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US 8,527,087 B1Granted
Dunnage placer
OwnerErik L. Humbleinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dunnage placing apparatus includes a chassis, a dunnage magazine, and a carriage movably supported by the chassis and adapted to receive dunnage pieces from the magazine. The carriage has a lower gate, an intermediate gate substantially above the lower gate, and an upper gate substantially above the intermediate gate. The apparatus includes a control system adapted to cause dunnage pieces to be released from the magazine and received into the carriage. The control system also causes the carriage to move relative to the chassis and to release dunnage pieces. The released dunnage pieces released from the carriage can be placed at respective predetermined locations.
Claims8
A dunnage placing apparatus, comprising:
- a chassis;
- a dunnage magazine adapted to contain therein a plurality of dunnage pieces, and further adapted to selectively release the contained dunnage pieces;
- a carriage movably supported by the chassis and adapted to receive dunnage pieces from the magazine, wherein the carriage comprises a lower gate, an intermediate gate substantially above the lower gate, and an upper gate substantially above the intermediate gate;
- and
- a control system adapted to control operation of the apparatus, wherein the control system comprises a memory device;
- and a set of computer-executable instructions stored on the memory device and adapted to cause the control system to operate the apparatus in a manner wherein:
- the magazine releases a first dunnage piece into an upper dunnage position in the carriage proximate the upper gate;
- the upper gate opens to release the first dunnage piece from the upper dunnage position into an intermediate dunnage position in the carriage proximate the intermediate gate;
- the intermediate gate opens to release the first dunnage piece from the intermediate dunnage position into a lower dunnage position in the carriage proximate the lower gate;
- the magazine releases a second dunnage piece into the upper dunnage position proximate the upper gate;
- the upper gate opens to release the second dunnage piece from the upper dunnage position into the intermediate dunnage position proximate the intermediate gate;
- the magazine releases a third dunnage piece into the upper dunnage position proximate the upper gate;
- the lower gate opens to release the first dunnage piece from the lower dunnage position, thereby placing the first dunnage piece;
- the intermediate gate opens to release the second dunnage piece from the intermediate dunnage position into the lower dunnage position proximate the lower gate;
- the upper gate opens to release the third dunnage piece from the upper dunnage position into the intermediate dunnage position proximate the intermediate gate;
- the lower gate opens to release the second dunnage piece from the lower dunnage position, thereby placing the second dunnage piece;
- the intermediate gate opens to release the third dunnage piece from the intermediate dunnage position into the lower dunnage position proximate the lower gate;
- and
- the lower gate opens to release the third dunnage piece from the lower dunnage position, thereby placing the third dunnage piece.
16 more elements
A method of placing dunnage pieces, comprising:
- providing an apparatus that comprises a chassis;
- a dunnage magazine adapted to contain therein a plurality of dunnage pieces, and further adapted to selectively release the contained dunnage pieces;
- a carriage movably supported by the chassis and adapted to receive dunnage pieces from the magazine, wherein the carriage comprises a lower gate, an intermediate gate substantially above the lower gate, and an upper gate substantially above the intermediate gate;
- and a control system adapted to control operation of the apparatus, wherein the control system comprises a memory device;
- and a set of computer-executable instructions stored on the memory device and adapted to cause the control system to operate the apparatus;
- causing the magazine to release a first dunnage piece into an upper dunnage position in the carriage proximate the upper gate;
- causing the upper gate to open to release the first dunnage piece from the upper dunnage position into an intermediate dunnage position in the carriage proximate the intermediate gate;
- causing the intermediate gate to open to release the first dunnage piece from the intermediate dunnage position into a lower dunnage position in the carriage proximate the lower gate;
- causing the magazine to release a second dunnage piece into the upper dunnage position proximate the upper gate;
- causing the upper gate to open to release the second dunnage piece from the upper dunnage position into the intermediate dunnage position proximate the intermediate gate;
- causing the magazine to release a third dunnage piece into the upper dunnage position proximate the upper gate;
- causing the lower gate to open to release the first dunnage piece from the lower dunnage position, thereby placing the first dunnage piece;
- causing the intermediate gate to open to release the second dunnage piece from the intermediate dunnage position into the lower dunnage position proximate the lower gate;
- causing the upper gate to open to release the third dunnage piece from the upper dunnage position into the intermediate dunnage position proximate the intermediate gate;
- causing the lower gate to open to release the second dunnage piece from the lower dunnage position, thereby placing the second dunnage piece;
- causing the intermediate gate to open to release the third dunnage piece from the intermediate dunnage position into the lower dunnage position proximate the lower gate;
- and
- causing the lower gate to open to release the third dunnage piece from the lower dunnage position, thereby placing the third dunnage piece.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.