Abstract:
A closure feed system for use on an associated dual train form, fill, and seal packaging machine for feeding, diverting and singulating closures from a common closure storage region to a closure applicator includes an upper chute for conveying the closures from the storage region to a diverter/singulator, two lower chutes for conveying separated closures from the diverter/singulator to respective applicators, and a diverter/singulator for diverting and separating the closures. The upper chute defines an upper conveyance path, while the two lower chutes define two lower conveyance paths to their respective applicators. The diverter/singulator includes a reciprocating plate with two closure-holding grooves. As the plate slides between the upper and lower chutes, the grooves alternately align with the upper chute, or with the first or second lower chutes. A form, fill, and seal packaging machine including the closure feed system is also disclosed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention is directed to a diverter/singulator for closures in a closure feed system. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a diverter/singulator for a closure feed system for use in a form, fill, and seal packaging machine, in which closures are mounted to packages.  
         [0002]     Many containers such as cartons are formed with integral spouts. For example, many known gable-top cartons feature resealable spouts mounted to one of the gable panels to facilitate dispensing contents from the carton and resealing the carton after use.  
         [0003]     Packaging machines must mount spouts to the cartons at some point during their forming, filling, and sealing processes. To this end, packaging machines often include applicator stations, at which a spout is dispensed from a feed system, directed or diverted to an applicator and moved into contact with a carton. The applicator typically includes a sealing device, such as an ultrasonic sealing or welding head, which moves into contact with the carton while an accompanying closure rests on an anvil that also is moved into contact with the carton. Energy transmitted from the sealing device into the carton material above the spout seals the spout to the carton.  
         [0004]     Because many modern packaging machines operate at high speeds (some at speeds up to about 14,000 packages per hour), one concern is that the spouts or closures must be dispensed at a rate commensurate with the overall speed of the packaging machine, while precisely and accurately dispensing closures for proper positioning within the applicator. Known dispensing arrangements may be subject to frequent clogs or bottlenecks in their spout feed lines, slowing the machines or requiring that they be shut down entirely in order to free obstructions. In addition, such high-speed machines often include parallel trains or lines of form, fill and seal stations. That is, the machines include two forming stations, two filling stations and two sealing stations that are side-by-side within the machine enclosure and operate in parallel. This is referred to as a dual-train form, fill and seal packaging machine.  
         [0005]     Prior art closure feed systems generally rely on gravity, allowing spouts to fall through a single chute on to a reciprocating anvil in the applicator station. Shingling, in which the thin flanges surrounding a spout overlap one another and cause skewing, frequently cause jamming within such closure feed system, by allowing more than one closure to drop into position on the anvil. In addition, such systems require a diverter to direct or divert closures from a common supply to the individual reciprocating anvils.  
         [0006]     United States patent application publication No. US 2002/0073648 A1 (the &#39;648 publication), assigned to the assignee of the present invention, attempts to address the jamming problems caused by closure shingling with closure feed systems that includes a singulator with upper and lower reciprocating members, or plungers. The plungers reciprocate in an opposing manner to one another, so that when the upper plunger is retracted, the lower plunger is extended, and when the upper plunger is extended, the lower plunger is retracted. The plungers prevent closure shingling by providing physical barriers between closures in the feed system queue. Though this system prevents the blockages caused by closure shingling, it nevertheless requires a separate system for each of the form, fill and seal trains. Moreover, additional space is required to house the reciprocating plungers, the other components for each of the singulators.  
         [0007]     Accordingly, there exists a need for a simple closure feed system that prevents closure jamming and bottlenecks. Desirably, such a closure feed system dispenses a single closure at a time for receipt by a closure applicator. More desirably, such a system requires little space and a minimum of mechanical parts. Most desirably, such a system singulates the closures or spouts by alternately sliding spouts from a common chute into two separate chutes to accomplish diverting the closures (to the two trains of the dual train form, fill and seal machine) in a unit common with the singulating function.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     A closure feed system for use on an associated dual train form, fill, and seal packaging machine for feeding, diverting and singulating closures from a common closure storage region to respective (train-dedicated) closure applicators includes an upper chute, first and second lower chutes, and a diverter/singulator. The upper chute conveys closures from the storage region to the diverter/singulator, and defines an upper conveyance path. The first and second lower chutes convey separated closures from the diverter/singulator to the applicator, and define first and second lower conveyance paths, respectively.  
         [0009]     The diverter/singulator includes a reciprocating plate that has first and second main closure-holding grooves. The plate is configured for sliding between the upper and lower chutes, so that when the first groove is aligned with (e.g., located under) the upper chute the second groove is aligned with (e.g., over) the second lower chute, and when the second groove is aligned with (e.g., located under) the upper chute the first groove is aligned with (e.g., over) the first lower chute.  
         [0010]     In a preferred embodiment, a first minor groove lies within the first main groove, and a second minor groove lies within the second main groove. The minor grooves accommodate an aligning pin, such as that that can be used on an orientationally sensitive closure. A cylinder, most preferably a pneumatic cylinder, is used to reciprocate the plate.  
