Patent · US Expired

Variable-sized molded product tray denesting apparatus

US7641438B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
25References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 16, 2004
Grant dateJan 5, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 15, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB65G47/918
  • WIPO fieldHandling
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A tray denesting apparatus is provided comprising a receptacle for holding at least one nested stack of packing trays. A conveyer belt is further provided for receiving each of the packing trays upon release from the receptacle. The denesting apparatus has at least one set of soft flexible suction cups disposed below the conveyer belt and which are disposed on a bellows assembly which is moveable between a first position and a second position so that at least one of the soft flexible suction cups may adhere to a first one of the packing trays, and successive packing trays. The tray denester further may include an automatic adjustment apparatus to correspond with selected size parameters of the trays being utilized. As a result, an individual tray may be removed from the receptacle, deposited on the conveyer belt and the conveyer belt then advancing the selected tray to the required area of use.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.