Method for controlling weight of divided portions
AssigneeCreative Automation, Inc.
InventorPaul Hebenstreit
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for continuously producing constant weight portions of semi-solid matter, such as bread dough, from a large mass through a dividing mechanism whereby variations in the weight of each portion are minimized by providing a signal proportional to the weight of a dough portion, or group of dough portions in order to automatically adjust the rate at which dough is fed to the dividing mechanism.
Claims41
A method of continuously dividing a mass of semi-solid matter into a plurality of portions, each portion having a preselected target weight, comprising the steps of:
- providing a dividing mechanism that divides the semi-solid matter into portions and a motor-driven device that feeds the semi-solid matter to the dividing mechanism and has an operating rate that is controlled by inputting a control signal corresponding to a numerical value;
- inputting an initial operating rate control signal to the motor-driven device;
- dividing a portion of semi-solid matter from the mass using the dividing mechanism;
- transporting the portion from the dividing mechanism using a conveyor system;
- placing the portion on a stationary weighing mechanism using a positioning mechanism which dissipates momentum of the portion;
- weighing the portion;
- removing the portion from the weighing mechanism using a propulsion mechanism;
- determining the difference between the weight of the portion and the predetermined target weight;
- and
- adjusting the operating rate control signal of the motor-driven device according to the weight difference.
A method of continuously dividing a mass of semi-solid matter into a plurality of portions, each portion having a preselected target weight, comprising the steps of:
- providing a dividing mechanism that divides the semi-solid matter into portions and a motor-driven device that feeds the semi-solid matter to the dividing mechanism and has an operating rate that is controlled by inputting a control signal corresponding to a numerical value;
- inputting an initial operating rate control signal to the motor-driven device;
- dividing portions of semi-solid matter from the mass using the dividing mechanism;
- transporting the portions from the dividing mechanism using a conveyor system;
- placing the portions on a stationary weighing mechanism using a positioning mechanism which dissipates momentum of the portion;
- weighing each portion in a group containing a predetermined number of portions;
- removing the portions from the weighing mechanism using a propulsion mechanism;
- determining the difference between the average weight of the portions and the predetermined target weight;
- and adjusting the operating rate control signal of the motor-driven device according to the weight difference.
A method of continuously dividing a mass of semi-solid matter into a plurality of portions, each portion having a preselected target weight, comprising the steps of:
- providing a dividing mechanism that divides the semi-solid matter into portions and a motor-driven device that feeds the semi-solid matter to the dividing mechanism and has an operating rate that is controlled by inputting a control signal corresponding to a numerical value, the motor-driven device having an upper operating rate corresponding to an upper operating rate control signal, at which rate portions having maximum weight are divided, and a lower operating rate corresponding to a lower operating rate control signal, at which rate minimum weight portions are divided;
- inputting an initial operating rate control signal to the motor-driven device;
- dividing portions of semi-solid matter from the mass using the dividing mechanism;
- weighing each portion in a group containing a predetermined number of portions;
- determining the average difference between the weight of each portion in the group and the predetermined target weight;
- and
- adjusting the numerical value of the operating rate control signal by an amount equal to one half the difference between the numerical value of the upper operating rate control signal and the numerical value of the lower operating rate control signal, multiplied by the ratio of the average weight difference to the target weight multiplied by a predetermined moderating factor.
An apparatus for producing a plurality of portions of semi-solid matter, each portion having a substantially uniform preselected target weight, comprising:
- means for producing the semi-solid matter,
- receptacle for receiving the output of the production means having an outlet,
- means adjacent to said outlet for feeding the matter to a dividing means at a rate which varies in response to a control signal,
- a dividing means downstream from the feeding means for dividing said matter into portions,
- weighing means downstream from said dividing means for receiving said portions and producing indications representative of the weights of said portions,
- positioning means between said dividing means and said weighing means for successively placing said portions on the weighing means,
- propulsion means adjacent said weighing means for removing said portions from the weighing means, and
- processing means in communication with the matter feeding means and weighing means for providing an operating rate control signal to the matter feeding means, receiving indications representative of said portion weights from the weighing means, converting said indications into portion weights, determining the average difference between the weights of a group of a predetermined number of portions in the group and the predetermined target weight, and adjusting the operating rate control signal based upon the ratio of the average weight difference to the target weight.
An apparatus for controlling the operating rate of a motor-driven device that feeds semi-solid matter to a dividing means which divides the semi-solid matter into portions and which motor-driven device has an operating rate that is controlled by inputting a control signal corresponding to a numerical value, so that each portion has a substantially uniform predetermined target weight, comprising:
- weighing means downstream from said dividing means for receiving said portions and producing indications representative of the weights of said portions,
- positioning means between said dividing means and said weighing means for successively placing said portions on the weighing means,
- propulsion means adjacent said weighing means for removing said portions from the weighing means, and
- processing means in communication with the motor-driven device and weighing means for providing an operating rate control signal having an initial numerical value to the device, receiving indications representative of said portion weights from the weighing means, converting said indications into portion weights, determining the average difference between the weights of a group of a predetermined number of portions and the predetermined target weight, and adjusting the operating rate control signal based upon the ratio of the average weight difference to the target weight.
An apparatus for controlling the operating rate of a motor-driven device that feeds semi-solid matter to a dividing means which divides the semi-solid matter into portions and which motor-driven device has an operating rate that is controlled by inputting a control signal corresponding to a numerical value, and which motor-driven device has an upper operating rate, at which rate portions having a maximum weight are divided, and a lower operating rate, at which rate portions having a minimum weight are divided, so that each portion has a substantially uniform predetermined target weight, comprising:
- weighing means downstream from said dividing means for receiving said portions and producing indications representative of the weights of said portions,
- positioning means between said dividing means and said weighing means for successively placing said portions on the weighing means,
- propulsion means adjacent said weighing means for removing said portions from the weighing means, and
- processing means in communication with the motor-driven device and weighing means for providing an operating rate control signal having an initial numerical value to the device, receiving indications representative of said portion weights from the weighing means, converting said indications into portion weights, determining the average difference between the weights of a group of a predetermined number of portions and the predetermined target weight, and adjusting the numerical value of the operating rate control signal by an amount equal to one half the difference between the numerical value of the upper operating rate control signal and the numerical value of the lower operating rate control signal, multiplied by the ratio of the average weight difference to the target weight multiplied by a predetermined moderating factor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.