Patent ID: 7972221

Claim:
A method of orienting a spherical object, comprising: acquiring an image of a spherical object at an imaging station; analyzing the image with a first computer to determine an orientation analysis; transferring the object from the imaging station to orienting stations using a transfer mechanism, the transfer mechanism comprising a rotary indexer having multiple extendable vertical arms, each arm having a vacuum cup for picking-up, holding and carrying the object to a station using vacuum suction so the object does not rotationally slip and the object remains rotationally fixed during transfer from station-to-station; and orienting the object to a predetermined orientation at each orienting station according to the orientation analysis; wherein the orienting stations comprise first, second, and third stations, each station having a motorized, rotating object holder with a vacuum cup for receiving the object from the vacuum cup of the rotary indexer and rotating the object about a single axis; the first, second, and third stations collectively orienting the object by rotation about axes that are alternately perpendicular, the rotating object holder being rotated on a spindle coupled to a motor.