LID APPLICATOR SYSTEM

Abstract

A lid applicator has a main body that receives a conveyor. Containers are placed on the conveyor, and lids are loaded into a chute in the lid applicator. As the containers move towards the lid applicator, the rim of the container contacts the lip of the lid that is being advanced downwardly and at an angle by a plurality of worm screws of the main body. The forward momentum of the container on the conveyor carries the lid away from worm screws, and forms a loose contact between the lid and container. The container and lid then pass under a platform of the main body with a flat surface, fully sealing the lid onto the container. As a next container approaches the chute, a sensor on the main body sends a signal causing the worm screws to dispense another lid at an angle to receive the next container.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/623,693, filed on Jan. 30, 2018. The entire disclosure of the above application is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to packaging systems and, more particularly, a lid applicator system for containers.

BACKGROUND

A lid is often necessary to secure contents within a container. However, manually placing a lid onto each container can be tedious and time-consuming. Where the contents are foodstuff, hygienic application of the lid is also a concern. To solve these problems, automatic lid applicators have been used. Generally, when loaded into automatic lid applicators, the lids are arranged in a nested manner to be dispensed onto the containers.

Known automatic lid applicators have had difficulty with the rapid automatic placement of lids onto containers. Specifically, this problem arises when separating the nested lids for their subsequent placement onto the containers. This is especially true of lids with flanges, which have recesses on one side into which an adjacent lid will nest with a lid, and become loosely held in a stacked arrangement by friction, until the lid is separated from the adjacent lid to be placed onto the container.

One known method of separating these lids from each other is to manually separate the lids prior to providing the lids to the automated lid applicator. However, this minimizes the usefulness of the automated lid applicator. In cases where the containers have perishables such as foodstuff, minimizing human interaction with both the containers and the associated lids is also desirable so as to package the perishables in a hygienic manner.

Accordingly, there is a continuing need for a high-speed lid dispensing and applicator system. Desirably, the lid dispensing and applicator system effectively separates individual lids from nested stacks of lids in a continuous manner, for the lids to be individually secured to containers by the applicator system.

SUMMARY

In concordance with the instant disclosure, a high-speed lid dispensing and applicator system that effectively separates individual lids from nested stacks of lids in a continuous manner, for the lids to be individually secured to containers by the applicator system, has been surprisingly discovered.

In one embodiment, a lid applicator system includes a main body and a conveyor. The main body has a front side, a rear side, a top side, a bottom side, a left side, and a right side. The main body includes a chute, a plurality of worm screws, and a lid compression element. The chute is disposed between the front side and the rear side of the main body, and extends upwardly from the top side of the main body. The chute is configured to hold a nested stack of lids. The worm screws are disposed between the top side and the bottom side of the main body. The worm screws are configured to advance the nested stack of lids toward the bottom side of the main body. The worm screws are also configured to separate an individual lid from the nested stack of lids, particularly where the individual lid is bottommost in the nested stack of lids. The worm screws are further configured to deposit the individual lid onto a container. The lid compression element is disposed on the bottom side of the main body, adjacent to the rear side of the main body. The lid compression element is configured to press the individual lid onto the container as the container is moved adjacent to the lid compression element. The conveyor is disposed beneath the bottom side of the main body, and spaced apart from the chute and the lid compression element of the main body. The conveyor, together with the bottom side of the main body, defines a passage through the main body for receiving the container. The conveyor is configured to move the container through the passage from the front side of the main body to the rear side of the main body, beneath the chute, and to the lid compression element to cause the individual lid to be sealed with the container.

In another embodiment, the main body of the lid applicator system has at least one sensor and at least one motor. The at least one sensor is configured to detect the presence of the container on the conveyor as it is moved through the passage by the conveyor. The at least one motor is configured to selectively rotate the plurality of worm screws to deposit the individual lid onto the container. Each of the worm screws has a cylinder body with an upper end and a lower end. A spiral thread is disposed on an outer surface of the cylinder body between the upper end and the lower end of the cylinder body. An upper portion of the spiral thread is disposed adjacent the upper end of the cylinder body and has a first distribution density or frequency of rotation. A lower portion of the spiral thread is disposed adjacent the lower end of the cylinder body and has a second distribution density or frequency of rotation. The second distribution density of the spiral thread is greater than the first distribution density of the spiral thread. The lid compression element has a lid compression surface with a leading edge and a trailing edge. The lid compression surface is oriented at an angle relative to the conveyor such that the leading edge of the lid compression surface is spaced apart farther from the conveyor than the trailing edge of the lid compression surface.

