Method and apparatus for dispensing items
First Claim
1. A method for dispensing discrete items into a multiplicity of containers such that each of the multiplicity of containers contains a predetermined number of items, the method comprising:
- operating a conveyor such that items placed on the conveyor fall into a container at least partially in parallel, the conveyor activated for a period of time such that less than the predetermined number of items fall into the container;
counting the falling items using a counting mechanism comprising at least three electromagnetic energy sources and at least three receptors, wherein the counting mechanism is arranged such that;
(a) each of the at least three electromagnetic energy sources emits energy in a different direction, and(b) no two of the at least three electromagnetic energy sources emit energy in perpendicular directions;
determining a number of missing items in the container after items have fallen into the container during the operation and due to inertial forces after the operation; and
operating the conveyor for a pulse duration.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for dispensing discrete items into a multiplicity of containers such that each of the multiplicity of containers contains at least a predetermined number of items, the apparatus comprising: a conveyor for transporting items from a feeder to a location from which the items fall into the container; a counting mechanism for counting a number of items that have fallen off the conveyor into the container during operation of the conveyor and due to inertial forces after the operation; an actuator for operating or stopping the conveyor in accordance with control commands; and a computing platform for receiving a count from the counting mechanism and generating the control commands to be provided to the actuator.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method for dispensing discrete items into a multiplicity of containers such that each of the multiplicity of containers contains a predetermined number of items, the method comprising:
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operating a conveyor such that items placed on the conveyor fall into a container at least partially in parallel, the conveyor activated for a period of time such that less than the predetermined number of items fall into the container; counting the falling items using a counting mechanism comprising at least three electromagnetic energy sources and at least three receptors, wherein the counting mechanism is arranged such that; (a) each of the at least three electromagnetic energy sources emits energy in a different direction, and (b) no two of the at least three electromagnetic energy sources emit energy in perpendicular directions; determining a number of missing items in the container after items have fallen into the container during the operation and due to inertial forces after the operation; and operating the conveyor for a pulse duration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 22)
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15. An apparatus for dispensing discrete items into a multiplicity of containers such that each of the multiplicity of containers contains a predetermined number of items, the apparatus comprising:
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a conveyor for transporting items from a feeder to a location from which the items fall into the container; a counting mechanism for counting a number of items that have fallen off the conveyor into the container during operation of the conveyor and due to inertial forces after the operation, wherein the counting mechanism comprises at least three electromagnetic energy sources and at least three receptors, and is arranged such that;
(a) each of the at least three electromagnetic energy sources emits energy in a different direction, and (b) no two of the at least three electromagnetic energy sources emit energy in perpendicular directions;an actuator for operating or stopping the conveyor in accordance with control commands; and a computing platform for receiving a count from the counting mechanism and generating the control commands to be provided to the actuator, the computing platform executing a control component configured to; generate a first command to the actuator to operate the conveyor for an operation duration, such that less than a required number of items will fall off the conveyor into the container during the operation and due to inertial forces after the operation;
determine a number of missing items in the container after items have fallen into the container during the operation and due to inertial forces after the operation; andgenerate a second command to the actuator to operate the conveyor for a pulse operation duration. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A computer program product comprising:
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a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereof instructions that, when executed by processor, cause the processor to; generate a first command for an actuator to operate a conveyor for an operation duration, such that less than a required number of items will fall off the conveyor into a container during the operation and due to inertial forces after the operation; cause a counting mechanism to count the falling items, the counting mechanism comprising at least three electromagnetic energy sources and at least three receptors, wherein the counting mechanism is arranged such that;
(a) each of the at least three electromagnetic energy sources emits energy in a different direction, and (b) no two of the at least three electromagnetic energy sources emit energy in perpendicular directions;determine a number of missing items in the container after items have fallen into the container during the operation and due to inertial forces after the operation; and generate a second command for the actuator to operate the conveyor for the pulse operation duration.
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Specification