Patent Publication Number: US-2016244267-A1

Title: Product singulating system and apparatus

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a singulating system and apparatus. In particular, this invention relates to a system and apparatus for separating and singulating individually wrapped items from a bulk container, and in one embodiment a vending machine incorporating the system and apparatus. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Separating and singulating systems for bulk products are well known. Such systems are widely used in the packaging industry, for example to fill containers with a specific metered amount of bulk product from a hopper or other container for consumer sale. In industrial applications, separating and singulating systems automate the packaging process, significantly reducing labour costs. Such systems can also reduce space requirements, since the ‘footprint’ of an automatic separating or singulating machine can be considerably smaller than a manual separating station, which must provide room for workers to position themselves about the conveyors and in order to separate the product. 
     Such systems are also widely used in retail dispensing apparatus such as bulk vending machines, which store bulk product in a bin and dispense a specific metered amount of the bulk product to a purchaser upon payment of a preset amount. However, there are limitations on the types of products that can be separated and singulated by conventional systems. 
     Some types of products are well suited for automated separation or singulation. For example, bulk vending machines often dispense gumballs, hard-walled spherical capsules containing toys or confectionaries, and other hard-shelled, relatively uniformly dimensioned (usually spherical) product. The separating mechanisms utilized for such products can be fairly straightforward, because there are no abrupt edges or uneven surfaces and the hard outer coating (whether a feature of the product itself or the package in which the product is contained) retains its size and shape through the dispensing process. For products with such a topology, automated singulation is quite reliable because the items do not change size or shape in the singulation or separation apparatus and there are no protruding or unusual surface features to get caught on the mechanical and conveying components of the singulating or separating apparatus. Therefore, the behaviour of such items in batch form is very predictable. 
     For such items, a separating compartment can be sized to receive a specific volume (i.e. number of units) of bulk product, and because the size and shape of the items can reliably and predictably separate the selected volume from the bulk container. A non-limiting example of a separating or singulating apparatus suitable for separating a preset volume of hard-shelled spherical items from a batch is the vending machine described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,532 issued Nov. 9, 1993 to Schwarzli, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     Where the bulk product is soft-shelled or non-uniformly shaped, however, separation and singulation of product items is much more difficult. For example, a soft-shelled confectionary individually wrapped in a cellophane (or other) wrapper presents significant challenges to reliable separation and singulation: separating items from a batch without damaging the soft shell of the confectionary; reliably separating a specific number of product units from the bulk supply on a continuous basis; and avoiding clumping and catching due to the non-uniform shape of the items and projecting portions of the wrapper. These problems lead to unpredictable behaviour of the items when moving through a separating, feeding or dispensing system. 
     On of the critical parameters of separating and singulating machinery used for such purposes is that it be continuously reliable. In order to maintain consumer confidence in an unsupervised bulk vending scenario, the purchaser must feel absolutely certain that the product for which he or she is paying will be dispensed intact and in the correct volume. A purchaser who receives damaged product ,or less than the expected quantity, is likely to never purchase goods from a bulk vender again. In an industrial context, the requirement that the stipulated volume be dispensed into the consumer package for retail sale is not only practical from a consumer satisfaction perspective, it is essential from a legal standpoint because the package must contain the specified volume or weight of product in order to comply with consumer packaging laws. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention by way of example only: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a singulating apparatus according to the invention. 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  are elevation views respectively of a soft wrapped confectionary item and a clump of soft wrapped confectionary items. 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevation of a bulk vender embodying the singulating apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a partially cutaway side elevation of the bulk vender of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIGS. 5 and 6  are cross-sectional partial side elevations of the bulk vender of  FIG. 3  showing the action of the agitators. 
         FIG. 7  is a side elevation of the bulk vender taken opposite  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the bulk vender of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the product bin in a bulk containing an active baffle. 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic perspective view of an industrial embodiment of the invention for filling containers with a metered amount of product for sale. 
         FIG. 11  is a partial perspective view of an embodiment of the invention having guide disks for aligning product items in a row at the infeed end of the first conveyor. 
         FIG. 12  is a schematic side elevation of the guide disk shown in  FIG. 11 . 
         FIGS. 13 and 14  are schematic front elevations of the guide disks shown in  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a separating wheel for the industrial embodiment of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 16  is a partial perspective view of the separating wheel of  FIG. 15  in position over the first conveyor. 
         FIG. 17  is a schematic perspective view of the separating wheel of  FIG. 16 . 
