US 7,921,982 B2 · Methods and apparatus for handling products

Abstract

Apparatus (10) loads product in the form of bags into a carton held at a tilt angle. The leading ends of the bags on an adjustment conveyor (20) are abutted by a bumper (30) to reorient the bags 90° on the adjustment conveyor (20). The downstream roller (44) of a twist conveyor (40) is tilted to collate bags on a decline conveyor (70). The collated bags are moved on an orientation conveyor (74) to engage a product scoop (110) extending at an inclined position and moved to a vertical position to vertically orient the bags. The orientation conveyor (74) is moved to an offset position to allow the bags to drop onto a lowerator (92) of an accumulator (86) where they can be sandwiched between retainer plates (88, 90). A pusher plate (94) pushes the bags off the lowerator (92) into the carton and is tilted to correspond to the tilt angle of the carton.

Claims9

Dependent claims

Method for collating product comprising:

conveying a first product on a continuous conveying surface in a first conveying direction onto a collating conveyor, with the product having a length perpendicular to the first conveying direction, with the continuous conveying surface being spaced a spacing from the collating conveyor when the first product drops onto the collating conveyor;
moving the first product on the collating conveyor in a second conveying direction perpendicular to the first conveying direction for a distance less than the length of the product;
and
conveying a second product on a continuous conveying surface in the first conveying direction partially onto the first product and partially on the collating conveyor, with the continuous conveying surface being spaced from the collating conveyor when the second product drops onto the first product for a distance greater than the spacing, with conveying the second product comprising conveying the second product to drop on the first product for a height generally equal to the spacing.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods and apparatus for handling products

Life of this patent

Methods and apparatus for handling products

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims9