Method and apparatus for stacking discrete planar objects

• US 7,080,969 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2005
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FR Drake Company (Middleby Corporation)
• Original Assignee: FR Drake Company (Middleby Corporation)
• Inventors: Peterson, Matthew, Tomlin, Steve N., Hart, Colin R., Welborn, Kenneth M.
• Primary Examiner(s): HESS, DOUGLAS A
• Application Number:
  US11/183,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20050249577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 371 Days
• Field of Search: 414/802, 414/790, 414/788.9, 414/789, 414/790.1, 414/791.1, 414/794.6
• US Class Current: 414/802
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 25/065 of meat
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 35/04 with buffer storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 35/50 Stacking one article, or group of articles, upon another before packaging
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/10 Filling containers or receptacles progressively or in stages by introducing successive articles, or layers of articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/101 by gravity B65B5/12 and B65B5/108 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/106 by pushers B65B5/12 and B65B5/108 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/0202 Agricultural and processed food products
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/0205 Biscuits
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/902 provided with drive systems incorporating rotary and rectilinear movements
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 57/03 from above
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 57/035 with a stepwise downward movement of the stack

Abstract

A system for forming a plurality of discrete objects into a stack is disclosed which system includes a frame having a top, a bottom and sides; a conveyor associated with the frame and having an end edge for dispensing discrete objects, a first support mounted on the frame near the end edge for receiving objects from the end edge and having an opening with a width smaller than the width of the objects, a first actuator operably connected to the first support for moving the first support between first and second positions relative to the end edge; a second actuator operably connected to the first support for moving the first support between upper and lower positions relative to the frame; a second support mounted on the frame beneath the first support having a width less than the width of the opening in the first support; a third actuator operatively connected to the second support for moving the second support between high and low positions, the second support high position being higher than the first support lower position; a third support mounted on the frame at a position higher than the second support low position and having an opening wider than the width of the second support; a fourth actuator operatively connected to the third support for moving the third support between a first position beneath the first support and a second position; a sensor for determining the number of discrete objects in a stack, the sensor being operatively coupled to the to the third actuator; and a controller for controlling the first, second, third and fourth actuators. A method of using the system is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of forming a stream of discrete objects into a stack comprising the steps of:

providing a frame having a top, a bottom and sides;

providing a plurality of discrete objects each having a width;

providing a first support on said frame having an opening smaller than the width of said objects, said first support being movable vertically between upper and lower positions and movable horizontally between engaged and disengaged positions;

holding said first support in said upper and engaged positions;

dropping said discrete objects onto said first support via a conveyor to form a stack having a top and a bottom;

moving said first support toward said lower position to maintain the top of said stack at a first level relative to said frame;

providing a second support beneath said first support having a width less than the opening in said first support, said second support being movable between a high position above said lower position and a low position;

lowering said first support over said second support until said second support passes through said opening in said first support and contacts the bottom of said stack;

moving said first support to said disengaged position;

lowering said second support to maintain the top of said stack at said first level;

providing a third support having an opening and translatable between a first position beneath said second support and a second position;

sensing for the occurrence of a stack finished condition;

upon the detection of the stack finished condition, lowering said second support until said second support passes through the opening in said third support and said third support contacts the stack bottom.

2. The method of claim 1 including the additional step of moving said first support to said upper position and said engaged position after the top of the stack drops beneath said lower position.

3. The method of claim 2 including the additional step of moving said third support to said second position and releasing said stack into a stack holder after said third support contacts the stack bottom.

4. The method of claim 3 including the additional step of raising said second support to said high position after said third support moves from said first position.

5. The method of claim 4 including the additional step of returning said third support to said first position after the stack is released into the stack holder.

6. The method of claim 1 including the additional step of determining the height of said stack.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of determining the height of said stack comprises the step of counting said objects before they are dropped onto said first support.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of sensing for the occurrence of a stack finished condition comprises the step counting said objects before they are dropped onto said stack.

9. A method of forming a stream of discrete disk-like objects into a stack comprising the steps of:

providing a frame having a top, a bottom and sides;

providing a conveyor having an end edge;

providing a plurality of discrete disk-like objects each having a diameter on said conveyor;

providing a first support on said frame adjacent said end edge comprising first and second spaced pins separated by a distance less than the diameter of said objects, said first support being movable vertically between upper and lower positions and pivotable between engaged and disengaged positions;

holding said first support in said upper position and in said engaged position;

operating said conveyor to cause said objects to fall over the end edge of the conveyor and onto said first support to form a stack having a top and a bottom;

incrementing a counter each time one of said disk-like objects passes a given location on the conveyor;

moving said first support toward said lower position each time said counter is incremented;

providing a second support beneath said first support having a width less than the distance between said pins, said second support being movable between a high position above said lower position and a low position;

lowering said first support over said second support until said second support passes between said pins and contacts the bottom of said stack;

pivoting said first support to said disengaged position;

lowering said second support each time said counter is incremented when said stack is in contact with said second support;

providing a third support having an opening wider than said second support and being translatable between a first position beneath said second support and a second position;

when said counter reaches a predetermined count, lowering said second support until said second support passes thought the opening in said third support and said third support contacts the stack bottom;

moving said first support to said upper position and said engaged position after the top of the stack drops beneath said lower position;

moving said third support to said second position and releasing said stack into a stack holder after said third support contacts the stack bottom;

raising said second support to said high position after said third support moves from said third support first position; and

returning said third support to said third support first position after the stack is released into the stack holder.