EP0253929B1 - Hochgeschwindigkeitsbehälterstellapparat - Google Patents

Hochgeschwindigkeitsbehälterstellapparat Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0253929B1
EP0253929B1 EP86305635A EP86305635A EP0253929B1 EP 0253929 B1 EP0253929 B1 EP 0253929B1 EP 86305635 A EP86305635 A EP 86305635A EP 86305635 A EP86305635 A EP 86305635A EP 0253929 B1 EP0253929 B1 EP 0253929B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
container
containers
turntable
gear
axis
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
Application number
EP86305635A
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP0253929A1 (de
Inventor
Herbert E. Schaltegger
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Preston Surprenant & Company Inc
Original Assignee
Preston Surprenant & Company Inc
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority to US06/716,680 priority Critical patent/US4625775A/en
Application filed by Preston Surprenant & Company Inc filed Critical Preston Surprenant & Company Inc
Priority to AT86305635T priority patent/ATE55957T1/de
Priority to DE8686305635T priority patent/DE3673820D1/de
Priority to EP86305635A priority patent/EP0253929B1/de
Publication of EP0253929A1 publication Critical patent/EP0253929A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0253929B1 publication Critical patent/EP0253929B1/de
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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    • 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
    • B65B43/00—Forming, feeding, opening or setting-up containers or receptacles in association with packaging
    • B65B43/42—Feeding or positioning bags, boxes, or cartons in the distended, opened, or set-up state; Feeding preformed rigid containers, e.g. tins, capsules, glass tubes, glasses, to the packaging position; Locating containers or receptacles at the filling position; Supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation
    • B65B43/50—Feeding or positioning bags, boxes, or cartons in the distended, opened, or set-up state; Feeding preformed rigid containers, e.g. tins, capsules, glass tubes, glasses, to the packaging position; Locating containers or receptacles at the filling position; Supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation using rotary tables or turrets

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to high speed container placement apparatus, particularly to a high speed container placement apparatus for use in combination with filling equipment to achieve accurate net weight product filling of the containers.
  • the invention also relates to a method of high speed container placement, particularly in the weight filling of containers.
  • the containers may be first underfilled with the bulk of a product from a volumetric filling machine. Thereafter, these underfilled containers may be topped off with a small amount of product to bring the actual net weight to the labelled net weight in fairly short time cycle, e.g., under two seconds, utilizing low product flow in a machine dispensing by weight.
  • a high speed container placement apparatus comprising a plurality of container receiving stations spaced about a central axis; a turntable rotatable about said central axis; conveying means, juxtaposed said turntable, for introducing containers onto said turntable and removing containers therefro; and means for guiding containers between said turntable and said container receiving stations, said guide means including discharge and feeder guide members which follow an epicycloidal path around said central axis and means for oscillating said discharge and feeder guide members to transfer the containers between said turntable and said receiving stations.
  • the conveying means may comprise a pair of conveying devices.
  • the guide means may comprise a pair of guide mechanisms.
  • the guide mechanisms may further include a stationary gear coaxial with the central axis and having external teeth thereon, a main drive shaft journalled for rotation about the central axis, an internal gear mounted on the drive shaft for rotation about a center axis eccentrically spaced from the central axis, the internal gear being positioned around the stationary gear and being in meshed contact therewith, whereby rotation of the drive shaft swings the center axis and the internal gear about the central axis causing the internal gear to rotate around the center axis.
  • the guide mechanisms may include lever mechanisms for the feeder and discharge guides rotatably mounted on the internal gear and operatively connected to the stationary gear, whereby rotation of the internal gear around the center axis permits the lever mechanisms to oscillate the feeder and discharge guides as they follow the epicycloidal path.
  • each of the lever mechanisms include a busing rotatably retained on the internal gear, an upper arm cantilevered from one end of the bushing, and a lower arm extending from the other end of the bushing at an acute angle to the upper arm.
  • the lower arms are operatively connected to the stationary gear by cam rollers captured for movement in a cam track thereby oscillating the lever mechanism as the internal gear rotates around the center axis.
  • the conveying devices may include a container delivery and separating unit for introducing groups of containers onto the turntable for placement by the feeder guide onto the receiving stations.
  • the delivery and separating unit may include a timing screw having a helical groove with axially expanding turns for spacing adjacent containers.
  • the delivery and separating units may also include a rotatable starwheel adjacent the turntable and a terminal end of timing screw whereby containers existing from the timing screw are intercepted by the starwheel and transferred to the turntable.
