Turn-over mechanism for packaging asymmetrically shaped articles

Abstract

A turn-over mechanism for packaging asymmetrically shaped articles includes an image input arrangement having cameras arranged over a conveying path to observe from different angles the orientation of an article moving along the conveying path. A first auto-suck unit automatically selects a vertical or a sideward suction nozzle thereof to suck the article in response to an observation result of the image input arrangement, and transfers the sucked article to a suitable turn-over holder on a turn-over unit. The turn-over holder holding the article may be turned over by 180 or 90 degrees as necessary to adjust the article to a desired orientation, so that a second auto-suck unit or an auxiliary supporting unit sucks and transfers the article in the correct orientation from the turn-over unit to an automatic packaging machine for subsequent packaging.

1 . A turn-over mechanism for packaging asymmetrically shaped articles, comprising: 
 an image input arrangement including at least two cameras arranged perpendicular to each other in the vicinity of a conveying path for observing and determining the orientation of an article moved forward along said conveying path;    a turn-over unit located near a terminal end of said conveying path and including at least one power source provided on a platform; said at least one power source being adapted to drive a first and a second turn-over holder directed toward the same direction and a third turn-over located opposite to said second turn-over holder; said first and said second turn-over holder being L-shaped and provided on an upward bent portion with a suction hole, and said third turn-over holder being a flat plate and having a central suction hole provided thereon; said suction holes on said first, said second, and said third turn-over holder being communicating with an external suction device, which supplies a suction force to stably suck and thereby hold said article to said turn-over holder;    a first auto-suck unit located between said conveying path and said turn-over unit, and including a transversely and longitudinally movable slide provided with a vertical suction nozzle and an L-shaped sideward suction nozzle; said first auto-suck unit being able to automatically select said vertical suction nozzle to suck and position said article on said third turn-over holder, or said sideward suction nozzle to suck and position said article on said first or said second turn-over holder, depending on the orientation of said article as observed via said cameras of said image input arrangement; and said third turn-over holder and said first and said second turn-over holder being adapted to turn over by 180 degrees and 90 degrees, respectively, to adjust said article to a desired orientation on said conveying path;    an auxiliary supporting unit located at one side of said turn-over unit, and including a pivotally turnable arm and a carrier connected to a free end of said arm; said carrier being provided thereon with a suction hole communicating with said external suction device; and said carrier being pivotally turned along a path crossing with a path along which said turn-over holders of said turn-over unit are moved, so as to suck said article from said third turn-over holder that has been turned over by 180 degrees; and    a second auto-suck unit located at another side of said turn-over unit, and including a transversely and longitudinally movable slide provided with at least one vertical suction nozzle; said second auto-suck unit being adapted to suck said article that has been adjusted to a desired orientation and held to said first, said second, or said third turn-over holder or said carrier of said auxiliary supporting unit, and position said sucked article on a conveyor of an external automatic packaging machine for subsequent packaging.    
   
   
       2 . The turn-over mechanism for packaging asymmetrically shaped articles as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said platform of said turn-over unit is provided with a plurality of power sources depending on actual need, and each of said power sources being adapted to drive a separate set of first, second, and third turn-over holders to enable an enhanced production efficiency.  
   
   
       3 . The turn-over mechanism for packaging asymmetrically shaped articles as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said slides of said first and said second turn-over unit are separately mounted on and brought by a transverse moving gear and a longitudinal moving gear to transversely and/or longitudinally slide in a predetermined plane.  
   
   
       4 . The turn-over mechanism for packaging asymmetrically shaped articles as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said image input arrangement includes three cameras, two of which are arranged at two opposite sides of said conveying path and the third one of which is arranged above said conveying path, so that said article moving along said conveying path is observed from different angles.  
   
   
       5 . The turn-over mechanism for packaging asymmetrically shaped articles as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said image input arrangement includes three cameras, two of which are arranged at two opposite sides of said conveying path and the third one of which is arranged above said conveying path, so that said article moving along said conveying path is observed from different angles.  
   
   
       6 . The turn-over mechanism for packaging asymmetrically shaped articles as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said platform of said turn-over unit is mounted on a top of a rotatable shaft to rotate along with said rotatable shaft.  
   
   
       7 . The turn-over mechanism for packaging asymmetrically shaped articles as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said platform of said turn-over unit is mounted on a top of a rotatable shaft to rotate along with said rotatable shaft.  
   
   
       8 . The turn-over mechanism for packaging asymmetrically shaped articles as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said platform of said turn-over unit is mounted on a top of a rotatable shaft to rotate along with said rotatable shaft.  
   
   
       9 . The turn-over mechanism for packaging asymmetrically shaped articles as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein said platform of said turn-over unit is mounted on a top of a rotatable shaft to rotate along with said rotatable shaft.  
   
   
       10 . The turn-over mechanism for packaging asymmetrically shaped articles as claimed in claim  1 , wherein said power sources on said turn-over unit are selected from the group consisting of motors and rotary cylinders.  
   
   
       11 . The turn-over mechanism for packaging asymmetrically shaped articles as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said power sources on said turn-over unit are selected from the group consisting of motors and rotary cylinders.  
   
   
       12 . The turn-over mechanism for packaging asymmetrically shaped articles as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said power sources on said turn-over unit are selected from the group consisting of motors and rotary cylinders.  
   
   
       13 . The turn-over mechanism for packaging asymmetrically shaped articles as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein said power sources on said turn-over unit are selected from the group consisting of motors and rotary cylinders.  
   
   
       14 . The turn-over mechanism for packaging asymmetrically shaped articles as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said power sources on said turn-over unit are selected from the group consisting of motors and rotary cylinders.  
   
   
       15 . The turn-over mechanism for packaging asymmetrically shaped articles as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said power sources on said turn-over unit are selected from the group consisting of motors and rotary cylinders.  
   
   
       16 . The turn-over mechanism for packaging asymmetrically shaped articles as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein said power sources on said turn-over unit are selected from the group consisting of motors and rotary cylinders.  
   
   
       17 . The turn-over mechanism for packaging asymmetrically shaped articles as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein said power sources on said turn-over unit are selected from the group consisting of motors and rotary cylinders.