IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0979762
(2004-11-03)
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등록번호 |
US-7261199
(2007-08-28)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Hartness,Thomas P.
- Hartness, III,William R.
- Davidson,Mark W.
- Brennan,Frank
- Beesley,Robert C.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- Hartness International, Inc.
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대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
7 인용 특허 :
152 |
초록
▼
A conveyor is disclosed suitable for conveying objects such as containers to a processing station. The conveyor includes a plurality of connected links, and at least one gripping member extending from each of the links. Each gripping member is movable relative to its respective link for gripping a c
A conveyor is disclosed suitable for conveying objects such as containers to a processing station. The conveyor includes a plurality of connected links, and at least one gripping member extending from each of the links. Each gripping member is movable relative to its respective link for gripping a container by the neck of the container. A guide structure is disposed on the link for mating a component of the processing station to the neck of the container for processing the container. The processing station may be a filler such as a rotary filler, a capper, or a rinser. Related individual links, conveying systems, and filler components are also disclosed.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A conveyor suitable for conveying objects such as containers to a processing station, the conveyor comprising: a plurality of connected links; at least two gripping members extending from each of the links, the gripping members movable relative to their respective link for gr
What is claimed is: 1. A conveyor suitable for conveying objects such as containers to a processing station, the conveyor comprising: a plurality of connected links; at least two gripping members extending from each of the links, the gripping members movable relative to their respective link for gripping therebetween a container by the neck of the container, the gripping members being rotationally joined by gears; and a guide structure disposed on each link for mating a component of the processing station to the neck of the container for processing the container. 2. The conveyor of claim 1, wherein the guide structure is a particular configuration of at least one of the gripping members. 3. The conveyor of claim 1, wherein the guide structure is configured to align the container with the processing station component in up to three dimensions. 4. The conveyor of claim 1, wherein the links are connected by connecting elements. 5. The conveyor of claim 4, wherein the connecting elements are one of a flexible cable or barbell-shaped joining elements. 6. The conveyor of claim 1, further including a track extending along a conveying path, the links including mating structure configured for guiding the links along the track. 7. The conveyor of claim 1, wherein the gripping member is spring-biased toward a gripping position. 8. A conveyor suitable for conveying objects such as containers to a processing station, the conveyor comprising: a plurality of connected links; at least one gripping member extending from each of the links, each gripping member movable relative to its respective link for gripping a container by the neck of the container; and a guide structure disposed on each link for mating a component of the processing station to the neck of the container for processing the container, the guide structure including an opening defined through the link. 9. The conveyor of claim 8, wherein the opening is configured for aligning a container with a component of one or more of a filler, a capper, a labeler, or a rinser. 10. The conveyor of claim 8, wherein each link includes two of the gripping members for gripping the container therebetween. 11. The conveyor of claim 10, wherein the two gripping members are rotationally joined by gears. 12. A conveyor suitable for conveying objects such as containers to a processing station, the conveyor comprising: a plurality of connected links; at least one gripping member extending from each of the links, each gripping member movable relative to its respective link for gripping a container by the neck of the container; and a guide structure disposed on each link for mating a component of the processing station to the neck of the container for processing the container, wherein the processing station is one of a filler, a capper, a labeler, or a rinser, and the links include attaching structure for attaching the links to the processing station in registration with the components of the processing station. 13. The conveyor of claim 12, wherein the attaching structure further includes one of a track portion or indentations disposed on the processing station for attaching the links to the processing station. 14. A link for a conveyor suitable for conveying objects such as containers to a processing station, the link comprising: a link body, the link body defining openings for receiving connecting elements for connecting a plurality of the links so as to form a conveyor; at least two gripping members extending from the link body, the gripping members movable relative to the link body for gripping therebetween a container by the neck of the container, the gripping members being rotationally joined by gears; and a guide structure for mating a component of the processing station to the neck of the container for processing the container. 15. The link of claim 14, wherein the guide structure is a particular configuration of at least one of the gripping members. 16. The link of claim 14, wherein the guide structure is configured to align the container with the processing station component in up to three dimensions. 17. The link of claim 14, wherein the link body includes mating structure configured for guiding the link body along a track. 