Object processing apparatus

Claim 2

A control system for an object processing apparatus, said system including: first motor means operable for rotating the object; first counter means for counting pulse signals; first detecting means positioned adjacent said first motor means, said first detecting means being operably connected to said first counter means and operable for providing to the first counter means a first enabling signal representative of a rotational position of the object as the object is rotated by said first motor means; and encoder means operably connected to the first motor means and to said first counter means, said encoder means being operable for providing a plurality of pulse signals, each pulse signal being representative of an increment of rotation of the object by said first motor means, to the first counter means during rotation of the object by said first motor means, said first counter means being activated by the enabling signal to start counting the pulse signals and said first counter means being operable for deenergizing the first motor means for forward rotation of the object after counting a first predetermined number of pulse signals so that the object decelerates to a nonrotating condition at a predetermined rotational position.

Claim 3

A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first counter means includes: a first counter operable for receiving the enabling signal and pulse signals and controlling operation of the first motor means; and first time delay means operably connected to the first counter and operable for preventing the first counter from receiving at least the enabling signal for a predetermined time period.

Claim 4

A system as set forth in claim 2 including: first power supply means operably connected to said first counter means and first motor means and operable for the deenergizing of the first motor means for forward rotation of the object and reversing the polarity of current to supply reverse polarity current to the first motor means after the first predetermined number of pulse signals has been received by the first counter.

Claim 5

A system as set forth in claim 3 wherein: said reverse polarity current is supplied to the first motor means for a second predetermined number of pulse signals at which time rotation of the object by the first motor means is terminated.

Claim 6

A system as set forth in claim 4 including: switch means operably connected to the first counter means, said switch means including a first switch which is closed when an object is available for rotation, allowing operation of the first counter means.

Claim 7

A system as set forth in claim 5 wherein: said switch means includes a second switch, in series with the first switch, which is closed when the object processing apparatus is in a dwell mode, allowing operation of the first counter means when both the first switch and second switch are closed.

Claim 8

A system as set forth in claim 5 wherein said object processing apparatus includes processing means for performing at least one processing step on an object during rotation of said object and wherein: said first counter means includes a second counter, operably connected to said processing means and operable for allowing said processing means to commence operation after a third predetermined number of pulse signals after the enabling signal, and a third counter, operable for allowing said processing means to operate for a fourth predetermined number of pulse signals after the third predetermined number of pulse signals; said third counter being operable for terminating operation of the processing means after the fourth predetermined number of pulse signals.

Claim 9

A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said object processing apparatus includes processing means for performing at least one processing step on a preselected portion of the object while the object is oriented by said predetermined rotational position.

Claim 10

A container processing apparatus including: first motor means operable for rotating the container; first counter means for counting pulse signals; first detecting means positioned adjacent said first motor means, said first detecting means being operably connected to said first counter means and operable for providing to the first counter means a first enabling signal representative of a rotational position of the container as the container is rotated by said first motor means; encoder means operably connected to the first motor means and to said first counter means, said encoder means being operable for providing a plurality of pulse signals, each pulse signal being representative of an increment of rotation of the container by said first motor means, said first counter means being activated by the enabling signal to start counting the pulse signals, and said first counter means being operable for deenergizing the first motor means for forward rotation of the container after counting a first predetermined number of pulse signals so that the container decelerates to a nonrotating condition at a predetermined rotational position; first sealant dispensing means; and sealant dispensing control means operably connected to said first sealant dispensing means and operable for controlling the operation of the first sealant dispensing means for applying sealant to a selected area of the container while the container is oriented by said predetermined rotational position.

Claim 11

A container processing apparatus including: first motor means operable for rotating the container; first counter means for counting pulse signals; first detecting means positioned adjacent said first motor means, said first detecting means being operably connected to said first counter means and operable for providing to the first counter means a first enabling signal representative of a rotational position of the container as the container is rotated by said first motor means; encoder means operably connected to the first motor means and to said first counter means, said encoder means being operable for providing a plurality of pulse signals, each pulse signal being representative of an increment of rotation of the container by said first motor means, said first counter means being activated by the enabling signal to start counting the pulse signals, and said first counter means being operable for deenergizing the first motor means for forward rotation of the container after counting a first predetermined number of pulse signals so that the container decelerates to a nonrotating condition at a predetermined rotational position; first sealant dispensing means; and sealant dispensing control means operably connected to said first sealant dispensing means and operable for controlling the operation of the first sealant dispensing means for applying sealant to a selected area of the container while the container is oriented by said predetermined rotational position.

Claim 12

Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said selected area of the container is the interior side seam of the container, wherein said first detecting means produces said enabling signal responsive to the detection of a mark on the container, and wherein said first counter means includes: a first counter operable for receiving the enabling signal and pulse signals and controlling operation of the first motor means; and first time delay means operably connected to the first counter and operable for preventing the first counter from receiving at least the enabling signal for a predetermined time period.

Claim 13

Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 including: first power supply means operably connected to said first counter means and first motor means and operable for the deenergizing of the first motor means for forward rotation of the container and reversing the polarity of current to supply reverse polarity current to the first motor means after the first predetermined number of pulse signals has been received by the first counter.

Claim 14

Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein: said reverse polarity current is supplied to the first motor means for a second predetermined number of pulse signals at which time rotation of the container by said first motor means is terminated.

Claim 15

Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 including: first switch means operably connected to the first counter means, said first switch means including a first switch which is closed when a container is available for rotation, allowing operation of the first counter means.

Claim 16

Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein: said first switch means includes a second switch, in series with the first switch, which is closed when the apparatus is in a dwell mode, allowing operation of the first counter means when both the first switch and second switch are closed.

Claim 17

Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 further comprising processing means for performing at least one processing step on a container during rotation of said container by said first motor means and wherein: said first counter means includes a second counter operably connected to said processing means and operable for allowing said processing means to commence operation after a third predetermined number of pulse signals after the enabling signal, and a third counter, operable for allowing said processing means to operate for a fourth predetermined number of pulse signals after the third predetermined number of pulse signals; said third counter being operable for terminating operation of the processing means after the fourth predetermined number of pulse signals.

Claim 18

Apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein: said second counter and third counter are operably connected to a second sealant dispensing means, said second counter actuates the second sealant dispensing means to commence dispensing of sealant against the inside bottom seam of the container and said third counter terminates sealant dispensing from the second sealant dispensing means, and including fifth means operably connected to the second sealant dispensing means operable for preventing dispensing of sealant from the second sealant dispensing means except during at least a portion of a dwell period of the drive means.

Claim 19

Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 further comprising a container indexing means, drive means for incrementally moving said indexing means between dwell periods of the drive means; a container infeed gate means; a second switch means operably connected to said drive means, said second switch means including a third switch which is operably connected to said infeed gate means and is closed during at least a portion of a dwell period of the drive means; and third means operably connected to the infeed gate means and the third switch and operable for allowing actuation of the infeed gate means permitting feeding of a container to said container indexing means during each dwell period of the drive means.

Claim 20

Apparatus as set forth in claim 17 including: first container detecting means operable for detecting a conveyor-full-of-containers condition of said outfeed conveyor, said container detecting means being operable for preventing the third means from allowing actuation of the infeed gate means when a conveyor-full-of-containers condition is detected.

Claim 21

Apparatus as set forth in claim 17 including container grippers associated with said container indexing means, a gripper moving means, fourth means operably connected to said gripper moving means and said first switch whereby during at least a portion of a dwell period of the drive means, the gripper moving means move selected container grippers to a non-gripping position.

Claim 22

Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein: said sealant dispensing control means includes a container detecting means operable for detecting the presence of a container in a location for having sealant applied by said first sealant dispensing means and preventing sealant from being dispensed by said first sealant dispensing means if a container is not present at said location.