Apparatus, system, and method for filling a chambered package

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11214480-B2
Application number	US-201916388313-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2019
Priority date	Apr 19, 2018
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

An apparatus for filling a chambered package can include a dispensing nozzle angled relative to a perpendicular of a machine direction of a carrying mechanism, the dispensing nozzle being disposed adjacent to the carrying mechanism having one or more chambered recess defined about a surface thereof, the dispensing nozzle being configured to dispense a quantity of the medium into the one or more chambered recess defined about the surface of the carrying mechanism. The apparatus includes a housing and at least one wiping material arranged to define an angle having a vertex toward the machine direction about a bottom surface of the housing, the angle of the at least one wiping material being configured to direct any of the quantity of the medium dispensed out of the second end of the dispensing nozzle, but not directed into the one or more chambered recess, into the one or more chambered recess.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for filling a chambered package, the apparatus comprising:
a dispensing nozzle defining a longitudinal opening extending from a first end to a second end, the first end of the dispensing nozzle receiving a medium and the second end of the dispensing nozzle being angled relative to a perpendicular of a machine direction of a carrying mechanism, the second end of the dispensing nozzle being disposed adjacent to the carrying mechanism traveling in the machine direction and having one or more chambered recess defined about a surface of the carrying mechanism, the dispensing nozzle being configured to dispense a quantity of the medium received from the first end through the longitudinal opening and out of the second end into the one or more chambered recess defined about the surface of the carrying mechanism;
a housing attachable to the dispensing nozzle about the second end, the housing defining a bottom surface extending away from the dispensing nozzle and adjacent to the carrying mechanism; and
at least one wiping material arranged on the bottom surface of the housing and defining first and second portions that converge towards the machine direction to form an acute angle, the acute angle of the at least one wiping material being configured to direct any of the quantity of the medium dispensed out of the second end of the dispensing nozzle, but not directed into the one or more chambered recess, into the one or more chambered recess.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the dispensing nozzle and the bottom surface of the housing are each contoured to match a contour of the surface of the carrying mechanism.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the carrying mechanism comprises a rotating drum having a cylindrical surface or the carrying mechanism comprises a flatbed conveyor having a planar surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the second end of the dispensing nozzle is disposed between about 10 degrees and about 95 degrees relative to a center of the rotating drum.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the dispensing nozzle is angled between about 20 degrees and about 80 degrees relative to the perpendicular of the machine direction of the carrying mechanism.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the acute angle is between about 15 degrees and about 45 degrees.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein there are three concentrically arranged wiping materials each defining first and second portions that converge towards the machine direction to form an acute angle, each acute angle being about 30 degrees.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a tongue extending opposite to the housing and from the second end of the dispensing nozzle, the tongue being contoured to match a contour of the surface of the carrying mechanism.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the dispensing nozzle comprises a resilient material configured to directly interact with the carrying mechanism in order to direct the quantity of the medium into the one or more chambered recess defined about the surface of the carrying mechanism.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one groove is formed on the bottom surface of the housing and defines first and second portions that converge towards the machine direction to form the acute angle, the at least one wiping material being arranged within the at least one groove such that the first portion of the at least one wiping material is arranged within the first portion of the at least one groove and the second portion of the at least one wiping material is arranged within the second portion of the at least one groove to form the acute angle.

11. A system for filling a chambered package, the system comprising:
a carrying mechanism travelling in a machine direction and having one or more chambered recess defined about a surface thereof; and
a dispensing apparatus comprising:
a dispensing nozzle defining a longitudinal opening extending from a first end to a second end, the first end of the dispensing nozzle receiving a medium and the second end of the dispensing nozzle being angled relative to a perpendicular of the machine direction, the second end of the dispensing nozzle being disposed adjacent to the carrying mechanism, the dispensing nozzle being configured to dispense a quantity of the medium received from the first end through the longitudinal opening and out of the second end into the one or more chambered recess defined about the surface of the carrying mechanism;
a housing attachable to the dispensing nozzle about the second end, the housing defining a bottom surface extending away from the dispensing nozzle and adjacent to the carrying mechanism; and
at least one wiping material arranged on the bottom surface of the housing and defining first and second portions that converge towards the machine direction to form an acute angle, the acute angle of the at least one wiping material being configured to direct any of the quantity of the medium dispensed out of the second end of the dispensing nozzle, but not directed into the one or more chambered recess, into the one or more chambered recess.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the second end of the dispensing nozzle and the bottom surface of the housing are each contoured to match a contour of the surface of the carrying mechanism.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the carrying mechanism comprises a rotating drum having a cylindrical surface or the carrying mechanism comprises a flatbed conveyor having a planar surface.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the second end of the dispensing nozzle is disposed between about 10 degrees and about 95 degrees relative to a center of the rotating drum.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the second end of the dispensing nozzle is angled between about 20 degrees and about 80 degrees relative to the perpendicular of the machine direction of the carrying mechanism.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the acute angle is between about 15 degrees and about 45 degrees.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein there are three concentrically arranged wiping materials each defining first and second portions that converge towards the machine direction to form an acute angle, each acute angle being about 30 degrees.

18. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a tongue extending opposite to the housing and from the second end of the dispensing nozzle, the tongue being contoured to match a contour of the surface of the carrying mechanism.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the second end of the dispensing nozzle comprises a resilient material configured to directly interact with the carrying mechanism in order to direct the quantity of the medium into the one or more chambered recess defined about the surface of the carrying mechanism.

20. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a controller configured to control the dispensing apparatus to dispense the quantity of the medium into the one or more chambered recess defined about the surface of the carrying mechanism when the one or more chambered recess is substantially aligned with the second end of the dispensing nozzle.

Assignees

• Church & Dwight Co Inc

Inventors

• Johnson Thomas
• Henry Carl
• Wharton Jonathan
• Roman Eddie A

Classifications

• B65B39/00 Primary

  Nozzles, funnels or guides for introducing articles or materials into containers or wrappers · CPC title

• A47L15/44

  Devices for adding cleaning agents; {Devices for dispensing cleaning agents, rinsing aids or deodorants} · CPC title

• B65B43/60

  rotatable · CPC title

• B67D7/428 Primary

  for delivering at least two different liquids into separate containers · CPC title