CA1109026A - Vacuum starwheel classification system - Google Patents
Vacuum starwheel classification systemInfo
- Publication number
- CA1109026A CA1109026A CA284,292A CA284292A CA1109026A CA 1109026 A CA1109026 A CA 1109026A CA 284292 A CA284292 A CA 284292A CA 1109026 A CA1109026 A CA 1109026A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- port
- ports
- vacuum
- stationary
- hub
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
- 238000012546 transfer Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 31
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 claims description 40
- 230000006854 communication Effects 0.000 claims description 40
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 claims description 13
- 238000012360 testing method Methods 0.000 claims description 13
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 claims description 9
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims description 5
- 238000010926 purge Methods 0.000 claims description 5
- 239000000543 intermediate Substances 0.000 claims 7
- 230000003213 activating effect Effects 0.000 claims 1
- 230000001050 lubricating effect Effects 0.000 claims 1
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 claims 1
- 239000012298 atmosphere Substances 0.000 abstract description 4
- 238000007689 inspection Methods 0.000 description 19
- 238000005204 segregation Methods 0.000 description 3
- 101100110009 Caenorhabditis elegans asd-2 gene Proteins 0.000 description 1
- 235000013382 Morus laevigata Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 244000278455 Morus laevigata Species 0.000 description 1
- 241001501939 Prionailurus iriomotensis Species 0.000 description 1
- 230000006978 adaptation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000011109 contamination Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007547 defect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000013461 design Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012423 maintenance Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229920000136 polysorbate Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000013641 positive control Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000004044 response Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000007704 transition Effects 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
- B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
- B07C5/00—Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
- B07C5/04—Sorting according to size
- B07C5/12—Sorting according to size characterised by the application to particular articles, not otherwise provided for
- B07C5/122—Sorting according to size characterised by the application to particular articles, not otherwise provided for for bottles, ampoules, jars and other glassware
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
- B65G47/52—Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors i.e. discharging or feeding devices
- B65G47/68—Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors i.e. discharging or feeding devices adapted to receive articles arriving in one layer from one conveyor lane and to transfer them in individual layers to more than one conveyor lane or to one broader conveyor lane, or vice versa, e.g. combining the flows of articles conveyed by more than one conveyor
- B65G47/71—Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors i.e. discharging or feeding devices adapted to receive articles arriving in one layer from one conveyor lane and to transfer them in individual layers to more than one conveyor lane or to one broader conveyor lane, or vice versa, e.g. combining the flows of articles conveyed by more than one conveyor the articles being discharged or distributed to several distinct separate conveyors or to a broader conveyor lane
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
- B65G47/74—Feeding, transfer, or discharging devices of particular kinds or types
- B65G47/84—Star-shaped wheels or devices having endless travelling belts or chains, the wheels or devices being equipped with article-engaging elements
- B65G47/846—Star-shaped wheels or wheels equipped with article-engaging elements
- B65G47/848—Star-shaped wheels or wheels equipped with article-engaging elements the article-engaging elements being suction or magnetic means
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N33/00—Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
- G01N33/0078—Testing material properties on manufactured objects
- G01N33/0081—Containers; Packages; Bottles
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Food Science & Technology (AREA)
- Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
- Biochemistry (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Immunology (AREA)
- Pathology (AREA)
- Specific Conveyance Elements (AREA)
- Cleaning In General (AREA)
- Branching, Merging, And Special Transfer Between Conveyors (AREA)
Abstract
Abstract of the Disclosure A vacuum starwheel which provides for a positive vacuum to hold containers, such as bottles, to maintain the bottles in position during transfer by the starwheel, and with the use of a pair of hub members, one rotating relative to the other, and with one hub member including a plurality of ports corresponding to and connecting with tubes and cups to retain the bottles and with the other hub including a plurality of ports connected to either vacuum, pressure or atmosphere, and with at least two of the ports being elon-gated, and with a first small port intermediate the two elongated ports and a second small port after the two elon-gated ports and with vacuum always applied to the two elongated ports, and with either vacuum, pressure or atmos-phere, applied to the two small ports to either release a bottle at the intermediate position or to transfer the bottle along the entire length of the two elongated ports and then release the bottle.
Description
1~)9~26 1 The present invention relates to a vacuum starwheel
2 for diverting containers, such as bottles, into one of a number
3 of conveyor lines. For example, it is a common practice to
4 have a plurality of containers, such as bottles, moved down a conveyor line to a station for inspection of the container 6 for either various types of defects or for segregation between 7 different types of containers. The bottles enter into and are 8 engaged by a vacuum starwheel which generally moves the bottles 9 along a circular path with each bottle contained within a separate pocket to the starwheel and with the bottles then 11 deposited onto a specific one of a plurality of outfeed lines 12 in accordance with the previous inspection. For example, if 13 the inspection is to determine contamination of the bottles, 14 one outfeed line may represent rejects and another line may represent acceptable bottles. If, for example, the inspection 16 is to segregate the containers, such as bottles, according to 17 shape, one outfeed line may represent bottles of one shape 18 and the other outfeed line may represent bottles of another 19 shape or there may even be a plurality of outfeed lines representing bottles of different shapes. In addition, the 21 vacuum starwheel may be used merely to subdivide a large 22 plurality of containers, such as bottles, from an infeed 23 conveyor line to a plurality of outfeed conveyor lines.
Generally, the vacuum starwheel includes a plural-26 ity of suction cups each connected by a tube to a source of 27 vacuum. Various combinations of applying vacuum or releasing 28 vacuum to a particular suction cup determines the final 29 destination of the container in contact with that cuv.
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9~Z6 1 As one particular example, a prior art system would 2 apply vacuum through a suction cup to the container, such as 3 a bottle, only if it is to be removed from the conveyor line.
4 The bottle is held by the suction cup as it is transported by 6 the starwheel for removal, through the use of a residual vacuum, 6 while the remainder of the bottles continue down the conveyor 7 line. In other words, a valve is opened to apply vacuum to a 8 particular suction cup to hold the bottle to be removed and 9 then the valve closed so that the particular bottle is held by the residual suction present in the suction cup and the tubing 11 and thus removed from the conveyor line. This type of system 12 presents difficulties because there is not a continuous vacuum 13 on the bottle that it is being transported off the conveyor 14 by the starwheel, and any leakage in the system can cause a line jam or lose the bottle that is being removed. Other 16 types of prior art systems do provide for a positive vacuum 17 on the bottle to be segregated, but use a separate valve for 18 each bottle so as to apply the vacuum constantly during the 19 segregation cycle by the starwheel. The use of a plurality of separate valves is relatively complicated and expensive 21 and also provides for significant maintenance problems since 22 all of these separate valves must be maintained in proper 23 operating condition.
The present invention is directed to a vacuum star-26 wheel which has positive control of the containers, such as 27 bottles, at all times during the transfer and segregation of 28 the bottles by the starwheel. However, the present invention 29 eliminates the plurality of separate valves and has a very simple design using a stationary and rotating hub that contain 31 commutating ports so arranged to provide a constant vacuum to ~99~?6 1 CclCil hott:l.e in thc~ starwh~el unless it is to be segregated 2 from the others on the conveyor line. If a particular bottle 3 i.s to be segreya,ed tl~ell the vacuum is removed, thus releas-4 ing that bo~tle from the starwheel at a particular position while all others remain in the starwheel and are released at 6 some other position. General.ly, the present invention pro-7 vides for a very positive release of a bottle from the vacuum 8 starwheel at a se~.ected position during its rotation by inter-9 rup-ting the vacuum with a burst of pr~ssure. The starwheel hub can be deslgned to accept bottles from a single infeed and li segregate them into two or more outfeed positions. Additionally, 12 the present invention can provide for a pressure purge of each 13. port, pipe and suction cup during every rotation of the star-1~' wheel so as to clear these parts of any debris.
1,5 , 16 Specl~ically, the present invention relates to a 17 vacuurn sorting mechanism for transfe,rring containers from at 18 least one infeed position to any one of at least two independent 19 outfeed positions and including a rotary member including at least one rotating port and a corresponding radial.ly extended 21 vacuum directing and holding means that connects the rotating 22 port to a container and with a stationary member interfaced 2~ with the rotary member. .The s-tationary member includes at 24 least four stationary ports arranged in sequence in the direc-~5 tion of rotation of the rotating port. The first station~ry 26 port is elongated in the direction of and coincident with the 2~ axc path o~ the rota.ting por~ and is cor.nected to a vacuum 2~ sol~rce. The second stationary port is snlall in length compared ~9 to the e].oncJa/-ed ports and is coincident ~ith the arc path of the rotati.ng por~- and is positi.oned proxirnate the fi.rst eJ.on-31 "
~2 .. ,-~ .
ga~cd port ancl ~Jith tlle second port connccted to a valve that normally directs vacu-lm to thc port but rnay be actuated to dircc~ a vacuuM eliminator or abating mearls to the yort. The third stationary port is elongclted in tl-e direction of and is coincident with the arc path of the rotating port and is posi~ioneA proximate tlle second port and connected to a vacuum source. The fourth stationary port is small in length compared to the elon~ated port and is coincident with the arc path of the rotatiny port and is positioned proximate to the third port and is connected to a vacuum eliminator or abating means.
