Abstract:
An ammunition packing apparatus comprises an ammunition feeder receiving ammunition cartons and horizontally arranging the ammunition cartons in a left or right direction, an ammunition vertical conveyor vertically conveying the ammunition cartons to an ammunition horizontal conveyor, the ammunition horizontal conveyor advancing the ammunition cartons to an ammunition inserter, an ammunition pouch mounter placing and fastening empty ammunition pouches in a flat and stretched position, an ammunition pouch opener opening mouths of the ammunition pouches, and the ammunition inserter advancing and inserting the ammunition cartons into the ammunition pouches, wherein the ammunition inserter includes spade-shaped inserting blades surrounding left and right surfaces and bottom surfaces of the ammunition cartons to allow the ammunition cartons to be inserted without being stuck to rims of the ammunition pouches and ammunition return preventers preventing the ammunition cartons from moving back when the ammunition inserting blades return after advancing and inserting the ammunition cartons.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0187038, filed on Dec. 28, 2015, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
       TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure concerns ammunition packaging, and more specifically, to automated ways for packaging ammunition cartons filled with ammunition cartridges into flexible pouches. 
       DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART 
       [0003]    Ammunition pouches are designed to carry a particular size or type of ammunition cartons. These ammunition pouches are primarily constructed of flexible fabrics that seldom remain at a particular shape during a packing process. The packing of ammunition cartons, which deals with highly dangerous products, should be done in a more delicate and accurate manner without damaging them. For such reasons, it is quite tricky and time consuming to pack ammunition cartons into their respective pouches, whether manually or automatically. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an apparatus for packing an ammunition carton in a pouch comprises an ammunition feeder receiving ammunition cartons and horizontally arranging the ammunition cartons in a left or right direction, an ammunition vertical conveyor vertically conveying the horizontally arranged ammunition cartons to an ammunition horizontal conveyor disposed thereon, the ammunition horizontal conveyor advancing the vertically conveyed ammunition cartons to an ammunition inserter disposed in front thereof, an ammunition pouch mounter disposed in front of the ammunition inserter and placing and fastening empty ammunition pouches in a flat and stretched position, an ammunition pouch opener opening mouths of the ammunition pouches placed and fastened by the ammunition pouch mounter, and the ammunition inserter advancing and inserting the ammunition cartons into the ammunition pouches, wherein the ammunition inserter includes spade-shaped inserting blades surrounding left and right surfaces and bottom surfaces of the ammunition cartons to allow the ammunition cartons to be inserted without being stuck to rims of the ammunition pouches and ammunition return preventers preventing the ammunition cartons from moving back when the ammunition inserting blades return after advancing and inserting the ammunition cartons. 
         [0005]    The ammunition pouch opener includes ammunition pouch opening scoops including rear edges capable of penetrating covers of the ammunition pouches and front books capable of lifting the rims of the ammunition pouches and an opening scoop actuator moving forth and back the ammunition pouch opening scoops in an wrier or lower direction and a front or rear direction. 
         [0006]    The rear edges of the ammunition pouch opening scoops include air outlets through which air is blown into insides of the covers of the ammunition pouches. 
         [0007]    The ammunition pouch opening scoops whose number is the same as the number of the ammunition pouches are horizontally arranged, and a left-right interval between the ammunition pouch opening scoops is varied by a scoop interval adjustor, and wherein the opening scoop actuator moves back and forth in the upper or lower direction and the front or rear direction regardless of the variation in the left-right interval by the scoop interval adjustor. 
         [0008]    The ammunition pouch opening scoops open the ammunition pouches by such an operation that the rear edges of the ammunition pouch opening scoops move hack to the covers of the ammunition pouches while the air is blown into the insides of the covers of the ammunition pouches, and the rear edges of the ammunition pouch opening scoops then descend and advance so that the front hooks lift the rims of the ammunition pouches. 
         [0009]    The ammunition pouch mounter includes ammunition pouch upper end clamps horizontally arranged to clamp and fasten upper ends of the ammunition pouches and ammunition pouch lower end clamps horizontally arranged to clamp and fasten lower ends of the ammunition pouches, the number of the ammunition pouch upper end clamps or the ammunition pouch lower end clamps being the same as the number of the ammunition pouches and a clamp interval adjustor varying a left-right interval between the ammunition pouch upper end clamps or between the ammunition pouch lower end clamps. 