18. The link of claim 14, wherein the gripping member is spring-biased toward a gripping position. 19. A link for a conveyor suitable for conveying objects such as containers to a processing station, the link comprising: a link body, the link body defining openings for receiving connecting elements for connecting a plurality of the links so as to form a conveyor; at least one gripping member extending from the link body, the gripping member movable relative to the link body for gripping a container by the neck of the container; and a guide structure for mating a component of the processing station to the neck of the container for processing the container, the guide structure including an opening defined through the link. 20. The link of claim 19, wherein the opening is configured for aligning a container with a component of one or more of a filler, a capper, a labeler, or a rinser. 21. The link of claim 19, wherein the link includes two of the gripping members for gripping the container therebetween. 22. The link of claim 21, wherein the two gripping members are rotationally joined by gears. 23. A link for a conveyor suitable for conveying objects such as containers to a processing station, the link comprising: a link body, the link body defining openings for receiving connecting elements for connecting a plurality of the links so as to form a conveyor, the link body including attaching structure for attaching the link body to the processing station; at least one gripping member extending from the link body, the gripping member movable relative to the link body for gripping a container by the neck of the container; and a guide structure for mating a component of the processing station to the neck of the container for processing the container. 24. A container conveying system, the system comprising: a rotary filler; a track extending along a conveying path, the track being formed in at least two portions, a first portion terminating at an input section of the rotary filler and a second portion beginning at an output section of the rotary filler; and a plurality of connected links, each link including at least one movable gripping member for gripping a container by the neck of the container; each link defining mating structure for following the track along the conveying path and attaching structure for attaching the links to the rotary filler, the mating structure configured for guiding the links along the first track portion and to the rotary filler, the attaching structure configured for attaching the links to the rotary filler for filling the containers while gripped by the gripping members, the mating structure configured for guiding the containers off the rotary filler and onto the second track portion after the containers are filled. 25. The system of claim 24, wherein the conveyor includes connection elements for connecting the links. 26. The system of claim 24, wherein each link includes a guide structure for mating a filler head to the container neck. 27. The system of claim 26, wherein the guide structure is an opening defined through the link. 28. The system of claim 27, wherein the guide structure is a particular configuration of at least one of the gripping members. 29. The system of claim 27, wherein the guide structure is configured to align the container with the processing station component in up to three dimensions. 30. The system of claim 24, wherein each link includes two of the gripping members for gripping the container therebetween. 31. The system of claim 30, wherein the two gripping members are rotationally joined by gears. 32. The system of claim 24, wherein the links are configured so that the containers may be conveyed disposed below the links. 33. A conveyor suitable for conveying containers by the neck to a processing station, the conveyor comprising: a plurality of links, each link defining a guide opening therethrough for mating a component of the processing station with a neck of a container, each link defining two oppositely disposed cavities; connection elements connecting the links so as to form a conveyor, the connection elements including a plurality of joining elements, each joining element having two ends and a center portion between the two ends, each joining element being removably attached to an adjacent pair of the links, whereby one of the ends of the joining element is disposed in one of the cavities of one of the pair of links and the other of the ends of the joining element is disposed in one of the cavities of the other of the pair of links, thereby forming a series of connected links; and at least one movable gripping element for holding the conveyor with the neck in registration with the guide opening for aligning the container neck with the processing station component. 34. The conveyor of claim 33, wherein the joining elements and links are configured to allow three-dimensional movement of a given one of the links relative to an adjacent link. 35. The conveyor of claim 33, further including a track, the links including structure for guiding the links along the track through at least a portion of the travel of the links. 36. The conveyor of claim 35, wherein the track ends adjacent a processing station, at which point the links depart the track and attach to the processing station. 37. The conveyor of claim 36, wherein the processing station is a filler. 38. The conveyor of claim 33, wherein each link includes two of the gripping members for gripping the container therebetween. 39. The conveyor of claim 38, wherein the two gripping members are rotationally joined by gears. 40. The conveyor of claim 33, further including a further guide structure for mating the component of the processing station with the neck of the container. 41. The conveyor of claim 40, the further guide structure is a particular configuration of at least one of the gripping members. 42. The conveyor of claim 40, the further guide structure is configured to align the container with the processing station component in up to three dimensions.
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