WO2014122595A1

WO2014122595A1 - Apparatus and method for stripping and conveying a flexible product from a dip moulding former

Info

Publication number: WO2014122595A1
Application number: PCT/IB2014/058813
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jonathan William Stollery; Kim Marie Stollery
Original assignee: Altevo Limited
Priority date: 2013-02-06
Filing date: 2014-02-05
Publication date: 2014-08-14
Also published as: GB201302113D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for the handling of flexible products produced in a dip moulding process, particularly of products such as gloves (2), like disposable inspection gloves (2) for use in clinical, veterinary or medical environments, condoms, balloons, catheters and cannulas after forming on a dip moulding former (4). The apparatus comprises a first conveyor (15), a second conveyor (16) and a carriage (20), the first conveyor (15) having a first transporting surface (17), the second conveyor (16) having a second transporting surface (18), said transporting surfaces facing each other in juxtaposition with a first opening (26) therebetween. The method comprises the following steps: • i) moving said first and second glove transporting surfaces (17,18) apart to widen said first opening (26), and then with said first and second conveyors (15,16) in a first orientation receiving in the first opening a portion (10) of a flexible product (2) extending freely away from said dip moulding former (4); • ii) moving said first and second glove transporting surfaces (17,18) together whereby said product (2) is received and gripped in the first opening (26); • iii) moving said first and second glove transporting surfaces (17,18) in the same direction away from the first opening (26) in order to draw said gripped product (2) further between said first and second glove transporting surfaces (17,18); • iv) moving said first and second conveyors (15,16) to a second orientation, the second orientation being different from the first orientation; and • v) with said first and second conveyors (15,16) in the second orientation, moving said first and second glove transporting surfaces (17,18) in the same direction to eject said product (2) from between said first and second glove transporting surfaces (17,18).

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR STRIPPING AND CONVEYING A FLEXIBLE PRODUCT FROM A DIP MOULDING FORMER

BACKGROUND a. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for the handling of flexible products produced in a dip moulding process, particularly the handling of flexible products such as gloves, condoms, balloons, catheters and cannulas after forming on a dip moulding former. The invention particularly relates to the handling of dip moulded disposable inspection gloves for use in clinical, veterinary or medical environments. b. Related Art

There is an increasing need to control infection of patients in hospitals, clinics, and doctors' surgeries from infectious bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics, in particular methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Research has also shown that if someone has MRSA on their hands, the bacteria would be left on the next four surfaces touched by that person. Once MRSA is on an item it will remain there for up to 80 days unless that item is cleaned. C. difficile will remain active on surfaces much longer than that. One effective and inexpensive way to control such contamination is the use of disposable inspection gloves. Examples of manual and automatic production systems for packing such gloves into a box or dispenser are disclosed in patent documents WO 2010/020782 and WO 201 1/048414. Such systems work most effectively when gloves are presented to a packing station in a predictable or regular manner by a conveyor. In such production systems, whether for gloves or other products that are similarly flexible and relatively flat, it can be very useful to transport products on a conveyor, for example a belt conveyor. Dip moulded products are produced on a mould or tool, referred to herein as a "former", having a particular shape. The former is dipped into a liquid bath and then raised out of the bath and heated, dried or cured in order to remove solvent from the liquid clinging to the former or to cross-link polymer chains, and so leave a solid film on the former. In this description, the resulting film is referred to as having been "cured".

Disposable inspection gloves are increasingly made from nitrile, owing to its relatively low cost, good flexibility and elasticity and non-allergenic properties. Such gloves are formed on a former that is shaped with a hand at the end, which is oriented lowermost when dipped into and raised from a tank of liquid. A production plant will have a long continuous chain conveyor which transports the formers through the various production steps, which will include a stripping step in which the cured glove is stripped off the former inside out. Following this, the empty former is checked for any residues and cleaned, which can include dipping in an acid bath.

A glove manufacturing line will normally have two pairs of such chain conveyors, making four parallel lines, passing through the same tanks. Production speeds are of the order of about one glove per second per line.

