EP0242105A2 - Transfer mechanism with jam detector - Google Patents
Transfer mechanism with jam detector Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0242105A2 EP0242105A2 EP87302985A EP87302985A EP0242105A2 EP 0242105 A2 EP0242105 A2 EP 0242105A2 EP 87302985 A EP87302985 A EP 87302985A EP 87302985 A EP87302985 A EP 87302985A EP 0242105 A2 EP0242105 A2 EP 0242105A2
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- transfer
- carton
- transfer mechanism
- strobe signal
- cartons
- 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.)
- Granted
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Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B57/00—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices
- B65B57/02—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of binding or wrapping material, containers, or packages
- B65B57/08—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of binding or wrapping material, containers, or packages and operating to stop, or to control the speed of, the machine as a whole
Definitions
- This invention relates generally to transfer mechanisms and, more particularly, to means for detecting whether or not the product being handled has actually been transferred.
- a general object of the invention is to provide an improved means for detecting a product transfer at a predetermined transfer point.
- Another object of the invention is to provide novel electronic means for detecting the transfer of a paperboard carton at a predetermined transfer point in a forming, filling and sealing machine.
- a further object of the invention is to provide electronic means coupled with photoelectric and vacuum sensing means for detecting any jam-up of a paperboard carton at a particular transfer point in a packaging machine.
- Still another object of the invention is to provide means consisting of a photoelectric sensor, a vacuum sensor, and at least one strobe signal adapted to detect the presence of signals from both sensors.
- Figure 1 illustrates a loading type of transfer point as may be used to transfer bottom sealed cartons 10 two-at-a-time from an indexing conveyor means 12, moving from left to right in Figure 1, to resilient carriers 14 moving at a right angle with respect to the conveyor.
- the carriers each consist of an inverted U-shaped bracket whose side walls are normally urged toward one another until spread slightly to admit and retain a carton 10 therebetween.
- the cartons 10 typically will have been stripped from a mandrel (not shown) and placed on a stationary rail 16 extending laterally from between a pair of parallel endless conveyors 12 mounted around sprockets 18, as more fully shown and explained in U.S. patent no. 4,566,251, issued January 28, 1986.
- the transfer of the pair of cartons 10 from the conveyor 12 to the carriers 14 is accomplished by a lifting mechanism 20, having a support platform 22 above which the cartons are positioned as they leave the rail 16.
- the lifting mechanism 20 extends between the conveyors and raise each two side-by-side cartons vertically upwardly into the spring biased carriers 14.
- a conveyor 24 associated with the carriers 14 indexes the cartons onto support rails 26 for the start of a further process step, such as the sterilization process.
- Sensors, represented at 28, are mounted on the support platform 22 and serve to detect an increase in the force necessary to lift the cartons 10 into the carriers 14.
- This sensor can be a load cell, a strain gauge device, a spring loaded plate and proximity switch, or a similar device that is capable of an instant response to an increase in the force needed to lift the carton.
- This response or increased force load would be sensed by the control system and immediately stop the conveyor 24 to prevent further jamming of the carton, damage to the machine, and lost downtime.
- a carton jammed at this point in the machine can be easily removed without major machine problems. Otherwise, a jam in the machine could cause a compromise of the commercial sterility, and complete machine resterilization may be required, which involves a substantial amount of downtime.
- An unloading device 34 serves to raise a pair of vacuum cups 36 upwardly to engage the pair of cartons 10 being held in the carriers 14.
- the vacuum cups engage the bottoms of the cartons and pull them down onto a stationary rail 38 and into compartments 40 between the conveyors 30 which will be indexed for the further processing of final filling and sealing of the cartons.
- a pair of photoelectric sensors 42 will detect the presence of two cartons as the latter move into the unload station. This fact is recorded and stored in the logic system of the machine control unit.
