AU715854B2 - Method and apparatus for conveying bottles - Google Patents

Description

rIuuUi 1 28/"l Regulation 3.2(2)

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD

PATENT

Application Number: Lodged: Invention Title: METHIOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING BOTTLES The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us 1 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING

BOTTLES

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to pneumatic conveying apparatus for container bodies having a narrow neck with rings, particularly but not exclusively, P.E.T bottles.

The apparatus includes a pair of laterally spaced tracks in which the neck of the container is suspended in a slidable relationship. The apparatus conventionally includes an air plenum chamber surrounding a U shaped recess passage, the passage housing the container neck and including air directing louvres for directing pressurised air contained in the plenum onto the container necks to convey the containers along the track at high speed e.g. from a bottle making facility to a palletiser storage facility or from a de palletiser facility to a bottle filling facility.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Having reference to the accompanying drawings labelled "prior art", figure 1 15 is a cross sectional view of a conveyor apparatus for narrow necked bottles with 0" adjustable side brushes and a bottle neck support member The brushes (a) are adjustably mounted on clamps on longitudinal rods Figure 2 is a partial side elevation of the apparatus of figure 1. 0*o0 Figures 3 to 6 represent schematic sectional views of known pneumatic and slat conveyor apparatuses. Figures 4 and 6 show two known air conveyors for conveying narrow necked bottles in suspended manner, the device having side brushes 30 for absorbing side way movement shock of the moving bottles. In the 00..0.

*.°case of the conveyor of Figure 6, a plenum chamber 31 surrounds the bottle neck whereas in that of Figure 4, there is a plenum 31 on one side only of the conveyor 25 that is coupled with stabilising brushes 30 on the side skirts. Figures 3 and illustrate apparatus commonly known as slat type conveyors having slats 32 supporting and stabilising the bottom of the bottles to be conveyed.

The apparatus of Figures 1 and 2 is similar to that as shown in Figure 6 in as much as the side brushes are laterally adjustable to accommodate bottles of different dimensions. This equipment is currently made and sold by Australis Engineering Pty Ltd. The apparatus can handle bottles having volumes that may vary between 3 litres and 300 millilitres.

Further examples of pneumatic conveying apparatus are disclosed in U.S.

patent No. 4,822,214 (Aidlin et al). The conveying apparatus illustrated there is adapted to convey container bodies, base cups and a base cupping assembly.

The conveying apparatus for the containers has an interior channel member with air-discharge louvres to effect conveyance of the container bodies.

U.S. patent No. 5,421,678 (Aidlin et al) discloses an additional use of adjustable control brushes that are coupled to the conveyor to restrict or prevent the forward and rearward swinging of the articles.

U.S. patent No. 5,147,153 (Aidlin et al) discloses an air conveyor system for container bodies having a neck ring.

Problems have been experience with known high-speed air conveyors, particularly for narrow neck P.E.T. bottles wherein the bottles tend to jam in the conveyor run particularly at bends and on inclines. With high-speed, high volume conveyors of the type described, any jamming of the bottles can lead to extensive 15 delays and consequential costly down times of the equipment.

Furthermore, with the advent of widely varying bottle sizes being dealt with by the same machine, there is a need for trouble free versatility in the machine -design not apparent in existing machinery.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In light of the above perceived shortcomings, it would represent an advantage to provide a pneumatic conveying apparatus for containers in which jamming of the containers in transit is minimised, and handling of different sized and different shaped containers can be accommodated with little or no adjustment of the apparatus.

There is provided according to the present invention an improvement for pneumatic conveying apparatus for conveying container bodies, such as narrow neck P.E.T. bottles of the type having an upper portion that is to be supported by the apparatus and a lower portion suspended from the apparatus, said apparatus including neck rails for slidably receiving the upper portion of the container bodies for travelling along a lengthwise direction of the apparatus, a plenum chamber for carrying pressurised air therein, the plenum chamber extending along the length of the conveyor apparatus, and louvres at the plenum chamber for directing the s-surised air therethrough against the upper part of the container bodies, the rJ improvement comprising the provision of louvres in a skirt portion of the plenum chamber opposite to the lower part of the container bodies for directing air against the lower, suspended portion of the container bodies on both sides thereof to minimise swinging and consequent jamming of the container bodies whilst being conveyed.

There is also provided in accordance with the invention a method of conveying container bodies having a narrow neck and a lower body portion, comprising the steps of: providing air conveyor plenum means having an upper recess portion for housing the upper neck portion of the container bodies, the plenum means including a bottom portion skirting the lower body portion of the container bodies; directing pressurised air through air release louvres in the upper recess portion and the bottom skirt portion to simultaneously direct a pressurised air stream in the direction of travel of the container bodies to contact both the upper 15 and lower portions of the container and convey the container bodies along the plenum means.

oo ~The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof depicted in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 7 and 8 are schematic, cross sectional perspective views of an air conveyor plenum chamber made in accordance with the present invention.