Stripping gloves off formers normally involves manual labour, at least in part of the stripping process. There is normally the need for at two to four workers per line. Gloves are normally dropped in boxes or in piles at the glove stripping station. The cost of labour is an increasing component of the total cost of production. However, the issue is not just the labour required at the stripping station, but also labour needed to handle gloves after these are removed from the stripping station for packing into boxes or dispensers. Utility Model document CN 201472679 U discloses a machine for automatically stripping gloves from a dip moulding former and placing the stripped gloves, one at a time, on a belt conveyor. The machine uses a hook to hook a cuff portion of a glove which is then peeled off the former cuff first so that the peeled glove is inside out relative to the formed glove. A problem with this machine is the risk of damaging the cuff end of the glove with the hook. This would particularly be a problem with very thin dip moulded products, for example disposable inspection gloves.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a more convenient apparatus and method for handling of flexible products produced in a dip moulding process when such products are to be stripped off a former and then moved for further processing for example being deposited on a conveyor, in a stack or in a box.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for stripping and conveying a flexible product from a dip moulding former, the apparatus comprising at least one pair of conveyors, the or each pair having a first conveyor and a second conveyor, a first actuating means, a second actuating means, a third actuating means, a carriage and a controller, wherein:

said first and second conveyors have, respectively, a first transporting surface and a second transporting surface;

- said first and second transporting surfaces are each movable in a first direction and in a second direction, the first direction being opposite to the second direction;

said first and second transporting surfaces are in facing juxtaposition with each other said juxtaposition defining a separation between said surfaces;

- the first conveyor and the second conveyor are relatively movable with respect to each other whereby said separation is decreased when said first and second conveyors are moved relatively towards one another and said separation is increased when said first and second conveyors are moved relatively away from one another;

- the first actuating means is operatively connected to said first and second conveyors to cause said movement of said juxtaposed first and second transporting surfaces in one or the other of said directions such that both of said transporting surfaces move in the same direction at the same time; the second actuating means is operatively connected to said first and second conveyors to cause said movement of said first and second conveyors whereby said juxtaposed first and second transporting surfaces move relatively towards and away from one another;

- said first and second conveyors are mounted on the carriage, and the carriage is movable between a first position in which said conveyors have a first orientation and a second position in which said conveyors have a second orientation ;

the third actuating means is operatively connected to the carriage to cause said movement of the carriage whereby said first and second conveyors have said first and second orientations; and

the controller is configured to operate the first, second and third actuating means such that, in use:

with said conveyors in said first orientation, the second actuating means causes said separation to decrease in order to grip a portion of said flexible product extending freely away from said former;

the first actuating means causes said transporting surfaces to move in the first direction to pull said gripped flexible product off the dip moulding former whereby said product is held between said juxtaposed first and second transporting surfaces;

the third actuating means causes said first and second conveyors to move from the first orientation to the second orientation; and

with said conveyors in said second orientation, the first actuating means causes said transporting surfaces to move in the second direction whereby said held product is ejected from between said juxtaposed first and second transporting surfaces.

The dip moulded product is flexible by virtue of being may from a flexible or elastic material and by being relatively thin. Examples of materials which are used in such dip moulding processes include latex silicone, polyurethane, vinyl, nitrile, polychlorprene and polyisoprene. The flexible dip moulded product may therefore comprise one or more film-like walls. The conveyors may extend along a first direction when in the first orientation and along a second direction when in the second orientation. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first direction is not parallel with the second direction. The first direction may be substantially at right angles to said second direction.

Preferably, the first orientation and said second orientation are orientations or positionings of the paired conveyors that are rotated relative to one another. The first conveyor may be a belt conveyor having at least one belt. Additionally or alternatively, the second conveyor may be a belt conveyor having at least one belt.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the first and second transporting surfaces are angled with respect to each other when the separation between the first and second glove transporting surfaces is increased in order to provide where this separation is greatest an opening for receiving the flexible product.

The first and second transporting surfaces may be substantially parallel with each other when the separation between the first and second glove transporting surfaces is decreased in order to grip the extending portion of the flexible product.

The apparatus comprises additionally a fourth actuating means, the carriage being movable in at least one linear direction and the fourth actuating means is operatively connected to the carriage to cause this linear movement of the carriage.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the carriage is rotatable about an axis and the third actuating means is operatively connected to the carriage to cause this rotation of the carriage about the rotation axis whereby the first and second conveyors rotate between the first and second orientations.

Also in preferred embodiments of the invention, the first and second transporting surfaces are substantially parallel when the separation between the first and second glove transporting surfaces is decreased. The first and second transporting surfaces thereby define a plane. The rotation axis is then offset from this plane such that when the carriage rotates about the rotation axis, the plane defined by the first and second transporting surfaces is both rotated and linearly translated.

The rotation axis may be substantially parallel to the plane defined by the first and second transporting surfaces when these are brought together. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the orientation of the first and second conveyors is rotated by 90 ° between the first and second orientations.

