US4630428A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for placement of small articles, such as candies or chocolates in predetermined positions in a receiver
Assignee: Sapal SA
•
Filing: 1985-04-02
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Granted: 1986-12-23
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Expires: 2005-04-02
Abstract
Abstract Small articles, particularly chocolate and candies, are placed in predetermined positions in a receiver, such as deep-drawn compartmented boxes. The articles (1) are assigned coordinate positions (90) in the receiver, in X-Y coordinate system. The receivers (2) are transported at a predetermined, preferably speed passed an insertion station, where the articles are moved in a predetermined insertion path (47) transversely to the X direction of movement of the receivers. The movement of the articles and the transport speed of the receivers are synchronized. To permit placement of the articles at selected X coordinate positions, a temporal phase shift is introduced between the movement of the articles in the insertion path and the transport speed of the receivers, for example by changing the position of a cross gear in a differential. The insertion path in the Y direction is predetermined by guide tracks (14, 15) which is shifted bodily in the Y direction by a positioning motor (60, 61). The insertion units can be made narrow to place a number of them adjacent the transport path.
Inventors
- 👤 Hans-Bernd Lesch
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 13:05
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B5/00; B65B5/10; B65B5/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
254 words
Method of placing small articles (1), such as candies, chocolates and the like, in a predetermined position in a receiver (2) having receiving compartments for the articles, using the steps of allocating to each article a coordinate position (90) in the receiver (2) in an orthogonal X-Y coordinate system (89); continuously transporting the receiver (2) in the X coordinate direction, with a predetermined speed and a predetermined spacing, beneath an insertion station; supplying the articles to the insertion station; at the insertion station, grasping an article and cyclically moving the grasped article in a predetermined insertion path (47) in the Y coordinate direction, over the continuously moving receiver, releasing the grasped article into the receiver (2), and controlling the X coordinate position of placement or the articles in the receiver during the continuous transport movement of the receiver by selectively controlling the timing of the insertion movement of the articles during said continuous transport movement of the receiver with respect to the continuous transport movement of the receiver (2) to thereby determine, during the continuous transport movement of the receiver, the selected X coordinate position (90) of the article (1) in the receiver upon release of the article into the receiver; and the step of cyclically moving the articles in the predetermined insertion path (47) comprises moving the articles in a path which is located in a vertical plane, which plane includes said Y coordinate direction, and is fixed in space; and the receiver is moving at a constant speed past the insertion station.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
254 words
Method of placing small articles (1), such as candies, chocolates and the like, in a predetermined position in a receiver (2) having receiving compartments for the articles, using the steps of allocating to each article a coordinate position (90) in the receiver (2) in an orthogonal X-Y coordinate system (89); continuously transporting the receiver (2) in the X coordinate direction, with a predetermined speed and a predetermined spacing, beneath an insertion station; supplying the articles to the insertion station; at the insertion station, grasping an article and cyclically moving the grasped article in a predetermined insertion path (47) in the Y coordinate direction, over the continuously moving receiver, releasing the grasped article into the receiver (2), and controlling the X coordinate position of placement or the articles in the receiver during the continuous transport movement of the receiver by selectively controlling the timing of the insertion movement of the articles during said continuous transport movement of the receiver with respect to the continuous transport movement of the receiver (2) to thereby determine, during the continuous transport movement of the receiver, the selected X coordinate position (90) of the article (1) in the receiver upon release of the article into the receiver; and the step of cyclically moving the articles in the predetermined insertion path (47) comprises moving the articles in a path which is located in a vertical plane, which plane includes said Y coordinate direction, and is fixed in space; and the receiver is moving at a constant speed past the insertion station.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
Method according to claim 1 wherein the step of continuously transporting the receiver comprises transporting the receiver (2) at constant speed toward the insertion station.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
Method according to claim 1 including the step of shifting the entire insertion path in the Y coordinate direction, in dependence on the selected Y coordinate position of the article in the receiver during movement of the receiver.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
Method according to claim 1 including the step of moving the articles, at least at a time shortly in advance of releasing the article into the receiver with a component of movement corresponding to that of the transport speed of movement of the receiver in the X coordination direction.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
238 words
