second suction conveyor.
Since only a relatively small part of the aforementioned porous conveying surface is engaged by the front faces of the products, and a relatively great quantity of air is sucked into the suction chamber through the remaining part of the porous conveying surface, the vacuum within the suction chamber is, in general, relatively weak as is the suction force through the porous conveying surface.
The known devices described above cannot be used for conveying products which are to be conveyed at a relatively high speed, such as cigarette packets in a modern cigarette packer normally operating at a rate of 600 packets/minute, owing to the fact that high transport speeds involve high centrifugal and inertial forces which cannot be contrasted by a weak vacuum.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for combined transfer-turnover of packets of cigarettes, designed to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.
According to the present invention there is provided a method for combined transfer-turnover of packets of cigarettes, the method comprising the steps of successively feeding a packet, with a first face forwards, in a first direction perpendicular to said first face and by means of first conveying means, along a portion of a path extending through a transfer station; and engaging said packet, by means of second conveying means and at the transfer station, to remove the packet from the transfer station in a second direction parallel to said first face; the method being characterized in that said packet is engaged at said transfer station by a suction seat mobile with the second conveying means through said transfer station in time with supply of said packet to the transfer station; said packet being engaged by said suction seat at said front face, and being fed along said path by moving said suction seat with said second conveying means.
The present invention also relates to a unit for combined transfer-turnover of packets of cigarettes.
According to the present invention, there is provided a unit for combined transfer-turnover of packets of cigarettes, the unit comprising first conveying means for successively feeding packets in a first direction along a portion of a path, and each with a respective first face forwards and perpendicular to said first direction; a transfer station located along said path and downstream from said first conveying means; and second suction conveying means for engaging each packet at the transfer station to remove the packet from the transfer station in a second direction parallel to said first face; the unit being characterized in that said second conveying means comprise a succession of suction seats, each for engaging a said first face of a respective said packet by suction, and each mobile with said second conveying means to feed the respective packet along said path in said second direction and downstream from said transfer station; said second suction conveying means being synchronized with said first conveying means for feeding each suction seat through said transfer station in time with supply of a relevant said packet to the transfer station.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3894626 (1975-07-01), Neumann
patent: 4560060 (1985-12-01), Lenhart
patent: 4883163 (1989-11-01), Gamberini et al.
patent: 5025910 (1991-06-01), Lasure et al.
patent: 5730048 (1998-03-01), Averill et al.
patent: 2324546 (1977-04-01), None
patent: 59-163221 (1984-09-01), None
Patent Abstracts of Japan of JP 59-163221 of Sep. 1984.
“Vacuum Conveyor Sucks Up Cartons”Machine Designs, vol. 46, No. 2, Jan. 24, 1974.
Biondi Andrea
Draghetti Fiorenzo
Deuble Mark A.
Ellis Christopher P.
G.D Societa' per Aziona
Ladas and Parry
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