The size alld position of the rotating and stationary ports are such that an unintcrrup'ed flo~y of vacuum will be received l~y the rotating port as it rotates across the first threc stationary ports thus applying a positivc vacuum to the container at a]l times 2S it is transferred from thc beginlling of the first port to the fourt}l port wllere it is released. In addition the valve may be actuated thus directing the vacuum eliminator means to the ~econd port at the approximate ~ime to release the container at the second port position.
Thus there is provided a mechanism for transferring individual containers from one input position to one of at least two output positions including a first member continuously movable in a particular path including at least one port and including means extending from the member and communicating with the port and constructed to retain one of the individual containers for movement with the first member when a vacuum is applied to the port, a second stationary member planar to and superimposed upon the first member and including at least first and second _5_ D
ports disposed in the path of movement of the first member for movement of the first port in the first member into sequential communication with the first and second ports in the secondmember, means defining a source of vacuum, means operatively coupled to the vacuum source and to the first and second ports in the second stationary member -for producing vacuum in the first and second ports, the first and second ports in the second member being elongated in the path of movement of the first member and the length of the port in the first member being less than the length of the first and second ports in the second member to provide a vacuum with the retaining means in the first member for holding the container during the communication of the port in the first member with the ports in the second member, means for providing a source of at least atmospheric fluid pressure, the second stationary member including at least third and fourth ports disposed in the path of movement of the port in the first member for communication with the port in the first member at least a portion of the time during the movement of the first member, the third port being intermediate the first and second ports and the fourth port being positioned after the second port in the direction of movement of the port in the first member, the third port communicating with either the vacuum means or the pressure means, the fourth port communicating with the pressure means, the movable member providing a transfer of the individual container for release at the position of the third port when the third port communicates with the pressure means or for release at the position of the fourth port when the third port communicates with the vacuum means, -5a-D
i~()9~26 the size of the first port in the first member in the path of movement of the first member being greater than the shortest distance between the second and third ports but less than the respective distance between the first or second ports and the side of the -third port on the far side of the first and second ports in the path of movement of the first member, means for providing a continuous movement of the first member in the particular path, means for testing particular parameters on the con-tainer for particular characteristics during movement of the first member with the first port on the first member in com-. .
munication with the first port on the second member at an in-termediate position along the length of the first port, means for providing a communication of the third port on the second member with a particular one of the vacuum means and the pressure means, in accordance with the character-istics of the particular parameters tested on the container by the testing means, during the communication of the first port : 20 on the first member only with the third port on the second member, and '.
means on the rotatable hub for providing tranfer of vacuum and pressure from the ports therein to the containers whereby the containers are transferred.
The present invention is simple in construction and inexpensive in cost compared to the prior art devices and is - 5b -~, ' ll~)9Q26 relatively simple to maintain. A clearer understanding of the invention will be had with reference to the following descrip-tion and drawings wherein Figure 1 illustrates a front perspective view of inspection equipment including a vacuum starwheel of the present invention;
~ ' - 5c - 5 !
~9~6 .
~~~ Figu-re 2 illustxatcs a rear perspective view of 2 the inspection equi.pment of Figure l;
~ Figure 3 i:Llustrates in schematic foxm the various functions which occur as the container is moved through 6 various positions by the vacuum starwheel;
8 Figure ~ illustrates the details of the porting g in a stationary hub and in a rotating hub;
11 Fiyure 5 illustrates a cross-sectional side view 12 showing the stationary and rotating hubs;
~4 Figure 6 illustrates a porting arrangement for a single line input with two outputs;
17 Figure 7 illustrates an alternate arrangement for 18 the elongated ports using a sequence of small holes;
Figure 8 illustrates a multiple porting arrangement;
22 Figure 9 illustrates the proper relative size 23 between the rotating and.the stationary ports;
2~ .
Figure 10 illustrates the range over which the 26 rotating pOI-t can receive a pressure pulse to release a 2~ container;
~1~9~6 1 Figllre 11 illustrates a rotating port too large in 2 size relative to the stationary ports;
' 4 Figure 12 ill.ustrates a rotating port too small in size re].ative to the stationary ports; and 7 Figure 13 illustrates a multiple outfeed system using 8 the porting shown in Figure 8.
Figures 1 and 2 show perspective views Prom the front 11 and rear of a conveyor line passi.ng by a bottle inspection station 12 and including a vacuum starwheel of the present invention. The 13 conveyor line includes an infeed conveyor line 10 having a con-~ veyor belt 12 for conveying a plurality of containers, such as bottles 1~. Rails 16 help to maintain the bottles in position 16 during conveyance. The bottles 14 are guided by the rails 16 17 into a vacuum starwheel generally designated by reference numeral 18 18 and ~ith the bottles 14 transferred off the conveyor line 10 ~9 by the vacuum starwheel ~8 to pass by bottle inspection equip-ment 20. It is to be appreciated that although the invention 21 is being disclosed with reference to using the vacuum starwheel 22 to guide the bottles to a bottle inspection position, and with 23 the acceptance and rejection of the bottle in accordance with 24 the particular form of the inspection made by the bottle inspection equipment 20, the invention is not to be so limited.
26 For example, the vacuum starwheel may be used to segregclte the 27 bott].es in accordance with size or shape/ or the vacuum star-2~ ~heel may be used to mercly subdivide the bottles coming from 29 an infeed conveyor line to a plurali~y of outfeed conveyor lines as s.hown in Fi~3ure 13~ In adcliti.on, more than one infeed 9~Z6 ' i conveyor li.ne may be used 'co fecd the containers to the vacuum 2 starwheel o~ the present invention;
: 3 . ' '.
In the par-ticular use of the invention as shown in ' , the present applicati.on, the bottle inspec-tion equipment 20 ~ provides a determina-tion of a partlcular type of inspection 7 to produce a control signal to control the vacuum starwheel 8 18 to either deposit the bottle inspected to one of two out-: g feed conveyors designated as outfeed conveyors 22 and 24.
1~ Specifically, outfeed conveyor 22 may actually be a continu,ation li of infeed connector 10 and with the conveyor belt ]2 extending 12 below the vacuum starwheel 18 to form the conveyor belt for 13 the outfeed conveyor 22. The outfeed conveyor 24 may be a short ~ conveyor using a conveyor belt 26 and may represent a conveyor 15 belt for rejected bottles and with the bottles passing off the .--18 conveyor belt to a reject bin 30. The outfeed conveyors 22 and 17 24 also include railings 16 for guiding the bottles in the 1~ ' outfeed lines.
When,the bottle inspection equipment 20 p.rovides 21 the proper inspection, the bottle inspection equipment 20 pro-22 duces the control,signals which are fed to valving located in 23 a control console 32 to provide for the proper control of 2~ pressure and vacuum to the vacuum starwheel 18 to deposit the 2~ bottles in either of the outfeed conveyors 22 and 24 in accord-26 ance with the inspectiorl. ' '' 28 . The vacuum starwheel 18 inc]udes an upper rotating 29 memher S0 having a plurality of recesses 52 to support the neck pOI-tiOlls of the bottles 14. The men~er 50 rotates along ~ .
9¢~Z6 ~ with a rc~cli:i.n~J Jlll]~ 5~s. r~ er~ (J ~roln the rota-ting hub S~
2 arc a p].ura].:ity Or tubc mclllbexs 56 cacl1 includin~ a suction 3 cup 5~ a-t its erld. The tublllar meln~ers 56 -transfer a vacuum ~ or pressilre ~rolll w:ithill thc~ rotatiJly hub 5~ and ~rom-a source of vacuum or pressure wit]lin t}le console 32 to either hold the 6 bottles 14 in cnglcJcmcnt Wit]l the cups 58 or relcase the.bottles 7 from engagemenl:~7i th the cups. The tubcs 56 and cuL~s 58 are g supported on th(? rotating hub 54 above a rotating starwheel 6 g havirly poclets 62 to receive the body porl:ion of the bottles ~o 14. It can be seerl, there~ore, that the poc~.ets 62 i.n the li starwhee] 60, the tubes 56 and the cups 58 and the recesses 52 ~2 in the memher 50 tre all in radial alignment and all rotate 13 together with the rotation of hub 54.
lD,: , As shown in Figure 5 which illustrates the vacuum lG ~tcl~.rileel assembly 18 in cross--section, the rotating hub 5~ is 17 driven by a driveshaft 64 whicll driveshaft is rotated by a ~ motor 66 supported by the console 32. As shown in Figure 5, 19 the rotatiny hub 54, the upper Jnember 50, the tubes 56 and cups 58, the staxwheel 60 all rotate together relative to a 21 stationar.y hub 68. rl,e drivesha~t 64 passes through the 22 stationary hub 68 whicll acts as a support and bearing housing 23 but the drivesha~t 64 does not provide any rotation of the 2~ stationar.~ hub 68. rhe rotating hub 54 and stationary hub 6 are separated by a rin~ 7~ o~ plastic, or suitab]e material, 26 whlch operates as a bearing for the relative rotation be-tween 27 tlle two huL~ menbers and additiollally providcs for a scaling 2S bet~7eell.thc two memhers. Ihis rincJ 74 is attached and sealcd 29 to the-rotati.ng hub 54.
