HK1181019B - Universally adjustable star wheel - Google Patents

Description

Universal adjustable star wheel

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an adjustable star wheel conveyor for conveying articles on an automated processing line, and more particularly, to an adjustable star wheel with fewer moving parts that is capable of accommodating an almost unlimited number of sizes and shapes of articles. An automatic adjustment mechanism for adjusting the adjustable star wheel to accommodate different products is also disclosed.

Background

Star wheels are used on various types of automated processing lines to transfer containers to and from various machines, such as rotary packaging machines, and are installed within the machines. In particular, star wheels are used to transfer containers between linear conveyors to a rotating machine and back to the linear conveyors. Such star wheels are useful for many containers including bottles, cans and tins. The various rotary packaging machines may perform various functions, such as cleaning, filling, capping, or labeling the containers.

The star wheels are generally disc-shaped and their periphery contains a plurality of grooves or pockets, forming the shape of a star. Other star wheels have a circular periphery with protruding fingers to engage the containers, and these fingers give the star wheel a generally star shape. The spider rotates about a central axis and generally includes a pair of disk-shaped plates centered on the axis. The grooves may be arranged in the periphery of the disc to form pockets to receive the containers therein. The star wheel is positioned on the automated processing line so as to receive containers traveling onto the processing line within the pockets as the star wheel rotates. With the rotation of the star wheel, the containers are retained within the pockets before being released to a defined point.

The containers are typically retained within the pockets by supporting the containers between a pair of contact surfaces that force the containers against a guide track that encircles at least a portion of the periphery of the star wheel. The second type of spider provides an alternative form of support by: pairs of clamps are provided to clamp the container near its sides. The design does not require a disc to define the peripheral groove.

The star wheels may convey the containers to a closely defined point within the rotary packaging machine or along a closely defined path through the rotary packaging machine. For example, the container may be a bottle having a narrow neck provided to the filling machine: when supplied to the filling machine, the neck of the bottle must be located on the correct channel so that it passes exactly under the filling nozzle. It is therefore important that the centre of the container follows a predetermined path and that the position of the bottle in the direction of travel is accurately controlled.

Generally, any automated processing line can be used to process containers of various shapes and sizes. In the past, each star wheel could only handle containers of a particular shape and size, which therefore means that the star wheel must be replaced each time a different container is introduced onto the processing line. This is undesirable because it is not only time consuming, but also necessitates keeping in stock different sized star wheels. Several attempts have been made to overcome this problem.

Such attempts are described in the patent literature and include, but are not limited to, the devices described in the following patent publications: U.S. patent publication 1,981,641; U.S. patent publication 2,324,312; U.S. patent publication 3,957,154; U.S. patent publication 4,124,112; U.S. patent publication 5,029,695; U.S. patent publication 5,046,599; U.S. patent publication 5,082,105; U.S. patent publication 5,540,320; U.S. patent publication 5,590,753; U.S. patent publication 7,398,871B 1; U.S. 2007/0271871A 1; DE 19903319A; EP 0355971B 1; EP 0401698B 1; EP 0412059B 1; EP 0659683B 1; EP 0894544 a 2; EP 1663824B 1; japanese patent publication JP 10035879 a; pctwoo 2005/030616a 2; PCT WO 2009/040531a 1. Adjustable guide rails are also described in the patent literature, including the aforementioned U.S. patent publication 5,540,320 and PCT WO 2005/030616a2, and U.S. patent publication 7,431,150B2 and PCT WO 2005/123553a 1.

However, such devices often have extremely complex mechanical arrangements in an attempt to provide adjustability. Such mechanical arrangements in many cases include piston-type elements that move inwardly and outwardly to set the pocket depth for the articles being transferred. Other devices have adjustable fingers with complex mechanisms to adjust the orientation of the fingers. Other devices have multiple rotating disks with locking pins that limit the size and shape of the pockets that can be shaped for the articles being conveyed, particularly the pocket depth. Thus, the search for improved star wheels continues. In particular, it would be desirable to provide a simpler device that is adjustable to fit more article shapes and sizes than existing devices, and that can be automatically adjusted by a CAD program containing data regarding the shape of the article to be transferred.

Summary of The Invention

The present invention relates to an adjustable star wheel conveyor for conveying articles on an automated processing line, and more particularly, to an adjustable star wheel with fewer moving parts that is capable of accommodating an almost unlimited number of sizes and shapes of articles.

There are many non-limiting embodiments of the invention. In one non-limiting embodiment, the adjustable star wheel includes a rotatable element, such as a disk configured to rotate about a central axis. Each rotatable element has a center, a periphery, and at least one control surface that helps control the articles being conveyed. The control surfaces on the rotatable elements are arranged to collectively form at least one pocket for the article, wherein the pocket has a width and a depth. The angle defining the control surface on at least one rotatable element is different from the angle of another rotatable element used to form the depth of at least a portion of the pocket. In this embodiment, the boundaries of the pocket are configured only by at least partially rotating at least some of the rotatable elements to adjust the position of the control surfaces of these different rotatable elements to form the pocket for the article being conveyed.

An automatic adjustment mechanism for adjusting the adjustable star wheel to accommodate different products is also disclosed. The automatic adjustment mechanism may be used with any suitable adjustable star wheel.

Brief Description of Drawings

The following detailed description will be more fully understood in light of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of an adjustable star wheel, along with an adjustable guide track and a computer for automatically adjusting the star wheel to fit different articles.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the adjustable star wheel of FIG. 1 with a plurality of the motors removed to show the underlying structure.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the adjustable star wheel and guide rail of fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the adjustable star wheel and guide rail of fig. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an adjustable star wheel for conveying bottles having angled necks.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the components of the star wheel shown in FIG. 1.

Fig. 7A is a top view of the first disk of the embodiment shown in fig. 1. Fig. 7A shows the position of the pinion in the opening in the disk. Fig. 7A also shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the portion of the bottle contacted by the contact surface on the first tray.

FIG. 7B is a top view of the second disk of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, showing similar elements to those shown in FIG. 7A for the second disk.

Fig. 7C is a top view of the third disk of the embodiment shown in fig. 1, showing similar elements to those shown in fig. 7A for the third disk.

FIG. 7D is a top view of the fourth disk of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, showing similar elements to those shown in FIG. 7A for the fourth disk.

Fig. 7E is a top view of the fifth disk of the embodiment shown in fig. 1, showing similar elements to those shown in fig. 7A for the fifth disk.

FIG. 7F is a top view of the sixth disk of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, showing similar elements to those shown in FIG. 7A for the sixth disk.

Fig. 7G is a top view of the seventh disk of the embodiment shown in fig. 1, showing similar elements to those shown in fig. 7A for the seventh disk.

Fig. 7H is a top view of the eighth disk of the embodiment shown in fig. 1, showing similar elements to those shown in fig. 7A for the eighth disk.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the adjustable star wheel of FIG. 3 with the guide rails removed and a bottle secured in the pocket.

Fig. 8A is a fragmentary plan view showing a pair of disks of the star wheel of fig. 8 contacting a bottle (which is shown in cross-section).

FIG. 8B is a fragmented plan view showing another pair of disks of the star wheel contacting the bottles at different locations on the bottles.

FIG. 8C is a fragmentary plan view showing another pair of disks of the star wheel contacting the bottle at another different location on the bottle.

FIG. 8D is a fragmented plan view showing another pair of disks of the star wheel contacting the bottle at another different location on the bottle.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a spider having a collar joined to a disk to form a control surface.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of one pinion and gear arrangement for use in the disk of FIG. 6.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a star wheel conveyor having an alternative type of adjustment mechanism in the form of tapered pins for insertion into slots in the disks.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 11 showing a tapered pin inserted into one of the slots in the disk.

Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 13-13 of fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 14-14 of fig. 12.

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a star wheel conveyor having another alternative type of adjustment mechanism in the form of quick-change cams or keys.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a portion of the star wheel of FIG. 15 with the top four disks, top plate, and middle plate removed.

Fig. 17 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the cams shown in fig. 16 in an engaged position.

Fig. 18 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the cams shown in fig. 16 in a disengaged position.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the star wheel conveyor shown in FIG. 15 with two of the keys removed. One of the keys is suspended above the spider assembly and ready to be inserted.

Fig. 20 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 20-20 of fig. 19.

Fig. 21 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 21-21 of fig. 19.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of an adjustable guide rail for a star wheel conveyor.

FIG. 23 is an enlarged, partially cut-away perspective view of an adjustment mechanism for the adjustable guide rail shown in FIG. 22.

FIG. 24 is a top plan view of the adjustable guide rail of FIG. 22, shown with the guide rail adjusted to a minimum diameter.

FIG. 25 is a top plan view of the adjustable guide rail of FIG. 22, shown with the guide rail adjusted to a maximum diameter.

Fig. 26 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 26-26 of fig. 25.

FIG. 27 is a schematic perspective view of a pair of adjustable star wheel conveyors capable of conveying articles therebetween.

The embodiments of the system shown in the drawings are illustrative in nature and not intended to limit the invention defined by the claims. Furthermore, the various features of the invention will become more fully apparent and understood by reference to the detailed description.

Detailed Description

The present invention relates to an adjustable (or "reconfigurable") star wheel conveyor (or simply "adjustable star wheel" or "star wheel"). Such an adjustable star wheel may have fewer moving parts and may be universally adaptable to an almost unlimited number of sizes and shapes of articles. Automatic and manual adjustment mechanisms for adjusting the adjustable star wheel to accommodate different products are also disclosed.

Fig. 1 illustrates one non-limiting embodiment of a system including an adjustable star wheel conveyor 20 for conveying three-dimensional articles 22 about an arcuate path. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1, the system includes an adjustable star wheel 20, an adjustable guide rail assembly (or "adjustable guide rail") 24, and an automatic adjustment mechanism that includes a computer 26 for adjusting the adjustable star wheel 20 and/or the adjustable guide rail 24 to accommodate articles 22 of different sizes and/or shapes. The automatic adjustment mechanism may be used with any suitable adjustable star wheel.

The star wheel 20 can be used to transfer many different types of three-dimensional articles 22. Such articles include, but are not limited to: bottles, cans, containers, razors, razor blade heads and handles, tampon tubes, and deodorizers. While the star wheel 20 is capable of easily conveying articles of conventional shape (e.g., cylindrical and/or symmetrical articles), the star wheel 20 is particularly suitable for conveying and handling articles having shapes that are difficult to convey with conventional devices, including adjustable star wheels of known types. The star wheel 20 can be used, for example, to convey: bottles having uneven or rounded bottoms that may be unstable on horizontal surfaces; easily tiltable bottles with small bases; a bottle having an angled and/or eccentric neck; an asymmetric bottle; bottles with non-constant cross-section, etc.

One such bottle is shown in fig. 2-4. The bottle 22 shown in fig. 2-4 is an example of a bottle having a rounded bottom that would be unstable when placed on a horizontal surface. Furthermore, as shown in the top view of FIG. 3, the bottle 22 is also asymmetrical in that it has a twisted oval cross-section such that the cross-section is not aligned along the height of the bottle. Fig. 5 shows an example of a bottle 22 having an angled neck. As shown in fig. 5, the bottle 22 must be held at an angle to its bottom inclined relative to a horizontal surface in order to fill the bottle.

As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the star wheel conveyor 20 includes a plurality of rotatable elements, which may be in the form of rotatable disks, generally indicated by reference numeral 30. While the term "disc" may be used in this specification to describe various embodiments, it should be understood that whenever the term "disc" is used, it may be replaced by the term "rotatable element". The rotatable elements 30 are stacked and are concentric, as it is, because they have a common center, although the center of each rotatable element 30 is typically located in a different plane.

The star wheel conveyor 20 may also optionally include a base plate 32, an intermediate plate 33 (shown in fig. 6), and a top plate 34. Base plate 32, intermediate plate 33, and top plate 34 can have any suitable size and shape. The base plate 32 may be stationary or it may be capable of rotating. In the embodiment shown in the figures, base plate 32, intermediate plate 33, and top plate 34 are circular. In the illustrated embodiment, the base plate 32 has a diameter that is about the same size, or slightly larger than the diameter of the outermost portion of the perimeter 54 of the disk 30. The periphery and other portions of the disc 30 are shown in detail in fig. 7A to 7H. The middle and top plates 33, 34 have diameters that are about the same size as the portion of the disk 30 without the tabs 58. In this embodiment, base plate 32, intermediate plate 33, and top plate 34 all rotate with the star wheel assembly when the pocket size is fixed. However, it should be understood that the rotating base plate 32 is optional, and in other embodiments, the rotatable base plate 32 may be replaced with a flat, fixed plate, which may be, for example, larger than the remainder of the spider, and the articles 22 may slide on such a fixed base plate. However, providing a rotating base plate 32 eliminates this sliding and any consequent scratching of the bottom of the article 22.

The rotatable element 30 and the various plates (base plate 32, intermediate plate 33, and top plate 34) can be made of any suitable material or combination of materials. Suitable materials include, but are not limited to, metals and plastics such as: stainless steel; aluminum (e.g., anodized aluminum); acetal resins (such as DuPont's)Acetal resins); and a polycarbonate. The rotatable elements 30 and the individual plates can be machined to the desired configuration and then assembled together with the other components of the star wheel conveyor 20 by any suitable known manufacturing method.

