Apparatus and method for maintaining a pattern of non-rigid objects in a desired position and orientation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9802720-B2
Application number	US-201414506301-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2014
Priority date	Oct 3, 2014
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

An apparatus and method for maintaining a pattern of non-rigid objects in a desired position and orientation. The first surface, second surface, and third surface are mutually orthogonal and meet at a point to form a lowest corner. The second and third surfaces are supported by, attached to and extend at least somewhat vertically from the apparatus. The first surface is oriented at an angle to a plane running through a bottom of the apparatus and thereby provides the lowest corner.

First claim

We claim:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a universal surface conveyor; and
a universal surface for maintaining a pattern of non-rigid objects in a desired position and orientation, wherein the universal surface comprises:
object-supporting surfaces comprising a first surface, a second surface, and a third surface;
a lowest corner of the object-supporting surfaces; and
a bottom configured to be positioned on the universal surface conveyor and in contact with the universal surface conveyor;

wherein the first surface is oriented at a compound angle to a bottom plane running through the bottom, wherein the bottom plane is oriented parallel to the bottom, and wherein, when the bottom is oriented horizontally, the bottom plane is parallel to a horizontal plane and the first surface is at the compound angle to the horizontal plane;
wherein the first surface, second surface, and third surface are mutually orthogonal and meet at a point to form the lowest corner;
wherein the second and third surfaces are supported by, attached to and extend at least somewhat vertically from the universal surface;
wherein, when the bottom is oriented horizontally, the orientation of the first surface at the compound angle provides the lowest corner;
wherein the compound angle comprises two angles, wherein a first angle of the two angles is measured from the bottom plane to a first placement vector, wherein the first placement vector extends from the lowest corner and is parallel to the first surface and the second surface, wherein a second angle of the two angles is measured from the bottom plane to a second placement vector, wherein the second placement vector extends from the lowest corner and is parallel to the first surface and the third surface, and
wherein the first surface is configured to provide a static coefficient of friction between the first surface and the objects, wherein the static coefficient of friction is sufficient to prevent the objects from sliding against the first surface under forces experienced by the objects as a result of transportation of the objects by the universal surface conveyor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the two angles of the compound angle is greater than 0° and less than 90°.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second surface is supported by, attached to and extends vertically from a first edge of the first surface; and
wherein the third surface is supported by, attached to and extends vertically from a second edge of the first surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first surface is supported by a post that is attached to both the first surface and the bottom.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first surface comprises a frictional coating.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the static coefficient of friction is high enough to keep the objects from sliding against the first surface when each of two angles of the compound angle are at least 15° and the bottom plane is parallel to the horizontal plane.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein one of the object-supporting surfaces, selected from the second surface and the third surface, comprises a finger wall, wherein the finger wall comprises a series of fingers with gaps between the fingers.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the universal surface is decoupled from the universal surface conveyor.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the universal surface comprises a moldable material in a shape that provides the first surface at the compound angle.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first surface is attached to the bottom to provide the first surface at the compound angle.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one of the object-supporting surfaces, selected from the second surface and the third surface, comprises a finger wall, wherein the finger wall comprises a series of fingers with gaps between the fingers.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the object-supporting surfaces consist of the first surface, the second surface, and the third surface.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the second surface and the third surface extend somewhat vertically from the first surface to provide the universal surface with two adjacent walls, and wherein each side opposite these two adjacent walls is without a wall.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the two angles of the compound angle is greater than 10° and less than 45°.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bottom plane passes through at least three distinct points of the bottom, wherein the three distinct points are in contact with the universal surface conveyor.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bottom plane passes through at least three distinct points of the bottom, wherein the three distinct points are configured to be in contact with the universal surface conveyor, and wherein each of the two angles is greater than 10° and less than 45°.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the non-rigid objects are pillow bags.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the object-supporting surfaces consist of the first surface, the second surface, and the third surface.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the second surface and the third surface extend somewhat vertically from the first surface to provide the universal surface with two adjacent walls, and wherein each side opposite these two adjacent walls is without a wall.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the object-supporting surfaces consist of the first surface, the second surface, and the third surface.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the second surface and the third surface extend somewhat vertically from the first surface to provide the universal surface with two adjacent walls, and wherein each side opposite these two adjacent walls is without a wall.

22. An apparatus comprising:
a universal surface conveyor; and
a universal surface for maintaining a pattern of objects in a desired position and orientation, wherein the universal surface comprises:
object-supporting surfaces comprising a first surface, a second surface, and a third surface;
a lowest corner of the object-supporting surfaces; and
a bottom configured to be positioned on the universal surface conveyor and in contact with the universal surface conveyor;

wherein the first surface is oriented at a compound angle to a bottom plane oriented parallel to the bottom, and wherein, when the bottom is oriented horizontally, the bottom plane is parallel to a horizontal plane and the first surface is at the compound angle to the horizontal plane;
wherein the second surface and third surface approach a point on the first surface, wherein the point of the first surface provides the lowest corner;
wherein the first surface, second surface, and third surface are configured to maintain a desired position and orientation of a lowest object in the pattern of objects when the lowest object is positioned adjacent to the lowest corner;
wherein the second and third surfaces are supported by, attached to and extend at least somewhat vertically from the universal surface;
wherein, when the bottom is oriented horizontally, the orientation of the first surface at the compound angle provides the lowest corner;
wherein the compound angle comprises two angles, wherein a first angle of the two angles is measured from the bottom plane to a first placement vector, wherein the first placement vector extends from the lowest corner and is parallel to the first surface and th

Assignees

• Frito Lay North America Inc

Inventors

• Baylor Darin James
• Cote Kevin L
• Maldonado Mark T

Classifications

• B25J9/0093 Primary

  co-operating with conveyor means · CPC title

• B65B5/061

  Filled bags · CPC title

• B65B35/44

  by endless belts or chains {(B65B35/405 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B65B5/105

  by grippers (B65B5/12 and B65B5/108 take precedence) · CPC title

• B65B5/06 Primary

  Packaging groups of articles, the groups being treated as single articles · CPC title