         FIG. 18  is a top plan view of the separating wheel of  FIG. 16 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention can be employed in large-scale sorting and singulating systems, for example those employed in industrial packaging plants which dispense a metered amount of product items into a container, such as consumer packaging for resale. The invention can also be employed in a dispensing apparatus, for example a bulk vender (colloquially known as a “gumball machine”) which dispenses a metered volume or number of product items to a purchaser upon payment of a specified amount. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of a separating and singulating apparatus  30  according to the invention for use in a bulk vender  10 , such as illustrated in  FIG. 2  by non-limiting example. The bulk vender  10  illustrated has a base  12  and a product bin  14  for storing a volume of product items  2  in a batch and dispensing a predetermined volume of items  2  through a dispensing chute  16  contained within the base  12 . The illustrated vender  10  could be mounted on a base  12  as a stand-alone vender, or adapted for use as a vending module in a vending kiosk such as that described in PCT patent publication no. WO2013/044364 published Apr. 4, 2013 by the present applicant, which is incorporated herein by reference, and may be mounted to the kiosk interior in the manner described therein or in any other suitable fashion. 
     The product illustrated in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  for dispensing by the vender  10  is a soft chocolate confectionary. Each confectionary item  2 , best seen in  FIG. 2A , is wrapped in a cellophane wrapper with twisted ‘tail’ portions  3  that render the item  2  non-uniformly shaped and provide opportunities for catching at points in the dispensing cycle. When dispensing such a product item  2 , care must be taken to avoid damaging the confectionary inside the wrapper, while at the same time reliably separating a specific number of product items  2  from the bulk supply in the product bin  14 . Because of the shape of each product item and the flexibility of the cellophane tails—which causes the shape of the overall item  2  to change as the item moves in a batch of items—there is a tendency for clumping to occur, as illustrated in  FIG. 2B . There is also a possibility of the tail portions  3  catching on the mechanical components of the dispensing system in a conventional bulk vender. 
     The resulting unpredictable and unreliable dispensing behaviour in a conventional vending device such as a bulk vender is unacceptable, because a customer whose product is damaged by the dispensing mechanism or who receives fewer than the intended number of items  2  paid for will stop purchasing products from bulk venders. This issue is particularly problematic in the case of soft and/or non-uniformly shaped items  2  such as those illustrated in  FIGS. 2A and 2B . 
     The dispensing mechanism in the vender  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 3 to 8  comprises an embodiment of a singulating apparatus according to the invention. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , in the preferred embodiment the singulating apparatus  30  comprises a two-stage conveyor system that progressively separates the items  2 , facilitating the counting of single items  2  and ensuring the reliable metering of a preselected number of items  2  into a product dispensing chute or a container, with a very low incidence of damage to product items  2 . 
     In the embodiment illustrated the items  2  are stored in the product bin  14 , which preferably provides baffles  14   a,    14   b  helping to direct product items  2  in the upper and intermediate portions of the product bin  14  toward the infeed end  30   a  of the singulating apparatus  30 . 
     The apparatus  30  comprises a first conveyor  40  defining a first conveyor zone. The first conveyor zone extends from the infeed end  42  of the first conveyor  40  to the output end  44  of the first conveyor  40 . The first conveyor  40  in the embodiment shown comprises a conveyor belt  46  advanced by frictional connection with rollers  48 . The rollers  48  are in turn driven by a motor  15  contained within or mounted to the base  12  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) with a suitable gear-down ratio for the desired speed of the conveyor through transmission  15   a.    
     The first conveyor  40  receives a plurality of items  2  from the product bin  14 , and conveys the plurality of items  2  toward the output end  44  of the first conveyor  40  at a first transfer rate. In the preferred embodiment the conveyance of items  2  though the first conveyor zone is assisted by conveyor pair of auxiliary belts  50  mounted on drive rollers  52  and disposed generally in horizontal opposition along the first conveyor  40  at a height suitable for the size of the items  2  being dispensed. One of the drive rollers  52  on each side of the first conveyor  40  is driven by the motor  15  (or by a separate motor, not shown) via a suitably geared-down transmission, for example bevel gears (not shown) driven by transmission  15   a,  in the same direction and at generally the same transfer rate as the first conveyor  40 . The auxiliary belts  50  are formed from any suitable flexible material, preferably rubber, and are preferably provided with projections, for example vertical ribs  50   a  as shown, to form a moving barrier that both retains the items  2  on the first conveyor  40  and assists in urging the items  2  toward the output end  44  of the first conveyor  40 . 
