GB2158027A

GB2158027A - Packaging apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2158027A
Application number: GB08510919A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Simeon Brittain
Original assignee: Hulbritt Developments Ltd
Current assignee: Hulbritt Developments Ltd
Priority date: 1984-04-30
Filing date: 1985-04-30
Publication date: 1985-11-06
Also published as: GB8411013D0

Abstract

Articles 10 ready for packing are received by a receiver 12 at a delivery station 13, which presents each article in turn to a suction cup 24 of a transfer mechanism 19 for transfer to a pocketed conveyor 21 at a pick-up station 20. The suction cup 24 is mounted on an arm 22 of fixed length which is pivotable about an axis 23, and faces radially outwardly of this axis. The cup 24 is also rotatable about an axis 25 disposed generally radially of the axis 23, so that the orientation of the article can be changed during its transfer from the delivery station 13 to the pick-up station 20. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Packaging apparatus This invention relates to apparatus suitable for use in the packing of articles.

According to the present invention, such apparatus comprises a delivery station at which articles are delivered ready for packing, a pick-up station at which the articles are picked up by a conveyor for conveying to a packing station, and a transfer mechanism operative to transfer the articles from the delivery station to the pick-up station, the transfer mechanism including an arm of fixed length pivotable about a fixed pivot axis, a suction cap mounted on a radially outer end of said pivot axis, the suction cap being rotatable about an axis oriented generally radially of the pivot axis, and control means which causes a suction to be applied to the suction cup at the delivery station and to be removed from the suction cup at the pick-up station whereby the articles are caused to adhere to the suction cup during movement between said stations, the control means also causing the suction cup to be rotated about the rotation axis during said movement whereby the orientation of an article being transferred is changed.

Conveniently, the suction cup is rotated through 90 during said movement.

The pivotal axis may be oriented prependicularly to the conveying direction of the conveyor.

The apparatus may also comprise a receiver disposed at the delivery station and having a recess in which the articles are individually received, the receiver being movable between a first position wherein it receives the articles and a second position wherein it presents the articles in a suitable disposition to the suction cup.

The receiver is conveniently pivotable between its first and second positions. In this case, it is preferred that the axis about which the receiver pivots is generally horizontal, and that in said first position the recess of the receiver opens vertically upwards so that articles can drop into the recess under the effects of gravity. The recess of the receiver can be defined between components which are mutually separable to enable debris to be discharged therefrom.

In the case where the articles are in the form of sachets having an edge seam, the sachets are preferably presented to the suction cup with the seam disposed along an upper or under edge of the sachet, and are delivered to the pick-up station with the seam oriented parallel to the conveying direction of the conveyor.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the single figure of the accompanying drawing, which is a schematic side view of apparatus for use in the packing of articles, according to the present invention.

In the illustrated apparatus, articles (in the form of bags or sachets 10 containing for example a snack food product) are delivered from an outlet of a filling machine 11 and fall under gravity into a receiver 12 disposed at a delivery station 13. Each sachet 10 is received in an upwardly-facing recess 14 in the receiver 12, defined between two components 15 and 16 which are normally biassed together but which can be mutually separated to enable any debris in the case of the receiver to be discharged.

The receiver 12 is itself carried by an arm 17 which is pivotable about a horizontal axis 18, whereby the receiver can be pivoted between a first position (indicated in full lines) wherein it receives the sachets from the filling machine 12, and a second position (indicated by broken lines) wherein each sachet is presented in a suitable disposition to a transfer mechanism 19.

The transfer mechanism 19 is operative to transfer the sachets 10 in turn from the delivery station 13 to a pick-up station 20 at which the sachets are picked up by an endless pocketed conveyor 21 and conveyed to a packing station (not shown). The mechanism 19 is composed of an arm 22 of fixed length which is pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis 23, the axis 23 being disposed adjacent to the conveyor 21. A suction cup 24 is mounted on the radially outer end of the arm 22 so as to face radially outwardly of the axis 23, and is rotatable about an axis 25 oriented generally radially of the axis 23. As will be explained later, this enables the orientation of each sachet 10 to be changed during its movement between the delivery station 134 and the pick-up station 20.The aplication and removal of a suction on the suction cup 24, as well as the movement of the arm 22 and the receiver 12, are all governed by a control 26.

In opeation, sachets 10 are delivered as aforesaid from the outlet of the filling machine 11 with edge seams 27 thereof disposed at the upper and lower ends of the sachet, respectively. The sachets fall into the receiver 12 which then pivots to present each sachet in turn to the suction cup 24. The control 26 applies a suction to the cup 24 so as to cause the sachet to adhere to the latter, and then pivots the arm 22 in the direction of arrow 28, at the same time causing the suction cup 24 to rotate through 90 aout the axis 25. Each sachet 10 is thus presented to the conveyor 21 with its edge seams 27 oriented parallel to the conveying direction, indicated by arrow 29.

Abutments 30 on the conveyor 31 then rise to engage the left-hand end of the sachet 10, and at the same time the suction on the cup 24 is removed, thereby releasing the sachet so that it can be carried off by the conveyor 21.

In the above-described arrangement, a single receiver 12 and transfer mechanism 19 are shown.

However, a plurality of such receivers and transfers mechanisms may be employed in side-by-side relationship to enable more than one sachet to be oriented for subsequent packing at any one time.

1. Apparatus for use in the packing of articles, comprising a delivery station at which articles are delivered ready for packing, a pick-up station at which the articles are picked up by a conveyor for conveying to a packing station, and a transfer mechanism operative to transfer the articles from

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Packaging apparatus This invention relates to apparatus suitable for use in the packing of articles. According to the present invention, such apparatus comprises a delivery station at which articles are delivered ready for packing, a pick-up station at which the articles are picked up by a conveyor for conveying to a packing station, and a transfer mechanism operative to transfer the articles from the delivery station to the pick-up station, the transfer mechanism including an arm of fixed length pivotable about a fixed pivot axis, a suction cap mounted on a radially outer end of said pivot axis, the suction cap being rotatable about an axis oriented generally radially of the pivot axis, and control means which causes a suction to be applied to the suction cup at the delivery station and to be removed from the suction cup at the pick-up station whereby the articles are caused to adhere to the suction cup during movement between said stations, the control means also causing the suction cup to be rotated about the rotation axis during said movement whereby the orientation of an article being transferred is changed. Conveniently, the suction cup is rotated through 90 during said movement. The pivotal axis may be oriented prependicularly to the conveying direction of the conveyor. The apparatus may also comprise a receiver disposed at the delivery station and having a recess in which the articles are individually received, the receiver being movable between a first position wherein it receives the articles and a second position wherein it presents the articles in a suitable disposition to the suction cup. The receiver is conveniently pivotable between its first and second positions. In this case, it is preferred that the axis about which the receiver pivots is generally horizontal, and that in said first position the recess of the receiver opens vertically upwards so that articles can drop into the recess under the effects of gravity. The recess of the receiver can be defined between components which are mutually separable to enable debris to be discharged therefrom. In the case where the articles are in the form of sachets having an edge seam, the sachets are preferably presented to the suction cup with the seam disposed along an upper or under edge of the sachet, and are delivered to the pick-up station with the seam oriented parallel to the conveying direction of the conveyor. The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the single figure of the accompanying drawing, which is a schematic side view of apparatus for use in the packing of articles, according to the present invention. In the illustrated apparatus, articles (in the form of bags or sachets 10 containing for example a snack food product) are delivered from an outlet of a filling machine 11 and fall under gravity into a receiver 12 disposed at a delivery station 13. Each sachet 10 is received in an upwardly-facing recess 14 in the receiver 12, defined between two components 15 and 16 which are normally biassed together but which can be mutually separated to enable any debris in the case of the receiver to be discharged. The receiver 12 is itself carried by an arm 17 which is pivotable about a horizontal axis 18, whereby the receiver can be pivoted between a first position (indicated in full lines) wherein it receives the sachets from the filling machine 12, and a second position (indicated by broken lines) wherein each sachet is presented in a suitable disposition to a transfer mechanism 19. The transfer mechanism 19 is operative to transfer the sachets 10 in turn from the delivery station 13 to a pick-up station 20 at which the sachets are picked up by an endless pocketed conveyor 21 and conveyed to a packing station (not shown). The mechanism 19 is composed of an arm 22 of fixed length which is pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis 23, the axis 23 being disposed adjacent to the conveyor 21. A suction cup 24 is mounted on the radially outer end of the arm 22 so as to face radially outwardly of the axis 23, and is rotatable about an axis 25 oriented generally radially of the axis 23. As will be explained later, this enables the orientation of each sachet 10 to be changed during its movement between the delivery station 134 and the pick-up station 20.The aplication and removal of a suction on the suction cup 24, as well as the movement of the arm 22 and the receiver 12, are all governed by a control 26. In opeation, sachets 10 are delivered as aforesaid from the outlet of the filling machine 11 with edge seams 27 thereof disposed at the upper and lower ends of the sachet, respectively. The sachets fall into the receiver 12 which then pivots to present each sachet in turn to the suction cup 24. The control 26 applies a suction to the cup 24 so as to cause the sachet to adhere to the latter, and then pivots the arm 22 in the direction of arrow 28, at the same time causing the suction cup 24 to rotate through 90 aout the axis 25. Each sachet 10 is thus presented to the conveyor 21 with its edge seams 27 oriented parallel to the conveying direction, indicated by arrow 29. Abutments 30 on the conveyor 31 then rise to engage the left-hand end of the sachet 10, and at the same time the suction on the cup 24 is removed, thereby releasing the sachet so that it can be carried off by the conveyor 21. In the above-described arrangement, a single receiver 12 and transfer mechanism 19 are shown. However, a plurality of such receivers and transfers mechanisms may be employed in side-by-side relationship to enable more than one sachet to be oriented for subsequent packing at any one time. CLAIMS

