Successive Deposits Of Articles Patents (Class 53/244)
  • Patent number: 11912450
    Abstract: A packaging machine for packaging products in cartons including a product feed for feeding products, wherein the products have a length P, wherein the product feed has a stacking apparatus that stacks a first group of products, which are positioned next to one another in a row with a length R, vertically above or below a second group of products, which are likewise positioned next to one another in a row with a length R that is a multiple of the length P, wherein a product slot is positioned at the end of the product feed, at which product slot stacked rows of products with the length R are collected, wherein a slide with a length S is positioned at the product slot, and slides the stacked rows of products having a length that at least corresponds to the length S in a substantially horizontal sliding direction into a carton at a carton packing station, wherein the length S is shorter than the length R by at least one times the length P.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventor: Carsten Schürkamp
  • Patent number: 11897647
    Abstract: A tablet packaging device capable of shortening operation time required for packaging tablets for one tray. The tablet packaging device includes a packaging portion configured to accommodate tablets dispensed from a dispensing port into a tray. The packaging portion includes: a tray loading unit to which the tray is mountable; a tray unloading unit to which the tray accommodating the tablets is mountable; a tray driving unit, which is configured to removably support the tray, move the supported tray among positions of the dispensing port, the tray loading unit, and the tray unloading unit, and move the desired accommodation recess portion to the dispensing port for tablets; a tray attaching unit configured to attach the tray from the tray loading unit to the tray driving unit; and a tray detaching unit configured to detach the tray from the tray driving unit and place the tray on the tray unloading unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: YUYAMA MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Takada, Takashi Iwatani
  • Patent number: 11814203
    Abstract: At least one example embodiment relates to a system for filling a plurality of containers with oral products. The system comprises a container station and a shuttle assembly. The container station is configured to provide a plurality of containers. The shuttle assembly is configured to move between a first shuttle position to receive a plurality of oral products and a second shuttle position to deposit the oral products into the containers. At least one example embodiment relates to a method of filling a plurality of containers with oral products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Travis Martin Garthaffner, Tamika Murrell, Ahmet Ercelebi
  • Patent number: 11676440
    Abstract: A pharmaceutical dispenser for dispensing a quantity of pharmaceuticals into a container includes a pharmaceutical counter to count and release the quantity of pharmaceuticals. A pharmaceutical outlet delivers the quantity of pharmaceuticals to the container. A pharmaceutical gate receives the quantity of pharmaceuticals from the pharmaceutical counter. The pharmaceutical gate includes a receiver sized and shaped to define a pharmaceutical receiving space to hold the quantity of pharmaceuticals. The receiver moves between a receiving position and a dispensing position. In the receiving position, the receiver receives the quantity of pharmaceuticals in the pharmaceutical receiving space from the pharmaceutical counter. In the dispensing position, the receiver dispenses the quantity of pharmaceuticals toward the pharmaceutical outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc.
