DESTACKER WHEEL

Abstract

A destacker wheel is provided for a denester where a stack of containers is destacked, one by one, by rotating or partly rotating the destacker wheel about an axis parallel to the stack of containers. The destacker wheel comprises a stack carrying surface for carrying the stack of containers connected to an inclined surface. A slit orthogonal to a rotation axis is provided between the carrying surface and the inclined surface. The slit has a height in a direction of the rotation axis corresponding to the thickness of a flange of the containers. An ejector surface follows below and at least partly behind the inclined surface in the direction of rotation. The ejector surface commences with an edge arranged substantially radially to the axis of rotation. The edge is above the level of the slit. The inclined surface has a side surface between the inclined surface and the slit.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. A destacker wheel for a denester for use with a stack of containers to be destacked, one by one, by rotating or partly rotating said destacker wheel about a rotation axis parallel to said stack of containers, each container having a flange extending outwards along a perimeter of each said container, wherein said de-stacker wheel comprises: a stack carrying surface for carrying said stack of containers, connected to an inclined surface where, between the carrying surface and the inclined surface a slit orthogonal to the rotation axis is provided, and where an ejector surface follows below and at least partly behind the inclined surface in a direction of rotation, where said ejectors surface commences with an edge, said edge arranged substantially radially with respect to the axis of rotation, where said edge is above the level of the slit, and where the inclined surface has a side surface between said inclined surface and the slit, where said side surface diverges outwards upwards from said slit relative to the axis of rotation.

14. A destacker wheel according to claim 13 wherein the side surface is linear.

15. A destacker wheel according to claim 13 wherein a largest radius of the carrying surface is larger than a largest radius of the inclined surface.

16. A destacker wheel according to claim 13 wherein the side surface has an upper limitation and a lower limitation relative to the stack of containers, where a largest radius of the upper limitation with respect to the rotation axis is larger than a largest radius of the lower limitation.

17. A destacker wheel according to claim 13 wherein the wheel is able to rotate in one direction during use.

18. A destacker wheel according to claim 13 wherein the wheel in use is able to reciprocate back and forth in a semi-circular movement corresponding to an angular movement of from 35 to 200 degrees, more preferred from 45 to 100 degrees.

19. A destacker wheel according to claim 13 wherein a diameter of the wheel is between 30 mm to 120 mm.

20. A destacker wheel according to claim 13 wherein the slit provided orthogonal to the rotation axis has a height in the direction of the rotation axis between 0.05 mm to 2 mm, more preferred 0.2 mm to 1 mm and most preferred 0.25 mm to 0.5 mm.

21. A dispenser for dispensing containers in a predetermined direction, where the containers are of the type having a flange extending outwards from an upper periphery of the container, wherein a stack of substantially identical containers are arranged in a de-stacking device, and where one or more parallel rotatable axles are provided adjacent the stack of containers, such that one or more de-stacker wheels according to claim 1 is arranged on said one or more parallel rotatable axles engages the stack of containers.

22. A method of dispensing a container from a stack of substantially identical containers, where the containers are of the type having a flange extending from the periphery of each container, where the containers are arranged in a de-stacking device where one or more parallel rotatable axles are provided adjacent the stack of containers, and a de-stacker wheel according to claim 1 is arranged on at least one rotatable axle, where the destacker wheel engages the stack of containers, such that the stack of containers is retained on the de-stacker wheels' carrying surface, and as the de-stacker wheel is rotated the flange of the lowermost container enters the slit, and the flange of the second lowermost container slides on the inclined surface, and after further rotation the edge of the ejector surface forces the container downwards and free relative to the stack.

23. A method according to claim 22 wherein the carrying surface, inclined surface and ejector surface are arranged such that one container is freed per revolution of the wheel.

24. A method according to claim 22 wherein the carrying surface, inclined surface and ejector surface are arranged such that when one container is freed, the wheel reverses direction and engages the next container to be freed by al-lowing the flange of the next container to enter the slit.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0031] The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein

[0032] FIG. 1 illustrates a destacker wheel

[0033] FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 illustrate various stages in the separation of a container from a stack of containers

[0034] FIG. 5 illustrates a container

[0035] FIGS. 6a and 6b illustrate various flange constructions

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0036] In FIG. 1 is illustrated a destacker wheel 1 according to one embodiment of the invention. The destacker wheel 1 is adapted to rotate around the axis 10, for example by mounting an axle (not illustrated) in the aperture 15.

[0037] The destacker wheel 1 is provided with a carrying surface 2 which carrying surface 2 is designed to carry the stack of containers 11,12 (see FIGS. 2, 3 and 4).

