# US 10,121,307 B2 · Speed checking attachment for use with vibratory conveyors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,121,307 B2 - Document ID: US10121307B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/453,704 - Filed: 2017-03-08 - Published: 2018-09-13 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-08 - Applicants: Gulzar Ahmed - Inventors: Gulzar Ahmed - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10121307B2 ## CPC - G07F 13/04: by weight - B65G 27/32: with means for controlling direction, frequency or amplitude of vibration or shaking movement - B65G 27/34: comprising a series of co-operating units - G07F 11/58: the articles being supported on or by endless belts or like conveyors - B65B 37/04: by vibratory feeders - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) ## Abstract A product speed checking apparatus for attaching to a vibratory conveying system and a method thereof for dispensing product, including a sample pan mounted to capture flow of product between two vibratory conveyors; a first sensor and a second sensor, each placed separately at a predetermined distance from one another and each capable of independently reading product handled by the sample pan; and, a programmable logic controller operatively arranged to calculate an approximate time between the reading of product by the first sensor and the reading of product by the second sensor and computing product speed by dividing distance between two sensors with the travel time between the two sensors. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A speed checking apparatus for attaching to a vibratory conveyor, comprising: a weighing conveyor; a metering conveyor; a movable sample pan; the movable sample pan configured to be mounted on to the weighing conveyor, in-line with and below a dispensing end of the metering conveyor, capable of receving a product from the metering conveyor and moving from a first position to a second position; a first sensor; the first sensor capable of reading a presence of the product on the movable sample pan at the first position on the weighing conveyor; a second sensor; the second sensor capable of reading a presence of the product on the movable sample pan at the second position on the weighing conveyor; a programmable logic controller operatively arranged to calculate a speed of the product. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measure of speed of the product is based on a time difference between the reading of the presence of the product by the first sensor and the second sensor and a distance between the first position and the second position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an actuator capable of employing the sample pan between the first position and the second position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are proximity sensors. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are a pair of sensors selected from the group consisting of radar, laser, ultrasonic, optical, photo-electric, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a vibratory conveyor comprises at least one of a metering conveyor or an infeed conveyor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a vibratory conveyor comprises at least one of a weighing conveyor or a discharge conveyor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the programmable logic controller is operatively configured to weigh product while product is conveyed on the two conveyors. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the product is a free flowing product. ### Claim 10 An apparatus for dispensing product using a vibratory or weighing conveying system, comprising: a product capable of being conveyed by vibration; a metering station; a weighing station in connection with the metering station to receive flow of the product therefrom; a sampling station, the sampling station comprising a sample pan, wherein the sample pan is proximate to the flow of the product and mounted to capture the flow of the product between the metering station and the weighing station, the sampling station further comprising an accumulating position and a discharge position; a detection station for reading the product on the sample pan of the sampling station, the detection station comprising a pair of proximity sensors, wherein a first sensor within the pair is positioned at a fixed distance from a second sensor within the pair and each sensor within the pair is capable of independently reading the product; and, a control station operatively arranged to measure speed and weight of the product and control the flow of the product. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the measure of speed of the product is a ratio of the distance between the pair of proximity sensors and the approximate time between the reading of product by the first sensor and the reading of product by the second sensor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising an actuator capable of employing the sample pan between the accumulating position and the discharge position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the vibratory weighing system further comprises vibratory conveyors and vibratory weighers. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the vibrations are imparted at rates of about 15 Hertz to about 60 Hertz. ### Claim 15 A method for dispensing product using a vibratory weighing system, comprising: (a) initiating a speed check of a sample from a product flow; (b) loading the sample on a sample pan; (c) reading a sampling product within the sample on the sample pan via a first sensor; (d) vibrating to cause traversal of the sampling product from an accumulating end to a discharge end of the sample pan; (e) reading the sampling product within the sample on the sample pan via a second sensor, wherein the second sensor is placed separately at a predetermined distance from the first sensor; (f) measuring the speed of the sampling product; (g) monitoring the weight and speed of the dispensing product to determine throughput; and, (h) repeating steps (a) through (g) until the dispensing is complete. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the vibratory weighing system further comprises vibratory conveyors and vibratory weighers. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are a pair of proximity sensors. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are a pair of sensors selected from the group consisting of radar, laser, ultrasonic, optical, photo-electric, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the speed of the product, selected from the group consisting of snacks, cereals or any free flowing products, is measured without measuring the weight of the product. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the vibrating is imparted at rates of about 10 Hertz to about 100 Hertz.