In a further embodiment, a method for applying the individual lid to the container includes the steps of placing the nested stack of lids within the chute and moving, by the conveyor, the container through the passage from the front side of the main body toward the rear side of the main body. The method further includes a detecting of the presence of the container on the conveyor and a rotating, in response to the detecting of the presence of the conveyor, each of the plurality of worm screws. The rotating of the worm screws causes a separation of the individual lid from the nested stack of lids at a position adjacent the chute, which in turn causes a deposition of the individual lid onto the container. The individual lid is thereby loosely disposed on the container. The method next includes a moving, by the conveyor, the individual lid and container beneath the lid compression element. This causes a pressing of the individual lid onto the container by the lid compression element. The individual lid is thereby press fit and sealed with the container.

DRAWINGS

The above, as well as other advantages of the present disclosure, will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, particularly when considered in the light of the drawings described herein.

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a lid applicator system according to one embodiment of the disclosure, and shown holding a nested stack of lids in a chute, and a container on a conveyor;

FIG. 2 is a left side elevational view of the lid applicator system shown in FIG. 1, the lid applicator system shown without the nested stack of lids for purposes of illustration;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the lid applicator system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the lid applicator system shown in FIG. 1, and further showing the nested stack of lids disposed in the chute;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional rear elevational view of the lid applicator system taken along section line A-A in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional right side elevational view of the lid applicator system taken along section line B-B in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional rear elevational view of the lid applicator system taken along section line D-D in FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional top plan view of the lid applicator system taken along section line E-E in FIG. 3, and further showing arrows indicating a direction of rotation of worm screws within the lid applicator system;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary, top perspective view of a lid for use with the lid applicator system taken at call-out C in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 10-12 is a schematic right side elevational views of the lid applicator system shown in FIGS. 1-9, and illustrating a stepwise engagement of worm screws with a nested stack of lids and application of the lids to containers being conveyed through the lid applicator system on a conveyor;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged side elevational view of one of a first set of worm screws for use with the lid applicator system of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged side elevational view of one of a second set of worm screws for use with the lid applicator system of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 15 is a flow diagram depicting a method for applying a lid to a container according to one embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description and appended drawings describe and illustrate various embodiments of the invention. The description and drawings serve to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any manner.

FIGS. 1-15 illustrate a lid applicator system 2, and a method 100 of using the lid applicator 2 to apply an individual lid 4 to a container 6, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

The lid applicator system 2 has a main body 8 and a conveyor 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the main body 8 has a front side 12, a rear side 14, a top side 16, a bottom side 18, a left side 20, and a right side 22. For example, the main body 8 may include a metal frame 24 supported above a production floor. In another example, the metal frame 24 of the main body 8 may be slidably disposed on rails (not shown) that permit the main body 8 to be moved at least one of vertically and horizontally relative to the conveyor 10. The lid applicator system 2 may also include multiples ones of the main body 8, in order to permit for rapid changeovers between different lid and container sizes. The main body 8 may further be supplied with suitable protective coverings 26 over moving parts for safety purposes during operation, for example, according to the method 100 shown in FIG. 15.

In particular embodiments, the main body 8 further includes a chute 28 (shown in FIGS. 1-5), a plurality of worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36 (shown in FIGS. 4-8 and 10-14), and a lid compression element 38 (shown in FIGS. 5 and 10-12). The chute 28, the worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36, and the lid compression element 38 are configured to operate together to dispose and seal the individual lid 4 onto the container 6, as described further herein.

As shown in FIGS. 1-5, the chute 28 is disposed between the front side 12 and the rear side 14 of the main body 8. The chute 28 also extends upwardly from the top side 16 of the main body 8. The chute 28 is configured to hold a nested stack of lids 40 where, prior to separation, the bottommost of the nested stack of lids 40 is the individual lid 4 to be disposed onto the container 6 in operation.

Referring to FIGS. 4-8 and 10-14, the worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36 are disposed between the top side 16 and the bottom side 18 of the main body 8, and adjacent to the chute 28. The worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36 are configured to advance the nested stack of lids 40 through the chute 28 and toward the bottom side 18 of the main body 8. The worms screws 30, 32, 34, 36 are also configured to separate the individual lid 4 from the nested stack of lids 40, and to loosely deposit the individual lid 4 onto the container 6 in operation.