    Inventor: Gabriel Di Genova
  • Patent number: 11618628
    Abstract: A personal hygiene product disposal apparatus for sealing personal hygiene products in a sanitary manner includes a housing having a housing inside. A plurality of doors is coupled to the housing and comprises a first door coupled to a first aperture extending through the housing front side, a second door coupled to a second aperture extending through the housing front side, and a third door coupled to a third aperture extending through the housing front side. A bag dispenser is coupled within the housing inside adjacent the first aperture. The bag dispenser has a waste bag accessible through the bag slot and is configured to receive a personal hygiene product. A bag sealer is coupled within the housing inside adjacent the second aperture. A cutter is coupled within the housing inside adjacent the third aperture. The cutter separates the sealed portion of the waste bag for removal from the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Inventor: Shannon M. Paul
  • Patent number: 11548738
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for transferring products, comprising a means for fetching the products in a line in a first direction, at least one output conveyor, in a transverse direction with respect to said first direction, and a tool for transferring said products in groups. The transfer tool has only two degrees of freedom of movement in a horizontal plane, in said first direction and in said transverse direction. The invention relates also to a corresponding method for transferring products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: SIDEL PACKING SOLUTIONS
    Inventors: Damien Cirette, Dominique Rabec
  • Patent number: 11524808
    Abstract: A box packing apparatus has an accumulating mechanism, a detection unit, and a packing mechanism. The accumulating mechanism is configured to accumulate a plurality of articles to create an article group. The detection unit is configured to detect a posture of the article group. The packing mechanism is configured to pack the article group into a packing box based on a detection result of the detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: ISHIDA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Nishitsuji, Kousuke Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11446819
    Abstract: An end-of-arm tool and an associated robotic arm are configured to place items (e.g., soft-sided merchandise) into a case. In an example, an end-of-arm tool is configured to grasp a surface (e.g., the top surface) of an item of merchandise and deposit the item into the case. Accordingly, as an item is deposited, the tool uses contact with that item to move previously placed items back into their preferred locations. After the penultimate item in a row of items is put in place, it may move out of position. As a final item is added to a row, the tool pivots the final item so that a side surface of the final item pushes the penultimate item into its correct position. The tool then pivots the final item to orient the top surface of the item horizontally, and places it in a predetermined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Pearson Packaging Systems
    Inventor: Michael J. Johnson
  • Patent number: 11325728
    Abstract: A tablet packaging device capable of shortening operation time required for packaging tablets for one tray. The tablet packaging device includes a packaging portion configured to accommodate tablets dispensed from a dispensing port into a tray. The packaging portion includes: a tray loading unit to which the tray is mountable; a tray unloading unit to which the tray accommodating the tablets is mountable; a tray driving unit, which is configured to removably support the tray, move the supported tray among positions of the dispensing port, the tray loading unit, and the tray unloading unit, and move the desired accommodation recess portion to the dispensing port for tablets; a tray attaching unit configured to attach the tray from the tray loading unit to the tray driving unit; and a tray detaching unit configured to detach the tray from the tray driving unit and place the tray on the tray unloading unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: YUYAMA MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Takada, Takashi Iwatani
  • Patent number: 11319099
    Abstract: The present invention provides devices, systems and methods for reliably inserting packing trays into packing crates. Thus, the present invention solves the problems of conventional packaging lines by providing a positioning device for depositing packing trays into packing crates. Particularly, the present invention can be incorporated into existing fruit and vegetable packing lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Packline Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Lorin Reed
  • Patent number: 9840379
    Abstract: Features for systems and methods for loading items into a tray are disclosed. The system may have an item conveyor configured to move the items towards a tray conveyor. The tray conveyor may be configured to move trays to receive items from the item conveyor into the tray. One or more sensors may detect the height of the items on the item conveyor and/or in the tray, and/or the position of the trays on the tray conveyor. A controller may receive data related to the one or more detected heights of the items and/or the position of the trays on the tray conveyor and correspondingly control movement of the item and/or tray conveyors for efficient loading of items into the tray and efficient movement of the trays for further processing. Tray conveyor movement sensors may detect movement of the trays or tray conveyors for further control or reliability of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: The United States Postal Service
    Inventors: Dongliang Yang, Shao C. Yang, Christopher R. Simpson, James E. Goodbar, Marina E. Khazanov, George Coupar
  • Patent number: 9789983
    Abstract: For the automatic insertion of packs (11) into a large-volume carton (10), two work tools are used, namely, a pack robot (33) with carton holder (30) for holding the cartons (10) ready and a pack robot (33) with head (37) for inserting the individual packs (11) one after another into the carton (10) in the region of a packing station (33). Through relative movement of carton (10) and pack (11), different pack formations are created within the carton (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co. KG)
    Inventors: Bjorn Brandhorst, Frank Sachs, Andreas Neufeld
  • Patent number: 9468217
