Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/255,691, filed on Oct. 28, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to devices for picking up and/or transferring objects from a bin, conveyor, or other location. The invention is particularly suited to pickup and/or transfer of frozen food items. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0005]    Food processing facilities commonly include conveyors or bins from which food items are transferred. Such items are commonly transferred by machine if the facility has a machine in place for handling such transfers. If no machine is in place, or if the food items are not readily transferable using the existing machine, the transfer is generally performed manually. Manual transfer is a repetitive, time-consuming endeavor. 
         [0006]    Frozen food items are particularly difficult to pickup and transfer via machine. The hard, cold surfaces of such food items make the use of machines for these items problematic, as does the slippery nature of such food items when the frozen surface of the food item contacts the machine. Thus, frozen food items are still commonly transferred from bins or conveyors by hand. In addition to the repetitive and tiresome aspects of such manual transfer, using manual transfer methods for frozen food items requires workers to be present in cold environments for extended periods of time. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention provides a device for use with a machine operable to pick up an object, such as a frozen food item. The machine includes a vacuum source and the present device includes a body with a first end and second end, and an opening extending through a length of the body. The first end of the body is attached to the machine so that when the vacuum source is engaged a vacuum is created within the opening of the body and the second end conforms at least partially to the surface of the object being picked up in order to more readily allow the vacuum to work to pick up the object. 
         [0008]    In one aspect of the invention, the body includes a shaft at the upper end of the body and a head at the lower end of the body, where the head has a greater width than the shaft and where the lower end of the head is substantially flat. The substantially flat portion of the head is adapted to engage an object being picked up by the device and to conform at least partially to the surface of that object. 
         [0009]    In another aspect of the invention, the device is of unitary construction. 
         [0010]    In still another aspect of the invention, the opening has a first internal diameter at a first end of the opening and a second internal diameter at a second end of the opening. The second internal diameter is greater than the first internal diameter. 
         [0011]    In another aspect of the invention, the opening forms a groove in an interior surface of the shaft for receipt of a portion of the machine. 
         [0012]    Another aspect of the invention provides that the machine includes an adapter sized and shaped to be received in an opening of the present device. 
         [0013]    Still another aspect of the invention provides that the opening forms a groove in an interior surface of the opening for receiving a portion of the adapter. 
         [0014]    Still another aspect of the invention provides a device for use with a machine operable to pick up an object, the machine including a vacuum source, where the device includes a shaft having an upper end that includes an opening extending therethrough, and a head having a lower end that includes an opening extending therethrough. The lower end of the head is substantially flat and pliable to engage an object being picked up by the device. The opening in the shaft is in fluid communication with the opening in the head to that when the vacuum source is engaged a vacuum is created within the openings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a sectional view of a pick up device utilizing a nozzle according to the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is an exploded diagram depicting a nozzle of the present invention, an insert, and a prior art receptacle. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a sectional diagram of a nozzle of the present invention attached to an adapter and inserted into a prior art receptacle. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is an alternate sectional diagram of a nozzle of the present invention attached to an adapter and inserted into a prior art receptacle. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]      FIG. 1  depicts an exemplary existing machine that is suitable for use with the present invention. The overall operation of the machine  10  is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,082, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Machine  10  is operable to pickup and transfer food items from a conveyor, bin, or other location. In operation, a drive unit turns disc  32  to move pickup devices  18  in a circular path. The vacuum source then operates to remove air from groove  42  and through the pickup devices  18  in contact with groove  42 . Vacuum is not supplied to devices  18  that are not in contact with groove  42 . Bushings  27  engageable with rail assembly  54  control the up and down movement of pickup devices  18 . When the pickup devices  18  move toward a first location they travel downward into the first or pickup location. The pickup devices  18  also extend downward. Receptacle  24  is in close relationship with a food item on a conveyor, in a bin, or in any other suitable location. The receptacle  24  may move into direct engagement with the food item. The vacuum force and air moving into receptacle orifice  24 A move the foot item up into holding engagement with receptacle  24 . The vacuum force retains the food item against receptacle  24 . In the device depicted in  FIG. 1 , the vacuum force retains food item against receptacle  24  so long as pickup device  18  is aligned with groove  42 . The pickup devices  18  move upwardly and away from the first location and transport the food items to a second location. When pickup device  18  is above the second location, the vacuum force is cutoff. Rod  22  moves through orifice  24 A, thereby pushing the food item off of receptacle  24 . Air pressure can be supplied to nozzle  72  in order to facilitate removal of the food item from receptacle  24 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 1 , described above, is one embodiment of a device with which the present invention is utilized. It is contemplated, however, that the present invention is not limited to use with such a device. The present nozzle may be used for any suitable pickup and/or transfer purpose, and may be used with both food items and non-food items. The nozzle of the present invention is now described with more particularity. 