  • an auxiliary discharge device is provided to assist the discharge guide member in guiding the containers from the receiving stations to the turntable.
  • the device has a plurality of container contacting portions adjacent each of the container receiving stations and an actuator associated with the discharge guide to contact individual ones of the contacting portions to assist the discharge guide to transfer an associated container from one of the receiving stations to the turntable.
  • the container contact portions are pivotally mounted adjacent the container receiving stations and have a container contacting arm and an actuator contacting arm extending at an acute angle relative to one another.
  • a method of high speed placement of containers comprising the steps of moving a container along a circular path around a stationary container receiving station at a production line speed; intercepting said container; decelerating the intercepted container to rest; said intercepted container being moved along a portion of an epicycloidal path during said decelerating step and being transferred thereby to said container receiving station; processing said container while at rest at said container receiving station; returning the processed container to said circular path; accelerating said processed container along another portion of the epicycloidal path during said returning step; and continuing said container along said circular path at said production line speed.
  • a high speed container placement apparatus embodying the present invention and generally indicated by the numeral 10.
  • the apparatus 10 comprises a delivery conveyor 12, a container separating device generally indicated by the numeral 14, a rotatably driven supply starwheel 16, a container placement device generally indicated by numeral 18, a rotatably driven exit starwheel 20, and an exit conveyor 22.
  • the container apparatus 10 shown in Fig. 1 is in operating sequence with a plurality of containers C1 to C25 being sequenced therethough.
  • the containers will be designated by the letter C; however, designations for specific containers will also include a reference numeral, for example, container C1, etc.
  • the containers undergo processing or filling; containers which have not undergone processing are illustrated with cross hatched lines.
  • the delivery conveyor 12 which is of conventional belt or roller driven design, is generally flooded with containers awaiting processing through the container placement device 18.
  • Adjacent the terminal end of the conveyor 12 is the container separating device 14, which permits release of seven containers in succession from conveyor 12 by means of a separating disc 24 rotatably driven in the clockwise direction and having seven cutouts 25 along a portion of its outer periphery for engaging and separating the groups of seven containers. Each group is propelled by the separating disc 24 to a timing screw 26 rotatably driven to space or separate the containers from one another by a desired distance for purposes to be explained hereinafter.
  • the timing screw 26 is provided with a continuous helical groove 28 along the outer periphery thereof.
  • the pitch of the groove 28 increases along the axial length of the timing screw 26 whereby rotation of the timing screw 26 will separate the individual members of the group of containers to achieve the desired spacing thereof.
  • the timing screw 26 operate in conjunction with a retaining wall 30 which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the timing screw 26 and maintains the containers in the groove 28 therein.
  • Juxtaposed adjacent the righthand end portion of the timing screw 26 is the supply starwheel 16 rotatably driven in the clockwise direction and having a pair of diametrically opposed cut-outs 32 for receiving containers from the separating device 14 and transferring them to the container placement device 18.
  • the starwheel 16 cooperates with a deflector 34 having opposed concave surfaces 36 and 38 to guide the containers in an arcuate path along the deflector 34.
  • the operation of the starwheel 16 and the other portions of container separating device 14 is controlled by conventional means, such as appropriate gearing.
  • the container placement device 18 is provided with a stationary disc-shaped deck plate 40 having eight positions spaced concentrically around a central axis 44. Seven of these positions are provided with container receiving or weigh stations 42; each spaced a uniform distance from a central axis 44 and shown in Fig. 1 as having one of the containers C1 to C7 thereon. It should be noted that the deck plate position on deck plate 40 located between the starwheels 16 and 20 does not have a container receiving station 42 associated therewith. In the preferred embodiment, each of the receiving stations 42 has a dispensing device 43 (see Figs. 1, 21 and 22) mounted thereabove for purposes to be explained further hereinafter.
  • annular turntable 46 which is rotatable in the counterclockwise direction about the central axis 44.
  • feeder guide 48 and discharge guide 50 are mounted for oscillation over the deck plate 40. These guides 48, 50 oscillate as they travel about the deck plate 40 in an epicycloidal path 52 shown in Fig. 2 for purposes and in a manner to be explained further hereinafter.
  • the rotatably driven exit starwheel 20 is positioned adjacent the annular turntable 46 to intercept containers thereon and move them along arcuate surface 38 to the exit conveyor 22.
  • the exit conveyor 22 is of conventional belt or roller driven design similar to the delivery conveyor 12, and moves the containers away from the container placement device 18 for further packaging or processing.
