Compact combinational weighing system
First Claim
1. A compact combinational weighing apparatus comprisinga weigher structure defining a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction,a remote controller, anda cable means which connects said weigher structure and said remote controller and serves to transmit signals therebetween,said weigher structure includinga number of article batch handling units disposed linearly in said transverse direction in a mutually adjacent relationship,an article feeding means for accepting articles to be weighed and feeding article batches individually to said article batch handling units, anda discharging means disposed below said article batch handling units to receive article batches discharged from said article batch handling units,each of said article batch handling units comprisinga pool hopper with two gates for receiving an article batch from said article feeding means and discharging said received article batch by opening one of said two gates, said pool hopper having a single spring means serving to maintain said two gates in closed positions and two rotary solenoids disposed one above the other and each serving to cause one of said gates to open against the compressive force of said spring means in response to a hopper operating signal transmitted from said remote controller through said cable means, andtwo weigh hoppers disposed below said pool hopper adjacent to each other in said longitudinal direction respectively for receiving said article batch discharged from said pool hopper through one of said two gates, weighing said received article batch, outputting a weight signal indicative of the weight of said article batch to said remote controller through said cable means and discharging said weighed article batch by opening a weigh hopper gate in said transverse direction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A compact combinational weighing apparatus comprises a compact housing structure for weighing devices and a remote control unit which are connected only by an elongate signal-transmitting cable. Inside the housing are a number of article batch handling units disposed in a linear array. Each article batch handling unit includes a pool hopper of a double-gate structure for receiving an article batch from an article feeder and two weigh hoppers for weighing received article batches. The article batch in the pool hopper is selectably discharged into either of the weigh hoppers below by opening the gate corresponding to the selected weigh hopper. The two gates of each pool hopper are closed by a single spring and opened by individual rotary solenoids. Load cells for weighing the article batches in the pair of weigh hoppers belonging to each article batch handling unit are disposed in mutually lined-symmetrical relationship with respect to a horizontal line. Rotary solenoids for opening the weigh hopper gates are disposed in efficiently space-saving manners. A funnel-shaped article discharging unit into which article batches are discharged from weigh hoppers has buffer plates strategically placed to uniformize the time it takes for article batches from the various weigh hoppers to reach an outlet at its bottom.
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8 Claims
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1. A compact combinational weighing apparatus comprising
a weigher structure defining a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction, a remote controller, and a cable means which connects said weigher structure and said remote controller and serves to transmit signals therebetween, said weigher structure including a number of article batch handling units disposed linearly in said transverse direction in a mutually adjacent relationship, an article feeding means for accepting articles to be weighed and feeding article batches individually to said article batch handling units, and a discharging means disposed below said article batch handling units to receive article batches discharged from said article batch handling units, each of said article batch handling units comprising a pool hopper with two gates for receiving an article batch from said article feeding means and discharging said received article batch by opening one of said two gates, said pool hopper having a single spring means serving to maintain said two gates in closed positions and two rotary solenoids disposed one above the other and each serving to cause one of said gates to open against the compressive force of said spring means in response to a hopper operating signal transmitted from said remote controller through said cable means, and two weigh hoppers disposed below said pool hopper adjacent to each other in said longitudinal direction respectively for receiving said article batch discharged from said pool hopper through one of said two gates, weighing said received article batch, outputting a weight signal indicative of the weight of said article batch to said remote controller through said cable means and discharging said weighed article batch by opening a weigh hopper gate in said transverse direction.
Specification