Systems and methods for loading items into a tray

A method of loading a tray comprising:

• moving a plurality of items in a first direction on an item conveyor;
• moving, on a tray conveyor, a first tray of a plurality of trays in a second direction to a loading position;
• moving a guide paddle at least partially into the first tray;
• injecting one or more of the plurality of items toward the first tray of the plurality of trays on the tray conveyor;
• deflecting the one or more of the plurality of items off the guide paddle so as to guide the items into the first tray;
• detecting, via a tray height sensor, a height of one or more of the plurality of items injected into the first tray by passing a transmission from the tray height sensor through an opening formed in the guide paddle to reach one or more of the plurality of items received in the first tray when the guide paddle is extended at least partially into the first tray;
• determining, in a processor, that the height of the items in the tray meets or exceeds a threshold height;
• and
• moving the guide paddle out of the tray in response to determining that the height of the items in the tray meets or exceeds a threshold height.

A tray loading system comprising:

• an item conveyor extending in a first direction toward a first end and configured to move a plurality of items along the item conveyor in the first direction to inject one or more of the plurality of items into a first tray of a plurality of trays, wherein the one or more of the plurality of items are in a shingled arrangement on the item conveyor;
• an item sensor positioned above the item conveyor configured to measure a distance between the sensor and a top surface of one or more of the plurality of items on the item conveyor;
• a processor configured to:
• receive distance data from the item sensor, wherein the distance data comprises continuous readings of the detected the distance from the sensor to the top surface of one of the plurality of items which is under the sensor;
• identify one or more peaks in the distance data;
• determine the height of the one or more identified peaks;
• generate an incremental distance measurement based on the determined height of the one or more identified peaks;
• associate the incremental distance with the one of the plurality of items on the item conveyor;
• determine the height of the one or more of the plurality of items on the item conveyor;
• and
• control the movement of the item conveyor based on the determined height.

A tray loading system comprising:

• an item conveyor extending in a first direction toward a first end and configured to move a plurality of items along the item conveyor in the first direction to inject one or more of the plurality of items into a first tray of a plurality of trays, wherein the one or more of the plurality of items are in a shingled arrangement on the item conveyor;
• an item sensor positioned above the item conveyor configured to measure a distance between the sensor and a top surface of one or more of the plurality of items on the item conveyor;
• a processor configured to:
• receive distance data from the item sensor, wherein the distance data comprises continuous readings of the detected the distance from the sensor to the top surface of one of the plurality of items which is under the sensor;
• identify one or more peaks in the distance data;
• correlate each peak to one of the plurality of items on the item conveyor;
• and
• generate a count of items passing the sensor based on the correlated peaks.