Abstract:
An asymmetric article-carrying puck is driven by a linear star conveyor through an angular rotation orienting section to orient the pucks and articles therein irrespective of random initial orientation. In one embodiment, an upper puck plate carries the article while a separated lower puck plate defines a rotational orienting circular gear rack with a rotation-stopping bridge, separating ends of the rack and inclined from a base of one end tooth in the rack to a crest of another end tooth in the rack. The lower puck plate can be a combination of two circular plates with the circular gear rack interposed therebetween and within the periphery of the circular plates. Pucks can be accumulated in mutual engaged positions and separated by the linear star into preselected pitch while transported and turned. Integral pucks can be used. The structural details and methods are disclosed.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
     This case is based on provisional patent application 61/640,143 filed Apr. 30, 2012, priority of which is claimed. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to article handling and more particularly to the handling of asymmetric articles such as containers, work pieces, or other articles as they are filled, sealed, labeled, inspected and packaged. With more particularity, this invention relates to apparatus and methods for handling asymmetric containers on which such operations might be formed when article orientation is significant to the operation. While this invention is described in terms of its application to containers or packages, for example, the invention has application to broader article handling apparatus and methods where such orientation is necessary or preferred. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is known to perform particular operations on asymmetric articles which require the article to be oriented in a particular disposition when the operation is performed. In particular certain operations such as label printing, cartoning and the like require specific article orientation about the vertical axis of the article. 
     Particularly, in view of packaging into cartons articles which have asymmetric features present the need for specific orientation for handling. 
     In one known process articles are carried in a carrier known as a “puck” which receives and holds the articles for handling and motion through the process. Such pucks are generally rectangular in shape with sides elongated in a direction of travel. While such flat-sided pucks hold the articles in one orientation, handling of the pucks is problematic due to their shape and external configuration. For example, while the pucks might be accumulate, that requires they be lined up end-to-end and thus a very long accumulator apparatus. They cannot be accumulated en masse and randomly as the rotation and orientation around a vertical access is then random and the desired orientation of the articles is lost. Re-orientation is complicated by the straight sided pucks. 
     Moreover, conveying or transporting rectangular pucks is problematical. The pucks skew, jam or otherwise generate orientation problems. 
     Another known process for article orientation is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,248, incorporated herein by reference for background purposes. That patent shows a carrier having a recessed tooth assembly with end teeth on opposite ends of an aligning flat and conveyed by an underlying conveyor. 
     Puck transfer is by frictional bias from the underlying conveyor and the pucks are not spaced by nor positively transferred by the conveyor. A side rack has teeth at a decreasing tooth pitch, and the pucks are blown against an alignment rail. 
     Accordingly, it is desired to provide improved article handling structure providing smoother, gentler and more positive puck control including positively driving the puck at desired pitch through a rotationally orienting section. It is further desired to provide apparatus and methods for handling asymmetric articles, in a way to repeatably, consistently and accurately orient the articles through transport at high speeds of production lines. 
     A further objective of the invention is to provide apparatus and methods for efficiently and randomly accumulating asymmetric articles and then orienting such articles after accumulation. 
     A further objective of the invention has been to provide improved apparatus and methods for transporting and orienting asymmetric articles. 
     A further objective of the invention has been to transport, carry and orient asymmetric articles through or in a plurality of stations or filling, sealing, accumulating, labeling, dating, inspecting or other processes wherein the articles, prior to or after such processes, are desirably angularly oriented relative their vertical axis. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a circular puck has an upper annular plate with an internal opening having the same asymmetric configuration of an article which is received therein. A lower annular puck plate comprises an outer peripheral area. A recessed rack of a plurality of gear-like teeth, wherein the rack has two ends separated by a bridge of smooth, flat configuration from one end of the rack to the other, is disposed just within the periphery. Thus, the outermost circular periphery of the lower annular puck plate has, just inwardly disposed, a plurality of recessed teeth extending in a circular path having ends joined by the bridge. The upper plate and lower plate are spaced apart by elongated spacers and the upper and lower plates are preferably arranged concentrically about a vertical axis, preferably the same as the vertical axis of the article. 
     Accordingly, an article in the upper plate is held in one angular position about the vertical axis with respect to the teeth and bridge in the lower puck plate. When the lower puck plate is turned, the upper puck plate with the held article is turned likewise, in register. 
