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:
Nov. 30, 2004
Filed:
Nov. 04, 2002
Richard J. Ogle, Neenah, WI (US);
Steven A. Hellmann, Oshkosh, WI (US);
Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc., Neenah, WI (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for accumulating articles ( ) include conveying a plurality of individual articles with a stacking conveyor ( ) In particular aspects, the vacuum conveyor ( ) can be arranged with an elbow configuration to substantially avoid an undesired encircling or surrounding of a substantially fixed portion of cooperating downstream equipment, and the stacking conveyor ( ) can have a plurality of holding members ( ) that project away from an article-side surface of the stacking conveyor. In another aspect, the method and apparatus can include a turning mechanism which forms the desired elbow configuration. A further aspect can include a transfer system ( ) which can cooperate with a vacuum system ( ) to load the articles ( ) into downstream packaging equipment. Still another aspect can include a storage buffer mechanism ( ) which provides an area upon which to stage at least one article-set ( ).