Abstract:
The present invention is an apparatus and method for inverting or turning-over articles in a product stream as they are transported by a vibratory conveyor. The articles are transported along a vibratory surface in a vibratory manner to a curved surface that is bounded by a tapered guide wall. The objects are transported along the curved surface in a vibratory manner and partially rolled so that, as they release or transfer from the curved surface to a vibratory surface, they turn-over and become inverted. The invention is shown and discussed in the context of an advantageous seasoning application.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates in general to a system for turning or inverting articles in a stream of articles, and particularly to a system for turning or inverting articles in a stream of articles as they are transported by a vibratory conveyor. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The prior art is replete with scores of patents which describe various vibratory conveyor systems that convey and manipulate articles. 
         [0003]    These vibratory conveying systems have traditionally been utilized for transporting a stream of articles from one machine to another in a production line. Such vibratory conveying systems have found acceptance in many industries, and have received exemplary acceptance in the food production industry. This acceptance in the food industry is understandable given the reputation of superior sanitation afforded by vibratory conveying systems over alternative conveying technologies. 
         [0004]    In the production of snack foods, a coating or seasoning is often applied to enhance the taste of articles in a product stream. One method of applying seasoning includes transporting articles along a first conveyor beneath a first seasoning dispenser where one side of each article is coated. Then, the articles are passed or transferred to a second conveyor. During this transfer, some of the articles will turn or invert, exposing the uncoated side. Then, the articles are transported by the second conveyor beneath a second seasoning dispenser. In this method, some of the articles receive a double coating on one side and no coating on the opposite side due to the inefficiency of the inverting or turning of the articles during the transfer from the first to second conveyor. 
         [0005]    An improved approach is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,591,777. Here, a first and second conveyor are each positioned at right angles to one another with the first conveyor positioned above the second conveyor. A transfer chute is positioned between the first and second conveyor to guide the articles during transfer from the first to the second conveyor to more efficiently invert or turn-over the articles. 
         [0006]    Both of these approaches require the use of multiple conveyors which significantly increases the complexity, cost, and energy consumption of the overall system. In addition, additional factory floor space is required owing to the larger footprint of the multiple conveyors. Furthermore, multiple product drops from one conveyor to another can increase product damage and dislodge seasoning from the product. 
         [0007]    A single conveyor solution that can accurately invert or turn-over articles would mitigate many of these shortcomings found in the prior art and is the subject of the present invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    A first aspect of the present invention is a vibratory apparatus for inverting articles in a product stream having a vibrating conveying surface with an infeed and a discharge and configured to transport the product steam from the infeed end to the discharge end in a flow direction, and a first guide wall positioned at an angle relative to the flow direction, and borne by the vibrating conveying surface, and a first curved surface positioned adjacent to a portion of the first guide wall, and borne by the vibrating conveying surface, and defining a path that is at least partially characterized by a ribbon with a half twist, and wherein the articles are transported by and along a portion of the first curved surface and are inverted or turned-over as they are transferred from the first curved surface to the vibrating conveying surface. 
         [0009]    Another aspect of the invention is a vibratory apparatus for inverting articles in a product stream having a vibrating conveying surface with an infeed at a first elevation, and a discharge at a second elevation, and configured to transport the product steam from the infeed to the discharge in a flow direction, and a first guide wall positioned at an angle relative to the flow direction, and borne by the vibrating conveying surface, and wherein the first guide wall has a first end and an opposite second end, and wherein the first guide wall has a first height extending from the first end to an intermediate position between the first and second end, and a tapered region beginning at the intermediate position and extending to the second end, and a first curved surface positioned adjacent to a portion of the first guide wall, and borne by the vibrating conveying surface, and wherein the articles are transported by and along a portion of the first curved surface and are inverted or turned-over as they are transferred from the first curved surface to the vibrating conveying surface. 
         [0010]    Yet another aspect of the invention is a method for inverting articles in a product stream that includes providing a vibrating conveying surface having an infeed and a discharge, and providing a first guide wall that is borne by the vibrating conveying surface, and having a first end and an opposite second end, and wherein the first guide wall has a first height extending from the first end to an intermediate position between the first and second end, and a tapered region beginning at the intermediate position and extending to the second end, and providing a first curved surface positioned adjacent to a portion of the first guide wall, and borne by the vibrating conveying surface, and transporting articles oriented with a first side facing in an upward manner from and along the vibrating conveying surface to the first curved surface, and transporting the articles along a portion of the first curved surface so that the articles begin to roll as they are urged toward the first guide wall, and releasing the articles from the first curved surface to the vibrating conveying surface so that the first side of the articles assume a downward facing direction as they contact the vibratory conveying surface, and transporting the articles oriented with the first side facing in a downward manner as they are transported to the discharge. 