- the vacuum cups 36 are operatively connected to vacuum sensors 44, which serve to detect the increase in vacuum after the unloading device has raised the cups 36 to grip the bottoms of the cartons. This event is also noted in the machine control unit, and as the unloading device 34 is cycled and the two cartons are pulled into the conveyor compartments 40, a comparison is made of the signals to determine if cartons that were sensed in the carriers 14 had successfully passed by the photoelectric sensors 42, and had been subjected to sufficient vacuum, as sensed by the vacuum sensors 44, to be pulled into receiving compartments 40. If both signals are not correct within a predetermined time period, the machine control system will be caused to stop, thereby preventing jamming of the cartons at this transfer station.
- Figure 3 shows the logic and timing of the photoelectric sensor 42 (PES) and the vacuum sensor 44 (VS) , a first strobe signal that is used to detect the presence of both signals, and a second strobe signal that is used to detect the presence of only the PES signal. A number of conditions will cause the machine to be stopped:
- the strobe signals are unrelated to the PES or the VS signals, and are developed from other timing signals in the machine and synchronized to the conveyor movements.
- the second strobe signal f is optional and may be used either to back up the action of the first strobe signal c, or in lieu thereof.
- This second strobe signal f serves to detect that the PES signals a and b have shown that both cartons 10 have been removed, i.e., moved completely past the photoelectric sensors 42 and, hence, have been deposited in the compartments 40 of the conveyors 30. Should any one carton not pass by the photoelectric unit, the pulse would continue as represented by the dash lines in Figure 3.
- the invention provides a novel and efficient means for assuring that transfers of a product, such as paperboard cartons, have occurred at the inlet and outlet of crucial processing operations, such as a sterilization chamber, wherein jam-ups would cause substantial downtime, not only in unjamming and possible machine damage, but in complete resterilization time before the machine can be restarted.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Supplying Of Containers To The Packaging Station (AREA)
- Making Paper Articles (AREA)
- Control Of Conveyors (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- This invention relates generally to transfer mechanisms and, more particularly, to means for detecting whether or not the product being handled has actually been transferred.
- In machines wherein a product, such as a paperboard carton, must be processed through a plurality of internal transfers prior to being filled with a liquid product, in the event of an unsuccessful transfer of some one carton at any of the transfer points oncoming cartons will continue to index and feed into the jammed carton. If undetected, there results an increased load on the indexing devices, which may break or damage machine components.
- It is apparent that various mechanical or other type means may be used to determine that a transfer has occurred at a particular transfer point.
- A general object of the invention is to provide an improved means for detecting a product transfer at a predetermined transfer point.
- Another object of the invention is to provide novel electronic means for detecting the transfer of a paperboard carton at a predetermined transfer point in a forming, filling and sealing machine.
- A further object of the invention is to provide electronic means coupled with photoelectric and vacuum sensing means for detecting any jam-up of a paperboard carton at a particular transfer point in a packaging machine.
- Still another object of the invention is to provide means consisting of a photoelectric sensor, a vacuum sensor, and at least one strobe signal adapted to detect the presence of signals from both sensors.
- These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent when reference is made to the following description and accompanying drawings.
-
- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a fragmentary portion of a machine embodying the invention;
- Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a second fragmentary portion of the machine embodying the invention; and
- Figure 3 is a graphic representation or chart of the timing operation of the Figure 2 structure.
- Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, Figure 1 illustrates a loading type of transfer point as may be used to transfer bottom sealed
cartons 10 two-at-a-time from an indexing conveyor means 12, moving from left to right in Figure 1, toresilient carriers 14 moving at a right angle with respect to the conveyor. In this instance, the carriers each consist of an inverted U-shaped bracket whose side walls are normally urged toward one another until spread slightly to admit and retain acarton 10 therebetween. To arrive at this point, thecartons 10 typically will have been stripped from a mandrel (not shown) and placed on astationary rail 16 extending laterally from between a pair of parallelendless conveyors 12 mounted aroundsprockets 18, as more fully shown and explained in U.S. patent no. 4,566,251, issued January 28, 1986. - The transfer of the pair of
cartons 10 from theconveyor 12 to thecarriers 14 is accomplished by alifting mechanism 20, having asupport platform 22 above which the cartons are positioned as they leave therail 16. During the dwell period of the indexing cycle of the conveyor, thelifting mechanism 20 extends between the conveyors and raise each two side-by-side cartons vertically upwardly into the springbiased carriers 14. - At this transfer station it is very critical that the carton properly transfer from the
conveyors 12 to thecarriers 14. Upon successful completion of the transfer, aconveyor 24 associated with thecarriers 14 indexes the cartons ontosupport rails 26 for the start of a further process step, such as the sterilization process. Sensors, represented at 28, are mounted on thesupport platform 22 and serve to detect an increase in the force necessary to lift thecartons 10 into thecarriers 14. This sensor can be a load cell, a strain gauge device, a spring loaded plate and proximity switch, or a similar device that is capable of an instant response to an increase in the force needed to lift the carton. This response or increased force load would be sensed by the control system and immediately stop theconveyor 24 to prevent further jamming of the carton, damage to the machine, and lost downtime. A carton jammed at this point in the machine can be easily removed without major machine problems. Otherwise, a jam in the machine could cause a compromise of the commercial sterility, and complete machine resterilization may be required, which involves a substantial amount of downtime. - Referring now to Figure 2, once a process, such as a sterilization process has been completed, it becomes necessary to transfer the now sterilized
cartons 10 back between another pair of parallelendless indexing conveyors 30 mounted aroundsprockets 32 to be transported through a filling station and a top sealing station prior to discharge. At this unloading transfer point each pair ofcartons 10 will have been carried from a direction toward the reader, or out of the paper, to be transferred to theconveyors 30 moving from left to right in Figure 2. - An
unloading device 34 serves to raise a pair of vacuum cups 36 upwardly to engage the pair ofcartons 10 being held in thecarriers 14. The vacuum cups engage the bottoms of the cartons and pull them down onto astationary rail 38 and intocompartments 40 between theconveyors 30 which will be indexed for the further processing of final filling and sealing of the cartons. - A pair of
photoelectric sensors 42 will detect the presence of two cartons as the latter move into the unload station. This fact is recorded and stored in the logic system of the machine control unit. The vacuum cups 36 are operatively connected to vacuum sensors 44, which serve to detect the increase in vacuum after the unloading device has raised the cups 36 to grip the bottoms of the cartons. This event is also noted in the machine control unit, and as theunloading device 34 is cycled and the two cartons are pulled into theconveyor compartments 40, a comparison is made of the signals to determine if cartons that were sensed in thecarriers 14 had successfully passed by thephotoelectric sensors 42, and had been subjected to sufficient vacuum, as sensed by the vacuum sensors 44, to be pulled into receivingcompartments 40. If both signals are not correct within a predetermined time period, the machine control system will be caused to stop, thereby preventing jamming of the cartons at this transfer station. - Figure 3 shows the logic and timing of the photoelectric sensor 42 (PES) and the vacuum sensor 44 (VS) , a first strobe signal that is used to detect the presence of both signals, and a second strobe signal that is used to detect the presence of only the PES signal. A number of conditions will cause the machine to be stopped:
- 1. If the PES signal a or b for either
carton 10 is lost after being detected prior to the beginning of the first strobe signal c, the machine will be stopped. - 2. If the PES signal a or b is lost for either
carton 10 after being detected prior to the end of the first strobe signal c, the machine will be stopped. - 3. If the PES signal a or b is detected and no VS signal d or e is detected for either
carton 10, the machine will be stopped. - 4. If the PES signal a or b is detected and the VS signal d or e is lost for either
carton 10 prior to the end of the first strobe signal c, the machine will be stopped. - 5. If no PES signal a or b is detected, the VS signal d or e will be ignored and the machine will not be stopped.
- The strobe signals are unrelated to the PES or the VS signals, and are developed from other timing signals in the machine and synchronized to the conveyor movements. The second strobe signal f is optional and may be used either to back up the action of the first strobe signal c, or in lieu thereof. This second strobe signal f serves to detect that the PES signals a and b have shown that both
cartons 10 have been removed, i.e., moved completely past thephotoelectric sensors 42 and, hence, have been deposited in thecompartments 40 of theconveyors 30. Should any one carton not pass by the photoelectric unit, the pulse would continue as represented by the dash lines in Figure 3. - It should be apparent that the invention provides a novel and efficient means for assuring that transfers of a product, such as paperboard cartons, have occurred at the inlet and outlet of crucial processing operations, such as a sterilization chamber, wherein jam-ups would cause substantial downtime, not only in unjamming and possible machine damage, but in complete resterilization time before the machine can be restarted.
- While but two embodiments have been shown and described, other modifications are possible within the scope of the following claims.
Claims (8)
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US85118486A | 1986-04-14 | 1986-04-14 | |
US851184 | 1986-04-14 |
Publications (3)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0242105A2 true EP0242105A2 (en) | 1987-10-21 |
EP0242105A3 EP0242105A3 (en) | 1988-08-10 |
EP0242105B1 EP0242105B1 (en) | 1991-06-26 |
Family
ID=25310167
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP19870302985 Expired EP0242105B1 (en) | 1986-04-14 | 1987-04-06 | Transfer mechanism with jam detector |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0242105B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JPS6331A (en) |
DE (1) | DE3770975D1 (en) |
NO (1) | NO871586L (en) |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE19605783A1 (en) * | 1996-02-16 | 1997-08-21 | Heinrich Schnell | Automatic sorting and packaging assembly for rolling products |
CN114044201A (en) * | 2021-12-20 | 2022-02-15 | 红云红河烟草(集团)有限责任公司 | Cigarette carton blocking and untwining device of packing machine |
Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2934869A (en) * | 1957-11-08 | 1960-05-03 | Redington Co F B | Article detecting mechanism |
WO1979001023A1 (en) * | 1978-05-03 | 1979-11-29 | W Nitz | Electronic program control |
US4548244A (en) * | 1984-11-29 | 1985-10-22 | Ex-Cell-O Corporation | Electronic program control |
US4566251A (en) * | 1985-01-07 | 1986-01-28 | Ex-Cell-O Corporation | Carton forming, sterilizing, filling and sealing machine |
Family Cites Families (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JPS5124391A (en) * | 1974-08-21 | 1976-02-27 | Yoshida Kogyo Kk | SURAIDOFUASUNAANADONOSEIHINO YOKINISHUNOSURUHOHO |
-
1987
- 1987-04-06 DE DE8787302985T patent/DE3770975D1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1987-04-06 EP EP19870302985 patent/EP0242105B1/en not_active Expired
- 1987-04-14 NO NO871586A patent/NO871586L/en unknown
- 1987-04-14 JP JP8997287A patent/JPS6331A/en active Pending
Patent Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2934869A (en) * | 1957-11-08 | 1960-05-03 | Redington Co F B | Article detecting mechanism |
WO1979001023A1 (en) * | 1978-05-03 | 1979-11-29 | W Nitz | Electronic program control |
US4548244A (en) * | 1984-11-29 | 1985-10-22 | Ex-Cell-O Corporation | Electronic program control |
US4566251A (en) * | 1985-01-07 | 1986-01-28 | Ex-Cell-O Corporation | Carton forming, sterilizing, filling and sealing machine |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE19605783A1 (en) * | 1996-02-16 | 1997-08-21 | Heinrich Schnell | Automatic sorting and packaging assembly for rolling products |
CN114044201A (en) * | 2021-12-20 | 2022-02-15 | 红云红河烟草(集团)有限责任公司 | Cigarette carton blocking and untwining device of packing machine |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
NO871586L (en) | 1987-10-15 |
EP0242105A3 (en) | 1988-08-10 |
NO871586D0 (en) | 1987-04-14 |
DE3770975D1 (en) | 1991-08-01 |
JPS6331A (en) | 1988-01-05 |
EP0242105B1 (en) | 1991-06-26 |
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