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:
Oct. 22, 2002
Filed:
Aug. 24, 2000
Leo J. Esper, Howell, MI (US);
Elopak Systems AG, Glattbrugg, CH;
Abstract
An air mover apparatus for conveying and separating articles through a transport tube. A line-up of articles are supplied via a track from an orienting and feeding device and, thence, to a transport tube leading to a remote processing machine. The air mover is operatively connected between the track and the transport tube. Oppositely disposed converging air passages are formed in the air mover, adapted to receive compressed air from a suitable source and emit same to the interior of the air mover, to thereby draw each successive article therepast from the line-up and project same forward, creating a separation between adjacent articles while blowing the articles through the transport tube to the processing machine. An orifice may be formed upstream of the converging air passages, adapted to receive the compressed air to stall the articles to enhance the separation between adjacent articles.