Carton feeder with positionable vacuum cups

Abstract

A packaging machine ( 100 ) includes a carton feeder ( 112 ) with a wheel assembly ( 214 ) having selectively positionable vacuum cups (S) for removing collapsed cartons (C) from a hopper ( 102 ). The vacuum cups (S) are mounted to feeder arms ( 304 ). At least of one the vacuum cups (S) can be repositioned to accommodate collapsed cartons (C) having various sizes, shapes, contours, or features (F) that would otherwise impede the ability of the vacuum cups (S) to maintain sufficient pressure so as to engage a surface of the collapsed carton (C). In certain embodiments, each vacuum cup (S) is mounted to the feeder arm via a manifold (M) that is slidably mounted to the feeder arm ( 304 ). The manifold (M) may be fixably positioned by or otherwise locked in place by a locking means (L). In other embodiments, the feeder arm ( 304 ) has several vacuum ports ( 308 ) distributed along its length, to which the vacuum cups (S) can be selectively attached and detached.

1 . A carton feeder ( 112 ) for sequentially engaging collapsed cartons (C) and depositing the cartons (C) at a selected location in a packaging machine ( 100 ), the carton feeder ( 112 ) comprising: 
 at least one wheel assembly ( 214 ,  216 ,  218 ) that is rotatable about an axis of rotation;    a feeder arm ( 304 ) comprising a substantially continuous vacuum conduit (B) that extends along at least a portion of the length of the feeder arm ( 304 ); and    vacuum driven means for engaging ( 300 ) the cartons, the means for engaging being mounted on the feeder arm and selectively positionable along at least a portion of the length of the feeder arm;    wherein vacuum pressure is transferred along the conduit (B) to said means for engaging.    
   
   
       2 . The carton feeder of  claim 1 , wherein said means for engaging comprises at least one vacuum cup assembly ( 300 ) comprising at least one vacuum cup (S 1 , S 2 ).  
   
   
       3 . The carton feeder of  claim 2 , wherein the feeder arm is substantially parallel to and offset from the axis of rotation of the feeder wheel assembly, and the at least one vacuum cup assembly is attached to the feeder arm ( 304 ).  
   
   
       4 . The carton feeder of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one vacuum cup assembly is selectively positionable by being slidable along the feeder arm ( 304 ).  
   
   
       5 . The carton feeder of  claim 3 , wherein the feeder arm comprises a plurality of ports distributed along the length of the feeder arm each capable of connecting to the at least one vacuum cup assembly, and each of the at least one vacuum cup assembly is selectively positionable by being detached from one of said plurality of ports and reattached to another one of said plurality of ports.  
   
   
       6 . A carton feeder ( 112 ) for sequentially engaging collapsed cartons (C) depositing the cartons (C) at a selected location in a packaging machine ( 100 ), the carton feeder ( 112 ) comprising: 
 an inlet ( 316 ) for coupling the carton feeder ( 112 ) to a vacuum source (A) associated with the packaging machine ( 100 ), the vacuum source being for generating vacuum pressure;    at least one wheel assembly ( 214 ,  216 ,  218 ), comprising: 
 a shaft ( 314 );  
 at least one rotatable plate ( 310 ,  312 ) having an axis of rotation defined by the shaft ( 314 ), the at least one plate being mounted to the shaft ( 314 );  
 at least one feeder arm ( 304 ) extending from the at least one plate ( 310 ,  312 ), the feeder arm ( 304 ) comprising a substantially continuous vacuum conduit (B) that extends along at least a portion of the length of the feeder arm ( 304 ), the vacuum conduit (B) being coupled to the inlet so as to transfer vacuum pressure generated by the vacuum source (A); and  
 at least one vacuum cup assembly ( 300 ) selectively positionable along the length of the feeder arm ( 304 ).  
   
   
   
       7 . The carton feeder of  claim 6 , wherein the vacuum cup assembly ( 300 ) further comprises: 
 a vacuum cup (S 1 , S 2 ), and    a manifold (M 1 , M 2 ) that is coupled to the vacuum cup (S 1 , S 2 ) and to the vacuum conduit (B) so as to transfer vacuum pressure from the vacuum conduit (B) to the vacuum cup (S); the manifold (M) being slidably mounted to the feeder arm ( 304 ) to selectively position the vacuum cup (S).    
   
   
       8 . The carton feeder of  claim 7 , further comprising locking means (L) for releasably fixing the position of the manifold (M) along the feeder arm ( 304 ).  
   
   
       9 . The carton feeder of  claim 6 , wherein: 
 the feeder arm ( 304 ) further comprises a plurality of vacuum ports ( 308 ) distributed along at least a portion of its length for connecting to the vacuum cup assembly ( 300 ); and    the vacuum cup assembly ( 300 ) is removable from one of the plurality of ports to be selectively attached to another of the vacuum ports ( 308 ) to couple the vacuum cup (S) to the vacuum conduit (B) so as to transfer vacuum pressure along the vacuum conduit (B) to the vacuum cup assembly ( 300 ).    
   
   
       10 . The carton feeder of  claim 9 , wherein each vacuum port ( 308 ) is configured to transfer vacuum pressure only when a vacuum cup assembly ( 300 ) has been attached to it.  
   
   
       11 . The carton feeder of  claim 6 , wherein the feeder arm ( 304 ) is rotatably connected to the at least one plate ( 310 ,  312 ) via a flipper arm ( 305 ).  
   
   
       12 . A packaging machine ( 100 ) comprising a carton feeder ( 112 ) for sequentially removing collapsed sleeve type cartons (C) from a hopper ( 102 ) and depositing the cartons (C) on a carton conveyor ( 220 ), the packaging machine ( 100 ) comprising: 
 a vacuum source (A) for generating vacuum pressure;    at least one wheel assembly ( 214 ,  216 ,  218 ), comprising an elongated feeder arm ( 304 ) offset from and parallel to an axis of rotation ( 314 ) of the wheel assembly ( 214 ,  216 ,  218 ), the feeder arm ( 304 ) comprising a substantially continuous vacuum conduit (B) that extends along at least a portion of the length of the feeder arm ( 304 ), the vacuum conduit (B) being coupled to the vacuum source (A) so as to transfer vacuum pressure generated by the vacuum source (A); and    at least one vacuum cup assembly ( 300 ) movably attached to the feeder arm ( 304 ) and selectively positionable along the length of the feeder arm ( 304 ).