Systems and methods for packaging small objects

Abstract

A small object packaging system including a small object container marking and loading station configured to singulate a plurality of small object containers, mark each with at least one information label, and load each marked container into a respective one of a plurality of container transport pallets. The system additionally includes at least one small object counting station configured to deposit a specified amount of small objects into each marked container. The system further includes a capping station configured to secure a cap onto a marked container. The system includes an offloading station configured to remove the loaded containers and place them into a container packing case.

1 . A system for packaging small objects, said system comprising:
 a small object container marking and loading station structured and operable to singulate a plurality of small object containers, mark each singulated small object container with at least one information label, and load each marked small object container into a respective one of a plurality of container transport pallets;   at least one small object counting station that is structured and operable to deposit a selected amount of small objects into each marked small object container based on data provided by the respective information label;   a capping station structured and operable to singulate a plurality of container caps and secure each singulated cap onto a respective marked small object container after the selected amount of small objects have been deposited therein;   an offloading station structured and operable to remove each capped small object container from the respective container transport pallet and place each removed small object container into a container packing case; and   a main hub conveyor structured and operable to transport the loaded container transport pallets from the small object container marking and loading station, to the at least one small object counting station, to the capping station and to the offloading station, and then transport the empty container transport pallets back to the small object container marking and loading station.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a small object treatment station structured and operable to apply a small object treatment to the small objects prior to the selected amount of small objects being deposited into each marked small object container. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the selected amount of small objects being deposited into each marked small object container comprises a selected volume of small objects. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the selected amount of small objects being deposited into each marked small object container comprises a selected number of small objects. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the small object container marking and loading station comprises:
 a container singulator structured and operable to receive a plurality of randomly oriented small object containers, singulate the small object containers, orient the singulated small object containers in a desired orientation, and dispense the oriented small object containers into a container transfer chute; and   a marking and loading assembly structured and operable to receive the oriented small object containers from the container singulator, via the container transfer chute, dispose at least one container specific information label on at least one surface of each respective small object container, and load each marked small object container into a respective container transport pallet.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein each container transport pallet includes a programmable RFID tag structured and operable to be programmed with information corresponding to information provided by the at least one container specific information label of the respective small object container loaded therein. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each small object counting station comprises:
 a small object counter structured and operable to receive a plurality of a selected type of small objects, singulate the small objects, and deposit the selected amount of the small objects into a particular small object container designated, via the respective container transport pallet RFID tag, to receive the selected amount and type of small objects; and   a counting station conveyor and a diverter gate, the diverter gate structured and operable to divert selected container transport pallets off of the main hub conveyor and onto the counting station conveyor, the counting station conveyor structured and operable to transport selected container transport pallets to and from the small object counter.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein each small object counting station further comprises a small object accumulator structured and operable to receive the selected amount of small objects from the small object counter, temporarily retain the selected amount of small objects, and deposit the selected amount of small objects into the designated small object container. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the capping station comprises:
 a cap singulator structured and operable to receive a plurality of randomly oriented container caps, singulate the container caps, orient the singulated container caps in a desired orientation, and dispense the oriented container caps into a cap transfer chute; and   a robotic capping assembly structured and operable to sequentially remove the oriented caps from the cap transfer chute and install each cap on a respective container after the container has had the selected amount of small objects deposited therein.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the offloading station comprises:
 a robotic container removal and disposition assembly structured and operable to remove each capped container from the respective container transport pallet and deposit each removed container into a container packing case positioned within a deposit target zone; and   a packing case transport assembly structured and operable to position at least one container packing case within the deposit target zone.   
     
     
         11 . A system for packaging small objects, said system comprising:
 a small object container marking and loading station structured and operable to singulate a plurality of small object containers, mark each singulated small object container with at least one information label, and load each marked small object container into a respective one of a plurality of container transport pallets,
 each container transport pallet including a programmable RFID tag structured and operable to be programmed with information corresponding to information provided by the at least one container specific information label of the respective small object container loaded therein; 
   a plurality of small object counting stations, each small object counting station structured and operable to deposit a selected amount of a selected type of small objects into selected marked small object containers based on data stored in the respective container transport pallet RFID tag;   a capping station structured and operable to singulate a plurality of container caps and secure each singulated cap onto a respective marked small object container after the selected type and amount of small objects have been deposited therein;   an offloading station structured and operable to remove each capped small object container from the respective container transport pallet and place each removed small object container into a selected one of a plurality container packing cases based on data stored in the respective container transport pallet RFID tag; and   a main hub conveyor structured and operable to transport the loaded container transport pallets from the small object container marking and loading station, to a selected one of the small object counting stations based on data stored in the respective container transport pallet RFID tag, from the selected small object counting station to the capping station, and from the capping station to the offloading station, and then transport the empty container transport pallets back to the small object container marking and loading station.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising a small object treatment station structured and operable to apply a small object treatment to the small objects prior to the selected amount of small objects being deposited into each marked small object container. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the selected amount of small objects being deposited into each marked small object container comprises a selected volume of small objects. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the selected amount of small objects being deposited into each marked small object container comprises a selected number of small objects. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the small object container marking and loading station comprises:
 a container singulator structured and operable to receive a plurality of randomly oriented small object containers, singulate the small object containers, orient the singulated small object container in a desired orientation, and dispense the oriented small object containers into a container transfer chute; and   a marking and loading assembly structured and operable to receive the oriented small object containers from the container singulator, via the container transfer chute, dispose at least one container specific information label on at least one surface of each respective small object container, load each marked small object container into a respective container transport pallet, and program the respective.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein each small object counting station comprises:
 a small object counter structured and operable to receive a plurality of a selected type of small objects, singulate the small objects, and deposit the selected amount of the small objects into a particular small object container designated, via the respective container transport pallet RFID tag, to receive the selected amount and type of small objects; and   a counting station conveyor and a diverter gate, the diverter gate structured and operable to divert selected container transport pallets off of the main hub conveyor and onto the respective counting station conveyor, based on data stored in the respective container transport pallet RFID tag, the counting station conveyor structured and operable to transport selected container transport pallets to and from the small object counter.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein each small object counting station further comprises a small object accumulator structured and operable to receive the selected amount of small objects from the respective small object counter, temporarily retain the selected amount of small objects, and deposit the selected amount of small objects into the designated small object container. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the capping station comprises:
 a cap singulator structured and operable to receive a plurality of randomly oriented container caps, singulate the container caps, orient the singulated container caps in a desired orientation, and dispense the oriented container caps into a cap transfer chute; and   a robotic capping assembly structured and operable to sequentially remove the oriented caps from the cap transfer chute and install each cap on a respective container after the container has had the selected amount of small objects deposited therein.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the offloading station comprises:
 a robotic container removal and disposition assembly structured and operable to remove each capped container from the respective container transport pallet and deposit each removed container into a selected one of a plurality of container packing cases positioned within a deposit target zone; and   a packing case transport assembly structured and operable to position each of the container packing cases within the deposit target zone.   
     
     
         20 . A method for packaging small objects, said system comprising:
 singulating a plurality of small object containers, marking each singulated small object container with at least one information label, and loading each marked small object container into a respective one of a plurality of container transport pallets utilizing a small object container marking and loading station of a small object packaging system;   depositing a selected amount of small objects into each marked small object container based on data provided by the respective information label utilizing a small object counter of at least one small object counting station of the small object packaging system;   singulating a plurality of container caps and securing each singulated cap onto a respective marked small object container after the selected amount of small objects have been deposited therein utilizing a capping station of the small object packaging system;   removing each capped small object container from the respective container transport pallet and placing each removed small object container into a container packing case using an offloading station of the small object packaging system; and   transporting the loaded container transport pallets from the small object container marking and loading station to the at least one small object counting station, to the capping station and to the offloading station, and then transporting the empty container transport pallets back to the small object container marking and loading station utilizing a main hub conveyor of the small object packaging system.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising applying a small object treatment to the small objects prior to the selected amount of small objects being deposited into each marked small object container utilizing a small object treatment station of the small object packaging system. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein depositing a selected amount of small objects into each marked small object container comprises depositing a selected volume of small objects into each marked small object container based on data provided by the respective information label. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein depositing a selected amount of small objects into each marked small object container comprises depositing a selected number of small objects into each marked small object container based on data provided by the respective information label. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein singulating, marking and loading each small object container into a respective one of the container transport pallets comprises:
 receiving a plurality of randomly oriented small object containers into a container singulator of the small object container marking and loading station, then singulating the small object containers, orienting the singulated small object container in a desired orientation, and dispensing the oriented small object containers into a container transfer chute utilizing the container singulator; and   receiving the oriented small object containers from the container singulator, via the container transfer chute, disposing at least one container specific information label on at least one surface of each respective small object container, and loading each marked small object container into a respective container transport pallet utilizing a marking and loading assembly of the small object container marking and loading station.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein singulating, marking and loading each small object container into a respective one of the container transport pallets further comprises programming an RFID tag of each container transport pallet with information corresponding to information provided by the at least one container specific information label of the respective small object container loaded therein. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , depositing a selected amount of small objects into each marked small object container comprises receiving a plurality of a selected type of small objects in a small object counter of the small object counting station, then singulating the small objects and depositing the selected amount of the small objects into a particular small object container designated, via the respective container transport pallet RFID tag, to receive the selected amount and type of small objects utilizing the small object counter. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein depositing a selected amount of small objects into each marked small object container further comprises receiving the selected amount of small objects from the small object counter in a small object accumulator of the small object counting station, temporarily retaining the selected amount of small objects in the accumulator, and depositing the selected amount of small objects into the designated small object container utilizing the accumulator. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein singulating a plurality of container caps and securing each singulated cap onto a respective marked small object container comprises:
 receiving a plurality of randomly oriented container caps into a cap singulator of the capping station, then singulating the container caps, orienting the singulated container caps in a desired orientation, and dispensing the oriented container caps into a cap transfer chute utilizing the cap singulator; and   sequentially removing the oriented caps from the cap transfer chute utilizing a robotic capping assembly of the capping station, and installing each cap on a respective container after the container has had the selected amount of small objects deposited therein.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein removing each capped small object container from the respective container transport pallet and placing each removed small object container into the container packing case of the offloading station comprises removing each capped container from the respective container transport