US 5,784,857 A · Self- locating star wheel system for a packaging machine

Abstract

A self-locating star wheel system for spacing bottles on a conveyor in a packaging machine comprising a pair of star wheels with a hub and cam disposed between them and mounted on an arm which moves them into the stream of bottles until the cam engages a pair of rollers mounted at the ends of a U-shaped pivoting bracket attached to the machine frame to control the lateral position of the star wheels with respect to the stream of bottles. The cam diameter is specific for a given size star wheel so that the proper positioning of the star wheel is achieved by the geometric relationship between the star wheel and the cam. The mechanism also functions as a safety feature by sending a stop signal to the machine when something, such as a down bottle, causes the star wheels move away from the rollers. The U-shaped pivoting bracket is spring loaded so that as the cam moves away from the rollers, the bracket pivots causing a metal block attached to the bracket to swing into position to activate a proximity sensor which sends the stop signal.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A self locating star wheel system for use with articles processed by a machine:

(a) a star wheel assembly having
(i) at least one star wheel;
(ii) a hub attached to said at least one star wheel;
(iii) a cam attached to said hub said cam having an outer surface;
(b) means for supporting said star wheel assembly;
and
(c) a cam follower which engages said outer surface of said cam, said cam follower being connected to the machine, wherein a geometric relationship exists among said at least one star wheel, said cam and said cam follower such that when said outer surface of said cam is engaged with said cam follower, said star wheel is properly located with respect to a stream of the articles.

4 more elements

A self locating star wheel system for use with articles on a packaging machine comprising:

(a) a star wheel assembly having
(i) two star wheels, each star wheel having a disk-like body, a center axis, an aperture transverse to said body, said aperture being centered on said center axis, an outer periphery, a plurality of pockets along said outer periphery, a plurality of teeth on said outer periphery, each one of said teeth being formed between two adjacent pockets, said star wheels disposed in spaced parallel alignment with each other such that said pockets and teeth of one star wheel align with the pockets and teeth of another star wheel;
(ii) a hub located between and attached to both of said star wheels, said hub having a center axis aligned with said center axis of said star wheels, an axial aperture centered on said center axis, and an outer surface;
(iii) a cam attached to said hub, said cam having a center axis aligned with said center axis of said hub, and said cam having an outer surface extending beyond said outer surface of said hub;
(b) means for supporting said star wheel assembly;
and
(c) a cam follower which engages said outer surface of said cam, said cam follower being connected to a stationary member of said packaging machine, wherein a geometric relationship exists among said star wheels, said cam and said cam follower such that when said outer surface of said cam is engaged with said cam follower, said star wheels are properly located with respect to a stream of articles in said packaging machine.

4 more elements

A self locating star wheel system for use on a packaging machine comprising:

(a) a star wheel assembly having
(i) two star wheels, each star wheel having a disk-like body, a center axis, an aperture transverse to said body, said aperture being centered on said center axis, an outer periphery, a plurality of pockets along said outer periphery, a plurality of teeth on said outer periphery, each one of said teeth being formed between two adjacent pockets, said star wheels disposed in spaced parallel alignment with each other such that said pockets and teeth of one star wheel align with the pockets and teeth of another star wheel;
(ii) a hub located between and attached to both of said star wheels, said hub having a center axis aligned with said center axis of said star wheels, an axial aperture centered on said center axis, and an outer surface;
(iii) a cam follower which engages said outer surface of said hub, said cam follower being connected to a stationary member of said packaging machine, wherein a geometric relationship exists among said star wheels, said hub and said cam follower such that when said outer surface of said hub is engaged with said cam follower, said star wheels are properly located with respect to a stream of articles in said packaging machine;
and
(b) means for supporting said star wheel assembly.

