Device for separating stacked cup-shaped containers and feeding individual cup-shaped containers

Abstract

A device for separating individual cup-shaped containers from a stack of such containers is provided, including a frame, a separating mechanism, an adjusting mechanism, and a power transmission mechanism. The separating mechanism includes at least a pair of screw rods arranged on opposite sides of the frame and substantially parallel to and spaced from each other to receive the stack therebetween. The power transmission mechanism is coupled to the screw rods by mated gears for driving rotation of the screw rods. The screw rods have screws engaging outer rim of each individual container and having an increased pitch whereby when the screw rods rotate, the container is driven forward in a given direction and is increasingly spaced from the other containers due to the increased screw pitch. The adjusting mechanism is coupled to the screw rods to selectively adjust the distance between the screw rods for accommodating containers of different specifications. Thus, automatic separation of the cup-shaped containers can be achieved, and in addition, the device can be applied to containers of different specifications easily.

1 . A device for feeding cup-shaped containers, comprising:
 a frame;   a separating mechanism comprising two screw rods that are arranged on opposite sides of the frame and spaced by a distance adapted to receive a stack of the cup-shaped containers therebetween, each screw rod forming a helical screw spaced by a helical groove that is adapted to receivingly engage a rim of each cup container;   an adjusting mechanism mechanically coupled to the screw rods to selectively move the screw rods with respect to each other for changing the distance between the screw rods; and   a transmission mechanism in driving engagement with the screw rods to cause rotation of the screw rods, thereby driving the containers forward move in a given direction with the rims of the containers engaging the helical screws of the screw rods and thus separating the containers from each other.   
   
   
       2 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises a feed hopper for receiving and retaining the stack of cup-shaped containers in the frame and feeding the stack between the screw rods. 
   
   
       3 . The device as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a feed control mechanism that feeds a next stack of cup-shaped containers between the screw rods after the cup-shaped containers are all discharged. 
   
   
       4 . The device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the feed control mechanism comprises:
 a sensing device for detecting presence of a stack of containers inside the hopper;   a conveying device having an end located above and adjacent to a receiving portion of the frame, the conveying device carrying the next stack of cup-shaped containers;   a first pneumatic driving device arranged at the end of the conveying device, and having a first driving rod extendible in a first direction;   a second pneumatic driving device mounted to the first driving rod and having a second driving rod having an end movable into the conveying device and physically engageable the next stack;   third and fourth pneumatic driving devices arranged on opposite sides of the receiving portion of the frame and having third and fourth driving rods, respectively, that are extendible toward each other to an extended position; and   a carrier board mounted to an end of each of the third and fourth driving rods and having portions that joint to each other to form a storage space when the third and fourth driving rods are in the extended position;   wherein the first and second driving devices are actuateable to move the next stack by the end of the second pneumatic driving device into the storage space for subsequently feeding the next stack into the receiving portion of the frame.   
   
   
       5 . The device as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the sensing device comprises an opto-electrical sensor. 
   
   
       6 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the adjusting mechanism comprises:
 two spaced boards;   guide rails extending between the boards;   a threaded rod extending between the boards and substantially parallel to the guide rails; and   two movable blocks supporting the screw rods respectively and movably arranged between boards and in threading engagement with the threaded rod and slidable along the guide rails whereby rotation of the threaded rod causes the movable blocks to move along the guide rail to separate from/approach each other.   
   
   
       7 . The device as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the adjusting mechanism comprises a hand wheel mounted to the screw rod. 
   
   
       8 . The device as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the movable blocks defined through holes each allowing extension of each guide rail and an inner-threaded hole engaging the threaded rod. 
   
   
       9 . The device as claimed in  claim 6  wherein each movable block defines a bore through which a driving shaft of the transmission mechanism extends to drivingly engage the screw rod supported on the movable block. 
   
   
       10 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the transmission mechanism comprises:
 a motor mounted to the frame to supply a driving torque;   gears rotatably mounted to the frame and a timing belt extending around the gears and coupled between a spindle of the motor and two transmission wheels to transmit the torque from the motor to the transmission wheels; and   a transmission shaft mounted to and driven by each transmission wheel, the transmission shaft being drivingly coupled to each screw rod.   
   
   
       11 . The device as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the timing belt comprises teeth on opposite sides thereof. 
   
   
       12 . The device as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the frame defines an elongate slot in which the transmission wheels are movably received and supported.