         [0011]    These and other aspects of the present invention will be described in greater detail hereinafter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the following accompanying drawings. 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of an embodiment of the vibratory apparatus illustrated in a seasoning application. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is an elevation view of an embodiment of the vibratory apparatus illustrated in a seasoning application. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a partial perspective view of the inverting station of the vibratory apparatus. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]    This disclosure of the invention is submitted in furtherance of the constitutional purposes of the U.S. Patent Laws “to promote the progress of science and useful arts” (Article 1, Section 8). 
         [0017]    A preferred embodiment of a specialized vibratory conveyor for inverting or turning-over articles in a product stream  10  is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The specialized vibratory conveyor  10  receives a product stream  12  at an infeed  14  end of the conveyor  10 . The product stream  12  is composed of a plurality of articles  16 . In one application, the articles  16  may include any article, especially fungible items such as potato chips. Articles  16  such as potato chips are characterized as having a first or top side facing in an upward manner or direction, and an opposite second or bottom side facing in a downward manner or direct. In a potato chip seasoning application, both the top and bottom side of the potato chip are ideally coated with seasoning to enhance the flavor of the article  16 . The specialized vibratory conveyor  10  acts to present transport, and invert or turn-over articles  16  in the product stream  12  as will be discussed in further detail below. 
         [0018]    One of the functions of the specialized vibratory conveyor  10  is to transport the articles  16  in a manner that is well-known in the art. The specialized vibratory conveyor  10  has a vibratory drive  18  that is mounted to a frame  20 . The vibratory drive  18  imparts a cyclical force to the frame  20 , and in a preferred embodiment is an electromagnetic drive, although other drive topologies may be utilized without departing from the scope of this invention. In addition, the vibratory drive  18  could be mounted to other components of the specialized vibratory conveyor  10  without departing from the scope of this invention. 
         [0019]    The frame  20  includes a set of frame brackets  22  positioned near the edges of the frame  20 . The frame brackets  22  are configured to accept or otherwise couple to an isolation spring assembly  24  which serves to decrease the transmission of vibratory forces. The isolation spring assemblies  24  are mounted or borne by a set of supports or columns  26 . The supports or columns  26  are positioned on a platform or floor  28 . The combination of frame brackets  22 , isolation springs  24 , and supports or columns  26  provide a means of holding the specialized vibratory conveyor  10  in a position while minimizing transmitted vibratory forces. The art is replete with numerous other holding or support means which could be applied with equal success without departing from the scope of this invention. 
         [0020]    Still referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , one end of each of a plurality of arm spring assemblies  30  is attached to the frame  20 . An opposite end of each of the plurality of arm spring assemblies  30  is attached to either of a pair of arm support plates  36 . A conveying trough  32  is welded or otherwise fastened to the arm support plates  36 . The conveying trough  32  includes a first and second sidewall  37  and  39  which act to provide rigidity to the conveying trough  32  and to contain the articles  16  as they are transported. The conveying trough  32  then is resiliently supported by the arm assemblies  30 , which, in combination, acts as a spring-mass system which responds to a vibratory force provided by the vibratory drive  18  so the conveying trough  32  translates in an oscillatory or cyclical manner acting to transport the articles  16  in the product stream  12  in a flow direction generally depicted by the arrow  34 . The specialized vibratory conveyor  10  transports articles  16  from the infeed end  14  of the conveying trough  32  along an infeed vibrating conveying surface  48 , and through an inverting station  38 , and then to a discharge vibrating conveying surface  50  at the discharge end  40  of the conveying trough  32 . The infeed vibrating conveying surface  48  is positioned at a first elevation generally depicted by the dimension  52 . The discharge vibrating conveying surface  54  is positioned at a second elevation generally depicted by the dimension  54 . The magnitude of the first elevation  52  is greater than the magnitude of the second elevation  54  so that articles  16  in the product stream are transported in a downhill manner. 