         [0011]     The closure feed system can include a frame for carrying the upper chute, the diverter/singulator, and the first and second lower chutes together. Preferably, the plate slides within a guide on the frame. The frame can also include a lidded aperture positioned under the upper chute, to allow the discharge of a queue of closures from the upper chute.  
         [0012]     A dual train form, fill, and seal packaging machine for forming, filling, and sealing packages in two parallel trains that feature a flanged, carton-mounted closure is also disclosed. The machine includes a carton magazine, a carton erection station, a closure applicator station, two filling stations, and two top sealing stations. The closure applicator station includes a closure storage region and two train-dedicated closure applicators, as well as an upper chute, first and second lower chutes, and a diverter/singulator. The upper chute conveys closures from the storage region to a diverter/singulator, and defines an upper conveyance path. The first and second lower chutes convey separated closures from the diverter/singulator to the respective applicators, and define first and second lower conveyance paths, respectively.  
         [0013]     These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, in conjunction with the appended claims.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     The benefits and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary form, fill, and seal packaging machine having a closure feed system embodying the principles of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a front view of a closure feed system having a closure diverter/singulator embodying the principles of the present invention, the system shown with closures positioned within the upper chute and the first lower chute;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the closure feed system of  FIG. 2 , as seen from the right-hand side of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the closure feed system of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the closure feed system of  FIG. 2 ; and  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary closure suitable for use with the present closure feed system. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]     While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be described a presently preferred embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated.  
         [0022]     It should be further understood that the title of this section of this specification, namely, “Detailed Description Of The Invention”, relates to a requirement of the United States Patent Office, and does not imply, nor should be inferred to limit the subject matter disclosed herein.  
         [0023]     Referring to the figures and in particular to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a known form, fill, and seal packaging machine  10 . The packaging machine  10  includes a closure feed system, indicated generally at  12 , embodying the principles of the present invention. The form, fill, and seal packaging machine  10  includes a carton magazine  14  for storing flat, folded cartons prior to erection. The machine  10  further includes a carton erection station  16 , a bottom flap sealing station  18 , and a closure applicator station  20 . The closure applicator station  20  preferably includes a closure storage region  22 , a closure applicator  24 , and the closure feed system  12 . Subsequent to closure application, cartons may be sterilized, filled at a filling station  25 , and sealed at a top sealing station  26  to form a well-known gable-top shape. Finally, cartons are off-loaded from the machine  10 . The construction and design of an exemplary machine is disclosed in Katsumata, U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,267, which patent is assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and which patent is incorporated herein by reference for purposes of that patent&#39;s disclosure of such a machine. The illustrated machine is a dual-train machine. That is, the machine includes two forming stations (as illustrated by the two mandrel wheels  27   a,    27   b ), two filling stations  25   a,b  and two sealing stations  26   a,b  that are side-by-side within the machine  10  enclosure and operate in parallel.  
         [0024]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , closures  28  (the closures are not seen in  FIG. 1 ) are fed from a common closure storage unit or region  22 , such as a bin, into the common closure feed system  12 . As seen in  FIGS. 2-5 , the closure feed system  12 , which functions to feed closures  28  to both of the operating form, fill and seal trains, includes a plurality of rails  30 ,  32 , and  34  that define an upper chute  36  and first and second lower chutes  38 ,  40  respectively for the closures  28 . A typical closure  28 , as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , includes a spout  42  that extends upwardly from one side  44  of a flange  46 . The flange  46  has a diameter d f  that is substantially larger than a diameter d s  of the spout  42 .  
         [0025]     Returning to  FIGS. 2-5 , the upper chute  36  defines an upper conveyance path  48 , and the first and second lower chutes  38 ,  40  define first and second lower conveyance paths  50 ,  52  respectively. Closures  28  maintain a desired orientation while moving through the upper and lower conveyance paths  48 ,  50 ,  52  of the upper and lower chutes  36 ,  38 ,  40  because sides of their flanges  46  are bound by narrow openings or gaps (see, e.g., gap  35  in  FIG. 3 ) between adjacent pairs of rails  30 ,  32 ,  34  of the upper and lower chutes. The spouts  42  of the closures  28  extend through larger openings or gaps between opposing pairs of the rails  30 ,  32 ,  34  (see, e.g., opening  33  in  FIG. 2 ).  
         [0026]     The upper chute  36  guides the closures  28  from the storage unit or region  22  to a diverter/singulator  54 . After being separated by the diverter/singulator  54 , the closures  28  are directed through the first and second lower chutes  38 ,  40  to their respective applicators (one for each train, as indicated generally at  24 ). A frame  56  preferably holds the upper chute  36 , the first and second lower chutes  38 ,  40 , and the diverter/singulator  54  mounted together. The diverter/singulator  54  includes a reciprocating plate  58 , which has first and second main closure-holding grooves  60 ,  62 . It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present diverter/singulator permits using a single component to diverter closures  28  to each of the trains (the a train and the b train) and, at the same time, singulates the closures  28  to separate the closures  28  from one another.  
