US 6,311,457 B1Granted

Carton feeding method and apparatus

AssigneeRiverwood International Corporation

InventorsKevin May, James W. McCoy

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Abstract

A carton feeder for a continuous motion packaging machine includes a speed compensation controller and a solenoid dual valve assembly, which enable the feeder to operate at higher speeds. The dual valve assembly includes a vacuum valve coupled to an air pressure valve which is controlled by an electronic controller. The speed compensation assembly is electronically connected to the valve controller, and includes an encoder driven by the feeder and a programmable limit switch for receiving data from the encoder and transmitting control signals to the valve controller. The method of operation includes detecting the position of the selector and transmitting position data to the limit switch. The limit switch calculates optimum valve actuation timing based upon both programmed information and data from the encoder, and transmits the control signals to the valve controller.

Claims27

Dependent claims

In an article packing machine of the type having a carton feeder, an article grouping assembly and an article placement assembly for packaging articles into the cartons, the carton feeder, comprising:

a carton magazine defining a carton feed path extending from an upstream position to a downstream position and also defining a carton selection zone at the downstream position;
a carton selector assembly positioned adjacent the downstream position of said magazine, said carton selector assembly comprising at least one vacuum/pressure assembly disposed adjacent to said carton selection zone, said vacuum/pressure assembly comprising an arm, a support member supporting said arm and adapted to move said arm toward and away from said selection zone, and a vacuum cup mounted to said arm, said vacuum/pressure assembly further comprising a drive for reciprocating said arm, and a vacuum source, a vacuum line connecting said vacuum source and said vacuum cup;
a pressure source and a pressure line connected to said pressure source and to said vacuum cup;
a dual valve assembly including a vacuum valve selectively connected to said vacuum line and a pressure valve connected to said pressure line and selectively to said vacuum valve;
and a carton engagement assembly positioned adjacent to said vacuum/pressure assembly, wherein said vacuum/pressure assembly is adapted to remove a carton from said magazine and direct said carton to said carton engagement assembly.

2 more elements

In a packaging machine in which cartons are packed with articles, a carton feeder, comprising:

a carton magazine comprising an elongate conveyor defining a longitudinal path, said conveyor adapted to move the cartons selectively from an upstream position to a downstream position, a carton selector assembly disposed adjacent said downstream position, said carton selector assembly comprising a vacuum/pressure assembly, said vacuum/pressure assembly including a drive, a shaft connected to said drive, a lever fixed to said shaft for reciprocation along with said shaft, a vacuum cup attached to said lever and spaced from said shaft, wherein the rotation of said shaft causes said vacuum cup to reciprocate selectively toward and away from said carton magazine;
a vacuum source and a pressure source;
a dual valve assembly positioned between said vacuum and pressure sources and said cup, said dual valve assembly comprising a vacuum valve and a pressure valve selectively connected to said vacuum valve;
a valve controller operatively connected to said dual valve assembly;
a vacuum hose connecting said vacuum source to said vacuum valve;
a pressure hose connecting said pressure source to said pressure valve;
a supply hose selectively connected said vacuum of said dual valve assembly to said vacuum cup;
a control assembly operatively communicating with said dual valve assembly, said control assembly including an encoder and a programmable limit switch.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.