CONDITIONING OF PACKAGES

Abstract: Packages (11), e.g. packets of snack foods, are treated to regularise their external forms by redistributing the contents within each package. The packages (11) are conveyed on a conveying surface (2) which is agitated (e.g. by square rollers (3)), while pressure is applied from above by a pressing device (4). This preferably involves a conveyor (5) whose contacting surface moves at the same speed as the packages (11), and whose lower run is urged downwardly towards the package (11) by an internal weighted catenary chain (9) which may act on the conveyor (5) via low back pressure rollers (8).

Description: ΓONDTTTONINΠ OF PACKAΠFS Technical Field The present invention relates to methods and apparatus that can be used to condition packages containing, for example, foodstuffs such as snack foods. Packets of loose articles, particularly articles of irregular shapes, such as snack foods, can cause problems during their production cycle. These problems are due to the scrunched up form or the uneven distribution of the articles within the packets, making it difficult to test, weigh or pack them. Tests include such things as checking that the packets are correctly sealed. This uneven distribution of articles within a package may also be unsuitable for presentation purposes on supermarket shelves. Background Art It is known to agitate packages by passing them over square-section rollers with gaps in between. Disclosure of Invention There is a need therefore, for an apparatus which will effectively redistribute the loose articles evenly within the packaging without crushing or damaging the packet or its contents. According to the present invention, there is provided apparatus for evenly distributing loose articles within a package comprising a conveyor surface for conveying the packet; agitating means for agitating the packet on the conveyor and pressing means for pressing on the packet during agitation to smooth it. The conveyor can be a moving belt. The agitating means may comprise means for agitating the surface of the belt. We find that rotating members having one or more surface eccentricities eg a polygonal sectioned roller, engaging the undersurface of the packet, or of the belt, or a plurality of such rollers, works well. The pressing means is desirably flexible to help prevent damage to the packet and/or its contents. Preferred pressing means comprises a weighted flexible layer which contacts the package from above. We have found that a flexible (preferably elastic) sheet, acted on from above by a series of weights having mutual independence of movement, is effective. A row of linked weights such as a catenary chain which may include rollers, is suitable. Furthermore the flexible sheet is desirably mounted so as to be moveable in the conveying direction to reduce possible damaging interference with the packet during contact. A further aspect is a conditioning device for acting on packets of loose articles, comprising an elastic driven belt to contact the packets from above as they move along a conveying path. A catenary element eg of linked weights, is suspended to act on the belt from behind, thereby applying pressure to the packets through the belt. Since the belt moves past the catenary element in contact with it, desirably the catenary element has friction-reducing means such as rollers where they meet. In another aspect; we propose a method in which a package is conditioned by the operation of means as described above. In order that the present invention is more readily understood, an embodiment will now be described in more detail for the purposes of illustration only. Brief Description of Drawing The sole accompanying figure shows a diagrammatic side view of an apparatus for conditioning packages. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention In this embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus for conditioning packages is designed so that it can be incorporated into a production line. Thus, a conveyor 1 fitted with a continuous conveyor belt 2 is provided to convey packages in a horizontal direction. The conveyor belt 2 provides a surface which the packages, such as packets 11 of snack foods, can rest on. Within the conveyor 1, two square-sectioned rollers 3 are arranged in contact with the underside of the conveyor belt. Upon rotation the roller corners cause the conveyor belt 2 to rise and then fall flat again, in a flapping motion. In this particular embodiment, two square sectioned rollers are provided although it is possible to have one or a multiplicity and of any polygonal or other non-circular and/or eccentrically mounted form. Each square sectioned roller 3 is rotated out of phase (by 45°C in this case) and at a speed which agitates the surface of the conveyor belt sufficiently to give the desired redistribution of packet contents; this is easily determinable by trial with the packets concerned. The square sectioned rollers 3 may be powered by any suitable means such as pulleys and belts connected to one or more motors M. Although the agitation of the surface of the belt provides the energy for the articles to move within the package, a means of gently smoothing the package is required for even distribution. It is important that this smoothing of the package is not so severe as to crush the articles or damage the package. In order to achieve this, another conveyor 4 is located above the first conveyor 1. This overhead conveyor 4 is fitted with an elasticated conveyor belt 5 so that it can be stretched to hang down from the conveyor supports 10. To stretch the conveyor belt 5 in a downward direction a catenary pressing element 6 is provided, here taking the form of a series of transversely-elongate plate-form weights 9 pivotally linked to one another edge-to-edge, positioned within the conveyor 4 and supported at either end by fixed supports 7. It hangs from its supports 7 substantially in a catenary and rests on the inside of the lower run of the elasticated conveyor belt 5 via a series of low-friction rollers 9, e.g. as are currently available commercially as a "low back line pressure" conveyor chain eg from Rexnord or Unichain. The overhead conveyor 4 and the lower conveyor are set to run at substantially the same speed to aid in the redistribution. In the present embodiment, a common drive motor M is used to drive all of the overhead "preconditioning" conveyor 4, the lower conveyor and the square-section rollers, via drives D giving appropriate speed ratios.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Apparatus for evenly distributing loose articles within a package (11) comprising a conveyor surface (2) for conveying the package (11); agitating means (3) for agitating the package (11) on the conveyor surface (2) and pressing means (6) for pressing on the package (11) during agitation to smooth it. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the conveyor surface (2) is provided by a moving belt, and the agitating means (3) comprises means for agitating the surface of the belt. 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the agitating means (3) comprise rotating members having one or more surface eccentricities and arranged to engage the undersurface of the package (11), or of the belt (2). 4. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the pressing means (6) is flexible. 5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the pressing means (6) comprises a weighted flexible layer which contacts the package from above. 6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the pressing means (6) comprises a flexible sheet (5), acted on from above by a series of weights (9) having mutual independence of movement. 7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the series of weights(9) act on the sheet (5) via rollers (8). 8. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the portion of the pressing means (6) which contacts packages (11) in use is arranged to be moveable in the conveying direction to reduce possible damaging interference with the package (11) during contact. 9. A conditioning device for acting on packages of loose articles, comprising a driven belt (5) for contacting the packages from above as they move along a conveying path, and a catenary element (8,9) suspended to act on the belt (5) from behind, thereby to apply pressure to the packages (11) through the belt. 10. A conditioning device according to claim 9 wherein the catenary element (8,9) has friction-reducing means (8) where it contacts the belt (5).

Inventors: FENLON CHRISTOPHER, FENLON, CHRISTOPHER
Applicants: FENLON CHRISTOPHER, ISHIDA NONPAREIL LIMITED, FENLON, CHRISTOPHER, ISHIDA-NONPAREIL LIMITED
Application year: 1995
Main classification: B65B61
IPC codes: B65B61, B65G17