Device to count and dispense articles
First Claim
1. A device for singulating articles from a bulk supply of such articles, comprising:
- a housing for holding articles to be singulated;
an exit channel fluidly connected to the housing and configured in cross-section to permit the passage of a single article at a time, the exit channel including a forwardly-directed jet aperture and a rearwardly directed jet aperture being located upstream of the forwardly directed aperture;
a first positive pressure source fluidly connected to the forwardly-directed jet;
a second positive pressure source fluidly connected to the rearwardly-directed jet; and
a controller operatively connected with the first and second positive pressure sources that selectively controls the application of positive pressure to the forwardly-directed jet apertures.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A singulating and counting device includes a bulk housing for storing a plurality of substantially identical articles, an exit channel, and in the exit channel, forwardly- and rearwardly-directed jet apertures, each of which is fluidly connected to a positive pressure source. A forwardly-directed jet generated by the positive pressure source through the forward jet aperture can accelerate singulated articles in the exit channel, thereby increasing the interval between individual articles and rendering them more easily and accurately counted. A rearwardly-directed jet generated by the positive pressure source through the rearwardly-directed jet aperture can cause articles in the exit channel to return to the housing. A controller operatively connected with the pressure source(s) selectively controls the application of positive pressure to the aforementioned apertures to induce or halt singulation of the articles; the controller may be operatively associated with a sensor that detects and counts articles passing through the exit channel.
-
Citations
28 Claims
-
1. A device for singulating articles from a bulk supply of such articles, comprising:
-
a housing for holding articles to be singulated;
an exit channel fluidly connected to the housing and configured in cross-section to permit the passage of a single article at a time, the exit channel including a forwardly-directed jet aperture and a rearwardly directed jet aperture being located upstream of the forwardly directed aperture;
a first positive pressure source fluidly connected to the forwardly-directed jet;
a second positive pressure source fluidly connected to the rearwardly-directed jet; and
a controller operatively connected with the first and second positive pressure sources that selectively controls the application of positive pressure to the forwardly-directed jet apertures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. An article-orienting singulating device, comprising:
-
a housing;
an exit channel attached to and fluidly connected with the housing;
an article-orienting unit that includes a pair of panels, each of which includes an upstream end and a downstream end, positioned with their downstream ends adjacent an upstream portion of the exit channel; and
wherein the pair of panels and the exit channel upstream portion define an entry space that permits an oblong article to enter only in a longitudinal orientation in which the longest dimension thereof is generally parallel to a downstream flow path; and
wherein the pair of panels and the exit channel upstream portion are spaced such that an oblong article that enters the entry space in a transverse orientation in which its longest dimension is generally perpendicular to the downstream flow path and that strikes the exit channel upstream portion is caused to re-orient itself to a longitudinal orientation and pass into the exit channel. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22)
-
-
21. A device for singulating articles from a bulk supply of such articles, comprising:
-
a housing for holding articles to be singulated;
an exit channel fluidly connected to the housing and configured in cross-section to permit the passage of a single article at a time;
a jet aperture positioned in the housing and directed toward the exit channel;
a positive pressure source fluidly connected to the jet aperture; and
a controller operatively connected to the positive pressure source that selectively controls the application of positive pressure to the jet aperture. - View Dependent Claims (23)
-
-
24. A method of singulating items of substantially identical size and configuration from a bulk of such items stored in a housing, comprising the steps of:
-
providing a singulating device comprising a housing and an exit channel fluidly connected thereto, the exit channel defining a flow path;
applying a forwardly-directed jet into the exit channel;
passing a series of articles in single file into the exit channel;
accelerating articles in the exit channel with the forwardly-directed jet;
counting the number of articles that pass a predetermined point in the exit channel;
comparing the number of articles that have passed the predetermined point with a predetermined number; and
applying a rearwardly-directed jet into the exit channel after a predetermined number of articles have passed the predetermined point to draw any additional articles in the exit channel back into the housing. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
-
Specification