         [0010]    The scoop interval adjustor and the clamp interval adjustor are simultaneously operated when the ammunition pouches are opened so that a left-right interval between the ammunition pouches is the same as a left-right interval between the ammunition inserting blades. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The patent application file contains at least one or more drawings executed in color. Copies of this patent application publication with color drawings will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee. 
           [0012]    A more complete appreciation of the present disclosure and many of the attendant aspects thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood In reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
         FIG. 1  illustrates ammunition cartons and ammunition pouches for packing the ammunition cartons according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;       
 
           [0014]      FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate an ammunition carton packing apparatus according to at embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a view illustrating working modules in an ammunition carton packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  illustrates an assembly of an ammunition pouch mounter and ammunition inserter of an ammunition carton packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  illustrates an ammunition pouch opener of an ammunition carton packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  illustrates an ammunition vertical conveyor of an ammunition carton packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  illustrates an ammunition feeder of an ammunition carton packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  illustrates an ammunition pouch mounter, ammunition pouch opener, ammunition horizontal conveyor, and ammunition inserter of an ammunition carton packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  illustrates a process for feeding ammunition and mounting ammunition pouches in sequence, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  illustrates a process performed by an ammunition pouch opener of an ammunition, carton packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 12  illustrates a process performed by an ammunition inserter of an ammunition carton packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0024]    Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present disclosure, however, may be modified in various different ways, and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. 
         [0025]    As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “connected to,” “coupled to,” or “adjacent to” another element or layer, it can be directly on, connected, coupled, or adjacent to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. The same reference denotations may be used to refer to the same or substantially the same elements throughout the specification and the drawings. 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  illustrates ammunition cartons and ammunition pouches for packing the ammunition cartons according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , two clips each bundling e.g., ten rounds of ammunition (also referred to as ammunition cartridges) may be packed in each of seven ammunition cartons, and the ammunition cartons mar be packed in multiple ammunition pouches, respectively. The ammunition pouches may be coupled together and tied with a strap for hanging over the user&#39;s shoulder or wearing on the user&#39;s waist. The ammunition pouches may be formed of fabric and may have flaps for naturally covering their open mouths to prevent the ammunition or ammunition cartons from escaping off while they are in use. The ammunition cartons may be formed of paper. 
         [0028]      FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate an ammunition carton packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 4  is a view illustrating working modules in an ammunition carton packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 5  illustrates an assembly of an ammunition pouch mounter and ammunition inserter of an ammunition carton packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 6  illustrates an ammunition pouch opener of an ammunition carton packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 7  illustrates au ammunition vertical conveyor of an ammunition carton packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 8  illustrates an ammunition feeder of an ammunition carton packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 9  illustrates an ammunition pouch mounter, ammunition pouch opener, ammunition horizontal conveyor, and ammunition inserter of an ammunition carton packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 10  illustrates a process for feeding ammunition and mounting ammunition pouches in sequence, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 11  illustrates a process performed by an ammunition pouch opener of an ammunition carton packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 12  illustrates a process performed by an ammunition inserter of an ammunition carton packing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 to 4 , the ammunition carton packing apparatus may include a plurality of working modules. The working modules may include an ammunition feeder  10 , an ammunition vertical conveyor  20 , an ammunition pouch mounter  30 , an ammunition pouch opener  40 , an ammunition horizontal conveyor  50 , and an ammunition inserter  60 . 
         [0030]    Ammunition cartridges may be packed in ammunition cartons  1 . The ammunition feeder  10  may receive the ammunition cartons  1  and arrange the ammunition cartons  1  horizontally in a left-right direction. The ammunition horizontal conveyor  50  may be disposed on the ammunition vertical conveyor  20 . The ammunition vertical conveyor  20  may vertically convey the horizontally arranged ammunition cartons  1  to the ammunition horizontal conveyor  50 . The ammunition pouch mounter  30  may be disposed in front of the ammunition inserter  60 . The ammunition pouch mounter  30  may place and fasten empty ammunition pouches  2  in a flat and stretched position. The ammunition pouch opener  40  may open the mouths of the ammunition pouches  2  placed and fastened by the ammunition pouch mounter  30 . The ammunition horizontal conveyor  50  advances the vertically conveyed ammunition cartons  1  to the ammunition inserter  60 . The ammunition inserter  60  may be disposed in front of the ammunition horizontal conveyor  50 . For example, the ammunition inserter  60  may be disposed between the ammunition pouch mounter  30  and the ammunition horizontal conveyor  50 . The ammunition inserter  60  may advance and insert the ammunition cartons  1  into the ammunition pouches  2 . 