There may also be a plurality of pairs of conveyors. These conveyors are then aligned and the first and second actuating means may be configured to operate each of the conveyors in tandem (i.e. so that these are all moved in concert) whereby the apparatus in use is adapted to strip and convey at the same time a plurality of the flexible products from a dip moulding production line. Each of the first conveyors may then be parallel with each other and each of the second conveyors may also be parallel with each other. At least some of this plurality of first conveyors may be in line with each other and at least some of this plurality of second conveyors may also in line with each other.

Depending on the configuration of the production line, there may be a two-dimensional array of paired first and second conveyors, for example arranged in two banks, one behind the other. In some embodiments of the invention, these banks are laterally offset with respect to each other in a direction defined by linear motion of two parallel lines of dip moulding formers.

The first and second conveyors each have a first end, and opposite this first end a second end, the first and second ends being at opposite extents of travel of the respective glove transporting surface. The first ends may provide an opening for receiving the flexible product when the separation between the first and second glove transporting surfaces is increased. Preferably, the first and second conveyors are pivotable with respect to each other whereby the separation between the first and second glove transporting surfaces is increased when the first and second conveyors are pivoted relatively apart and whereby the separation between the first and second glove transporting surfaces is decreased when the first and second conveyors are pivoted relatively together.

Both the first and second conveyors may be pivotable with respect to each other. Alternatively, just one of the first and second conveyors may be pivotable, with the other of the first and second conveyors being not pivotable.

When the first and second conveyors are pivotable with respect to each other, then the pivot(s) may conveniently be provided proximate the second ends of the first and second conveyors.

Also according to the invention, there is provided a method of stripping and conveying a flexible product from a dip moulding former, using an apparatus comprising a first conveyor, a second conveyor and a carriage, the first conveyor having a first transporting surface, the second conveyor having a second transporting surface, said transporting surfaces facing each other in juxtaposition with a first opening therebetween, the method comprising the steps of:

i) moving said first and second glove transporting surfaces apart to widen said first opening, and then with said first and second conveyors in a first orientation receiving in the first opening a portion of a flexible product extending freely away from said dip moulding former;

ii) moving said first and second glove transporting surfaces together whereby said product received and gripped in the first opening;

iii) moving said first and second glove transporting surfaces in the same direction away from the first opening in order to draw said gripped product further between said first and second glove transporting surfaces;

iv) moving said first and second conveyors to a second orientation, the second orientation being different from the first orientation; and

v) with said first and second conveyors in the second orientation moving said first and second glove transporting surfaces in the same direction to eject said product from between said first and second glove transporting surfaces.

When the first and second glove transporting surfaces are moved together, the extent of the opening is reduced, that is, narrowed or substantially closed.

The transporting surfaces facing each other in juxtaposition may have a second opening, the method comprising in step v) moving the first and second glove transporting surfaces the first direction whereby the product is ejected from between the first and second glove transporting surfaces.

However, in the illustrated embodiments of the invention, the first and second glove transporting surfaces are moved in a second direction, this second direction being opposite to the first direction whereby the product is ejected from between said first and second glove transporting surfaces.

Also in the illustrated embodiment of the invention the apparatus comprises a conveying surface. The flexible product may then be ejected onto the conveying surface which can then be used to convey or move the ejected product away from the first and second conveyors, for example for further processing or for packing into packaging or a suitable container.

Once the product has been ejected from the first and second conveyors, these conveyors may be moved from the second orientation back to the first orientation.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the first and second conveyors are rotated in the process of moving between the first and second orientations.

The first and second conveyors are preferably pivotable with respect to each other. The first and second conveyors may then be pivoted relatively apart to widen the opening between the juxtaposed transporting surfaces.

Also, the first and second conveyors may be pivoted relatively together to reduce or substantially close the opening between the juxtaposed transporting surfaces.

The apparatus may comprise additionally a carriage on which the first and second conveyors are mounted. This carriage may then be used to move the first and second conveyors between the first and second orientations.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the first conveyor and the second conveyor in the first orientation are positioned such that the opening between the juxtaposed transporting surfaces faces upwards for receiving the portion of a flexible product hanging downwards away from the dip moulding former.

Also in preferred embodiments of the invention the first and second conveyors in the second orientation are positioned such that the first and second conveyors are configured to eject the flexible product from between the first and second glove transporting surfaces in a substantially horizontal direction.

The flexible product may be a dip moulded glove, this glove having a cuff portion and a finger portion and the portion extending freely away from the dip moulding former being the cuff portion of this glove. As is known in the prior art, the glove may be partially stripped from the dip moulding former whereby the cuff portion extends freely away from the former. All or some of the finger portion then remains on the former. The free cuff portion may then be received and gripped by the apparatus of the invention in the opening between the juxtaposed transporting surfaces.