As shown in fig. 4, the star wheel conveyor 20 comprises a rotational axis 36 about which the rotatable element 30 is at least partially rotatable. At least one of the rotatable elements 30 may be at least partially rotatable in a clockwise direction, a counterclockwise direction, or both. The fact that the rotatable element 30 is rotatable in both directions allows the rotatable element to rotate at least slightly to bring the contact or control surface 60 into contact with or into close proximity to the conveyed article. The rotatable element 30 is capable of (but not required to) rotating 360 degrees in both clockwise and counter-clockwise directions. The rotatable element 30 may be rotated less than 360 degrees, for example, in a clockwise direction to bring the control surface 60 into contact with the conveyed article. It should be understood that while the term "contact" is used in many places in this specification, typically one or more of the trays 30 may not actually contact the article 22. As used in connection with article 22, the term "in contact with" may be substituted throughout this patent application with the phrase "adjacent to" article 22. After the position of the article is fixed in the star wheel conveyor, the rotatable element 30 may be rotated counterclockwise to convey the article. Alternatively, the rotatable element 30 may be rotated less than 360 degrees in a counterclockwise direction to bring the control surface 60 into contact with the conveyed article. After the position of the article is fixed in the star wheel conveyor, the rotatable element may be rotated clockwise to convey the article.

In this embodiment, the star wheel conveyor 20 includes an adjustment mechanism 40. Many different types of adjustment mechanisms are possible. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1-6, the adjustment mechanism 40 includes at least one motor 42 operatively connected to at least one alignment mechanism 44 for aligning (or adjusting the rotational position of) the rotatable disk 30. In this embodiment, the alignment mechanism 44 includes a pinion gear 38 on a drive shaft 46 of the motor, and a pinion gear (or "pinion") 38 that meshes with a gear 48 on the rotatable disk 30. The cooperation between the pinion 38 and the gear 48 on the disc 30 is illustrated in fig. 6 and 10.

The star wheel 20 may include any suitable number of rotatable elements or disks 30. In certain embodiments, it is desirable for the spider 20 to include at least four, five, six, seven, eight, or more disks. In this particular embodiment, as shown in fig. 6, the star wheel conveyor 20 includes eight rotatable disks 30. The disks 30 are more specifically named a first disk 30A, a second disk 30B, a third disk 30C, a fourth disk 30D, a fifth disk 30E, a sixth disk 30F, a seventh disk 30G, and an eighth disk 30H. The spider 20 is rotatable about a central axis provided by a shaft or hub 36. The hub 36 may have a small diameter as shown in fig. 4 or may have a large diameter, almost filling the area of the disc up to the groove 56. This will result in a disc 30 similar to a ring. The hub 36 may also have a stepped diameter and the mating central hole 52 in the disk 30 may have various corresponding diameters. Each of the disks 30 is configured to rotate at least partially in the same direction or in opposite directions about an axis of rotation 36. The trays 30 cooperate to form at least one pocket 50 in which the conveyed article 22 is retained. There may be any suitable number of pockets 50 formed by the disc 30. Depending on the size of the tray 30 and the size of the articles 22 being conveyed, a suitable number of pockets 50 may range from one or more, up to sixty, or more pockets. A typical range for the number of pockets 50 may be about 4-15 pockets. In the embodiment shown in the figures, there are 12 pockets 50.

The disc 30 may have any suitable configuration. The configuration of these particular discs 30 is shown in more detail in fig. 6 and 7A-7H. Each disc 30 has a central axis or center 52 and a periphery 54. The center 52 of the disk 30 has an opening for the spindle 36. The disks 30 may have at least one groove 56 in their perimeter 54. Alternatively or additionally, the disk 30 may also have elements or tabs 58 joined to the perimeter 54 and extending outwardly therefrom to form "points" of a star configuration. (it should be understood that the disc 30 need not have a star-like configuration, and the projections forming the star-like configuration need not terminate at a certain point, but may terminate in a rounded configuration, a flat configuration, or other configuration.) the portions of the disc 30 that form the recesses 56, and/or the elements 58 extending outwardly from the periphery 54, form at least one control or contact surface 60 that helps control at least the position and, if desired, the orientation of the three-dimensional article 22 being conveyed. Element 58 may also have a side 62 opposite control surface 60. The configuration of the side 62 of the element 58 is less important than the control surface 60.

As used herein, the term "joined to" includes configurations whereby an element is directly secured to another element by affixing the element directly to the other element; a configuration in which one element is indirectly secured to another element by affixing the element to intermediate element(s), which in turn are affixed to the other element; and one element is of unitary construction with another element, i.e., one element is inherently a part of the other element. The term "attached to" includes configurations whereby an element is secured to another element at a selected location, as well as configurations whereby an element is fully secured to another element across the entire surface of one of the elements.

The control surface 60 is engaged to or near the perimeter 54 of the disc 30. The control surfaces 60 on the tray 30 collectively form at least one pocket 50 for the three-dimensional article 22. The pocket 50 has a width W and a depth D. However, it should be understood that the width W and depth D of the pockets 50 may vary at the different planes defined by the different trays 30 from the top to the bottom of the star wheel 20 to accommodate the configuration of the different portions of the cross-section of the articles 22 being conveyed.

The rotatable element 30 is not limited to elements in the form of discs. The rotatable element 30 may be any suitable configuration capable of rotating and providing the desired control surface 60 to form a pocket for the article. For example, fig. 9 shows a star wheel conveyor 20 having elements in the form of collars 58 that are joined to the disks 30 to form control surfaces 60. It will be appreciated that some parts of the star wheel conveyor 20, such as the rotatable elements 30, may require cleaning, especially if the star wheel conveyor 20 is used to convey bottles to a liquid filling machine. Star wheel conveyors having rotatable elements in such other configurations may be more easily cleaned. The rotatable element 30 may also contain more than one part so that the rotatable element can be disassembled to fit around stationary equipment or to reduce the size for manufacturing and assembly.

The various rotatable elements (e.g., discs) 30 in the stack of rotatable elements will typically have at least two different configurations. In various embodiments, any suitable number of different disc 30 configurations may be present, ranging from two, three, four, five, six, or more different disc configurations, up to a total number of discs 30. However, from a cost perspective, a fewer number of different configurations may be better due to the cost of designing and manufacturing the disc 30. The different disks 30 may have any suitable configuration.