  • a main drive shaft 54 is journalled in a bearing 55 through a stationary machine frame 56 for rotation about the central axis 44 and is connected to a source of rotary power (not shown).
  • Fixed to the drive shaft 54 is a gear 58 which meshes with a transfer gear 60.
  • the gear 60 is operatively connected to an idler gear 66 on the upper side of the machine frame 56.
  • the gear 66 meshes with a gear 68 secured to a drive plate 70.
  • the drive plate 70 includes a multiplicity of column rods 71 (only one shown) extending upwardly at the outer periphery thereof.
  • the column rods 71 support the annular turntable 46 at the upper ends thereof whereby rotation of the drive shaft 54 operates the gear train (gears 58, 60, 66 and 68) to rotate the drive plate 70 and ultimately the annular turntable 46 through the column rods 71 at a desired angular speed.
  • the main drive shaft 54, and the bearing 55 within which it is journalled, are disposed partially in and extend upwardly through central apertures within gear 68, plate 70 and a stationary gear 72.
  • the stationary gear 72 is fixed to bearing 55 by key 74.
  • the underside of the stationary gear 72 has an annular extension 73 which defines a circular cam track 75 spaced from the outer edge of the stationary gear 72.
  • the terminal end of the drive shaft 54 has a bracket 77 thereon including an eccentrically located shaft 76.
  • An internal gear 78 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 76 for rotatable movement about shaft axis or center 80.
  • the internal toothed portion of internal gear 78 is in meshing engagement with the stationary gear 72 (note tooth T in Fig. 21) so that any tooth on the internal gear 78 describes an epicycloidal path, such as path 52 depicted in Fig. 2, when the center axis 80 of the internal gear 78 is rotated around the central axis 44.
  • a plate 84 Rigidly mounted on the outer portion of the internal gear 78 is a plate 84 having a pin 86 extending upwardly therefrom and located on the pitch circle of the gear 78. Journalled on the pin 86 is a lever mechanism for the feeder guide 48 generally indicated by numeral 87 (Fig. 22) and including a bushing 88 rotatable about axis 90. As best seen in Fig. 34, the bushing 88 has an upper arm 92 extending outwardly therefrom with a support pin 93 mounted on the free end of the upper arm 92 and passing upwardly through an annular space 94 (see Figs. 21 and 22) between the deck plate 40 and the annular turntable 46.
  • the bushing 88 includes a lower arm 96 cantilevered outwardly therefrom at an acute angle relative to the upper arm 92. Extending downwardly from the outer end of the lower arm 96 is a rod 98 which is secured to one end of an extension arm 100. The other end of the extension arm 100 includes a cam roller or follower 102 captured in the circular cam track 75 to ride freely therein (see Figs. 21 and 22). It should be noted that the cam roller 102 and the support pin 93 are always aligned on axis 103 while the feeder guide 48 and the pin 86 are axially aligned about axis 90.
  • the discharge guide 50 is operatively connected to a lever mechanism generally indicated by the numeral 120.
  • the mechanism 120 is similar to the mechanism 87 for the feeder guide 48, but is mounted by its bushing 122 on a support pin 123 for rotation about axis 124. Arms 125 and 126 extend at an acute angle relative to one another from opposite ends of the bushing 122 and supportively mount pins 127 and 129, respectively, at the other ends thereof.
  • the pin 129 has an extension arm 131 on the lower end thereof which carries cam roller 133.
  • the cam roller 133 is axially aligned with the pin 127 on axis 135 and is captured in the cam track 75.
  • axis 103 and thus pin 93 and cam roller 102 are on the leading or upstream side of the axis 90 as the feeder guide moves in a counterclockwise direction in the epicycloidal path 52.
  • the support pin 123 of the mechanism 120 is located upstream of the axis 103.
  • the lever mechanism 120 is mounted in reverse of the mechanism 87 whereby the axis 135 trails the axis 124 as discharge guide 50 moves in the counterclockwise direction in the epicycloidal path 52.
  • the auxiliary discharge device 105 includes a plurality of container contact portions 104 located adjacent the receiving stations 42 (see Fig. 1). Each of the portions 104 is mounted for pivotal movement about an axis 106 in the stationary deck plate 40, and has an upper lever arm 108 biased into an inactive position against stop member 107 by a coil tension spring 109. A lower lever arm 110 is attached to the upper lever arm 108 at an acute angle thereto.
