CONVEYING SYSTEM FOR TRANSPORTING, TRANSFERRING AND STAGING FOOD PRODUCTS
First Claim
1. A system for transporting food product for packaging, comprising:
- a transport conveyor operatively mounted to a frame and having an input conveying belt with a first drive and an output conveying belt with a second drive;
a plurality of displacement members secured to the frame and positioned adjacent the input conveyor belt;
a sensor located adjacent a first end of the frame and the input conveyor;
a controller connected to the first and second drives, the displacement members, and the sensor wherein the controller activates a selected displacement member based upon a sensed position of the food product as compared to a determined theoretical position of the food product to transfer the food product from the input conveying belt to the output conveying belt; and
a transfer device positioned adjacent the output conveying belt for transferring food product from the output conveying belt to a discharge conveyor so that the food product is arranged in side-by-side alignment.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A conveying system for transporting a food product from an oven to a loading or packaging machine includes a transport conveyor system that has an input conveying belt and an output conveying belt that is parallel, driven at different speeds, and operatively mounted to a frame for transporting a food product. A plurality of displacement members are secured to the frame and positioned adjacent the input conveying belt. A sensor is located adjacent to a first end of the frame and adjacent to the input conveyor. Connected to the drives, the displacement members, and the sensor is a controller. The controller activates a selected displacement member based upon a sensed position of the food product as compared to a determined theoretical position of the food product to move the food product from the input belt to the output belt. The geometry of the belts on the transport conveyor allow the food product to self-center on the belt after the transfer. Positioned adjacent to an output conveying belt is a transport device for transporting food product from the output conveying belt to a discharge conveyor.
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14 Claims
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1. A system for transporting food product for packaging, comprising:
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a transport conveyor operatively mounted to a frame and having an input conveying belt with a first drive and an output conveying belt with a second drive; a plurality of displacement members secured to the frame and positioned adjacent the input conveyor belt; a sensor located adjacent a first end of the frame and the input conveyor; a controller connected to the first and second drives, the displacement members, and the sensor wherein the controller activates a selected displacement member based upon a sensed position of the food product as compared to a determined theoretical position of the food product to transfer the food product from the input conveying belt to the output conveying belt; and a transfer device positioned adjacent the output conveying belt for transferring food product from the output conveying belt to a discharge conveyor so that the food product is arranged in side-by-side alignment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of transferring food product for packaging comprising the steps of:
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determining a theoretical position of a food product on an input conveying belt of a transfer conveyor using a controller based upon a sensed position of the food product; activating with the controller a selected displacement member based on a comparison of the determined theoretical position and the sensed position to transfer the food product from the input conveyor belt to an output conveyor belt; and transferring the food product from the output conveying belt to a discharge conveyor using a transfer device.
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Specification