         [0021]    When adapted for use with a device such as that shown in  FIG. 1 , the present invention, nozzle  100 , includes an adapter  102  for securing device  100  to receptacle  24 . Adapter  102  may be attached to receptacle  24  in any suitable manner, and may be either fixedly or removably attached thereto. Alternatively, it is contemplated that a receptacle  24  may be sized and shaped to receive nozzle  100  without the need for an adapter  102 . Adapter  102  is provided merely to show one possible configuration for attaching the present nozzle  100  to a prior art device  10 .  FIG. 2  depicts the relationship between nozzle  100 , adapter  102 , and receptacle  24  of a prior art machine  10 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0022]    One aspect of the present invention provides a nozzle  100  of unitary construction. As used herein, the word unitary refers to a single-piece item, molded or cast as such, and not a combination of two or more parts affixed to one another to form nozzle  100 . Nozzle  100  includes a shaft  104 , which is elongate and includes an opening  106  extending through a length thereof. This is most clearly seen in the cross-sectional views shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Opening  106  is adapted to receive a portion of adapter  102  therein so that nozzle  100  can be secured to receptacle  24  of a device such that that shown in  FIG. 1 . Adapter  102  may have an annular ring  114  formed around a circumference thereof, annular ring  114  also being received by nozzle  100 , the soft material of nozzle  100  conforming to annular ring  114  and thereby holding nozzle  100  securely to adapter  102 . It is contemplated that nozzle  100  may also be provided with an annular groove (not shown) for receiving adapter  102  therein. 
         [0023]    Nozzle  100  also includes a flattened head  108  sized and shaped to engage a food item or other object desired to be picked up by use of nozzle  100 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , flattened head  108  is generally circular in shape, includes an opening  112 , which is an extension and enlargement of opening  106 , and an annular surface  110  for directly contacting a food item or other object being picked up using nozzle  100 . Although shown as generally circular in shape and having an annular surface, it is contemplated that nozzle  100  can be of any suitable size or shape, and the precise size and shape of nozzle  100  may be determined by the types of food items or other objects meant to be picked up using nozzle  100 . It is contemplated that such modifications and variations will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading this disclosure. 
         [0024]    Device  10 , now having nozzle  100  attached to a receptacle  24  thereof, operates in substantially the same manner as described with respect to  FIG. 1 , above. When the vacuum source is engaged, the vacuum extends not only through receptacle  24  but through adapter  102  and nozzle  100 . The vacuum pulls at the food item or other object to be picked up and transferred. Although the object being picked up may be frozen, as in the case of a frozen food item for example, the width of head  108  of nozzle  100  and the surface area of annular surface  110  nevertheless allows nozzle  100  to securely grip the object. At the points where the food item or other object comes into contact with annular surface  110 , it is contemplated that annular surface  110  is able to conform, to some extent, to the surface of the object being picked up. This is due to the pliable material used to construct nozzle  100 . Once the object is securely gripped, it can be moved to a desired location, whereupon the vacuum source is disengaged and the food item or other object is released. If necessary, mechanical means of assisting the disengagement of the food item or other object from nozzle  100  may be provided (see, for example, the push rod mechanism described with respect to  FIG. 1 , above). 
         [0025]    When used with respect to food items, it is contemplated that nozzle  100  will be constructed from a material acceptable to any given use as well as to the requirements of any applicable regulatory body. The material chosen should be to some degree pliable such that the annular surface  110  of nozzle  100  can conform, to an extent, to a surface of the food item or other object being picked up. Nozzle  100  may, for example, be constructed of silicon, rubber, any suitable synthetic polymer, or any other material that allows a degree of conformation to the surface of the object being picked up. Further, although nozzle  100  is described above as being unitary in its construction, it is contemplated that a nozzle  100  may be constructed from multiple parts, secured to one another to form a whole that retains the conforming qualities of the invention as described herein. The entire nozzle need not be constructed of the same material, and in such cases where more than one material is used, different materials may be chosen based on the different needs of each portion of the nozzle (for example, a rigid material for shaft  104 , a pliable material for annular surface  110 , and the like). Finally, it is contemplated that the shape of nozzle  100 , including the shape of the surface of nozzle  100  that contacts the food item or other object being picked up, may be any suitable shape or configuration, or conformation. 
         [0026]    Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, what is claimed is:

Technology Category: 7