Apparatus for placement of small articles (1) in predetermined positions in a receiver (2) having receiving compartments for the articles, such as candy or chocolates, in receiving boxes, having an insertion station; conveyor means (3) continuously moving receivers (2) with predetermined spacing and at a predetermined speed past the insertion station in an X coordinate direction in an X-Y coordinate system, and moving a receiver to receive articles at constant speed past the insertion station, said insertion station including placement means (4); article holding means (22, 46) and article supply means (5) supplying articles to the holding means; means (15, 16, 18, 20) for cyclically moving the article holding means in a predetermined insertion path (47) extending in a vertical plane and in the Y direction for placing an article at a predetermined position in the Y coordinate in the receiver (2); and means (50, 51-54), for synchronously moving the cyclical article holding means and the container means (3), and comprising means for relatively controlling the position of placement of an article being placed in the receiver at a predetermined X-coordinate location during continuous movement of the receiver including means (50, 57, 58) for selectively controlling the relative timing of movement of the article holding moving means (5, 51-54, 3) with respect to the continuous constant speed of movement of the conveyor means (3), and while said receptacle on the conveyor means is moving at said constant speed.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
238 words
Apparatus for placement of small articles (1) in predetermined positions in a receiver (2) having receiving compartments for the articles, such as candy or chocolates, in receiving boxes, having an insertion station; conveyor means (3) continuously moving receivers (2) with predetermined spacing and at a predetermined speed past the insertion station in an X coordinate direction in an X-Y coordinate system, and moving a receiver to receive articles at constant speed past the insertion station, said insertion station including placement means (4); article holding means (22, 46) and article supply means (5) supplying articles to the holding means; means (15, 16, 18, 20) for cyclically moving the article holding means in a predetermined insertion path (47) extending in a vertical plane and in the Y direction for placing an article at a predetermined position in the Y coordinate in the receiver (2); and means (50, 51-54), for synchronously moving the cyclical article holding means and the container means (3), and comprising means for relatively controlling the position of placement of an article being placed in the receiver at a predetermined X-coordinate location during continuous movement of the receiver including means (50, 57, 58) for selectively controlling the relative timing of movement of the article holding moving means (5, 51-54, 3) with respect to the continuous constant speed of movement of the conveyor means (3), and while said receptacle on the conveyor means is moving at said constant speed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the means for controlling the relative timing of movement introduces a temporal phase shift, said timing control means comprising a rotation angle shift coupling between the conveyor means (3) and the article placement means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the rotation angle shift coupling comprises a differential (50); and shift control means (57, 58) coupled to the differential to introduce a rotational angular shift between an input shaft and an output shaft of the differential.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
86 words
Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the placement means comprises a placement head (16); fixed guide tracks (14, 15) controlling movement of the placement head (16) for movement of the placement head in the Y coordinate direction; and positioning elements (60, 61) coupled to the fixed guide track and moving the fixed guide track (14, 15) in the Y direction to shift the Y position of the insertion of the articles by the insertion head in accordance with a selected Y coordinate of the selected position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the positioning head comprises a gripper element (22) and a cam-control linkage (20) moving said gripper element along said predetermined insertion path (47) in a vertical plane, extending in the Y coordinate direction.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the placement means comprises a narrow placement unit having a width less than the length of a receiver (2); and wherein said apparatus comprises a plurality of said placement units located adjacent each other.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus according to claim 8 including means for conjointly adjusting the position of the insertion head and the article supply means (5).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the article supply means comprises a supply conveyor (66) serially supplying the article to a receiving position (71) having a fixed positional relationship with respect to said insertion path (47).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
89 words
Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said receiver conveyor (3) comprises a smooth supply track (80); a movement control belt (82) located at least on one side of the supply track (80) and including driver elements (81') located thereon and engageable with the receivers (2), said movement control belt having a run extending parallel to the supply track, the movement of the movement control belt being synchronized with the placement means (4), and operating at a speed which is different from the surface speed of the supply track (80).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said supply track comprises a supply belt which is driven at a speed below the speed of the movement control belt (82).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the run of the movement control belt (82) facing the receivers (2) is adjustable in the direction of the Y axis.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the receivers (2) comprise deep drawn depressions (87) adapted to receive candy or cholocates; and the drivers (81, 81') are located at approximately the level of the deformed, deep drawn depressions (87).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
59 words
Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the article holding means comprises gripper means; said gripper means having a portion engaging the articles (1) which portion is moveable in the first coordinate direction (X) to permit placement of the articles in the receiver with a component of movement corresponding to the movement of the receiver in said first coordinate direction.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-12-22 | 1990-06-23 | 1990-12-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-12-22 | 1994-06-23 | 1994-12-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-12-22 | 1998-06-23 | 1998-12-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |