Alignment assembly
AssigneePackaging Progressions, Inc.
InventorsCharles D. Faust, Dante M. Pietrinferni
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An alignment system is disclosed. The system includes at least one arm including a plurality of fingers, and a linkage bar connected to the at least one arm. A sensor is adapted to detect a presence of a product. A controller is configured to selectively drive the linkage bar based on a signal from the sensor such that the plurality of fingers are driven between: (1) a first position in which the plurality of fingers are adapted to extend into a conveying path of a product conveyor, and (2) a second position in which the plurality of fingers are adapted to be positioned away from the conveying path of the product conveyor.
Claims18
An alignment system comprising:
- at least one arm including a plurality of fingers;
- and a linkage bar connected to the at least one arm;
- a sensor adapted to detect a presence of a product in an area defined between the plurality of fingers;
- and
- a controller configured to selectively drive the linkage bar based on a signal from the sensor such that the plurality of fingers are driven between:
- (1) a first position in which the plurality of fingers are adapted to extend into a conveying path of a product conveyor, and
- (2) a second position in which the plurality of fingers are adapted to be positioned away from the conveying path of the product conveyor.
A conveyor arrangement comprising:
- a product conveyor;
- an alignment system comprising:
- at least one arm including a plurality of fingers, and a linkage bar connected to the at least one arm;
- a sensor adapted to detect a presence of a product in an area defined between the plurality of fingers;
- and
- a controller configured to selectively drive the linkage bar based on a signal from the sensor such that the plurality of fingers are driven between:
- (1) a first position in which the plurality of fingers extend into a conveying path of the product conveyor, and
- (2) a second position in which the plurality of fingers are positioned away from the conveying path of the product conveyor.
A method of aligning products on a product conveyor, the method comprising:
- providing:
- a product conveyor adapted to drive products along a conveying path;
- and
- an alignment arrangement including at least one arm including a plurality of fingers;
- a linkage bar connected to the at least one arm;
- a sensor adapted to detect a presence of a product in an area defined between the plurality of fingers;
- and a controller configured to selectively drive the linkage bar based on a signal from the sensor;
- advancing products on the product conveyor into engagement with the plurality of fingers such that the products are shifted to align with a predetermined centerline;
- detecting a presence of the products in the area defined between the plurality of fingers via the sensor;
- driving the plurality of fingers between (1) a first position in which the plurality of fingers extend between into the conveying path of the product conveyor, and (2) a second position in which the plurality of fingers are positioned away from the conveying path of the product conveyor based on the signal from the sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.