Packaging system
AssigneeRovipak Packaging Solutions Limited
InventorTrevor Potter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A packaging system for individually packaging a succession of products, especially poultry, into bags, for example quad seal bags. The system comprises a packaging apparatus, a weighing apparatus and a printer. The weighing apparatus is located adjacent the packaging apparatus such that the weighed product is the next product to be packaged by the packaging apparatus. The printer prints information relating to the weight of the weighed product directly onto the packaging material for the weighed product, or onto a label for the weighed product. Since the product is weighed just before being packaged, it is ensured that the information printed onto a bag relates to the specific product in the bag.
Claims28
A packaging system for individually packaging a succession of products in a production line using packaging material, the system comprising a packaging apparatus, a weighing apparatus, at least one conveyor for delivering products to the weighing apparatus, a printer, and transferring means for transferring a weighed product to said packaging apparatus, and wherein said printer is arranged to receive information relating to the weight of said weighed product and to print said information, or information derived therefrom, directly onto the packaging material for the weighed product, the system further comprising a computerised controller for controlling the operation of the packaging apparatus, the weighing apparatus, the at least one conveyor and the printer, the controller being configured to implement a succession of weighing and packaging cycles, a respective one cycle for each of said products, wherein in each of said cycles a respective one of said products is weighed, the respective packaging is printed, and said respective one of said products is packaged with the respective printed packaging, and wherein said weighing apparatus is located adjacent said packaging apparatus such that, in each of said cycles, the product that is weighed during said cycle is the next product to be packaged by said packaging apparatus, wherein said transferring means comprises a chute arranged to transfer products from the weighing apparatus under the influence of gravity, a bagging device is located at a lower end of said chute, and wherein the bagging device includes a retaining means for retaining said weighed product in said chute,
- wherein the packaging system further includes a packaging material dispensing apparatus operable to dispense said packaging material along the outside of said chute, said packaging material being provided as a sleeve around said chute, wherein said printer is configured to print onto a section of said packaging material that is in register with said lower end of the chute,
- and wherein in respect of each cycle said controller is configured to cause said printer to print said information onto a section of said packaging material that is in register with the lower end of said chute and subsequently to cause said dispensing apparatus to feed said packaging material along said chute by an amount corresponding to the length of a package for said product, and to cause said retaining means to release said weighed product from said chute.
A packaging system for individually packaging a succession of products in a production line using packaging material, the system comprising a packaging apparatus, a weighing apparatus, at least one conveyor for delivering products to the weighing apparatus, a printer, and transferring means configured to transfer a weighed product to said packaging apparatus, and wherein said printer is arranged to receive information relating to the weight of said weighed product and to print said information, or information derived therefrom, directly onto the packaging material for the weighed product, the system further comprising a computerised controller for controlling the operation of the packaging apparatus, weighing apparatus, the at least one conveyor and the printer, the controller being configured to implement a succession of weighing and packaging cycles, a respective one cycle for each of said products, wherein in each of said cycles a respective one of said products is weighed, the respective packaging is printed, and said respective one of said products is packaged with the respective printed packaging, and wherein said weighing apparatus is located adjacent said packaging apparatus such that, in each of said cycles, the product that is weighed during said cycle is the next product to be packaged by said packaging apparatus, wherein said transferring means comprises a chute arranged to transfer products from the weighing apparatus under the influence of gravity, a bagging device is located at an in use lower end of said chute, and wherein the bagging device includes retaining means for retaining said weighed product at the lower end of said chute,
- wherein the packaging system further includes:
- a packaging material dispensing apparatus operable to dispense said packaging material along the outside of said chute, said packaging material being provided as a sleeve around said chute, wherein said printer is configured to print onto a section of said packaging material that is in register with said lower end of the chute;
- and wherein in respect of each cycle said controller is configured to cause said printer to print said information onto said section of said packaging material that is in register with the lower end of said chute and subsequently to cause said dispensing apparatus to feed said packaging material with said one or more labels along said chute by an amount depending on a length of a package for said product, and to cause said retaining means to release said weighed product from said chute.
A method of individually packaging a succession of products in a production line using packaging material and a packaging system comprising a packaging apparatus, a weighing apparatus, at least one conveyor for delivering products to the weighing apparatus, a printer and a computerised controller for controlling the operation of the packaging apparatus, said weighing apparatus, said at least one conveyor and said printer, wherein said weighing apparatus is located adjacent said packaging apparatus, and wherein said packaging apparatus including a bagging device located at a lower end of said chute, and wherein the bagging device includes retaining means for retaining the weighed product at said lower end of said chute, said method comprising weighing a product using said weighing apparatus;
- transferring the weighed product to said packaging apparatus wherein said transferring is via a chute arranged to transfer products from the weighing apparatus under the influence of gravity;
- causing said retaining means to retain said weighed product at said lower end of said chute;
- and causing said printer to print information relating to the weight of said weighed product, or information derived therefrom, directly onto a section of the packaging material for the weighed product that is in register with said lower end of said chute;
- subsequently feeding said packaging material along said chute by an amount depending on a length of a package for said product;
- and causing the controller to implement a succession of weighing and packaging cycles, a respective one cycle for each of said products, wherein in each of said cycles a respective one of said products is weighed, the respective packaging is printed, and said respective one of said products is packaged with the respective printed packaging;
- and causing, in each of said cycles, said product that is weighed during said cycle to be the next product packaged by said packaging apparatus with no other non-packaged products being in said production line between the weighing apparatus and the packaging apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.