Abstract:
The technology described herein generally relates to an automated packaging apparatus and system that packages loose particles into a conical container as well as the final folded packages. More specifically, loose plant matter, such as crumbled dried leaves, are supplied to successive paper cones. The apparatus packs the crumbled leaves into the cones, closes the wide top portion of the cone into a precise shape, and then runs a quality control check to ensure that the final filled cone meets preset specifications.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a support unit intended for constituting part of a denesting apparatus, and for supporting a stack of trays, cups or other receptacles to be denested in the denesting apparatus. The support unit comprises a surface capable of displacing from a retracted position in relation to the stack of trays to a projected position in relation to the stack of trays, and vice versa, by operating a motorised actuator. The first and second surfaces (32,33) also is capable of displacing automatically from a projected position to a retracted position in relation to the stack of trays or cups by elevating the stack of receptacles. The first and second surfaces (32,33) is also capable of displacing automatically from the retracted position to the projected position in relation to the stack of trays or cups by the first and second surfaces (32,33) being biased by a spring load. The invention also relates to a denesting apparatus and to a method for repositioning in a denesting apparatus a stack of receptacles such as trays or cups.
Abstract:
Die Erfindung betrifft einen Deckelseparierer (1) zum Vereinzeln einer Vielzahl von Deckeln (2), insbesondere von metallischen Deckeln (2) zum Verschliessen von Konservendosen. Erfindungsgemäss ist die Vielzahl von Deckeln (2) über eine Speiseeinheit (4) und einen Deckeleinlass (41) einer um eine Drehachse (D, D1, D2, D3) rotierbaren Schneckenwelle (3, 31, 32, 33) des Deckelseparierers (1) derart in Form eines Deckelstroms (21) zuführbar, dass die einzelnen Deckel (2) des Deckelstroms (21) durch die Schneckenwelle (3, 31, 32, 33) so voneinander separierbar sind, dass im Betriebszustand zwei benachbarte Deckel (2) an der Schneckenwelle (3, 31, 32, 33) in einem vorgebbaren Abstand (A) mit einem Zwischenraum (Z) zueinander angeordnet werden. Der Deckelseparierer (1) umfasst dabei derart eine Behandlungseinrichtung (5, 501, 502), dass die Deckel (2) in einem vorgebbaren Behandlungsbereich (51) der Schneckenwelle (3, 31, 32, 33) mit einem Behandlungsmedium (52) behandelt werden können und nach der Behandlung über einen Deckelauslass (42) aus dem Deckelseparierer (1) ausgestossen werden können. Des Weiteren betrifft die Erfindungen ein Verfahren zum Vereinzeln und Behandeln einer Vielzahl von Deckeln (2).
Abstract:
The invention provides an apparatus for separating a cone sleeve (4) from a nested stack of cone sleeves (1) the apparatus comprising a chamber (2) having an upper (7) and a lower (8) surface connected by a wall or walls (6), the upper surface (7) having an upper circular opening (3) and the lower surface (8) having a lower circular opening (5) characterised in that the upper circular opening (3) has a circumference of from 100-135% of the maximum circumference of the cone sleeve (4), the lower circular opening (5) has a circumference of from 95-99.5% of the maximum circumference of the cone sleeve (4), and the chamber (2) has inlets (9) connectable to a pressurised gas supply. The invention also provides process that employs the apparatus, the process comprising the steps of providing a stack of nested cone sleeves (1); placing the lowermost end of the stack into the chamber (2) from above the chamber (2); and allowing the lowermost cone sleeve (4) to sit within the lower circular opening (5) and allowing the cone sleeves above the lowermost cone sleeve (4) to protrude from the top of the chamber (2) characterised in that pressurised gas is introduced into the chamber via the inlets (9) thereby to create an elevated pressure within the chamber (2).
