Container handling system
US6398461B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 15, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jun 4, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 15, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65G2201/0244
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A container handling system (10) comprises a first belt conveyor (14), an air bed conveyor (16) adjacent the outlet (34) of the first belt conveyor (14), a second belt conveyor (18) adjacent the outlet 54) of the air bed conveyor (16), a pattern forming apparatus (110) including first and second partitions (114) defining therebetween a lane (118), a top cover (154) slidably positionable over the air bed conveyor (16) and over a portion of the pattern forming apparatus (110), and an alignment mechanism (170). The lane (118) has an inlet (138) positioned over the air bed conveyor (16) and an outlet (142) positioned over the second belt conveyor (18). The top cover (154) is movable along the direction of flow of containers (C) between covered and uncovered positions. The top cover includes a solid portion (158), and a perforated portion (162) allowing air to flow therethrough. The alignment mechanism (170) aligns the top cover (154) relative to the pattern forming apparatus (110) when the top cover (154) is in the covered position.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.