Retail-ready packaging of pouched product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10745155-B2
Application number	US-201314018546-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2013
Priority date	Sep 5, 2013
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

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.

First claim

Having described the invention, and a preferred embodiment thereof, what we claim as new, and secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. An apparatus for placing pouches in retail-ready cartons, said apparatus comprising a pouch placer comprising an elevator assembly having paddles for receiving pouches provided by a first conveyor, and lifting said pouches, and a first robot arm for retrieving a pouch from a paddle of said elevator assembly and placing said pouch in a retail-ready carton, wherein said first robot arm is configured to retrieve at most one pouch from a paddle and to place no more than one pouch at a time into said retail-ready carton.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a weight-measurement device for weighing a pouch while said pouch is being moved.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said weight measurement device is integrated with at least one of said first robot arm and a second robot arm.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a second robot arm for causing pouches to be provided to said pouch placer, said weight measurement device being integrated with said second robot arm.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said first robot arm comprises an effector, wherein said effector comprises a clamp having a spatula, an upper gripper, and a lower gripper, wherein said upper and lower grippers have faces opposed to each other for gripping a pouch, wherein said spatula extends from said lower gripper, and wherein, when said clamp lifts a pouch off a paddle, said spatula supports said pouch.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising a vacuum source, wherein said spatula comprises a surface having holes in communication with said vacuum source.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a pouch filling machine for providing filled pouches to said pouch placer.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said pouch placer is further configured for erecting retail-ready cartons for receiving said pouches and providing said erected cartons to said first robot arm.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said elevator assembly comprises a first elevator tower, and a chain for conveying paddles up a vertical section of said first elevator tower.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a second elevator tower and a chain conveying paddles up a vertical section of said second elevator tower, wherein said vertical section of said second tower faces said vertical section of said first tower.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a horizontal guide, wherein said first and second towers are mounted to be horizontally movable along said horizontal guide to accommodate pouches of different sizes.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said robot arm comprises an interchangeable effector.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said conveyor imparts said pouches with sufficient velocity to reach said paddles from said first conveyor.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said paddles are disposed beyond an end of said first conveyor.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a backstop to prevent a pouch from overshooting said paddle.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each paddle comprises a lip at an edge thereof for preventing a pouch from falling off said paddle.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each paddle is oriented so as to urge a pouch supported thereon to fall off said paddle.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said elevator assembly comprises clips for engaging said paddles, thereby permitting said paddles to be interchangeable to accommodate pouches of different sizes.

Assignees

• Khs Gmbh

Inventors

• Vazul Luke L
• Sammons Michael
• Wells Sean Patrick
• Nordlund Kristi
• Calabrese Roger

Classifications

• B65B35/243

  using cooperating conveyors engaging the articles simultaneously · CPC title

• B65B61/28

  for discharging completed packages from machines · CPC title

• B65B35/18

  by suction-operated grippers · CPC title

• B65B5/08 Primary

  Packaging groups of articles, the articles being individually gripped or guided for transfer to the containers or receptacles · CPC title