With reference to FIGS. 5 and 10-12, the lid compression element 38 is disposed on the bottom side 18 of the main body 8. The lid compression element 38 is also disposed adjacent to the rear side 14 of the main body 8. The lid compression element 38 is configured to press the individual lid 4 onto the container 6 as the container 6 is moved adjacent to the lid compression element 38.

As shown in FIG. 1, the conveyor 10 is disposed beneath the bottom side 18 of the main body 8. The conveyor 10 is also spaced apart from the chute 28 and the lid compression element 38 of the main body 8. The conveyor 10, together with the bottom side 18 of the main body 8, defines a passage 42 for receiving the container 6. The conveyor 10 is also configured to move the container 6 through the passage 42 from the front side 12 of the main body 8 to the rear side 14 of the main body 8. In particular, the conveyor 10 is configured to move the container 6 to an area generally beneath the chute 28, so that the individual lid 4 may be loosely disposed on the container 6 by selective operation of the worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36. The conveyor 10 is further configured to move the loose combination of the individual lid 4 and the container 6 to the lid compression element 38, in order to cause the individual lid 4 to be press fit and sealed with the container 6.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 5, and 8, the main body 8 may further have at least one sensor 44, 46 and at least one motor 48. The at least one sensor 44, 46 is configured to detect the presence of at least one of the individual lid 4 and the container 6 on the conveyor 10, or within the passage 42, as the container 6 is moved through the passage 42 by the conveyor 10. The at least one sensor 44, 46 can include motion sensors, laser-based sensors, contact sensors, trigger sensors, and the like. For example, the at least one sensor 44, 46 may include a bottom lid motion sensor 44 that is disposed adjacent the front side 12 of the main body 8, as shown in FIG. 1. In another example, the at least one sensor 44, 46 may include an exit sensor 46 that is disposed adjacent the rear side 14 of the main body, as shown in FIG. 5. In yet another example, not shown, the at least one sensor 44, 46 may also include an end guard sensor.

In particular embodiments, the at least one sensor 44, 46 includes a laser sensor that is configured to engage the motor 48 when the container 6 passes a predetermined location on the conveyor 10, for example, underneath the lid compression element 38. The at least one sensor 44, 46 then causes the motor 48 to rotate the worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36, dispensing another one of the lids 40 for the next container 6 on the conveyor 10.

In certain embodiments, the main body 4 may have the at least one sensor 44, 46 for monitoring a position of the nested stack of lids 40 within the chute 28. These sensors 44, 46 can be employed to alert the user when the chute 6 is running low on lids 40, so that more may be loaded into the chute 28. The sensors 44, 46 may also inform the user when the chute 28 is empty, at which point the conveyor 10 may be stopped to thereby militate against containers 6 from being packaged without the lid 4. The at least one sensor 44, 46 to count the number of containers 6 on the conveyor 10. This allows the user to package a correct number of the containers 6 for a particular work order. Other suitable types and locations for the at least one sensor 44, 46 within the lid applicator system 2 may also be employed, as desired.

The at least one motor 48 is configured to selectively rotate the plurality of worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36 to deposit the individual lid 4 onto the container 6, for example, in accordance with the method 100 described herein. One of ordinary skill in the art may select any suitable type of the at least one motor 48 including electric, hydraulic, or pneumatic, as non-limiting examples.

With reference to FIGS. 5-7, the at least one motor 48 may be connected to the worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36 through a plurality of drive shafts 50 and a plurality of gears 52 such as beveled gears, for example. In this arrangement, the plurality of worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36 are configured to move simultaneously by operation of the at least one motor 48. The orientations of the draft shafts 50 and the gears 52 may also be selected so as to cause a first set of worm screws 30, 32 to rotate in a first direction of rotation (e.g., clockwise) that is different from a second direction of rotation (e.g., counterclockwise) of the second set of worm screws 34, 36, for example, as shown in FIG. 8. Other means for operably coupling the worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36 to the at least one motor 48, including individually rotating the worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36 by independent motors or actuators, may also be selected by a skilled artisan, as desired.

The at least one sensor 44, 46 may engage the at least one motor 48 directly, or relay information to a controller (not shown), which is configured to interpret the information from the at least one sensor 44, 46 and engage the at least one motor 48 to rotate the worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36 and selectively dispense the individual lid 4.