     The output end  44  of the first conveyor  40  is in communication with the infeed end  62  of a second conveyor  60  defining a second conveyor zone. In the illustrated vender  10 , because of space constraints, the second conveyor  60  is disposed beneath and generally aligned with the first conveyor  40 . The infeed end  62  of the second conveyor extends beyond the output end  44  of the first conveyor  40 , so that items  2  dropping off the first conveyor  40  will land on the second conveyor  60 . 
     The second conveyor  60  receives items  2  from the first conveyor  40  by any convenient means, for example by gravity feed as in the example illustrated, or alternatively via a wheel, belt or other conveyor (not shown). In the embodiment illustrated the second conveyor  60  is disposed beneath the first conveyor  40  to allow for gravity feed from the output end  44  of the first conveyor  40  to the infeed end  62  of the second conveyor  60 . 
     To assist in separating clumped items being transferred from the first conveyor  40  to the second conveyor  60 , a comb  72  may be disposed above the second conveyor  60 , preferably near the infeed end  62  of the second conveyor  60 . The comb  72  is spaced vertically from the second conveyor  60 , leaving a clearance large enough for one item  2  lying on the second conveyor  60  to pass underneath the comb  72 , but blocking any item stacked on top of or partially overlying an item  2  on the second conveyor  60 . The comb  72  may be rigid, semi-rigid or flexible, as appropriate for the product being dispensed, and may be provided with semi-rigid or flexible teeth  74  which yield to a soft item  2  such as the chocolate confectionary item  2  illustrated. 
     The second conveyor  60  comprises a belt  66  driven by rollers  68  having an output end  64  for dispensing the items  2  into a chute  16 , or into a container such as a consumer package in industrial embodiments used for metering and packaging the items  2  for consumer sale or other purposes, as described below. The second conveyor  60  may convey the items  2  at a second transfer rate which is faster than the first transfer rate, increasing the spacing between items  2  on the second conveyor  60  and thereby improving the counting and metering accuracy of the apparatus  30 . 
     A sensor, for example an optical receiver  70 , is disposed along the second conveyor  60 , preferably near its output end  64 , such that an item  2  passing by the sensor  70  breaks a light beam which causes a signal to be sent to a processor (not shown) that increments an item count by 1. When the item count has reached a preset number, programmable by the operator, the counter resets to zero for the next batch of items  2  to be singulated and separated from the plurality of items  2 . 
     In a product bin  14  (or other type of hopper) in which product is stored in bulk and dispensed from a lower end, the weight of items  2  in the upper portions of the bin  14  restrains the motion of the items  2  in the lower portion of the bin  14 . This problem is particularly acute immediately upstream of the dispensing opening  18  (best seen in  FIG. 8 ), which forms a bottleneck that causes a build-up of items  2  in this portion of the bin  14 , because the weight of the stored items  2  above bears on the next-to-be-dispensed items  2   a.  To alleviate this problem, in the embodiment illustrated the bin  14  is provided with baffles  14   a,    14   b  which assist in directing items  2  toward the dispensing opening  18  by both reducing the weight on items  2  in the lower portions of the bin  14 , reducing the frictional resistance to motion caused by the wieght of the items  2  above, and providing an orderly flow path toward the dispensing opening  18 . 
     In embodiments of the invention used in the environment of a bulk vender  10 , the product bin  14  optionally also contains one or more agitators for avoiding clumping of product as items  2  are dispensed and facilitating an orderly distribution of product to the infeed end  42  of the first conveyor  40 . For example a loop agitator  130  comprising a resilient agitator element  132  mounted in the form of an inverted “U”, which may for example formed from a coil spring, may optionally be disposed over the dispensing opening  18  to agitate items  2  disposed in the volume of the bin  14  beneath the upper baffle  14   a.  The ends of the agitator element  132  in the embodiment shown are lodged in respective rotating sockets  134 , driven via a suitable transmission by either the motor  15  or a separate motor (not shown). For example, the sockets  134  may be rotationally fixed to the same axle  52   a  that drives the belt rollers  52  on either side of the dispensing opening near the front of the vender  10  and driven by gears  15   b  (seen in  FIG. 7 ), so that the agitator element  132  rotates when the auxiliary belts  50  are in motion. 
     In the embodiment illustrated the vender  10  also comprises a reciprocating agitator  90 , best seen in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , in the preferred embodiment comprising resilient agitating members  92 , each for example formed from a coil spring, disposed on either side of the output end of the lower baffle  14   b.  The agitating members  92  may for example be rotationally fixed to an axle  94  extending through bearings (not shown) welded to or otherwise affixed to the underside of the lower baffle  14   b,  such that the agitating members  92  can pivot between upper and lower positions within the product bin  14 , as best seen in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . 
     In the preferred embodiment the axle  94  is provided with one or more cams  96  and the output end of the lower baffle  14   b  is overlaid by a reciprocating plate  98 , pivotally fixed to the upper surface of the baffle  14   b.  The plate  98  is for example affixed to the lower baffle  14   b  by a flexible strip  98   a,  which provides a smooth transition from the upper end of the lower baffle  14   b  to the output end of the lower baffle  14   b  that will not damage items  2  as they traverse the baffle  14   b,  while allowing the plate  98  to reciprocate toward and away from the lower baffle  14   b,  as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . In the embodiment shown the plate  98  is actuated by the cams  96 , and thus reciprocates concurrently with the pivoting of the agitating members  92  which in turn are driven by the motor  15  via belt assembly  100  (best seen in  FIG. 3 ). 
     In operation of the embodiment of the invention implemented in a vender  10 , the bin  14  is filled with product by opening the hinged lid  14   c  and pouring in the items  2  to be vended. Service personnel may manually agitate the items  2  in the bin  14  to maximize the holding capacity. When used as a vending module in a vending kiosk, the kiosk (not shown) provides the processor which controls the vending cycle responsive to the purchaser&#39;s payment, as is described in PCT patent publication no. WO2013/044364 published Apr. 4, 2013 by the present applicant, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     When the required amount of money is provided (in cash, credit or otherwise), the user may activate the dispensing cycle of the vender  10 . As the motor  15  rotates, the loop agitator  130  rotates, and the reciprocating agitator  90  and reciprocating plate  98  move in a reciprocating fashion, to agitate product within the region of the bin  14  beneath the upper baffle  14   a,  particularly immediately upstream of the dispensing opening  18 . As a result items  2  begin to drop through the dispensing opening  18  onto the infeed end  42  of the first conveyor  40 . The movement of the first conveyor  40  results in a first spacing between items  2 , which travel along the first conveyor  40 . Movement of the items  2  is assisted by the auxiliary belts  50 , until the items  2  drop off the output end  44  onto the infeed end  62  of the second conveyor  60 . 
     In the preferred embodiment the second conveyor  60  moves at a faster rate than the first conveyor  40 , so the spacing between items  2  increases as they drop onto the second conveyor  60 . Any items  2  which are stacked on one or more other items  2  are singulated at this stage the comb  72 , which allows only single items to pass along the conveyor  60 . As items  2  reach the drop-off point at the output end  64  of the second conveyor, they interrupt a beam of light and sensor  70  signals the processor to increment the item count by  1 . Once the pre-selected number of items  2  has passed the sensor  70  and fallen into the dispensing chute  16 , the processor deactivates the motor  15  and the dispensing cycle ends. The purchaser collects the product, which may be loose or optionally packaged into a container disposed beneath the dispensing chute  16 , from an opening accessible to the purchaser (not shown). 
     An alternative to the reciprocating plate  98  is illustrated in  FIG. 9 . In this embodiment the lower baffle comprises a static baffle plate  120 , bounded along each side by conveyor strips  126  which during a dispensing cycle move in an upstream direction, causing items  2  on the plate  120  and touching the conveyor strips  126  to tumble toward the dispensing opening  18  under the influence of gravity while being urged upwardly by the conveyor strips  126 . The influence of the conveyor strips  126  against the natural tendency for the items  2  to roll downwardly along the sloped baffle agitates the items  2  and thus avoids clustering and clumping of items  2  immediately upstream of the dispensing opening  18 . A raised end block  122  may be disposed at the upper end of the baffle plate  120 , having a ramped leading edge  124  which assists in agitating items  2  that settle on the baffle plate  120  in orientations that resist tumbling naturally toward the dispensing opening  18 . Alternatively, the entire upper surface of the baffle plate may be covered by, or replaced by, a moving belt (not shown) which operates in the same fashion with the same effect. 
