Reconfigurable tray engaging assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12304677-B2
Application number	US-202218084677-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2022
Priority date	Dec 21, 2021
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

A tray engaging assembly including a first vertical support, a second vertical support, a first guide rail coupled to the first vertical support, a second guide rail coupled to the second vertical support and spaced apart from the first guide rail and such that a pocket is defined between the first guide rail and the second guide rail for at least partially receiving at least one tray, and a plurality of tray engaging members pivotably coupled to a respective guide rail for engaging at least one tray.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tray engaging assembly, the tray engaging assembly comprising:
a first vertical support;
a second vertical support;
a first upper guide rail coupled to the first vertical support and a first lower guide rail coupled to the first upper guide rail;
a second guide rail coupled to the second vertical support and spaced apart from the first upper guide rail and such that a pocket is defined between the first upper guide rail and the second guide rail for at least partially receiving at least one tray; and
a plurality of tray engaging members pivotably coupled to a respective guide rail for engaging at least one tray.

2. The tray engaging assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tray engaging members extend into the pocket.

3. The tray engaging assembly of claim 2 , wherein the tray engaging assembly defines an upstream end, a downstream end, and a machine direction extending from the upstream end to the downstream end, the plurality of tray engaging members are adjustable relative to the respective first upper guide rail and second guide rail in a lateral direction, the lateral direction generally perpendicular to the machine direction.

4. The tray engaging assembly of claim 3 , wherein at least one tray engaging member of the plurality of tray engaging members is pivotably coupled to the first upper guide rail and at least one tray engaging member of the plurality of tray engaging members is pivotably coupled to the first lower guide rail.

5. The tray engaging assembly of claim 4 , wherein the first lower guide rail is selectively adjustable relative to the first upper guide rail along a vertical direction, the vertical direction generally perpendicular to each of the machine direction and the lateral direction.

6. The tray engaging assembly of claim 4 , wherein a coupling extends at least partially through each of the first upper guide rail, the at least one tray engaging member pivotably coupled to the first upper guide rail, the first lower guide rail, and the at least one tray engaging member pivotably coupled to the first lower guide rail.

7. The tray engaging assembly of claim 6 , wherein the at least one tray engaging member of the plurality of tray engaging members pivotably coupled to the first upper guide rail is positionable at a first rotational position in the pocket, the at least one tray engaging member of the plurality of tray engaging members pivotably coupled to the first lower guide rail is positionable at a second rotational position in the pocket, and the first rotational position is different than the second rotational position.

8. The tray engaging assembly of claim 6 , wherein the second guide rail is a second upper guide rail and the tray engaging assembly further comprises a second lower guide rail coupled to the second upper guide rail, at least one tray engaging member of the plurality of tray engaging members pivotably coupled to the second upper guide rail and at least one tray engaging member of the plurality of tray engaging members pivotably coupled to the second lower guide rail.

9. The tray engaging assembly of claim 8 , wherein the at least one tray engaging member pivotably coupled to the first upper guide rail, the at least one tray engaging member pivotably coupled to the first lower guide rail, the at least one tray engaging member pivotably coupled to the second upper guide rail, and the at least one tray engaging member pivotably coupled to the second lower guide rail are each positioned for at least partial engagement with the at least one tray for being at least partially received in the pocket.

10. The tray engaging assembly of claim 9 , wherein the at least one tray engaging member pivotably coupled to the first upper guide rail, the at least one tray engaging member pivotably coupled to the first lower guide rail, the at least one tray engaging member pivotably coupled to the second upper guide rail, and the at least one tray engaging member pivotably coupled to the second lower guide rail are each positioned in the pocket generally obliquely relative to the machine direction.

11. The tray engaging assembly of claim 3 , wherein a first mounting apparatus is coupled to the first vertical support and a second mounting apparatus is coupled to the second vertical support, the first mounting apparatus comprises a first portion coupled to the first vertical support and a second portion coupled to each of the first portion of the first mounting apparatus and the first upper guide rail, the second mounting apparatus comprises a first portion coupled to the second vertical support and a second portion coupled to each of the first portion of the second mounting apparatus and the second guide rail.

12. The tray engaging assembly of claim 11 , wherein the second portion of the first mounting apparatus is movably coupled to the first portion of the first mounting apparatus along the lateral direction, and the second portion of the second mounting apparatus is movably coupled to the first portion of the second mounting apparatus along the lateral direction.

13. A method, the method comprising:
obtaining a first vertical support;
obtaining a second vertical support;
coupling a first upper guide rail to the first vertical support;
coupling a first lower guide rail to the first upper guide rail;
coupling a second guide rail to the second vertical support such that the first upper guide rail is spaced apart from the second guide rail and such that a pocket is defined between the first upper guide rail and the second guide rail for at least partially receiving at least one tray; and
pivotably coupling a plurality of tray engaging members pivotably to a respective guide rail for engaging at least one tray.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of tray engaging members extend into the pocket.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein first upper guide rail and the second guide rail are arranged to define an upstream end, a downstream end, and a machine direction extending from the upstream end to the downstream end, the plurality of tray engaging members are pivotably coupled to the respective first upper guide rail and second guide rail so as to be adjustable in a lateral direction, the lateral direction generally perpendicular to the machine direction.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising moving at least one tray engaging member of the plurality of tray engaging members in a lateral direction relative to the respective first upper guide rail and second guide rail.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein pivotably coupling the plurality of tray engaging members to a respective guide rail comprises pivotably coupling at least one tray engaging member of the plurality of tray engaging members to the first upper guide rail, and pivotably coupling the plurality of tray engaging members to a respective guide rail comprises pivotably coupling at least one tray engaging member of the plurality of tray engaging members to the first lower guide rail.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein coupling the first lower guide rail to the first upper guide rail comprises coupling the first lower guide rail being selectively adjustable relative to the first upper guide rail along a vertical direction, the vertical direction generally perpendicular to each of the machine direction and the lateral direction.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises adjusting the first lower guide rail relative to the first upper guide rail along the vertical direction.

Assignees

• Graphic Packaging Int Llc

Inventors

• Walsh Joseph C
• Strand Scott Thomas
• Woodward Mark

Classifications

• B65G2207/08

  Adjustable and/or adaptable to the article size · CPC title

• B65G2201/0235

  Containers · CPC title

• B65G47/907

  with at least two picking-up heads · CPC title

• B65B43/52

  using roller-ways or endless conveyors · CPC title

• B65B43/48

  using reciprocating or oscillating pushers · CPC title