         [0021]    In a seasoning application, a first seasoning station  42  is mounted above the conveying trough  32 , and between the infeed end  14  and the inverting station  38 . The first seasoning station  42  applies a stream of seasoning  44  to a first side of the articles  16  that are oriented in an upward manner in the product stream  12  over a first seasoning area  45 . Articles  16  in the product stream  12  are inverted or turned-over as they are transported through the inverting station  38 . A second seasoning station  46  is mounted above the conveying trough  32 , and between the inverting station  38  and the discharge end  40 . The second seasoning station  46  applies a stream of seasoning  44  to an opposite second side of the articles  16  in the product stream  12  over a second seasoning area  47 . 
         [0022]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1-3 , an inverting station  38  having a first channel and second channel,  100  and  102  respectively, is shown as part of the specialized vibratory conveyor  10 . The number of channels or lanes in the specialized conveyor  10  is configurable or adjustable during a design phase of the conveyor and is selected to provide an appropriate throughput level to match that needed in a production line. One skilled in the art would recognize that a single channel or lane or multiple channels or lanes could be incorporated without departing from the scope of this invention. 
         [0023]    A channel or lane divider  104  is welded or fastened to the infeed vibrating conveying surface  48 . The lane divider  104  is positioned separate the product stream  12  into two parallel streams of articles  16  to travel through either the first or second channel,  100  or  102 . A diverter  106  is mounted proximate to the first side wall  37 , and in an oblique manner relative to the first side wall  37 . The diverter  106  is welded or otherwise affixed to the infeed vibrating conveying surface  48 , and has a height that is substantially equal to the height of the lane divider  104 . 
         [0024]    A sloped conveying surface  108  is positioned between the infeed vibrating conveying surface  48  and the discharge vibrating conveying surface  50 . It should be understood that the sloped conveying surface  108  is a vibrating conveying surface. The sloped conveying surface  108  is oriented in a downwardly sloping manner. 
         [0025]    A first guide wall  110  is affixed to the sloped conveying surface  108  and extends from an intermediate position between the first side wall  37  and the second side wall  39  toward the first side wall  37  and at an oblique angle relative to the flow direction  34 . The first guide wall  110  has a height value near a first end  111  that is substantially equal to the height value of the lane divider  104 . This height value extends to an intermediate position  112 . At the intermediate position  112 , the height value of the first guide wall  110  diminishes to a point  113  forming a tapered portion or region  124  of the first guide wall  110  as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0026]    A first curved surface  114  has a first end  116  which is affixed to the sloped conveying surface  108 . Other forms of affixing including fastening in a removable manner such as clamping. A first side  118  of the first curved surface  114  is held in contact relation to the first guide wall  110 . Before forming, the first curved surface  114  has a shape that is substantially similar to a rectangle, and in preferred embodiment is fabricated using a material such as stainless steel. The first curved surface  114  is fashioned by twisting a second end  120  of the first curved surface  114  by one half turn providing a shape that resembles the shape of a ribbon with a half twist. One skilled in the art would recognize that there are other methods that could be used to produce the first curved surface  114  without departing from the scope of this invention. 
         [0027]    The second end  120  of the first curved surface  114  is affixed to a curved surface support  122  ( FIG. 1 ) to stabilize the second end  120 . The curved surface support  122  is fastened to the arm support plate  36  as shown in  FIG. 2  using a removable fastener  123  so that the first curved surface  114  can be removed. One skilled in the art would recognize that the first curved surface  114  could be fastened in a non-removable manner without departing from the scope of this invention. 
         [0028]    A second guide wall  126  is affixed to the sloped conveying surface  108  and extends from the second side wall  39  to an intermediate position between the first side wall  37  and the second side wall  39 , and towards the first side wall  37  and at an oblique angle, and in parallel relation to the first guide wall  110 . The second guide wall  126  has a height profile that is substantially similar to a height profile of the first guide wall  110 . 
         [0029]    A second curved surface  128  has a first end  130  which is affixed to the sloped conveying surface  108 . A first side  131  of the second curved surface  124  is held in contact relation to the second guide wall  126 . The second curved surface  124  is formed in a similar manner to the first curved surface  114 , so that it resembles the shape of a ribbon with a half twist. A second end  132  of the second curved surface  124  is stabilized and held to the curved surface support  122  ( FIG. 1 ). 
