Product handling system

A system and method of providing a product to a conveyor and/or carton includes a wheel and a plurality of carriers arranged in rows. A distance between each carrier in the plurality of carriers is adjustable as the product is transferred around a circumference of the wheel. Optionally, a height of each product relative to an adjacent product is likewise adjustable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a product handling system whereby a row of products may be transferred while adjusting a distance between each product in the row.

2. Description of Related Art

Rotary pickers are used in varied applications requiring the deposit of a product or, more typically, a number of products, such as food, pharmaceuticals and other items, onto conveyors and/or into cartons. Rotary pickers traditionally engage a product below and transfer the product into a carton or conveyor above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is one object of this invention to provide a product handling system that moves, configures and deposits product into an outfeed predictably, completely, quickly and accurately.

It is another object of this invention to provide a product handling system that provides products in a shingled configuration to an outfeed.

These and other objects of this invention are addressed by a product handling system that includes a rotary picker and a plurality of carriers positioned circumferentially around the rotary picker. One or more carriers are positioned at each circumferential position around the rotary picker. Preferably, multiple carriers are positioned in rows at each circumferential position. A distance between each carrier in a row is preferably expandable and/or contractable relative to each other. As a result, a product may be engaged with a carrier and then moved closer to, or farther away, from an adjacent product prior to offloading the products from the rotary picker.

According to one preferred embodiment of this invention, the rotary picker includes a plurality of scissor arms positioned circumferentially around a wheel. Each scissor arm includes one or more carriers and more preferably two or more carriers. Each carrier further includes one or more product grips, such as suction cups. The scissor arms may then in turn rotate relative to the wheel or remain fixed relative to the wheel.

Each carrier on the scissor arm may engage with a product and then the scissor arm may be adjusted to draw adjacent product closer together or move adjacent product farther apart. A desired configuration of product may then be packaged or moved to an additional secondary operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1-4show a product handling system according to various preferred embodiments of this invention. According to a preferred embodiment of this invention, and as shown inFIGS. 1-4, product is transferred from a product feeder, such as infeeder110, through the product handling system in a generally continuous stream to an outfeed120such as outfeed conveyor90, cartoner100or similar finishing area. The product and/or cartons of product may then conveyed be from the cartoner for closure, palletizing, shipping, etc.

The term “product” as used herein may be one or more items that are to be transferred, handled, contained within a carton including packages, papers, cards, blister packs and any other product that may be boxed or cartoned according to the method and apparatus described herein. Product may include or comprise candy, food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, bulk goods or any other item that requires transferring, cartoning, finishing, transporting or similar secondary operations.

Products10may be presented and transferred to rotary picker20in a number of ways known to those having ordinary skill in the art. As described above, products may include packets, individual or bulk food items, pharmaceuticals, bottles, bags, trays and any other product requiring transferring and/or cartoning. As such, equipment for presenting and transferring products to rotary picker20need only be capable of placing, dropping, sliding or otherwise presenting product to rotary picker20.

As shown inFIGS. 1-4, product infeeder110provides a plurality of products10in a generally continuous and orderly manner to rotary picker20. Preferably, products10are provided in a row to rotary picker20. According to a preferred embodiment of this invention, infeeder110is positioned generally above rotary picker20and outfeed120is positioned generally below rotary picker20.

As shown inFIGS. 1-6,10and15-19, a device for transferring product10according to one preferred embodiment of this invention includes rotary picker20comprising wheel25and a plurality of rows of carriers30positioned circumferentially around wheel25. As shown inFIG. 10, a group of six carriers30may be positioned in each row.FIGS. 15,16and17show that one, three or five products10, respectively, and/or carriers30may be positioned within each row of carriers30. Any other suitable number of carriers30and/or products10may be positioned in rows and in any number of desired circumferential positions around rotary wheel25.

Rotary wheel25may include two hubs27as best shown inFIG. 6or may be constructed with multiple hubs, a single hub or a hubless design. Rotary wheel25is preferably configured to accommodate any desired number of carriers30as described above.

Each row of one or more carriers30are preferably positioned relative to a spindle50and multiple spindles50are accordingly spaced circumferentially around wheel25, such as shown inFIG. 5. Although four spindles50are shown inFIG. 5, wheel25may include any number of desired spindles50. According to one preferred embodiment of this invention, shown inFIG. 5, spindles50may rotate relative to wheel25, as described in more detail herein, or alternatively, spindles50may be fixed relative to wheel25.

As best shown inFIGS. 6-14, a plurality of scissor arms40may be positioned circumferentially around wheel25. Scissor arms40are preferably positioned on, under or otherwise with respect to spindles50. Alternatively, scissor arms40may be positioned in place of spindles50.

Scissor arms40, as shown inFIG. 14, preferably include a plurality of interconnected arms45that are connected at joints, such as with pins47, to form a hinged structure that expands and/or contracts when a force is applied to one or more of the arms45. Scissor arms40may comprise any other suitable configuration that permits generally linear expansion and contraction within rotary picker20.

As shown in the figures, one or more carriers30are preferably positioned on each scissor arm40. Carriers30preferably include block32and platform35. Platform35may further include elbow37, as described in more detail herein. Block32is preferably sized and positioned to space platform35from scissor arm40and/or wheel25. Each carrier30is preferably positioned at a hinged location of scissor arm40, such as at the location of pin47. As a result of this configuration, when scissor arm40is expanded, a distance between each carrier30expands. Likewise, when scissor arm40is contracted, a distance between each carrier30contracts.

FIG. 6shows rotary picker20and wheel25further including cam80positioned with respect to wheel25. Cam80preferably follows a desired path around wheel25to urge scissor arm40into a desired configuration. Scissor arm40preferably includes cam follower85that tracks cam80thereby expanding, contracting or maintaining a configuration of scissor arm40. Such motion thereby translates to carriers30within each row to either move carriers30close to each adjacent carrier30or space carriers30further from each adjacent carrier30.

Carrier30preferably further includes at least one product grip60positioned on or within each platform35of carrier30. More specifically, product grip60preferably comprises suction cup65. Suction cup65is preferably pneumatic although traditional suction cups65may be used in appropriate applications. Carrier30including block32and/or platform35therefore may contain an air channel for providing a vacuum to suction cup65.

According to one preferred embodiment of this invention, product grip60on one carrier30in the row is positioned at a different height than product grip60of each carrier30adjacent to that one carrier30. Such arrangements are shown in one embodiment atFIGS. 7-9and in another embodiment inFIGS. 11-13. Although it may be desirable to vary the height of product grip60by varying the height of block32, it may be preferable that each product grip60is positioned at the same height when products10are engaged from feeder15. According to one preferred embodiment of this invention, each carrier30may include product grip60, such as suction cup65, having a different height and/or profile than suction cup65on each adjacent carrier30. Such an arrangement is shown inFIG. 14.

In operation, the suction cups65having different heights and/or profiles create a staggered arrangement of products10in the row of products10after products10are engaged with product grip60. Such staggered arrangement of products10such as shown inFIG. 12may be effected with suction cup65having a first profile collapsing a lesser amount than suction cup65having a second profile following application of a negative pressure.

According to a method of operation of the subject invention, products are grouped for handling as herein described. Handling may include cartoning, indexing, stacking, shingling, transporting and/or any other suitable operation. As described, a stream of products10in multiple rows is preferably provided from infeeder110to rotary picker20.

Rotary picker20is preferably continuously rotating relative to the stream of products. In addition, spindles50and/or scissor arms40may additionally be rotating relative to rotary picker20but in an opposite direction as rotary picker20. As a result of this counter-rotation, carriers30on rotary wheel20may pick up products10at a zero speed relative to the infeed of products10, thereby permitting faster system speeds. Alternatively, such spindles50and/or scissor arms40may be fixed within rotary picker20.

As a row of the products10is provided to rotary picker20, each of the plurality of carriers30arranged on the spindle50grips a corresponding product10using product grip60, such as suction cup65, and/or using positive engagement, such as with elbow37of carrier30. As a row of products10proceeds around rotary picker20toward a discharge, a distance between each carrier30on spindle50is adjusted into a desired indexed relationship. Such relationship may be spaced to provide a desired pitch between each product10or may be clustered together to provide a desired shingling or overlap between and among products10in row.

As described above, the distance between each carrier30and thus the distance between each product10may be adjusted with a scissor arm40and cam80arrangement or using any other appropriate technique known to those having ordinary skill in the art. By contracting a distance between each carrier30on spindle50or expanding a distance between each carrier30on spindle50, the present invention collects products10at infeeder110in a first arrangement and deposits them at outfeed120in a second arrangement.

Following adjustment of the row of products10into a desired indexed relationship, the row of products10is provided to outfeed120such as outfeed conveyor90. The resulting row of products may be shingled so that an elevation of one product10in the row is adjusted relative to the elevation of at least one other product10in the row.FIG. 6shows products shingled in this manner. Alternatively, the resulting row of products may be shingled so that an edge of each product10of overlays an edge of each adjacent product10.FIG. 10shows products shingled in this manner. Alternatively, the resulting row of one or more products may be indexed so that a constant and desired pitch is created between each product.FIGS. 18 and 19show products indexed in this manner.

Products10, when shingled in a manner such as shown inFIGS. 6 and 10, may be more efficiently stacked into cartons or similar containers. As such, more products10may be contained within a similar-sized container as a group of randomly stacked products10.

Products10, whether shingled or spaced at a pitch, may be released directly into pre-accumulation tray130, a carton or may be released into outfeed120, such as outfeed conveyor90. As shown inFIGS. 6,10and15-17, products10may be released into a pre-accumulation tray130that collects and, in turn, dispatches product into a container and/or carton chain100. From outfeed120, products10may be directed to a carton chain, a horizontal cartoner, a wrapping station or any other suitable secondary operation.

According to one preferred embodiment of this invention, such as shown inFIG. 19, rows of products10may be selectively released at a different rotational release point from each prior row. In this manner, two or more outfeed conveyors90may be positioned beneath rotary picker20to enable parallel processing of two or more indexed sets of products10. Suction cups65may be configured to release rows of products10at a desired rotational release point of rotary picker20.

The product handling system as described herein may include synchronized components and/or line shafting that is executed either mechanically, electronically or a combination of both using gears, belts, servomechanism and other similar components known to those having ordinary skill in the art.