Methods for transferring discrete articles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016376109-A1
Application number	US-201514747255-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 23, 2015
Priority date	Jun 23, 2015
Publication date	Dec 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a method of transferring discrete articles between a transfer assembly and an apparatus comprising a head. The transfer assembly comprises a frame defining a first rotation axis and a transfer member comprising a transfer surface configured to receive one of the discrete articles. The method comprises rotating the transfer member of the transfer assembly about the first rotation axis at a substantially constant angular velocity, maintaining the transfer surface at a substantially constant minimum distance away from a surface of the head at a point of discrete article transfer, and rotating the head of the apparatus about a second rotation axis at a plurality of angular velocities. A first angular velocity of the head is substantially constant at the point of discrete article transfer.

First claim

1 . A method of transferring discrete articles between a transfer assembly and an apparatus comprising a head, wherein the transfer assembly comprises a frame defining a first rotation axis and a transfer member comprising a transfer surface configured to receive one of the discrete articles, the method comprising:
rotating the transfer member of the transfer assembly about the first rotation axis at a substantially constant angular velocity; maintaining the transfer surface at a substantially constant minimum distance away from a surface of the head at a point of discrete article transfer; and rotating the head of the apparatus about a second rotation axis at a plurality of angular velocities, wherein a first angular velocity of the head is substantially constant at the point of discrete article transfer.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a tangential velocity of the transfer surface is substantially constant at the point of discrete article transfer.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein a tangential velocity of the surface of the head is substantially the same as the substantially constant tangential velocity of the transfer surface at the point of discrete article transfer.

4 . The method of claim 3 , comprising rotating the head about the second rotation axis at a second angular velocity when the head is outside of a zone of discrete article transfer, wherein the second angular velocity is different than the first angular velocity.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the discrete articles are transferred from the transfer surface to the surface of the head, the method comprising rotating the head about the second rotation axis at a third, different angular velocity when the surface of the head is transferring the discrete articles to a discrete article conveying device, and wherein a second tangential velocity of the surface of the head substantially matches a tangential velocity or linear speed of the discrete article conveying device at a second point of discrete article transfer.

6 . The method of claim 5 , comprising rotating the head about the second rotation axis between the first, second, and third angular velocities in one revolution of the head.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface of the head comprises an arcuate portion, and wherein the transfer surface is substantially flat.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the discrete articles are transferred from the transfer surface of the transfer assembly to the surface of the head of the apparatus.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the discrete articles are transferred from the surface of the head of the apparatus to the transfer surface of the transfer assembly.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the transfer surface is a substantially flat transfer surface, the method comprising moving the substantially flat transfer surface radially inwardly and radially outwardly relative to the first rotation axis at the point of discrete article transfer to maintain the substantially constant minimum distance.

11 . The method of claim 1 , comprising rotating the transfer surface about a third rotation axis between a first position and a second position, wherein the first rotation axis extends in a first direction, and wherein the third rotation axis extends in a second, different direction.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first rotation axis is substantially parallel to the second rotation axis, and wherein the third rotation axis is substantially perpendicular to the first and second rotation axes.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the transfer surface is rotated between about 80 degrees and about 100 degrees about the third rotation axis between the first position and the second position.

14 . The method of claim 1 , comprising using a radial displacement mechanism operably engaged with a portion of the transfer member to maintain the transfer surface at the substantially constant minimum distance away from the surface of the head of the apparatus at the point of discrete article transfer.

15 . The method of claim 1 , comprising maintaining a substantially constant pressure between the transfer surface and the surface of the head of the apparatus at the point of discrete article transfer.

16 . A method of transferring discrete articles between a transfer assembly and an apparatus comprising a head, wherein the transfer assembly comprises a frame defining a first rotation axis and a transfer member comprising a transfer surface configured to receive one of the discrete articles, the method comprising:
rotating the transfer member of the transfer assembly about the first rotation axis at a substantially constant angular velocity; maintaining the transfer surface at a substantially constant minimum distance away from a surface of the head at a point of discrete article transfer, wherein a tangential velocity of the transfer surface is substantially constant at the point of discrete article transfer; and rotating the head of the apparatus about a second rotation axis at a variable angular velocity, wherein a first angular velocity of the head is substantially constant at the point of discrete article transfer, and wherein a tangential velocity of the surface of the head is substantially the same as the substantially constant tangential velocity of the transfer surface at the point of discrete article transfer.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the transfer surface is substantially flat, wherein the surface of the head comprises an arcuate portion, and wherein the surface of the head is configured to receive one of the discrete articles.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the first rotation axis is substantially parallel to the second rotation axis, the method comprising rotating the transfer member about a third rotation axis between a first position and a second position, wherein the transfer member is rotated between about 80 degrees and about 100 degrees about the third rotation axis between the first position and the second position, and wherein the first rotation axis is substantially perpendicular to the third rotation axis.

19 . A method of transferring discrete articles between a transfer assembly and an apparatus comprising a head, wherein the transfer assembly comprises a frame defining a first rotation axis and a transfer member comprising a transfer surface configured to receive one of the discrete articles, wherein the transfer surface is substantially flat, the method comprising:
rotating the transfer member of the transfer assembly about the first rotation axis at a substantially constant angular velocity; maintaining the transfer surface at a substantially constant minimum distance away from a surface of the head in a zone of discrete article transfer; and rotating the head of the apparatus about a second rotation axis at a variable angular velocity.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein a first angular velocity of the head is substantially constant in the zone of discrete article transfer, and wherein the surface of the head is arcuate.

21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the first rotation axis is substantially parallel to the second rotation axis.

22 . The method of claim 19 , comprising rotating the transfer member about a third rotation axis between a first position and a second position, wherein the first rotation axis extends in a first direction, wherein the third rotation axis extends in a second, different direction, and wherein the transfer memb

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Schneider Uwe
• Papsdorf Clifford Theodore
• Findley Daniel Patrick

Classifications

• B65H2406/33

  Rotary suction means, e.g. roller, cylinder or drum · CPC title

• B65G47/848

  the article-engaging elements being suction or magnetic means · CPC title

• B65H39/14

  Associating sheets with webs · CPC title

• B65H2301/4472

  Suction grippers, e.g. moved in paths enclosing an area · CPC title

• A61F13/15764

  Transferring, feeding or handling devices; Drives · CPC title