  • each of the container contact portions 104 contacts the associated container c while the lower lever arm 110 cooperates with an actuator 112 which is mounted on the internal gear 78 for movement therewith.
  • the actuator 112 with bushing 113 is pivotally mounted on shaft 114 and biased by a coil tension spring 116 against the stop member 118 to the position shown in Fig. 23.
  • the tooth T at point T1 is momentarily stationary.
  • internal gear 78 is forced to rotate around its own axis 80 in the counterclockwise direction, and tooth T accelerates in a counterclockwise direction toward point T2, which is furthest away from the central axis 44, along the epicycloidal path 52 between T1 and T2.
  • the speed of the tooth T is at its maximum speed at point T2.
  • the diameter of the stationary gear 72 is 30.5 cm (twelve inches) with 120 teeth and the diameter of the internal gear 78 is 34.3 cm (13 1 / 2 inches) with 135 teeth. Therefore, the distance between axes 44 and 80 is 1.9 cm (3/4 inch).
  • the tooth T on internal gear 78 comes into contact with the stationary gear 72 once in every four hundred five degrees of the rotation of the axis 80 around axis 44. This is equal to one and one eighth turns around axis 44. Since a complete revolution of internal gear 78 requires nine turns of axis 80 around axis 44, the tooth T contacts with the stationary gear a total of eight times as shown in Fig. 2.
  • the utilization of the epicycloidal motion of the internal gear 78 around the stationary gear 72 to oscillate the feeder guide 48 and discharge guide 50 can be more clearly understood.
  • the axis 90 of pin 86 is located directly over the tooth T (see Figs. 21 to 22) on the pitch circle of gear 78 and follows the epicycloidal path 52 illustrated in Fig. 2.
  • the pin 86 moves along the epicycloidal path 52, it forces the lever mechanism 87 to swing around the axis 103 since the cam roller 102 is captured in the cam track 75 and must follow the circular path defined thereby (see Figs. 21 and 22).
  • the angle over which the feeder guide 48 turns is determined by the arm length of upper arm 92 and in the embodiment herein depicted is ninety degrees so that the feeder guide 48 starts from a rest position adjacent the deck plate position between the starwheels 16 and 20 (Fig. 29) and swings outwardly (Fig. 30) in preparation to receive an empty container C8 from the starwheel 16 (Fig. 31) halfway between its travel to the receiving station 42.
  • the discharge guide 50 Simultaneously with the movements performed by the feeder guide 48, the discharge guide 50, upstream thereof, performs a similar movement.
  • the axis 124 of pin 123 of the discharge guide is positioned on the pitch circle of the internal gear 78 spaced fifteen teeth upstream from the tooth T. Since the lever mechanism 120 is mounted in reverse of lever mechanism 87, the discharge guide 50 swings around the axis 124 to enable the discharge guide to pick up a filled container from the stationary receiving station 42 (Fig. 29) and, with the assistance of the container contact portion 104 of the auxiliary discharge device 105, transfers the container radially outwardly (Fig. 30) onto the annular turntable 46 (Fig.
  • the fifteen teeth spacing between the guides 48 and 50 causes the discharge guide 50 to lag slightly behind the feeder guide 48, e.g., the feeder guide 48 is in its stationary position in Fig. 29 while the discharge guide 50 is still approaching container C1 at weigh station 42.
  • Figs. 23 to 28 The operation of the auxiliary discharge device 105 is illustrated in Figs. 23 to 28. Since points on the pitch circle of the gear 78 are describing epicycloidal curves, as its center axis 80 rotates around central axis 44, the pivot pin 114 spaced inwardly of the pitch circle on the gear 78 will traverse the curvilinear path indicated by numeral 128.
  • the actuator 112 travelling with gear 78 initially engages the lower lever arm 110 of the container contact portion 104. Further movement of the gear 78 and the actuator 112 causes the actuator to pivot around the axis of the pivot pin 114 in the clockwise direction and against the bias of spring 116 (Fig. 24) until the actuator clears the lower arm 110 snapping back into the position shown in Fig. 25.
  • the outer surface of the actuator 112 is then free to act upon the outer end of the lower lever arm 110 to enable the outer end of the upper lever arm 108 to cooperate with the discharge guide 50 and assist the transfer of the container C from the stationary receiving station 42 to the annular turntable 46 (Figs. 26 and 30).
  • actuator 112 continues on the curvilinear path 128 as illustrated in Figs. 27 and 28, the actuator 112 and the upper lever arm 108 disengage to allow the container contact portion 104 to return to original position under the influence of spring 109.
