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US 2022/0244094 A1Published application
Methods and apparatus for feeding, weighing, and collecting solid food products with sticky coatings
AssigneeCabinplant International A/S
InventorHenning Ingemann Hansen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multihead weigher with a collector for feeding, weighing and collecting solid food products with a sticky coating. The multihead weigher has a number of receptacles for weighing the solid food products and discharging the solid food product to the collector. Each receptacle having a scraper for scraping the surface of the receptacle when the solid food product is being discharged from the receptacle into the collector.
Claims4
A method of feeding, weighing, and collecting solid food products with sticky coatings, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a pool hopper including an inlet end configured for receiving the solid food products, an outlet end configured for discharging the solid food products, and a feeder configured for conveying the solid food products from the inlet end to the outlet end;
- (b) introducing the solid food products into the inlet end of the pool hopper;
- (c) conveying the solid food products by the feeder in a direction from the inlet end of the pool hopper towards the outlet end of the pool hopper;
- (d) providing a plurality of receptacles arranged in an annular configuration at the outlet end of the pool hopper and configured for receiving the solid food products discharged from the outlet end of the pool hopper, each of the receptacles comprising:
- (1) a first end wall and a second end wall opposite the first end wall, wherein a first axis is defined extending through the first end wall and the second end wall, the receptacle being rotatable around the first axis;
- (2) a receptacle wall located between the first end wall and the second end wall, the receptacle wall having an inner surface defining a semi-circular cylindrical surface having an axis of rotation coinciding with the first axis, the inner surface extending angularly around the first axis from a first edge to a second edge over an angle of more than 150° and less than 180°;
- and (3) an opening between the first edge and the second edge configured for receiving the solid food products discharged from the outlet end of the pool hopper;
- (e) in a first operational mode, (1) discharging the solid food products from the outlet end of the pool hopper into the plurality receptacles through the opening in each of the receptacles;
- and (2) weighing the solid food products discharged into each of the receptacles;
- (f) providing a plurality of scrapers, each of the scrapers being operable in an associated one of the receptacles, each of the scrapers being configured for scraping the inner surface of the associated one of the receptacles, each of the scrapers having a scraper edge contacting the inner surface of the associated one of the receptacles proximate the first edge of the associated one of the receptacles, each of the scrapers being configured to remain stationary when the associated one of the receptacles rotates around the first axis;
- (g) providing an annular compartment below the plurality of receptacles, the annular compartment having an upward-facing opening positioned to receive the solid food products from the plurality of receptacles;
- and
- (h) in a second operational mode, rotating each of the receptacles such that the second edge is rotated relative to the scraper edge of the associated one of the scrapers while the scraper edge is scraping the inner surface of the associated one of the receptacles so as to discharge the solid food products from each of the plurality of receptacles into the annular compartment through the upwardly-facing opening.
10 more elements
Apparatus for feeding, weighing, and collecting solid food products with sticky coatings, the apparatus comprising:
- a pool hopper including an inlet end configured for receiving the solid food products and an outlet end configured for discharging the solid food products;
- a feeder configured for conveying the solid food products from the inlet end of the pool hopper to the outlet end of the pool hopper;
- a plurality of receptacles mounted in an annular configuration around the outlet end of the pool hopper and configured to receive the solid food products discharged from the outlet end of the pool hopper, each of the receptacles including a first end wall, a second end wall opposite the first end wall, and a receptacle wall between the first end wall and the second end wall, wherein a first axis is defined extending through the first end wall and the second end wall, wherein the receptacle wall has an inner surface defining a semi-circular cylindrical surface having an axis of rotation coinciding with the first axis, wherein the inner surface extends angularly around the first axis from a first edge to a second edge over an angle of more than 150° and less than 180°;
- the receptacle further including an opening between the first edge and the second edge and configured for receiving the solid food products discharged from the outlet end, and wherein the receptacle is rotatable around the first axis;
- a plurality of scrapers, each of the scrapers being operable in an associated one of the receptacles, each of the scrapers having a scraper edge contacting the inner surface of the associated one of the receptacles proximate the first edge of the associated one of the receptacles, each of the scrapers being configured to remain stationary when the associated one of the receptacles rotates around the first axis;
- an actuator operable for rotating the plurality of receptacles in an angular direction such that the second edge of each of the receptacles is rotated relative to the scraper edge of the associated one of the scrapers as the solid food products are received from the outlet end of the pool hopper by the each of the plurality of receptacles, whereby the solid food products are discharged from each of the plurality receptacles by the associated one of the scrapers;
- and
- an annular compartment having an upward-facing opening located and configured to receive the solid food products discharged from each of the plurality of receptacles.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.