High speed small pack wrapper

Abstract

A system for forming and wrapping a plurality of stacks of sheet like product is provided. The system includes a separator apparatus for converting a stream of spaced apart sets of stacks into a repeating stepped configuration. The system includes a mechanism for merging the stepped configuration of stacks into a single file stream of stacks. The system includes a cutoff apparatus for cutting a plastic sleeve in which the stacks are wrapped. The system includes a turner apparatus for changing the direction of travel of individual units comprising of a stack of product within a length of the sleeve 90 degrees while maintaining the orientation of the units.

1 - 53 . (canceled) 
     
     
         54 . A turner apparatus comprising:
 a carousel rotatable about a carousel axis of rotation; and   a plurality of sleeved stack control mechanisms, each sleeved stack control mechanism carried by the carousel for rotation about a sleeved stack control mechanism axis of rotation of the corresponding sleeved stack control mechanism, each sleeved stack control mechanism configured relative to the carousel such that as the carousel rotates the sleeved stack control mechanism along a predetermined arcuate path through a predetermined carousel angle about the carousel axis of rotation, the sleeved stack control mechanism rotates about the sleeved stack control mechanism axis of rotation of the corresponding sleeved stack control mechanism approximately 90 degrees relative to the carousel.   
     
     
         55 . The turner apparatus of  claim 54 , further comprising:
 a transport conveyor upstream of the carousel, the transport conveyor supplying a continuous stream of spaced apart units having a downstream end and an upstream end with a longitudinal unit axis extending between the downstream and upstream ends and a transverse unit axis extending generally perpendicular to the longitudinal unit axis, each unit comprising a stack of sheets within a plastic sleeve, the continuous stream of spaced apart units traveling along a feed path axis with the longitudinal unit axis generally parallel to the feed path axis and the transverse unit axis perpendicular to the feed path axis; and   a discharge conveyor downstream of the carousel, the sleeved stack control mechanisms discharging the continuous stream of spaced apart units onto the discharge conveyor along a discharge path having a discharge path axis, the sleeved stack control mechanisms discharging the continuous stream of spaced apart units with the longitudinal unit axis of each unit extending generally perpendicular to the discharge path axis.   
     
     
         56 . The turner apparatus of  claim 54 , wherein each sleeved stack control mechanism includes a sleeved stack control mechanism suction apparatus for selectively applying a vacuum for selectively grabbing and selectively releasing the top surface of the units. 
     
     
         57 . The turner apparatus of  claim 56 , further comprising a vacuum valve arrangement configured for selectively exposing the sleeved stack control mechanism suction cups to vacuum proximate a beginning of the predetermined arcuate path and removing the vacuum from the sleeved stack control mechanism suction apparatuses proximate an end of the arcuate path to release. 
     
     
         58 . The turner apparatus of  claim 54 , wherein each sleeved stack control mechanism is operably attached to the carousel for linear reciprocating motion parallel to the sleeved stack control mechanism axis of rotation. 
     
     
         59 . The turner apparatus of  claim 58 , further comprising a cam arrangement between the sleeved stack control mechanisms and the carousel configured to transition each sleeved stack control mechanism vertically downward prior to the sleeved stack control mechanism prior to grabbing a unit proximate a beginning of the arcuate path and to raise the sleeved stack control mechanism upward and away from a unit proximate an end of the arcuate path. 
     
     
         60 . The turner apparatus of  claim 54 , further comprising a cam arrangement between the sleeved stack control mechanisms and the carousel configured to rotate each sleeved stack control mechanism to rotate each sleeved stack control mechanism about the corresponding sleeved stack control mechanism axis of rotation. 
     
     
         61 . The turner apparatus of  claim 54 , wherein the sleeved stack control mechanism rotates about the sleeved stack control mechanism axis of rotation of the corresponding sleeved stack control mechanism through a sleeved stack control mechanism angle equal to the predetermined carousel angle such that the angular orientation of each sleeved stack control mechanism remains constant within a plane perpendicular to the sleeve stack control mechanism axis of rotation while the sleeved stack control mechanism is carried along the predetermined arcuate path. 
     
