Inventors:
Jeff Grass - Manhattan Beach CA
Victor V. Menayan - Tucson AZ
Assignee:
Axon Corporation - Raleigh NC
International Classification:
B65B 6302
US Classification:
53435, 53474, 53527, 53237
Abstract:
An automatic film insertion device automatically unwinds a predetermined amount of plastic tubing from a roll, measures the required length, cuts and automatically inserts the cut piece into the mouth of filled pharmaceutical bottles. In one embodiment, a set of rollers receives a sheet of tubing, which is passed to a mandrel that opens the tubing. A guillotine cuts the tubing, and the tubing is pushed by a plow into a receiving member. The tubing is held inside the receiving member via friction until a plunger pushes the tubing out of the receiving member and into the bottle. The plunger then forces the tubing to buckle and remain in the bottle. In a second embodiment, the receiving member comprises a reciprocating tube attached to a shuttle cylinder. During the film advance portion of the cycle, the tube is positioned under a film feed station adjacent a cutting assembly. The film is fed vertically downward by rollers into the receiving member and cut.