The invention is particularly useful when combined with a conveying surface, for example an upwards facing surface of a belt conveyer. The first and second conveyors may then deposit the glove flat on the conveying surface, which can then transport the flexible product singly to another location for further processing or for packaging or packing into a container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described, by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention for stripping and conveying a flexible product from a dip moulding former, the apparatus having two banks of paired conveyors in a first orientation for gripping free ends of a dip moulded product, here moulded gloves, and for then pulling a free cuff portion of the gloves to strip the gloves from two parallel lines of dip formers;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of one of the pairs of conveyors of Figure 1 , showing how the conveyors have a juxtaposed pair of transporting surfaces separated at one end by an opening wide enough to receive the free end of the dip moulded product;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of one of the pairs of conveyors of Figure 1 , showing how the juxtaposed pair of transporting surfaces are pivoted together to grip the cuff end and then moved in the same direction to pull the glove inside the conveyors;

Figure 4A is a schematic side view drawing showing the substantially vertical orientation of the two banks of paired conveyors and two corresponding dip moulding formers and with partially stripped product hanging from each of the formers;

Figure 4B is a schematic drawing of one of the paired conveyors when rotated to a substantially horizontal orientation in which the stripped glove may be ejected cuff first onto a conveying surface, here a belt conveyor;

Figures 5 to 7 are more detailed and complete side schematic views of the apparatus of Figure 1 , showing how the paired conveyors are mounted on a carriage which moves from the first orientation to a different, second orientation in the process of gripping and stripping gloves from the dip moulding formers and then depositing the gloves individually flat onto a pair of conveying surfaces;

Figures 8A is a simplified side view similar to that of Figure 5, and omitting for clarity most of the carriage, showing how in a second preferred embodiment of the invention the banks of paired conveyors rotate about an axis that is in between and below the banks of paired conveyors;

Figure 8B is a view from above of Figure 8A;

Figure 8C is a side view of the banks of paired conveyors of Figure 8A after these have rotated about an axis, showing how the height of each of the paired conveyors is matched to one or two conveying surfaces;

Figure 8D is shows schematically in a view from above similar to Figure 8B the movement of the conveying surface and the rotated banks of paired conveyors during depositing of a glove on one of the conveying surfaces;

Figure 9A is a schematic view from above of part of a twin parallel dip moulding production line for gloves, showing how in a third preferred embodiment of the invention each of two banks of paired conveyors may be longitudinally offset from one another in the direction of travel of the production line;

Figure 9B is a side view of Figure 9A;

Figure 9C is a side view in the same orientation as that of Figure 9B, including a pair of conveying surfaces of a belt conveyer and showing how the paired conveyors can then be rotated to deposit gloves on longitudinally offset and non-overlapping portions of the conveying surfaces, so that none of the paired conveyors has to be inserted in between the two belt conveyors; Figure 10A is a schematic view from above of part of a twin parallel dip moulding production line for gloves, showing how in a fourth preferred embodiment of the invention each of two banks of paired conveyors may be longitudinally offset from one another in the direction of travel of the production line, each bank having its own rotation axis for rotating the paired conveyors between different orientations; and

Figure 10B is a side view in the same orientation as that of Figure 10A, including a pair of conveying surfaces of a belt conveyer and showing how the paired conveyors can then be rotated about different axes to deposit gloves on longitudinally offset portions of a single conveying surface, so that the gloves from one line are on a left side of the conveying surface and the gloves from the other line are on a right side of the conveying surface. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figures 1 to 3, 4A, 4B and 5 to 7 show a first embodiment of apparatus 1 for stripping and conveying flexible gloves 2 from a dip moulding former. In this example, the gloves are disposable nitrile inspection or examination gloves, however, the principles of the invention are applicable to similar other dip moulded items of thin, flexible or elastomeric material. The gloves are formed on dip moulding formers 4 using production processes which will be familiar to those skilled in the art. In this example, there are two parallel tracks 5, 6 each of which carries a chain 7 from which hangs a regularly spaced series of mounts 8, one for each former and which moves at a steady forward speed 9.