3:1 ~F~9~ ~6 1 Rc.~fcrrir~ o both ]?ic3llres 4 and 5, .i.t ean be seen 2 that the ro-,atinJ hub 54 inclucles a plura].i.ttr of in.ernal 3 cylinclrical. channels 70 which eonneet the tubes 56 down to a ~ like number of smali ports 72 ;.n the riny 74, thus for eaeh ~ vacuum path there is a suction cup 58, tube 56, internal 6 eylirtdricc~l channel 70 and a separate assoeiated port 7~. The 7 ports 72 ar~ posit:ioned at a eonstant radial distanee ancl 8 equally spaced ~Jith respect to the eenter of tlle hub 54. This g eonst}.tutes the port;.ng arrangement of the rotating starwheel aSSembly 18.
~1 .
12 The stationary hub 68 has a porting arrangement on 13 its,top surfaee that establishes the segregating eapabilities 1~ of the rotating starwheel assembly 18. A typieal form of a recessed porting arrangement for the stationary hub 68 to 16 aecept a simple line input an~t sep~rate it into two outputs 17 is shown in Figure ~ and with an alternative arrangement shown ~8 in Figure 6. The reeessed porting eonsists of a first e,lon-19 gated port 80, ,a flrst small port 96, a seeond elongated port 88 and a seeond small port 106. These ports are all positioned 21 at the same eonstant radial distanee as the por~s 72 in the 2~ rotatlng hub 54. A eonstant vaeuum SOUl^Ce 89, whieh may be ~3 located inside the eonsole 32, is eonnected to elongated port 24 80 via openinc~ 8'~, internal hub channel 82 and pipe 86. Pipe 102 and internal hub channel 9S supplies port 96 with either 26 vacuunl or pressu].e fro~l a rejeet selector val.ve 100. Pipe 94, 2~ int^rrlal hub chan3lel 92 and openincJ 90 s~ppl.ies e].onc~lted 2c~ po3^t 88 with VaCUUlTI from the saMe source as pc-xt 8n. Pipe ].10, ~ internal huh ehannel ].08 supp].ies poît 10~ wi.th prer;sul~e. Jn thc nornlal operati3lJ condition for thi.s t~o el~anllel se,~rc?c~ tor, - .ln 9~ 26 1 valve 100 SUp~iCS vacuum to por1 96. This constitutes thc 2 porting arrancJc!ment for the stcl~iorlary hub 68.
4 ~s thc rotating hub 54 rotates on top of the station-ary hub 68, the ports 72 in the rotat;.ng hub 5~ move sequential].y 6 over the ports 80, 96, 88 and 106 ln the stationary hub 68. I~
7 any particular port 72 is traced in rotat:ion as it rnoves across 8 the fixed ports, a vacuum will he app.lied to the port 72 and g its associated suction cup 58 as soon as its leading edge com municates wi~h the leading edge of elongated port 80. This li vacuum wil]. continue to he appli.ed until the traili.ng edge of 12 the port 72 loses communication with the trailing edge of the 13 port 80. Just prior to this position, however, the leading 14 edge of the port 72 has communicated ~7ith the leading edge of ~5 port 96 which is a vacuum source, thus vacuum is never lost 16 at the suction cup 58. Figure 9 shows the required siæe and 17 spacing dimensions between the elongated port 8~ and the small 18 port 96 as they relate to the rotating port 72. Rotating port 19 72 must slightly over].ap (shaded area) both stationary ports 80 and 96 durin.g the transition between them in order to main-21 tain a constant vacuum supp1y to its associated suction cup.
22 These same conditions are required of all other stationary 23 port spacings. Vacuum will continue to be supplied to the 24 port 72 until its trailing edge loses communication with the trailing edge of port 96, however, in this position the lead-26 ing edge of the port 72 has communicated with the leading edge 27 of the elongated port ~8. Since port ~ is a source of vacuum, 2c~ the port 72 wi.ll conlinue to receive vacuum unt;1 its trailing 2g edcJe loses communication with the trai]ing edcJe of port ~8.
In this posit::ion, t.he Je..dillg edge of the port 72 communicates 3~
9~Z6 ., .
. with thc- ],eading edge of the~ port, lOG bu-t, since port 106 is 2 a pressure sourc,e,then.port 72 directs this pressure into the 3 internal channel 70, pipe 56 ancl suction cup 58, thus elinlinating 4 the vacuum from that cuE). If a bottl.e was picked up by thc ~ suction cup 58 at the leacl~.ng edcJe of port 80, it would be 6 fi.rmly held by a posi.tive vacuum until it reached the leading 7 edge of port 106 where it would be released.
'` 9 If desired, the bottle could be release.d at port 96 by applying a pressure pulse from valve 100 at the appropriate li time when the port 72 was over port 96. Fi.gure 10 shows the 12 range Dt where rotat.~ng port 72 can receive the pressure pulse 13 without disturbing the rotating ports on either side. This 14 arrangement allows an adequate time to eliminate the vacuum from the internal channel 70, pipe 56 and suction cup 58. It 16 ~ilso resull_s in a sufficient distance (x~ between rotating : 17 port 72 and stationary ports 80 and 88 to insure a good seal.
18 By the application of a pressure pulse at the appropriate time 19 a bottle may be removed ~rom the starwheel at port position 96 20 ,or, if no pressure pulse is applied, then the bottle will be 21 removed at port position 106. The length of the elongated 22 port essentially determines the distance the,container is 23 transported from the time it is picked up by the suction cup 2~ to the release point at -the pressure rejec~ port 96. The 25 size of the small pressure 96 port does no-t alter the total 26 transport distance appreciably since it is very small i,n siYe ' 27 compared to the len~th of the elongated pO3^~. In practic,e, 2~3 the minimum lencJth of the elongated port is determined by the 2~3 container diam(-:t.e3. heing handled. The elongated port must be of sufficiellt length to allow container clearance on the 3~, -1.2--~9 ~9~P2~i l ~'mul-tiline output. Proper port size is necessary to accornplish 2 a proper a~c1 reliablc rejectioll sequel1ce. Figure ll shows the 3 rotating pOl-t 72 too large relative to the spacir-g between stationary ports 80'and 95 (or 96 and 88). This arrangement allows the pressure pulse from stat.ionary port 96 to be di.rected - 6 into the vacuum port ~0 and vice versa, ~hich upsets thé balance ?' in the system causing ma].functions. Figure 12 illustrates 8 the difficulty eneountered iL the rotating port 72 is too 9 small ln si~e compared to the distance between the stationary ports 80 anci 96 (or 96 and 88~. In the position shown, rotating li port 72 will receive no vacuum from any stationary port and, 12 thus, could not apply the required constant vacuum to its 13 associated suction cup.
It is obvious that more than two reject points can 16 be used b~ adding additional ports and associated valves in 17 the stationary hub 68. ~ porting configuraton that segregates 18 containers into four groups is shown in Figure 8. This is the l9 type o~ porting used.with the system of Figure'13. Figure 7 shows an alternate methbd of constructing the el'ongated ports 21 by using a closely spaced sec~uence of small holes' connected 22 below by a common vacuum chamber and it is to be appreciated 23 that when the term "elongated portl' is used, it includes an 2~ arrangement as shown in Figure 7 or othér similar arrangements.
26 The porti.ng s~stem as sh.own will operate if the 2'~ ports q6 and 105 are directed to atn1ospl~ere instead of a 28 pressure source-sucll as an air compressor. Tl1e val~Te lOQ may ~9 be an electric so].enoid ~ctuated air valve'that ciirects the ~low into tl1e port. Tl~e release response ti.me is slo~;er i~
~96~Z6 1 the ports are directed to atmosphere instead of a pressure 2 source since it takes longer to eliminate the vacuum from the 3 tubes and internal channels. For highspeed production lines the pressure pulse is the most desirable.
6 As the rotating hub 5~ continues rotating, successive 7 ones of the ports 72 will pass over an additional port 112 which 8 is connected through an internal cylindrical channel 114 to the g source of pressure 104. The pressure provides for purging 0 successive ones of the ports 72, the internal cylindrical li channels 70, the tubes 56 and the suction cups 58 of any 12 extraneous matter which could clog these members.
14 Turning now to Figure 3, a functional diagram shows the operation of the vacuum starwheel at a number of radial 16 positions desi~nated A through E. These radial positions 17 correspond to the same radial positions shown in Figure 4. As 18 each bottle moves along the infeed conveyor 10, each bottle 14 19 engages a cup 5~ at the end of a tube 56 and at position A
vacuum is applied to hold the bottle against the cup and in 21 the starwheel pocket so as to transport it off the conveyor 22 for inspection. The bottle is passed through the inspection 23 point B shown in Figure 3 and is securely maintained in position 24 since a positive vacuum is applied to the bottle throughou-t the transfer of the bottle.
