Continuous motion case packing apparatus and method
US6571532B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 28, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jun 3, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 28, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65B21/183
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A continuous motion apparatus for depacking and packing articles in cases which includes a carriage which carries a plurality of transfer arms; a plurality of article pick-up heads carried by the transfer arms for picking up a group of the articles at a pick-up station to transfer the articles to a release station. In a case packing configuration of the invention, a slug metering section includes a slug feeder continuously receiving articles from an infeed conveyor. A revolving pin bar mechanism is carried in the slug metering section having a plurality of revolving pin bar assemblies to assist in forming the articles into successive groups or slugs of articles. The pin bar assemblies include spaced upstanding pins which are received in crevices between rear articles in a first slug and front articles in a second slug of articles to separate the articles for processing. A slug metering member, which can also have upstanding posts, is carried across the slug metering section and pivots in and out of a conveyance path of the articles in synchronism with the revolving pin bar mechanism to meter the articles. In the depacking configuration, a plurality of article gripper tubes are carr…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.