The plenum chamber 10 in Figure 7 includes a main portion 10a and a skirt portion 10 Ob. The main body portion is of conventional construction, for example, as described and shown in the description and Figures of U.S. patent No.5,421,678 25 issued to Samuel S Aidlin et al.

The plenum chamber is formed with an upper recess 15 for receiving the neck of a bottle 11 or light container, and a lower recess or skirt portion 16 for receiving the bulk of the body portion depending upon the size of the container for the time being in the conveyor. The container shown is of 1.5 or 2 litre volume.

The upper recess 15 includes a neck support ring 12 for slidable support of the neck portion of the bottle at the plenum chamber 10. The plenum chamber isfilled with pressurised air supplied by a conventional blower fan (not shown) but t 1/ fN ft Ix-'O1 99* *9 9r *.9 a.

a may have similar physical characteristics to the pressure source described and shown with reference to the abovementioned U.S. patent No. 5,421,678.

When pressurised, air from the plenum chamber is forced out through a row of louvres 13 located in the opposing walls of upper recess 15, and a pair of spaced apart louvres 17 in each of the pre-opposing side walls of the lower skirt portion 16, which extend in conveying direction.

The louvres are arranged to direct air in a direction creating a draft of air along the length of the plenum chamber conveyor.

All louvres are directed in the same direction to impart motion to the container neck and the container body. A cushion of air is developed around the container body between the body and the plenum skirt 16 providing a centralising influence on the container, such that the requirement for brush guides is largely dispensed with.

Furthermore, where the conveyor is carrying a bottle up or down an incline, 15 the bottle tends to be forced to stand at right angles to the plenum and neck support member 12 rather than laying back under the natural forces of gravity, which phenomenon tends to reduce the angle of incline with conventional air conveyors as compared with the conveyor of the present invention.

Therefore, for the same angular incline the amount of jamming is either 20 negligible or considerably reduced. Similar considerations apply when the conveyor is rounding a radius bend.

The inventive system will be effective for a wide variety of bottle sizes, from say 3 litres to 300 millilitres without the need for machine adjustment, thereby reducing the down time of the machine between bottle changes and also reduced jamming.

It will be appreciated that existing air conveyor equipment which commonly utilises a plenum chamber with bottle neck louvres and side brushes (see for example Figure 6) may be retrofitted with an additional skirt plenum to replace the side brushes in accordance with the present invention. That is, a pair of side plenum chambers 10(b) can be fitted to the existing neck or top plenum of the air conveyor.

With reference to Figure 8, it will be noted that the plenum chamber 40 can be divided into three compartments A, B and C. It has been found that the volume "-iIr of air travelling in each compartment is easier to control and so maintain even air pressures at the various louvres located along the plenum. Preferably, and if desired, small buffers or brushes 41 may be fitted at the bottom extremity of the chamber to protect the bottles.

Preferably, baffles may be provided in the plenum chamber or in the air inlet chamber supplied by fan forced air to provide air at even pressures across the cross-section of the conveying apparatus.

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Claims (4)

1. In a pneumatic conveying apparatus for conveying container bodies, such as narrow neck P.E.T. bottles, said apparatus including: neck rails for slidably receiving an upper portion of the container bodies for travel along the conveyor apparatus; a plenum chamber for carrying pressurised air therein, the plenum chamber extending along the length of the apparatus; and louvres at the plenum chamber for directing the pressurised air therethrough against the upper portion of the container bodies; the improvement comprising the provision of louvres in a skirt portion of the plenum chamber located opposite to lower portion of the container bodies for directing air against the lower suspended portion of the container bodies on both sides thereof thereby to minimise swinging and consequent jamming of the container bodies whilst being conveyed along the apparatus. .o f

2. A method of conveying container bodies of the type having a narrow neck portion and a lower body portion, comprising the steps of: ot ,"providing an air conveyor plenum structure having an upper recess portion for receiving the neck portion of the container bodies, and a bottom portion disposed for skirting the lower body portion of the container bodies, the plenum structure including air release louvres in the upper recess portion and the bottom skirt portion; and O simultaneously directing a pressurised air stream through the louvres in the direction of travel of the container bodies to contact both the upper and lower o. portions of the container bodies thereby conveying the container bodies along the plenum structure. I/-i 1/i

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plenum chamber is divided into compartments including one compartment surrounding the upper portion of the container bodies and one compartment on each side of the lower portion of the container bodies. DATED this 2 6 th day of November 1999 AUSTRALIS ENGINEERING PTY LTD WATERMARK PATENT AND TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS UNIT 1, THE VILLAGE RIVERSIDE CORPORATE PARK

39-117 DELHI ROAD, NORTH RYDE NSW 2113 AUSTRALIA CJS:GL P13909AU00 f *a a.