US-20260125173-A1 - CONTAINER ORIENTING SYSTEM AND DEVICE

US20260125173A1US 20260125173 A1US20260125173 A1US 20260125173A1US-20260125173-A1

Abstract

A bottle orienting system and device includes a hook configured to engage an open end of a container and rotate to move the container into an open end trailing configuration. A biasing element is provided to limit rotation of the hook and to rapidly return the hook to a start position to properly orient a second bottle. In embodiments, different shapes may be used for the hook. In embodiments, the hook may be mounted without rotation.

Inventors

Kenneth J. Herzog
Michael Herzog

Assignees

AUTO-KAPS LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251030

Claims (20)

1 . A bottle orienting system comprising: a first belt operable to advance a first bottle in a first direction; a movable orienting device movable from a first position in which at least a portion of the movable orienting device extends upward relative to a lower surface of the bottle as it advances in the first direction and positioned in a path of travel of the first bottle and a second position in which the portion of the movable orienting device moves to a second position, the orienting device including a hook provided in the portion of the movable orienting device that extends upward such that the hook engages a neck of the first bottle positioned in a neck forward position causing the orienting device to move and flip the bottle to a neck trailing position as the bottle moves in the first direction.
2 . The bottle orienting system of claim 1 , wherein the orienting device moves from the first position to the second position with the hook sliding along a bottom wall and side wall of a second bottle when the second bottle is in the neck trailing position such that the second bottle passes over the orienting device without changing orientation.
3 . The bottle orienting system of claim 1 , wherein the hook includes a notch portion that receives the neck of the first bottle.
4 . The bottle orienting system of claim 2 , wherein a size of the notch is varied to accommodate bottles of different sizes.
5 . The bottle orienting system of claim 1 , wherein the orienting device includes: a rotating arm, rotating from the first position to the second position, wherein the portion of the movable orienting device that extends upward is provided at a distal end of the rotating arm and the hook is provided at the distal end of the rotating arm; an axel rotatably mounted in a stationary base such that the rotating arm rotates with the axel from the first position to the second position to flip the first bottle when the neck of the first bottle is engaged with the hook of the rotating arm; and a biasing element limiting rotation of the rotating arm to a desired angle and biasing the rotating arm into the first position.
6 . The bottle orienting system of claim 5 , wherein the rotating arm includes a first stop extending from a surface thereof and in contact with one end of the biasing element.
7 . The bottle orienting system of claim 6 , wherein the base includes a second stop extending from a surface thereof and in contact with a second end of the biasing element such that the biasing element limits rotation of the rotating arm relative to the base to a desired angle and biases the rotating arm in the first position.
8 . The bottle orienting system of claim 5 , wherein the orienting device includes a resilient member mounted adjacent to a proximal end of the rotating arm and in contact with the proximal end when the rotating arm returns to the first position to absorb force exerted by the proximal end of the rotating arm.
9 . The bottle orienting system of claim 1 , further comprising a deflector element spaced away from the orienting device in the first direction and above a top surface of the first bottle to guide the first bottle downward after passing the orienting device.
10 . The bottle orienting system of claim 1 , further comprising a second belt, wherein the second belt is positioned opposite the first belt with the first bottle positioned between and in contact with the first belt and the second belt, wherein the first belt and the second belt advance the first bottle in the first direction.
11 . The bottle orienting system of claim 1 , wherein the hook extends upward and is positioned in the path of the first bottle in the first position such that it engages the neck of the first bottle as it advances in the first direction when the first bottle is in the neck leading position, and the hook slides downward along a ramp on which it is mounted to flip the first bottle to a neck trailing position as it moves to the second position.
12 . The bottle orienting system of claim 11 , wherein the hook orienting device moves from the first position to the second position along the ramp with the hook sliding along a bottom wall and side wall of a second bottle when the second bottle is in the neck trailing position such that the second bottle passes over the orienting device without changing orientation.
13 . The bottle orienting device of claim 11 , wherein the orienting device includes a biasing element biasing the hook into the first position where it will engage the neck of the first bottle in the neck forward position.
14 . The bottle orienting system of claim 11 , wherein the hook includes a notch that receives the neck of the bottle.
15 . The bottle orienting system of claim 14 , wherein a size of the notch varies to accommodate bottles of different sizes.
16 . The bottle orienting system of claim 11 , wherein the second position may be varied based on a strength of the biasing element.
17 . The bottle orienting system of claim 11 , wherein the second position may be varied based on positioning of a stop on the ramp.
18 . A bottle orienting system comprising: a first belt operable to advance a first bottle in a first direction; an orienting device that extends upward relative to a lower surface of the bottle as it advances in the first direction and positioned in a path of travel of the first bottle, the orienting device including a hook provided on one end thereof such that the hook engages a neck of the first bottle positioned in a neck forward position; a transverse slot provided in the orienting device and spaced from the hook such that the bottle pivots around the hook into a neck trailing position as it moves in the first direction.
19 . The bottle orienting system of claim 18 , wherein the hook includes a notch that receives the neck of the bottle.
20 . The bottle orienting system of claim 19 , wherein a size of the notch varies to accommodate bottles of different sizes.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application claims benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/715,158 filed Nov. 1, 2024 entitled CONTAINER ORIENTING SYSTEM AND DEVICE, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. BACKGROUND Field The present application relates to a container orienting system and device used to arrange containers in a desired configuration, preferably for further processing, for example, in a bottle filling and capping machine. More specifically, the container orienting system and device includes a rotating hook element that is used to orient containers as desired. Description of the Art Container processing systems and devices generally include a device or devices that are used to arrange or orient containers as they move through the system. For example, filling and capping machines include a device that arranges bottles in a desired orientation so that they can be properly processed for filling, capping or other processing. There are a variety of mechanisms that may be used to orient containers, however, these contemporary devices are overly complicated. The complicated nature of such conventional devices also reduces the speed at which the processing machines can work which reduces the overall efficiency of the system. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide a container orienting system and device that avoids the problems noted above. SUMMARY A container orienting system includes an orienting device that, in embodiments, includes a rotating hook portion that selectively engages an open end of the container when the container is in an open end forward orientation and rotates the container to a closed end forward orientation. In embodiments, a biasing element is provided to return the hook portion to a start position suitable to engage another container after the hook element has rotated a predetermined amount sufficient to alter the orientation of the container. In embodiments, a shock absorbing member may be provided to absorb some of the force of the hook as it returns to the start position to reduce shock and wear and tear. A container orienting system in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a first belt operable to advance a first bottle in a first direction; a movable orienting device movable from a first position in which at least a portion of the movable orienting device extends upward relative to a lower surface of the bottle as it advances in the first direction and positioned in a path of travel of the first bottle and a second position in which the portion of the movable orienting device moves to a second position, the orienting device including a hook provided in the portion of the movable orienting device that extends upward such that the hook engages a neck of the first bottle positioned in a neck forward position causing the orienting device to move and flip the bottle to a neck trailing position as the bottle moves in the first direction. In embodiments, the orienting device moves from the first position to the second position with the hook sliding along a bottom wall and side wall of a second bottle when the second bottle is in the neck trailing position such that the second bottle passes over the orienting device without changing orientation. In embodiments, the hook includes a notch portion that receives the neck of the first bottle. In embodiments, a size of the notch is varied to accommodate bottles of different sizes. In embodiments, the orienting device includes: a rotating arm, rotating from the first position to the second position, wherein the portion of the movable orienting device that extends upward is provided at a distal end of the rotating arm and the hook is provided at the distal end of the rotating arm; an axel rotatably mounted in a stationary base such that the rotating arm rotates with the axel from the first position to the second position to flip the first bottle when the neck of the first bottle is engaged with the hook of the rotating arm; and a biasing element limiting rotation of the rotating arm to a desired angle and biasing the rotating arm into the first position. In embodiments, the rotating arm includes a first stop extending from a surface thereof and in contact with one end of the biasing element. In embodiments, the base includes a second stop extending from a surface thereof and in contact with a second end of the biasing element such that the biasing element limits rotation of the rotating arm relative to the base to a desired angle and biases the rotating arm in the first position. In embodiments, the orienting device includes a resilient member mounted adjacent to a proximal end of the rotating arm and in contact with the proximal end when the rotating arm returns to the first position to absorb force exerted by the proximal end of the rotating arm. In embodiments, the system includes a deflector element spaced away fr