Patent ID: 6725635
Filing Date: 2004-04-27
Classification: B65B

Abstract:
A pouch transfer apparatus comprising:a transfer unit comprising a plurality of feed chutes supplying pouches therethrough, said transfer unit including a feed device for moving the pouches one at a time to an end of each of said feed chutes; a transfer conveyor having a conveyor belt with an upright, sideward-facing belt surface, said conveyor belt including apertures formed through said conveyor belt which define a plurality of mounting locations for said pouches, said transfer conveyor including a vacuum device for generating a vacuum through said apertures of said mounting locations so that said pouches can be suspended on said conveyor belt in a vertical orientation; and a pick and place device having a pick and place unit corresponding to each of said feed chutes, said pick and place device having a support member which supports said pick and place units and is rotatable about a horizontal axis to move said pick and place units from a pick position wherein said pick and place units removably engage said pouches at said ends of said feed chutes and a place position oriented in angularly spaced relation relative to said pick position wherein said pouches are released and are placed sidewardly in said mounting locations on said conveyor belt by said pick and place units, said support member being movable in a direction parallel to said conveyor belt and said pick and place device having a main drive mechanism which moves said support member in a downstream direction simultaneously with movement of said conveyor belt wherein said pouches are transferred from said pick and place device to said conveyor belt during this downstream movement of said support member.