Packaging unit

• US 5,331,792 A
• Filed: 12/04/1992
• Issued: 07/26/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kitchen Farms, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kitchen Farms, Inc.
• Inventors: Kitchen, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coan, James F.
• Application Number:
  US07/985,766
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 53/502, 53/501, 53/500, 53/244, 53/245, 53/251, 53/259, 53/534
• US Class Current: 53/502
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 37/005 by endless belts or chains

Abstract

A packaging assembly for packaging a pre-measured quantity of products particularly irregular-shaped products such as potatoes into a bag or other container. The assembly includes a plurality of transfer conveyors mounted upon a turntable for transferring the pre-measured quantity of product to the bag. The conveyor allows the product to be slowly conveyed to the bag to avoid clogging of the product between the weighing station and the bag. Additionally, clogging is reduced by the sidewalls surrounding the conveyor being generally pyramid-shaped, facilitating the transfer of the product to the bag.

Claims

1. A packaging assembly for packaging foodstuffs into receptacles, said assembly comprising:

a plurality of transfer conveyors each of said transfer conveyors being adapted to a transfer a pre-measured quantity of said foodstuffs to a receptacle, each of said conveyors having a first end for receiving said pre-measured quantity of said foodstuffs and a second end for discharging said pre-measured quantity of said foodstuffs into one of said receptacles;

a rotatable base upon which said transfer conveyors are mounted;

said pre-measured quantity of said foodstuffs being dispersed along each of said conveyors as said conveyors move between said first and second ends such that said pre-measured quantity of said foodstuffs is deposited into one of said receptacles until said foodstuffs are packaged into said receptacles.

2. The packaging assembly of claim 1 further comprising a retractable door for closing the discharge end of each of said transfer conveyors, said door being movable between an open and closed position and when in said closed position, said door being adapted to hold one of said receptacles in the open position for receipt of said pre-measured quantity of foodstuffs.

3. The packaging assembly of claim 1, further including a single driving means for driving said plurality of transfer conveyors mounted upon said rotatable base.

4. The packaging assembly of claim 1, wherein said transfer conveyors include a belt and sidewalls along the length of said transfer conveyors, said sidewalls are defined by inwardly projecting pyramids that have four sides meeting at an apex at approximately the center of said sidewall, the top portion of said pyramid is directed in a downward direction toward said conveyor to guide said pre-measured quantity of said foodstuffs to said belt, the base portion of the sidewall is directed upwardly to obstruct the upward movement of said pre-measured quantity of said foodstuffs once it passes the apex of the pyramid, and the right and left portions of the pyramid help to further guide said pre-measured quantity of said foodstuffs.

5. The packaging assembly of claim 1, further comprising a weighing means for separating by weight said quantity of foodstuffs from a bulk quantity of foodstuffs and discharging said pre-measured quantity of said foodstuffs to said first end of said transfer conveyors.

6. The packaging assembly of claim 1, wherein said transfer conveyors have an uneven surface for imparting a rolling motion to said pre-measured quantity of said foodstuffs as said pre-measured quantity is conveyed along said transfer conveyors.

7. The packaging assembly of claim 6, wherein said uneven surface approximates a sinusoidal wave.

8. The packaging assembly of claim 1, wherein, said base is rotatable about a generally vertical axis;

said base having a center and edge;

said plurality of transfer conveyors extending radially outwardly from adjacent the center of said rotatable base to the edge of said base; and

receptacle holders adjacent the second ends of said transfer conveyors for holding a respective one of said receptacles adjacent the second end of each transfer conveyor during the discharge of said pre-measured quantity of said foodstuffs into said respective one of said receptacles.

9. The packaging assembly of claim 8, wherein said transfer conveyors include sidewalls to assist in the conveying of said pre-measured quantity of said foodstuffs to said respective one of said receptacles.

10. The packaging assembly of claim 8, wherein each said transfer conveyors have an uneven surface for imparting a rolling motion to said pre-measured quantity of said foodstuffs as it is conveyed along each of said transfer conveyors.

11. A packaging assembly for packaging a quantity of product into a receptacle, said assembly comprising:

a plurality of transfer conveyors mounted upon a rotatable base for transferring said product to said receptacle, said conveyors having a first end for receiving said product and a second end for discharging said product into said receptacle;

said product being dispersed along said conveyors as said conveyors move between said first and second ends such that a small number of said quantity of product is sequentially deposited into said receptacle as said rotatable base rotates;

whereby said quantity of product is slowly deposited into said receptacles preventing clogging between said first end and said receptacles.