         [0031]    The working modules may follow common references for operational directions. For example, the working modules array be operated in directions, e.g., front, rear, upper, and lower directions, as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , a shelter may be disposed at a front side of the ammunition carton packing apparatus to place ammunition pouches  2  thereon, and a slide and stacking table may be disposed at a side of the ammunition carton packing apparatus to discharge and gather ammunition carton-packed pouches. The ammunition pouch mounter  30  may be positioned at a side of the shelter. For example, the ammunition pouch mounter  30  may be disposed substantially in parallel with the shelter. 
         [0033]    The ammunition feeder  10  may include a conveyor  11  and a vertical conveyance table seater  12 . The ammunition vertical conveyor  20  may include a vertical conveyance table  21  and vertical conveyance column  22 . The ammunition pouch mounter  30  may include an ammunition pouch mounting table  31 , an ammunition pouch upper end clamp  32 , an ammunition pouch lower end clamp  33 , and a clamp interval adjustor  34 . The ammunition pond opener  40  may include an ammunition pouch opening scoop  41 , an air outlet  42 , an opening scoop actuator  43 , and a scoop interval adjustor  44 . The ammunition horizontal conveyor  50  may include a forward conveyance path  51  and a forward advancer  52 . The ammunition inserter  50  may include an ammunition inserting blade  61  and an ammunition return preventer  62 . 
         [0034]    When each ammunition pouch  2  is placed on the ammunition pouch mounting table  31 , the ammunition pouch upper end clamp  32  and ammunition pouch lower end clamp  33  hold the upper and lower ends, respectively, of the ammunition pouch  2 , and the ammunition pouch opening scoop  41  moves forth, back, up, and down above the ammunition pouch  2  to open the mouth of the ammunition pouch  2 . 
         [0035]    The ammunition feeder  10  is disposed at a side (e.g., left side) of the ammunition carton packing apparatus for horizontally feeding ammunition-packed cartons  1 . When ammunition cartons  1  are stacked on a left-side table of the ammunition feeder  10 , the ammunition feeder  10  may automatically sense the ammunition cartons  1  by a sensor (not shown) and horizontally supply the ammunition carton  1  on the conveyor  11  one by one downstream of the ammunition carton packing apparatus. The ammunition cartons  1  supplied up to the vertical conveyance table seater  12  are arranged at predetermined intervals. 
         [0036]    When the ammunition cartons  1  horizontally arranged are delivered to the vertical conveyance table  21 , the ammunition vertical conveyor  20  lifts the ammunition cartons  1  (which is referred to as vertical conveyance), and the ammunition horizontal conveyor  50  delivers the filled ammunition cartons  1  through the forward conveyance path  51  to the ammunition inserter  60  (which is referred to as horizontal conveyance or forward conveyance). This process is shown in  FIG. 10 . 
         [0037]    The ammunition pouch mounter  30 , the ammunition inserter  60  disposed behind the ammunition pouch mounter  30 , and the ammunition pouch opener  40  disposed on the ammunition pouch mounter  30  may together insert the ammunition cartons  1  into ammunition pouches  2  while they face each other. 
         [0038]    As described above, the ammunition pouch opener  40  may include a plurality of ammunition pouch opening scoops  41 , air outlets  42 , opening scoop actuators  43 , and scoop interval adjustors  44 . For example, the number of the ammunition pouch opening scoops  41  may be the same as the number of ammunition pouches  2  to be processed. The opening scoop actuators  43  may actuate their respective corresponding ammunition pouch opening scoops  41  to move forth, back, up, or down. The scoop interval adjustors  44  may vary the left-right interval between the ammunition pouch opening scoops  41 . 
         [0039]    The opening scoop actuators  43  may move up, down, forth, or back their respective corresponding ammunition pouch opening scoops  41  regardless of the operation of varying, the left-right interval by the scoop interval adjustors  44 . The scoop interval adjustors  44  may vary the left-right interval between the ammunition pouch opening scoops  41  regardless of the operation of moving up, down, forth, or back by the opening scoop actuators  43 . The ammunition pouch mounter  30  or the ammunition pouch opener  40  may sometimes need (e.g., horizontal) variations in left-right interval between the ammunition cartons  1  or between the ammunition pouch opening scoops  41  during the course of opening or inserting the ammunition cartons  1  into the ammunition pouches  2  unlike the ammunition inserter  60 , and the left-right interval variation may be freely performed without restriction by the mounting and opening operations. 