As shown in Figure 1 , each glove 2 has already been partially stripped from its former 4. One known way of doing this, not shown in the drawings, is to introduce a blade under a cuff portion 10 of the glove and then to blow the edge of the cuff towards a finger portion of the glove. The glove tends to retract and fold back on itself, and it is possible to do this in a production environment such that some, or preferably all of a finger portion 1 1 of the glove remains attached to the former, so that the cuff portion hangs freely downwards under its own weight. In known production systems, this is done either so that workers can then manually strip the gloves from the formers, or so that a machine can strip the formers, for example as disclosed in patent document CN 102582008 A. The apparatus shown in the drawings has eight pairs of conveyors 14, although different numbers of such conveyors may be used for different types of machine. The construction and operation of each pair of conveyors is shown in Figures 2, 3, 4A and 4B. Each pair of conveyors 14 has a first conveyor 15 and a second conveyor 16, having, respectively, a first transporting surface 17 and a second transporting surface 18. These transporting surfaces are in facing juxtaposition with each other this juxtaposition defining a separation 19 between said surfaces. The separation 19 initially varies between a first end 21 and a second end 22 of each of the paired conveyors. Initially, each pair of conveyors is in a first orientation with each conveyor extending along a first direction that is substantially vertical.

Each conveyor has the same general shape, being substantially rectangular with a long dimension extending between the first and second ends 21 , 22.

In Figures 1 , 2 and 4A, the first and second transporting surfaces 17, 18 are well separated at the first end and are nearly touching at the second end. The two conveyors 1 5, 16 are mounted at a pivot 23 which is on a mounting plate 24 which extends perpendicularly to a central axis 25 between the conveyors 15, 16.

Initially, the conveyors are in a V-orientation so that the two transporting surfaces 17, 18 define an opening 26 at the first ends 21 of the conveyors 15, 16. The cuff ends 10 enter into the openings whereupon an actuating means in the form of a motor 27 and drive linkage 28 is activated by a controller 30 to pivot both the first and second conveyors 15, 16 inwards towards one another in order to grip the cuff portion 10 of the hanging glove 1 0. The separation 19 between the transporting surfaces 17, 18 then decreases to a minimal, parallel spacing which provides space for the glove and avoids rubbing contact between the transporting surfaces. The opening 26 also closes to a minimum size, as indicated with reference numeral 26'. During this operation, the chains 7 and formers 4 are moving at a constant speed, and to keep the pairs of conveyors 14 in line with the gloves, the apparatus includes a carriage 20 on which the paired conveyors are mounted. The carriage includes wheels 31 that run in guides 29 and a motor 32 to drive the movement of a main carriage chassis 33 back and forth in direction parallel with the motion of the chains 7.

At the same time, the controller activates another actuating means in the form of a motor 34 and drive linkage 35 which, through a series of gears 36, 37, 38 which drives a second end roller 39 at the second end 22 each of the first and second conveyors 15, 16.

The conveying surfaces of each of the first and second conveyors is, respectively a first continuous belt 41 and a second continuous belt 42. The motor 34 and drive linkage 35 are activated to drive both these belts in the same direction 40 where the belts are opposed to one another over a distance sufficient to pull the glove 2 fully off the former 4 and in between the substantially closed pair of conveyors 15, 16, as shown in Figures 3 and 5.

Figures 5 to 7 show how the carriage rotates about a rotation axis offset to one side of the banks of paired conveyors in order to carry the conveyors from the first orientation to a second orientation in which each conveyor extends along a second direction that is substantially horizontal. The first and second orientations are different from each other in the sense that these orientations are rotated with respect to each other, such that these two orientations are not parallel with each other. At the same time, it is preferred if the carriage also moves the banks of paired conveyors between a first location and a second location. The first location is where the conveyors grip and strip gloves from the dip moulding formers and the second location is where the conveyors deposit the gloves individually flat onto a pair of conveying surfaces. The first location is preferably elevated relative to the second location. The second location is preferably offset laterally with respect to the first location. During the movement between orientations and locations, the carriage stops tracking the movement of the chains 7, and, as shown in Figure 6, uses another actuating means 43 to rotate 46 the mounting platform 24 and the pairs of conveyors 14 through 90 °. The platform 24 is attached to a subsidiary carriage chassis 33' at a hinge 44 which provides a pivot axis 45 about which the platform pivots. The pivot axis 45 is essentially in the plane of the mounting platform and beneath and laterally offset to one side of the paired conveyors 14, and so the effect is to rotate the paired conveyors downwards and to one side of each of the formers 4. Each pair of conveyors then extends along a second direction that is substantially horizontal. The second orientation of the conveyors is therefore rotated relative to the first orientation of the conveyors.

