US 12,746,702 B2Granted

Material compression and portioning

AssigneeAltria Client Services LLC

InventorsDwight David Williams, James David Evans, Patrick Sean Mcelhinney, Jarrod Wayne Chalkley, Christopher R. Newcomb, Robert V. Powell

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Abstract

An apparatus includes channel assemblies in a rotatable section, a cutting assembly, a discharge assembly, and a cleanout assembly. The channel assembly holds a bulk instance of compressible material extending through upper and lower channels of a continuous channel. The cutting assembly moves in relation to the channel assembly to isolate the upper and lower channels, severing upper and lower material portions of the bulk instance. The discharge assembly directs gas into the lower channel of a channel assembly to discharge the lower material portion from the lower channel, based on radial alignment of a conduit assembly of the channel assembly with a conduit assembly of the discharge assembly. The cleanout assembly supplies a fluid through the conduit assembly of the channel assembly, based on radially alignment of the conduit assembly of the channel assembly with a conduit assembly of the cleanout assembly.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus configured to provide a portioned instance of a compressible material, the apparatus comprising:

a rotatable section configured to rotate around a central longitudinal axis, the rotatable section including a plurality of channel assemblies, the plurality of channel assemblies are spaced apart around a circumference of the rotatable section, each channel assembly of the plurality of channel assemblies including
an upper assembly defining an upper channel and a lower assembly defining a lower channel, the upper assembly defining a top opening and the lower assembly defining a bottom opening, each channel assembly configured to hold a bulk instance of the compressible material extending continuously through both the upper channel and the lower channel;
and
a cutting assembly configured to be fixed in place in relation to the rotatable section, the cutting assembly defining a window including at least a first cutting edge and a second cutting edge, the cutting assembly being between the upper assembly and the lower assembly of at least one channel assembly of the plurality of channel assemblies based on rotation of the rotatable section to at least partially align the at least one channel assembly with the window, wherein
the plurality of channel assemblies includes a radially-aligned set of channel assemblies that are aligned on a same radial line extending radially from the central longitudinal axis, the radially-aligned set of channel assemblies configured to be rotated around the central longitudinal axis at a same angular rate based on rotation of the rotatable section around the central longitudinal axis, and
the first cutting edge and the second cutting edge are each configured to progressively extend in opposite radial directions between a first angular position and a second angular position, such that the first cutting edge moves transversely in a first radial direction through a first gap space of a first channel assembly within the radially-aligned set of channel assemblies and the second cutting edge moves transversely in a second radial direction through a second gap space of a second channel assembly within the radially-aligned set of channel assemblies, the first radial direction and the second radial direction being the opposite radial directions, based on the rotatable section rotating the radially-aligned set of channel assemblies around the central longitudinal axis between the first angular position and the second angular position.

3 more elements

An apparatus configured to provide a portioned instance of a compressible material, the apparatus comprising:

a rotatable section configured to rotate around a central longitudinal axis, the rotatable section including a plurality of channel assemblies, the plurality of channel assemblies are spaced apart around a circumference of the rotatable section, each channel assembly of the plurality of channel assemblies including
an upper assembly defining an upper channel and a lower assembly defining a lower channel, the upper assembly defining a top opening and the lower assembly defining a bottom opening, each channel assembly configured to hold a bulk instance of the compressible material extending continuously through both the upper channel and the lower channel;
and
a cutting assembly configured to be fixed in place in relation to the rotatable section, the cutting assembly defining a window including at least a first cutting edge and a second cutting edge, the cutting assembly between the upper assembly and the lower assembly of at least one channel assembly of the plurality of channel assemblies based on rotation of the rotatable section to at least partially align the at least one channel assembly with the window;
a first enclosure structure and a second enclosure structure each fixed in place on opposite sides of the rotatable section, the first enclosure structure and the second enclosure structure each defining separate, respective enclosures, the first enclosure structure and the second enclosure structure configured to be open to separate, respective portions of the plurality of channel assemblies that are at least partially vertically aligned with the first enclosure structure and the second enclosure structure, wherein
the apparatus is configured to rotate the rotatable section to cause the at least one channel assembly to be sequentially vertically aligned with at least one enclosure of each enclosure structure of the first enclosure structure and the second enclosure structure, such that gas is supplied through a top opening of the at least one channel assembly via the at least one enclosure of each enclosure structure,
the apparatus is configured to supply a first gas to an enclosure of the separate, respective enclosures of the first enclosure structure to pressurize the enclosure of the first enclosure structure to a first pressure,
the apparatus is further configured to supply a second gas to an enclosure of the separate, respective enclosures of the second enclosure structure to pressurize the enclosure of the second enclosure structure to a second pressure, and
the second pressure is greater than the first pressure.

6 more elements

An apparatus configured to provide a portioned instance of a compressible material, the apparatus comprising:

a rotatable section configured to rotate around a central longitudinal axis, the rotatable section including a plurality of channel assemblies, the plurality of channel assemblies are spaced apart around a circumference of the rotatable section, each channel assembly of the plurality of channel assemblies including
an upper assembly defining an upper channel and a lower assembly defining a lower channel, the upper assembly defining a top opening and the lower assembly defining a bottom opening, each channel assembly configured to hold a bulk instance of the compressible material extending continuously through both the upper channel and the lower channel;
and
a cutting assembly configured to be fixed in place in relation to the rotatable section, the cutting assembly defining a window including at least a first cutting edge and a second cutting edge, the cutting assembly between the upper assembly and the lower assembly of at least one channel assembly of the plurality of channel assemblies based on rotation of the rotatable section to at least partially align the at least one channel assembly with the window;
a discharge assembly fixed in relation to the rotatable section, the discharge assembly configured to supply a gas into the lower channel of the at least one channel assembly via a conduit assembly of the at least one channel assembly to discharge the portioned instance of the compressible material through the bottom opening of the at least one channel assembly, based on rotation of the rotatable section to at least partially radially align the conduit assembly of the at least one channel assembly with a conduit assembly of the discharge assembly;
and
a cleanout assembly fixed in relation to the rotatable section, the cleanout assembly configured to supply at least one fluid through the conduit assembly of the at least one channel assembly via a conduit assembly of the cleanout assembly, based on rotation of the rotatable section to
radially mis-align the conduit assembly of the at least one channel assembly with the conduit assembly of the discharge assembly, and
at least partially radially align the conduit assembly of the at least one channel assembly with the conduit assembly of the cleanout assembly.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/309,414Filed 28 Apr 2023 · continuation
Priority: 9 May 2018
Published: US 2023/0264377 A124 Aug 2023
Granted: 29 Sep 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

B26D 7/08
Details of apparatus for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting: means for treating…
B26D 7/1854
By non mechanical means: by air under pressure
B26D 5/00
Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out
B26D
Cutting

Family

Application15/975,087Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 9 May 2018
Application16/275,927Parent of this division · filed 14 Feb 2019
Application17/542,849Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Dec 2021
US 11,192,668 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 7 Dec 2021
US 11,213,967 B2Parent of this division · filed 4 Jan 2022
US 2023/0264377 A1Pre-grant publication · published 24 Aug 2023
US 11,691,309 B2Parent of this continuation
Application17/542,849Parent of this division
Application16/275,927Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2019/0344464 A1Published application
US 2019/0344911 A1Published application
US 2022/0088816 A1Published application
US 12,746,702 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.