Abstract:
A gripping device for gripping an egg tray (3A) having a dimpled structure includes including a gripping unit (4) that is movable up and down to engage and grip the egg tray (3A) and move it. The gripping unit comprises(4) at least a pair of opposite gripping members (42A, 42B) which are movable in opposite directions, substantially transverse to the up and down movement of the unit (4), from a retracted position to an advanced position to grip a dimple (31) of the egg tray (3A), and from the advanced position to the retracted position to release the dimple. Each gripping member (42A, 42B) of said pair has a separate pressure operated actuator (46) operatively connected to it. The actuator (46), upon pressurization, moves the corresponding gripping member (42A, 42B) from the retracted position to the advanced position.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a denesting element (5) for a denesting apparatus. The denesting apparatus is intended for denesting stacked objects (1,2) in a predetermined denesting direction. The denesting element (5) has at least a base (6) and a contact section (31). The base (6) is intended for being placed between the contact section (31) and a drive element (33) of the denesting apparatus. The drive element (33) is intended for driving the denesting element (5) rotationally or translationally. When the denesting element (5) is mounted in the denesting apparatus, the contact section (31) is capable of displacing elastically between an extended position and a retracted position.
Abstract:
An apparatus for destacking articles (1) such as nested containers comprises a lead-screw (3; 11; 25) and a drive means (4; 30), typically a motor. The lead-screw (3; 11; 25) comprises a spiral flight (5) of at least one revolution mounted on a shaft (6). A means (7; 25)) for supporting a stack of the articles (1) in a predetermined orientation relative to the lead-screw (3; 11; 25) is also provided. It will be appreciated that when the shaft (6) is rotated by the motor (4; 30) an edge (8) of the flight (5) is inserted in a gap (2) defined between two of the articles (i) at one end of the stack so that on rotation of the shaft (6), the lead-screw (3; 11; 25) will act to separate the end article from the rest of stack. The lead-screw (3) may be a mono-pitch lead-screw or the lead-screw (11; 25) may be a variable pitch lead-screw.
Abstract:
An automatic bulk filling machine is provided having a container input end (50) which includes a fill station (54) for filling a container (38) in accordance with weight or volume requirements followed by a lid dispensing and attachment station (66) wherein the lids (86) of the container (38) are placed over the container in registry with the lip (104) of the container (38) and closed onto the bulk container by a piston cylinder combination (92, 100) having a lid pad (96) for pressing and deforming the center of the lid onto the bulk container before press fitting the bulk container lid onto the bulk container which filled and sealed bulk container is then transferred to an optional labeling station (110) and subsequently transferred to the output end of the conveyor (30) to complete the automated filling, sealing and labeling operations for removal of the container from the automated bulk filling machine. Optional gassing (176), accumulating (150), labeling (110), filling (54) and bulk container separation (300) and advancement devices may be provided to further increase the capacity and production capabilities of the automated bulk filling machine.
Abstract:
An automated system for preparing and delivering postmix beverages in response to one or more drink orders being entered from a remote point of sale unit or a local keypad and including: a postmix beverage preparation assembly for dispensing ice and a selected postmix beverage into a cup; an oblong carousel type conveyor assembly including a plurality of upwardly open cup holders which are driven by a motor driven belt so as to pass beneath a cup dispensing station, an ice dispensing station, a beverage dispensing station, and a plurality of pick-up stations; a cup storage and dispenser assembly including a bidirectionally rotatable turret upon which is mounted a plurality of different sized cup supply tubes for holding a respective stack of beverage cups; and a pneumatic vertically driven cup gripper/extractor mechanism having a pair of pneumatically operated gripper arms which operate to remove a cup from a selected supply tube on the turret and placing the extracted cup into a empty cup holder which is then transported past the dispensing stations and then to a pick-up station on the conveyor for manual removal by an attendant.
Abstract:
The invention concerns a blocking blade for intermittently preventing the separation of can lids with a first circular disc (2) which is disposed so as to rotate about an axis (100) and has a radius (r), and a second circular disc (3), likewise disposed so as to rotate about the axis (100). Over the greater part of its periphery, the disc (3) has a larger radius (R) than the first disc and, over a smaller part of its periphery, a recess (4) with a radial depth of approximately (R-r) over the entire thickness and dimensions in the peripheral direction such that a can lid (11) to be separated can abut tangentially in this recess without having to come into contact with the edges (5, 6) of the recess. One of the two edges (5 or 6) of the larger part is formed in the manner of a knife-edge (7) towards the recess. The blocking blade can be combined with a separating blade to form a can lid separating device, the blocking blade enabling the separation of the can lids to be prevented intermittently. The blocking blade can engage from a rest position (A) in an arcuate manner in the gap between a lower lid and the next lid lying therebelow.