U.S. patent application number 12/817331 was filed with the patent office on 2010-10-07 for food article packaging apparatus and method.
This patent application is currently assigned to Curwood, Inc.. Invention is credited to Kenneth Eugene Nowak, Steve John Schult, Mark Anthony Stackley, David Lawrence Zuleger.
Application Number | 20100255164 12/817331 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38426749 |
Filed Date | 2010-10-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100255164 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Stackley; Mark Anthony ; et
al. |
October 7, 2010 |
Food Article Packaging Apparatus and Method
Abstract
Packaging apparatus and method for inserting food articles into
a bag of comparable size. The apparatus has a conveyor that orients
the product along a longitudinal axis and delivers the food article
to a tray disposed below the conveyor so the product drops from the
conveyor and onto the tray. The tray and conveyor move at speeds
selected so the product maintains its longitudinal orientation as
it drops from the conveyor into the product tray. A bag scoop holds
the bag mouth open while the tray carrying the product advances
into the bag. A product stripper moves into a position behind the
bagged product after passage of the tray so that when the tray
returns to its start position, the stripper butts against the end
of the product and holds the product while the tray slides out of
the bag.
Inventors: |
Stackley; Mark Anthony; (St.
Croix Falls, WI) ; Schult; Steve John; (Greenville,
WI) ; Zuleger; David Lawrence; (Kaukauna, WI)
; Nowak; Kenneth Eugene; (Green Bay, WI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BEMIS COMPANY, INC.;Patent and Trademark Department
2200 BADGER AVENUE
OSHKOSH
WI
54904
US
|
Assignee: |
Curwood, Inc.
Oshkosh
WI
|
Family ID: |
38426749 |
Appl. No.: |
12/817331 |
Filed: |
June 17, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11358178 |
Feb 21, 2006 |
7762047 |
|
|
12817331 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
426/410 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 5/045 20130101;
B65B 43/34 20130101; B65B 25/065 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
426/410 |
International
Class: |
B65B 25/06 20060101
B65B025/06 |
Claims
1. A method for packaging a food article in a bag comprising: a)
orienting at least one food article on a moving conveyor with the
product longitudinal axis extending along the conveyor longitudinal
axis; b) moving a product tray below said conveyor in the direction
of the conveyor longitudinal axis; c) laying said food article from
an end of said conveyor and into said product tray while moving
said conveyor and said product tray at a speed selected to maintain
the longitudinal orientation of said product; d) bagging the
elongated food article; and e) transferring the bagged food article
from a bag loading station onto an outfeed conveyor such that said
food article does not invert.
2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said bagging said food article
comprises: a) holding open the mouth of said bag with a bag scoop
at said bag loading station; b) moving said product tray and said
food article thereon along a path of travel extending through said
bag scoop and into said bag to locate the article within said
bag.
3. A method as in claim 1, wherein said method further comprises:
a) interposing a stripper device to hold said food article on said
product tray after passage of said product tray to the delivery
station; b) returning the product tray to a receiving station and
in the course of the return; and c) engaging a bagged product
against said stripper for removing said bagged food article from
the product tray.
4. A method as in claim 1, wherein said method further comprising
moving said conveyor and said product tray at substantially the
same speed during the laying of said food article from said
conveyor and into said product tray.
5. A method as in claim 1, wherein said food article comprises a
meat product.
6. A method as in claim 5, wherein said meat product is selected
from the group consisting of beef, bison, pork, lamb, chicken, duck
and turkey.
7. A method as in claim 1, wherein said bag loading station is
positioned to lie on the same substantially horizontal plane with
said outfeed conveyor.
8. A method as in claim 1, wherein said bag is a flexible
heat-sealable plastic bag.
9. A method as in claim 1, wherein said product tray is adapted to
both deliver said food article into a bag and retract from said
bag.
10. A method as in claim 7, wherein said product tray is adapted to
pass through said bag loading station to a product delivery
station.
11. A method as in claim 7, wherein said bag loading station
comprises a bag scoop device.