     A handling system includes a puck feed lane wherein pucks are lined up in random angular position with respect to the vertical axis of each. An elongated gear rack, preferably as long as or slightly longer than the teeth rack and bridge of the lower puck plate, is oriented in the path of the periphery of the pucks, which are carried along, preferably slightly spaced, by a linear star conveyor. Such a conveyor preferably has a plurality of projections providing both cup separation features for a desired pitch, and receptacles for holding the articles and transporting them in a downstream direction. As an example, such a linear star conveyor is shown and described in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/628,753 filed Nov. 4, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference. 
     When the pucks are transported and moved into engagement with the elongated rack, its teeth engage the circular teeth in the puck rack and the puck, together with the upper puck plate and article are turned as the puck and article move downstream. 
     This rotation continues until such time as the bridge surface, between the puck rack ends, is rotated to confront the teeth of the elongated rack  42 . At this time, downstream puck motion continues, but the puck and article do not further rotate and remain in the angular position determined by the sliding engagement of the bridge on the crests of the teeth of the elongated rack. 
     The bridge is inclined in a radially outward direction and extends rearwardly from a base of a tooth at one end of the puck rack to the crest of a partial tooth at the other end of the rack. This inclination provides a gentle engagement of the puck&#39;s tooth rack with that of the elongated rack, while it is the final engagement of the bridge surface at the crest of the trailing tooth which stops the puck rotation and facilitates further sliding of the puck downstream. 
     Downstream of the elongated rack in the puck path is a flat slide or guide which has a guide surface in the same extension of the tooth crests of the elongated rack. This guide engages the puck bridge and retains the puck (and article) in its angular position as it moves further along its transport path, properly oriented for labeling, dating, inspection or other functions. 
     In addition, and in response to a system circumstance such as a cycle stop, for example, it will be appreciated that these circular pucks can be randomly accumulated in close abutting engagement, with one another, in bulk configuration similarly to that of beverage cans in a beverage cartoning configuration where the cans are then funneled into single lanes for further handling. No special guiding or feature configuration is necessary to align the circular pucks in single file for handling by the linear star conveyor, which separates them into desired pitch spacing and drives them forward. 
     Once the system stop is cleared, accumulated pucks with their articles can be funneled into and transported in a single line, with desired rotational orientation generated by a path-side rack as noted above. This can occur once or multiple times in a container or other article system such as before or after filling, after accumulation, before labeling, before dating, before inspection or at any desirable time where the pucks pass an elongated toothed rack in the system. 
     It will be appreciated that regardless of the angular position of puck and article as the puck engages a path side rack, the puck and article is angularly rotated and thus oriented to a final angular position corresponding to the engagement of the bridge of the puck with the crests of teeth in the elongated rack. That orientation can then be retained by the engagement of the bridge with an elongated guide or the engagement of other flats on the puck with guides extending along the puck path. A flat on the periphery of an upper puck plate, aligned with the bridge, may be engaged by an additional elongated guide once the puck is oriented for additional puck stability. 
     In addition, it will be appreciated that the pucks of the invention are not necessarily of two spaced puck plates, but that the invention also contemplates round pucks of unitary configuration or a single component puck body having an internal configuration to hold an asymmetric article therein and a recessed tooth rack, for example to cause selective rotation according to the description herein. Such pucks may be thin or of relatively taller height, or pucks according to the invention herein may be comprised of more than two puck plates. These and other objectives and advantages will become readily apparent from the following written description and from the drawings in which: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric illustration of a puck according to one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an isometric illustration of a puck as in  FIG. 1  with an asymmetric article in place; 
         FIG. 3  is a view similar to  FIG. 2  but showing the puck slightly rotated about a vertical axis from that in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the puck of  FIGS. 1-3  but rotated further in a counter clockwise direction; 
         FIG. 5  is a view similar to  FIG. 4  but with the puck further rotated in a clockwise direction; 
         FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 5  but showing the asymmetric article therein; 
         FIG. 7  is an isometric view but showing the puck driven by a linear star conveyor and just engaging teeth of the elongated rack, the upper puck plate transparent for purposes of clarity; 
         FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the puck of  FIG. 7 , the elongated rack and the linear star conveyor; 
         FIG. 9  is an isometric view of the puck of  FIGS. 7 &amp; 8  in engagement with the elongated rack between its ends and showing the rack and the linear star conveyor; 
         FIG. 10  is a top plan view of the puck in  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  is an isometric view of the puck of  FIGS. 7-10  but showing the puck nearing the end of the orientation rack; 
         FIG. 12  is a top plan view of the puck of  FIG. 11 ; 
         FIG. 13  is an isometric view of the puck of the  FIGS. 7-12  but oriented and on the elongated guide downstream of the orientation rack; 
         FIG. 14  is a top plan view of the puck of  FIG. 13 ; 
         FIGS. 15-19  are partial isometric views of a puck demonstrating a different original angular orientation as the puck moves into the elongated orientation rack, resulting in the same final orientation of pucks of the previous Figures, and where the puck reaches final angular orientation earlier in its motion down the elongated orientation rack; and 
         FIG. 20  is a top plan view of a floor plan of an illustrative asymmetric article handling process illustrating varying positions and uses of the preferred embodiment of the invention in such a process. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Turning now to the FIGS., it is appreciated that like parts have like numerical and alphabetical designations through the Figures. A puck  10  according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is sometimes referred to as an article carrier. In this description of a preferred embodiment, puck  10  is particularly configured to accept an asymmetric article which may be rounded or of any shape but with at least one feature such as a handle, spout or projection extending or projecting from the article (see  FIGS. 2 and 6 ). 
