Orbital feeder

Abstract

An improved orbital carton feeder comprises at least one carton gripping suction cup rotatably mounted to a rotatable wheel and moving in a hypocycloidal path having cusps, one of which defines a curved path portion coordinated with a blank placement station. Multiple cusps, cups and operational stations are disclosed, as well as a preferred cusp angular relationship responding to an angle of a carton blank at a discharge or pickoff station and an angle of disposition of a blank received conveyor.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An orbital blank feeder having a blank transporter moving in a hypocycloidal path having a plurality of cusps wherein one of said cusps is defined as the apex of a curved path, said feeder having a blank pick-off station, a blank placement station and a blank pre-opening station between said pick-off and placement stations, each station oriented proximate one of said cusps. 
     
     
         2 . A feeder as in  claim 1  wherein said one cusp is operably oriented adjacent a blank conveyor for transferring a blank to said conveyor at said placement station. 
     
     
         3 . A feeder as in  claim 2  including at least four cusps. 
     
     
         4 . A feeder as in  claim 2  including at least five cusps. 
     
     
         5 . A feeder as in  claim 2  including at least six cusps. 
     
     
         6 . A feeder as in  claim 1  wherein said feeder includes a blank magazine having a discharge station presenting a blank at an angle to horizontal, and each cusp is in an angular relationship with respect to adjacent cusps, said angular relationship being approximately equal to the sum of the angle of a blank at a discharge station to horizontal and an angle from horizontal of an adjacent blank conveyor operably oriented to receive a blank from said feeder. 
     
     
         7 . A feeder as in  claim 1  wherein said pick-off station is oriented proximate a first cusp of said path and said pre-opening station is located proximate a second sequential cusp of said path. 
     
     
         8 . A feeder as in  claim 7  wherein said placement station is oriented proximate a third cusp of said path. 
     
     
         9 . An orbital feeder for feeding carton blanks from a blank magazine to a carton conveyor through a portion of a hypocycloidal path, said path having at least four cusps, said feeder comprising a blank pick-off station at said magazine and proximate a first of said cusps, a blank pre-opening station proximate a second of said cusps and a blank placement station proximate a third of said cusps. 
     
     
         10 . A feeder as in  claim 9  wherein said cusp path defines at least two pointed cusps and one U-shaped cusp oriented proximate said blank placement station. 
     
     
         11 . A feeder as in  claim 10  wherein said first and second cusps are pointed.