  • the actuator 112 is mounted on the gear 78 adjacent discharge guide 50 and continues to follow the path 128. It performs its described function as each of the container contact portions 104 located adjacent each of the receiving stations 42 to cooperate with the discharge guide 50 in removing the containers therefrom.
  • the high speed container placement apparatus 10 is diagrammatically illustrated in operation with the positions of the feeder guide 48 and discharge guide 50 shown in every turn of twenty-two and one-half degrees by gear 78 or, equivalently, a turn of two hundred two and one-half degrees of its axis 80 around axis 44.
  • a group of seven containers C1 to C7 is in sequence in the placement device 18 with a respective one of the containers C1 to C7 located in each of the receiving stations 42.
  • a second group of seven containers C8 to C14 has been separated from the flooded delivery conveyor 12 by the clockwise rotation of the separating disk 24 utilizing seven cutouts 25.
  • the rotation of the separating disk 24 is controlled by conventional means such as appropriate gearing to release groups of seven containers at the appropriate interval.
  • the individual containers in the group C8 to C14 are spaced by the timing screw 26 and moved along arcuate surface 36 by the supply starwheel 16 onto the rotating annular turntable 46 where they can be intercepted by the feed guide 48.
  • an appropriate load cell (not shown) associated with each receiving station 42 measures the initial weight of the container and controls filling of the containers with a flow of product from the associated dispensing device 43 until the desired product weight has been reached.
  • the load cells are conventional and commercially available and sold by Whitney Packaging-Processing Corporation located in Needham Heights, Massachusetts as their Model 0-8.
  • the dispensing devices are commercially available from Mateer-Burt, a division of Berwind Corporation located in Wayne, Pennsylvania and sold under the Trademark "Neotron Systems". For very accurate control, the dispensing of the product can be slowed to a very low rate as the desired net weight is reached.
  • the feeder guide 48 and discharge guide 50 act in concert by continuing to move around the periphery of the stationary deck plate 40 moving group C1 to C7 from the receiving stations 42 to the annular turntable 46 and replacing them with group C8 to C14.
  • a third group of containers C15 to C21 begins its approach to the container placement and removal device 18 in Figs. 18 to 20.
  • the feeder guide 48 and the discharge guide 50 move around the central axis 44 together at the same rate, that is at the same r.p.m., with the discharge guide 50 always being a short distance downstream of the feeder guide 48.
  • the annular turntable 46 rotates about the central axis 44 at a faster rate than the rate at which the guides 48, 50 move around the axis 44. This allows the unprocessed containers to successively advance towards the feeder guide 48 and then be intercepted and transferred by the feeder guide 48; it also allows for each processed container transferred back to the annular turntable by the discharge guide 50 to advance away from the discharge guide 50 leaving room for the next processed container to be transferred.
  • the speed of the annular turntable 46 and any containers thereon is at least equal to the speed of the feeder guide 48 at the moment the guide 48 picks up a container on the turntable and the speed of the discharge guide 50 at the moment the guide 50 places a container on the turntable 46. Since the speeds of the guides 48 and 50 at these moments is twice as fast as the average speed of gear 78, the annular turntable 46 has an angular speed at least twice as fast as the gear 78.
  • the exit starwheel 20 is timed to intercept the processed or filled containers, as they move on the turntable 46 and swing them along arcuate surface 38 onto exit conveyor 22 for further processing and/or packaging.
  • the difference between the diameters of gears 72 and 78 is governed by the number of receiving stations or positions on the apparatus 10 and the diameter of the containers being processed. For example, an eight-position machine with a diameter for gear 72 of twenty-four inches and diameter for gear 78 of twenty-seven inches, can handle containers not larger than three inches in diameter, i.e., the difference in diameter between the gears. If it is necessary to handle containers of double the diameter, i.e. six inches in diameter, the diameters of gears 72 and 78, and the size of the entire machine will have to be doubled.
  • Another way to accommodate large-sized containers is to reduce the eight-position machine to four positions, without changing the diameter of the gear 72 but increasing that of gear 78 to thirty inches.
  • gear 78 would have to be stationary whenever the guides 48 and 50 are in contact with containers in their stationary position.
  • gear 72 can move as soon as the guide 48 and 50 start to move. The speed would be generally proportional to the speeds of the guides 48 and 50 on gear 78.