     Pucks according to this invention may be of unitary, integral configuration, short or tall or of multiple components forming the puck. The pucks are rounded, preferably with a recessed circular gear, and with a feature for holding an asymmetric article therein. Thus articles from wafer-like thinness to taller article such as containers, work pieces or the like are contemplated. 
     Puck  10 , however, of one preferred embodiment is further described. Puck  10  includes an upper puck plate  14  and a lower puck plate  16 , these plates being spaced apart vertically by spacers  18  and are concentric about a vertical axis A ( FIG. 3 ) also comprising a vertical axis A of an asymmetric article  12 . 
     Upper puck plate  14  has an opening  20  configured to accept an upper portion  22  of article  12  ( FIGS. 2 &amp; 6 ). As shown, portion  22  lies on an upper surface of plate  14  when the upper portion of article  12  is received in opening  20 . Opening  20  includes a recess or detent  24  for receiving a feature such as a handle (not shown) extending from article  12  on one side thereof proximate rim portion  22 . The extension of the feature from the body of article  12  renders article  12  asymmetric. Once in the upper plate opening  20 , the feature is received in recess  24  and the article cannot turn in or with respect to the puck  10 . When the puck rotates about axis A, the article  12  rotates with it about the same axis. 
     Article  12  such as a container, for example, preferably has a top  26  of any suitable material applied thereto with a projecting or tapered portion  27  covering that area which would otherwise be over the feature extending from the article side wall and up to rim  22  thereof. 
     Lower puck plate  16 , as shown, is comprised of a top circular plate  30 , a lower circular plate  32  and an intermediate, recessed toothed gear plate  34  comprising circular gear rack  36  with teeth  37 . A bridge  38  extends between partial end tooth  39  and end tooth  40  of circular rack  36  ( FIG. 1 ). Lower puck plate  16  can be integrally formed such as by casting, machining or other suitable process, but in any event comprises a lower puck plate  16  with a plurality of recessed teeth with crests extending radially toward the periphery of puck plate  16 , i.e. the outer circumferential surfaces of plates  30 , 32 . 
     The recessed teeth  37  extend in a circular gear rack  36  around the circumferential portion of puck plate  16  to opposite ends of bridge  38 . Note bridge  38  preferably, but not necessarily inclines from a height at the crest of a tooth  39  radially inwardly to the base  40   a  of tooth  40  This inclination serves to produce a soft or gentle engagement of the bridge  38  with the crests of teeth in the elongated linear rack  42  as be discussed. As the puck  10  rotates, it is engagement of the bridge  38  at the crest of tooth  39  with the crests  63  of teeth  62  of the elongated rack  42  which stops rotation of puck  10 . 
     Details of the bridge  38  are best seen in FIGS.  1 - 6 , 8 ,  10 ,  12  and others where the bridge  38  preferably extends rearwardly and radially outwardly from a base  40   a  of a tooth  40  toward the crest  39   a  of a partial tooth  39 . 