12. A method as in claim 11, wherein said bag loading station
further comprises a bag feeder device adapted to deliver individual
bags to said bag scoop device.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/358,178, filed Feb. 21, 2006, which is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention generally relates to a packaging
apparatus and method for packaging food articles. In particular,
the invention relates to an apparatus and method for packaging
elongated food articles such as cuts of various meat products.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
[0003] Many food products such as primal and sub-primal cuts of
meat generally are packaged in vacuum-sealed plastic bags. Since
boneless cuts of meat are particularly difficult to package due to
their length and flaccid nature, applicant will discuss by way of
example, that type of package, but the invention will be recognized
by those skilled in the art as applicable to many other food
products. For example, a single or multilayer thermoplastic film
may be made into bags by a food packaging manufacturer using film
stock comprising a tubular film or one or more flat sheets or webs
of film by well known processes involving e.g. cutting, folding
and/or sealing the film to form bags which may then be shipped to
processors for use in food packaging operations. A typical bag
produced from a tubular film stock will have one or two sides which
have been heat scaled by the bag manufacturer in the bag forming
process. Such bags will have one open side to allow the food
processor to insert the food product into the bag. The food
processor then makes the final seal thereby enclosing the food
product. This final seal may follow gas evacuation of the bag by
vacuum means or replacement of the gaseous environment within the
bag by a particular gas or mixture of gases which may be inert or
reactive with the enclosed product to provide some advantage such
as to assist product preservation. This final seal is frequently a
heat seal similar to the initial seals produced by the bag
manufacturer although the actual heat sealing equipment may vary.
Generally, heat sealing of thermoplastic film is accomplished by
applying sufficient heat and pressure to adjacent film layer
surfaces for a sufficient time to cause a fusion bond between the
layers. A common type of seal used in manufacturing bags is known
to those skilled in the art as a hot bar seal. In making a hot bar
seal, adjacent thermoplastic layers are held together by opposing
bars of which at least one is heated to cause the adjacent
thermoplastic layers to fusion bond by application of heat and
pressure across the area to be sealed. For example, bags may be
manufactured from a tube stock by making one hot bar seal
transverse to the tube. This seal may also be referred to as a
bottom seal. Once the bottom seal is applied, the tube stock may be
transversely cut to form the mouth of the bag. Once a food product
such as meat or poultry is inserted into the bag, the package is
typically evacuated and the bag mouth sealed. At one time, the
standard method for sealing a bag was to fasten a clip around the
mouth of the bag. More recently, heat sealing techniques have been
employed to seal the bag. For example, a bag mouth may be hot bar
sealed or it may be sealed by another common type of heat seal
known as an impulse seal. An impulse seal is made by application of
heat and pressure using opposing bars similar to the hot bar seal
except that at least one of these bars has a covered wire or ribbon
through which electric current is passed for a very brief time
period (hence the name "impulse") to cause the adjacent film layers
to fusion bond. Following the impulse of heat the bars are cooled
(e.g. by circulating coolant) while continuing to hold the bag
inner surfaces together to achieve adequate sealing strength
Generally, impulse seals may be made faster than hot bar seals
because of the quick cool down of the impulse ribbon following the
heat impulse. Impulse seals are also generally narrower than hot
bar seals which lead to an improved package appearance, but
narrower seals also leave smaller margin for error in the
production of continuous sealed edges. Since typically less area is
bonded in an impulse seal relative to a hot bar seal, the
performance of the sealing layer of the thermoplastic film is more
critical. Other techniques can also be used to hermetically seal
the bags such as adhesives, ultrasonic sealing or other well known
methods. After packaging, the bags undergo a heat shrinking process
by immersion in hot water (about 80-90.degree. C.) causing the bag
to shrink tightly about the food product.
[0004] Elongated food articles, such as cuts of meat which include,
but are not limited to, boneless pork loins and beef tenderloins
are particularly difficult to package. These long boneless cuts are
packaged in elongated bags having a size comparable to the cut of
meat in that the bag has a relatively small diameter as compared to
the length of the bag. These cuts of meat are not rigid but are
relatively flaccid in that they droop if supported from only one
end. The non-rigid nature of these long boneless cuts makes it
difficult to insert them into the narrow bag opening using
automatic loaders. This is because the cuts do not maintain a
longitudinal orientation when pushed along a work surface and into
a bag. Pushing on an end of such non-rigid cut of meat to move it
along a work surface tends to cause the cut to snake or fold back
on itself as it moves across the work surface. Friction and the
flaccid nature of the cut of meat prevents the end of the cut, away
from the pusher, from moving relative to the work surface while the
end against the pusher moves relative to the work surface.
[0005] The flaccid nature of these cuts of meat tends to make
packaging them labor intensive. In this respect, the packaging of
boneless pork loins and whole beef tenderloins generally is handled
by two packers. One holds the narrow mouth of a bag open while the
other retrieves the food article from a feed conveyer or pile and
drops it into the bag. Pork loins, beef tenderloins and like
products are inherently slippery, this together with the length and
the non-rigid nature of the product, makes the product difficult to
handle.