     
         62 . A method of changing the orientation of a stream of sleeved packs traveling along a travel path relative to the travel path, each sleeved pack having a stack of sheet like product positioned within a sleeve, the sleeve of each sleeved pack having first and second open free ends on opposite sides of the stack, the method comprising:
 conveying the sleeved packs along the travel path with each pack having the first open free upstream from the corresponding stack the second open free end downstream from the corresponding stack;   mechanically engaging the sleeved pack;   rotating the sleeved pack relative to the travel path such that the first and second open free ends of the sleeve and the stack are substantially at the same longitudinal position along the travel path; and   releasing the sleeved pack.   
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein the linear speed of the sleeved packs remains substantially constant as the packs travel along the travel path and are rotated relative to the travel path. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein:
 the step of mechanically engaging the sleeved pack includes grasping the sleeve packs and lifting them vertically off of a transport arrangement;   the step of rotating occurs with the sleeved packs lifted off of the transport conveyor;   the step of releasing includes setting the sleeved packs onto the transport arrangement.   
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the transport arrangement includes a transport conveyor that carries the sleeved packs prior to being rotated and a discharge conveyor that carries the sleeved packs after the sleeved packs have been released. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the transport conveyor and discharge conveyor are angled relative to one another at an angle of about 90 degrees. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 64 , further comprising the step of transporting the sleeved packs through an arcuate portion of the travel path during the step of rotating the sleeved pack relative to the travel path. 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein the sleeved packs remain in a constant angular orientation within a horizontal plane while transporting the sleeved packs through the arcuate portion of the travel path. 
     
     
         69 . A turner apparatus for changing the orientation of a stream of sleeved packs traveling along a travel path relative to the travel path, each sleeved pack having a stack of sheet like product positioned within a sleeve, the sleeve of each sleeved pack having first and second open free ends on opposite sides of the stack, the sleeved packs are fed to the turner apparatus along the travel path with each pack having the first open free upstream from the corresponding stack and the second open free end downstream from the corresponding stack; the turner apparatus comprising:
 a carousel rotatable about a carousel axis of rotation; and   a plurality of sleeved stack control mechanisms, each sleeved stack control mechanism carried by the carousel for rotation about a sleeved stack control mechanism axis of rotation of the corresponding sleeved stack control mechanism, each sleeved stack control mechanism configured relative to the carousel such that as the carousel rotates the sleeved stack control mechanism along a predetermined arcuate path through a predetermined carousel angle about the carousel axis of rotation, the sleeved stack control mechanism rotates about the sleeved stack control mechanism axis of rotation of the corresponding sleeved stack control mechanism through an angle relative to the carousel such that the sleeved packs are rotated relative to the travel path such that the first and second open free ends of the sleeve and the stack are substantially at the same longitudinal position along the travel path.   
     
     
         70 . The turner apparatus of  claim 69 , further comprising:
 a transport conveyor upstream of the carousel, the transport conveyor supplying a continuous stream of spaced apart units having a downstream end and an upstream end with a longitudinal unit axis extending between the downstream and upstream ends and a transverse unit axis extending generally perpendicular to the longitudinal unit axis, each unit comprising a stack of sheets within a plastic sleeve, the continuous stream of spaced apart units traveling along a feed path axis with the longitudinal unit axis generally parallel to the feed path axis and the transverse unit axis perpendicular to the feed path axis; and   a discharge conveyor downstream of the carousel, the sleeved stack control mechanisms discharging the continuous stream of spaced apart units onto the discharge conveyor along a discharge path having a discharge path axis, the sleeved stack control mechanisms discharging the continuous stream of spaced apart units with the longitudinal unit axis of each unit extending generally perpendicular to the discharge path axis.   
     
     
         71 . The turner apparatus of  claim 69 , wherein each sleeved stack control mechanism includes a sleeved stack control mechanism suction apparatus for selectively applying a vacuum for selectively grabbing and selectively releasing the top surface of the units. 
     
     
         72 . The turner apparatus of  claim 71 , further comprising a vacuum valve arrangement configured for selectively exposing the sleeved stack control mechanism suction cups to vacuum proximate a beginning of the predetermined arcuate path and removing the vacuum from the sleeved stack control mechanism suction apparatuses proximate an end of the arcuate path to release.