US 5,329,748 AGranted

Nested plastic tray separator apparatus packaging system and method

AssigneeSencorp Systems, Inc.

InventorKenneth J. Belsito

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Abstract

The invention comprises a nested tray-like product separator apparatus and a packaging system employing the nested product separator for the separation of a plurality of generally vertically upright nested plastic tray products into packaging units composed of a defined plurality of the nested tray products. The product separator includes a base plate having a cavity therein and a pair of spaced-apart picker elements, with a tension-biased holdback finger element between the pair of spaced-apart picker elements. The product separator includes a pneumatic cylinder, to move the picker elements sequentially and cyclically between a non-use position and a separating position, wherein the one end of the picker elements extend between selected nested tray products to separate the products. The product separator holdback finger element moves with the picker elements in the non-use position and in the product separating position the finger element is moved to a holdback position which is slightly back from the separating position of the pair of picker elements to provide for the defined spatial separation between the holdback finger elements and the pair of picker elements of the nested tray products. The product separator operates in a packaging system which includes a thermoformer, a trim press and a film bagger packaging machine for the tray products with an electric counter operating from the trim press and connected to an electrical solenoid valve to provide activating of the product separator.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A packaging apparatus which comprises:

a) a channel receiving means having a one and other end, with one end to receive a plurality of vertically nested plastic tray products to be packaged into separate packages;
b) a tray product separating means at the one end of the receiving means to separate the received tray products into a plurality of separate units composed of a defined plurality of vertical nested plastic tray products;
c) feeding means at the one end of the receiving means to feed each unit of separated nested tray products to a packaging means;
and
d) a packaging means at the other end of the receiving means to package each separated unit composed of the nested tray products, the improvement which comprises:
i) a base plate having a cavity therein, the base plate forming a part of the floor base of the receiving means;
ii) a pair of spaced-apart picker elements each having a one and other end;
iii) a tension-biased holdback finger element having an one and other end and positioned between the picker elements;
iv) separator activating means to move the picker elements sequentially and cyclically between a non-use position within the cavity and a tray product separating position extending generally vertically upward from the cavity and to have one end of the picker element extend between selected nested tray products to separate a defined number of nested tray products from the nested tray products directed to the receiving means;
v) the separator activating means moving the holdback finger element simultaneously with the picker elements to the non-use position and the finger element tension-biased to a generally vertical product tray holdback position within the cavity, wherein the holdback finger element is spaced-apart a defined distance from the picker elements in the product separator position to hold back temporarily the plurality of vertically nested plastic tray products being directed into the receiving means;
and
vi) stop means to hold the holdback finger element in the holdback position while the pair of picker elements move to the product separating position;
and
vii) product counter means to activate the separator activating means to provide for the separation of a defined number of a plurality of stacked tray products to compose a defined unit for packaging.

11 more elements

A nested tray product separator apparatus for the separation of a plurality of generally vertically arranged nested tray products moving along a flow path into a defined number of tray products which separator apparatus comprises:

a) base plate having a cavity therein, the base plate positioned slightly below the flow path of the lower edge of a plurality of nested tray products;
b) a pair of spaced apart picker elements, each having a one and other end;
c) a tension-biased holdback finger element positioned between the pair of picker elements and having a one end and other end;
d) pivot means to provide for the pivotable movement of the picker elements and the holdback finger element;
e) the picker elements adapted to move in the cavity between a non-use position below the plane of the lower edge of the plurality of vertical nested tray products in the flow path, and a separating position wherein the one end of the picker elements extend upwardly from the cavity and between the lower edge of a pair of nested tray products in the flow path to separate spatially a selected number of nested tray products in the flow path;
and
f) the holdback finger element adapted to move with the picker elements between the non-use position and a tray product holdback position extending upwardly from the cavity and slightly spaced apart from the separating position of the picker elements to form a defined spatial separation between the separated counted nested tray products and the uncounted nested tray products moving along the flow path;
and
g) means to activate pivotably the picker elements and the holdback finger elements in a cyclic timed sequence between the non-use position and the separating holdback position.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.