Apparatus for conveying and selectively discharging products

A method of conveying and selectively discharging individual food products one at a time, the method comprising:

• i) providing a feeding system, comprising:
• a) an inlet end configured for receiving a plurality of substantially solid individual food products;
• b) an outlet end configured for selectively discharging the individual food products one at a time;
• c) a receptacle located below the outlet end and configured for receiving the individual food product when discharged from the outlet end;
• d) a determination unit located at the outlet end;
• and
• e) a feeder configured for conveying the food products from the inlet end to the outlet end;
• ii) introducing the food products in bulk into the inlet end of the feeding system individually or in a partially overlapping relationship;
• iii) determining a first operational mode when no food product is present at the outlet end and no food product is present in the receptacle;
• iv) in the first operational mode, conveying, by the feeder, the food products in a direction from the inlet end towards the outlet end at a first average velocity;
• v) determining a second operational mode when a first individual food product is present at the outlet end and no food product is present in the receptacle;
• vi) in the second operational mode, conveying, by the feeder, the food products in a direction from the inlet end towards the outlet end at a second average velocity that is lower than the first average velocity;
• vii) determining a third operational mode when the first individual food product either leaving the outlet end or is received within the receptacle;
• and
• viii) in the third operational mode, stopping the feeder until the first individual food product has left the receptacle.

A feeding system for conveying and selectively discharging individual food products one at a time, comprising:

• an inlet end configured for receiving a plurality of substantially food products introduced in bulk into the inlet end individually or in a partially overlapping relationship;
• an outlet end configured for selectively discharging the food products one at a time;
• a receptacle located below said outlet end configured for receiving the individual food products when discharged from the outlet end;
• a determination unit located at the outlet end and configured for determining (i) a first operational mode when no food product is present at the outlet end and no food product is present in the receptacle, (ii) a second operational mode when a first individual food product is present at the outlet end and no food product is present in the receptacle, and (iii) a third operational mode when the first individual food product either is leaving the outlet end or is received within the receptacle;
• and
• a feeder configured for conveying the food products from the inlet end to the outlet end, the feeder being operable for conveying the food products:
• i) in the first operational mode, in a direction from the inlet end towards the outlet end at a first average velocity;
• ii) in the second operational mode, in a direction from the inlet end towards the outlet end at a second average velocity that is lower than the first average velocity;
• and
• iii) in the third operational mode, stopping the feeder until the first individual food product has left the receptacle.

A multihead weighing system comprising;

• (1) a plurality of feeding systems, each of the feeding systems comprising:
• (a) an inlet end configured for receiving a plurality of substantially food products introduced in bulk into the inlet end individually or in a partially overlapping relationship;
• (b) an outlet end configured for selectively discharging the food products one at a time;
• (c) a receptacle located below said outlet end configured for receiving the individual food products when discharged from the outlet end, the receptacle comprising a weighing pan;
• (d) a determination unit located at the outlet end and configured for determining (i) a first operational mode when no food product is present at the outlet end and no food product is present in the receptacle, (ii) a second operational mode when a first individual food product is present at the outlet end and no food product is present in the receptacle, and (iii) a third operational mode when the first individual food product either is leaving the outlet end or is received within the receptacle;
• and
• (e) a feeder configured for conveying the food products from the inlet end to the outlet end, the feeder being operable for conveying the food products:
• i) in the first operational mode, in a direction from the inlet end towards the outlet end at a first average velocity;
• ii) in the second operational mode, in a direction from the inlet end towards the outlet end at a second average velocity that is lower than the first average velocity;
• and
• iii) in the third operational mode, stopping the feeder until the first individual food product has left the receptacle;
• and (2) a receiving section configured for receiving a plurality of food products in bulk, the receiving section being further configured for communicating with each inlet end of each of the feeding systems.