    Abstract: A thickness control system for a high speed tortilla sheeting machine can adjust a pinch point gap between a pair of sheeting rollers to maintain a generally uniform thickness of the produced “masa” (i.e., corn dough) sheet. The sheeting machine can include a pinch point gap adjustment device which guides at least one of the rollers through an arcuate path to thereby adjust a magnitude of the pinch point gap. The controller can direct one or more actuators to change the position of the roller along the archive path to thereby change the distance between the two sheeting rollers as desired to produce a masa sheet at the desired preset thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: J.C. Ford Company
    Inventors: Scott D. Ruhe, Peter A. Scherz
  • Patent number: 9415890
    Abstract: A device for opening and emptying filled two-piece capsules, each having a capsule lower part and a capsule upper part, comprises a separator block for separating the capsule lower part from the capsule upper part. A guide pusher is provided for pressing individual two-piece capsules into the separator block in a pressing direction. The separator block has a first clamping track for the lower capsule part and a second clamping track for the capsule upper part. The clamping track have a direction of advancement in which the capsule upper part or capsule lower part can be moved by the guide pusher and be clamped perpendicularly thereto. The two clamping tracks are inclined such that their directions of advancement diverge at an angle to the pressing direction of the guide pusher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Harro Höfliger Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Reiner Wurst, Klaus Käfer
  • Patent number: 9334129
    Abstract: An automated mail tray filling apparatus for taking envelopes from a vertical stacker output of an inserter machine and placing them in mail trays. A vertical stack of envelopes rests on a long stacker table. The mail tray filling apparatus has a track positioned next the vertical stacker table parallel to the length of the vertical stacker table. A mail tray transport is positioned beneath the track and arranged to transport mail trays beneath the track in a direction parallel to the vertical stacker table. A movable mail tray filler is movably mounted on the track to travel in parallel next to the vertical stacker table and above the mail tray transport, and is arranged to withdraw envelopes from the end of the vertical stack in a sideways direction. Envelopes are then redirected into a downward direction and fed into a mail tray positioned beneath the movable mail tray filler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph J. Keane, Donato C. Farole, Glenn A. Nester
  • Patent number: 9284133
    Abstract: The conveyor system is provided for carrying a shingled stream of items along at least two possible transport paths. The conveyor system includes an incoming endless-belt conveyor unit. The downstream end portion of the incoming conveyor unit includes a first conveyor belt and a second conveyor belt forming juxtaposed first and second conveyor belt runs between which the items are frictionally engaged when carried along the incoming portion of the transport paths. A diverter is provided within the downstream end portion of the incoming conveyor unit. The diverter includes at least one diverter segment pivotable around a transversal pivot axis, each diverter segment supporting one of the first rollers for the first conveyor belt run and one of the second rollers for the second conveyor belt run. A method of minimizing the length of a diverter in a conveyor system is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: CONCEPTION IMPACK DTCI INC.
    Inventors: Dominic Theriault, Mathieu Tremblay, Jonathan Lemay
  • Publication number: 20150059286
    Abstract: An apparatus for placing pouches in retail-ready cartons includes pouch placer having an elevator assembly having paddles for receiving pouches provided by a first conveyor, and lifting the pouches, and a first robot arm for retrieving a pouch from a paddle of the elevator assembly and placing it in a retail-ready carton.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Luke L. Vazul, Michael Sammons, Sean Patrick Wells, Kristi Nordlund, Roger Calabrese
  • Patent number: 8935906
    Abstract: A system for distributing articles into an internal compartment of a storage unit has a longitudinally displaceable support or platform above the compartment which is movable longitudinally between a plurality of spaced discharge areas over corresponding storage positions. The support has at least one free edge, and is moved until an article carried on the support is displaced by a pusher moved into the path of the article and pushed over the edge to drop into the selected storage position. In one example, the support has opposite free edges and articles are selectively pushed over the edges into different storage positions. The process is repeated to dispense articles into different storage positions for uniform filling, and to control movement of the support and deployment of the pusher so that articles are dispensed into the storage positions with available space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Schur International A/S
    Inventor: Henrik Pape
  • Publication number: 20150013277
    Abstract: For the automatic insertion of packs (11) into a large-volume carton (10), two work tools are used, namely, a pack robot (33) with carton holder (30) for holding the cartons (10) ready and a pack robot (33) with head (37) for inserting the individual packs (11) one after another into the carton (10) in the region of a packing station (33). Through relative movement of carton (10) and pack (11), different pack formations are created within the carton (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: FOCKE & CO. (GMBH & CO. KG)
    Inventors: Bjorn Brandhorst, Frank Sachs, Andreas Neufeld
  • Publication number: 20140318086
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for counting and filling, which allows materials to be counted to be supplied smoothly from a hopper to a transport mechanism, and is hardly influenced by the shape of the materials to be counted, and further has a simple configuration. The counting and filling apparatus aligns the materials to be counted through a guide route of a delivery mechanism, delivers the materials to a transport route of a transport mechanism, transports, counts, and fills the materials, and is configured to include the spiral groove rod disposed from the guide route to the transport route, and an adjusting unit which allows the materials supported in spiral grooves of the spiral groove rod to pass from the guide route to the transport route, and prevents passing of the materials overlapped on the spiral groove rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: YUNITEC Inc.