         [0027]     The plate  58  is configured for sliding between the lower chutes  38 ,  40 , so that when the first main groove  60  is under the upper chute  36  (for receiving a closure), the second main groove  62  is aligned over the second lower chute  40 , and when the second main groove  62  is under the upper chute  36  (for receiving a closure), the first main groove  60  is aligned over the first lower chute  38 . A first minor groove  64  preferably lies within the first main groove  60 , and a second minor groove  66  may lie within the second main groove  62 . The main grooves  60 ,  62  are dimensioned to accommodate the closure spout  46 . For those systems that may be used to transport an orientationally sensitive closure having, for example, an aligning pin  47  extending from the rear of the flange  46 , the minor grooves  64 ,  65 ,  66  accommodate the pin  47  and maintain the orientation of the closure  28  as it traverses through the chutes  36 ,  38 ,  40 .  
         [0028]     As described above, one of the problems encountered in known closure feed systems is that closure flanges tend to shingle as the closures travel through chutes, held between the rails. To this end, the present closure feed system  12  overcomes these problems by using a diverter/singulator  54  to physically separate closures  28  along two lower conveyance paths  50 ,  52 . In that the physical separation of the closures  28  occurs substantially in the plane parallel to the plane of the flanges  46 , damage to the flanges  46  (due to “forced” separation) is prevented.  
         [0029]     Operation of the closure feed system  12  is simple and straightforward. Closures  28  enter the upper conveyance path  48  through the upper chute  36 , their flanges  46  confined between adjacent pairs of rails  30 . The closure spouts  42  extend through the larger opening or gap between opposing pairs of the rails  30 . After a closure  28  has traveled through the upper chute  36 , it reaches the diverter/singulator  54 .  
         [0030]     The reciprocating plate  58  of the diverter/singulator  54  laterally slides between the upper chute  36  and the lower chutes  38 ,  40 . The sliding of the plate  58  can be limited by a guide  68  located on the frame  56 . The illustrated plate  58  is driven by a cylinder  70 , such as the exemplary pneumatic cylinder. For this description, it will be assumed that the first main groove  60  of the plate  58  is initially located under the upper chute  36 , but the closure feed system  12  may commence operation with the plate  58  in any position along the guide  68 .  
         [0031]     A first closure  28   a  exits the upper chute  36  into the first main groove  60  of the plate  58 . Sides of the first main groove  60  confine the flanges  46  of the first closure  28   a,  much like the adjacent pairs of rails  30  of the upper chute  36 . The plate  58  then laterally slides, moving the first main groove  60  into a position over the first lower chute  38 . When the first main groove  60  is in place over the first lower chute  38 , the first closure  28   a  falls out of the first main groove and into the first lower conveyance path  50 . The main grooves  60 ,  62  are spaced from one another so that when the first main groove  60  is aligned over the first lower chute  38 , the second main groove  62  is located under the upper chute  36 . Concurrently, a second closure  28   b  falls out of the upper chute  36  and into the second main groove  62  of the plate  58 .  
         [0032]     Again, in those instances in which a closure with an aligning (orienting) pin  47  is used, the pin  47  is aligned with minor groove  65  in the upper chute  36  and, as the closure  28  falls though the upper chute  36  and is diverted by the plate  58 , the pin  47  remains aligned and “falls” into minor groove  64 , in first lower chute  38 . The pin  47  remains in the 12 o&#39;clock position (by virtue of the eccentric location of the pin  47  and gravity acting on the closure  28 ), thus maintaining the orientation of the closure  28 .  
         [0033]     Next, the plate  58  laterally slides again, this time moving the second main groove  62  into a position over the second lower chute  40 . When the second main groove  62  is in place over the second lower chute  40 , the second closure  28  falls out of the second main groove and into the second lower conveyance path  52 . As the second closure  28   b  exits the second main groove  62 , a third closure  28   c  drops into the first main groove  60  from the upper chute  36 . The plate  58  reciprocates, and the process begins anew. And, if an orientationally sensitive closure is used, the pin traverse into minor groove  66  in second lower chute  40 .  
         [0034]     In addition, the frame  56  can include a lidded aperture (not shown), located directly under the upper chute  36 . This aperture permits closure feed system operators to empty the upper chute  36  of its queue of closures  28  to perform maintenance on the system, when the reciprocating plate  58  is slid fully to one side.  
         [0035]     All patents referred to herein, are hereby incorporated herein by reference, whether or not specifically done so within the text of this disclosure.  
         [0036]     In the present disclosure, the words “a” or “an” are to be taken to include both the singular and the plural. Conversely, any reference to plural items shall, where appropriate, include the singular.  
         [0037]     From the foregoing it will be observed that numerous modifications and variations can be effectuated without departing from the true spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the present invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodiments illustrated is intended or should be inferred. The disclosure is intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.