Where the controller is employed, each of the conveyor 10, the sensors 44, 46, and the at least one motor 48 may also be in electrical communication with the controller. The controller may be configured to cause the movement of the at least one motor 48, and likewise the worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36, based on at least one of a predetermined program and feedback from the sensors 44, 46 through which locations of the individual lid 4 and the container 6 within the lid applicator system 2 are determined in real-time. The controller may include at least one of a programmable logic controller (PLC) and a computer having a processor and a tangible, non-transitory memory on which processor-executable instructions may be stored. The instructions to be executed by the controller may be adjusted, for example, through a human interface such as a keyboard or touchscreen also in communication with the controller. Other means for controlling movement of the conveyor 10 and the worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36 via the at least one motor 48 may also be used within the scope of the present disclosure.

In a particular embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 5-8 and 10-14, the plurality of worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36 may have a first set of the worm screws 30, 32 including a first worm screw 30 and a second worm screw 32. The plurality of worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36 may also have a second set of the worm screws 34, 36 including a third worm screw 34 and a fourth worm screw 36. The first set of the worm screws 30, 32, including the first worm screw 30 and the second worm screw 32, may each be disposed adjacent the front side 12 of the main body 8. The second set of the worm screws 34, 36, including the third worm screw 34 and the fourth worm screw 36, may each be disposed adjacent the rear side 14 of the main body 8 opposite the first set of the worm screws 30, 32.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, the chute 28 may include a plurality of guide bars 54 extending upwardly from the main body 8. The plurality of guide bars 54 may be attached to one another with a plurality of tie bars 56, for example. The plurality of guide bars 54 and the plurality of tie bars 56 may together be configured to hold the nested stack of lids 40 in operation. Additionally, the plurality of guide bars 54 and the plurality of tie bars 56 may together define an open side 58 of the chute 28 that is configured to receive the nested stack of lids 40, for example, as shown in FIG. 1. The chute 28 can be made of metal or plastic, as non-limiting examples. Other suitable structures and materials for defining the chute 28 may also be employed by one skilled in the art, as desired.

Where the lid applicator system 2 is provided with the aforementioned combination of first, second, third, and fourth worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36, and where the chute 28 is defined by the plurality of guide bars 54, it should be appreciated that the each of the worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36 may be generally aligned with individual ones of the guide bars 54 of the chute 28. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the guide bars 54 may further extend at least partly into an interior of the main body 8, terminate above the passage 42, and be generally surrounded by the worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36. In this arrangement, the guide bars 54 may effectively define corners of the chute 28, with each of the worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36 being disposed adjacent to the individual ones of the guide bars 54. It should also be appreciated that this arrangement permits the worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36 to engage with the nested stack of lids 40 including the individual lid 4 to be disposed on the container 6 in operation.

In particular, and referring to FIGS. 5-8 and 10-14, it should be understood that each of the worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36 may have a cylinder body 60. The cylinder body 60 has an upper end 62 and a lower end 64. The cylinder body 60 further has a spiral thread 66 that is disposed on, and generally winds around, an outer surface 68 of the cylinder body 60. A spiral groove 69 may also be disposed adjacent the spiral thread 66 and formed in the outer surface 68. The spiral thread 66 is disposed between the upper end 62 and the lower end 64 of the cylinder body 60. A first density (D1) in spacing of the spiral thread 66, i.e., a relative closeness of individual windings of the spiral thread 66 around the cylinder body 60, may also be greater near the upper end 62 than a second density (D2) in spacing of the spiral thread 66 near the lower end 64 of the cylinder body. In this arrangement, at least one of the spiral thread 66 and the spiral groove 69 is configured to both advance and separate the individual lid 4 from the nested stack of lids 40 as the lids 40 descend toward the passage 42 through the chute 28.

With specific reference to FIGS. 13-14, it should be appreciated that the first set of the worm screws 30, 32 may also be different from the second set of the worm screws 34, 36. For example, a distribution in the density (D1, D2) in spacing of the spiral thread 66 from the upper end 62 to the lower end 64 of the cylinder body 60 may be different for the second set the worm screws 34, 36 compared to the first set of the worm screws 30, 32.

In another example, the second set of the worm screws 34, 36, including the third worm screw 34 and the fourth worm screw 36, may have an additional spiral rib 70 that is not present on the first set of the worm screws 30, 32. The spiral rib 70 may be both disposed on the outer surface 68 of the cylinder body 60, and also adjacent to the lower end 64 of the cylinder body 60. The size and shape of the spiral rib may be selected by a skilled artisan, as desired.