When rotated by 90° the narrowed openings 26' face laterally away from the direction of motion 9 of the chains 7, as shown in Figure 6. The carriage then uses the controller 30 to activate another actuating means in the form of a motor 47 and guide track 48 in order to move the subsidiary carriage chassis 33' laterally away from the line of the tracks 5, 6, chain 7 and formers 4 towards a pair of superimposed belt conveyors 49, 50 each of which has a conveying surface 51 , 52 on a top side thereof.

Each of the paired conveyors 14 moves towards and partially over one of the conveying surface 51 , 52 with a clearance gap 53. When the first end 21 of each of the paired conveyors has passed a mid point of the conveying surfaces, the controller 30 and actuating means 47, 48 reverse the direction of motion of the subsidiary carriage 33' and at the same time also use the actuating means 34, 35 for the conveyor pair transporting surfaces 15, 16 in order to eject the glove 2 cuff first out of the narrowed opening 26' and onto one of the conveying surfaces 51 , 52. During this process, it is helpful if the glove is not dragged by any difference in longitudinal speed between the paired conveyors 14 and the conveying surfaces 51 , 52, as this can introduce folds or creases into the glove when laid on the conveying surface. Therefore, the controller 30 controls the motion of the main and subsidiary chassis 33, 33' in order to move in a diagonal direction (c.f. Figure 8D) so that there is no net relative speed between the paired conveyors 14 and the conveying surfaces 51 , 52 in the direction of motion of the conveying surfaces 51 , 52.

After depositing of the gloves, the controller uses the various actuating means and two chassis 33, 33' to move the platform back to the initial position, as well as to open the paired conveyors 14 back into the initial V-configuration and rotate the platform and paired conveyors so that the opening 26 again faces upright. During this process, the top edge 21 of the innermost conveyor 16 may brush the next glove cuff, however the separation 19 of the opening is sufficiently large that the glove cuff does not become lodged on this top edge 21 , but falls back into the opening 26 ready to be gripped and stripped in the next cycle of operation of the apparatus.

The remaining drawings show variations in the arrangement described above.

Figures 8A to 8D show a second preferred embodiment of the invention 101 , in which features and components corresponding with the first embodiment are indicated using reference numerals incremented by 100.

The second embodiment differs 101 from the first embodiment 1 in that the axis of rotation 145 of the supporting platform 124, and hence the axis of rotation of the paired conveyors 1 14, is below and centered between the two rows of paired conveyors. The result of this difference is that when the platform 124 rotates, this platform drops by about half the amount of the platform 24 in the first embodiment. Also, the paired conveyors 1 14, when rotated by 90 ° start off closer to the stacked belt conveyors 149, 150. The result is that the linear actuators in the carriage (not illustrated) do not need to travel as far to reach the belt conveyors 149, 150, and this provides advantages in terms of machine cost and the achievable operating cycle time. As mentioned above, Figure 8D shows the linear movement of the paired conveyors and how these need to travel diagonally 160 relative a fixed reference point when depositing a glove on the conveying surface 151 in order to match the speed 162 of the conveying surface 151 . Figures 9A to 9C show a third preferred embodiment of the invention 201 , in which features and components corresponding with the first embodiment are indicated using reference numerals incremented by 200.

The third embodiment differs 201 from the first embodiment 1 in that the supporting platform 224 is just over twice the length of that in the first embodiment 1 . The platform pivot axis 245 is in the same orientation as the pivot axis 45 of the first embodiment.

The longitudinal offsetting of the paired conveyors is in the same direction as the direction of motion 209 of the formers 204 and the direction of motion 262 of the two conveyors 251 , 252, avoids the complication of having to insert a lower one of the paired conveyors in between the two belt conveyors 249, 250. As can be seen from Figure 9C, an upper belt conveyor can end before this reaches the region where the lower paired conveyors 214 deposit gloves.

This permits a front set of the paired conveyors 214 to be longitudinally offset from a rear set of the paired conveyors 214'. The benefit of this arrangement can be seen from Figure 9C. Figures 10A to 10C show a fourth preferred embodiment of the invention 301 , in which features and components corresponding with the first embodiment are indicated using reference numerals incremented by 300. The fourth embodiment differs 301 from the first embodiment 1 in that there are two supporting platforms 324, 324', one for a first, or front row of paired conveyors 314 and one for a second, or rear row of paired conveyors 314'. The two platforms separate the front and rear paired conveyors in the longitudinal direction of movement 309 of the formers 304, which is also the direction of motion 362 of a belt conveyor, as in the third embodiment 201 .