27 If the bottle was faulty, the valve 100 shown in .
2~ Fi~ure ~ is controlled to supply a pressure pulse at the 29 a~propriate time to the port 96 which is locclted at position C, and the bottle is positively released to the outfeed con-~1 1 v~o~ 2~ to send the bottle to thr reject bin 3U as shown in 2 Fi~ure 1. I~ the bottle was good, then vacuum is maintained ~, at position-C which corresponds to the position of the port -. 96 and the bottle i.s transferred through position C and on to ~ position D. The positive vacuum is applied at all times through 6 the use of vacuum applied to the'elongated ports ~0 and ~ and 7 to the'port 96, all ~s shown in Figure ~. At position D, the 8 tube 56 and the cup 58 receive pressure from port 106 and 9 the bottle is released to ou-tfeed conveyor 22. As the rotating ~0 hub progresses, each'particular port 7~ is moved to position D
.1 li wh.ere air pressure is supplied to purge the channels, tuhes 12 and cups to clean them o~ any debris.
14 It can be seen, therefore, that the' present invention is directed to a vacuum ~starwheel which provides for a positive 16 vacuum to hold containers, such as bottles, to maintain the . ' 17 bottles in position during transfer by the starwheel, and with 18 the use of a pair of hub members, one rotating relative to the 19 other, and with one hub r,nember including a plurality of ports corresponding to and connecting with tubes and cups to retain 21 the bottles and with the other hub including a plurality of - 22 ports connected to either vacuum, pressure Qr atmosphere, and 23 with at least two of the ports being elongated, and with a 2~ fi.rst smal~. port intermediate the two elongated ports, and with a second small.port after the two elongated ports, and 26 with vaculirn always appl.ied to the two elongated ports, and 27 wi.th either vacuum or pressure applied to the two small ports 2~ to either release a bottle at the intermediate pOsitiOIl or 29 to.transfer the bottle along the entire length of the two '31 ~ 1.5-~q391$Z~
1 elongated ports and thcn rclease the bottle. Although the 2 app]i.cat;on has been d;sclosed ~lith rcference to a particular embodiment, such as with bott]e inspection equipment, it is to be appreciated that the invention is capable of various adaptations and modifications and the invention is only to 6 be limited by the appended claims.
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Generally, the vacuum starwheel includes a plural-26 ity of suction cups each connected by a tube to a source of 27 vacuum. Various combinations of applying vacuum or releasing 28 vacuum to a particular suction cup determines the final 29 destination of the container in contact with that cuv.
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9~Z6 1 As one particular example, a prior art system would 2 apply vacuum through a suction cup to the container, such as 3 a bottle, only if it is to be removed from the conveyor line.
4 The bottle is held by the suction cup as it is transported by 6 the starwheel for removal, through the use of a residual vacuum, 6 while the remainder of the bottles continue down the conveyor 7 line. In other words, a valve is opened to apply vacuum to a 8 particular suction cup to hold the bottle to be removed and 9 then the valve closed so that the particular bottle is held by the residual suction present in the suction cup and the tubing 11 and thus removed from the conveyor line. This type of system 12 presents difficulties because there is not a continuous vacuum 13 on the bottle that it is being transported off the conveyor 14 by the starwheel, and any leakage in the system can cause a line jam or lose the bottle that is being removed. Other 16 types of prior art systems do provide for a positive vacuum 17 on the bottle to be segregated, but use a separate valve for 18 each bottle so as to apply the vacuum constantly during the 19 segregation cycle by the starwheel. The use of a plurality of separate valves is relatively complicated and expensive 21 and also provides for significant maintenance problems since 22 all of these separate valves must be maintained in proper 23 operating condition.
The present invention is directed to a vacuum star-26 wheel which has positive control of the containers, such as 27 bottles, at all times during the transfer and segregation of 28 the bottles by the starwheel. However, the present invention 29 eliminates the plurality of separate valves and has a very simple design using a stationary and rotating hub that contain 31 commutating ports so arranged to provide a constant vacuum to ~99~?6 1 CclCil hott:l.e in thc~ starwh~el unless it is to be segregated 2 from the others on the conveyor line. If a particular bottle 3 i.s to be segreya,ed tl~ell the vacuum is removed, thus releas-4 ing that bo~tle from the starwheel at a particular position while all others remain in the starwheel and are released at 6 some other position. General.ly, the present invention pro-7 vides for a very positive release of a bottle from the vacuum 8 starwheel at a se~.ected position during its rotation by inter-9 rup-ting the vacuum with a burst of pr~ssure. The starwheel hub can be deslgned to accept bottles from a single infeed and li segregate them into two or more outfeed positions. Additionally, 12 the present invention can provide for a pressure purge of each 13. port, pipe and suction cup during every rotation of the star-1~' wheel so as to clear these parts of any debris.
1,5 , 16 Specl~ically, the present invention relates to a 17 vacuurn sorting mechanism for transfe,rring containers from at 18 least one infeed position to any one of at least two independent 19 outfeed positions and including a rotary member including at least one rotating port and a corresponding radial.ly extended 21 vacuum directing and holding means that connects the rotating 22 port to a container and with a stationary member interfaced 2~ with the rotary member. .The s-tationary member includes at 24 least four stationary ports arranged in sequence in the direc-~5 tion of rotation of the rotating port. The first station~ry 26 port is elongated in the direction of and coincident with the 2~ axc path o~ the rota.ting por~ and is cor.nected to a vacuum 2~ sol~rce. The second stationary port is snlall in length compared ~9 to the e].oncJa/-ed ports and is coincident ~ith the arc path of the rotati.ng por~- and is positi.oned proxirnate the fi.rst eJ.on-31 "
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ga~cd port ancl ~Jith tlle second port connccted to a valve that normally directs vacu-lm to thc port but rnay be actuated to dircc~ a vacuuM eliminator or abating mearls to the yort. The third stationary port is elongclted in tl-e direction of and is coincident with the arc path of the rotating port and is posi~ioneA proximate tlle second port and connected to a vacuum source. The fourth stationary port is small in length compared to the elon~ated port and is coincident with the arc path of the rotatiny port and is positioned proximate to the third port and is connected to a vacuum eliminator or abating means.
The size alld position of the rotating and stationary ports are such that an unintcrrup'ed flo~y of vacuum will be received l~y the rotating port as it rotates across the first threc stationary ports thus applying a positivc vacuum to the container at a]l times 2S it is transferred from thc beginlling of the first port to the fourt}l port wllere it is released. In addition the valve may be actuated thus directing the vacuum eliminator means to the ~econd port at the approximate ~ime to release the container at the second port position.
Thus there is provided a mechanism for transferring individual containers from one input position to one of at least two output positions including a first member continuously movable in a particular path including at least one port and including means extending from the member and communicating with the port and constructed to retain one of the individual containers for movement with the first member when a vacuum is applied to the port, a second stationary member planar to and superimposed upon the first member and including at least first and second _5_ D
ports disposed in the path of movement of the first member for movement of the first port in the first member into sequential communication with the first and second ports in the secondmember, means defining a source of vacuum, means operatively coupled to the vacuum source and to the first and second ports in the second stationary member -for producing vacuum in the first and second ports, the first and second ports in the second member being elongated in the path of movement of the first member and the length of the port in the first member being less than the length of the first and second ports in the second member to provide a vacuum with the retaining means in the first member for holding the container during the communication of the port in the first member with the ports in the second member, means for providing a source of at least atmospheric fluid pressure, the second stationary member including at least third and fourth ports disposed in the path of movement of the port in the first member for communication with the port in the first member at least a portion of the time during the movement of the first member, the third port being intermediate the first and second ports and the fourth port being positioned after the second port in the direction of movement of the port in the first member, the third port communicating with either the vacuum means or the pressure means, the fourth port communicating with the pressure means, the movable member providing a transfer of the individual container for release at the position of the third port when the third port communicates with the pressure means or for release at the position of the fourth port when the third port communicates with the vacuum means, -5a-D
i~()9~26 the size of the first port in the first member in the path of movement of the first member being greater than the shortest distance between the second and third ports but less than the respective distance between the first or second ports and the side of the -third port on the far side of the first and second ports in the path of movement of the first member, means for providing a continuous movement of the first member in the particular path, means for testing particular parameters on the con-tainer for particular characteristics during movement of the first member with the first port on the first member in com-. .
munication with the first port on the second member at an in-termediate position along the length of the first port, means for providing a communication of the third port on the second member with a particular one of the vacuum means and the pressure means, in accordance with the character-istics of the particular parameters tested on the container by the testing means, during the communication of the first port : 20 on the first member only with the third port on the second member, and '.
means on the rotatable hub for providing tranfer of vacuum and pressure from the ports therein to the containers whereby the containers are transferred.