In particular, the spiral rib 70 is configured to cause the separation of the individual lid 4 from the nested stack of lids 40 where the bottommost, individual lid 4 of the nested stack of lids 40 has been advanced through the chute 28 to locations of the spiral rib 70 of each of the third worm screw 34 and the fourth worm screw 36. The spiral rib 70 may also be configured to militate against the individual lid 4 inadvertently falling out of the chute 28 and onto the conveyor 10 prior to the container 6 being at the required location beneath the chute 28.

As shown in FIG. 14, the spiral thread 66 may have a first width (W1) and the spiral rib 70 may have a second width (W2). The second width (W2) is greater than the first width (W1). The spiral rib 70 may also have a length that is equal to or slightly greater than the circumference of the cylinder body 60, for example. It should be appreciated that the overall dimensions of the second width (W2) are selected in order to more fully separate the adjacent flanges 72 (shown in FIG. 9) of the lids 4, 40, resulting in the depositing of the individual lid 4 onto the container 6 in operation. The flanges 72 of the lids 4, 40 are configured to be contacted by at least one of the spiral threads 66 and the spiral grooves 69 adjacent the upper ends 62 of the cylinder bodies 60 of the worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36 to advance the lids 4, 40 downwardly by rotation of each of the worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36.

The flanges 72 of the lids 4, 40 are also configured to be contacted by the spiral threads 66 adjacent the lower ends 64 of the cylinder bodies 60 of the worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36, in conjunction with a contacting of the flanges 72 by the spiral ribs 70, to separate the individual lid 4 from the nested stack of lids 40 to deposit the individual lid 4 onto the container 40. One of ordinary skill in the art may select suitable dimensions for the spiral thread 66 and the spiral rib 70, for example, based on the associated dimensions of the lids 4, 40 and the container 6, within the scope of the present disclosure.

It should be further appreciated that the flanges 72 of the lids 4, 40 are further configured to form a friction fit with an associated container 6 upon the individual lid 4 being press fit into place and sealed with the container 6 by the lid compression element 38 as described herein.

In another embodiment, the spiral thread 66 may gradually become wider along the length of the cylinder body 60. The wider orientation of the spiral thread 66 may assist in separating the lids 4, 40. This may be especially effective where the lids 4, 40 have the flanges 72, which may otherwise become frictionally attached to each other where the lids 4, 40 are nested together in the stack 40. Additionally, the worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36 may be covered with a material that facilitates grip, such as rubber, silicone, or any other gripping material. Suitable coating materials may be selected by a skilled artisan, as desired.

As shown in FIG. 11, the plurality of worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36 may also be configured to separate the individual lid 4 from the nested stack of lids 40 at a lid separation angle (a) relative to the conveyor 10 or a plane parallel with an upper surface of the conveyor 10. In particular, a leading edge 74 of the individual lid 4 may be initially disposed closer to the conveyor 10 than a trailing edge 76 of the individual lid 4 where the individual lid 4 is initially loosely placed on the container 6 by action of the worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36. It is believed that, by separating the individual lid 4 at the lid separation angle (α) and allowing an edge the individual lid 4 to catch a peripheral rim of the container 6 as the container 6 passes beneath the chute 28 on the conveyor 10, the rim of the container 6 may also assist in dislodging the individual lid 4 from both the worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36 and the nested stack of lids 40, and thereby loosely placing the lid 4 onto the container 6.

It should be understood that this particular orientation of the individual lid 4 during the initial deposition by the worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36 may be accomplished by at least one of the difference in the densities (D2) of the spiral threads 66 of the second set of the worm screws 34, 36 compared to the first set of the worm screws 30, 32, and the presence of the spiral ribs 70 on the second set of the worm screws 34, 36. This orientation of the lid 4 at the lid separation angle (α) is believed to dispose the individual lid 4 in an optimum placement for the final sealing of the individual lid 4 to the container 6 by the lid compression element 38 in operation.

Referring now to FIGS. 4-5, 8, and 10-12, the lid compression element 38 has a lid compression surface 78 that is configured to completely seal the individual lid 4 with the container 6 as the combination with the individual lid 4 loosely disposed on the container 6 is conveyed past and contacts the lid compression surface 78 of the lid compression element 38. In particular, the lid compression element 38 is spaced apart from the conveyor 10 a predetermined distance so that the sealing is caused without crushing the container 6 or dislodging the individual lid 4. The lid compression surface 78 may be substantially flat or planar, although other surface shapes may also be employed. The lid compression element 38 may be a plastic bar or plate, for example, which is affixed to the main body 8 at an exit end of the passage 42 adjacent the rear side 14 of the main body 8. In a particular example, the lid compression element 38 is formed from ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWP). The lid compression element 38 may be affixed to the main body 8 with mechanical fasteners, for example. Other suitable materials and means for affixing the lid compression element 38 to the main body 8 may also be selected, as desired.

