초록 ▼

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for dispensing articles into a container or basket and for controlling the dispensing mechanism to more accurately, efficiently, and intelligently dispense the desired articles with less damages to the articles. The dispenser includes a primary s

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for dispensing articles into a container or basket and for controlling the dispensing mechanism to more accurately, efficiently, and intelligently dispense the desired articles with less damages to the articles. The dispenser includes a primary storage location which can take the form of a bulk storage hopper, an accumulator storage location into which the dispensed articles are transferred during the dispensing of the articles. A reversing drum and a flexible, resilient diverter are configured and arranged to reduce article breakage and/or to transfer different types of articles. The drum is also designed to provide a self-alignment between the drum and a motor shaft when the drum is mounted onto the drum motor shaft. A load/weight sensing/measuring assembly accurately and intelligently weighs the articles in the accumulator by an adaptive weighing method. The load/weight sensing/measuring assembly includes a spring to convert force to displacement and a solid-state sensor/magnet mechanism to replace the expensive load cell assembly.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.]1. An apparatus for dispensing food articles from a primary storage holding area to a basket, comprising:a) a primary food article storage location;b) an accumulator food article storage location arranged and configured proximate the primary food article storage location, wherein th

[ We claim:] [1.]1. An apparatus for dispensing food articles from a primary storage holding area to a basket, comprising:a) a primary food article storage location;b) an accumulator food article storage location arranged and configured proximate the primary food article storage location, wherein the food articles fall by gravity to the basket, the basket generally located beneath the accumulator food article storage location;c) a rotatable, reversible drum for controllably transferring the food articles from the primary to the accumulator food article storage location in response to a first control signal;d) an accumulator door for controllably dispensing the food articles from the accumulator food article storage location to the basket in response to a second control signal; ande) a controller for receiving a dispense signal and generating the first control signal for the reversible drum and the second control signal for the accumulator door.