     In addition, and preferably, the bridge includes at least two distinct inclined surfaces  38   a ,  38   b  and  38   c . The bridge may have further segments defining its outer surface. The outwardly facing surface then of bridge  38  may be formed of several inclined surfaces as shown herein, or in a single inclined or curved surface as it extends from base  40   a  of tooth  40  outwardly to crest  39   a  of tooth  39 . These bridge surfaces provide a gentle engagement of puck  10  with the rack  42  of section  58  (see below) as the puck rotates. 
     Moreover it will be appreciated that the slight taper or inclination  38   c  extending from the crest  39   a  initiates the puck turning slightly in the clockwise direction (versus the counterclockwise direction) to facilitate the puck alignment bridge  38  in desired alignment with the rack  42 . This aids the proper alignment for pucks which may be almost properly aligned as they enter rack  42  but could be slightly over rotated by a very small amount. Thus consistent and accurate orientation is not impaired for pucks in near perfect original alignment as it initially approaches the rack  42 . Finally, it will be appreciated that the configuration of the bridge surfaces requires the pucks to be run in only a downstream direction where the orientation rotation caused by rack  42  will only be in a counter clockwise direction (as viewed from above) with only a very slight clockwise rotation for pucks very slightly over-rotated upon initial rack engagement noted above. Attempts at running the system in an opposite direction results in process lock-up due to the bridge configuration. However, the structure can be reversed to opposite hand for generally clockwise rotation where desired. 
     Reference to lower puck plate  16  refers to the combined structure of plates  30 ,  32  and circular rack  34 . These components, when a composite plate is considered, are held together by through screws as shown in the FIGS. 
     Lower circular plate  32  may have a solid center, while top circular plate may have a central opening  31  to accommodate an article  12 . 
     Turning to upper puck plate  14 , note its periphery is generally circular except, for example, a flat  15  corresponding in angular position to the bridge  38  in lower puck plate  16  and parallel thereto. The flat  15  thus can be guided by an elongated support guide once the puck  10  is angularly properly oriented as described herein. 
     Finally, note that for clarity and description, an arrow B is placed on the upper surface of upper puck plate  14  in a position where it indicates a direction parallel to the extension of flat  15  ( FIG. 1 ). Once the puck  10  is rotationally oriented, further downstream movement is in a machine direction as then indicated by the arrow B. 
     Further note that for description, an RFID tag  44  or other label device is placed on the article  12  in a desired location when the puck  10  and article  12  is properly oriented as described herein. This ensures the label or tag is always in the same place on the oriented articles  12  for reading, reviewing and inspection. 
     As shown in the various  FIG. 4 , et seq., pucks  10  are conveyed or transported in a single line in a downstream machine direction such as by a linear star conveyor  50 , including a plurality of wedge-like projections  52 , each having concave leading and trailing surfaces  53 ,  54  respectively. A linear star pitch and transport apparatus similar to that described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/628,753 filed Nov. 4, 2011, incorporated herein by reference, may be used. 
     A leading surface  53  of one wedge  52  forms, with a trailing surface  54  of a preceding wedge  52 , a puck pocket  56 , each pocket  56  defining a puck receptacle spaced at a desired puck pitch from an adjacent pocket  56 . Upstream of the FIGS. (not shown), randomly-oriented pucks  10  are fed to between the linear star  50  and guiderail surface  51 , parallel thereto, for positive downstream transport toward the orientation section  58 , the extent of which is indicated by the bracket  58  in the Figs. and is consistent with the other figures. Linear star conveyor positively transports the articles downstream at a predetermined pitch, allows them to rotate when they engage the orientation section  58 , and continues to transport them downstream when not rotating for orientation. 
     Section  58  includes a linearly-elongated rack  42  of teeth  62  having crests  63  disposed along crest line  64  ( FIG. 4 ). Crest line  64  is also extended from elongated surface  66  of elongated guide  68  ( FIG. 4 ) as will be discussed below. Preferably, rack  42  is elongated a distance equal to or slightly longer than the combined extent of tooth rack  34  and bridge  38 . This ensures that a puck is rotated fully to its desired oriented position regardless of its angular position as it initially enters section  58 . 
     Operation 
     Operation of the invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 7-20 . In this regard, note that arrows C in the FIGS. refer, when curved to rotational motion of pucks  10  when the pucks rotate and, when straight, to linear straight motion of pucks  10  when moving downstream but not rotating, while arrow D refers to downstream linear motion of the pucks  10  when that is occurring. 