The present invention is simple in construction and inexpensive in cost compared to the prior art devices and is - 5b -~, ' ll~)9Q26 relatively simple to maintain. A clearer understanding of the invention will be had with reference to the following descrip-tion and drawings wherein Figure 1 illustrates a front perspective view of inspection equipment including a vacuum starwheel of the present invention;
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~~~ Figu-re 2 illustxatcs a rear perspective view of 2 the inspection equi.pment of Figure l;
~ Figure 3 i:Llustrates in schematic foxm the various functions which occur as the container is moved through 6 various positions by the vacuum starwheel;
8 Figure ~ illustrates the details of the porting g in a stationary hub and in a rotating hub;
11 Fiyure 5 illustrates a cross-sectional side view 12 showing the stationary and rotating hubs;
~4 Figure 6 illustrates a porting arrangement for a single line input with two outputs;
17 Figure 7 illustrates an alternate arrangement for 18 the elongated ports using a sequence of small holes;
Figure 8 illustrates a multiple porting arrangement;
22 Figure 9 illustrates the proper relative size 23 between the rotating and.the stationary ports;
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Figure 10 illustrates the range over which the 26 rotating pOI-t can receive a pressure pulse to release a 2~ container;
~1~9~6 1 Figllre 11 illustrates a rotating port too large in 2 size relative to the stationary ports;
' 4 Figure 12 ill.ustrates a rotating port too small in size re].ative to the stationary ports; and 7 Figure 13 illustrates a multiple outfeed system using 8 the porting shown in Figure 8.
Figures 1 and 2 show perspective views Prom the front 11 and rear of a conveyor line passi.ng by a bottle inspection station 12 and including a vacuum starwheel of the present invention. The 13 conveyor line includes an infeed conveyor line 10 having a con-~ veyor belt 12 for conveying a plurality of containers, such as bottles 1~. Rails 16 help to maintain the bottles in position 16 during conveyance. The bottles 14 are guided by the rails 16 17 into a vacuum starwheel generally designated by reference numeral 18 18 and ~ith the bottles 14 transferred off the conveyor line 10 ~9 by the vacuum starwheel ~8 to pass by bottle inspection equip-ment 20. It is to be appreciated that although the invention 21 is being disclosed with reference to using the vacuum starwheel 22 to guide the bottles to a bottle inspection position, and with 23 the acceptance and rejection of the bottle in accordance with 24 the particular form of the inspection made by the bottle inspection equipment 20, the invention is not to be so limited.
26 For example, the vacuum starwheel may be used to segregclte the 27 bott].es in accordance with size or shape/ or the vacuum star-2~ ~heel may be used to mercly subdivide the bottles coming from 29 an infeed conveyor line to a plurali~y of outfeed conveyor lines as s.hown in Fi~3ure 13~ In adcliti.on, more than one infeed 9~Z6 ' i conveyor li.ne may be used 'co fecd the containers to the vacuum 2 starwheel o~ the present invention;
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In the par-ticular use of the invention as shown in ' , the present applicati.on, the bottle inspec-tion equipment 20 ~ provides a determina-tion of a partlcular type of inspection 7 to produce a control signal to control the vacuum starwheel 8 18 to either deposit the bottle inspected to one of two out-: g feed conveyors designated as outfeed conveyors 22 and 24.
1~ Specifically, outfeed conveyor 22 may actually be a continu,ation li of infeed connector 10 and with the conveyor belt ]2 extending 12 below the vacuum starwheel 18 to form the conveyor belt for 13 the outfeed conveyor 22. The outfeed conveyor 24 may be a short ~ conveyor using a conveyor belt 26 and may represent a conveyor 15 belt for rejected bottles and with the bottles passing off the .--18 conveyor belt to a reject bin 30. The outfeed conveyors 22 and 17 24 also include railings 16 for guiding the bottles in the 1~ ' outfeed lines.
When,the bottle inspection equipment 20 p.rovides 21 the proper inspection, the bottle inspection equipment 20 pro-22 duces the control,signals which are fed to valving located in 23 a control console 32 to provide for the proper control of 2~ pressure and vacuum to the vacuum starwheel 18 to deposit the 2~ bottles in either of the outfeed conveyors 22 and 24 in accord-26 ance with the inspectiorl. ' '' 28 . The vacuum starwheel 18 inc]udes an upper rotating 29 memher S0 having a plurality of recesses 52 to support the neck pOI-tiOlls of the bottles 14. The men~er 50 rotates along ~ .
9¢~Z6 ~ with a rc~cli:i.n~J Jlll]~ 5~s. r~ er~ (J ~roln the rota-ting hub S~
2 arc a p].ura].:ity Or tubc mclllbexs 56 cacl1 includin~ a suction 3 cup 5~ a-t its erld. The tublllar meln~ers 56 -transfer a vacuum ~ or pressilre ~rolll w:ithill thc~ rotatiJly hub 5~ and ~rom-a source of vacuum or pressure wit]lin t}le console 32 to either hold the 6 bottles 14 in cnglcJcmcnt Wit]l the cups 58 or relcase the.bottles 7 from engagemenl:~7i th the cups. The tubcs 56 and cuL~s 58 are g supported on th(? rotating hub 54 above a rotating starwheel 6 g havirly poclets 62 to receive the body porl:ion of the bottles ~o 14. It can be seerl, there~ore, that the poc~.ets 62 i.n the li starwhee] 60, the tubes 56 and the cups 58 and the recesses 52 ~2 in the memher 50 tre all in radial alignment and all rotate 13 together with the rotation of hub 54.
lD,: , As shown in Figure 5 which illustrates the vacuum lG ~tcl~.rileel assembly 18 in cross--section, the rotating hub 5~ is 17 driven by a driveshaft 64 whicll driveshaft is rotated by a ~ motor 66 supported by the console 32. As shown in Figure 5, 19 the rotatiny hub 54, the upper Jnember 50, the tubes 56 and cups 58, the staxwheel 60 all rotate together relative to a 21 stationar.y hub 68. rl,e drivesha~t 64 passes through the 22 stationary hub 68 whicll acts as a support and bearing housing 23 but the drivesha~t 64 does not provide any rotation of the 2~ stationar.~ hub 68. rhe rotating hub 54 and stationary hub 6 are separated by a rin~ 7~ o~ plastic, or suitab]e material, 26 whlch operates as a bearing for the relative rotation be-tween 27 tlle two huL~ menbers and additiollally providcs for a scaling 2S bet~7eell.thc two memhers. Ihis rincJ 74 is attached and sealcd 29 to the-rotati.ng hub 54.
3:1 ~F~9~ ~6 1 Rc.~fcrrir~ o both ]?ic3llres 4 and 5, .i.t ean be seen 2 that the ro-,atinJ hub 54 inclucles a plura].i.ttr of in.ernal 3 cylinclrical. channels 70 which eonneet the tubes 56 down to a ~ like number of smali ports 72 ;.n the riny 74, thus for eaeh ~ vacuum path there is a suction cup 58, tube 56, internal 6 eylirtdricc~l channel 70 and a separate assoeiated port 7~. The 7 ports 72 ar~ posit:ioned at a eonstant radial distanee ancl 8 equally spaced ~Jith respect to the eenter of tlle hub 54. This g eonst}.tutes the port;.ng arrangement of the rotating starwheel aSSembly 18.
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12 The stationary hub 68 has a porting arrangement on 13 its,top surfaee that establishes the segregating eapabilities 1~ of the rotating starwheel assembly 18. A typieal form of a recessed porting arrangement for the stationary hub 68 to 16 aecept a simple line input an~t sep~rate it into two outputs 17 is shown in Figure ~ and with an alternative arrangement shown ~8 in Figure 6. The reeessed porting eonsists of a first e,lon-19 gated port 80, ,a flrst small port 96, a seeond elongated port 88 and a seeond small port 106. These ports are all positioned 21 at the same eonstant radial distanee as the por~s 72 in the 2~ rotatlng hub 54. A eonstant vaeuum SOUl^Ce 89, whieh may be ~3 located inside the eonsole 32, is eonnected to elongated port 24 80 via openinc~ 8'~, internal hub channel 82 and pipe 86. Pipe 102 and internal hub channel 9S supplies port 96 with either 26 vacuunl or pressu].e fro~l a rejeet selector val.ve 100. Pipe 94, 2~ int^rrlal hub chan3lel 92 and openincJ 90 s~ppl.ies e].onc~lted 2c~ po3^t 88 with VaCUUlTI from the saMe source as pc-xt 8n. Pipe ].10, ~ internal huh ehannel ].08 supp].ies poît 10~ wi.th prer;sul~e. Jn thc nornlal operati3lJ condition for thi.s t~o el~anllel se,~rc?c~ tor, - .ln 9~ 26 1 valve 100 SUp~iCS vacuum to por1 96. This constitutes thc 2 porting arrancJc!ment for the stcl~iorlary hub 68.
