Computer program products for automated clipping packaging apparatus
AssigneeTipper Tie, Inc.
InventorsSamuel D. Griggs, Dennis J. May, William M. Poteat, Derek L. Brown, David R. Gupton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Computer program products that operate packaging systems with an automated product pusher and clipper for attaching at least one closure clip to a product held in a covering such as netting.
Claims9
A computer program product for operating an automated packaging apparatus, the automated packaging apparatus including an automated product pusher mechanism with a pusher head that advances and retracts from a product chute and an automated clipper that applies at least one closure clip to covering material encasing a product, the computer program product comprising:
- a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer-readable program code comprising:
- computer readable program code that directs the pusher head of the product pusher mechanism to push at least one object from a location upstream of the product chute, through a product chute to a location downstream of the product chute;
- computer readable program code that retracts the pusher head after the pusher head extends downstream of the product chute;
- computer readable program code that directs the clipper to pivot into position when the pusher head is partially retracted a distance sufficient to position the pusher head inside the product chute;
- and
- computer readable program code that directs the clipper to apply at least one clip to the covering material.
A computer program product for operating an automated packaging apparatus, the automated packaging apparatus including an automated product pusher mechanism with a pusher head that advances and retracts from a product chute and an automated clipper that applies at least one closure clip to covering material encasing a product, the computer program product comprising:
- a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer-readable program code comprising:
- computer readable program code that directs the pusher head of the product pusher mechanism to push at least one object from a location upstream of the product chute, through a product chute to a location downstream of the product chute;
- computer readable program code that retracts the pusher head after the pusher head extends downstream of the product chute;
- computer readable program code that directs the clipper to pivot into position when the pusher head is partially retracted a distance sufficient to position the pusher head inside the product chute;
- computer readable program code that directs the clipper to apply at least one clip to the covering material;
- and
- computer readable program code the directs the pusher mechanism to pull the pusher head back to a retracted home position before a next packaging cycle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.