    Inventor: Akira ISHIZUKA
  • Publication number: 20140251852
    Abstract: Embodiments of this disclosure include a rigid tray container and methods and equipment for using the rigid tray container in batched process operations. In one embodiment, a mass container is sized and dimensioned to receive one or several rigid tray containers. In other embodiments, equipment is configured to lid/unlid, secure, stack, load/unload, and buffer rigid tray containers. In other embodiments, equipment is configured to stack and stage mass containers. In some embodiments, methods are provided for batch processing items.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: United States Postal Service
    Inventor: Donald R. Close
  • Patent number: 8826631
    Abstract: The device for filling packaging receptacles with pharmaceutical products has a supply container for the pharmaceutical products and a feed device with at least one guide channel for conducting the pharmaceutical products by means of gravity from the supply container to the packaging receptacles. At least one high-voltage ionizer element supplied with alternating voltage is arranged in the area of the at least one guide channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Uhlmann Pac-Systeme GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Anton Singer
  • Patent number: 8782999
    Abstract: A tablet supply apparatus including a main body having a case accommodating unit at the upper portion thereof, plural tablet cases that are secured in the case accommodating unit and in which tablets are accommodated, a chute through which tablets discharged from each of the tablet cases drop, a hopper that is disposed below the chute and provided in the main body, a filling device for filling tablets received by the hopper into a container, and at least one tablet feeder for freely putting into the hopper tablets whose kinds are other than the kinds of the tablets accommodated in the table cases. The tablet feeder has an opening for putting tablets, a shutter for temporarily trapping the tables put from the opening and a switch for opening the shutter, and is designed so that the put tablets on the shutter are visually recognizable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Healthcare Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Kondo, Takashi Mori, Koichi Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20140193100
    Abstract: A filling system and filling device for introducing items for delivery into a delivery bag. The filling device has a stacking mechanism that stacks the items for delivery in the delivery bag. The items for delivery include one or more flat articles, and can include an enclosure unit that is flat, at least partially open on at least one side, and at least partially closed on at least one side, such that the enclosure unit forms an envelope or a pocket. The item for delivery and/or the enclosure unit can have a receiver identification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: FERAG AG
    Inventor: Sergio Sigrist
  • Patent number: 8769915
    Abstract: A tablet supply apparatus including a main body having a case accommodating unit at the upper portion thereof, plural tablet cases provided in the case accommodating unit, each of the tablet cases having tablets accommodated therein, a hopper provided at the lower side of the tablet case in the main body, a nozzle for filling tablets received by the hopper into a container, the nozzle comprising a passage through which tables drop, a shutter which is freely opened and closed so as to allow or prohibit passage of dropping tablets through the nozzle, and a sensor for detecting passage of the tablets dropping through the passage at an upper side of the shutter. Furthermore, a tablet feeder for adding deficient tablets to the hopper comprises plural cells for accommodating tablets and an endless belt on which the cells are arranged on a line side by side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Healthcare Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Kobayashi, Takashi Mori
  • Publication number: 20140096480
    Abstract: A packaging device comprises a frame, a conveying mechanism mounted on the frame, and two loading mechanisms mounted on opposite sides of the frame. The conveying mechanism holds a workpiece. The loading mechanism includes a feeding assembly and a pushing assembly. The feeding assembly includes a first driver mounted on the frame, and a bearing member movably mounted on the guiding base and connected to the first driver, for holding a number of protection members. The pushing assembly includes a second driver fixed on a top surface of the frame, and a pushing member connected to the second driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicants: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD., HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (ShenZhen) CO., LTD.
