Combination scale for weighing long shaped loose products, such as pasta or similar

• US 20040011568A1
• Filed: 07/10/2003
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sasib Packaging Italia SRL
• Original Assignee: Sasib Packaging Italia SRL
• Inventors: Brunini, Pierpaolo, Brogi, Piero
• Application Number:
  US10/297,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20040011568A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 177/119
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 13/241 Bulk-final weighing apparatus, e.g. rough weighing balance combined with separate fine weighing balance

Abstract

The scale comprises: a rough weighing section with at least one rough weighing head (9, 11) and a weighing means (25, 27) for weighing individual rough weight amounts of a loose product; a finishing section (2) with a plurality of weighing means (35, 37) for weighing individual amounts of the loose product; a control unit (41) determining, for each rough amount, a combination of said individual amounts of product weighed in the finishing section which sum is a finishing amount that added to the respective rough amount optimally approximates a predetermined nominal amount.

Claims

1. A combination scale comprising:

a rough weighing section with at least one rough weighing head (9, 11;

109, 111) and a weighing means (25, 27;

125) for weighing individual rough weight amounts of a loose product;

a finishing section (2;

102) with a plurality of weighing means (35, 37;

135, 137) for weighing individual amounts of the loose product;

a control unit (41) determining, for each rough amount, a combination of said individual amounts of product weighed in the finishing section, which sum is a finishing amount that, added to the respective rough amount, optimally approximates a predetermined nominal amount;

in said finishing section (2;

102), a plurality of weighing hoppers (35;

135) and, underneath said weighing hoppers, an unloading system (39;

43;

139, 161-164) for the controlled unloading of individual amounts of product weighed in said weighing hoppers and selected by said control unit (41) in corresponding cups (7;

107) where corresponding rough weighed amounts were previously unloaded;

characterized in that said unloading system includes a plurality of transit levels (43, 45-57;

161-164) arranged in a cascade underneath said weighing hoppers.

2. Scale according to claim 1, wherein a set of transit containers (39;

139), which number is double that of the weighing hoppers (35;

135), is arranged between said weighing hoppers (35;

135) and said transit levels.

3. Scale according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said unloading system comprises a plurality of flaps arranged in a cascade (45-57), said flaps forming said transit levels.

4. Scale according to claim 1 or 2 or 3, comprising a conveyor (3;

103) equipped with a plurality of said cups (7;

107) for receiving the rough amounts and the finishing amounts of loose product (P) from said rough section and said finishing section through which said conveyors (3;

103) transits.

5. Scale according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said rough weighing section (1;

101) comprises at least two rough weighing heads (9, 11;

109, 111) each equipped with at respective weighing means (25, 27;

125).

6. Scale according to claim 3, wherein said cascade of flaps (45-57) are split into two groups (43A;

43B), arranged in sequence along an advancement line of said cups (7) and in which the group of flaps (43B) arranged furthermost downstream with respect to the direction of advancement of the cups presents a set of overlapping flaps arranged in a cascade (51-57) which number is higher than that of the group (43A) arranged upstream.

7. Scale according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said finishing section (2;

102) comprises a plurality of descent channels (33) for feeding the loose product (P) associated to respective conveyor belts (31) which unload into respective weighing hoppers (35;

135).

8. Scale according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said rough weighing head or heads present a descent member (13;

113) which feeds the loose product (P) to a conveying member (15-21;

115-120) which is associated to a respective rough weighing hopper (25;

125).

9. Scale according to claim 8, wherein said conveying member (15-21;

115-120) comprises a belt (15;

115), wrapped around a plurality of pulleys (17, 18, 19, 20;

117, 118, 119, 120), defining an upper length of the belt (15;

115), on which the loose product (P) from the respective descent member (13;

113) is unloaded, and from which the loose product (P) is unloaded into the respective finishing weight hopper (25;

125).

10. Scale according to claims 7 and 9, wherein the rough weighing hopper or hoppers (25;

125) are mobile, in parallel to the conveyor (3;

103).

11. Scale according to claims 7 and 9 wherein the rough weighing hopper, or hoppers, are fixed.

12. Scale according to claims 8 or 9, wherein said conveying member (15-21) presents two parallel belts (15A, 15B), between which a fixed stop (16) is arranged.

13. Scale according at least to claim 3, wherein the flaps arranged in a cascade are part of respective loose product conveying hoppers (171A-174).

14. Scale according at least to claim 2, wherein said transit containers (139) consist of pairs of compartments defined in respective transit hoppers (138), which each present two mobile lateral sides (140A, 40B), which alternatively open and close.

15. Scale according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said unloading system is split into five transit levels (139;

161-164), in which;

a plurality of transit containers (139) is arranged in the first level, directly under the weighing hoppers (135), which number is double with respect to that of the number of weighing hoppers;

a plurality of transit hoppers (171A-171D), which number is equal to one third of the number of transit containers, is arranged on the second level;

a plurality of transit hoppers (172A-172B), which number is equal to half of the number of hoppers on the second level, is arranged on the third level;

a number of transit hoppers (173A, 173B), which number is equal to the number of hoppers on the third level, is arranged on the fourth level;

a single transit hopper (174) is arranged on the fifth level.