Advanced Manufacturing Technology

Goldco Industries, Inc.

Flexibility Engineering, LLC

Graham Packaging Pet Technologies Inc.

Flexbility Engineering, LLC

Thomas M Ingraham

Joseph Pawelski

Donald J Simkowski

Terry C Potter

Nikhil Mani

Steven Walker

Peter A Bates

Frank W Mahr

Thomas E Nahil

Rodney S Talbot

Embodiments of the inventive technology disclosed herein may improve efficiency of conveyed bottle apparatus by providing bottle jam prevention guides that may be rotatable, whether freely or in response to a motorized force. Such guides may force downward a bottle that undergone excessive swing in a forward and/or rearward direction, and thus has jammed or is in an incipient jam condition. Advantages may include not only increased efficiency of a conveyed bottle process, but also reduction or even elimination of chatter.

Conveyed bottle guide apparatus and method

Particular embodiments of the inventive technology disclosed herein relate to the use of a dynamic valve to reduce motion caused by impulse force applied to a positioned component. Typically, the inventive technology finds application in an internally pressurized positioning system. At times, use of the inventive technology may lead to cost savings by, e.g., allowing for the use of smaller diameter positioner actuators and/or a reduced internal pressure.

Flow restricted positioner control apparatus and methods

Disclosed herein are embodiments of inventive multipositioner technology relating to multipositioner apparatus having discrete positioning capability and, relative to each discrete position, incremental positioning capability. As compared with prior art apparatus, embodiments of the inventive technology may afford: operational resolution for larger positional ranges, reduced cylinder length to achieve positioning as desired, enhanced positioning capability and/or robustness of design.

Positioner apparatus and methods

A take-out and cooling method and apparatus conveys molded plastic articles from a molding machine to and through a cooling station and preferably includes a take-out apparatus that has a main support, a conveyor carried by the main support for movement in an endless path, a cam adjacent to the support, a plurality of arms carried by the conveyor for movement with the conveyor along the endless path and including a follower responsive to the contour of the cam to vary the position of the arms relative to the support, and at least one holder carried by each arm. Each holder is adapted to receive and carry at least one molded article to facilitate in conveying the molded articles and is flexible and resilient to permit relative movement of at least a portion of the holder relative to its associated arm.

Take out and cooling system and method

A container transport system can have adjustable neck guides coupled along a container transport line and a neck guide positioning system operably coupled thereto. The neck guide positioning system can move the neck guides relative to the container transport line in correspondence with shapes of containers. The neck guides can extend continuously along the container transport line.

Adjustable neck guide

The present invention is directed to an adjustable guide for a container conveyor system. The guide includes multiple pairs of pivoting mechanisms located along the conveyor. Each pivoting mechanism includes a first pivot arm and a second pivot arm which can be independently manipulated to locate a guide within a container envelope. The multiple pairs of pivoting mechanisms are operable coupled by a set of drive cables to permit simultaneous adjustment of the pivoting mechanisms.

Adjustable guide for a bottle handling system

An apparatus and method for packaging containers, of the type having an engagement lip, wherein the apparatus includes tacks to engage the engagement lip to move the containers from starting point to a delivery point. The containers are moved by the apparatus while being engaged by the track such that the containers are never free from the track until loaded on a pallet. A set of the containers is constricted into a bundle and the bundle is then resquared and set on a pallet. One a pallet includes a sufficient number of bundles the pallet is bound for shipment or storage.

Container handling device and method

The present invention is an air conveyor system which has a blower in communication with a plenum. The blower provides air to the plenum to move the objects within the plenum. The present invention includes a plurality of dampers disposed at predetermined locations along the plenum with the dampers being normally open. A sensor device senses the location where the objects have accumulated within the plenum. Furthermore, the present invention includes a closing device for closing the damper which is at the location where the objects have accumulated within the plenum. The closing of the damper is based upon the sensed accumulated location. The system includes a variable speed blower for providing air to move objects within the plenum. The objects are either in an accumulated or unaccumulated state within the plenum. A velocity measuring device measures the velocity of the objects, and an adjustment device which is connected to the velocity measuring device adjusts the speed of the blower to a predetermined speed based upon the velocity of the unaccumulated objects.