4 ~s thc rotating hub 54 rotates on top of the station-ary hub 68, the ports 72 in the rotat;.ng hub 5~ move sequential].y 6 over the ports 80, 96, 88 and 106 ln the stationary hub 68. I~
7 any particular port 72 is traced in rotat:ion as it rnoves across 8 the fixed ports, a vacuum will he app.lied to the port 72 and g its associated suction cup 58 as soon as its leading edge com municates wi~h the leading edge of elongated port 80. This li vacuum wil]. continue to he appli.ed until the traili.ng edge of 12 the port 72 loses communication with the trailing edge of the 13 port 80. Just prior to this position, however, the leading 14 edge of the port 72 has communicated ~7ith the leading edge of ~5 port 96 which is a vacuum source, thus vacuum is never lost 16 at the suction cup 58. Figure 9 shows the required siæe and 17 spacing dimensions between the elongated port 8~ and the small 18 port 96 as they relate to the rotating port 72. Rotating port 19 72 must slightly over].ap (shaded area) both stationary ports 80 and 96 durin.g the transition between them in order to main-21 tain a constant vacuum supp1y to its associated suction cup.
22 These same conditions are required of all other stationary 23 port spacings. Vacuum will continue to be supplied to the 24 port 72 until its trailing edge loses communication with the trailing edge of port 96, however, in this position the lead-26 ing edge of the port 72 has communicated with the leading edge 27 of the elongated port ~8. Since port ~ is a source of vacuum, 2c~ the port 72 wi.ll conlinue to receive vacuum unt;1 its trailing 2g edcJe loses communication with the trai]ing edcJe of port ~8.
In this posit::ion, t.he Je..dillg edge of the port 72 communicates 3~
9~Z6 ., .
. with thc- ],eading edge of the~ port, lOG bu-t, since port 106 is 2 a pressure sourc,e,then.port 72 directs this pressure into the 3 internal channel 70, pipe 56 ancl suction cup 58, thus elinlinating 4 the vacuum from that cuE). If a bottl.e was picked up by thc ~ suction cup 58 at the leacl~.ng edcJe of port 80, it would be 6 fi.rmly held by a posi.tive vacuum until it reached the leading 7 edge of port 106 where it would be released.
'` 9 If desired, the bottle could be release.d at port 96 by applying a pressure pulse from valve 100 at the appropriate li time when the port 72 was over port 96. Fi.gure 10 shows the 12 range Dt where rotat.~ng port 72 can receive the pressure pulse 13 without disturbing the rotating ports on either side. This 14 arrangement allows an adequate time to eliminate the vacuum from the internal channel 70, pipe 56 and suction cup 58. It 16 ~ilso resull_s in a sufficient distance (x~ between rotating : 17 port 72 and stationary ports 80 and 88 to insure a good seal.
18 By the application of a pressure pulse at the appropriate time 19 a bottle may be removed ~rom the starwheel at port position 96 20 ,or, if no pressure pulse is applied, then the bottle will be 21 removed at port position 106. The length of the elongated 22 port essentially determines the distance the,container is 23 transported from the time it is picked up by the suction cup 2~ to the release point at -the pressure rejec~ port 96. The 25 size of the small pressure 96 port does no-t alter the total 26 transport distance appreciably since it is very small i,n siYe ' 27 compared to the len~th of the elongated pO3^~. In practic,e, 2~3 the minimum lencJth of the elongated port is determined by the 2~3 container diam(-:t.e3. heing handled. The elongated port must be of sufficiellt length to allow container clearance on the 3~, -1.2--~9 ~9~P2~i l ~'mul-tiline output. Proper port size is necessary to accornplish 2 a proper a~c1 reliablc rejectioll sequel1ce. Figure ll shows the 3 rotating pOl-t 72 too large relative to the spacir-g between stationary ports 80'and 95 (or 96 and 88). This arrangement allows the pressure pulse from stat.ionary port 96 to be di.rected - 6 into the vacuum port ~0 and vice versa, ~hich upsets thé balance ?' in the system causing ma].functions. Figure 12 illustrates 8 the difficulty eneountered iL the rotating port 72 is too 9 small ln si~e compared to the distance between the stationary ports 80 anci 96 (or 96 and 88~. In the position shown, rotating li port 72 will receive no vacuum from any stationary port and, 12 thus, could not apply the required constant vacuum to its 13 associated suction cup.
It is obvious that more than two reject points can 16 be used b~ adding additional ports and associated valves in 17 the stationary hub 68. ~ porting configuraton that segregates 18 containers into four groups is shown in Figure 8. This is the l9 type o~ porting used.with the system of Figure'13. Figure 7 shows an alternate methbd of constructing the el'ongated ports 21 by using a closely spaced sec~uence of small holes' connected 22 below by a common vacuum chamber and it is to be appreciated 23 that when the term "elongated portl' is used, it includes an 2~ arrangement as shown in Figure 7 or othér similar arrangements.
26 The porti.ng s~stem as sh.own will operate if the 2'~ ports q6 and 105 are directed to atn1ospl~ere instead of a 28 pressure source-sucll as an air compressor. Tl1e val~Te lOQ may ~9 be an electric so].enoid ~ctuated air valve'that ciirects the ~low into tl1e port. Tl~e release response ti.me is slo~;er i~
~96~Z6 1 the ports are directed to atmosphere instead of a pressure 2 source since it takes longer to eliminate the vacuum from the 3 tubes and internal channels. For highspeed production lines the pressure pulse is the most desirable.
6 As the rotating hub 5~ continues rotating, successive 7 ones of the ports 72 will pass over an additional port 112 which 8 is connected through an internal cylindrical channel 114 to the g source of pressure 104. The pressure provides for purging 0 successive ones of the ports 72, the internal cylindrical li channels 70, the tubes 56 and the suction cups 58 of any 12 extraneous matter which could clog these members.
14 Turning now to Figure 3, a functional diagram shows the operation of the vacuum starwheel at a number of radial 16 positions desi~nated A through E. These radial positions 17 correspond to the same radial positions shown in Figure 4. As 18 each bottle moves along the infeed conveyor 10, each bottle 14 19 engages a cup 5~ at the end of a tube 56 and at position A
vacuum is applied to hold the bottle against the cup and in 21 the starwheel pocket so as to transport it off the conveyor 22 for inspection. The bottle is passed through the inspection 23 point B shown in Figure 3 and is securely maintained in position 24 since a positive vacuum is applied to the bottle throughou-t the transfer of the bottle.
27 If the bottle was faulty, the valve 100 shown in .
2~ Fi~ure ~ is controlled to supply a pressure pulse at the 29 a~propriate time to the port 96 which is locclted at position C, and the bottle is positively released to the outfeed con-~1 1 v~o~ 2~ to send the bottle to thr reject bin 3U as shown in 2 Fi~ure 1. I~ the bottle was good, then vacuum is maintained ~, at position-C which corresponds to the position of the port -. 96 and the bottle i.s transferred through position C and on to ~ position D. The positive vacuum is applied at all times through 6 the use of vacuum applied to the'elongated ports ~0 and ~ and 7 to the'port 96, all ~s shown in Figure ~. At position D, the 8 tube 56 and the cup 58 receive pressure from port 106 and 9 the bottle is released to ou-tfeed conveyor 22. As the rotating ~0 hub progresses, each'particular port 7~ is moved to position D
.1 li wh.ere air pressure is supplied to purge the channels, tuhes 12 and cups to clean them o~ any debris.
14 It can be seen, therefore, that the' present invention is directed to a vacuum ~starwheel which provides for a positive 16 vacuum to hold containers, such as bottles, to maintain the . ' 17 bottles in position during transfer by the starwheel, and with 18 the use of a pair of hub members, one rotating relative to the 19 other, and with one hub r,nember including a plurality of ports corresponding to and connecting with tubes and cups to retain 21 the bottles and with the other hub including a plurality of - 22 ports connected to either vacuum, pressure Qr atmosphere, and 23 with at least two of the ports being elongated, and with a 2~ fi.rst smal~. port intermediate the two elongated ports, and with a second small.port after the two elongated ports, and 26 with vaculirn always appl.ied to the two elongated ports, and 27 wi.th either vacuum or pressure applied to the two small ports 2~ to either release a bottle at the intermediate pOsitiOIl or 29 to.transfer the bottle along the entire length of the two '31 ~ 1.5-~q391$Z~
1 elongated ports and thcn rclease the bottle. Although the 2 app]i.cat;on has been d;sclosed ~lith rcference to a particular embodiment, such as with bott]e inspection equipment, it is to be appreciated that the invention is capable of various adaptations and modifications and the invention is only to 6 be limited by the appended claims.
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Claims (24)
- claim 1 the second stationary member including at least third and fourth ports disposed in the path of movement of the port in the first member for communication with the port in the first member at least a portion of the time during the movement of the first member, the third port being intermediate the first and second ports and the fourth port being positioned after the second port in the direction of movement of the port in the first member, the third port communicating with either the vacuum means or the pressure means, the fourth port communicating with the pressure means, the movable member providing a transfer of the individual container for release at the position of the third port when the third port communicates with the pressure means or for release at the position of the fourth port when the third port communicates with the vacuum means, the size of the first port in the first member in the path of movement of the first member being greater than the shortest distance between the second and third ports but less than the respective distance between the first or second ports and the side of the third port on the far side of the first and second ports in the path of movement of the first member, means for providing a continuous movement of the first member in the particular path, means for testing particular parameters on the container for particular characteristics during movement of the first member with the first port on the first member in communication with the first port on the second member at an intermediate position along the length of the first port, means for providing a communication of the third port on the second member with a particular one of the vacuum means and the pressure means, in accordance with the characteristics of the particular parameters tested on the container by the testing means, during the communication of the first port on the first member only with the third port on the second member, and means on the rotatable hub for providing transfer of vacuum and pressure from the ports therein to the containers whereby the containers are transferred.
