PACKAGING ARRANGEMENT

摘要

A packaging arrangement for packaging products such as contact lenses in packages such as blister packs. The packaging arrangement includes an intermittently indexed, linearly driven endless conveyor which includes a plurality of identical support pallets, equally spaced apart along the endless conveyor. Each support pallet is designed to support and align an array of individual package bases. The arrangement is such that each support pallet with an array of individual package bases thereon is sequentially stopped at a plurality of spaced work stations along the endless conveyor. At an initial station, a robotic loader loads an array of package bases into a support pallet then at the first station. At a subsequent skew check station, optical probes check for skewed (improperly positioned) package bases in the support pallet. At a subsequent package base presence verification station, optical probes verify the presence of each package base in the support pallet. At a subsequent saline dosing station, dosers deposit a given dosage of saline solution in each package base, after which optical probes verify that the package bases have received dosages of saline solution. At a subsequent foil placement station, a pick and place unit places a pair of sheets of laminated foil covers overthe array of package bases. At a subsequent chucking station, positioning arms mechanically chuck the laminated foil cover to ensure that it is properly positioned relative to the package bases in the support pallet. At a subsequent cover presence verification station, optical probes verify the presence and correct positioning of the foil cover over the package bases in the support pallet. At a subsequent heat sealing station, a heated seal head heat seals the laminated covers to the package bases. Finally, at an unloading station, an unloader arm unloads the sealed packages from the packaging arrangement for subsequent processing.