Apparatus for controlling flow in air conveyor systems

An object loader system is provided for loading objects from storage into an object processing application. A first conveyor receives the objects from storage, and a second conveyor receives the objects from the first conveyor system at a predetermined location. A sensor determines detection of objects approximately relative to the predetermined location. The first conveyor conveys the objects to the second conveyor based upon the determined detection by the sensor.

Bottle manufacturing hopper system

A method and system for packaging a plurality of containers, wherein each container has a body and an engagement lip surrounding a neck portion, which comprises a plurality of steps. First, a set of containers is provided. Next, containers are loaded on a plurality of neck guides and locomoted along the neck guides to a gathering area to form a bundle of containers. The container is lowered onto a conveyor element and transported with the conveyor along a path to a loading area. A transfer device stacks the bundle on a pallet.

An air conveyor system has a blower in communication with a plenum. The blower provides air to the plenum to move the objects with respect to the plenum. The air conveyor system includes a plurality of dampers disposed at predetermined locations along the plenum with the dampers being normally open. A sensor device senses the location where the objects have accumulated with respect to the plenum. Furthermore, the air conveyor system includes a closing device for closing the damper which is at the location where the objects have accumulated with respect to the plenum. The closing of the damper is based upon the sensed accumulated location. The system includes a variable speed blower for providing air to move objects with respect to the plenum. The objects are either in an accumulated or unaccumulated state with respect to the plenum. A velocity measuring device measures the velocity of the objects, and an adjustment device which is connected to the velocity measuring device adjusts the speed of the blower to a predetermined speed based upon the velocity of the unaccumulated objects.

Article conveyor apparatus and method are disclosed having fluid containment, and particularly for conveying of articles such as cans having an oily liquid thereon when transported from a processing or forming station. The articles are mass transported along a predetermined path that is closed to the atmosphere except for infeed and discharge of articles, with the articles being transported by engagement with a moving belt having openings therein. The inlet of a chamber, otherwise closed to the atmosphere and having negative fluid pressure maintained therein during normal operation, is positioned adjacent to the belt so that the negative pressure maintains articles in contact with the belt during transport along the predetermined path regardless of path orientation and also draws fluid from the transported articles and belt into the chamber through the openings in the belt and the chamber inlet. The fluid, such as an air-liquid mixture that includes liquid not then gravity separated in the chamber from the air, is discharged from the chamber to a pressure source that also provides positive pressure through a conduit to a perforated top plate positioned at the predetermined path.

Article conveyor having fluid containment

A height adjustable conveyor system conveys articles between different heights as needed. The conveyor system includes guides that support the neck rings of articles to be conveyed, and the guides are mounted on an air conveyor having multiple sections so that the guides are caused to be flexed by different movements of the air conveyor sections. The air conveyor has pivotably coupled first, second, and third sections with the first section being vertically adjustable with respect to the third section and the second section being between and tiltable with respect to the first and third sections to thereby flex the guides as necessary to readily effect article height variations as needed between the input and the output of the system. Relative movement between the three sections of the air conveyor is effected by a lever pivotably connected with a fixed support and the first section of the air conveyor with the lever being actuated by a crank.

Height adjustable conveyor system

A fluid conveyor effects movement of articles, such as cans, along a predetermined path adjacent to a thin deck plate. The thin deck plate has fluid distribution areas formed therein with each fluid distribution area having an aperture formed therein, after which a flat tab section is formed that is inclined with respect to the remainder of the plate. Each tab section therefore has an aperture therein through which fluid from a fluid supply unit is injected under pressure into the article path adjacent to the plate in a direction and angle determined by the orientation of the tab sections to effect movement of articles along the article path. Each tab section has a portion integral with the remainder of the plate and side and end edge portions unattached to the remainder of the plate but sufficiently contiguous thereto to prevent passage of air between the edge portions and the remainder of the plate. The fluid conveyor can also include one or more turns between upstream and downstream sections, with first and second groups of tab sections being positioned to inject fluid in the upstream section to effect article movement and with the second group of tab sections being positioned in the downstream section to effect article movement.

Growing community of inventors

Fort Collins, CO, United States of America

Thomas M Ingraham