WO1998025841A1

WO1998025841A1 - Method for pre-determinably positioning and orientating an article or a series of similar articles being carried on a moving conveyor and apparatus therefor

Info

Publication number: WO1998025841A1
Application number: PCT/SG1997/000069
Authority: WO
Inventors: Soo Ngang Soh; Pak Weng Soo
Original assignee: General Labels And Labelling (Singapore) Private Limited; General Labels And Labelling (Malaysia) Sendirian Berhad
Priority date: 1996-12-13
Filing date: 1997-12-12
Publication date: 1998-06-18
Also published as: AU5893798A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for pre-determinably positioning and orientating an article or a series of articles being carried on a moving conveyor (14) in a production or factory machine. A linearly moveable table (13) mounted on a conveyor (14) is adapted to carry actuators (7, 8) which bear shaped plates (1, 2, 3, 4). When an article (16) on the moving conveyor (14) is detected approaching the apparatus, the table (13) is moved alongside, and at the same speed as, the article (16) and the actuators (7, 8) move the shaped plates (1, 2, 3, 4) so as to push the article (16) into the recesses formed when the plates (1, 2, 3, 4) are together. The moving article (16) is then held firmly against the contact surfaces (21, 22, 23, 24) in the required position and orientation on the conveyor.

Description

TITLE:

Method for pre-determinably positioning and orientating an article or a series of similar articles being carried on a moving conveyor and apparatus therefor.

TECHNICAL FIELD:

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for pre-determinably positioning and orientating an article or a series of articles being carried on a moving conveyor in a production or factory machine.

BACKGROUND ART:

Many systems are known to position and orientate an article or a series of articles being carried on a moving conveyor in a machine. For example, parallel guide rails are often used and are very adequate for articles which are circular, square or rectangular in section where in contact with the rails. However for articles that are more oblate, oval or asymmetric in section, guide rails cannot position or orientate articles very accurately because of the play or freedom of rotation about the articles' vertical axis which parallel guide rails are unable to restrain.

An example of a system in current use, that can provide greater accuracy, is the screw feed method. Two parallel synchronously counter-rotating screws, with specially designed and precisely made threads, engage articles on the conveyor to position them laterally, orientate them and space the articles a given distance apart. This matching pair of screw threads is expensive to manufacture and, furthermore, must be installed to fairly tight tolerances and maintained at them. Another disadvantage readily apparent is that the shape of the threads corresponds to a particular article profile and a different pair of screw threads is nearly always found necessary for differently shaped articles, with implications both in time to replace the screws and in cost. The counter- rotating screw threads periodically form openings into which articles are led by the conveyor and, from time to time in practice, articles are found to jam on entry into the screw feed system with consequent downtime and probable damage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:

The present invention has therefore as an object to provide an improved method and apparatus for pre-determinably positioning and orientating articles being carried on a moving conveyor in a production or factory machine. This will result in consistently higher accuracy of positioning and orientation of articles, almost no downtime due to articles jamming at entry to the apparatus and, not least of all, lower cost and less time to change for differently shaped article runs on the conveyor as compared with the other accurate methods.

According to this invention an apparatus for pre-determinably positioning and orientating an article or a series of similar articles being carried on a moving conveyor is disclosed whereby a moveable table is provided with means, upon signal, for controllable linear motion in forward or backward steps, said moveable table being located on or near the conveyor side and arranged to have a device which is adapted, upon signal, to position and orientate an article or a series of similar articles being carried on the moving conveyor. There is also disclosed herein a method for pre-determinably positioning and orientating an article or a series of similar articles being carried on a moving conveyor whereby the apparatus is arranged to be at a prescribed location in a ready state, and upon signal, the said apparatus is caused to start moving and to move alongside an article on the moving conveyor in the same direction and at substantially the same speed as that of the article, such that the moving apparatus is in a prescribed position relative to the moving article to be able to position and orientate that article on the moving conveyor, and substantially simultaneously, a device in the said apparatus is caused to begin action and to act on the article so as to pre-determinably position and orientate it on the moving conveyor, to hold the said article at the said position and orientation on the moving conveyor for some prescribed time or distance, after which the said device is caused to start releasing and to release the article, and when part or parts of the said device are clear of the moving article, to arrange for the apparatus to return to its ready state at the prescribed location from which the apparatus began moving, thereat to await signal to repeat the cycle as required and thereby ending one cycle

As an improvement disclosed herein, sensor means can be provided to detect and signal the approach of an article being carried on the moving conveyor and thus trigger the start of cycle for the apparatus. Two systems, and a combination of these two systems, are disclosed for controlling the steps in the apparatus cycle, one using sensors to detect the arrival of the apparatus at prescribed positions, signals being arranged at each detection to trigger the next step of the cycle, and the other using a timer to measure the lapse of prescribed intervals of time from the moment the apparatus begins its cycle, signals being arranged upon the passage of such prescribed intervals of time to trigger the next step of the cycle.

