초록 ▼

A load smart system for continuously loading preformed pouches into a fill-seal machine is provided. A plurality of pouches are disposed within a pouch delivery device, each of the pouches having an upper edge and an indicia. The fill-seal machine includes a rotating turret having a plurality of rad

A load smart system for continuously loading preformed pouches into a fill-seal machine is provided. A plurality of pouches are disposed within a pouch delivery device, each of the pouches having an upper edge and an indicia. The fill-seal machine includes a rotating turret having a plurality of radially extending grippers. The rotating turret rotates the plurality of gripper pairs between a loading station, an opening station, a filling station, a sealing station, and an unloading station. A robotic transfer device is positioned between the pouch delivery device and the loading station of the fill-seal machine. The robotic transfer device includes an optical sensor positioned on a gripper member. During operation, the optical sensor scans the indicia to determine the pouch characteristics and a controlling station controls the gripper member to deposits the pouch within the gripper pairs at the loading station a predetermined distance from the upper edge of the pouch.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A load smart system for continuous loading preformed pouches having an upper edge and an indicia, said system comprising: a pouch delivery device containing a plurality of the preformed pouches;a fill machine having a rotating turret;a plurality of grippers radially extending from said rotating t

1. A load smart system for continuous loading preformed pouches having an upper edge and an indicia, said system comprising: a pouch delivery device containing a plurality of the preformed pouches;a fill machine having a rotating turret;a plurality of grippers radially extending from said rotating turret, said plurality of grippers rotating between a loading station, an opening station, a filling station, and an unloading station; a robotic transfer device positioned between said pouch delivery device and said loading station of said fill machine, said robotic transfer device having a gripper member operable to pick up the pouch from said pouch delivery device and deposit the pouch within one of said plurality of grippers at said loading station;an optical sensor attached to said gripper member; anda control station having a controller and a database, said database having a plurality of preloaded pouch characteristics correlating to the indicia, said preloaded pouch characteristics include an orientation of the pouch within said pouch delivery device, dimensions of the pouch including a predetermined distance between the upper edge of the pouch and said grippers at said loading station, and sequential movements based on an XYZ coordinate system utilized by said controller to articulate said gripper member to pick up the pouch from said pouch delivery device and deposit the pouch within said grippers with said predetermined distance between the upper edge and said grippers;wherein said optical sensor scans the indicia and said controller accesses said database to determine said preloaded pouch characteristics correlating to the scanned indicia, said controller controls the robotic transfer device to orient said gripper member to pick up the pouch, based on said preload orientation, articulates said gripper member to transfer the pouch to said loading station, based on said sequential movements, and deposits the pouch within said grippers of said loading station with the upper edge of the pouch said predetermined distance from said grippers based on said dimensions of the pouch and said predetermined distance. 2. The load smart system of claim 1, wherein said preloaded pouch characteristics include a width of the pouch, and wherein said fill machine includes a gripper width adjustment mechanism operable to adjust the width of said plurality of grippers to accommodate the width of the pouch, said controller sets a width of said grippers by controlling said gripper adjustment mechanism based upon said preloaded pouch characteristics associated with the scanned indicia. 3. The load smart system of claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of grippers includes a first gripper arm and a second gripper arm each pivotally attached to a rotated deck of said rotating turret, and wherein a link is pivotally connected to said first gripper arm at a first end and pivotally connected to said second gripper arm at a second end, and wherein an actuation mechanism connected to one of said first gripper arm or said second gripper arm, and said gripper width adjustment mechanism is operatively connected to said actuation mechanism to adjust the width of said grippers. 4. The load smart system of claim 3, wherein said actuation mechanism includes a rod connected to said link, a lever pivotally connected to a roller in rolling contact with a barrel cam of said rotating turret, said lever being pivotally attached about a pivot axis to an extension extending from one of said first gripper arm or said second gripper arm, and wherein said gripper width adjustment mechanism vertical displaces said barrel cam to pivot said lever about said pivot axis driving said rod to adjust the width of said grippers. 5. The load smart system of claim 1, further including a reciprocating opening device attached to an upper end of said rotating turret, said reciprocating opening device having a pair of opening fingers moveable between a closed position and an open position, said opening fingers at least partially enter the pouch at said opening station and move from said closed position to said open position as said reciprocating opening device rotates with the pouch from said opening station to said filling station. 6. The load smart system of claim 5, wherein a vertically adjustable diving funnel is positioned at said filling station, said diving funnel descends into the pouch between said opening fingers to direct a product into the pouch. 7. The load smart system of claim 6, wherein said diving funnel includes a rigid upper portion and a flexible lower portion, said rigid upper portion having an open top end and an open bottom end, and wherein said flexible lower portion having a plurality of fingers hingedly connected to said upper portion. 