[0038] Turning briefly to FIGS. 5 and 6a and 6b it is important to understand the type of containers 11 to which the invention is directed. In FIG. 5 is schematically illustrated a container 11 which is suitable to be handled by a destacker wheel according to the present invention. The container is provided with a flange 17 extending outwards along its upper perimeter surrounding the cavity 18 of the container 11. In FIGS. 6a and 6b are illustrated two examples of flange constructions 17, 17. As indicated in FIG. 6a the flange 17 may be provided with a bent section 19 and a flat section 20.

[0039] The flange construction illustrated in FIG. 6b only has a flat section 20. The important thing is that the destacker wheel is able to interface with the container 11 by interacting with the flat section 20, 20 or other similar flange constructions which may be desirable, but which do have a substantially flat section.

[0040] Turning back to FIG. 1 the flange 17 of the container 11 (see FIGS. 2-6b) will be resting on the carrying surface 2. As the wheel 1 turns, the lowermost container 11 in a stack of containers 12 will have its flange 17 and in particular the flat section 20, 20 enter into the slit 3 provided between the inclined surface 4 and the carrying surface 2. The inclined surface 4 will on the other hand elevate the stack 12 of containers as the wheel 1 rotates and the stack of containers 12 is forced up the inclined surface 4, whereas the lowermost container 11 is detained by the slit 3 in a lower position.

[0041] As the wheel continues its rotation the flange 17 of the lowermost container 11 will be urged further downwards by the ejector surface 5 where the edge 21 of the ejector surface 5 is arranged substantially radially with respect to the rotation axis 10 such that a clear and decisive interaction with the flange 17 is ensured thereby pushing the lowermost container 11 downwards.

[0042] At this point the stack of containers 12 has been forced up the inclined surface 4 and has arrived at a higher level on a secondary carrying surface 9. As the wheel 1 continues its rotation, the remaining stack of containers 12 will fall from the secondary carrying surface 9 onto the carrying surface 2 preparing for separating/dispensing a further container 11 as already discussed above.

[0043] With respect to the FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 the above-mentioned workings of the destacker wheel with respect to dispensing a container are illustrated in a stepwise manner.

[0044] In FIG. 2 the stack of containers 12 is arranged in a vertical stack parallel to the rotation axis 10 of the destacker wheel 1. In the position illustrated in FIG. 2 the flange 17 of the lowermost container 11 has just entered the slit 3. In order to facilitate a reliable engagement with the flange 17 of the container 11 the side face 6 of the threadlike surface 4 is specifically designed to make more space allowing for reliable grip of the flange. As clearly seen in FIG. 3 the side face 6 converges outwards upwards relative to the rotation axis 10. That is to say that the distance from the rotation axis 10 to the lower limitation 7 (see FIG. 1) of the side face 6 is shorter than the radius to the upper limitation 8 (see FIG. 1). Therefore, is it possible to allow the flange 17 to get closer to the rotation axis 10 thereby having a firmer engagement first with the carrying surface 2 and thereafter still supported by part of the carrying surface adjacent the slit 3 such that a stable engagement with the stack of containers 12 is achieved.

[0045] As the wheel rotates from the position depicted in FIG. 2, the stack of containers will as illustrated in FIG. 3 travel up the inclined surface 4 and arrive at the upper secondary carrying surface 9.

[0046] At the same time the lowermost container 11 will have been retained by the container's 11 flange being held by the slit 3 such that as illustrated in FIG. 3 the lowermost container 11 is separated from the remaining stack of containers 12.

[0047] As the wheel 1 rotates further, the stack of containers 12 is still carried by the secondary carrying surface 9 whereas the lowermost container engages the ejector surface 5 whereby the lowermost container 11 is urged further downwards and completely separated from the stack of containers 12.

[0048] By providing the side face 6, see FIG. 1, as an oblique surface with respect to the rotation axis, that is to say that the radius from the rotation axis to the lower limitation 7 is shorter than the radius from the rotation axis 10 to the upper limitation 8 of the side face 6, it is achieved that even containers having very narrow flanges (see FIG. 5) may be handled by the destacking wheel according to the present invention. This is facilitated by the carrying surface 2 effectively supporting the stack of containers 12 and the combination of the slit 3 together with the inclined surface 4 effectively separating one container 11 from the stack of containers 12. At the same time, due to the design of the side face 6, the support for both the separated container 11 and the stack of containers 12, see for example FIG. 3, is stable and reliable and an effective destacking is achieved.