         [0040]    Each ammunition pouch opening scoop  41  includes a rear edge that may penetrate underneath the cover of the ammunition pouch  2  and a front hook that may lift a rim portion of the mouth of the ammunition pouch  2 . The rear edge of the ammunition pouch opening scoop  41  may have an air outlet for allowing air to be jetted or blown into the inside of the cover of the ammunition pouch  2 . 
         [0041]    For example, each ammunition pouch opening scoop  41  may include a first flat piece, a second flat piece, and a third flat piece together forming a distorted U-shape bracket. The first flat piece may be coupled to the opening scoop actuator  43 . The second flat piece connects the first flat piece and the third flat piece together. The second flat piece may be longer or larger than the third flat piece. The first flat piece and the second flat piece may form an obtuse angle, and the second flat piece and the third flat piece may form an acute angle. The second flat piece may correspond to the above-described rear edge, and the third flat piece may correspond to the above-described front hook. 
         [0042]    As a flow of air is jetted into the inside of the cover of the ammunition pouch  2  the cover of the ammunition pouch  2  is floated and opened, and the rear edge of the ammunition pouch opening scoop  41  may be moved back to the cover of the ammunition pouch  2  by the opening scoop actuator  43 . The rear edge of the ammunition pouch opening scoop  41  may then be rendered to descend and move forth by the opening scoop actuator  43  so that the rim portion of the mouth of the ammunition pouch  2  is hung on the front hook. The ammunition pouch opening scoop  41  is then hoisted by the opening scoop actuator  43  to open the mouth of the ammunition pouch  2 . The opening process attic cover and mouth of the ammunition pouch  2  is illustrated in  FIG. 11 . As described herein, the directions “back” and “forth” may follow the above-described references for the operation directions as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
         [0043]    The ammunition pouch mounter  30  may include all ammunition pouch mounting table  31 , a plurality of ammunition pouch upper end clamps  32 , a plurality of ammunition pouch lower end clamps  33 , and clamp interval adjustors  34 . 
         [0044]    The number of ammunition pouch upper end clamps  32  or the ammunition pouch lower end clamps  33  may be the same as the number of the ammunition pouches  2  to be processed. The ammunition pouch upper end clamps  32  and the ammunition pouch lower end clamps  33  may be arranged horizontally. The ammunition pouch mounting table  31  may be sized or dimensioned to fit the width of the flat, stretched-out ammunition pouches  2 . The ammunition pouch upper end clamps  32  clamp and fasten the upper ends of the ammunition pouches  2 , and the ammunition pouch lower end clamps clamp and fasten the lower ends of the ammunition pouches  2 . The clamp interval adjustors  34  may vary the left-right interval between the ammunition pouch upper end clamps  32  or between the ammunition pouch lower end clamps  33 . The clamp interval adjustors  34  may be operated in a similar manner to that of the scoop interval adjustors  44 . 
         [0045]    The scoop interval adjustors  44  and the clamp interval adjustors  34  may be simultaneously operated when the ammunition pouches  2  are opened so that the left-right interval between the ammunition pouches  2  is substantially the same as the left-right interval between the ammunition inserting blades  61  arranged in the ammunition inserter  60 . The scoop interval adjustors  44  and the clamp interval adjustors  34  may interwork together, at least, until the ammunition cartons  1  are inserted in position into the empty ammunition pouches  2 . 
         [0046]    The ammunition inserter  60  may include a plurality of ammunition inserting blades  61  and a plurality of ammunition return preventers  62 . The ammunition inserting blades  61  may move back and forth. Each ammunition inserting blade  61  may be shaped as a spade, at least partially, surrounding a left and right surface and bottom surface of the ammunition carton  1  to allow the ammunition carton  1  to be inserted into the ammunition pouch  2  without being stuck to the mouth rim of the ammunition pouch  2 . The ammunition inserting blade  61  may be fully inserted and pulled back from the inside of the ammunition pouch  2 , eliminating unnecessary stress that the ammunition pouch  2  may apply to the ammunition carton  1 . 
         [0047]    Each ammunition return preventer  62  may move up or down and may function as a stopper or blocking all. The ammunition return preventer  62  may include a claw or clamp-shaped member that may descend to prevent the ammunition carton  1  already inserted into the ammunition pouch  2  from dragged out along with the ammunition inserting blade  61 . 
         [0048]    Thus, each ammunition pouch  2  may be packed with an ammunition carton  1  in a tidy and organized manner, and such process enables high efficient packaging since it is carried out irrespective of the number of ammunition pouches  2 . 
         [0049]    While the present disclosure has been shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the following claims.