Roberts Systems, Inc.

The Procter Gamble Company

Other

Eastman-kodak Company

Roberts Polypro, Inc.

Johnson & Johnson Vision Products Inc.

Johnson & Johnson Clinical Diagnostics, Inc.

Claude E Monsees

John T Roberts

Larry J Mattson

Maurice A Kildal

Ronald H Wanless

Ralph S Goldstein

Frank A Richardson

Ronald O Simpson

Jimmy R Bridges

Phillip S LaChapelle

Richard W Abrams

Charles L Gunn

Harold E Davis

William Z Vanhook

Brendan N Leather

Robert J Apke

David M Maroukis

Ben A Hutchinson

John T Thomas

Les J Kanna

An apparatus for feeding articles, comprising: a surface; a plurality of conveyor belts spanning the surface; a motor driving the conveyor belts for transporting the articles along the surface; a barrier bar positioned above the surface for preventing further transport of the articles along the surface; and an actuator connected to at least one of the conveyor belts. The actuator raises at least a first portion of the conveyor belt a distance above the surface and lowers the conveyor belt back to the surface. Raising the actuator propels one of the articles past the block. The article feeding apparatus can be one component of a larger article handling system.

Apparatus for feeding articles

An apparatus for staging or pitching articles on a conveyor system. Arranged on a supporting table is a first set of belts covering approximately one-half of the length of the table travelling at a high rate of speed, and having a high function surface. Arranged on the second half of the table and traveling in the same direction are slower belts having a low friction surface. Laterally, preferably outside the first and second belts are two or more belts traveling at a slower speed, having a low friction surface and carrying projection away from the surface of the table to align articles during the transfer from high to low speed. Preferably, the table is a plenum and suction draws articles to the surface.

Apparatus for staging (pitching) articles on a conveyor system

A stack turner and replenisher 10 is provided for keeping a hopper of a carton prefeeder P filled with carton blanks, traditionally a job that requires a human worker and causes carpal tunnel syndrome due to the inverting motion required. Stack turner 10 allows for the movement of a stack of blanks in a lateral direction as well as in an inverted u-shaped path. Clamp 53, with adjustable upper and lower plates 54,55, is used to pick up a stack of blanks from a source of such blanks. Clamp 53 then moves upwardly, laterally, and downwardly along groove 52, while an upper portion 50 of stack turner 10 simultaneously moves laterally toward prefeeder P. Clamp 53 then deposits the blanks in the hopper of prefeeder P. Finally, stack turner 10 retraces its path in order to pick up another stack of blanks and repeat the procedure, thus ensuring that the hopper of prefeeder P is always filled with carton blanks. Stack turner 10 also squares the stack of blanks both vertically and horizontally.

Stack turner and replenisher and method

An integrated and automated case packing device and method is disclosed. The device and method uses multiple stations to: separate a flattened case from a supply of such cases, detect whether the case in an A or B-type case, open the case according to the type of case, place a predetermined number of imbricated articles into a group standing on edge, move that group under the erected case, place the case over the stationary group, close the flaps to the case, and move the case downstream to a case invertor.

Case packing apparatus and method

A case erector with A-B detect is disclosed. This case erector eliminates the need to sort A and B type cases and thus increases the rate at which boxes can be erected. Whether the case is an A or B type case determines how far into the case erector the flattened case is fed and whether the case is unfolded to the left or the right.

Case erector with A-B detection

A stack of plastic articles and a process of forming the stack are disclosed. Preferably the stack is of heat-fusible plastic slide elements for use in a diagnostic analyzer, the elements being temporarily and non-destructively fused together so that the stack can be used free of a cartridge. In another embodiment, the stack can be of any plastic article temporarily fused to adjacent elements, one side edge of each element bearing a colorant and another bearing no colorant, so that a bar code for the stack is inherently formed simply by rotating each element to project outwardly the colored side edge or the side edge lacking colorant, prior to fusing the elements together.

Cartridge-free stacks of slide elements

An apparatus for the sterilization and secondary packaging into cartons of arrays of blister packages, each of which contains at least one hydrophilic contact lens immersed in a sterile aqueous solution. More specifically, disclosed is an apparatus adapted to provide for the assembly of paired arrays of blister packages which are suitably interleaved and transported in batches of predetermined quantities within one or more trays. These trays are transported to a sterilization chamber for sterilizing the arrays of blister packages, and from which the sterilized arrays of blister packages in which at least the contents thereof are maintained in a sterile condition, and which are then transported to a locale for implementing the secondary packaging thereof into sealable cartons. Also disclosed is a method of sterilizing and thereafter implementing the secondary packaging into cartons of predetermined quantities of arrays of blister packages, each of which contains a hydrophilic contact lens immersed in a sterile aqueous solution, so as to provide a clean environment for the arrays of blister packages.

Apparatus and method for sterilization and secondary packaging

A rotatable handle for a container is provided by sonic welding an inner disk to an outer strip of a handle, the disk permitting the rotation of the handle and providing a seal for the container openings through which the handle is connected.

Sonically welded handle

A continuous motion apparatus for installing handles onto cartons includes a handle dispenser and a handle conveyor. The handle conveyor comprises a track associated with an overhead belt in a pronged pick-up arm. The pick-up arm inserts through a handle and carries a handle to a surface of the carton, where a pair of rollers in a curved plow engage the handle and force it from the pick-up arm. The arm rotates in time sequence with the belt.

Process for applying a handle

A novel slide test element and method of making are described. Both feature a lip coined in the sidewall of a recess shaped in a frame member to hold the reaction member bearing the detecting reagents. The lip then overhangs the reaction member, once assembled. Assembly occurs by bending the frame member with the lip facing outwardly, thus forcing the lip to part a distance sufficient to allow the reaction member to be inserted. An optional stacking and fusing procedure is also described to facilitate shipment of frame members prior to assembly.

Slide frame and manufacturing process

An apparatus and process for the attachment of a bayonet handle having a barb head defining each end thereof to a carton blank. The apparatus comprises releasable clamping means for horizontally gripping the handles. Below the clamping means are support means for flatly maintaining carton blanks. A pair of blades, situated juxtaposed opposite sides of the clamping means, are retractable between an upward retracted position and a downward extended position near the support means. The clamping means are movable between an upper handle receiving position and a lower position near the support means by descending means. The process comprises first providing a bayonet handle. The handle is next bent in two places so that the barb heads are perpendicular to an interior section of the handle and are projecting toward respective apertures in the carton blank. Then, the handle is moved such that the barb heads are inserted into the respective apertures. Thus, barbs on the barb heads are engaged and the handle is attached to the blank.

Intermitten motion bayonet handle attachment apparatus and process

A process and apparatus for packaging a plurality of individual packages containing fluent material is disclosed.

Inverted tray loading method

A detection apparatus is provided in a form, fill and seal operation to detect the position of sealing jaws with respect to one another during the sealing process.

Form, fill and seal process and device

A generally-flat bayonet handle is provided having an elongated handle section for gripping by the consumer. Extending from each terminus of the handle section is an elongated neck section having a width less than the width of the handle section. Respective ends of the bayonet handles are formed by barb heads attached to the neck sections. Each barb head has thereon at least two barbs which, when inserted into appropriately placed apertures on the sides of a soap or detergent powder carton, are ensnared on a lip of the apparatus and thereby maintain the engagement of the handle on the carton. The combination of the bayonet handle and the carton provide a novel soap or detergent powder package.

Growing community of inventors

Fort Mill, SC, United States of America

Claude E Monsees