Delkor Systems, Inc.

Jeremiah J Ericson

Nicholas A Orfei

Nicholas E Kaiser

Matthew Henry Churchill

A system, its components, and method of operation for loading articles into multiple cases is presented and includes a robotic assembly having a vertical arm movably connected to a frame at one end and a rail centrally engaged at the other. At least two end of arm tools (EOATs) are engaged to the rail, with each EOAT being capable of independent and coordinated sliding and rotational movement relative to the rail. A sensor is positioned above an upstream location of an article conveyor to detect speed, position and orientation characteristics of articles and communicating those characteristics to the robotic assembly. The robotic assembly is configured to move each of the EOATs to match the speed, position and orientation of one of the articles, and then, pick up each article, and transport each article to one of a plurality of cases positioned in a loading area.

Simultaneous multiple package case packer

A normalizing system for use with a case former, the system's components function and use are provided. Components of the system include a frame that defines a blank magazine area and a case forming area. Case pickers within the blank magazine area are configured to engage and lift a top-most case blank from the magazine. The pickers transfer the blank to left and right clamp assemblies, which grasp respective edges of the blank and then advance the blank toward the case forming area along a linear pathway. Alignment sensors positioned across the pathway detect if the case blank is in alignment as determined by the value of the angle(s) that the leading edge of the blank forms where it intersects each of the alignment sensors. If misalignment is detected, servos which control the rate of advancement of the clamp assemblies, adjust that rate to bring the blank back into alignment.

Package blank normalizing system

A pouch conditioner having a roller frame positioned over a bottom conditioning belt is disclosed. The roller frame includes a housing that has a pair of opposed guide plates, between which are positioned a plurality of conditioning rollers, a top conditioning belt, and a top conditioning belt drive. The top conditioning belt is disposed about the conditioning rollers. Each of the conditioning rollers is coupled to the guide plates by a pair of actuators that provide each roller with independent articulation and individual compressive force. The distance between the bottom conditioning belt and the top conditioning belt defines a conditioning gap through which product containers are advanced. The height of the conditioning rollers relative to the bottom conditioning belt may be varied to provide a graduated conditioning gap.

Pouch conditioner

A compact collator for sorting and collating product containers includes a laner, a pattern conveyor, a cross-pusher assembly and a plurality of interchangeable inserts. The laner has a first movable conveyor for conveying product containers through the laner, and defines an infeed area. The pattern conveyor has a second movable conveyor positioned down-stream from the infeed area and off-set 90 degrees from the first moveable conveyor. The cross-pusher assembly includes a cross-pusher arm that the interchangeable inserts are configured to be engaged to. Each insert defines a unique face contour that corresponds to the profile shape of at least one type of product container.

Compact collator, system and method of use

A compact collator for collating and preparing product containers for packaging and its method of operation and use is provided herein. The collator includes a laner having a conveyor and defining an infeed area. Infeed sensors detect the passage of containers in and out of the infeed area. A gate retains containers in the infeed area until a set number of product containers (a slug) is detected. A slug of containers passing out of the infeed area is conveyed to a cross-pusher, which has an arm. The arm is actuated between a position adjacent to the conveyor to a position across the conveyer and over a pattern conveyor. When the slug is in a centered position relative to the arm, the arm pushes the containers 90 degrees from the laner's conveyor and onto the patterning conveyor.

A product stabilizer is employed to prevent tipping or shingling of product in a packaging line. The product stabilizer utilizes a linear actuator, coupled to a plurality of arms, to ensure proper spacing between adjacent products in the packaging line.

Growing community of inventors

Andover, MN, United States of America

Jeremiah J Ericson