Feeder bowl and preparation system for packaging stick-like objects
OwnerGreg Schombertinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A feeder bowl and preparation system for packaging stick-like objects including a feeder bowl, vee shaped spacing conveyor, and a collator mechanism which permits a robotic pick-up station sufficient time to pick and place the stick-like object. The system simplifies programming the transfer of the objects by presenting a desired amount of product for a specific picker and allowing time to pick and place the object, the system eliminates a feed rate by a robotic process in the system, the system allows for essentially higher feed rate overall due to an oriented pick-up area presentation, and the system provides a sanitary design compatible with a transfer of food products in a food industry.
Claims13
A feeder bowl and preparation system (30) for packaging stick-like object (100), the system (30) having a set of components comprised of:
- a) a centrifugal feeder bowl (40) with a tooling ring (41) having features which orient the objects and control the objects during orientation and having a centrifugal feeder base (91);
- (b) a transfer conveyor (43) which moves the objects from the feeder bowl to a custom “Vee” conveyor (50) which transfers the objects to a custom stick indexer/collator (60) wherein the custom “Vee” conveyor (50) comprises a single drive (51) for both belts (52), a set of removable belts (52) and pulleys (52A) for cleaning and washdown, a drive motor and gear reducer (53), and a structure (58);
- c) the custom stick indexer/collator (60) with a structure (68);
- and
- d) control and power electrical panels (90) with electrical power feed and switches for providing electrical power in to drive motors of the centrifugal feeder (91)
- d) control and power electrical panels (90) with electrical power feed and switches for providing electrical power in to drive motors of the centrifugal feeder (91)
- wherein the components of the system have surfaces which have contact with the stick-like object (100) and which are made of cleanable materials;
- wherein the system orients and feeds stick-like objects to a packaging system;
- and wherein the system simplifies programming a transfer of the objects by presenting a desired amount of product for a specific picker and allowing time to pick and place the object, eliminates a feed rate by a robotic process in the system, allows for essentially higher feed rate overall due to an oriented pick-up area presentation and provides a sanitary design compatible with a transfer of food products in a food industry.
A feeder bowl and preparation system (30) for packaging stick-like object (100), the system (30) having a set of components comprised of:
- a) a centrifugal feeder bowl (40) consisting of a tooling ring (41) having a set of features including a set of diverters, a set of qualifiers, at least one sensor, and at least one solenoid, the set features functioning to orient the objects and control the objects during orientation and consisting of a feeder base (91);
- (b) a transfer conveyor (43) which moves the objects from the feeder bowl to a custom “Vee” conveyor (50) which then transfers the objects to a custom stick indexer/collator (60), the “Vee” conveyor (50) being comprised of a single drive (51) for both belts (52), a set of removable belts (52) and pulleys (52A) for cleaning and washdown, a drive motor and gear reducer (53), and a structure (58);
- c) the custom stick indexer/collator (60) comprised of:
- (1) a section with a set of three nest groups (61), wherein each of the three (3) nest groups (61) travel independent of one another,
- (2) an empty nest (61A) traveling to a loading area (63),
- (3) a guide funnel (62),
- (4) the loading area (63),
- (5) an unloading area (64) with an automatic pick system (70),
- (5) a set of servo motors (66),
- (6) a set of controls for two of a set of up to six (6) belts (67) and a multi-servo conveyor (67A), and
- (7) a structure (68);
- and,
- d) control and power electrical panels (90) with electrical power feed and switches for providing power in to drive motors of the centrifugal feeder (91)
- wherein the components of the system have surfaces which have contact with the stick-like object (100) and wherein the system orients and feeds stick-like objects to a packaging system;
- and wherein the system simplifies programming a transfer of the objects by presenting a desired amount of product for a specific picker and allowing time to pick and place the object, eliminates a feed rate by a robotic process in the system, allows for essentially higher feed rate overall due to an oriented pick-up area presentation and provides a sanitary design compatible with a transfer of food products in a food industry.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.