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:
Jan. 18, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 17, 1998
Uno Sjostrand, Flyinge, SE;
Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A., Pully, CH;
Abstract
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for detecting toppled packages (2) lying on a conveyor (1). The apparatus includes two pairs of photocells, an upper (4) and a lower (5), disposed as transmitter and receiver of a light beam (6). The photocell pairs (4, 5) are placed on either side of the conveyor path (1) so that the light beam (6) bisects the conveyor path (1) at a certain angle. The apparatus also includes a magnet valve (16) and a device (1) for removing a toppled package (2). The lower photocell pair (5) transmits, when the light beam (6) is broken, a signal to the upper photocell pair (4) which, when the light beam (6) is unbroken, transmits a signal to the magnet valve (16). The magnet valve (16) activates the device (10) which, for example, consists of an air nozzle (11), so that the toppled package (2) is blown off from the conveyor (1).