Vacuum apparatus and method for denesting objects

An apparatus for denesting a cup from a stack of cups, comprising:

• feeder means for supporting the stack of cups;
• and
• air displacement means for displacing air to draw a vacuum to denest the cup from the stack of cups and draw the cup away from the feeder means, and for displacing air to contact the stack of cups to force the stack of cups to remain at the feeder means;
• and
• transport means for transporting the air displacement means to coact with the feeder means to denest a cup from the stack of cups in the feeder means.

A vacuum picker device for denesting a cup from a stack of cups, comprising:

• a vacuum picker head comprising:
• an upper portion having:
• a top,
• a bottom,
• a sidewall interconnecting the top and the bottom,
• a plurality of concave depressions in the sidewall extending substantially along a length of the upper portion at spaced intervals on the sidewall,
• a plurality of first vacuum holes, each one of the holes extending through the sidewall at a corresponding one of the concave depressions,
• a transition surface interconnecting each of the concave depressions with an adjacent portion of the sidewall,
• a plurality of elongated slots in the sidewall at spaced locations between the concave depressions, each one of the elongated slots arranged perpendicular to the top of the upper portion,
• a plurality of second vacuum holes, each one of the holes extending through the
• sidewall at a corresponding one of the elongated slots,
• a movable pin seated in the top of the upper portion and automatically extendable from the upper portion when the vacuum picker head is pivoted,
• a third vacuum hole extending through the movable pin,
• wherein each one of the vacuum holes is constructed and arranged to draw air into the vacuum picker head to pull a cup from the stack of cups onto the upper portion;
• a protective ring extending outward from the bottom of the upper portion, the protective ring having:
• a plurality of concave notches spaced apart along the ring, each one of the concave notches substantially in registration with a corresponding one of the plurality of concave depressions of the upper portion,
• a plurality of protruding portions alternatingly spaced between the plurality of concave notches for providing a plurality of steps upon which a cup can rest when the cup is withdrawn from the ears at the feed aperture of the base plate,
• at least one air passage extending through the protective ring at each of the concave notches for directing air from below the protective ring to a space between the cup being denested and the stack of cups to force the stack of cups away from the denested cup;
• a column extending from the protective ring opposite to the upper portion for supporting the vacuum picker head;
• a central air passage extending through the vacuum picker head and in communication with the plurality of first vacuum holes, the plurality of second vacuum holes and the third vacuum hole;
• and
• a support plate for supporting the column, the support plate having a vacuum hose extending therethrough and in communication with the central air passage for drawing air from the vicinity of the vacuum picker head into the central air passage;
• wherein air displacement in the vicinity of the picker head denests a cup from the stack to be drawn onto the picker head and exerts a force to urge the stack away from the picker head for withdrawal of the denested cup with the picker head.

A vacuum picker device for denesting a cup from a stack of a plurality of cups, comprising:

• a movable picker head, comprising:
• first means for displacing air at the picker head to draw the cup away from the stack to the picker head;
• and
• second means for displacing air at the picker head to force the stack away from the cup being drawn to the picker head;
• wherein said first and second means for displacing air are disposed in fixed positions on said picker head.

A vacuum picker device for denesting a cup from a stack of a plurality of cups, comprising:

• a body portion, comprising:
• first means for displacing air at the body portion to draw the cup away from the stack to the body portion, wherein the first air displacement means comprises:
• at least one concave depression in the body portion;
• and
• a first air passage extending through the body portion to the concave depression for drawing the cup into the concave depression;
• second means for displacing air at the body portion to force the stack away from the cup being drawn to the body portion;
• an elongated slot formed in the body portion adjacent to the concave depression, and
• a second air passage extending through the elongated slot into the body portion for communication with the first air passage.

A vacuum picker device for denesting a cup from a stack of a plurality of cups, comprising:

• a body portion, comprising:
• first means for displacing air at the body portion to draw the cup away from the stack to the body portion;
• and
• second means for displacing air at the body portion to force the stack away from the cup being drawn to the body portion;
• and
• ejection means mounted to the body portion, the ejection means constructed and arranged for movement between a first position wherein the ejection means is retained at the body portion, and a second position wherein the ejection means extends from the body portion to eject the cup disposed on the body portion.

A method of denesting a cup from a stack of a plurality of cups, the method comprising the steps of:

• positioning the stack of cups with their respective open ends facing downward;
• aligning the stack of cups in a vertical orientation for denesting;
• supporting the stack of cups over an aperture in a support means and through which individual cups from the stack will be withdrawn for denesting;
• positioning a vacuum picker head beneath the support means and in registration with the aperture;
• transporting the vacuum picker head to the aperture in the support means;
• drawing air from an exterior of the vacuum picker head into an interior of the vacuum picker head;
• inserting the vacuum picker head through the aperture into the open end of the lower most one of the cups in the stack of cups;
• substantially sealing a space between the vacuum picker head, the lower most cup and the support means;
• evacuating air from the space into the vacuum picker head for providing a vacuum in the space;
• denesting the lower most cup from the stack of cups;
• drawing the denested cup onto the vacuum picker head;
• supporting the denested cup on the vacuum picker head;
• withdrawing the vacuum picker head from the aperture in the support means;
• directing a burst of air against the stack of cups to force the stack away from the denested cup for the stack to remain at the support means;
• transporting the vacuum picker head with the denested cup thereon away from the support means;
• pivoting the vacuum picker head;
• and
• ejecting the denested cup from the vacuum picker head for further processing.

A method of removing a cup from a stack of a plurality of cups, the method comprising the steps of:

• inserting an air displacement member into an open end of a lower most one of the cups in the stack of cups;
• displacing air in the vicinity of the air displacement member for providing a vacuum;
• removing a lower most cup from the stack of cups;
• supporting the removed cup on the air displacement member;
• and
• displacing air from the air displacement member against the stack of cups to force the stack away from the removed cup.

A method of removing a cup from a stack of a plurality of cups, the method comprising the steps of:

• inserting an air displacement member into an open end of a lower most one of the cups in the stack of cups;
• displacing air in the vicinity of the air displacement member for providing a vacuum;
• removing a lower most cup from the stack of cups;
• supporting the removed cup on the air displacement member, wherein the step of supporting the removed cup includes the step of withdrawing the air displacement member from the stack of cups;
• displacing air against the stack of cups to force the stack away from the removed cup;
• and
• pivoting the air displacement member to remove the cup supported on the air displacement member.