Automated packaging systems with associated automated pushers
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B65B-051/04
B65B-051/00
출원번호
US-0674404
(2007-02-13)
등록번호
US-7386966
(2008-06-17)
발명자
/ 주소
Griggs,Samuel D.
May,Dennis J.
Poteat,William M.
Brown,Derek L.
Gupton,David R.
출원인 / 주소
Tipper Tie, Inc.
대리인 / 주소
Myers, Bigel, Sibley & Sajovec, P.A.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
19인용 특허 :
63
초록▼
Methods, devices and computer program products automatically package an object in a covering material such as casing and/or netting by: (a) automatically pushing at least one object through a product chute; (b) pulling a covering material upstream of the product chute off an exterior surface of the
Methods, devices and computer program products automatically package an object in a covering material such as casing and/or netting by: (a) automatically pushing at least one object through a product chute; (b) pulling a covering material upstream of the product chute off an exterior surface of the product chute to automatically enclose the object in the covering material as the object exits the product chute; and then (c) applying a clip to the covering material to secure the object in the packing material.
대표청구항▼
That which is claimed is: 1. A system for automatically enclosing a semi-solid or solid product in a covering material, comprising: a support frame; an elongate product chute mounted to the support frame having an outer surface and opposing receiving and discharge end portions with an interior cavi
That which is claimed is: 1. A system for automatically enclosing a semi-solid or solid product in a covering material, comprising: a support frame; an elongate product chute mounted to the support frame having an outer surface and opposing receiving and discharge end portions with an interior cavity extending therethrough, wherein the product chute has a floor; a product pusher mechanism mounted to the support frame upstream of the product chute, the product pusher mechanism having a pusher head that is configured to controllably automatically advance into and retract from the product chute to thereby advance a product from a position upstream of the product chute, through the product chute and out of the discharge end portion of the product chute, wherein the product pusher mechanism causes the pusher head and an associated actuation rod to reciprocally travel in the product chute in an unsealed manner, wherein the product pusher mechanism is configured so that the pusher head and the associated actuation rod travel substantially horizontally above the floor of the chute, wherein the product pusher mechanism actuation rod is in communication with an actuator piston that extends longitudinally upstream of the support frame with centers of the actuation piston and the actuation rod being concentric, wherein the product pusher mechanism actuation piston and rod reside above and intermediate of two laterally spaced apart stabilizer rods, and wherein the at least two stabilizer rods move forward and rearward substantially in concert with the actuation rod during a reciprocating stroke cycle of the actuation piston; and a clipper mechanism disposed downstream of the product chute, the clipper mechanism configured to automatically apply at least one clip to a covering material that encloses the product from the product chute. 2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the product pusher mechanism is configured to limit the forward travel of the pusher head so that at least a first portion of the pusher head remains inside the product chute while a second portion extends outside the product chute at a furthermost operative extension position of the product pusher mechanism, and wherein the product pusher mechanism has a retracted configuration whereby the pusher head resides outside and upstream of the product chute and exposes a product support floor sized and configured to receive a target product thereon residing between the product chute and the pusher head. 3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the elongate product chute has a solid continuous outer wall with an open axially extending cavity that includes a primary body and a larger upstream guide portion that narrows into the shape of the primary body, and wherein, during operation, the product chute is open to environmental conditions at both receiving and discharge ends thereof, and wherein the system is configured to automatically slidably serially introduce target products by pushing the target product into the product chute from the product support floor. 4. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of pre-encased products that are serially automatically introduced into the product chute using the product pusher mechanism, the system further comprising a supply of covering material arranged to surround the exterior surface of at least a portion of the product chute and extend in tension in the downstream direction to cover a respective pre-encased product as the product exits the discharge end portion of the product chute. 5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the supply of covering material comprises a sleeve of netting, and wherein the product support floor is sized and configured to receive a poultry or ham meat product. 6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the clipper mechanism is retractable and, in operation, the clipper mechanism is configured to travel toward the product to apply at least one clip and then travel away from the product so as to allow the product to move downstream thereof, and wherein the clipper mechanism defines a clip window for supplying at least one closure clip to an underlying product, and wherein the system comprises a controller and sensors that automatically causes the pusher mechanism to extend and retract in response to detection of a target product on the product support floor. 7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the product support floor intermediate the product pusher head and the product chute is a moveable floor. 8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the pusher mechanism comprises a single piston attached to the pusher head actuation rod at a location that is axially aligned with and upstream of the receiving end portion of the product chute, with the product pusher mechanism being attached to the support frame via a cantilevered member that extends upstream of the support frame, the pusher head actuation rod and piston defining a straight actuation stroke length that is substantially greater than a length of the product chute with a continuous stroke movement that causes the pusher head to reciprocally travel into and out of the product chute. 9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the product support floor intermediate the product pusher head and the product chute is configured to package bone-in meat products. 