Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100258405 | Ejection system - A conveyer apparatus for transporting and processing tablets includes a conveyer and an ejection system. Each of the tablets includes a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and a belly band that interconnects the first and second sides. The conveyer includes a plurality of carrier links to convey a plurality of tablets along a predetermined conveyer path. Each carrier link has a pocket to receive and transport a tablet in a vertical orientation along the predetermined conveyer path. The ejection system is structured to selectively accept or eject a tablet from the carrier link in response to a signal provided by a sensor positioned upstream of the ejection system. The ejection system includes at least one ejection finger movable between a non-ejection position in which the ejection finger is positioned out of the conveyer path of the carrier link and an ejection position in which the ejection finger is positioned with respect to the carrier link to contact and eject the tablet from the carrier link. At least a portion of the ejection finger defines a width that is smaller than a tablet width of the tablet and larger than a link width of the carrier link. | 10-14-2010 |
20110089001 | Method and apparatus for transporting pellet-shaped articles - A conveyer apparatus for transporting and processing pellet-shaped articles includes a conveyer and a discharge device. The conveyer includes a plurality of carrier bars to convey a plurality of articles along a predetermined conveyer path. Each carrier bar has a pocket half that cooperates with a pocket half of an adjacent carrier bar to form an article receiving pocket to receive and transport an article along the predetermined conveyer path. The discharge device is positioned with respect to the carrier bars to dislodge articles from the carrier bars. | 04-21-2011 |
20110297590 | INSPECTION SYSTEM - An inspection system is configured for use with a conveyer apparatus including carrier bars. Each carrier bar conveys pellet-shaped articles along a predetermined path. The inspection system includes at least one camera unit for sensing a predetermined characteristic of the pellet-shaped articles, a removal unit, and a controller. The removal unit, downstream from the at least one camera unit, removes selected pellet-shaped article(s) from the carrier bar(s) depending on whether the characteristic is sensed by the at least one camera unit. The controller is in communication with the at least one camera unit and the removal unit. The controller provides a signal to the removal unit in accordance with the sensed characteristic. The removal unit includes a rotatable ejection drum having extended vacuum nozzles along its length, equal to the number of articles conveyed in each carrier bar. Each vacuum nozzle selectively removes article(s) from the carrier bar(s) by suction. | 12-08-2011 |
20130134072 | INSPECTION SYSTEM - An inspection system is configured for use with a conveyer apparatus including carrier bars. Each carrier bar conveys pellet-shaped articles along a predetermined path. The inspection system includes at least one camera unit for sensing a predetermined characteristic of the pellet-shaped articles, a removal unit, and a controller. The removal unit, downstream from the at least one camera unit, removes selected pellet-shaped article(s) from the carrier bar(s) depending on whether the characteristic is sensed by the at least one camera unit. The controller is in communication with the at least one camera unit and the removal unit. The controller provides a signal to the removal unit in accordance with the sensed characteristic. The removal unit includes a rotatable ejection drum having extended vacuum nozzles along its length, equal to the number of articles conveyed in each carrier bar. Each vacuum nozzle selectively removes article(s) from the carrier bar(s) by suction. | 05-30-2013 |
20130277171 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING PELLET-SHAPED ARTICLES - A carrier bar to convey at least one pellet-shaped article along a predetermined conveyer path in a direction of travel, the carrier bar comprises at least one pocket adapted to receive a pellet-shaped article and each pocket having a pocket wall, and a product settling area included in each pocket and having a dimple defined in the product settling area by an edge, said dimple adapted to seat the bottom side of the pellet-shaped article, wherein said dimple is offset from a center of said product settling area and said dimple is shaped to position, hold, or bias a portion of the pellet-shaped article towards and/or against a portion of the pocket wall. | 10-24-2013 |
20140260104 | INSPECTION SYSTEM - An inspection system is configured for use with a conveyer apparatus including carrier bars. Each carrier bar conveys pellet-shaped articles along a predetermined path. The inspection system includes at least one camera unit for sensing a predetermined characteristic of the pellet-shaped articles, a removal unit, and a controller. The removal unit, downstream from the at least one camera unit, removes selected pellet-shaped article(s) from the carrier bar(s) depending on whether the characteristic is sensed by the at least one camera unit. The controller is in communication with the at least one camera unit and the removal unit. The controller provides a signal to the removal unit in accordance with the sensed characteristic. The removal unit includes a rotatable ejection drum having extended vacuum nozzles along its length, equal to the number of articles conveyed in each carrier bar. Each vacuum nozzle selectively removes article(s) from the carrier bar(s) by suction. | 09-18-2014 |
20150083548 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INSPECTING AND PROCESSING PELLET-SHAPED ARTICLES - A conveyer apparatus for inspecting and processing pellet-shaped articles, each of the pellet-shaped articles including a first side and a second side, the conveyer apparatus comprising: a conveyer including a plurality of carrier links to convey a plurality of pellet-shaped articles along a predetermined conveyer path; a first inspection unit including at least one camera to inspect the first side and/or the second side of each of the pellet-shaped articles and determine an orientation of each of the pellet-shaped articles on the conveyer; a processing unit including at least two processing devices, each on an opposite side of the conveyer to process the first side and the second side of each of the pellet-shaped articles; and a second inspection unit including at least one camera on each side of the conveyer to inspect the first side and/or the second side of the pellet-shaped articles after processing. | 03-26-2015 |
20150314334 | INSPECTION SYSTEM - An inspection system is configured for use with a conveyer apparatus including carrier bars. Each carrier bar conveys pellet-shaped articles along a predetermined path. The inspection system includes at least one camera unit for sensing a predetermined characteristic of the pellet-shaped articles, a removal unit, and a controller. The removal unit, downstream from the at least one camera unit, removes selected pellet-shaped article(s) from the carrier bar(s) depending on whether the characteristic is sensed by the at least one camera unit. The controller is in communication with the at least one camera unit and the removal unit. The controller provides a signal to the removal unit in accordance with the sensed characteristic. The removal unit includes a rotatable ejection drum having extended vacuum nozzles along its length, equal to the number of articles conveyed in each carrier bar. Each vacuum nozzle selectively removes article(s) from the carrier bar(s) by suction. | 11-05-2015 |