Automated pusher mechanisms for packaging systems
AssigneeTipper Tie, Inc.
InventorsSamuel D. Griggs, Dennis J. May, William M. Poteat, Derek L. Brown, David R. Gupton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Automated pusher mechanisms with pusher heads that reciprocally travel in a product chute. The pusher head has an inverted “V” shape and semi-circular side portions.
Claims10
An automated pusher mechanism that cooperates with a clipper, the pusher mechanism having a pusher head, wherein the pusher head comprises a forward portion adapted to contact a target product attached to a pair of laterally spaced apart longitudinally and rearwardly extending sidewalls, wherein the sidewalls each have an arcuate outer surface and a planar inner surface and are oriented so that the planar inner surfaces face each other, and wherein, when viewed from above, the forward portion comprises an inverted “V” shape with side portions that angularly converge in a rearward direction to a valley, and wherein the valley resides proximate a forward portion of the sidewalls.
A packaging system, comprising:
- a clipper;
- a product chute residing upstream of the clipper, the product chute having an open cavity extending therethrough with opposing open ingress and egress portions;
- a pusher mechanism having a pusher head, wherein the pusher head comprises a forward portion adapted to contact a target product attached to a pair of laterally spaced apart outer longitudinally and rearwardly extending sidewalls, each with an arcuate outer surface and a planar inner surface, oriented so that the planar inner surfaces face each other, wherein, when viewed from above, the forward portion comprises side portions that angularly converge in a rearward direction to a valley, and wherein the valley resides proximate a forward portion of the sidewalls.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.