Fig. 6 and 7A-7H illustrate one example of the different disk 30 configurations that may be used with the adjustable star wheel conveyor 20. Fig. 7A to 7H show that in this particular embodiment, where eight discs are used, there are essentially two different disc configurations. The two basic configurations are the configuration of the disc 30A shown in FIG. 7A and the configuration of the disc 30C shown in FIG. 7C. The disks shown in fig. 7A, 7B, 7G and 7H all have the same configuration, i.e., the first configuration. The disks shown in fig. 7C, 7D, 7E and 7F all have the same configuration, i.e., the second configuration. These particular discs 30 may be considered similar circular saw blades having gaps between their "toothed" projections 58 (where no teeth are present). Of course, the disks 30 of the adjustable star wheel 20 need not have sharp edges. The arrow at the center of the disk 30A shows the direction of rotation of the star wheel 20, which in this particular embodiment is clockwise. Thus, this particular star wheel 20 (when the pocket 50 configuration is set and the disk 30 is locked in place) will rotate clockwise to deliver the bottles 22. It should be understood that in other embodiments, the star wheel 20 may also or alternatively be capable of rotating in a counterclockwise direction. The overall rotation of the star wheel 20 should not be confused with the rotation of the individual discs 30. It will thus be appreciated that the tray 30 is capable of being rotated, at least in part, in both a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction to configure the pockets 50 to fit the articles 22 being conveyed.

Trays 30 having the different configurations described can be stacked from top to bottom in any suitable order and orientation. In a stack of disks 30, two or more of the disks 30 having the same configuration may be adjacent to each other. Alternatively, the disks having the same configuration may be arranged such that they are not adjacent and there is at least one differently configured disk between them. The trays 30 having the same configuration may have the same upwardly facing tray sides. Alternatively, depending on the configuration of the trays, one or more of the trays 30 may be flipped over so that different sides of the trays 30 face upward. The various trays 30 can be stacked (e.g., vertically stacked) so that they form one or more sets of stacked trays 30. For example, the disks 30 in the set may be grouped together as a set of disks, such as by spacing them from each other in a more dense manner than they would be with respect to other disks in the stack. Of course, there may be at least some space or gap between adjacent disks 30 to enable the disks 30 to rotate and to allow the spaces between the disks 30 of the spider 20 to be cleaned.

In the illustrated embodiment, the disks 30A and 30G shown in FIGS. 7A and 7G, respectively, have a first configuration. Furthermore, both disks are oriented such that the same side of the disk faces upward, and their respective control surfaces 60A and 60G contact the following portion of bottle 22. The disks 30B and 30H also have the first configuration, but they are turned over in the star wheel conveyor 20 so that the different sides of the disks face upward. The same sides of the projections 58 form the control surfaces 60B and 60H on the disks 30B and 30H, respectively, but in this case the control surfaces 60B and 60H contact the guide portions of the bottles 22. Fig. 7C and 7E show disks 30C and 30E, respectively, having a second configuration. The disks 30C and 30E are oriented such that their tabs 58 on one side form control surfaces 60C and 60E that contact the following portion of the bottle 22. The disks 30D and 30F also have a second configuration, but they are inverted in the star wheel conveyor 20 so that the different sides of the disks face upward. The same sides of the projections 58 of the disks 30D and 30F form the control surfaces 60D and 60F, but in the case of the disks 30D and 30F they contact the guide portion of the bottle 22.

The disks 30 may be arranged in any suitable order, and any combination of disks may be grouped to form a set of disks. As shown in fig. 6 and 8, in this particular embodiment, the eight disks 30 are arranged in two sets of four disks that are vertically stacked, with disks 30A-30D forming the upper set of disks and disks 30E-30H forming the lower set of disks. In the embodiment shown, the tray 30 is arranged with control surfaces 60 that describe the width W of the bottle pockets (30A, 30B, 30G, and 30H) at the highest and lowest points of the stack of trays to maximize control of the bottles 22 from tipping. Thus, the two sets of trays form a pocket 50 that fully supports the article 22 being conveyed over both overall heights. A control surface 60 describing the depth D of the bottle pockets (30C, 30D, 30E and 30F) is placed in the middle.

Fig. 7A to 7H show the control surface 60 of the rotatable disc 30 in more detail. The control surface 60 may be of any suitable configuration. When the disk 30 is viewed from above, the control surface 60 may have a plan view configuration with a straight line (straight line) configuration, a curved line configuration, or a combination of straight line segments and curved line segments. If the control surfaces are comprised of curved segments, they may be concave or convex relative to the articles 22 being conveyed. The configuration of each of the control surfaces 60 on a given rotatable element 30 may be the same or different.

As shown in fig. 7A-7H, the disks 30A-30H include a control surface 60A-60H that includes at least a portion that can be described with respect to an angle a of the control surface 60 with a radial line R extending from the center 52 of the disk 30. As shown, there is a tangent line T passing through a tangent point (or "contact point") P at which the control surface 60 contacts the article, i.e., the bottle 22. In the case where the control surface 60 does not actually contact the article 22, the "point of contact" P will be the point on the control surface 60 closest to the article 22. A radial line R is drawn through the intersection of the tangent T and the circle C, i.e., through the outer diameter of the disc (e.g., the circle through the apex of the star). As shown in fig. 7C and 7D, angle a may be measured by: rotation in either direction relative to the radial line R, provided that the angle a is rotated in the direction of the largest portion of the cross-section of the article 22. Angle a may be any suitable angle greater than or equal to about 0 degrees to less than about 90 degrees relative to radial line R. Typical values for angle a are about 30 to about 75 degrees. Larger angles better define the pocket depth, and smaller angles reduce the amount of disc rotation required to adjust the pocket depth. It should be understood that in certain instances, such as if the control surface 60 is concave, or otherwise configured to more closely fit the cross-sectional shape of the article 22 being conveyed, the control surface 60 may contact the article at multiple points. In this case, if there is a relationship described in any of the appended claims with respect to any such plurality of contact points P, it will be considered to be within the scope of such claims.

As shown in fig. 7A, in this embodiment, the first disk 30A includes a first control surface 60A that generally conforms to the radial line R or forms an angle slightly greater than about 0 degrees with respect to the radial line R to provide some slope for easy release of the bottle. It is possible to vary the angle substantially from a radial line as long as the resulting angle a is less than the angle a shown in fig. 7C and 7D. The first control surface 60A is positioned to be disposed adjacent the downstream side of the three-dimensional article 22 (when it is in the pocket). The terms "upstream" and "downstream" sides of the article 22 depend on the direction of rotation. In this case, the star wheel rotates clockwise. The upstream side of the article 22 is the leading portion of the article in the direction of travel. The downstream side is the trailing portion of the article as it moves in the direction of travel.

At least one other disc or second disc includes a second control surface 60 that includes at least a portion disposed generally at an angle to a radial line R extending from the center 52 of the second disc. The second control surface is positioned to be disposed adjacent an upstream side of the three-dimensional article 22 (when it is in the pocket). In the embodiment shown in fig. 7A-7H, the at least one other tray is a third tray 30C shown in fig. 7C. As shown herein, the angle a of the control surface 60C on at least one disc 30C, but not the first disc 30A, is different than the angle a of the first control surface of the first disc 30A. More specifically, the angle a of the control surface 60C is greater than the angle a of the control surface 60A of the disk 30A such that the line T will contact the bottle in a different area of the bottle than the line R. This allows the control surface 60C to at least partially form the depth D of at least a portion of the pocket. It should be understood that in the illustrated embodiment, there are other discs 30 that can be considered to include the at least one other disc or second disc.

Another way to describe the relationship between the different contact points P on the control surface 60 is to measure how far the contact point P is from the center 52 of the disc 30. The distance between the center 52 of the disc 30 and the contact point P taken along the radial line R will be referred to as the measured value M. Thus, the distance M between the center 52 of the disk and the contact point P on the at least one disk 30C is less than the distance M between the center 52A of the disk 30A and the contact point P of the first disk 30A. This allows the control surface 60C to at least partially form the depth D of at least a portion of the pocket.

The disks 30 on the star wheel 20 may be combined to form any suitable number of contact points P with the conveyed articles 22. Suitable numbers of contact points include, but are not limited to, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or more contact points P. In the embodiment shown in fig. 7A-7H, each of the trays 30 may form at least one contact point P with the article 22. Thus, there are eight points of contact to secure the article 22 in a given pocket 50. Since the trays 30 are arranged in two sets of four trays (four per set), there are four contact points P for the articles 22 to support the articles at two different levels. For a simpler and more stable bottle shape, a contact point at a single height with four discs may provide sufficient control. In any of these embodiments, the star wheel 20 may be provided with a mechanism for adjusting the relative height of one or more of the trays 30 (i.e., for adjusting the distance between the plane of the trays 30 and the base plate 32 (or other surface on which the articles are placed)). This feature may be of particular interest for the upper disc 30. This would provide even greater flexibility for the star wheel 20 to handle a variety of articles 22 having different sizes and shapes.

Figures 8 to 8D show how these pairs of discs 30 combine to form the different parts of the pocket 50. Fig. 8A shows how the tabs 58 on the bottom pair of trays 30G and 30H combine to form part of the pocket 50 for the bottle 22. Fig. 8B shows how the tabs 58 on the next pair of trays 30E and 30F combine to form another portion of the pocket 50 for the bottle 22. Fig. 8C shows how the tabs 58 on the next pair of disks 30C and 30D combine to form another portion of the pocket 50 for the bottle 22. Fig. 8D shows how the tabs 58 on the top pair of trays 30A and 30B combine to form the final portion of the pocket 50 for the bottle 22.

The adjustable star wheel 20 can be adjusted in any suitable manner to accommodate articles having different shapes, such as bottles 22. In the illustrated embodiment, the width W of the star wheel pocket 50 can be adjusted by rotating the disks 30A, 30B, 30G, and 30H. To accommodate wider articles such as bottles 22, disks 30A and 30B are rotated in opposite directions so that contact points P are spaced apart from each other. The depth D of the spider-wheel pocket 50 is adjusted by rotating the disks 30C, 30D, 30E, and 30F. To accommodate deeper bottles, the disks 30C, 30D, 30E and 30F are rotated so that the angled portions of the disks are away from each other to create a deeper pocket. Typically, the cross-sectional shape of the bottle will vary with height. For example, the bottle 22 may have a wider base and a smaller top. In this case, the upper and lower set of disks can be independently adjusted to create a large pocket for the bottom and a smaller pocket for the top. The bottle may also be asymmetrical about a vertical center plane. In this case, the disks 30C, 30D, 30E, and 30F with larger angled contact surfaces can be adjusted to various depths to create an asymmetric pocket 50. In this embodiment, adjusting the relative rotation of all eight disks 30 results in a completely amorphous star wheel pocket 50 that will accommodate almost any article shape and support the article 22 completely at two heights.

As shown and described herein, the boundaries of the pocket 50 may be configured solely by: at least some of the disks 30 are at least partially rotated to adjust the angular displacement or position of the control surfaces 60 on different disks. The control surfaces form pockets 50 configured to generally conform to the contours of the three-dimensional articles being conveyed. The position of the tray 30 is then fixed prior to rotating the star wheel conveyor 20 to convey the articles 22. All adjustments made to set the width W and depth D of the pocket 50 are made by rotational movement about the central axis, i.e., the axis of rotation 36. Thus, the star wheel conveyor 20 may be free of elements that are axially movable inwardly and outwardly (i.e., movable inwardly and outwardly in the general direction of the radial line R) to form the boundaries of the pockets. The star wheel conveyor 20 may also be free of clamps or elements having a pivot axis that pivots about a point that is located other than the axis of rotation of the star wheel or the axis of rotation of the rotatable element 30. Thus, the adjustable star wheel conveyor 20 has fewer moving parts, and the adjustment of the width and depth of the pockets can be controlled by a single mechanism.

The mechanism 40 for adjusting the configuration of the pocket 50 may be manually adjustable or automatically adjustable. Fig. 1-8 and 10 illustrate one non-limiting embodiment of an automatic mechanism 40 for adjusting the configuration of a pocket 50. The mechanism 40 includes at least one motor 42 having a drive shaft 46 that drives at least one pinion gear (or "first gear") 38 to rotate one or more of the disks 30. More specifically, in this embodiment, there are eight pinion motors 42 that drive eight pinions 38 via drive shafts 46, each of which is geared to one of the eight disks 30. Any suitable type of motor may be used. Suitable types of motors include, but are not limited to: gear motors, servo motors, stepper motors, DC motors, hydraulic motors, and pneumatic motors. As used herein, the term "gear motor" refers to a motor having a gearbox. The motor 42 may be located at any suitable location. In the embodiment shown, the motor is located on top of the top plate 34. Each of these motors is operatively connected to one of the drive shafts 46.

The pinion gear 38 can engage a gear (or "second gear") 48 located on the disk 30. The gear 48 may be located at any suitable location on or within the disk 30. As shown in fig. 6 and 7A-7H, in this embodiment, each of the disks 30 has one or more arcuate holes 70 cut into it. The tray 30 can be provided with any suitable number of arcuate holes 70. In this particular embodiment, each of the disks 30 has eight arcuate holes 70 therein. The arcuate holes 70 are intermittently arranged in a circular configuration, the circle being located between the center 52 and the periphery 54 of the disk 30. In the illustrated embodiment, the gear 48 on the disk 30 is at least partially located within the arcuate hole 70. In other words, the gear 48 is secured to the portion of the disk 30 that defines the boundary of the arcuate hole 70. The disks 30 may each have one or more sets of gears 48 thereon. However, in this embodiment, each disk 30 has only one set of gears 48 in one of the arcuate holes 70. The other arcuate holes 70 do not have gears on their interior and are simply arranged to allow the drive shafts 46 and pinions for the other discs 30 to pass through the discs, as shown in fig. 6. The gear 48 on the disc 30 can be formed in any suitable manner. The gear teeth in the disc 30 can be formed by water jet cutting of the disc material, as shown; or by installing hardened gear inserts in the disc 30.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the respective positions of the discs 30 are adjusted as the associated motor 42 rotates its shaft and rotates its pinion 38, which in turn engages the gear 48 on the disc 30 and rotates the disc 30 so that its contact surface 60 is in the desired position. The illustrated embodiment shows one motor 42 positioned on each disc 30. In alternative embodiments, one motor 42 can be configured to position two or more discs 30. This can be accomplished by axially shifting the pinion gears 38 between the gears 48 of the plurality of disks 30 (i.e., moving the pinion gears 38 in a direction parallel to the hub 36).

The motor 42 is typically powered by an electric current. The wires may provide current from a current source to the motor to power the motor 42. In one embodiment, the motor position is controlled by a controller. The system for controlling the motor 42 may be in the form of a closed loop control system that provides feedback to the controller of the true motor position with a measurement device such as an encoder or decoder. However, in other embodiments, the desired position can be manipulated by an open loop device, such as a stepper motor, without position feedback. Additional wires may be used to communicate feedback of the motor and/or disk position to the controller. The computer and/or controller can be located remotely from the star wheel 20 and can be in electrical communication via a slip ring or other communication device that allows relative rotational movement between the star wheel 20 and the controller. Alternatively, the star wheel 20 can be rotated and stopped in a position that enables it to be contacted by the electrical contacts. It is also possible to communicate between a computer and a controller or motor drive that rotates with the star wheel 20 using radio frequency, light or sound through wireless means. Power can be supplied to the drive motor by a battery that rotates with the star wheel, or can be transferred from the base machine by rectification or induction.

Alternatively, to provide a manually adjustable mechanism, the motor 42 may be replaced with a manual handle, a manually adjustable gear box with a counter, a manually adjustable counter, or the like.

In addition to the pinion adjustment mechanism described above, there are many other adjustment mechanisms for making automatic or manual adjustments. A low cost manual adjustment option is shown in fig. 11-14. In this embodiment, holes 70 are provided in the top plate 34 and all of the trays 30. Holes 70 may have any suitable configuration. Portions of the disk 30 define the boundaries of the hole 70. In the embodiment shown, these holes are in the form of arcuate slots 70. The same slot 70 is cut into each disc 30; however, the relative angle between each slot and tab 58 will vary for each disc to produce the desired pocket 50 when all slots 70 are vertically aligned. The arcuate slot 70 is concentric with the axis of rotation and can be vertically aligned to create a pocket 50 of a particular size. In other embodiments, holes 70 need not be arcuate or concentric. In other embodiments, the slot 70 in the disk 30 may have the shape of a dog bone or number 8, for example.

A tapered element such as a spade tapered pin 72 may be pushed into the slot 70. This will exert a force on the portions of the disk bounding the slot 70 and cause the disk 30 to rotate so that the slot 70 is aligned. As shown, the spade tapered pin 72 is wider at the top (or proximal end) and narrower at the distal end that is first inserted into the slot. The tapered pin 72 may be tapered from a wider width to a narrower width along at least a portion of its length that contacts the disk 30 when the tapered pin 72 is inserted into the slot 70. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the tapered pin 72 is tapered along substantially its entire length. The taper pin 72 has a shank 74 on its top and has a limiter 76 to which the taper pin 72 and the shank 74 are joined. The limiting member 76 serves to limit the depth to which the tapered pin 72 can be inserted. Pushing the tapered pin 72 into one of the slots 70 will select the size and shape of the pocket 50 for one size and shape of article 22 to be transferred. The different slots 70 on the uppermost tray 30A are different from the slots on the underlying tray vertically below: each of which will align to create a different shaped and/or sized pocket 50. Pushing the pin 72 through the other slot 70 at least partially rotates the disk 30 to adjust the pocket control surface to accommodate another bottle having another preselected shape and/or size. (thus, there is no need to manually rotate and align the holes in the disk prior to inserting the pin.) tapered pins 72 or other mechanical clamps may be used to lock the shape of the pockets 50 prior to rotation of the star wheel 20 to transfer the articles 22. The tray 30 may be cut with a plurality of slots 70 to define a plurality of predetermined article configurations. By distributing the slots 70 on the surface of the tray 30 and in multiple bands at different radii, many products can be accommodated.

Fig. 15-21 illustrate another alternative embodiment for adjusting the star wheel 20 for different sized and/or shaped articles 22. In this embodiment, the disks 30 each have a plurality of holes 80 formed therein. The disk 30 may have any suitable number, size and shape of holes 80 formed therein. In the embodiment shown, each disk 30 has four identical holes 80 formed therein. The holes 80 are shown spaced equidistantly around the disk 30 and between the center 52 and the periphery 54 of the disk 30. The holes 80 are generally trapezoidal in this embodiment. However, the base and top of the trapezoidal hole 80 are arcuate, and the sides of the trapezoidal hole 80 are substantially linear.

In this embodiment, the size and/or shape of the pocket 50 is changed using a manually adjusted quick-change element, which may be in the form of a key 82. As shown in fig. 19, the key 82 has a shaft 84 with one or more elements such as a cam or lobe 86 protruding therefrom. In this particular embodiment, each key 82 has eight circular protruding cams 86, one for engaging each of the eight disks 30 and moving them to the desired angular position. The keys 82 may optionally each include a shank 88 and a limiter 90 engaged to the shaft 84. The handle 88 enables the operator to conveniently apply a torque to the key 82 and then lock the key in a desired position. It is also designed to easily pull in and out the key 82. The handle 88 may also have an optional locking mechanism thereon, such as a locking trigger 92.

The number of different keys 82 may be any number greater than one. Fig. 15 and 16 show four keys 82 for this particular star wheel 20. In the embodiment shown, there are four different bonds 82A, 82B, 82C and 82D, one for each of holes 80. Fig. 17 and 21 show one of the keys 82C in the engaged position. Fig. 18 and 20 show one of the keys 82D in the disengaged position. In fig. 20, the longer dimension of the circular lobe-shaped cam 86 is directed toward the viewer. Thus, the cam 86 is not seen to engage the disc 30 in fig. 20, as the width of the cams 86 is substantially the same as the width of the shaft 84 when viewed from that angle. Typically, only one of the keys 82 will be engaged when the star wheel 20 is in use.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 15-21, to vary the size and/or shape of the pockets 50, i.e., from one size and/or shape of bottle 22 to a different size and/or shape of bottle 22, the following sequence is generally followed. The operator squeezes the lock trigger 92 of the handle 88 to unlock the currently engaged key 82. The operator rotates the key 82 counterclockwise to disengage the cam 86 on the key 82. When the lock trigger 92 is released, the spring-loaded catch prevents further unintended rotation of the key 82. Next, if the key describing the next bottle size is not installed, the operator installs the desired key 82 by inserting it into any of the holes 80 (first moving the other key aside if necessary). For the key describing the next desired bottle, the operator squeezes the lock trigger 92 to unlock the handle and turns the key 82 clockwise to engage the cam 86 with the disk 30. The cams 86 engage the spider 30 and move the spider 30 to the desired position. When the lock trigger 92 is released, the spring-loaded catch prevents further unintended rotation of the key.

Many variations of this embodiment are possible. For example, in other embodiments, the star wheel 20 may be designed to hold fewer or more keys. With four keys, if it is desired to have a fifth bottle, one key can be removed and a newly designed fifth key can be installed. This provides flexibility for future products that may not be envisaged when the apparatus was initially designed.

The reconfigurable star wheel 20 may be adjusted for new shapes and/or sizes of articles 22 manually, at least partially automatically, or fully automatically by touching a button if desired. For example, the adjustable star wheel conveyor 20 may be part of a system that also includes a computer 26. Computer 26 can be provided with a computer-aided design ("CAD") program, wherein the CAD program contains dimensions of three-dimensional article 22 at a level or height corresponding to each tray 30. The CAD program can be used to determine the desired rotation angle for each tray 30 to create pockets 50 to support the desired bottle geometry. The process of determining the star wheel adjustment settings using a CAD program can be automated. For example, the operator can simply enter the bottle file into the computer 26, and the automated program will automatically rotate the disk 30 to determine the correct settings. This is much faster than an operator manually manipulating the star wheel 20 and bottle model to determine the correct star wheel settings. The computer 26 can communicate with a control system that controls an adjustment mechanism, such as a motor 42, to adjust the rotational (or angular) position of each of the star wheels 30 to create pockets 50 to accommodate the dimensions of the three-dimensional article 22. The "angular" position of the disc refers to the angle by which the disc is rotated relative to the initial position. The CAD program can also be used to generate a table or list of values that describes a list of motor positions for each of the spider discs 30. The column position can be uploaded to or manually input into a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) that controls the position of each motor 42. A programmable logic controller is a digital computer used to automate electromechanical processes. The PLC may be a stand-alone device or it may be incorporated into the computer 26 shown in the drawings. Such automatic adjustment systems are not limited to use with the universal adjustable star wheel conveyors described herein, and may be used with star wheels having any suitable configuration.

Alternatively, the CAD program can be used to enable manual adjustment of the star wheel 20. For example, in the gear embodiments shown in fig. 1-8 and 10, the CAD program can provide a list of values that are adjustment settings for manually adjusting the angle of rotation of each disc 30. For the wedge mechanism shown in fig. 11-14, the CAD program can be used to define the slot geometry. For the cam key mechanism shown in fig. 15-21, the CAD program can be used to design the key geometry.

The adjustable star wheel conveyor 20 can be provided with components to resist centrifugal forces that tend to move the articles 22 out of the pockets 50 as the star wheel 20 rotates so as to keep the articles 22 secured in the star wheel conveyor 20. Components suitable for this purpose include, but are not limited to, adjustable radius rails, vacuum cups, and belts.

Fig. 22-26 show one non-limiting example of a flexible adjustable guide track assembly 24 intended for use with star wheel 20. Adjustable guide rail assembly 24 includes a base plate or frame 98, an arcuate flexible beam or rail 100 that is adjusted by a guide rail adjustment mechanism 102. The flexible track 100 is adjusted to conform to a constant radius R1 that determines the outer path of the bottles or other articles 22 held in the adjustable star wheel 20. The track adjustment system 102 can have any suitable form that can bend the flexible track 100 to different radii. The radius R1 of the arc may need to be adjusted to accommodate different bottle depths to ensure that the center of the bottle neck will travel along the same arcuate path. This may be important in order to allow the neck of the bottle to be aligned with the liquid packing/capping machine. The flexible track 100 has a fixed length L. The flexible track 100 is able to bend to conform to different radii R1. For this purpose, the length L of the flexible rail 100 must be allowed to float or move in order to accommodate the bending. The flexible track 100 can be connected to the radius adjustment mechanism 102 at one point and allow the length to float at other points. The center of the arc followed by the flexible track 100 remains stationary and is therefore concentric with the star wheel 20.

The flexible track 100 may be made of any suitable material or combination of materials that can be bent to conform to the arcuate shape of various diameters. The flexible track 100 may be made of, for example, the following materials: thermoplastics such as acetyl or ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW); metals such as stainless steel; or composite materials such as carbon or glass fibers embedded in a resin, metal beams covered by a low friction plastic covering, or wood.

In the illustrated embodiment, the guideway adjustment system 102 includes: an arcuate cam plate 104 having an angled slot 106 therein; at least one adjustable connection mechanism 108 for connecting the flexible track 100 to the cam plate 104; and a manual adjustment control or an automatic adjustment control 110. The adjustable attachment mechanism 108 includes: slotted links 112 engaged to flexible track 100; an inner pin 114 disposed within slot link 112; engaging the inner pin 114 to a control link 116 of a follower pin 118 movably disposed within the angled slot 106 of the cam plate 104; and a fixed inner pin 120.

The adjustment control 110 may include any suitable type of manual or automatic adjustment mechanism for changing the radius R1 of the flexible track 100. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, there is shown an automatic adjustment mechanism comprising: a plurality of teeth 122 on the arcuate cam plate 104; a gear 124; a rotating shaft 126; and a motor 130. Such an automatic adjustment controller 110 may (but need not) be linked to a computer such as computer 26 that determines the configuration of the pockets 50 of the star wheel 20 for a particular size and shape of article 22. In this case, the computer 26 may be programmed to move the automatic adjustment control 110 to adjust the adjustable guide rail 24 to the desired radius R1 that the article 22 defined in the CAD program is expected to have.

The function of the adjustable guide rail 24 is as follows. The motor 130 or a manual adjustment knob (which would replace the motor) adjusts the rotational position of the cam plate 104. The angled slots 106 on the cam plate 104 force the follower pins 118 on the control links 116 in and out on a co-radial path. The inner pin 114 on the control link 116 forms a variable arc. Inner pin 114 is connected to flexible track 100 by slotted link 112. These slotted links 112 allow flexible rail 100 to float along its length as radius R1 is adjusted. A point 120 along the flexible track 100 will be pinned to the control link 116. In this example illustration, the center of the flexible rail 100 is pinned to the control link 116 by a fixed pin 120 and the ends of the flexible rail 100 are allowed to float. The pinned location 120 can be repositioned, for example, to an end to prevent movement of the flexible track 100 at that end.

Such adjustable guide rails 24 are not limited to use with the universal adjustable star wheel conveyor 20 described herein, and may be used with star wheels having any suitable configuration.

In an alternative embodiment, vacuum cups located on the rotatable element 30 (such as in the groove 56) may be used in place of the adjustable rail 24 to hold the article 22 stationary. The timing of the vacuum cups used to convey the bottles or other articles 22 can be controlled by a programmable logic controller ("PLC"), or by valves actuated by the position of the star wheels.

The adjustable star wheel 20 may provide a number of advantages. It should be understood, however, that such advantages are not required to be provided unless included in the following claims. In the illustrated embodiment, the pockets 50 created by adjusting the eight individual disks 30 provide greater flexibility to accommodate various shapes and/or sizes of articles than the star wheel described in the patent literature. Adjusting the pocket width independently of the pocket depth with the chute-shaped pocket 50 (when viewed in plan) provides more points of contact and improved control over the bottle position. Adjusting the pockets 50 independently on each side of the bottle 22 can accommodate asymmetric bottle shapes. These pockets 50 are infinitely adjustable to any current or future bottle shape relative to the limited number of articles having a predetermined shape that can be adjusted.

The stacking height of the separate upper and lower four trays is such as to maintain the vertical axis of bottles or other articles having a non-constant cross-section. Some examples of such articles are the following bottles: their base is larger than their top or their base is smaller than their top. These articles also need not have a flat bottom. Vials (Tottles) (bottles similar in shape to a tube and without a flat bottom) can be transported and controlled. Bottles having an angled neck can be supported such that the neck is vertical and the body is fixed at a non-vertical angle.

The design with concentric discs is simpler and less expensive to manufacture and maintain. No complex mechanisms are required to obtain amorphous shaped volumes and adjustable pocket depths. Manual or fully automatic means may be usefully employed to adjust the system. Fully automatic adjustment enables the change in size and/or shape to be driven entirely by commands of the online software.

Many other embodiments are possible. As shown in fig. 27, in one embodiment, a system is provided that includes a pair of adjustable star wheels 20A and 20B, wherein the star wheels are adjacent and, in operation, rotate in opposite directions so that one star wheel can transfer a three-dimensional article to the other star wheel. The pockets can be adjusted in different ways to allow alternate star wheels to handle asymmetrical articles.

The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Rather, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "90 degrees" is intended to mean "about 90 degrees".

It should be understood that every maximum numerical limitation given throughout this specification includes every lower numerical limitation, as if such lower numerical limitations were expressly written herein. Every minimum numerical limitation given throughout this specification will include every higher numerical limitation, as if such higher numerical limitations were expressly written herein. Every numerical range given throughout this specification will include every narrower numerical range that falls within such broader numerical range, as if such narrower numerical ranges were all expressly written herein.

All documents cited in the detailed description of the invention are incorporated herein by reference in relevant part. The citation of any document is not to be construed as an admission that it is prior art with respect to the present invention. To the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this written document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to the term in this written document shall govern.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.

Claims (9)

1. An adjustable star wheel for conveying three-dimensional articles about an arcuate path, the articles having a shape, wherein the star wheel is rotatable about a central axis, and wherein the star wheel comprises:

a rotatable element comprising at least a first rotatable element and a second rotatable element disposed in a stacked arrangement about the central axis, wherein the rotatable elements are configured to rotate at least partially about the central axis in the same direction or in opposite directions, each rotatable element having a center, a perimeter, and at least one control surface that facilitates control of a three-dimensional article, the control surfaces being located near the perimeter of the rotatable element, wherein the control surfaces on the rotatable elements can be arranged to collectively form at least one pocket for the three-dimensional article, the pocket having a width and a depth, the adjustable star wheel characterized by:

the first rotatable element comprises a first control surface comprising at least a portion disposed at an angle to a radial line extending from a central axis of the first rotatable element, and the first control surface is positioned to be disposed adjacent an upstream side of a three-dimensional article when the three-dimensional article is in a pocket;

the second rotatable element comprises a second control surface comprising at least a portion disposed at an angle to a radial line extending from a central axis of the second rotatable element, and the second control surface is positioned to be disposed adjacent a downstream side of a three-dimensional article when the three-dimensional article is in a pocket;

wherein an angle of the control surface on at least one rotatable element other than the first rotatable element is different from an angle of the first control surface of the first rotatable element to form a depth of at least a portion of the pocket, and

wherein the boundaries of the pocket are configured by at least partially rotating at least some of the rotatable elements to adjust the position of the control surfaces of the different rotatable elements to form the pocket for the three-dimensional article being conveyed and then fixing the position of the rotatable elements prior to rotating the star wheel;

the star wheel further comprises a mechanism for adjusting the configuration of the pocket, wherein at least one rotatable element has a hole therein and portions of the rotatable element define the boundaries of the hole, wherein the mechanism for adjusting the configuration of the pocket comprises a key having at least one cam thereon, wherein the cam is engageable with the portions of the rotatable element defining the boundaries of the hole, and when the key is inserted into the hole, the key is rotatable to set the rotational orientation of the rotatable element and set the configuration of at least a portion of the pocket for the three-dimensional article.

2. The adjustable star wheel of claim 1 wherein the boundaries of the pockets are configured only by at least partially rotating at least some of the rotatable elements to adjust the position of the control surfaces of the different rotatable elements.

3. The adjustable star wheel of claim 1 further comprising a mechanism for adjusting the configuration of the pocket, wherein the mechanism for adjusting the configuration of the pocket comprises a first gear and a mating second gear, wherein the second gear is located on at least one of the rotatable elements and the first gear is a gear that can be turned to move the second gear on the at least one rotatable element.

4. The star wheel of claim 3, wherein the at least one rotatable element having a gear thereon has a hole therein, the hole being defined by portions of the rotatable element, wherein the second gear on the rotatable element is located at least partially within the boundaries of the hole.

5. An adjustable star wheel as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein the first gear is mechanically connected to a motor for rotating the first gear.

6. An adjustable star wheel as claimed in claim 5, wherein the motor is located on the star wheel.

7. An adjustable star wheel as in claim 1 or 2, further comprising a mechanism for adjusting the configuration of the pocket, wherein at least two of the rotatable elements have holes therein, wherein the mechanism for adjusting the configuration of the pocket comprises a tapered element insertable into a hole in the at least two rotatable elements such that at least some portions of the holes in the rotatable elements align to set the rotational orientation of the at least two rotatable elements to set the configuration of at least a portion of the pocket for the three-dimensional article.

8. An assembly comprising an adjustable star wheel as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising an adjustable guide track disposed outside the arcuate channel, wherein the adjustable guide track has a length and is movable inwardly and outwardly relative to the central axis, and the adjustable guide track is also flexible along its length.

9. A system comprising a pair of adjustable star wheels according to any preceding claim, wherein said star wheels are adjacent and in operation rotate in opposite directions so that one star wheel can transfer a three-dimensional article to the other star wheel.