8. The load smart system of claim 7, wherein said rigid upper portion has a polygon shape having a plurality of sides, each of said sides having a hook extending from a said bottom end, and wherein each of said plurality of fingers includes a slot to receive said hook to hingedly connect one of said fingers to each of said plurality of sides. 9. A rotating fill machine for preformed pouches, said machine comprising: a turret having a plurality of grippers holding the pouches, said turret rotating said plurality of grippers through a plurality of stations;a pair of opening fingers extending from said turret and moveable into one of the pouches at an entering station, said opening fingers moveable apart to an open position; anda device that rotates said pair of opening fingers from said entering station through a predetermined number of stations to an exiting station in a first direction where said pair of opening fingers exit the pouch, and wherein said device rotates said pair of opening fingers from said exiting station to said entering station in a second direction opposite said first direction. 10. The rotating fill machine of claim 9, wherein said turret includes a rotating hollow shaft having a first end and a second end;a pouch deck attached to said first end of said hollow shaft;said plurality of grippers are attached to said pouch deck and extending radially from said hollow shaft; anda shaft extending though said hollow shaft for vertical and rotational movement therethrough, said shaft having a distal end and a proximate end; andwherein said device is a reciprocating opening device attached to said distal end of said shaft, said reciprocating opening device having said pair of opening fingers moveable between a closed position and an open position;wherein said opening fingers at least partially enter the pouch at said entering station and move from said closed position to said open position as said reciprocating opening device rotates with the pouch from said entering station to said exiting station in said first direction. 11. The rotating fill machine of claim 10, wherein said reciprocating opening device includes a traveling arm having a first end and a second end, said first end of said traveling arm fixedly attached to said shaft adjacent said distal end, said pair of opening fingers being pivotally attached to said second end of said traveling arm;a cam extending from said distal end of said shaft;a biasing member attached between said pair of opening fingers and biasing said pair of opening fingers towards said open position;a bracket pivotally attached to said traveling arm adjacent said first end of said traveling arm; anda rod having a first end and a second end, said first end of said rod attached to said bracket and said second end of said rod operatively attached to said pair of opening fingers;wherein upon rotation of said shaft said cam abuts said bracket to pivot said bracket driving said rod thereby pivoting said pair of opening fingers between said closed position and said open position. 12. The rotating fill machine of claim 11, wherein said proximate end of said shaft is attached to a vertically reciprocating mechanism to reciprocally displace said shaft in the vertical direction to descend said pair of opening fingers of said reciprocating opening device into the pouch at said entering station and raise said pair of opening fingers of said reciprocating opening device at said exiting station and wherein said proximate end of said shaft is attached to a rotatable reciprocating mechanism to reciprocally rotate said shaft within said hollow shaft to rotate said reciprocating opening device between said entering station and said exiting station and wherein said opening fingers move from said closed position to said open position during rotation of the said reciprocating opening device with the pouch from said entering station to said exiting station. 13. The rotating fill machine of claim 10, further including a flexible diving funnel positioned at said exiting station, said diving funnel includes a rigid upper portion and a flexible lower portion, and wherein said flexible lower portion descends into the pouch between said opening fingers to direct a product into the pouch. 14. A rotating fill machine for preformed pouches, said machine comprising: a rotating shaft;a pouch deck attached to said shaft;a plurality of grippers attached to said pouch deck and extending radially from said shaft, said plurality of grippers hold the preformed pouches as said rotating fill machine rotates between a loading station, an opening station, a filling station, and an unloading station, each of said plurality of grippers includes a first gripper arm and a second gripper arm each pivotally attached to said pouch deck of said rotating shaft, a link having a first end and an opposite second end, said first end of said link is pivotally connected to said first gripper arm and said second end of said link is pivotally connected to said second gripper arm, each of said first gripper arm having a first jaw pivotally attached and each of said second gripper arm having a second jaw pivotally attached, said first jaws and said second jaws are moveable between an open position to receive the pouch and a closed position to restrain movement of the pouch;a gripper width adjustment mechanism operable to adjust a width of said plurality of grippers, said gripper width adjustment mechanism includes an actuation mechanism that is pivotally connected to only one of said first gripper arm or said second gripper arm; anda control station operable to receive an input, said control station in electronic communication with said gripper width adjustment mechanism to adjust a width between distal ends of said first gripper arm and said second gripper arm of said plurality of grippers by actuating said actuating mechanism based upon said input into said control station. 15. The rotating fill machine of claim 14, wherein said actuation mechanism includes a rod connected to said link, a lever pivotally connected to a roller in rolling contact with a barrel cam of said rotating shaft, said lever being pivotally attached about a pivot axis to an extension extending from one of said first gripper arm or said second gripper arm, and wherein said gripper width adjustment mechanism vertical displaces said barrel cam to pivot said lever about said pivot axis driving said rod to adjust the width of said grippers.