    Inventor: HAI-BO ZHOU
  • Publication number: 20140075891
    Abstract: There is presented a device and method for filling and advancing a series of containers including a first container and a next container. The device includes first and second assemblies having first and second restraining members respectively. The assemblies are positionable relative to each other in an object-receiving configuration in which the first restraining member and the second restraining member are inserted into the first container, and at least partially define a gap therebetween for deposition of an object. They are also positionable in a transitional configuration in which the second restraining member is raised relative to the first restraining member, and a lower portion of the second restraining member is positioned above and behind a leading internal face of the next container; and a container advancement configuration in which at least part of the second restraining member is in contact with and applying an advancement force to the leading internal face of the next container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: Manufacturing Solutions Pty Ltd.
    Inventor: Leon Hooper
  • Publication number: 20140059976
    Abstract: Disclosed is a product case packing system with a gripping head assembly and a packaging grid assembly linked by a coordination arm that synchronizes the delivery of the product to be packaged and with the positioning of the grid assembly into the packaging container. The system includes a gripper head assembly extension control module, capable of controlling multiple travel distances of the gripper head assembly in a single packing cycle, a product assembly detection module, and a packaging release control element for subtle separation of individual packed containers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Inventors: John L. Raudat, Les Dennison
  • Patent number: 8662088
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for filling under gravity from a hopper (9), a storage device (2) for articles that has the form of a columnar cavity between opposed side walls with a mass flow of mutually parallel rod-shaped articles descending from the hopper, a cavity-filling device (12) that alternates in use between a closed configuration that blocks a downward flow of the said articles through the device and an open configuration that allows flow of the articles through the device, the device being movable in translation, in alternate upward and downward strokes within the cavity, being in the closed configuration on the downward stroke and in the open configuration on the upward stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: International Tobacco Machinery Poland SP . Z O.O.
    Inventors: Radoslaw Owczarek, Adam Gielniewski
  • Patent number: 8646248
    Abstract: A packaging apparatus includes a collection unit and a conveyance unit. The collection unit is configured and arranged to overlay a plurality of packaged objects on adjacent packaged objects. The conveyance unit is configured and arranged to convey, as a group of packaged objects, the packaged objects which are overlaid on the adjacent packaged objects at the collection unit. The conveyance unit includes a position control component. At least one portion of the position control component is positioned below a conveyance plane of the conveyance unit and the other portion of the position control component is positioned above the conveyance plane of the conveyance unit before positions of the packaged objects are adjusted, the one portion and the other portion of the position control component is provided sequentially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seisaku Iwasa, Motoki Takayama, Tatsuya Arimatsu, Yuji Yokota, Takashi Kondo
  • Patent number: 8621825
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a capsule support arrangement for a filling and closing machine for two-part capsules with a capsule upper part and a capsule lower part. The capsule support arrangement includes an upper part segment for receiving capsule upper parts and a lower part segment for receiving capsule lower parts. The upper part segment and the lower part segment respectively have at least one first receiving opening with a first diameter and a second receiving opening with a second diameter, the first diameter differing from the second diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Schmied, Tobias Fritz
  • Patent number: 8561380
    Abstract: A system for assembling a shipping package includes a feeder feeding an envelope from a supply of envelopes and a transport mechanism that transports a shipping container from a supply of shipping containers and places the shipping container in position for the feeder to insert the envelope into the shipping container. The envelope contains a replacement presentation instrument and a shipping indicator, and the shipping indicator includes a shipping address visible through a first substantially clear window in the envelope. Each shipping container has a second substantially clear window, and when the envelope has been inserted into the shipping container, the shipping address is visible through the second substantially clear window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: First Data Corporation
    Inventors: Fred C Casto, Jon A Gates, Corey D Tunink
  • Publication number: 20130239518
    Abstract: A device for packaging fruit or vegetables, comprising: a first conveyor device (10), predisposed to convey a plurality of products (100) along a first advancement direction (X) and to unload each item (100) individually from at least one side with respect to the advancement direction (X); a grip layer (30), arranged on one side of the first conveyor device (10), predisposed to receive the products (100) unloaded from the first conveyor device and to slow down and stop the movement of the products (100) in a progressive and controlled manner (100).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: B. LONGOBARDI S.R.L.