- 2. The vacuum transfer mechanism of Claim 1 wherein the vacuum means communicates with the third port on the second member during the simultaneous positioning of the port on the first member with the first and third ports on the second member and during the simultaneous positioning of the port on the first member with the second and third ports on the second member.
- 3. The vacuum transfer mechanism of Claim 2 additionally including a fifth port in the second member in the path of movement of the port on the first member and communicating with the pressure means to purge the mechanism when the port on the first member communicates with the fifth port on the second member.
- 4. The vacuum transfer mechanism of Claim 1 wherein the first movable member is a rotatable hub including a starwheel having a plurality of pockets disposed in spaced relationship to one another around the periphery of the starwheel and wherein the containers are held in the starwheel pockets by vacuum and the path of movement of the port on the first member is annular.
- 5. The vacuum transfer mechanism of Claim 1 additionally including at least one infeed conveyor for feeding the individual containers to the movable member and at least first and second outfeed conveyors to receive the individual containers from the movable member and the first outfeed conveyor being disposed to receive containers movable with the first member along the lengths of the first and second elongated ports in the second member to the position of the fourth port in the second member and the second outfeed conveyor being disposed to receive containers movable with the first member only along the length of the first elongated port in the second member to the position of the third port in the second member.
- 6. The vacuum transfer mechanism of Claim 1 wherein each of the first and second elongated ports in the second member is at least partially formed from a plurality of closely spaced small ports.
7. A vacuum starwheel for transferring individual containers from one radial position to at least a second radial position, including, claim 7 (2nd page) means for providing a continuously rotatable hub having a starwheel with pockets and including at least one port and including means extending from the rotatable hub and communicating with the port for retaining individual ones of the containers within individual ones of the pockets in the starwheel for movement with the rotatable hub upon the production of a vacuum in the port, a stationary hub including at least first and second ports disposed for communication with the port in the rotatable hub at least a portion of the time during the rotation of the rotatable hub, the first and second ports in the stationary hub communicating with the vacuum means, the first and second ports in the stationary hub being elongated in the direction of rotation of the rotatable hub and the length of the port in the rotary hub being less than the length of the first and second ports in the stationary hub to provide a vacuum for holding the container in one of the pockets in the starwheel during the communication of one of the first and second ports in the stationary hub with the port in the rotatable hub, means for providing at least atmospheric fluid pressure, the stationary hub including at least third and fourth ports disposed for communication with the port in the rotatable hub at least a portion of the time during the rotation of the rotatable hub, the third port being inter-mediate the first and second ports and the fourth port being - claim 7 (3rd page) disposed after the second port in the direction of rotation of the rotatable hub, the third port communicating with either the vacuum means or the pressure means, the fourth port communicating with the pressure means, means on the rotatable hub for providing a transfer of the individual containers for release at the position of the third port when the port in the rotatable hub communicates only with the third port and receives fluid pressure from the pressure means, the size of the port in the rotatable hub in the direction of rotation of the rotatable hub being greater than the distance between the first and third ports in the stationary hub and the distance between the second and third ports in the stationary hub but sufficiently small to provide a communication only with the third port in the stationary hub during a period of time when the port in the rotary hub is in communication with the third port in the stationary hub, the rotatable hub and the stationary hub being sub-stantially planar and being superimposed in contiguous relation-ship to each other along their substantially planar surfaces, and means for providing a communication with the third port in the stationary hub from only one of the vacuum means and the pressure means while the port in the rotatable hub is in communication only with the third port in the stationary hub, and for providing a communication between the third port in the stationary hub and the vacuum means while the port in the rotatable hub is in communication simultaneously with the first and third ports in the stationary hub and simul-taneously with the second and third ports in the stationary hub.
- 8. The vacuum starwheel of Claim 7 wherein bearing means having low friction properties are disposed between the substantially planar surfaces of the rotatable hub and the stationary hub to inhibit fluid leakage.
- 9. The vacuum starwheel of Claim 7 additionally including a fifth port in the stationary hub disposed in the stationary hub at a position after the fourth port along the direction of rotation of the continuously rotatable hub and communicating with the source of pressure to purge the vacuum starwheel of debris.
- 10. The vacuum starwheel of Claim 7 wherein the rotatable hub including the starwheel includes a plurality of tubes corresponding in number to the number of pockets in the starwheel to transfer vacuum from the vacuum means to the pockets in the starwheel to hold the containers in the pockets and wherein means are provided for testing the containers for particular parameters and are activated with the port in the rotary hub at an intermediate position along the length of the first port and wherein means are provided for activating the pressure means, in accordance with the testing of the containers by the testing means, when the port in the rotary hub is positioned solely over the third port in the stationary hub.
- 11. The vacuum starwheel of Claim 7 additionally including at least one infeed conveyor for feeding the individual containers to the rotatable hub and at least two outfeed conveyors to receive the individual containers from the rotatable hub and a first one of the outfeed conveyors located to receive containers transferred along the path of the first and second elongated ports and through the third port to the position of the fourth port and a second one of the outfeed conveyors located to receive containers transferred only along the path of the first elongated port and to the position of the third port in accordance with the application of pressure from the pressure means to the third port when the port in the rotary hub is positioned solely over the third port in the stationary hub.
- 12. The vacuum starwheel of Claim 7 wherein the first and second elongated ports are at least partially formed from a plurality of closely spaced ports.
13. A vacuum sorting mechanism for transferring individual containers from one infeed position to either of two independent outfeed positions, including, a rotary member continuously movable and having a plurality of spaced ports and corresponding radially extended holding means providing a communication between the ports to the individual containers, means for providing a source of vacuum, means for providing a source of at least atmospheric pressure, - claim 13 a stationary member planar to and superimposed upon the rotary member and including four stationary ports arranged in sequence in the direction of rotation of the ports on the rotary member, the first stationary port being elongated in the direction of, and coincident with, the arc path of the ports in the rotary member and being communicative with the vacuum means, a valve having first and second positions, the third stationary port being coincident with the arc path of the ports in the rotary member and positioned proximate the first elongated port and responsive to the operation of the valve to communicate with the vacuum means in the first position of the valve and with the pressure means in the second position of the valve, the second stationary port being elongated in the direction of, and coincident with, the arc path of the ports in the rotary member and positioned proximate the third port and communicating with the vacuum means, the fourth stationary port being coincident with the arc path of the ports in the rotary member and positioned proximate to the second port and communicating with the pressure means, the size and position of the ports in the rotary and stationary members providing for an uninterrupted production of vacuum in the ports in the rotary member as they rotate across the total arc distance from the beginning of the first port to the beginning of the fourth port with the valve in the first position for a transfer of the containers to the second outfeed position and a production of a pressure in the rotating ports as they rotate to the third port with the valve in the second position for a transfer of the containers to the first infeed position, the rotary and stationary members being substantially planar and disposed in contiguous relationship along their substantially planar surfaces, and means on the rotatable hub for providing transfer of vacuum and pressure from the ports therein to the containers, whereby the containers are transferred.
- 14. A vacuum sorting mechanism as claimed in Claim 13 wherein the rotary member is a starwheel with equally spaced pockets including an individual port for each pocket and suction cups and with the ports positioned on separate equally spaced radii at a substantially constant distance from the center of rotation of the rotary member.
- 15. A vacuum sorting mechanism as claimed in claim 13 wherein there is included means for normally retain-ing the valve means in the first position and for moving the valve means to the second position when at least one of the ports in the rotary member is in communication only with the third port in the stationary member, and means for testing an individual container for a particular parameter with the ports in the rotary member disposed at an intermediate position along the length of the first port in the stationary member and for obtaining an operation of the valve means in a particular one of the first and second positions, in accord-ance with such testing, with the port in the rotary member communicating only with the third port in the stationary member.
