The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 19, 1990
Filed:
Oct. 05, 1988
Gottfried Hoffman, Schwarzenbek, DE;
Olaf Buhrmester, Schwarzenbek, DE;
Herbert Bergner, Reinbek, DE;
Otto Blidung, Geesthacht, DE;
Korber AG, Hamburg, DE;
Abstract
Packets of cigarettes are delivered from a packing machine to a cartoner in the form of arrays each of which contains a predetermined number of packets. The packing machine discharges discrete packets which are advanced to a gathering station where the packets are assembled into arrays in successive compartments of a stepwise operated first endless conveyor. The first conveyor delivers freshly accumulated arrays into the pockets of a stepwise operated second endless conveyor which delivers a series of arrays to a second station adjacent the cartoner. The second conveyor is set in motion during a first stage of each cycle of the cartoner, and a pusher transfers successive arrays from the respective pockets of the second conveyor during second stages of certain cycles of the cartoner. The frequency of cycles of the cartoner at least equals but normally exceeds of the frequency at which arrays of packets are assembled in the compartments of the first conveyor. In order to compensate for such discrepancy, the accumulation of packets into arrays at the gathering station is monitored and the second conveyor is caused to advance by a step without receiving an array from the first conveyor when the monitoring step indicates that the accumulation of a fresh array cannot be completed prior to completion of a preselected portion of the corresponding cycle of the cartoner.