1. Apparatus for use in the packing of articles, comprising a delivery station at which articles are delivered ready for packing, a pick-up station at which the articles are picked up by a conveyor for conveying to a packing station, and a transfer mechanism operative to transfer the articles from the delivery station to the pick-up station, the transfer mechanism including an arm of fixed length pivotable about a fixed point axis, a suction cup mounted on a radially outer end of the arm so as to face radially outwardly of said pivot axis, the suction cup being rotatable about an axis oriented generally radially of the pivot axis, and control means which causes a suction to be applied to the suction cup at the delivery station and to be removed from the suction cup at the pick-up station whereby the articles are caused to adhere to the suction cup during movement between said stations, the control means also causing the suction cup to be rotated about the rotation axis during said movement whereby the orientation of an article being transferred is changed.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the suction cup is rotated through 90 during said movement.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the pivot axis is oriented perpendicularly to the conveying direction of the conveyor.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a receiver disposed at the delivery station and having a recess in which the articles are individually received, the receiver being movable between a first position wherein it receives the articles and a second position wherein it presents the articles in a suitable disposition to the suction cup.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the receiver is pivotable between its first and second positions.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the axis about which the receiver pivots is generally horizontal, and in said first position the recess of the receiver opens vertically upwardly so that the articles can drop into the recess under the effects of gravity.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4,5 or 6, wherein the recess of the receiver is defined between components which are mutually separable to enable debris to be discharged therefrom.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the articles are in the form of sachets having an edge seam, the sachets are presented to the suction cup with the seam disposed along an upper or lower edge of the sachet, and are delivered to the pick-up station with the seam oriented parallel to the conveying direction of the conveyor.

9. Apparatus for use in the packing of articles, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.