     Articles  12  are not shown in the operational FIGS. for clarity of explanation. 
     Apart from the upper puck plate shown in  FIGS. 7-14 , these FIGS. demonstrate, that the angular orientation of the pucks  10  as they enter the section  58  has no bearing on the final orientation of pucks  10  as they exit section  58 ; rather, all are aligned finally in the same orientation independent of their orientation when entering section  58 . 
     Turning to  FIGS. 7-14  and  15 - 19 , it will be understood that a puck  10  (represented by circular gear  34  and lower circular plate  32 ) approaches section  58  in any angular orientation. For purposes hereof, “angular” or “rotation” mean with respect to axis A about which article  12  and the puck  10  rotate. 
     Once a tooth of circular rack  34  engages teeth  62  of elongated linear rack  42 , further downstream motion in the direction of arrow D caused by the movement of linear star  50  driving puck  10  downstream, causes puck  10  to rotate in the direction of arrow C. This continues until the surface of bridge  38  engages the crests  63  of teeth  62  on rack  42  as in  FIGS. 11-12 . When this occurs, and particularly once that portion of the bridge extending from the crest of tooth  39  engages a crest  63  of a tooth  62 , puck  10  can no longer turn about axis A, such rotation being blocked by the engagement of bridge surface at  38  on tooth crests  63 . Thereafter, puck  10  moves only in the linear, downstream direction of straight arrows C and D by virtue of the drive in that direction by linear star  50 . 
     In  FIGS. 13-14 , puck  10  has moved past engagement in section  58 , with bridge  38  sliding along guide surface  66  of guide  68 , in the same path of the crest line  64  of crests  63 . 
     In this position, the article  12  has been oriented so that in this embodiment arrow B is aligned parallel to arrows C and D as well as surface  66  and crest line  64  ( FIG. 13 ). 
     It will be appreciated that preceding engagement of puck  10  with section  58 , bridge  38  is randomly oriented. 
     In  FIGS. 7-8 , teeth  62  have engaged teeth  37 . Rotation of downstream movement of puck  10  continues until bridge  38  has engaged crests  63  as in  FIGS. 11-12 . Thereafter, bridge  38  slides along crests  63 , then surface  66  of guide  68 , preventing further rotation of puck  10 . 
       FIGS. 9 &amp; 10  are an isometric representation of puck  10  in a position between that of  FIGS. 7 ,  8  and  11 ,  12 . Nevertheless, puck  10  is always finally oriented angularly as depicted in  FIGS. 13 ,  14  however the puck  10  was initially oriented as it engaged teeth  62 . 
       FIGS. 15-19  illustrate another angular rotation of puck  10 , as it approaches section  58 . In this case, it will be noticed that bridge  38  is in a retarded angular position, but as a result of position as in  FIG. 17 , it engages crests  63  earlier than that engagement shown in the prior FIGS, up to  FIG. 15 . Nevertheless, the angular orientation of puck  10  remains the same as in  FIG. 17  through its downstream position as in  FIG. 19 , where puck  10  (and any cup  12 ) is angularly-oriented in the same position as in the preceding FIGS. 
       FIG. 20  illustrates a sample floor plan view of an asymmetric article handling system wherein the article may be a container, and including a filler or product infeed  90 , an accumulation section  91 , printing (dating) section  92 , RFID section  93 , vision inspection system  94 , reject system  95 , carton system  96  and empty puck return line  97 . 
     An orientation apparatus as described above can be advantageously used at locations  100 , 102  and  103  consistent with the above description and noting location  102  is extended through multiple functional stations. Pucks, like pucks  10 , are used to carry oriented articles into, through or from filler  90 , into through and from sections  92 - 95  and into cartoning or packaging station  96  where orientation of asymmetric articles is also important for packaging orientation. Angular orientation is important also at or from filler  90 , and at stations  92 - 95  to insure consistency. 
     Finally, it will be appreciated that pucks, with asymmetric articles therein, can be accumulated in random angular orientation and in mass volume, adjacent one another, then removed from accumulation and easily angularly rotated for further handling. The circular peripheries of the pucks  10 , such as the upper and lower puck plates  14 ,  16  facilitate engagement of pucks randomly with each other. 
     This invention is useful in handling many varied asymmetrical articles in particular where accumulation or angular position at process stations is critical. 
     These and other objectives and advantages will become readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention and applicant intends to be bound only by the claims appended hereto.