Method for adjusting a rotary device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9302856-B2
Application number	US-201414294482-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2014
Priority date	Jun 3, 2014
Publication date	Apr 5, 2016
Grant date	Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

A method for adjusting the rotational position of a rotatable element of a rotary device. The rotary device can be: a filler, capper, labeler, a star wheel conveyor, or other rotary device. The rotary device can be part of a system that includes an adjustment mechanism having at least a portion disposed radially outside the rotatable element. The adjustment mechanism includes an adjustment element positioned to engage the rotatable element. The method includes moving the adjustment element and/or rotating the rotatable element(s) so that the adjustment element engages a rotatable element to adjust the position of the rotatable element. In some cases, the same motor that rotates the rotary device about the axis to convey articles is used to assist in engaging the adjustment element and the rotatable element to adjust the position of the rotatable element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for adjusting the relative angle between rotatable elements of a star wheel conveyor, said method comprising:
a) providing an adjustable star wheel system comprising:
1) a star wheel conveyor for conveying three dimensional articles within pockets along an arcuate path, said star wheel conveyor comprising:
a plurality of stacked individual rotatable elements, said rotatable elements each having a center, two surfaces, side edges, and peripheries, said individual rotatable elements being independently rotatable about an axis, and rotatable as a unit in order to convey such articles, wherein said axis is generally perpendicular to the surfaces of said rotatable elements, wherein said rotatable elements comprise portions on their side edges that define the boundaries of said pockets, wherein said rotatable elements can be at least partially rotated relative to each other to adjust the configuration of the pockets to accommodate different size and/or shape articles; and
a mechanism for rotating one or more of said rotatable elements about said axis, said mechanism being at least indirectly mechanically coupled to said one or more rotatable elements; and

2) an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the configuration of the pockets, wherein said adjustment mechanism comprises an adjustment element positioned to engage one or more of said rotatable elements in order to adjust the rotational position of said one or more individual rotatable elements relative to the remaining rotatable elements; and

b) moving said adjustment element toward said one or more rotatable elements and rotating said one or more rotatable elements so that said adjustment element engages one or more of the rotatable elements to adjust the position of said one or more rotatable elements and at least partially define the boundaries of said pockets resulting in an adjustment of relative angular displacement of one or more of said individual rotatable elements being adjusted and the remaining rotatable elements.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said mechanism for rotating one or more of said rotatable elements about said axis comprises a drive motor, and in step (b) the drive motor rotates at least one rotatable element to cause relative motion and displacement between the rotatable elements in order to define the boundaries of at least one pocket, wherein said method further comprises, after setting the boundaries of at least one pocket, a step (c) of using said drive motor to rotate the plurality of rotatable elements as a unit to convey articles.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said mechanism for rotating one or more of said rotatable elements about said axis comprises a drive motor, and during step (b) the adjustment element prevents rotation of a selected rotatable element while the drive motor applies torque to remaining rotatable elements resulting in relative motion and displacement between the selected rotatable element and the remaining unit of rotatable elements.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein in step (b) said mechanism for rotating said rotatable elements rotates said rotatable elements until a portion of one or more of the rotatable elements that at least partially defines the boundaries of said pockets engages the adjustment element to set the position of said one or more rotatable elements.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said adjustment element remains stationary relative to said rotatable elements when said rotatable elements are at least partially rotated relative to each other.

6. A method for adjusting the relative angle between rotatable elements of a star wheel conveyor, said method comprising:
a) providing an adjustable star wheel system comprising:
1) a star wheel conveyor for conveying three dimensional articles within pockets along an arcuate path, said star wheel conveyor comprising:
a plurality of stacked individual rotatable elements, said rotatable elements each having a center, two surfaces, side edges, and peripheries, said individual rotatable elements being independently rotatable about an axis, and rotatable as a unit in order to convey such articles, wherein said axis is generally perpendicular to the surfaces of said rotatable elements, wherein said rotatable elements comprise portions on their side edges that define the boundaries of said pockets, wherein said rotatable elements can be at least partially rotated relative to each other to adjust the configuration of the pockets to accommodate different size and/or shape articles; and
a mechanism for rotating one or more of said rotatable elements about said axis, said mechanism being at least indirectly mechanically coupled to said one or more rotatable elements; and

2) an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the configuration of the pockets, wherein said adjustment mechanism comprises an adjustment element positioned to engage one or more of said rotatable elements in order to adjust the rotational position of said one or more individual rotatable elements relative to the remaining rotatable elements; and

b) revolving said adjustment mechanism at least partially around one or more of said rotatable elements and further moving said adjustment element so that said adjustment element engages one or more of the rotatable elements to adjust the position of said one or more rotatable elements and at least partially define the boundaries of said pockets, resulting in an adjustment of relative angular displacement of one or more of said individual rotatable elements being adjusted and the remaining rotatable elements.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein step (b) comprises moving said adjustment element toward said one or more rotatable elements, and said mechanism for rotating said rotatable elements rotates said rotatable elements until a portion of one or more of the rotatable elements that at least partially defines the boundaries of said pockets engages the adjustment element to set the position of said one or more rotatable elements.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising a step of moving the adjustment mechanism parallel to the axis of rotation and repeating step (b) to set the position of each of said rotatable elements in said stack of rotatable elements.

9. A method for adjusting the relative angle between rotatable elements of a star wheel conveyor, said method comprising:
a) providing an adjustable star wheel system comprising:
1) a star wheel conveyor for conveying three dimensional articles within pockets along an arcuate path, said star wheel conveyor comprising:
a plurality of stacked individual rotatable elements, said rotatable elements each having a center, two surfaces, side edges, and peripheries, said individual rotatable elements being independently rotatable about an axis, and rotatable as a unit in order to convey such articles, wherein said axis is generally perpendicular to the surfaces of said rotatable elements, wherein said rotatable elements comprise portions on their side edges that define the boundaries of said pockets, wherein said rotatable elements can be at least partially rotated relative to each other to adjust the configuration of the pockets to accommodate different size and/or shape articles; and
a mechanism for rotating one or more of said rotatable elements about said axis, said mechanism being at least indirectly mechanically coupled to said one or more rotatable elements, wherein said mechanism comprises a drive motor; and

2) an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the configuration of the pockets, wherein said adjustment mechanism comprises an adjustment element positioned to engage one or more of said rotatable elements in order to adjust the rotational position of said one or more individual rotatable elements

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Papsdorf Clifford Theodore
• Goudy Eric Shawn
• Williams Roger Phillip

Classifications

• B65G29/00

  Rotary conveyors, e.g. rotating discs, arms, star-wheels or cones (mechanical projectors B65G31/00; screw or rotary spiral conveyors B65G33/00) · CPC title

• B65G47/846 Primary

  Star-shaped wheels or wheels equipped with article-engaging elements · CPC title

• B65G2207/08

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

• B65G2201/0244

  Bottles · CPC title