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. 03, 2003
Filed:
Nov. 07, 2000
Kristian Holmen, Asker, NO;
Kaj Johnsen, Bødalen, NO;
Tomra Systems ASA, Asker, NO;
Abstract
An apparatus for the compaction of articles, e.g., disposable metal cans or disposable plastic bottles, includes a pair of mutually counter-rotatable, interacting squeeze rollers, wherein the first roller has a fixed support and wherein the second roller is supported in an arm-spring assembly, thereby enabling the space between the rollers to be varied according to the size and compactability of the article. In addition, the apparatus has a precompactor that includes a conveyor, e.g., a belt or chain conveyor, and an elongate press plate inclined relative to the conveyor and preferably spring-loaded, to ensure that the article is gradually flattened upstream of the squeeze rollers. The squeeze roller may be provided with an incurvate middle portion and, optionally with openings having an L, U or V-shaped cross section with gripping edges in order to facilitate the feeding of the articles, such as bottles having a mouth and bottom nipple, through the compactor.