12. The packaging assembly of claim 11 further comprising a retractable door for closing the discharge end of said transfer conveyor, said door being movable between an open and closed position and when in said closed position, said door being adapted to hold said receptacle in the open position for receipt of said product.

13. The packaging assembly of claim 11, further including a single power means for driving said plurality of transfer conveyors mounted upon said rotatable base.

14. The packaging assembly of claim 11, wherein said transfer conveyors include sidewalls along the length of said transfer conveyors.

15. The packaging assembly of claim 11, wherein said transfer conveyors include a belt and sidewalls along the length of said transfer conveyors, said sidewalls are defined by inwardly projecting pyramids that have four sides meeting at an apex at approximately the center of said sidewall, the top portion of said pyramid is directed in a downward direction toward said conveyor to guide the product to the belt, the base portion of the sidewall is directed upwardly to obstruct the upward movement of the product once it passes the apex of the pyramid, and the right and left portions of the pyramid help to further guide the product.

16. The packaging assembly of claim 11, further comprising a weighing means for separating by weight said quantity of product from a bulk quantity of product and discharging said quantity of product to said first end of said transfer conveyors.

17. The packaging assembly of claim 11, wherein said transfer conveyors have an uneven surface for imparting a rolling motion to said quantity of product as it is conveyed along said transfer conveyor.

18. The packaging assembly of claim 17, wherein said uneven surface approximates a sinusoidal wave.

19. A packaging assembly for packaging portions of a material into respective receptacles, said assembly comprising:

a plurality of transfer conveyors for transferring each of said portions to said respective receptacles, each of said conveyors having a first end for receiving each of said portions and a second end for discharging each of said portions into said respective receptacle;

a weighing means for separating by weight each of said portions of said material and discharging each of said portions to said first end of each of said plurality of transfer conveyors;

said portions being dispersed along said conveyor as said conveyor moves between said first and second ends such that a small amount of said portion is sequentially deposited into said respective receptacle;

said transfer conveyors have an uneven surface for imparting a rolling motion to said portion as it is conveyed along said transfer conveyor;

whereby said portion is slowly deposited into said respective receptacle preventing clogging between said first end and said respective receptacle.

20. The packaging assembly of claim 19 further comprising a retractable door for closing the discharge end of said transfer conveyor, said door being movable between an open and closed position and when in said closed position, said door being adapted to hold said respective receptacle in the open position for receipt of said portion.

21. The packaging assembly of claim 19, wherein said plurality of transfer conveyors are mounted upon a rotatable base, said base being rotatable about a generally vertical axis;

said plurality of transfer conveyors extending radially outwardly from adjacent the center of the rotatable base to the edge of said base;

receptacle holders adjacent the second ends of said transfer conveyors for holding a receptacle adjacent the second end of each transfer conveyor during the discharge of said portions into said respective receptacle.

22. A packaging assembly for packaging a product into a plurality of receptacles, said assembly comprising:

a plurality of individual conveyors mounted upon a movable base, said base being adapted to move in a first direction with each of said individual conveyors being adapted to move in a second direction, said second direction being generally transverse to said first direction;

each of said conveyors being adapted to transfer a respective pre-measured quantity of said product to a respective one of said plurality of receptacles, each of said conveyors having a first end for receiving said respective pre-measured quantity of said product and a second end for discharging said respective pre-measured quantity of said product into said respective one of said plurality of receptacles;

a plurality of said conveyors each simultaneously dispersing a respective pre-measured quantity of said product, as said conveyors move in said first and second directions such that said pre-measured quantity of product is slowly deposited into a respective one of said plurality of receptacles, with said product being rapidly deposited into said plurality of receptacles.

23. The packaging assembly of claim 22, further comprising a retractable door for closing the second end of each of said conveyors, said door being movable between an open and closed position, and when in said closed position, said door being adapted to hold a respective one of said receptacles in the open position for receipt of respective pre-measured quantity of said product.

24. The packaging assembly of claim 22, wherein each of said conveyors includes a belt and sidewalls along the length of said conveyors, said sidewalls being defined by inwardly projecting pyramids that have four sides meeting at an apex at approximately the center of said sidewall, the top portion of said pyramid is directed in a downward position toward said conveyor to guide the pre-measured quantity of product to the belt, the base portion of the sidewall is directed upwardly to obstruct the upward movement of the pre-measured quantity of product once it passes the apex of the pyramid, and the right and left portions of the pyramid help to further guide the pre-measured quantity of product.

25. The packaging assembly of claim 22, wherein said individual conveyors each have an uneven surface for imparting a rolling motion to said respective pre-measured quantity of said product, as said respective pre-measured quantity of product is conveyed along said conveyor.