High speed automated feeding system and methods of using the same
AssigneeSerpa Packaging Solutions LLC
InventorFernando Serpa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims59
A system for separating and feeding tray-packed items individually, comprising:
- a. a feeder magazine having a track for advancing a row of pre-packaged items to a picking station, and
- b. said picking station operable to perform a picking operation which removes said pre-packaged items individually from said feeder magazine, comprising:
- i. a stop tab operable to hold a leading pre-packaged item in said feeder magazine,
- ii. 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 through which a row of pre-packaged items are advanced toward a picking station;
- b. said 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,
- wherein said system is operable to perform said picking operation in repetition to separate said pre-packaged items one another and deliver them individually to a backend conveying system or container.
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The system of claim 25, further comprising a driving mechanism for advancing the row of pre-packaged items through the track, wherein said driving mechanism is operable to be repositioned along said track behind a trailing pre-packaged item as said transfer shuttle adds pre-packaged items into said track.
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A system for separating and feeding tray-packed items individually, comprising:
- a. a picking station operable to perform a picking operation which removes queued items one at a time from a queue, said picking station comprising:
- i. an arresting mechanism for preventing the advancement of the items in said queue,
- ii. a stop tab operable to hold a leading item in said queue,
- iii. a picking mechanism operable to remove a leading item from said queue and deliver said item to a backend conveying system or a container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.