         [0030]    A positional relationship exists between the tapered portion or region  124  of the first guide wall  110  and the first curved surface  114 . This relationship is related to an inverting accuracy or performance and can be determined empirically for a specific application such as potato chips. A similar positional relationship exists between the second curved surface  124 , and the tapered section or region  134  of the second guide wall  126 . 
       Operation 
       [0031]    The operation of the present invention is believed to be readily apparent and is briefly summarized in the paragraphs which follow. 
         [0032]    In operation, and referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the vibratory drive  18  provides an oscillatory driving force to the frame  20 . A plurality of isolation springs  24  coupled to a set of frame brackets  22  reduce the transmission of the oscillatory driving force to a set of columns or supports  26  that are mounted on the platform or floor  28 . 
         [0033]    A plurality of arm springs  30  are mounted to both the frame  20  and the arm support plate  36  which is secured to the conveying trough  32 . The arms springs  30  provide a resilient support and mechanism to couple the oscillatory driving force from the frame  20  to the conveying trough  32  thus translating or moving the conveying trough  32  in a vibratory manner which is useful for conveying and inverting articles in a product stream. 
         [0034]    Now referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , the product stream  12  is deposited on the infeed vibratory conveying surface  48  where the articles  16  have a first side facing in an upward manner, and are transported through the lanes or channels  100  and  102 . 
         [0035]    Some articles  16  in the first lane or channel  100  encounter the diverter  106  and are guided to the sloped conveying surface  108  where they are transported to the first curved surface  114 . 
         [0036]    Then, articles  16  are transported along the first curved surface  114  by vibratory force, and are increasingly urged toward the first guidewall  110  by the force of gravity due to an increasing side angle exhibited by the first curved surface  114  as the articles  16  travel a path defined by the first curved surface  114 . As the articles  16  approach the tapered region  124  of the first guide wall  110 , the articles  16  begin to roll as they continue to be urged toward the first guide wall  110 . Then, at some point proximate to the tapered region  124  of the first guide wall  110 , the articles  16  roll over the first guide wall  110 , and are effectively released from the first curved surface  114  to the vibrating sloped conveying surface  108  so that the first side of the articles  16  assume a downward facing direction or manner as they contact the vibratory sloped conveying surface  108 . 
         [0037]    Then, the articles  16  continue to travel along the vibrating sloped conveying surface  108 , finally reaching the discharge vibrating conveying surface  50  where they are released. 
         [0038]    Other articles  16  in the second lane or channel  120  are guided to the sloped conveying surface  108  where they are transported to the second curved surface  124 . 
         [0039]    The articles  16  are transported along the second curved surface  124  by vibratory force, and are increasingly urged toward the second guidewall  126  by the force of gravity due to the increasing side angle exhibited by the second curved surface  124 . As the articles  16  approach the tapered region  134  of the second guide wall  126 , the articles  16  begin to roll as they continue to be urged toward the second guide wall  126 . Then, at some point proximate to the tapered region  134  of the second guide wall  126 , the articles  16  roll over the second guide wall  126 , and are effectively released from the second curved surface  126  to the vibrating sloped conveying surface  108  so that the first side of the articles  16  assume a downward facing direction or manner as they contact the vibratory sloped conveying surface  108 . 
         [0040]    Then, the articles  16  continue to travel along the vibrating sloped conveying surface  108 , finally reaching the discharge vibrating conveying surface  50  where they are released. 
         [0041]    Now referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , in a spicing application, articles  16  in the product stream  12  have a first side oriented in an upward facing manner are transported beneath the first seasoning station  42 . Here, the first side of the articles  16  are coated with a seasoning as they are transported from the infeed vibrating conveying surface  14  to the first or second curved surfaces  114  and  124  respectively. Then, as discussed previously, articles  16  are inverted or turned over so that the first side of the articles  16  that have been coated are inverted or turned over so that they are facing in a downward direction or manner after exiting the first and second curved surfaces  114  and  124  respectively. In this manner, the second, and uncoated side, which is opposite the first side of the articles  16  is exposed in an upward facing manner. Then, the articles  16  are transported beneath the second seasoning station  46 . Here, the second side of the articles  16  are coated with a seasoning as they are transported between the first and second curved surfaces  114  and  124 , and the discharge vibrating conveying surface  40 . 
         [0042]    In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural and methodical features. It is understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown and described, since the means herein disclosed comprise preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.