    Inventor: Bruno LONGOBARDI
  • Publication number: 20130167478
    Abstract: A device for packaging products in a box, including a frame having a moving conveyor, a guide for supporting the products from an entry end to an exit end of said guide, which guide extends parallel to said conveyor, means for holding a box at the exit end of said guide such that the opening of the box extends parallel to said guide at the other side thereof, said conveyor having support members extending perpendicular to the conveyor and towards said guide when they move along said guide, a feeder for feeding said products at the entry end of said guide between two support members, wherein said products are stacked in parallel means for moving said stack of products at the exit end past the edge of said exit end into said box, and means for transporting the box in a direction parallel to said guide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Inventor: Antonius Adrianus Arnoldus Smits
  • Patent number: 8333051
    Abstract: An apparatus that allows a storage bin to be evenly loaded while providing an environment which prevents fruit from colliding into machinery and into each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Van Doren Sales, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter John Grentz, Arthur Lee Murison, Steven Archie Cochran
  • Patent number: 8307618
    Abstract: A packaging apparatus includes a conveyance unit having first and second position control plates. The first position control plate is arranged to selectively move forward or backward so as to obstruct or pass the group of packaged objects conveyed on the conveyance unit. When positions of the packaged objects are adjusted, the second position control plate is arranged to move from a downstream-side portion of the conveyance unit toward the first position control plate, rotate in a direction toward the first position control plate. or move from the downstream-side portion of the conveyance unit toward the first position control plate and simultaneously rotate in the direction toward the first position control plate. A subsequent process step delivery unit is arranged to deliver the group of packaged objects after the positions thereof are adjusted by the first and second position control plates, to a subsequent process device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seisaku Iwasa, Motoki Takayama, Tatsuya Arimatsu, Yuji Yokota, Takashi Kondo
  • Patent number: 8261514
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for loading drums into a drum container, in which a function of gripping a lid of the drum container is added to a gripper used when a drum filled with radioactive waste is loaded into the drum container, thereby considerably reducing loading time of the drums, risk of dropping the drum, and preventing a radiation exposure risk. The apparatus includes a drum feeder transferring a drum, a drum container into which the drums transferred through the drum feeder are sequentially loaded, a support frame on which a lid of the drum container is placed when the drums are being loaded, and a crane having a gripper that selectively grips and transfers the drum or the drum container lid. The gripper includes radial gripper arms, an arm hydraulic unit reciprocating the gripper arms, jaws on inner sides of the gripper arms and gripping an outer surface of the drum, and latches for latching the drum container lid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignees: Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd., Bukwang Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Rak Choi, Sung-Hwan Chung, Sung-Jin Kim
  • Patent number: 8250836
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatically loading drums into a drum container, in which, when the drums filled with radioactive waste are loaded into the drum container, the drums are fed to a designated position, and placed at a fixed position, reducing loading time and manpower as well as minimizing radiation exposure risk associated with radioactive waste treatment. The apparatus includes a drum feeder having conveyor modules transferring the drums and a turntable rotating a drum transferred to an orientation where the drum can be gripped, for sequentially loading the drums, a support frame on which a lid of the drum container is placed when the drums are being loaded, and a crane that grips and transfers the drum or the drum container lid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignees: Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd., Bukwang Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Rak Choi, Sung-Hwan Chung, Sung-Jin Kim
  • Patent number: 8220657
