Tortilla counter-stacker

• US 6,053,695 A
• Filed: 05/05/1998
• Issued: 04/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ITE, LLC
• Original Assignee: ITE, LLC
• Inventors: Kenison, Steven M., Longoria, Jose L.
• Primary Examiner(s): HESS, DOUGLAS A
• Application Number:
  US09/072,563
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 414/788.9, 414/789, 414/789.1, 414/789.9, 414/790.5, 414/790.6, 414/790.8, 414/793.4, 414/794.2, 414/794.4, 414/901, 271/146
• US Class Current: 414/790.8
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 9/086 Stacking or unstacking discrete dough sheets with filling in between sheets A21C9/045
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 21/2036 for retaining the load on the load-carrying surface individual suction grippers B65G17/323
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 57/03 from above
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 57/11 the articles being stacked by direct action of the feeding conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/44734 overhead, i.e. hanging material ba attraction forces, e.g. suction, magnetic forces
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2406/323 Overhead suction belt, i.e. holding material against gravity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/115 including article counter

Abstract

A tortilla counter-stacker (10) having a canister (12) which has a canister side (12C) having a horizontal canister side slot (12CA) disposed therein. A stacker (16) is positioned adjacent to the canister (12). The stacker (16) has a stacker cylinder (16A) having a movable stacker cylinder piston (16AA) attached at a front distal end to a rear distal end of a horizontal stacker cylinder piston plate (16AAA) which inserts and retracts through the canister side slot (12CA). A lift (18) is positioned directly below the canister (12). The lift (18) has a lift cylinder (18A) having a lift cylinder piston (18AA) movably positioned therein. The lift cylinder piston (18AA) has a horizontal lift cylinder piston plate (18AAA) securely attached to a top distal end thereof. An upper conveyor (20) is horizontally positioned in alignment with the canister top (12T). The upper conveyor (20) has a rotatable upper conveyor belt (20A) upon which incoming tortillas (28C) are placed. A lower conveyor (22) is positioned between the lift (18) and the canister (12). The lower conveyor (22) has a lower conveyor left belt (22AL) and a lower conveyor right belt (22AR) synchronically rotatably about the lift (18). A photoelectric eye (24) and counter (26) are electrically connected thereto.

Claims

1. A tortilla counter-stacker (10) comprising:

A) a canister (12) which comprises a canister top (12T), a canister bottom (12B), and a canister side (12C) having a horizontal canister side slot (12CA) disposed therein;

B) a stacker (16) positioned adjacent to the canister (12), the stacker (16) comprises a stacker cylinder (16A) having a movable stacker cylinder piston (16AA) attached at a front distal end to a rear distal end of a horizontal stacker cylinder piston plate (16AAA) which inserts and retracts through the canister side slot (12CA), the stacker (16) further comprises a stacker power means (16B), the stacker power means (16B) comprises a stacker power means inlet (16BA) and a stacker power means egress (16BB) attached to and in communication with a lower and an upper end, respectively, of the stacker cylinder (16A), the stacker power means (16B) further comprises a stacker power means connector (16BC) which is powered by hydraulic or pneumatic means, the stacker power means (16B) is connected to and controlled by a stacker controller (16C);

C) a lift (18) positioned directly below the canister (12), the lift (18) comprises a lift cylinder (18A) having a lift cylinder piston (18AA) movably positioned therein, the lift cylinder piston (18AA) comprising a horizontal lift cylinder piston plate (18AAA) securely attached to a top distal end thereof, the lift (18) further comprises a lift power means (18B), the lift power means (18B) comprises a lift power means inlet (18BA) having a lift valve (18F) and a lift power means egress (18BB) attached to and in communication with lower and upper ends, respectively, of the lift cylinder (18A), the lift power means (18B) further comprises a lift power means connector (18BC) which is powered by hydraulic or pneumatic means, the lift power means (18B) is connected to and controlled by a lift second controller (18D) which is electrically connected to a lift first controller (18C) which is electrically connected to the stacker controller (16C), the lift power means (18B) further comprises a lift third controller (18E) attached thereto, the lift valve (18F) is electrically connected to the lift first controller (18C);

D) an upper conveyor (20) horizontally positioned in alignment with the canister top (12T), the upper conveyor (20) comprises a rotatable upper conveyor belt (20A) upon which incoming tortillas (28C) are placed;

E) a lower conveyor (22) positioned between the lift (18) and the canister (12), the lower conveyor (22) comprises a lower conveyor left belt (22AL) and a lower conveyor right belt (22AR) synchronically rotated, the space between the lower conveyor left belt (22AL) and the lower conveyor right belt (22AR) is slightly larger than the diameter of the lift cylinder piston plate (18AAA) which deposits a tortilla first stack (28A) on the lower conveyor left belt (22AL) and the lower conveyor right belt (22AR);

F) a photoelectric eye (24) electrically connected to the lift third controller (18E); and

G) a counter (26) electrically connected to the photoelectric eye (24).

2. The tortilla counter-stacker (10) as described in claim 1, wherein the canister (12) further comprises a canister sleeve (12A) securely mounted therein, the canister sleeve (12A) comprises a diameter slightly bigger than a diameter of an incoming tortilla (28C).

3. The tortilla counter-stacker (10) as described in claim 1, wherein the canister top (12T) further comprises a canister top shroud (12TA) having an opening facing the upper conveyor (20), the canister top shroud (12TA) functions to facilitate directing the incoming tortilla (28C) into the canister (12) which rest upon the lift cylinder piston plate (18AAA) forming a tortilla second stack (28B).

4. The tortilla counter-stacker (10) as described in claim 3, wherein the canister top shroud (12TA) comprises a canister top shroud left flair (12TAL) and a canister top shroud right flair (12TAR) positioned at opposite ends, the canister top shroud left flair (12TAL) and the canister top shroud right flair (12TAR) function to facilitate directing the incoming tortilla (28C) into the canister (12).

5. The tortilla counter-stacker (10) as described in claim 1, wherein the canister bottom (12B) comprises a canister bottom extender (12BA) positioned at an opposite side to the movable direction of the lower conveyor (22), the canister bottom extender (12BA) functions to facilitate directing the tortilla first stack (28A) onto the lower conveyor left belt (22AL) and the lower conveyor right belt (22AR).

6. The tortilla counter-stacker (10) as described in claim 1, wherein the canister bottom (12B) further comprises canister bottom vent (12BB) extending upwardly therefrom, the canister bottom vent (12BB) functions to facilitate directing the tortilla first stack (28A) onto the lower conveyor left belt (22AL) and the lower conveyor right belt (22AR).

7. The tortilla counter-stacker (10) as described in claim 1 further comprises a vibrator (14) attached to the canister side (12C) by a vibrator arm (14A), the vibrator (14) functions to jiggle the canister (12) directing the incoming tortilla (28C) to properly position on top of a tortilla second stack (28B).

8. The tortilla counter-stacker (10) as described in claim 1, wherein the canister sleeve (12A) comprises a conical configuration narrowing toward a bottom thereof.