Another advancement disclosed herein concerns acting upon the article on the moving conveyor from both sides of the conveyor. The moveable table and/or the conveyor are adapted to provide mounting areas on each side of the conveyor for two or more parts of the device at least one part being mounted on each side of the conveyor. According to the invention, each part of the device comprises one or more actuators mounted on the moveable table, each such mounting being adapted to provide means of adjustment for the height and/or the attitude of each actuator mounted thereon, each said actuator being provided with a part or parts adapted to be moved by the actuator, upon signal, to pre-determinably position and orientate the article on the moving conveyor, to hold the article in that position and orientation for some prescribed time or distance and, upon signal, to release the article and return. Further, according to the invention, each part mounted on and adapted to be moved by an actuator comprises a mounting means connected to, and able to be moved by, the actuator, said mounting means adapted to hold one or more shaped plates, each said plate being adapted to have one or more surfaces shaped and sized to closely conform to part of the appropriate section of the article so that, when the shaped plates are moved substantially together or together to position, orientate and hold the article, the said shaped and sized surfaces form a recess or recesses arranged to closely conform to the appropriate section or sections of the article, within which recess or recesses the article can be firmly held in a pre-determinable position and orientation on the moving conveyor.

Hence a method in the invention is disclosed whereby the device in the apparatus is arranged to act upon the article from both sides laterally of the conveyor using two or more parts of the said device, at least one such part on each side of the conveyor, said parts arranged to come substantially together or together to push the article into a recess or recesses formed by the said parts coming substantially together or together, said recess or recesses arranged to be shaped and sized to closely conform to the appropriate section or sections of the article so that the article is pre-determinably positioned and orientated on the moving conveyor and held firmly in that position and orientation in the recess or recesses formed when the said parts are substantially together or together.

SPECIFIC EXAMPLE:

One specific embodiment by way of example only of an apparatus in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying illustrations, in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of the apparatus, Figure 2 is a top view of the apparatus, and

Figure 3 is an end view of the apparatus showing also an article on the conveyor. Shaped plates ( 1 , 2, 3, 4 ) are mounted on brackets ( 5, 6 ) connected to pneumatic actuators ( 7, 8 ) to which are attached mounting plates ( 9, 10 ) mounted upon another set of brackets ( 1 1 , 12 ) which are attached, one on each side of the conveyor, to the moveable table ( 13 ) which is extended across the conveyor through a cut-out ( 15 ) in the body of the conveyor. Surfaces ( 21 , 22, 23, 24 ) on the plates ( 1 , 2, 3, 4 ) are shaped and sized to closely conform to the appropriate part of the section of the article ( 16 ). The drive for the moveable table, the tubes carrying air to the pneumatic cylinders, the signal wires, the sensors or the timers are not shown in the drawings.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method for pre-determinably positioning and orientating an article or a series of similar articles being carried on a moving conveyor characterised in that an apparatus is arranged to be at a prescribed location in a ready state, and upon signal, the said apparatus is caused to start moving and to move alongside an article on the moving conveyor in the same direction and at substantially the same speed as that of the article, such that the moving apparatus is in a prescribed position relative to the moving article to be able to position and orientate that article on the moving conveyor, and substantially simultaneously, a device in the said apparatus is caused to begin action and to act on the article so as to pre-determinably position and orientate it on the moving conveyor, to hold the said article at the said position and orientation on the moving conveyor for some prescribed time or distance, after which the said device is caused to start releasing and to release the article, and when part or parts of the said device are clear of the moving article, to arrange for the apparatus to return to its ready state at the prescribed location from which the apparatus began moving, thereat to await signal to repeat the cycle as required and thereby ending one cycle.

2. A method as in claim 1 characterised in that the detection of the approach to the apparatus in the ready state of an article carried by the moving conveyor is arranged to provide the appropriate signal to cause the said apparatus to begin the cycle.

3. A method as in claims 1 , 2 or 4 characterised in that each detection of the apparatus arriving at prescribed positions during the cycle is arranged to provide the appropriate signal to the apparatus to carry out the next step of the cycle.

4. A method as in claims 1 , 2 or 3 characterised in that each lapse of prescribed intervals of time after the apparatus begins the cycle is arranged to provide the appropriate signal to the apparatus to carry out the next step of the cycle.