    Abstract: A unit (100) for filling containers (2) with products (1), in particular pharmaceutical products (1), includes a hopper (3, 3a) containing a mass of products (1) in bulk, conveying means (5, 6) aimed at feeding the products (1) leaving the hopper (3) along a predetermined path (P) up to a station (SR), where the containers (2) are filled with the products (1). The containers (2) are fed to the filling station (SR) by transporting means (4, C). A checking station (SC) for checking the products (1) is situated along the path (P) upstream of the filling station (SR). The conveying means (5, 6) include first means (51, 52, 53) consisting of vibrating planes and second conveying means (6). The second conveying means (6) are situated at the checking station (SC) between the conveying/vibrating planes (51, 52, 53) and the filling station (SR).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.p.A
    Inventor: Sergio Cicognani
  • Patent number: 8146777
    Abstract: There is provided a medicine feeding device which can apply uniform tension to wrapping paper wound in a roll state to wrap a medicine. The medicine feeding device comprises a tablet case which stores a medicine, and the wrapping paper wound in the roll state, wraps a medicine discharged from the tablet case in wrapping paper 72, and comprises a tension application mechanism 113 which applies predetermined tension to the continuously pulled-out wrapping paper. This tension application mechanism is constituted to freely move up-and-down, and to apply tension to the pulled-out wrapping paper by its own weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsuo Inamura
  • Patent number: 8146331
    Abstract: The present invention is an automated packaging apparatus utilizing a rotating assembly of elongated slats containing cavities to receive discrete pharmaceutical, vitamin, or food products. Quantities of discrete products such as tablets, capsules, or gels are deposited into the hopper of the apparatus. The apparatus then dispenses the discrete products into containers moving on a conveyor system such that each container receives a predetermined quality and quantity of pharmaceutical, vitamin, or food products. While operating at high speed, the apparatus inspects, counts, identifies and analyzes each product deposited into the containers and maintains electronic records describing the status of each product. In the event any errors occur the apparatus produces various alerts to inform the operator. The presence of foreign products or objects may cause the apparatus to instantly stop the entire system including peripheral equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Inventor: Sabrie Soloman
  • Patent number: 8099929
    Abstract: Automatic feeding machines are commonly used for filling blister packs with items of product such as pharmaceutical dosage forms. These machines are usually designed for the handling of a specific shape and sized product item. Handling of different shaped items requires expensive re-tooling of all the product item contact components. The invention allows a single feeding machine to be quickly configured for use to handling a wide variety of item sizes/shapes. A machine (21) has a tray (36) defining a series of tapered channels (40) and a container (22) slideably mounted above the tray. A wall of the container and the channels together define apertures into each channel through which items of product pass out of the container. Sliding movement of the container across the planar tray surface (38), along and over the channels, allows the size of the apertures to be adjusted depending upon the size of the item of product to be handled, using the same components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Surgichem Limited
    Inventors: Raymond George Kirby, Kim Warrick
  • Publication number: 20120005992
    Abstract: A packaging system for packaging food on a plurality of trays is provided. The packaging system has a main conveyor configured to move each of the plurality of trays about the packaging system and a tray unloader for unloading one tray from a tray stack onto the main conveyor. The packaging system has a food loader configured to place the food into each of the trays and a food accessory loader configured to place a food accessory into a storage compartment of each of the trays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventors: Christopher N. Waldrop, Michael W. Waldrop, David R. Waldrop
  • Publication number: 20110314775
    Abstract: A system for packaging a plurality of tablets is disclosed that includes a container. The container comprises a generally elongated channel having a first end and a second end positioned below the first end. The first end has an aperture for receiving a plurality of tablets in series into the channel. The system also includes a container holding and vibration apparatus operable to hold the container and concurrently apply linear vibration in a direction to the container. A tablet delivery system is provided that is operable to deliver the tablets in series to the container in a direction that is substantially in alignment with the direction of linear vibration of the container. The linear vibration of the container provided is operable to align the tablets in a stacked formation within the channel of said container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Inventors: Brian Ernest Gosse, Kenneth James Woolley, Martin Vincent Waite
