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US 4,726,433 AGranted
Combined weighing apparatus
AssigneeTeraoka Seiko Co., Ltd.
InventorYoshikazu Matsuura
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved combined weighing apparatus is provided for weighing vegetables and fruits, confectionary articles, secondary products, perishables and other articles having high variations in single weight with high accuracy to produce packages having a predetermined weight. System for measurement of feeded products and for combination of weights which is equal or most approximate to the target value are improved in a way to eliminate the dead time of combining operation during weighing time for increasing the speed of combining operation while maintaining high accuracy.
Claims11
A method of weighing products, comprising the steps of:
- providing six sets of two weighing hoppers;
- alternately weighing products with said two weighing hoppers of each set;
- providing a plurality of sets of three memory hoppers;
- each set of two weighing hoppers corresponding to a respective set of three memory hoppers;
- supplying weighed products from either of said weighing hoppers of a set to one memory hopper of each respective set;
- forming combinations of weights from a group of memory hoppers consisting of one hopper from each set;
- selecting a combination within a permissible limit of a predetermined weight and/or which is closest to said predetermined weight from said combinations;
- and
- immediately feeding selected memory hoppers used in the selected combination after being emptied, from odd- or even-numbered weighing hoppers which correspond to the selected memory hoppers.
6 more elements
A method of weighing products, comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of sets of weighing hoppers, each set including at least two weighing hoppers;
- providing a plurality of sets of memory hoppers, each set including at least two memory hoppers;
- each set of memory hoppers being different from any other set of memory hoppers;
- arranging each set of weighing hoppers so that only one weighing hopper of each set can discharge into only one memory hopper of a respective predetermined set, at a given time;
- grouping one memory hopper from different selected sets of said memory hoppers to form different combinations of weights;
- and
- selecting a combination within a permissible limit of a predetermined weight and/or which is closest to said predetermined weight from said combinations.
4 more elements
A method of weighing products, comprising the steps of:
- providing a first odd-numbered set of a plurality of weighing hoppers;
- providing a second even-numbered set of a plurality of weighing hoppers, the number of weighing hoppers in said second set being equal to the number of weighing hoppers in said first set;
- arranging said first and second sets about a circle;
- arranging a plurality of memory hoppers spaced apart about a concentric circle and equal in number to the number of weighing hoppers in said first set;
- arranging each weighing hopper to discharge only into one predetermined memory hopper;
- selectively associating said memory hoppers with respective weighing hoppers of only one of said first and second sets;
- selectively grouping at least one of:
- (a) at least one memory hopper, and
- (b) at least one weighing hopper from one of said sets
- to form different combinations of weights;
- and
- selecting a combination within a permissible limit of a predetermined weight and/or which is closest to said predetermined weight from said combinations.
9 more elements
A method of weighing products, comprising the steps of:
- providing a first odd-numbered set of a plurality of weighing hoppers;
- providing a second even-numbered set of a plurality of weighing hoppers, the number of weighing hoppers in said second set equal to the number of weighing hoppers in said first set;
- arranging said first and second sets about a circle;
- arranging a plurality of memory hoppers spaced apart about a concentric circle and equal in number to the number of weighing hoppers in said first set;
- arranging a plurality of detours spaced about said concentric circle interleaved with said memory hoppers;
- arranging each weighing hopper to discharge only into one of a predetermined detour and memory hopper;
- selectively associating each weighing hopper with a selected one of the respective detour and memory hopper;
- selectively grouping at least one of said weighing hoppers from one of said sets to form different combinations of weights;
- and
- selecting a combination within a permissible limit of a predetermined weight and/or which is closest to said predetermined weight from said combinations.
7 more elements
A method of weighing products, comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of sets of weighing hoppers with said sets being spaced apart about a circle;
- arranging a plurality of memory hoppers spaced about a concentric circle;
- arranging each weighing hopper to discharge only into three predetermined memory hoppers;
- associating each weighing hopper with only one of the respective three predetermined memory hoppers;
- grouping one memory hopper from different selected sets of three memory hoppers to form different combinations of weights;
- and
- selecting a combination within a permissible limit of a predetermined weight and/or which is closest to a predetermined weight from said combinations.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.