3 more elements

A self locating star wheel system for use on a packaging machine comprising:

(a) a star wheel assembly having
(i) two star wheels, each star wheel having a disk-like body, a center axis, an aperture transverse to said body, said aperture being centered on said center axis, an outer periphery, a plurality of uniformly spaced equal-size pockets along said outer periphery, said pockets having a concave shape which is a sector of a circle, a plurality of teeth on said outer periphery, each one of said teeth being formed between two adjacent pockets, said star wheels disposed in spaced parallel alignment with each other such that said pockets and teeth of one star wheel align with the pockets and teeth the other star wheel;
(ii) a hub located between and attached to both of said star wheels, said hub having a center axis aligned with said center axis of said star wheels, an axial aperture centered on said center axis, and an outer surface;
(iii) a cam attached to said hub, said cam having a center axis aligned with said center axis of said hub, and said cam having a circular outer surface extending beyond said outer surface of said hub;
(b) means for supporting said star wheel assembly;
(c) a cam follower which engages said outer surface of said cam, said cam follower comprising
(i) a generally unshaped bracket having a base and two arms extending in a plane from said base, said base having an aperture for receiving a pivot element, said arms each having an end with an outer edge, said bracket having a top face and a bottom face;
(ii) two rollers adapted to engage said outer surface of said cam, each roller having an outer surface, each roller being mounted on the end of one of said arms such that said roller extends from said top face of said bracket, said outer surface of said roller extends beyond said outer edge of said end of said bracket, and said roller freely rotates;
(iii) a pivot element attached to a stationary member of said packaging machine, said pivot element being received in said aperture of said bracket such that said bracket pivots on said pivot element, said pivot element being located on said stationary member so that both of said rollers contact said outer surface of said cam when said cam is engaged with said rollers;
(iv) at least one generally cylindrically shaped stop member attached to said bracket and axially aligned with said roller extending from said bottom face of said bracket such that said at least one stop member engages said stationary member of said packaging machine before either of said rollers contacts said stationary member when said bracket pivots either of said rollers toward said stationary member;
(v) a spring acting between said bracket and said stationary member of said packaging machine to pivotably bias said bracket in one direction such that when said rollers are not engaged with said cam, one of said at least one stop members engages said stationary member thereby stopping said bracket from pivoting further, wherein a geometric relationship exists among said star wheels, said cam and said cam follower such that when said outer surface of said cam is engaged with said cam follower, said star wheels are properly located with respect to a stream of articles in said packaging machine;
and
(d) a sensor attached to said stationary member of said packaging machine, said sensor cooperating with one of said at least one stop members such that when said stop member engages said stationary member, said sensor is activated to send a stop signal to the packaging machine.

10 more elements

A self locating star wheel system for a packaging machine comprising:

(a) a star wheel assembly having
(i) at least one star wheel having a disk-like body, a center axis, an outer periphery, a plurality of pockets along said outer periphery;
(ii) a hub attached to said at least one star wheel, said hub having a first end, a second end, a center axis aligned with said center axis of said star wheel, and an outer surface;
(iii) a cam attached to said hub between said first end and said second end, said cam having a center axis aligned with said center axis of said hub, and said cam having an outer surface extending beyond said outer surface of said hub;
(b) a support member supporting said star wheel assembly, said star wheel assembly rotating on said support member about said center axis of said star wheel;
(c) means for rotating said star wheel assembly;
(d) a plurality of articles to be packaged, said articles moving in a stream along said outer periphery of said star wheel, each article being received by a pocket of said star wheel as said star wheel rotates;
(e) a cam follower which engages said outer surface of said cam, said cam follower being connected to a stationary member of said packaging machine, said cam follower having a portion which activates a sensor, wherein a geometric relationship exists among said at least one star wheel, said cam and said cam follower such that when said outer surface of said cam is engaged with said cam follower, said star wheel is properly located with respect to said articles on said packaging machine;
(f) a sensor capable of sending a signal to stop said packaging machine, said sensor being attached to a stationary member of said packaging machine near said cam follower so that said portion of said cam follower activates said sensor when said cam follower is disengaged from said cam to send a stop signal to said packaging machine;
and
(g) means for moving said support member to selectively cause said cam to engage or disengage said cam follower;
said means for moving also biasing said cam against said cam follower, but allowing said cam to be disengaged from said cam follower by a displaced article improperly engaging said star wheel.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Self- locating star wheel system for a packaging machine

Life of this patent

Self- locating star wheel system for a packaging machine

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23