Back to results
US 10,589,934 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for retaining contents in a conveyed container
OwnerThomas P. Boyer, Timothy William Limer +5inventors
InventorsThomas P. Boyer, Timothy William Limer, Thomas J. Donovan, Wayne D. Klossner, Todd E. Bower, Mark Jones, David Timothy Royce
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A novel puck and cover assembly and method for retaining the contents of a container, such as a prescription bottle, during processing and order-filling operations. The puck and cover assembly allows access to the opening of a container when required to perform operations, and automatically returns to cover the opening of a container when operations are completed, to prevent loss of any container contents.
Claims23
An apparatus for preventing loss of contents from a container while container is conveyed though an automated system comprising:
- a) a puck having an lower portion having a first dimension and an upper portion having a second dimension, said first dimension being larger than said second dimension, said upper portion having a top surface with an opening therein, said opening being sized and adapted to receive and retain a container therein;
- b) a moveable puck cover assembly comprising:
- i:
- a planar container cover,
- ii:
- a pair of horizontal supports each having a proximal end fixed to said container cover and outwardly therefrom and diametrically opposed to one another;
- iii:
- a pair of vertical pivot arms each having a proximal end connected to a distal end of one of said pair of horizontal supports;
- iv:
- a pair of counterbalance weights, each of said pair of counterbalance weights being attached at a distal end of a respective one of said pair of vertical pivot arms;
- and
- v:
- a first portion of a pivot system disposed between said distal end and said proximal end of each of said pair of vertical pivot arms;
- c) a pair of second portions of a pivot system disposed on an outer vertical surface of said lower portion of said puck, said second portions of said pivot system interacting with respective ones of said first portions of said pivot systems to allow said movable puck cover assembly to move between a first orientation wherein said planar container cover is positioned over said opening in said top surface and a second orientation wherein said opening in said top surface is uncovered.
11 more elements
An apparatus for preventing loss of contents from a container while container is conveyed though an automated system comprising:
- a) a puck having an lower portion having a first dimension and an upper portion having a second dimension, said first dimension being larger than said second dimension, said upper portion having a top surface with an opening therein, said opening being sized and adapted to receive and retain a container therein;
- b) a moveable puck cover assembly comprising:
- i:
- a planar container cover;
- ii:
- a horizontal support having a proximal end fixed to said container cover and extending outwardly therefrom;
- iii:
- a vertical pivot arm having a proximal end connected to a distal end of one of said horizontal support;
- iv:
- a counterbalance weight, said counterbalance weight being attached at a distal end of vertical pivot arm;
- and
- v:
- a first portion of a pivot system disposed between said distal end and said proximal end of vertical pivot arm;
- c) a second portion of a pivot system disposed on an outer vertical surface of said lower portion of said puck, said second portion of said pivot system interacting with said first portion of said pivot system to allow said movable puck cover assembly to move between a first orientation wherein said planar container cover is positioned over said opening in said top surface and a second orientation wherein said opening in said top surface is uncovered.
11 more elements
A method of preventing loss of contents from a container while the container is conveyed though an automated system, the steps comprising:
- a) providing a puck assembly comprising:
- a puck having an lower portion having a first dimension and an upper portion having a second dimension, said first dimension being larger than said second dimension, said upper portion having a top surface with an opening therein, said opening being sized and adapted to receive and retain a container therein;
- a moveable puck cover assembly comprising:
- a planar container cover;
- a pair of horizontal supports each having a proximal end fixed to said container cover and outwardly therefrom and diametrically opposed to one another;
- a pair of vertical pivot arms each having a proximal end connected to a distal end of one of said pair of horizontal supports;
- a pair of counterbalance weights, each of said pair of counterbalance weights being attached at a distal end of a respective one of said pair of vertical pivot arms;
- and a first portion of a pivot system disposed between said distal end and said proximal end of each of said pair of vertical pivot arms;
- a pair of second portions of a pivot system disposed on an outer vertical surface of said lower portion of said puck, said second portions of said pivot system interacting with respective ones of said first portions of said pivot;
- b) placing a container having an open top in said opening in said top surface of said puck assembly;
- c) moving said puck assembly on a conveyor system, said conveyor system configured to move said puck cover assembly from a first orientation wherein said planar container cover is positioned over said open top of said container to a second orientation wherein said open top in said container is uncovered;
- d) moving said puck cover assembly into said second orientation;
- e) with said puck cover assembly in said second orientation, performing one of the operations selected from the group:
- filling, inspecting, and capping.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.