The fourth embodiment differs from the previously described embodiments in that the two platforms 324, 324 are laterally spaced apart', and therefore each platform pivots about its own pivot axis 345, 345'. The pivoting movement of each platform is the same with respect to its own paired conveyors 314, 314' so that when the paired conveyors are rotated by 90 ° these end up at the same height. The benefit of this arrangement is that just one belt conveyer 349 need be used. To avoid the problem of having to interleave the longitudinal placement of gloves 302, 302' deposited from the two sets of paired conveyors 314, 314', it is advantageous if the conveyor belt surface is wider. Then, it is possible to form two parallel lines of individually deposited gloves 302, 302'. A further advantage of this arrangement is that each line of gloves can then feed a separate automatic glove packing station, for example of the type described in patent document WO 201 1/048414.

Although not described above, if necessary, the carriage 20 could be provided with a third degree of freedom of movement, along the vertical axis. This would be useful if the paired conveyors were used to deposit flexible dip moulded items one at a time in a collection bin or on a static stacking surface to form a stack, for example, rather than on a conveying surface. Once the stack was formed, the stacking surface could be moved to transport the stack to another location for further processing or packaging.

In all the embodiments described above, the conveyor surfaces on which gloves are deposited move in the same direction as the dip moulding formers. An advantage of this arrangement is that the carriage does not need to change direction between tracking the moving formers and tracking the moving conveyor surface when depositing the glove.

It would, however, alternatively be possible to reverse the direction of the conveying surface in all the embodiments, so that this was parallel but opposite to the direction of motion of the dip moulding formers. The advantage of this arrangement is that the total travel taken by the carriage in the longitudinal direction (i.e. the direction of motion of the formers) is reduced. Also, because the carriage can start moving longitudinally back when tracking the conveyor, the carriage will be closer to its initial position after depositing of the glove on the conveyor surface. This can provide an important benefit in reducing the achievable cycle time of the apparatus.

The person skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications may be made to the apparatus described in detail above without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In particular, there are different ways in which the first and second conveyors may be mounted with respect to each other and there are different types of first, second, third and fourth actuating means which achieve the same type of movement of the first and second conveyors and the first and second transporting surfaces.

For example, instead of being pivotably mounted with respect to each other, the first conveyor and the second conveyor may be relatively movable straight towards and straight away from each other, i.e. without any rotational component of movement.

The form of the carriage may also be changed while achieving the same effect. For example, the carriage may be a robotic arm which carries the first and second conveyors. The robotic arm may have up to six degrees of freedom of movement, along three orthogonal axes and with rotation about each of these axes. In this case, the third and fourth actuating means may be provided by several different motors or actuators of the robotic arm acting in synchrony. Although the invention has been described with particular reference to the production of disposable inspection gloves, the principles of the invention can be applied a wide range of different types of flexible products, for example condoms, balloons, catheters and cannulas when these are formed on a dip moulding former.

The invention described above, in its various embodiments, therefore provides a convenient apparatus and method for handling a variety of types of flexible products produced in a dip moulding process when such products are to be stripped off a former and then moved for further processing, for example being deposited on a conveyor, in a stack or in a box.

Claims

1 . An apparatus for stripping and conveying a flexible product from a dip moulding former, the apparatus comprising at least one pair of conveyors, the or each pair having a first conveyor and a second conveyor, a first actuating means, a second actuating means, a third actuating means, a carriage and a controller, wherein:

- the first actuating means is operatively connected to said first and second conveyors to cause said movement of said juxtaposed first and second transporting surfaces in one or the other of said directions such that both of said transporting surfaces move in the same direction at the same time;

the second actuating means is operatively connected to said first and second conveyors to cause said movement of said first and second conveyors whereby said juxtaposed first and second transporting surfaces move relatively towards and away from one another;

said first and second conveyors are mounted on the carriage, and the carriage is movable between a first position in which said conveyors have a first orientation and a second position in which said conveyors have a second orientation ;

2. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 , in which said conveyors extend along a first direction in said first orientation and along a second direction in said second orientation, said first direction not being parallel with said second direction.

3. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, in which said first direction is substantially at right angles to said second direction. 4. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said first orientation said second orientation are rotated relative to one another.

5. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which in which the first conveyor is a belt conveyor having at least one belt.

6. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the second conveyor is a belt conveyor having at least one belt.

7. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said first and second transporting surfaces are angled with respect to each other when said separation is increased in order to provide where said separation is greatest an opening for receiving said flexible product.

8. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 7, in which said first and second transporting surfaces are substantially parallel with each other when said separation is decreased in order to grip said portion of said flexible product. 9. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the apparatus comprises additionally a fourth actuating means, the carriage being movable in at least one linear direction and the fourth actuating means is operatively connected to the carriage to cause said linear movement of the carriage. 10. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the carriage is rotatable about an axis and the third actuating means is operatively connected to the carriage to cause said rotation of the carriage about said axis whereby said first and second conveyors rotate between said first and second orientations. 1 1 . An apparatus as claimed in Claim 10, in which said first and second transporting surfaces are substantially parallel when said separation is decreased, said first and second transporting surfaces thereby defining a plane, said axis being offset from said plane such that when the carriage rotates about said axis said the plane defined by said first and second transporting surfaces is both rotated and linearly translated.

12. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 1 , in which said axis is substantially parallel to said plane. 13. An apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 10 to 12, in which the said first and second conveyors are rotated by 90 ° between said first and second orientations.

14. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which there is a plurality of said pairs of conveyors, said conveyors being aligned and said first and second actuating means being configured to operate each of said conveyors in tandem whereby said apparatus in use is adapted to strip and convey at the same time a plurality of said flexible products from a dip moulding production line.

15. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 14, in which each of said first conveyors is parallel with each other and each of said second conveyors is parallel with each other.

16. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 15, in which at least some of said plurality of first conveyors are in line with each other and at least some of said plurality of second conveyors are in line with each other. 17. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said first and second conveyors each have a first end, and opposite said first end a second end, said first and second ends being at opposite extents of travel of the respective glove transporting surface. 18. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 17, in which said first ends provide an opening for receiving said flexible product when said separation is increased.

19. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 17 or Claim 18, in which said first and second conveyors are pivotable with respect to each other whereby said separation is increased when said first and second conveyors are pivoted relatively apart and whereby said separation is decreased when said first and second conveyors are pivoted relatively together.

20. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 19, in which both said first and second conveyors are pivotable.

21 . An apparatus as claimed in Claim 19, in which one of said first and second conveyors is pivotable and the other of said first and second conveyors is not pivotable.

22. An apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 19 to 21 , in which said first and second conveyors are pivotable with respect to each other proximate said second ends of said first and second conveyors.

23. A method of stripping and conveying a flexible product from a dip moulding former, using an apparatus comprising a first conveyor, a second conveyor and a carriage, the first conveyor having a first transporting surface, the second conveyor having a second transporting surface, said transporting surfaces facing each other in juxtaposition with a first opening therebetween, the method comprising the steps of:

24. A method as claimed in Claim 23, in which in said transporting surfaces facing each other in juxtaposition have a second opening, the method comprising in step v) moving said first and second glove transporting surfaces the first direction whereby said product is ejected from between said first and second glove transporting surfaces.

25. A method as claimed in Claim 23, the method comprising in step v) moving said first and second glove transporting surfaces a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction whereby said product is ejected from between said first and second glove transporting surfaces.

26. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 23 to 25, in which the apparatus comprises a conveying surface, the method comprising:

vi) in step v) ejecting said product onto said conveying surface; and

vii) using the conveying surface to move said ejected product away from said first and second conveyors;

27. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 23 to 26, in which the method comprises after said ejecting of said product the step of moving said first and second conveyors from the second orientation back to the first orientation.

28. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 23 to 27, in which the orientation of the first and second conveyors is rotated in moving between said first and second orientations. 29. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 23 to 28, in which said first and second conveyors are pivotable with respect to each other and the method comprises in step i) pivoting said first and second conveyors relatively apart to widen said opening. 30. A method as claimed in Claim 29, in which the method comprises in step ii) pivoting said first and second conveyors relatively together to substantially close said opening.

31 . A method as claimed in any one of Claims 23 to 30, said apparatus comprising additionally a carriage on which said first and second conveyors are mounted, the method comprising using said carriage to move said first and second conveyors between said first and second orientations.

32. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 23 to 31 , in which said first and second conveyors in said first orientation are positioned such that said opening faces upwards for receiving said portion of a flexible product hanging downwards away from said dip moulding former.

32. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 23 to 31 , in which said first and second conveyors in said second orientation are positioned such that said first and second conveyors are configured to eject said product from between said first and second glove transporting surfaces in a substantially horizontal direction.

33. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 23 to 32, in which said flexible product is a dip moulded glove, said glove having a cuff portion and a finger portion and said portion extending freely away from said dip moulding former being the cuff portion of said glove, the method comprising prior to step i) partially stripping said glove from said dip moulding former whereby the cuff portion is free to be received and gripped in said opening.

35. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 23 to 33, when dependent from Claim 26 in which in step vi) said first and second conveyors deposit said glove flat on said conveying surface.