     An industrial embodiment of the invention, for dispensing metered volumes of product into containers for retail sale, is illustrated in  FIG. 10 . In this embodiment, because there is less need to conserve space, the first conveyor  40  and the second conveyor  60  may feed in the same direction as shown. A hopper  110  dispenses product items  2  onto the infeed end  42  of the first conveyor, either directly by gravity feed as shown in  FIG. 10 , or by a preliminary infeed conveyor stage (not shown), or any other suitable means. 
     The operation of the singlulating and dispensing apparatus in  FIG. 10  is otherwise substantially the same as the vender embodiment described above. The output end  64  of the second conveyor  60  deposits the singulated items into a container  3 , for example a bag suitable for consumer packaging, which may be delivered into communication with the output end  64  of the second conveyor  60  by a package conveyor  112  or via any other suitable means. In the embodiment shown a sensor  70  senses the individual product items  2  as they are deposited from the output end  64  of the second conveyor  60  into the container  120 , and increments a count routine in a processor (not shown). The processor is programmed to move the package conveyor  112  and reset the count routine when the desired number of items  2  has been deposited into the container  120 . In other embodiments the processor may be programmed to move the package conveyor  112  when the container  3  reaches a preset weight, when the items  2  in the container  3  reach a preset level, after a preset time interval, or otherwise as desired. 
     In one preferred embodiment a pair of resilient guide discs  140 , for example composed of rubber or another suitable elastomer, is mounted to the axle  94 . The guide discs  140  are spaced apart approximately 25% wider than the diameter of a product item  2  and serve primarily to ensure that the items  2  are generally aligned in a row as they enter the infeed end  42  of the first conveyor  40 . Each guide disc  140  is preferably eccentrically mounted to the axle  94  and may provide radial projections, for example opposed bumps  142 , such that rotation of the guide disks  140  provides a generally oscillating obstruction to lateral movement of the items  2  rolling off of the lower baffle  14   b,  as best seen in  FIGS. 13 and 14 . In this embodiment a pair of slots  144  is provided in the reciprocating plate  98  in alignment with the guide discs  140 , allowing for the free reciprocation of plate  98  unobstructed by the guide discs  140 , as best seen in  FIGS. 11 and 12 . As shown in  FIG. 12  the guide discs  140  are rotated in a direction that tends to push an item  2  which is not lying on the conveyor belt  46  in an upstream direction, effectively separating items  2  that are in a stacked condition. 
       FIG. 15  illustrates a separating wheel  150  for use in the industrial singulating embodiment of  FIG. 10 . The separating wheel  150  comprises a nylon brush wheel  152  mounted to an axle  154  as at hub  156 . The downstream face of the separating wheel  150  is preferably provided with a thin rubber overlay comprising series of resilient radial projections  158 , for example forming a star wheel as best seen in  FIG. 17 . The projections  158  are relatively thin and yield easily when contacting by a product item  2 , so as not to damage the item  2 . The separating wheel  150  is mounted over the first conveyor  40 , preferably at an obligue angle relative to the conveyor belt  46 , and is spaced from the conveyor belt  46  so that the outer tip of a projection  158  passes slightly above the maximum height of the item  2 , as shown in  FIG. 17 . 
     The separating wheel  150  may be driven by the same motor driving the auxiliary belts  50 , and may be driven by one of the auxiliary belts  150  itself as shown in  FIG. 17 , via transmission  160  which allows the rotational speed of the separating wheel  150  to be different than the speed of the belts, preferably faster. As shown in  FIG. 18  the separating wheel  150  is rotated in a direction that tends to push an item  2  which is not lying on the conveyor belt  46  in the upstream direction. This essentially agitates the items  2  as they travel along the conveyor  40 , to ensure that all items are lying on the conveyor belt  46  when the output end  44  is reached. The nylon brush wheel  152  will gently arrange the product items  2  (as shown in  FIG. 16 ) against the conveyor belt  46  as the items  2  travel forward. If any clustered product items  2  that advance along the first conveyor  40  do not separate and lay flat on the conveyor belt  46  under the gentler agitation pressure from the nylon brush wheel  152 , then the more aggressive star wheel  158  will reposition the product items  2  with a “lifting” or “flicking” motion as the star wheel  158  rotates. Since the auxiliary belts  50  are spaced apart less than two diameters of the items, the separating wheel  150  works with the auxiliary belts  50  to ensure that the items are generally aligned in a row as they enter the output end  44  of the first conveyor  40 . 
     Embodiments of the present invention having been described in detail by way of example, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the invention. The invention includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.