Although the lid compression surface 78 of the lid compression element 38 may be oriented substantially parallel to the conveyor 10, it should be appreciated that the lid compression element 38 may also be oriented at a sealing angle (β), for example, as shown in FIG. 9. The sealing angle (β) may be provided by angling the entirety of the lid compression element 38 or by providing the lid compression element 38 in the form of a wedge-shaped body, for example. Where oriented at the sealing angle (β), it should be appreciated that a leading edge of the lid compression surface 78 may spaced apart from the conveyor 10 further than a trailing edge of the lid compression surface 78. It is believed that the orientation of the lid compression surface 78 in this manner facilitates the complete sealing of the individual lid 4 with the container 6.

In operation, and as shown in FIG. 15, the lid application method 100 of the present disclosure includes a first step 102 of providing the lid applicator system 2 as described hereinabove. A second step 104 includes placing the nested stack of lids 40, the bottommost of which is the individual lid 4 to be applied, within the chute 28 of the lid applicator system 2. A third step 106 includes placing the container 6 onto the conveyor 10 adjacent to the front side 12 of the main body 8.

Upon placement of the nested stack of lids 40 within the chute 28, and the container 6 onto the conveyor 10, the method 100 further includes a fourth step 108 of moving, by the conveyor 10, the container 6 through the passage 42 from the front side 12 of the main body 8 toward the rear side 14 of the main body 8. In a fifth step 110, at least one of the presence and the position of the container 6 on the conveyor 10 is then detected, for example, with the at least one sensor 44, 46. In a sixth step 112, and in response to the detecting of the presence of the container 6 on the conveyor 10, each of the plurality of worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36 is moved to cause a separation of the individual lid 4 from the nested stack of lids 40 at a position adjacent the chute 28. This movement also causes a deposition of the individual lid 4 onto the container 6 in a seventh step 114, whereby the individual lid 4 is loosely disposed on the container 6.

In certain embodiments, the individual lid 4 is separated from the nested stack of lids 40 in the sixth step 112 at the angle (α) relative to the conveyor 10, with the leading edge of the individual lid 4 being disposed closer to the conveyor 10 than the trailing edge of the individual lid 4. It should be appreciated that this orientation of the individual lid 4 permits it to be pulled away from the nested stack of lids 40 upon being contacted with a leading edge of the container 6 as it is moved through the passage 42 by the conveyor 10 in the seventh step 114.

In an eighth step 116, the loose combination of the individual lid 4 and the container is then moved, by the conveyor 10, beneath the lid compression element 38. This causes a pressing of the individual lid 4 onto the container 6 by the lid compression element 38, whereby the individual lid 4 is fully sealed with the container 6. As established hereinabove, the lid compression surface 78 may also be provided with the sealing angle (β) to facilitate the complete sealing of the individual lid 4 with the container 6 in the eighth step 116. Other suitable steps for depositing and sealing the individual 4 with the container 6 may also be employed within the scope of the disclosure.

In further embodiments, the lid applicator 2 of the present disclosure may be mounted on a track (not shown), which in turn may be secured to the conveyor 10. The containers 6 are placed on the conveyor 10, and the nested stack of lids 40 is loaded into the chute 28. As the containers 6 move toward the main body 8, the at least one sensor 44, 46 on the main body 8 counts each approaching container 14 and relays that number to the controller. The container 6 then travels through the passage 42 of the lid applicator 2 until it is directly below the chute 28. Once below the chute 28, the rim of the container 14 contacts the lip of the individual lid 4 which is being advanced downwardly at an angle by the worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36. The forward momentum of the container 6 on the conveyor 10 carries the individual lid 4 away from the worm screws 30, 32, 34, 36, and the individual lid 4 forms a loose seal with the container 6. The container 14 and lid 8 then pass under the platform having the flat surface 25, which presses the lid 8 onto the container 14, forming a complete seal. After the container 14 passes under the flat surface 25, the sensor 38 on the main body 4 may send a signal to the motor 26, causing the worm screws 20 to rotate and dispense another lid 8 at an angle to receive the next container 14.

