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:
Feb. 24, 2009
Filed:
Oct. 09, 2007
Stephen M. Giometti, Horseheads, NY (US);
Henry F. Raupp, Freeville, NY (US);
Stephen M. Giometti, Horseheads, NY (US);
Henry F. Raupp, Freeville, NY (US);
Emhart Glass S.A., , CH;
Abstract
A bottle inspection machine is disclosed which has a starwheel feeder and an outfeed mechanism for receiving bottles from the starwheel feeder. The outfeed mechanism has an inner belt conveyor which has a pickoff wheel adjacent the starwheel feeder and a second wheel. At least one drive belt is supported by the pickoff and second wheels for defining a linear outfeed belt portion. The outfeed mechanism also has an outer serpentine belt conveyor which has an idler wheel located radially inwardly from the pick off wheel which defines an opening for receiving a bottle displaced by the starwheel feeder and a third wheel. At least one flexible serpentine belt is supported by the idler and third wheels which are located to define a location where a bottle will be discharged from the outfeed mechanism. The serpentine belt is sufficiently flexible so that a bottle displaced into the opening between the pickoff and idler wheels will be conveyed by the serpentine and inner belts with the serpentine belt changing its configuration as the bottle is conveyed to the discharge location.