Alignment apparatus for packaging elements
OwnerDavid R. Ramnarain, Brian D. Ramnarain +1inventors
InventorsDavid R. Ramnarain, Brian D. Ramnarain, Christopher D. Ramnarain
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An alignment apparatus for use in packaging. The device generally uses a guide plate, dome shaped member through which a stream of air flows, and guide bar to reject improperly packaging elements. This apparatus provides an easy way to ensure properly oriented and aligned packaging elements during the automated packaging processes, thereby reducing wasteful and costly errors due to incorrectly aligned packaging elements.
Claims16
An apparatus for aligning packaging elements during an automated packaging operation comprising:
- a guide plate having a generally planar surface;
- a dome-shaped member protruding from the surface of the guide plate;
- a guide bar joined to the guide plate and located proximate the dome shaped member;
- and
- a port located within the dome shaped member through which an air stream flows capable of removing misaligned packaging elements from the guide plate.
An apparatus for aligning packaging elements during an automated packaging operation comprising:
- a guide plate;
- a protrusion member located on the surface of the guide plate, said protrusion member coupled to an air source and having a port through which a stream of air flows, said stream of air being used to reject misoriented packaging element.
A alignment apparatus for packaging elements for directing properly aligned packaging elements in a first direction and misaligned packaging elements in a second direction comprising:
- a guide plate with a sloping planar surface;
- an arced member located on the planar surface;
- a port associated with said arced member, said port directing a stream of air in said second direction;
- and
- a guide bar adjustably attached to the guide plate surface wherein misaligned packaging elements are engaged by said stream of air and are moved by said stream of air in said second direction.
A method of separating packaging elements having a first alignment from packaging elements having a second alignment, said method comprising:
- a. feeding said packaging elements across a generally planar surface along a first path;
- b. guiding said packaging elements over a member that projects from said generally planar surface and expels a stream of air in the general direction of a second path;
- c. wherein those packaging elements having said first alignment continue along said first path and those packaging elements having a second alignment are engaged by said stream of air and are diverted to said second path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.