It should be understood that multiple units of the lid applicator system 2 can be placed adjacent a single conveyor 10. The main bodies 8 of the lid applicator systems 2 may be provided with actuators, such as electrical, mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic actuators, which may be used to raise an individual one of the main bodies 8 above the conveyer system 10 where that particular lid applicator system 2 is not intended to be in use. There can be any number of lid applicator systems 2 placed on a single conveyor 10. A skilled artisan will appreciate that, having multiple lid applicator systems 2 disposed in series allows for the use of lids 4, 40 and containers 6 of different sizes and shapes to be used on a single line conveyor 10, is more efficient, and minimizes change over time between different products to be packaged.

Advantageously, the lid applicator system 2 of the present disclosure is high-speed, and has been found effective in separating individual lids 4 from nested stacks of lids 40 in a continuous manner, for the lids 4 to be individually secured to containers 6 by the lid applicator system 2.

Other variations and embodiments of the invention are contemplated. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate such variations upon carefully reviewing the above disclosure. Therefore, the present invention is not to be limited by the above description, but is to be determined in the scope of the claims which follow.

Claims

1. A lid applicator system, comprising:

a main body having a front side, a rear side, a top side, a bottom side, a left side, and a right side, the main body including a chute, a plurality of worm screws, and a lid compression element, the chute disposed between the front side and the rear side and configured to hold a nested stack of lids, the worm screws disposed between the chute and the bottom side of the main body and configured to advance the nested stack of lids toward the bottom side of the main body, separate an individual lid from the nested stack of lids where the individual lid is bottommost in the nested stack of lids, and deposit the individual lid onto a container, and the lid compression element disposed on the bottom side of the main body adjacent to the rear side and configured to press the individual lid onto the container as the container is moved adjacent to the lid compression element; and

a conveyor disposed beneath the bottom side of the main body and spaced apart from the chute and the lid compression element of the main body, the conveyor together with the bottom side of the main body defining a passage for receiving the container, the conveyor configured to move the container through the passage from the front side of the main body to the rear side of the main body, beneath the chute, and to the lid compression element to cause the individual lid to be sealed with the container.

2. The lid applicator system of claim 1, wherein the main body has at least one sensor and at least one motor.

3. The lid applicator system of claim 2, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect the presence of the container on the conveyor as it is moved through the passage by the conveyor.

4. The lid applicator system of claim 3, wherein the at least one sensor includes a motion sensor disposed adjacent the front side of the main body.

5. The lid applicator system of claim 2, wherein the at least one motor is configured to selectively rotate the plurality of worm screws to deposit the individual lid onto the container.

6. The lid applicator system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of worm screws includes a first worm screw, a second worm screw, a third worm screw, and a fourth worm screw, the first worm screw and the second worm screw disposed adjacent the front side of the main body, and the third worm screw and the fourth worm screw disposed adjacent the rear side of the main body opposite the first worm screw and the second worm screw.

7. The lid applicator system of claim 6, wherein the at least one motor is connected to the worm screws through a plurality of drive shafts and a plurality of bevel gears, and the plurality of worm screws are configured to move simultaneously by operation of the at least one motor.

8. The lid applicator system of claim 7, wherein each of the worm screws has a cylinder body with an upper end and a lower end, and a spiral thread disposed on an outer surface of the cylinder body between the upper end and the lower end, and a density in spacing of the spiral thread adjacent the upper end being greater than the density in spacing of the spiral thread adjacent the lower end.

9. The lid applicator system of claim 8, wherein the cylinder body of at least one of the worm screws has a spiral rib disposed on the outer surface of the cylinder body adjacent to the lower end of the cylinder body, the spiral thread having a first width and the spiral rib having a second width, and the second width being greater than the first width.

10. The lid applicator system of claim 9, wherein each of the lids of the nested stack of lids has a flange that is configured to be contacted by the spiral threads adjacent the upper ends of the cylinder bodies to advance the lids downwardly by rotation of each of the worm screws.

11. The lid applicator system of claim 10, where the flange of the individual lid is also configured to be contacted by the spiral threads adjacent the lower ends of the cylinder bodies to separate the individual lid from the nested stack of lids to deposit the individual lid onto the container.

12. The lid applicator system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of worm screws is configured to separate the individual lid from the nested stack of lids at an angle relative to the conveyor, with a leading edge of the individual lid being disposed closer to the conveyor than a trailing edge of the individual lid.