  • Patent number: 8082722
    Abstract: The device places filled and sealed collapsible containers. The device has a gripping unit with a number of finger pairs that correspond to the number of containers in a packing state. The gripping unit has a gripping state in which each finger is arranged to make a squeezing motion such that the contents of the container forms an inner counter-pressure structure to provide a well-defined grip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Ecolean Research & Development A/S
    Inventor: Per Gustafsson
  • Patent number: 8033082
    Abstract: A packaging machine includes a grouper section having changeable lane sizes and a dual servo grouper that separates product into product sets and allow the product sets to accelerate to the lane chain speed in a controlled manner. The grouper section further includes disappearing lugs that pivot into the lanes via a cam surface provided in the lanes. The product rides upon a raised surface of the cam surface as the lug pushes the product set together down the lane, thus ensuring that no gaps are provided between product set members. A gripper/grid section of the packaging machine includes a bars that travel about a carousel with a gripper head assembly and a grid assembly pair moving up and down the bars as defined by cam surfaces within the gripper/grid section. The grid section is presented below the product set such that the product set is fed through the grid section in a one-way trip into a case. The gripper head assembly cam device and the case feed section both include height adjustment assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Standard Knapp Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Raudat, J. Michael Weaver, Rick Dolce, Jeffrey Reilly, Lloyd Johnson, Vincent M. Cassarino
  • Patent number: 7980382
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for uniformly filling a relatively large container (5) with relatively delicate products, wherein the products are supplied at a first level using a feed conveyor (17), and these products are transferred by means of a guiding device which guides the products in restrained manner from the first level to a second level, wherein at the second level the products are released into a distributing device (3) for distribution in the container. The invention further relates to a guiding device (2) for guiding products from a feed conveyor, comprising: —at least one transfer member (11) comprising means for receiving the products at a speed which can be adjusted to the speed of the feed conveyor, —a guide member (12) which is arranged substantially along a part of the outside of the transfer member for guiding the products in the transfer member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: De Greef's Wagen-, Carrosserie- en Machinebouw B.V.
    Inventor: Jacob Hendrik De Greef
  • Publication number: 20110167771
    Abstract: A package filling plant, a packing device and method for grouping a packing formation of packages and containers, and a packing device and method for grouping a packing formation of packages and containers. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Inventors: Volker TILL, Thomas MATHEYKA
  • Publication number: 20110131922
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for separating and packing gloves in a particular order from a collection area wherein the gloves are provided unordered and unsorted, a device for separating and packing gloves not in a particular order from a collection area wherein the gloves are provided unordered and unsorted and also to a device for separating and packing gloves in a predetermined order directly from dipping line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicants: DOEKA ASIA SDN. BHD., DOEKA MASCHINENBAU GMBH & CO KG
    Inventor: Peter Zuber
  • Patent number: 7950202
    Abstract: There is provided a medicine packing device, which prevents a free end of a bottom plate of a tablet dispensing measure from tilting due to its own weight. A bottom plate 43 is provided at a lower opening of a tablet dispensing measure 42. The bottom plate 43 includes a pin 44 at its base end. A leading end of the bottom plate is a free end. When the tablet dispensing measure 42 reaches corresponding stepped portions 37a to 37d by a movement of a tablet dispensing member 36, an opening protrusion 144b of a fixed plate 37 is fitted to an opening recess 43c of the bottom plate 43 and thus the bottom plate 43 pivots about the pin 44 from a closed position to an open position. If the bottom plate 43 moves to the open position, then tablets in the tablet dispensing measure 42 drop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Yuyama Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Kodama, Katsunori Yoshina, Koji Yamashita