Conveyor belt tray closing apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus and method for automatically closing and sealing the lids of hinged containers as the containers travel along a conveyor belt from an initial position to a final position along a substantially horizontal surface. The apparatus includes a series of rail assemblies positioned above the horizontal surface. An elongated lid-closing rail assembly affixed to the horizontal surface includes a first section adapted to project beneath the containers as the containers move from the initial position to the final position thereby raising the lids of the containers, and a second, arcuate section, the second section extending toward the back edge of the horizontal surface thereby lowering the lids of the containers upon their respective base sections as the containers move from the initial position to the final position. The apparatus may also include a base section-alignment rail assembly for maintaining the base section of the container upon the horizontal surface while the lids of the containers are raised, and a lid-lowering rail assembly adapted to lower upon the lids of the containers after the lids have been lowered upon their respective base sections by the second section of the lid-closing rail. A tray-closing assembly utilizing revolving belts snaps the lid upon its base. Elongated front and rear edge rail guides prevent the base sections of the moving containers from extending beyond the edges of the horizontal surface. A filling station can be positioned between the initial and final positions to fill the containers with various content before the containers are closed.

1 . A conveyor belt apparatus for closing hinged containers, the hinged containers comprising a base section hingedly coupled to a lid, the base section including a sealing receptacle and the lid including a sealing flange insertable within the sealing receptacle, the apparatus comprising: 
 a substantially horizontal support stand having a front edge, a back edge, a tray-receiving end and a tray-discharge end;    conveyor means disposed upon the support stand and adapted to move one or more containers from an initial position on the support stand to a final position on the support stand;    an adjustable rail guide assembly adapted to align the one or more containers and lower the lid of each container upon its base section as the one or more containers move from the initial position to the final position; and    a vertically-adjustable container-sealing assembly affixed to the horizontal support stand, the container-sealing assembly adapted to seal the lid of the hinged containers to the base section.    
   
   
       2 . The conveyor belt apparatus of  claim 1 , the adjustable rail guide assembly comprising: 
 an alignment rail assembly for preventing the one or more containers from extending beyond an edge of the conveyor means; and    a container-closing rail assembly for closing the lids of the one or more containers upon their respective base sections.    
   
   
       3 . The conveyor belt apparatus of  claim 2 , the container-closing rail assembly comprising an elongated lift rail affixed to and suspended above the support stand, the lift rail having a first section adapted to project beneath the lids of the one or more containers as the one or more containers move from the initial position to the final position.  
   
   
       4 . The conveyor belt apparatus of  claim 3 , the lift rail further including a second, arcuate section, the second section extending toward the back edge of the support stand thereby lowering the lids of the one or more containers upon their respective base sections as the one or more containers move from the initial position to the final position.  
   
   
       5 . The conveyor belt apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the second section of lift rail is higher than the first section of the lift rail thereby facilitating closing of the lids of the one or more containers upon their respective base sections.  
   
   
       6 . The conveyor belt apparatus of  claim 2 , the container-closing rail assembly further comprising a base alignment rail assembly for retaining the base sections of the one or more containers upon the support stand while the lids of the one or more containers are raised.  
   
   
       7 . The conveyor belt apparatus of  claim 6 , the base alignment rail assembly comprising: 
 adjustable first and second substantially vertical support members affixed to and extending from the back edge of the support stand;    adjustable first and second substantially horizontal extension members having first and second ends wherein the first ends of the extension members are coupled to corresponding vertical support members and the second ends of the extension members extend at least partially above the support stand; and    an elongated connection member joining the second ends of the extension members, the connection member adapted to press upon the base sections of the one or more containers as they move underneath the connection member.    
   
   
       8 . The conveyor belt apparatus of  claim 4 , the container-closing rail assembly further comprising a press rail assembly adapted to press upon the lids of the one or more containers after the lids have been lowered upon their respective base sections by the second section of the lift rail.  
   
   
       9 . The conveyor belt apparatus of  claim 8 , the press rail assembly comprising: 
 adjustable first and second substantially vertical support members affixed to and extending from the front edge of the support stand;    adjustable first and second substantially horizontal extension members having first and second ends wherein the first ends of the extension members are coupled to corresponding vertical support members and the second ends of the extension members extend at least partially above the support stand; and    an elongated connection member joining the second ends of the extension members, the connection member adapted to press upon the lids of the one or more containers as they move underneath the connection member.    
   
   
       10 . The conveyor belt apparatus of  claim 2 , the alignment rail assembly further comprising an elongated rear rail guide assembly for preventing a rear edge of the base section of the one or more containers from extending beyond a rear edge of the support stand.  
   
   
       11 . The conveyor belt apparatus of  claim 2 , the alignment rail assembly further comprising an elongated front edge rail guide for preventing a front edge of the base section of the one or more containers from extending beyond a front edge of the support stand.  
   
   
       12 . The conveyor belt apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a filling station positioned between the initial position and the final position for filling the hinged containers.  
   
   
       13 . The conveyor belt apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tray-discharge end includes a substantially downward sloping surface.  
   
   
       14 . The conveyor belt apparatus of  claim 1 , the vertically-adjustable container-sealing assembly comprising: 
 an upper belt assembly including an upper belt; and    a lower belt assembly including a lower belt; wherein the upper and lower belts each rotate about a pair of pulleys, at least one of the pulleys rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to the horizontal surface of the support stand, the upper and lower belts separable by a gap formed between the upper belt assembly and the lower belt assembly, the gap and rotating belts adapted to join the sealing flange to the sealing receptacle as the sealing flange and sealing receptacle of the one or more containers pass through the gap thereby sealing the lids of the one or more containers to their respective base sections.    
   
   
       15 . The conveyor belt apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the upper belt assembly further includes a belt adjustment guide adapted to adjust the tension of the upper belt thereby adjusting the gap dimension in order to accommodating different container sizes.  
   
   
       16 - 19 . (canceled)