Patent ID: 6453649
Filing Date: 2002-09-24
Classification: B65B,B65G

Abstract:
A device for feeding at least one article having a shape that correlates to the shape of an interior of a package supported on a moving surface, comprising: a carrier configured to receive and support the article in a controlled orientation thereon, a drive connected to the carrier and configured to quickly accelerate carrier with the article oriented thereon toward a drop point in a horizontal direction, wherein a path of movement of said carrier is substantially perpendicular to a path of movement of the package as the package approaches the drop point, said drive being configured to abruptly stop or abruptly decelerate said carrier in a direction toward the drop point such that the kinetic energy of the article will aid the article in sliding off the carrier in the controlled orientation and moving into the interior of the package, and said carrier and said moving surface being additionally configured to maintain the controlled orientation of said article constant with respect to an angular orientation of the interior of said package as said article moves past said drop point and into the interior of said package.