10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the product support floor intermediate the product pusher head and the product chute is configured to package whole pre-sealed meat products. 11. A system according to claim 1, wherein the product support floor intermediate the product pusher head and the product chute is configured to package bone-in turkeys. 12. A system according to claim 1, wherein the product support floor intermediate the product pusher head and the product chute is configured to package bone-in hams. 13. A system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises a housing that encloses a travel path extending between the pusher head in a retracted home position and an entry into the product chute, wherein the actuation piston is affixed to the support frame, wherein in the retracted home position at least a major portion of a length of the actuation piston and guide rods extend longitudinally substantially horizontally outside the housing. 14. A system for automatically enclosing a semi-solid or solid product in a covering material, comprising: an elongate product chute having an outer surface and opposing receiving and discharge end portions with an interior cavity extending therethrough; a product pusher mechanism having a pusher head that is configured to controllably automatically advance into and retract from the product chute to thereby advance a product from a position upstream of the product chute, through the product chute and out of the discharge end portion of the product chute; a clipper mechanism disposed downstream of the product chute, the clipper mechanism configured to automatically apply at least one clip to a covering material that encloses the product from the product chute; and a product stop member positioned in communication with a product transfer zone residing upstream of the product chute and downstream of the pusher head when the pusher head is in a retracted home position, the product stop member being substantially longitudinally aligned with a wall of the product chute to thereby automatically align a product with the pusher mechanism and an entry into the product chute. 15. A system for automatically enclosing a semi-solid or solid product in a covering material, comprising: an elongate product chute having an outer surface and opposing receiving and discharge end portions with an interior cavity extending therethrough, the product chute comprising a sleeve of netting material; a product pusher mechanism in communication with the product chute, the product pusher mechanism having an actuation cylinder and corresponding rod attached to a pusher head to controllably automatically advance the pusher head and actuation rod into and retract from the product chute to advance a product from a position upstream of the product chute, through the product chute and out of the discharge end portion of the product chute; an automated product transfer system comprising a controller and at least one sensor configured to detect the presence of a target semi-solid or solid slidable product therein, whereby the target product is synchronized to be automatically serially directed into a product transfer zone, wherein the product transfer zone has a product support floor that resides between the product chute and the pusher mechanism when the pusher mechanism is in a retracted configuration, wherein the product support floor terminates before the receiving end portion of the product chute, intermediate the product chute and the pusher mechanism when the pusher head is in a retracted configuration thereby allowing operator loading outside a travel path of the pusher mechanism, and wherein the system is configured to activate the product pusher mechanism stroke cycle proximate in time to when a respective target solid or semi-solid product slides into position on the product support floor; and a clipper mechanism disposed downstream of the product chute, the clipper mechanism configured to automatically apply at least one clip to a leading and/or trailing edge portion of the netting material that encloses the product exiting the product chute. 16. A system according to claim 15, wherein the support floor is a moveable floor, wherein at a forwardmost operative extension position of a stroke cycle of the pusher mechanism, at least a major portion of the pusher head exits the discharge end portion of the product chute, and wherein during forward and rearward actuation of the pusher head in a stroke cycle the pusher head remains at a forwardmost position on the pusher mechanism, the system further comprising a system support frame configured to reside on a floor, and a support member cantilevered between an upstream portion of the support frame and the product pusher mechanism. 17. A system according to claim 15, wherein each end portion of the product chute is unsealed and open to environmental conditions during the stroke cycle such that air is untrapped between the chute cavity and the pusher mechanism, wherein the actuation cylinder and a pair of stabilizer rods extend horizontally in an upstream direction a length outside bounds of a system mounting frame that supports the product chute and the product pusher mechanism, and wherein the stabilizer rods and actuation rod reciprocate in concert during substantially all of a stroke cycle. 18. A system according to claim 15, wherein the pusher head is sized and configured to extend beyond a cross-sectional perimeter of the actuation rod and is statically affixed to the actuation rod and translates in concert with and responsive to translation of the actuation rod, and wherein the pusher head occupies only a portion of the interior of the product chute cavity. 19. A system according to claim 15, wherein the product pusher mechanism further comprises at least one horizontally reciprocating ballast rod in close proximity to the actuation rod that travels substantially horizontally between an extended position and a retracted home position. 20. A system according to claim 15, wherein the system comprises a housing that encloses a travel path that includes the product transfer zone and product support floor, extending between the pusher head in a retracted home position and an entry into the product chute, wherein the housing defines an open region therein, the open region having a width and height that is greater than that of the product chute, that extends a distance upstream of the product chute to a portion of the product pusher mechanism, wherein the actuation cylinder is statically affixed to the support frame, and wherein at least a major portion of a length of the actuation cylinder extends longitudinally substantially horizontally outside the housing. 21. A system according to claim 15, wherein the product pusher mechanism further comprises a plurality of guide rods that are configured to move in concert with the pusher cylinder both in a forward and rearward stroke of a stroke cycle associated with the reciprocating movement of the product pusher mechanism.
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