13. The lid applicator system of claim 1, wherein the chute includes a plurality of guide bars extending upwardly from the main body, the plurality of guide bars attached to one another with a plurality of tie bars, and the plurality of guide bars and the plurality of tie bars together configured to hold the nested stack of lids.

14. The lid applicator system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of guide bars and the plurality of tie bars together define an open side of the chute that is configured to receive the nested stack of lids.

15. The lid applicator system of claim 1, wherein the lid compression element has a lid compression surface with a leading edge and a trailing edge, the lid compression surface oriented at an angle relative to the conveyor.

16. The lid applicator system of claim 15, wherein the lid compression element is a plastic bar affixed to the main body at an end of the passage.

17. The lid applicator system of claim 16, wherein the plastic bar is formed from ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.

18. A lid applicator system, comprising:

a main body having a front side, a rear side, a top side, a bottom side, a left side, and a right side, the main body including a chute, a plurality of worm screws, and a lid compression element, the chute disposed between the front side and the rear side and configured to hold a nested stack of lids, the worm screws disposed between the chute and the bottom side of the main body and configured to advance the nested stack of lids toward the bottom side of the main body, separate an individual lid from the nested stack of lids where the individual lid is bottommost in the nested stack of lids, and deposit the individual lid onto a container, and the lid compression element disposed on the bottom side of the main body adjacent to the rear side and configured to press the individual lid onto the container as the container is moved adjacent to the lid compression element, wherein the main body has at least one sensor and at least one motor, the at least one sensor is configured to detect the presence of the container on the conveyor as it is moved through the passage by the conveyor, and the at least one motor is configured to selectively rotate the plurality of worm screws to deposit the individual lid onto the container, wherein each of the worm screws has a cylinder body with an upper end and a lower end, and a spiral thread disposed on an outer surface of the cylinder body between the upper end and the lower end, and a density in spacing of the spiral thread adjacent the upper end being greater than the density in spacing of the spiral thread adjacent the lower end, and wherein the lid compression element has a lid compression surface with a leading edge and a trailing edge, the lid compression surface oriented at an angle relative to the conveyor; and

a conveyor disposed beneath the bottom side of the main body and spaced apart from the chute and the lid compression element of the main body, the conveyor together with the bottom side of the main body defining a passage for receiving the container, the conveyor configured to move the container through the passage from the front side of the main body to the rear side of the main body, beneath the chute, and to the lid compression element to cause the individual lid to be sealed with the container.

19. A lid application method comprising the steps of:

providing a lid applicator system including a main body and a conveyor, the main body having a front side, a rear side, a top side, a bottom side, a left side, and a right side, the main body including a chute, a plurality of worm screws, and a lid compression element, the chute disposed between the front side and the rear side and configured to hold a nested stack of lids, the worm screws disposed between the chute and the bottom side of the main body and configured to advance the nested stack of lids toward the bottom side of the main body, separate an individual lid from the nested stack of lids where the individual lid is bottommost in the nested stack of lids, and deposit the individual lid onto a container, and the lid compression element disposed on the bottom side of the main body adjacent to the rear side and configured to press the individual lid onto the container as the container is moved adjacent to the lid compression element, and the conveyor disposed beneath the bottom side of the main body and spaced apart from the chute and the lid compression element of the main body, the conveyor together with the bottom side of the main body defining a passage for receiving the container, the conveyor configured to move the container through the passage from the front side of the main body to the rear side of the main body, beneath the chute, and to the lid compression element to cause the individual lid to be seated onto the container;

placing the nested stack of lids within the chute;

placing the container onto the conveyor;

moving, by the conveyor, the container through the passage from the front side of the main body toward the rear side of the main body;

detecting the presence of the container on the conveyor;

rotating, in response to the detecting of the presence of the container on the conveyor, each of the plurality of worm screws to cause a separation of the individual lid from the nested stack of lids at a position adjacent the chute and to cause a deposition of the individual lid onto the container, whereby the individual lid is loosely disposed on the container; and

moving, by the conveyor, the individual lid and container beneath the lid compression element to cause a pressing of the individual lid onto the container by the lid compression element, whereby the individual lid is sealed with the container.

20. The lid application method of claim 19, wherein the individual lid is separated from the nested stack of lids at an angle relative to the conveyor, with a leading edge of the individual lid being disposed closer to the conveyor than a trailing edge of the individual lid.