US 6,604,337 B2Granted

Automatic lidder and/or un-lidder system and method

AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Postal Service

InventorsDonald R. Close, Mark Bankard, William D. Finch, Robert Cutlip, Robert D. Lundahl, Dwight Koogle

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A device is disclosed that can automatically remove lids from trays and place lids on trays. Further the device can sense the presence of a lid on a tray and can sense the dimensions of the tray. Based on the sensed dimensions of the tray, the device can select an appropriate sized lid to place on the tray. In one embodiment of the invention, a device holds a lid with a lid manipulator having lid holders. At least one end mechanism is attached to at least one end of the lid manipulator, and the end mechanism folds the lid flaps of an appropriate lid. Guided by the lid manipulator, lids are then positioned on the tray.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A device for automatically removing lids from, and placing lids onto, different sized trays, comprising:

means for conveying trays;
a first sensor means to detect the size of a tray;
a second sensor means to detect the presence of a lid;
and
a lid manipulator means for grasping a lid from a tray conveyed to said lid manipulator for selecting among different sized trays, for namely a lid from a tray when said second sensor means detects the presence of a lid on a tray conveyed by said second sensor means, and for selecting lid and placing onto a tray when said first sensor means detects the size of a tray conveyed by said first sensor means and a lid is not scanned by said 2rd sensor.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/161,155Filed 30 May 2002 · us provisional application
Priority: 30 May 2001
Published: US 2003/0009985 A116 Jan 2003
Granted: 12 Aug 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

B65B 59/00
Arrangements to enable machines to handle articles of different sizes, to produce
B65B 7/28
Closing semi-rigid or rigid containers or receptacles not deformed by, or not taking-up shape of, contents, e.g. boxes or cartons: by applying…
B65B 43/40
Forming, feeding, opening or setting-up containers or receptacles in association with packaging: removing separate lids
B65B 59/003
Arrangements to enable machines to handle articles of different sizes, to produce packages of different sizes, to vary the contents of packages…