  • the four-position machine will essentially be changed to an eight-position machine capable of handling the same large containers without increasing the overall size by providing eight forty-five degree intermittent, backward movements of gear 72 totalling to a full turn, during the time required to turn axis 80 ten times around axis 44 and gear 78 one full turn, during which its guides will come to a stop eight times.
  • These intermittent backward motions of gear 72 can be accomplished by conventional means such as an intermittently driven servo motor.
  • gear 72 will have to make twelve intermittent background movements of thirty degrees each, totalling to a full turn, while gear 78 makes one revolution with twelve stops and axis 80 rotates fifteen times around axis 44.
  • Fig. 33 diagrammatically illustrates various arrangements to provide an initial bulk filling step to obtain maximum accuracy in product net weight.
  • the filling device has a bulk filler generally indicated by numeral 130 and three positions 132, 134 and 136 for check weighers.
  • Such weighers are commercially available from Whitney Packaging-Processing Corporation, Needham, Massachusetts and are sold under the trademark "Datachek”.
  • the device can have a check weigher in position 132 and load cells at receiving stations 42.
  • Each of the empty containers is weighed by the check weigher in position 132 and this information is relayed electronically to the load cell at receiving station 42 which will receive the same container and control the filling of the containers by weight.
  • the empty containers are sent through the bulk filler 130 and filled by volume so that the containers merely have to be topped off with additional product at the receiving stations 42 by dispensing devices 43 to obtain the desired net weight. This top-off operation is effective to reduce the filling time and allows for very high speed operations.
  • Another arrangement is to replace the load cells of the previous example with a high speed check weigher at position 134.
  • the partially filled containers coming from the bulk filler 130 are weighed by the check weigher in position 134 which relays the information to the respective dispensing devices to permit topping off of the partially filled containers.
  • Still another variation on this theme is the provision of another check weigher in position 136 to check the final net weight of the product as the containers leave the high speed placement device 18 of the previous example.
  • the information generated by the check weigher in position 136 is used to automatically recalibrate the dispensing devices 43 on a continuous basis.
  • the container placement apparatus of the present invention provides an effective means to decelerate a container from a high speed delivery conveyor, hold the container in a rest position for a predetermined amount of time, and accelerate the container back to high line speed.
  • a novel container placement device for use in conjunction with filling devices with dispense product within very close tolerance of a desired weight.
  • Such placement device decelerates the containers from high line speed to a stop for the filling operation, and afterwards accelerates them to the full line speed.
  • Each container is automatically handled on an individual basis to insure accurate filling by weight thereof.
  • the illustrated container placement device may be readily fabricated and will enjoy a long life in operation.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Filling Of Jars Or Cans And Processes For Cleaning And Sealing Jars (AREA)
  • Specific Conveyance Elements (AREA)
  • Medical Preparation Storing Or Oral Administration Devices (AREA)

Claims (17)

1. Eine Schnellplaziervorrichtung für Behälter bestehend aus:
mehreren Behälterempfangsstationen (42), die in einem Abstand zu einer zentralen Achse (44) angeordnet sind;
aus einem Drehtisch (46), der um die zentrale Achse (44) drehbar angeordnet ist;
beim Drehtisch (46) angeordnete Transportvorrichtungen (12, 14, 16, 20, 22) zum Transportieren der Behälter zum oder vom Drehtisch; und
Mittel (48, 50) zum Führen der Behälter zwischen dem Drehtisch und den Behälterempfangsstationen (42), wobei besagte Führung eine Entladeführungseinrichtung (50) und eine Ladeführungseinrichtung (48) enthält, die eine epizykloidale Bahn (52) um die zentrale Achse (44) beschreiben, und Mittel zum Rütteln der Lade- und Entladevorrichtungen zum Transportieren der Behälter zwischen dem Drehtisch (46) und den Behälterempfangsstationen (42).
2. Vorrichtung nach Patentanspruch 1, gekennzeichnet durch Mittel (58, 60, 66, 68, 70) zum Drehen des Drehtisches (40) um die Achse (44);
Mittel (76, 78) zum Bewegen der Führungen (48, 50) um die Achse (44), wenn die Führungen (48, 50) die epizykloidale Bahn beschreiben; und wobei die Rotations- und Bewegungsmittel bewegungsmässig so aufeinander abgestimmt sind, dass der Drehtisch (40) um die Achse (44) schneller dreht als sich die Führungen (48, 50) um die Achse (44) bewegen.
