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. 11, 2011
Filed:
May. 20, 2009
John L. Raudat, Kalispell, MT (US);
J. Michael Weaver, Madison, CT (US);
Rick Dolce, East Hampton, CT (US);
Jeffrey Reilly, Killingworth, CT (US);
Lloyd Johnson, Portland, CT (US);
Vincent M. Cassarino, South Meriden, CT (US);
John L. Raudat, Kalispell, MT (US);
J. Michael Weaver, Madison, CT (US);
Rick Dolce, East Hampton, CT (US);
Jeffrey Reilly, Killingworth, CT (US);
Lloyd Johnson, Portland, CT (US);
Vincent M. Cassarino, South Meriden, CT (US);
Standard Knapp Inc., Portland, CT (US);
Abstract
A packaging machine includes a grouper section having changeable lane sizes and a dual servo grouper that separates product into product sets and allow the product sets to accelerate to the lane chain speed in a controlled manner. The grouper section further includes disappearing lugs that pivot into the lanes via a cam surface provided in the lanes. The product rides upon a raised surface of the cam surface as the lug pushes the product set together down the lane, thus ensuring that no gaps are provided between product set members. A gripper/grid section of the packaging machine includes a bars that travel about a carousel with a gripper head assembly and a grid assembly pair moving up and down the bars as defined by cam surfaces within the gripper/grid section. The grid section is presented below the product set such that the product set is fed through the grid section in a one-way trip into a case. The gripper head assembly cam device and the case feed section both include height adjustment assemblies.