5. A method as in claims 1 , 2, 3 or 4 characterised in that the device in the apparatus is arranged to act upon the article from both sides laterally of the conveyor using two or more parts of the said device, at least one such part on each side of the conveyor, said parts arranged to come substantially together or together to push the article into a recess or recesses formed by the said parts coming substantially together or together, said recess or recesses arranged to be shaped and sized to closely conform to the appropriate section or sections of the article so that the article is pre-determinably positioned and orientated on the moving conveyor and held firmly in that position and orientation in the recess or recesses formed when the said parts are substantially together or together.

6. A method as in one or any combination of the preceeding claims characterised in that the steps of the method are substantially as herein described with reference to the description and the accompanying drawings.

7. An apparatus for pre-determinably positioning and orientating an article or a series of similar articles being carried on a moving conveyor characterised in that a moveable table is provided with means, upon signal, for controllable linear motion in forward or backward steps, said moveable table being located on or near the conveyor side and arranged to have a device which is adapted, upon signal, to position and orientate an article or a series of similar articles being carried on the moving conveyor.

8. An apparatus as in claim 7 characterised in that one or more sensor means are provided, either on the moveable table or elsewhere on the body of the conveyor or on both, to detect the approach to the apparatus in the ready state of an article being carried on the moving conveyor and, upon detection of each such approaching article, each said sensor means is adapted to provide the appropriate signal to the apparatus in the ready state to start its cycle.

9. An apparatus as in claims 7, 8 or 10 characterised in that one or more sensor means are provided, either on the moveable table or elsewhere on the body of the conveyor or on both, to detect the arrival of the apparatus at prescribed positions during its cycle of action and, upon detection of the apparatus at each such prescribed position, each said sensor means is adapted to provide the appropriate signal to the apparatus to carry out the next step of its cycle.

10. An apparatus as in claims 7, 8 or 9 characterised in that one or more timer means are provided each of which is adapted to measure the lapse of time from the moment the apparatus begins its cycle and, upon the passage of prescribed intervals of time from the moment the apparatus begins its cycle, said timer means are adapted to provide the appropriate signal to the apparatus to carry out the next step of its cycle.

11. An apparatus as in claims 7, 8, 9 or 10 characterised in that the moveable table is adapted to extend across the conveyor, either below the body of the conveyor with the appropriate modification to the shape of the said table to allow linear movement of the table along the conveyor for a prescribed distance without interference with the body of the conveyor, or through the body of the conveyor with the appropriate modification to said body to allow linear movement of the table along the conveyor for a prescribed distance without further interference with the body of the conveyor, so that at least one part of the device mounted on the moveable table can be located on each section of said table extending out on each side of the conveyor.

12. An apparatus as in claim 1 1 characterised in that the said device on the moveable table comprises two or more parts, at least one part mounted on said table extending out on each side of the conveyor, so that the article on the moving conveyor can be acted upon by said parts of the device from both sides of the conveyor.

13. An apparatus as in claims 7, 8, 9, 10, 1 1 or 12 characterised in that each part of the said device comprises one or more actuators mounted on the moveable table using one or more mounting means, each such mounting means adapted to provide adjustment means for the height and/or the attitude of the actuator or actuators mounted thereon, each said actuator being provided with a part or parts adapted to be moved by the actuator, upon signal, to pre- determinably position and orientate the article on the moving conveyor, to hold the article in that position and orientation for some prescribed time or distance and, upon signal, to release the article and return.

14. An apparatus as in claim 13 characterised in that each part mounted on and adapted to be moved by an actuator comprises a mounting means connected to, and able to be moved by, the actuator, said mounting means adapted to hold one or more shaped plates, each said plate being adapted to have one or more surfaces shaped and sized to closely conform to part of the appropriate section of the article so that, when the shaped plates are moved substantially together or together to position, orientate and hold the article, the said shaped and sized surfaces form a recess or recesses arranged to closely conform to the appropriate section or sections of the article, within which recess or recesses the article can be firmly held in a pre-determinable position and orientation on the moving conveyor.

15. An apparatus according to one or any combination of the claims 7, 8, 9, 10, 1 1 , 12, 13 or 14 characterised in that the apparatus is constructed, adapted and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to the description and the accompanying drawings.

16. An apparatus or method for pre-determinably positioning and orientating an article or a series of similar articles being carried on a moving conveyor comprising one or any combination of the features, elements or steps disclosed herein in any one or a combination of the preceeding claims and in the description and in the accompanying illustrations.