3. Vorrichtung nach Patentanspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Entladeführung (50), in Behälterflussrichtung gesehen, hinter der Ladeführung (48) angeordnet ist, und die Führung (48) bei einer entsprechenden Empfangsstation (42) einen Behälter plaziert, mit dem prozesstechnisch entsprechend verfahren wird, nachdem die Entladeführung von dieser Empfangsstation (42) einen fertigen Behälter wegtransportiert hat.
4. Vorrichtung nach Patentanspruch 1, 2 oder 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Drehtisch (46) Ringform aufweist und die Empfangsstationen (42) stationär sind, und wobei der Drehtisch (46) um die Behälterempfangsstationen (42) rotiert und die Empfangsstationen in gleichen Abständen von der Achse (44) angeordnet sind.
5. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Patentansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Führungen (48, 50) schwenkbar auf einem Antriebsorgan (78) angeordnet sind.
6. Vorrichtung nach Patentanspruch 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Antriebsorgan (78) Teil eines Getriebes (58, 60, 66, 68, 72, 78) bildet, durch das die Rotation des Drehtisches (46) und die Bewegung der Führungen (48, 50) über die epizykloidale Bahn (52) miteinander gekoppelt sind.
7. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorhersehenden Patentansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Transportvorrichtungen (12, 14, 16, 20, 22) aus einer Behälterzuführ- und -distanziervorrichtung (14, 16) bestehen, um dem Drehtisch (46) Gruppen von Behältern zum Plazieren in den Behälterempfangsstationen (42) durch die Ladeführung (48) zuzuführen.
8. Vorrichtung nach Patentanspruch 7, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Behälterzuführ- und -distanziervorrichtung (14, 16) eine Zeitabstimmschnecke (26) mit einer schraublinienförmigen Nut (28) enthält, die, axial sich erstreckend, beim Drehen benachbarte Behälter distanziert.
9. Vorrichtung nach Patentanspruch 8, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Behälterzuführ- und -distanziervorrichtung (14, 16) ein drehbares Sternrad (16) beim Drehtisch (46) enthält, wodurch die aus der Zeitabstimmschnecke (26) austretenden Behälter vom Stirnrad (16) erfasst und zum Drehtisch (46) transportiert werden.
10. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Patentansprüche, gekennzeichnet durch eine Hilfsentladevorrichtung (105) zum Unterstützen der Führung (50) beim Bewegen der Behälter von den Behälterempfangsstationen (42) zum Drehtisch (46).
11. Vorrichtung nach Patentanspruch 10, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Hilftsentladevorrichtung (105) bei den Behälterempfangsstationen (42) mehrere Behälterberührpartien (104) und ein der Entladeführung (50) zugeordnetes Betätigungsorgan (112) enthält zum Berühren einer der Berührpartien, um die Entladeführung (50) beim Transportieren eines zugehörigen Behälters von einer der Behälterempfangsstationen (42) zum Drehtisch (46) zu unterstützen.
12. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorhersehenden Patentansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Führungen (48, 50) enthalten: ein stationäres Zahnrad (72), das koaxial zur Achse (44) angeordnet ist und aussenverzahnt ist, eine Hauptantriebswelle (54), gelagert zum Rotieren um die Achse (44), ein Innenzahnrad (78), montiert auf der Antriebswelle (54) zum exzentrischen Rotieren um die Achse (44), wobei das Innenzahnrad (78) um das stationäre Zahnrad (72) angeordnet ist und mit diesem kämmt, und wobei das Rotieren um die Antriebswelle (54) das Innenzahnrad (78) um die Achse (44) herumschwenkt, während dem es ein Drehen des Innenzahnrades bewirkt, und die Führungen (48, 50) einen Hebelmechanismus (87, 120) für die Lade- und Entladeführungseinrichtungen (48, 50) enthalten, der um das Innenzahnrad (78) drehbar angeordnet ist und wirkungsmässig mit dem stationären Zahnrad (72) gekoppelt ist, wobei das Drehen des Innenzahnrades dem Hebelmechanismus (87, 120) ein Schwingen der Lade- und Entladeführunsseinrichtungen (48, 50) ermöglicht, wenn die Führungen (48, 50) die epizykloidale Bahn (52) beschreiben.
13. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Patentansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Behälterempfangsstationen (42) Wägestationen mit Produktefüllvorrichtungen (43) zum Füllen eines Produktes in die Behälter enthalten.
