Method and apparatus for orienting articles
AssigneeThe Procter & Gamble Company
InventorsRobert Paul Cassoni, Clifford Theodore Papsdorf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for sorting and/or orienting caps using an automated capping line can comprise providing a single cap to a cap-receiving cavity defined in a body of a puck. In various embodiments, the body can be vibrated to settle and/or orient the cap to a properly oriented position within the cap-receiving cavity. In at least one embodiment, the vibrating can include applying horizontal vibration and/or vertical vibration to the body. As a result, the properly oriented caps can be conveyed to a capping machine configured to apply each cap to a cap-receiving portion of a container.
Claims30
A method of sorting and orienting caps, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of pucks to a conveyor, each puck comprising a surface and a cavity defined in the surface;
- providing a plurality of caps to the surfaces of at least a portion of the plurality of pucks, wherein the number of the plurality of caps exceeds the number of the cavities in the portion of the plurality of pucks;
- settling a group of the plurality of caps into at least some of the cavities in the portion of the plurality of pucks;
- removing excess caps;
- and
- vibrating the portion of the plurality of pucks to cause at least a portion of the settled caps to orient uniformly.
A method of sorting and orienting caps, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of caps on a surface of a tray, the surface comprising a plurality of cavities defined therein, wherein the number of the plurality of caps is at least equal to the number of the plurality of cavities;
- settling a group of the plurality of caps into at least a portion of the plurality of cavities;
- removing excess caps;
- and
- vibrating the tray to cause at least a portion of the settled caps to orient uniformly.
A method of sorting and orienting caps, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of pucks, each puck comprising a surface and a cavity defined in the surface;
- providing a plurality of caps on the surfaces of at least a portion of the plurality of pucks;
- settling a first group of caps into the cavities in the portion of the plurality of pucks;
- removing a second group of caps from the surfaces of the portion of the plurality of pucks;
- and
- orienting at least a portion of the first group of caps to a uniform position.
A method of orienting a cap, the method comprising:
- providing a cap in a cap-receiving cavity defined in a body;
- and
- vibrating the body to orient the cap to a properly oriented position.
A method of creating a puck insert for use in orienting a cap, the method comprising:
- forming at least one puck insert using a mold for the puck insert, the mold generated based on a computerized model, each puck insert comprising a surface and a cap-receiving cavity defined in the surface, the cap-receiving cavity configured to orient a cap to a properly oriented position when the puck insert receives vibrational energy.
A puck insert configured for orienting a cap, the puck insert comprising:
- a body including a surface;
- and
- a cavity defined in said surface, wherein said cavity is configured to loosely receive the cap, and wherein said cavity is configured to orient the cap to a properly oriented position when said body is agitated.
A method of conveying caps, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of pucks, wherein each puck includes a cavity configured to receive a cap;
- providing a plurality of caps to at least a portion of the plurality of pucks;
- settling a group of the plurality of caps into at least some of the cavities in the portion of the plurality of pucks;
- viewing the group of settled caps to determine if each settled cap is oriented in one of a desired position and a non-desired position;
- and
- separating a first group of pucks having caps oriented in the desired position from a second group of pucks having caps oriented in the non-desired position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.