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US 11,918,032 B2Granted
Packer station of a packaging apparatus and system
OwnerMark W. Holderman, Gregory A. Russellinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The technology described herein generally relates to an automated packaging apparatus and system that packages loose particles into a conical container as well as the final folded packages. More specifically, loose plant matter, such as crumbled dried leaves, are supplied to successive paper cones. The apparatus packs the crumbled leaves into the cones, closes the wide top portion of the cone into a precise shape, and then runs a quality control check to ensure that the final filled cone meets preset specifications.
Claims13
A packer station comprising:
- a weigh station, a chute, a packer head having an exit hole, a packing rod, and a packing rod actuator;
- said weigh station including at least one sensor adapted to sense a product held by the weigh station, an inlet through which the product may be placed within the weigh station, an outlet, at least one outlet door, and an actuator operatively connected to the at least one outlet door to open and close the at least one outlet door;
- wherein said outlet of the weigh station is positioned upstream from said chute such that product exiting the outlet of the weigh station may be directed into the chute;
- wherein the chute is connected to the packer head and directs product to the packer head;
- wherein a portion of the packing rod has an external circumference that is less than a circumference of the exit hole such that the packing rod may extend into the exit hole;
- and
- wherein said packing rod actuator is operably connected to said packing rod to slide the packing rod within said packer head and into and out of the exit hole to selectively plug and unplug the exit hole.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.