14. Vorrichtung nach einem der Patentansprüche 1 bis 4, gekennzeichnet durch einen zur Ladeführung (48) zugehörigem Hebelmechanismus (87), der drehbar auf einem beweglichen Zahnrad (78) angeordnet ist und auch wirkungsmässig mit einem stationären Zahnrad (72) gekoppelt ist, wobei ein Rotieren des beweglichen Zahnrades (78) um seine Achse (80) dem Hebelmechanismus (87) ein Schwingen der Ladeführungseinrichtung (48) ermöglicht, wenn die Ladeführungseinrichtung ihre epizykloidale Bahn beschreibt.
15. Ein Verfahren zum Schnellplazieren von Behältern, bestehend aus folgenden Schritten:
Bewegen eines Behälters längs einer Kreisbahn rund um eine stationäre Empfangsstation (42) mit Produktionsliniengeschwindigkeit;
Auffangen des Behälters;
Abbremsen des aufgefangenen Behälters bis zum Stillstand;
Bewegen des aufgefangenen Behälters längs eines Teiles der epizykloidalen Bahn (52) während des Abbremsschrittes und Weitertransportieren zur Empfangsstation (42);
Bearbeiten des Behälters während dessen Aufenthalts in der Empfangsstation (42);
Beschleunigen des bearbeiteten Behälters längs eines anderen Teiles der epizykloidalen Bahn (52) während des Rückgabeschritts; und Weitertransportieren des Behälters längs der kreisförmigen Bahn mit Produktionsliniengeschwindigkeit.
16. Verfahren nach Patentanspruch 15, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Abbrems- und Beschleunigungsschritte von einer Beladeführung (48) und einer Entladeführung (50) durchgeführt werden unter Einschluss des Schrittes des Bewegens der Führungen (48, 50) um die Empfangsstation (42) mit einer Geschwindigkeit, die kleiner als die Produktionsliniengeschwindigkeit ist.
17. Verfahren nach Patentanspruch 16, gekennzeichnet durch die Schritte des Einführens einer Anzahl zueinander distanzierten Behälter (C8 bis C14) in die kreisförmige Bahn, das einzelne Weitertransportieren der Behälter (C8 bis C14) mit Hilfe der Beladeführung (48) zu einer Anzahl stationärer Empfangsstationen (42) in der kreisförmigen Bahn, sowie dann einzelnem Wegtransportieren der bearbeiteten Behälter (C1 bis C7) mit der Entladeführung (50) von der Empfangsstation (42), wobei jeder bearbeitete Behälter (C1 bis C7) gerade vor dem Weitertransportieren eines Behälters (C8 bis C14) zur entsprechenden Empfangsstation (42) weitertransportiert wird.
EP86305635A 1985-03-27 1986-07-22 Hochgeschwindigkeitsbehälterstellapparat Expired EP0253929B1 (de)

Priority Applications (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US06/716,680 US4625775A (en) 1985-03-27 1985-03-27 High speed container placement apparatus
AT86305635T ATE55957T1 (de) 1986-07-22 1986-07-22 Hochgeschwindigkeitsbehaelterstellapparat.
DE8686305635T DE3673820D1 (de) 1986-07-22 1986-07-22 Hochgeschwindigkeitsbehaelterstellapparat.
EP86305635A EP0253929B1 (de) 1986-07-22 1986-07-22 Hochgeschwindigkeitsbehälterstellapparat

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Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP86305635A EP0253929B1 (de) 1986-07-22 1986-07-22 Hochgeschwindigkeitsbehälterstellapparat

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EP0253929A1 EP0253929A1 (de) 1988-01-27
EP0253929B1 true EP0253929B1 (de) 1990-08-29

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Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4848479A (en) * 1985-03-27 1989-07-18 Preston, Suprenant & Company, Inc. Straight line checkweigher
JP2972967B2 (ja) * 1991-02-26 1999-11-08 アンリツ株式会社 計量装置
FR2835807B1 (fr) 2002-02-12 2004-05-28 Serac Group Installation de remplissage de recipients selon des compositions de produit variables

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1174453A (en) * 1967-08-01 1969-12-17 Pneumatic Scale Corp Machine for Filling Containers with a Weighed Load.
US3557847A (en) * 1967-10-03 1971-01-26 Carl G Hebel Dispensing apparatus for particulate matter
US4471644A (en) * 1981-09-02 1984-09-18 Km-Engineering Ag Apparatus for mechanically treating metal components
US4625775A (en) * 1985-03-27 1986-12-02 Schaltegger Herbert E High speed container placement apparatus

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EP0253929A1 (de) 1988-01-27
ATE55957T1 (de) 1990-09-15

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