High speed automated feeding system and methods of using the same
OwnerFernando Serpainventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is an automated insert feeding system and related methods, capable of removing bulk-packaged items from a tray or other package, and separating the bulk-packaged items individually for distribution into individual packages in high speed reliable fashion. The disclosed systems can also be loaded with multiple packages of the pre-packaged items for automatic feeding into the system which allows human operators to load several packages and allow the system to work unattended, thereby reducing man-hours spend on the process.
Claims54
A system for separating and feeding tray-packed items individually, comprising:
- a. a collection station for removing a row of pre-packaged items from a package;
- b. a transfer shuttle operable to grasp each end of the row and transport the row to a feeder magazine;
- c. a feeder magazine having a track for receiving the row of pre-packaged items, a driving mechanism for advancing the row of pre-packaged items through the track, and picking station operable to perform a picking operation which removes said pre-packaged items individually from said feeder magazine, comprising:
- i. an arresting mechanism for preventing the advancement of the row of pre-packaged items,
- ii. a stop tab operable to hold a leading pre-packaged item in said feeder magazine,
- iii. a picking mechanism operable to remove said leading pre-packaged item from said feeder magazine and deliver said pre-packaged item to a backend conveying system or a container,
- wherein said system is operable to perform said picking operation in repetition to separate said pre-packaged items and deliver them individually to said backend conveying system or said container.
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A system for separating and feeding tray-packed items individually, comprising:
- a. a feeder magazine having a track for receiving a row of pre-packaged items, a driving mechanism for advancing the row of pre-packaged items through the track, and picking station operable to perform a picking operation which removes said pre-packaged items one at a time from said feeder magazine:
- i. an arresting mechanism for preventing the advancement of the row of pre-packaged items,
- ii. a stop tab operable to hold a leading pre-packaged item in said feeder magazine,
- iii. a picking mechanism operable to remove said leading pre-packaged item from said feeder magazine and deliver said pre-packaged item to a backend conveying system or a container,
- wherein said system is operable to perform said picking operation in repetition to separate said pre-packaged items and deliver them individually to said backend conveying system or said container.
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The system of claim 29, wherein said arresting mechanism and said stop tab are engaged at separate times to facilitate the removal of said leading pre-packaged item individually during said picking operation without any trailing pre-packaged items being removed from said feeder magazine.
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A method for separating and feeding pre-packaged items individually, comprising:
- a. loading a plurality of packages into a loading station on automated feeding system, said package comprising a plurality of pre-packaged items;
- b. transferring one of said plurality of packages to a collection station;
- c. removing said plurality of pre-packaged items from said one package with a transfer shuttle operable to grasp said plurality of pre-packaged items;
- d. transporting the plurality of pre-packaged items to a feeder magazine;
- and
- e. delivering said plurality of pre-packaged items to a picking station through said feeder magazine, where said plurality of pre-packaged items are removed from said feeder magazine individually.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.