16. A vacuum sorting mechanism for transferring individual containers from one infeed position to any one of a number of independent outfeed positions, including a stationary member provided with a substantially planar surface, means for providing a vacuum, means for providing air under at least atmospheric pressure, a plurality of valve means each having first and second operative positions, a rotary member continuously movable and planar to and superimposed upon the substantially planar surface of the stationary member, the rotary member including a plurality of individual ports and corresponding radially extended holding means that connect each individual port in the rotary member to a parti-cular one of the individual containers, with each port in the rotary member positioned a constant distance from the center of rotation of the rotary member, the stationary member including a number of sets of transfer/decision ports, corresponding to the number of outfeed positions, and said sets of ports being arranged in sequence in the direction of rotation of the ports in the rotary member and each transfer/decision set of ports consisting of at least two ports, the first transfer port in each set being elongated in the direction of, and coincident with, the arc path of the ports in the rotary member and connected to the vacuum means, claim 16 (2nd page) the first decision port in each set being small in length compared to the first transfer port in the set and coincident with the arc path of the ports in the rotary member and positioned proximate the first transfer port in the set, said first decision port in each set being connected to an individual one of the valve means in the plurality to provide for the production of a vacuum in the first decision port with the associated valve means in the first position and the production of at least atmospheric pressure in the first decision port with the associated valve means in the second position, the size and position of the ports in the rotary and stationary member being such that an uninterrupted production of vacuum may be produced in the ports in the rotary ports as they rotate across the stationary ports spanning the total arc distance from the beginning of the first transfer port in the first set to the end of the last decision port in the last set, each of the valve means in the plurality being normally disposed in the first position and being actuated to the second position, the ports in the rotary and stationary members being constructed to provide for a bridging of the transfer and decision ports in each set by the associated one of the ports in the rotary member, means for providing for a movement of each of the valve means in the plurality to the second position when the associated one of the ports in the rotary member is in communi-cation only with the associated decision port in the stationary member to obtain a transfer of individual containers in the plurality to individual ones of the outfeed stations, - claim 16 (3rd page) means for testing each individual one of the containers during the movement of the associated one of the rotary ports at an intermediate position along the transfer port in the first set to control the operation of the valve means in the first and second positions in accordance with such testing, and means on the rotary member for providing transfer of vacuum and pressure from the ports therein to the containers whereby the containers are transferred.
17. In combination in a conveyor system for separating containers into first and second paths in accordance with the characteristics of a particular parameter in the containers, means for providing a continuous and uninterrupted conveyance of the containers in a particular path, means for providing a vacuum pressure, a first member continuously movable in the particular path and constructed to receive vacuum pressures from the vacuum means and to provide forces at spaced positions on the periphery of the member for holding the containers for movement with the first member when vacuum pressures are provided at such spaced positions, the first member being provided with at least one port in the path of movement.
means providing separate communications between the port in the first member and individual ones of the spaced positions on the periphery of the first member, a second member planar to and superimposed upon the first member having first and second ports spaced from each other in the path of movement of the port in the first member, the first port in the second member being elongated relative to the second port in the second member in the path of movement of the first member, means for introducing a vacuum from the vacuum pressure means to the first port in the second member, means for testing the characteristics of the parti-cular parameter of each container during the continuous movement of the port on the first member in communication with the first port on the second member at an intermediate position along the length of the first port to - Claim 17 produce a signal having first characteristics upon the occur-ence of first characteristics in the particular parameter and a signal having second characteristics upon the occurrence of second characteristics in the particular parameter, means for providing air under at least atmospheric pressure, means for providing for the introducton of the air under at least atmospheric pressure from the pressure means into the second port on the second member, means for providing for the introduction of vacuum from the vacuum means into the second port on the second member, control means operatively coupled to the testing means, with the port in the first member in communication with only the second port in the second member, for obtaining the intro-duction of a vacuum to the second port in the second member upon the production of a signal with the first characteristics for the associated container and for obtaining the introduction of air under at least atmospheric pressure upon the production of a signal with the second characteristics for the associated container, means responsive to the introduction of a vacuum to the second port in the second member, with the port in the first member in communication with only the second port in the second member, for directing the associated containers in the first path, and means responsive to the introduction of air under at least atmospheric pressure to the second port in the second member, with the port in the first member in communication with only the second port in the second member, for directing the associated containers in the second path.
- 18. The combination set forth in Claim 17 wherein means are provided for maintaining a vacuum in the second port in the second member during the movement of the port in the first member at least partially in communication with the port in the first member.
- 19. The combination set forth in Claim 18 wherein the port in the first member has a length, in the path of movement of the first member, greater than the shortest distance between the first and second ports in the second member but less than the distance required to maintain the port in the first member in communication with the first port in the second member while in communication with any portion of the second port in the second member.
- 20. The combination set forth in Claim 19 wherein the control means are operative only while the port in the first member is in communication with the second port in the second member without being in communication with the first port in the second member.
- 21. The combination set forth in Claim 20 wherein the means directing the containers in the second path include a third port in the second member positioned after the first and second ports in the second member in the direction of movement of the port in the first member and wherein means are provided for producing a vacuum from the vacuum means in the third port in the second member.
- 22. The combination set forth in Claim 21 wherein the port in the first member has a length, in the path of movement of the first member, greater than the shortest distance between the second and third ports in the second member but less than the distance required to maintain the port in the first member in communication with any portion of the third port in the second member while in communication with the second port in the second member and wherein the control means are operative only while the port in the first member is in communication with the second port in the second member without being in communication with the third port in the second member.
- 23. The combination set forth in Claim 22 wherein the third port is disposed after the second port in the path of movement of the port in the first member and wherein a fourth port is provided in the second member and is disposed after the third port in the path of movement of the port in the first member and wherein means are provided for introducing air under pressure from the pressure means to the fourth port.
- 24. The vacuum transfer means of Claim 17 wherein bearing means with lubricating properties are disposed between the first and second members to provide for a sealing between the members.
1. A mechanism for transferring individual containers from one input position to one of at least two output positions, including a first member continuously movable in a particular path including at least one port and including means extending from the member and communicating with the port and constructed to retain one of the individual containers for movement with the first member when a vacuum is applied to the port, a second stationary member planar to and superimposed upon the first member and including at least first and second ports disposed in the path of movement of the first member for movement of the first port in the first member into sequential communication with the first and second ports in the second member, means defining a source of vacuum, means operatively coupled to the vacuum source and to the first and second ports in the second stationary member for producing vacuum in the first and second ports, the first and second ports in the second member being elongated in the path of movement of the first member and the length of the port in the first member being less than the length of the first and second ports in the second member to provide a vacuum with the retaining means in the first member for holding the container during the communication of the port in the first member with the ports in the second member, means for providing a source of at least atmospheric fluid pressure,
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US73882476A | 1976-11-04 | 1976-11-04 | |
| US738,824 | 1976-11-04 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1109026A true CA1109026A (en) | 1981-09-15 |
Family
ID=24969638
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA284,292A Expired CA1109026A (en) | 1976-11-04 | 1977-08-08 | Vacuum starwheel classification system |
Country Status (4)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPS5357668A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1109026A (en) |
| DE (1) | DE2738570A1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB1589426A (en) |
Families Citing this family (12)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPS54159971A (en) * | 1978-06-07 | 1979-12-18 | Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd | Article divider and discharger |
| JPS5831817A (en) * | 1981-08-19 | 1983-02-24 | Anritsu Corp | Rotary absorber |
| FR2534495A1 (en) * | 1982-10-14 | 1984-04-20 | Atecmi Sa | MACHINE FOR SELECTING BOTTLES OF DIFFERENT HEIGHT |
| JPS60248512A (en) * | 1984-05-24 | 1985-12-09 | Nichiden Mach Ltd | Turn table of which work chuck head tilts |
| JPS6291279A (en) * | 1985-10-17 | 1987-04-25 | 株式会社キリンテクノシステム | Vessel selecting shifter |
| JPS6324129U (en) * | 1986-07-31 | 1988-02-17 | ||
| JPS6332831U (en) * | 1986-08-15 | 1988-03-03 | ||
| JPH0736917Y2 (en) * | 1987-03-23 | 1995-08-23 | シ−ケ−デイ株式会社 | Indexing rotary transfer device |
| JPH0736910Y2 (en) * | 1987-12-25 | 1995-08-23 | 株式会社キリンテクノシステム | Rotary seal device for container rotary transport device |
| CN102765516B (en) * | 2012-08-07 | 2015-04-15 | 楚天科技股份有限公司 | Poked wheel part and poked wheel bottle delivering device |
| FR3080319B1 (en) | 2018-04-20 | 2022-01-07 | Sidel Participations | CONVEYING METHOD AND CONVEYING DEVICE OF ROTARY TYPE FOR PREFORMS MADE OF THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL |
| JP7165631B2 (en) * | 2019-07-31 | 2022-11-04 | 株式会社 日立産業制御ソリューションズ | Container sorting device |
Family Cites Families (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2800226A (en) * | 1955-02-01 | 1957-07-23 | Owens Illinois Glass Co | Article sorting apparatus |
| US3133638A (en) * | 1960-06-20 | 1964-05-19 | Industrial Dynamics Co | Inspection apparatus |
| US3279599A (en) * | 1963-10-03 | 1966-10-18 | Owens Illinois Inc | Bottle sorting machine and method |
| US3757926A (en) * | 1971-06-29 | 1973-09-11 | Baker Perkins Inc | Transfer apparatus |
-
1977
- 1977-08-08 CA CA284,292A patent/CA1109026A/en not_active Expired
- 1977-08-11 GB GB33705/77A patent/GB1589426A/en not_active Expired
- 1977-08-25 DE DE19772738570 patent/DE2738570A1/en active Granted
- 1977-08-30 JP JP10413377A patent/JPS5357668A/en active Pending
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB1589426A (en) | 1981-05-13 |
| DE2738570A1 (en) | 1978-05-18 |
| DE2738570C2 (en) | 1989-08-03 |
| JPS5357668A (en) | 1978-05-25 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |