Apparatus and method for installing lids on containers

Claim 2

Lidding apparatus for placing circular lids, each including a projecting spout structure defining a pour spout location, in a preferred orientation on upwardly open containers, comprising: (a) means for holding a supply of lids; (b) lid gate means for releasing said lids one at a time from said means for holding a supply of lids; and (c) lid placement guide means for orienting each said lid relative to a respective container, said lid placement guide means including rotatable lid rotator means for engaging said projecting spout structure of each said lid and, by rotation of said rotator means while engaging said spout structure, rotating said lid to said preferred orientation.

Claim 3

Lidding apparatus for placing circular lids, each including a projecting structure defining a pour spout location, in a preferred orientation on upwardly open containers, comprising: (a) means for holding a supply of lids; (b) lid gate means for releasing said lids one at a time from said means for holding a supply of lids; and (c) lid placement guide means for orienting each said lid relative to a respective container, said lid placement guide means including lid rotator means for engaging said projecting sturcture of each said lid and thereby rotating each said lid to said preferred orientation, said lid placement guide means including lid sensor means for detecting the presence of a lid in proximity to said lid placement guide means, and actuator means for actuating said lid rotator means in response to said lid sensor means detecting the presence of a lid, said lid placement guide means defining a lid receiving location and said lid rotator means including a rotator arm mounted for rotation, about an axis of rotation located concentrically with respect to said lid-receiving location of said lid placement guide means, and said lid rotator means including (i) a crank connected drivingly to said rotator arm; (ii) a cylinder-and-piston assembly connected drivingly to said crank; (iii) an electrically-controlled valve connected to a source of pressurized fluid so as to control a flow of said fluid to said cylinder-and-piston assembly; and (iv) a relay, responsive to said lid sensor means and connected controllingly to said electrically-controlled valve.

Claim 4

Lidding apparatus for placing circular lids, each including a projecting structure defining a pour spout location, in a preferred orientation on upwardly open containers, comprising: (a) means for holding a supply of lids; (b) lid gate means for releasing said lids one at a time from said means for holding a supply of lids; and (c) lid placement guide means for orienting each said lid relative to a respective container, said lid placement guide means including lid rotator means for engaging said projecting sturcture of each said lid and thereby rotating each said lid to said preferred orientation, said lid placement guide means including lid sensor means for detecting the presence of a lid in proximity to said lid placement guide means, and actuator means for actuating said lid rotator means in response to said lid sensor means detecting the presence of a lid, said lid placement guide means defining a lid receiving location and said lid rotator means including a rotator arm mounted for rotation, about an axis of rotation located concentrically with respect to said lid-receiving location of said lid placement guide means, and said lid rotator means including (i) a crank connected drivingly to said rotator arm; (ii) a cylinder-and-piston assembly connected drivingly to said crank; (iii) an electrically-controlled valve connected to a source of pressurized fluid so as to control a flow of said fluid to said cylinder-and-piston assembly; and (iv) a relay, responsive to said lid sensor means and connected controllingly to said electrically-controlled valve.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said relay is a latching relay, said rotator means further including switch means responsive to movement of said cylinder-and-piston assembly for releasing said latching relay upon a predetermined amount of movement of said cylinder-and-piston assembly.

Claim 8

Lidding apparatus for placing circular lids, each including a projecting structure defining a pour spout location, in a preferred orientation on upwardly open containers, comprising: (a) means for holding a supply of lids; (b) lid gate means for releasing said lids one at a time from said means for holding a supply of lids; and (c) lid placement guide means for orienting each said lid relative to a respective container, said lid placement guide means including lid rotator means for engaging said projecting structure of each said lid and thereby rotating each said lid to said preferred orientation, said lid placement guide means including lid sensor means for detecting the presence of a lid in proximity to said lid placement guide means, and actuator means for actuating said lid rotator means in response to said lid sensor means detecting the presence of a lid, and said lid placement guide means defining a lid receiving location, and said lid rotator means including a rotator arm mounted for rotation, about an axis of rotation located concentrically with respect to said lid-receiving location of said lid placement guide means, and including a pair of opposite ends located on opposite sides of said axis of rotation, and said actuator means comprising motor means for rotating said rotator arm through a predetermined angle of rotation in each direction about said axis of rotation.

Claim 9

Lidding apparatus for placing circular lids, each including a projecting structure defining a pour spout location, in a preferred orientation on upwardly open containers, comprising: (a) means for holding a supply of lids; (b) lid gate means for releasing said lids one at a time from said means for holding a supply of lids; and (c) lid placement guide means for orienting each said lid relative to a respective container, said lid placement guide means including lid rotator means for engaging said projecting structure of each said lid and thereby rotating each said lid to said preferred orientation, said lid placement guide means including lid sensor means for detecting the presence of a lid in proximity to said lid placement guide means, and actuator means for actuating said lid rotator means in response to said lid sensor means detecting the presence of a lid, and said lid placement guide means defining a lid receiving location, and said lid rotator means including a rotator arm mounted for rotation, about an axis of rotation located concentrically with respect to said lid-receiving location of said lid placement guide means, and including a pair of opposite ends located on opposite sides of said axis of rotation, and said actuator means comprising motor means for rotating said rotator arm through a predetermined angle of rotation in each direction about said axis of rotation.

Claim 10

Lidding apparatus for placing circular lids, each lid including a projecting structure having an end and defining a pour spout location, in a preferred orientation on upwardly open containers, comprising: (a) means for holding a supply of lids; (b) lid gate means for releasing said lids one at a time from said means for holding a supply of lids; and (c) lid placement guide means for orienting each said lid relative to a respective container, said lid placement guide means including lid rotator means for engaging said projecting structure of each said lid and thereby rotating each said lid to said preferred orientation, said lid placement guide means including lid sensor means for detecting the presence of a lid in proximity to said lid placement guide means, and actuator means for actuating said lid rotator means in response to said lid sensor means detecting the presence of a lid, said lid placement guide means defining a lid receiving location, and said lid rotator means including a rotator arm mounted for rotation, about an axis of rotation located concentrically with respect to said lid-receiving location of said lid placement guide means, and said actuator means comprising motor means for rotating said rotator arm through a predetermined angle of rotation, said rotator arm including low-friction surface means located at an end thereof for sliding off said end of said projecting structure in order to engage said projecting structure laterally and rotate said lid to said preferred orientation.

Claim 11

Lidding apparatus for placing circular lids, each lid including a projecting structure having an end and defining a pour spout location, in a preferred orientation on upwardly open containers, comprising: (a) means for holding a supply of lids; (b) lid gate means for releasing said lids one at a time from said means for holding a supply of lids; and (c) lid placement guide means for orienting each said lid relative to a respective container, said lid placement guide means including lid rotator means for engaging said projecting structure of each said lid and thereby rotating each said lid to said preferred orientation, said lid placement guide means including lid sensor means for detecting the presence of a lid in proximity to said lid placement guide means, and actuator means for actuating said lid rotator means in response to said lid sensor means detecting the presence of a lid, said lid placement guide means defining a lid receiving location, and said lid rotator means including a rotator arm mounted for rotation, about an axis of rotation located concentrically with respect to said lid-receiving location of said lid placement guide means, and said actuator means comprising motor means for rotating said rotator arm through a predetermined angle of rotation, said rotator arm including low-friction surface means located at an end thereof for sliding off said end of said projecting structure in order to engage said projecting structure laterally and rotate said lid to said preferred orientation.