[0006] Also, the very act of manually handling the food article is
a possible source of contamination. Should the product slip from
the operator's hand and drop on a floor surface, there is a further
danger of contamination. Any dropped product either is repackaged
as a second or is used as scrap. Accordingly, due to the length,
slipperiness and non-rigid nature of the product, the manual
bagging process is time-consuming, messy, inefficient and prone to
cross-contamination.
[0007] Another problem with loading these cuts of meat by hand is
that the internal surface area of the bag adjacent the bag mouth
often is contacted by the meat passing into the bag. Blood, fat
and/or meat juices from the product transfer to the inner edges of
the bag mouth as the product enters the bag. These materials
contaminate the inner surfaces (the sealant side) of the bag and
compromise the heat sealing operation so that an effective hermetic
heat seal closure of the bag cannot be made. The result is a heat
seal that is incomplete so the seal fails to hold a vacuum. Even if
a complete heat seal is made, the contamination can result in a
weak seal that fails when the bag is subjected to the stress of
heat shrinking. Even worse, a weak seal that survives heat
shrinking of the bag may fail when the bag is subjected to the
rigors of handling and shipping.
[0008] If the defective seal is discovered prior to shipment, the
resultant "leakers" or "low vacuum" bags are reworked by opening
the bag, removing the meat, re-bagging it and recycling the product
through the evacuation and sealing equipment. A seal that survives
the shrinking process but is so weak that it subsequently fails
(such as during shipping), considerably compromises the protection
against contamination offered by the bag and shortens the storage
or shelf life of the product.
[0009] One attempt to speed up the bagging operation involves the
use of a funnel. Here, an operator places a bag over a drop chute,
which basically is a funnel device. After the bag is placed over
the drop chute, another operator will drop the elongated cut of
meat into the chute which feeds the meat into the bag. While the
use of a drop chute tends to keep the sealing surfaces of the bag
free of contamination, the loading process still is labor intensive
and requires direct contact between the operator and the food
article.
[0010] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is a
packaging apparatus and method for bagging a food article, which
includes, but not limited to, for example, elongated boneless cuts
of meat such as boneless pork loins, beef tenderloins and the like
that minimizes manual handling of the food article and reduces the
likelihood of contamination of the food article.
[0011] Another object is to provide such a packaging apparatus and
method that reduces the likelihood that the seal area of the bag is
contaminated by the packaging process thereby reducing the
instances of incomplete or weak heat seals and poorly evacuated
bags.
[0012] Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus
and method that reduces the likelihood of employee repetitive
motion injuries and associated expense through the reduction in
direct product handling.
[0013] A further object is to provide such an apparatus and method
that increases productivity by reducing the likelihood of dropping
either a bag or the food article during the bagging process and
reduces the need for reworking or re-bagging the product.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] In the present invention, food articles, including, but not
limited to, boneless pork loins, beef tenderloins and the like, are
bagged in a completely automated process that reduces or even
eliminates the problem of contamination of both the food article
and the seal area of the bag. Contamination by manual handling is
minimized by limiting operator contact with the food article. This
is accomplished, in part, by moving the product onto an infeed
conveyor belt using a meat hook. Once on the infeed conveyor, the
product is oriented in transit so that its longitudinal axis is
straight and generally parallel to the direction of conveyor
travel.
[0015] The infeed conveyor moves the product to a receiving station
where the product is laid into a product tray in a manner that
maintains the product orientation. In this respect, the product
tray is disposed below the conveyor and moves at a selected speed
relative to the speed of the conveyor. The speed of the product
tray is selected so that an elongated food article that drops from
the end of the conveyor is laid into the moving product tray
without disturbing the longitudinal orientation of the product.
Preferably, the speeds of conveyor and product trays are
coordinated to move at substantially the same speed. However, it
should be understood that for design or operational considerations
it may be necessary to move the product tray slightly faster or
slower than the conveyor to ensure that the longitudinal
orientation of the elongated product is maintained.
[0016] As the food article is being laid into the product tray, an
elongated bag is moved into a position at a bag loading station
downstream of the product tray. At the bag loading station, air is
directed at the relatively narrow bag mouth to open the bag. A bag
scoop then moves into the bag and expands radially to hold the
relatively narrow bag mouth open at the bag loading station. The
presence of the bag scoop in the bag mouth protects the bag seal
area and prevents contamination of the bag seal area by contact
with the food article passing into the bag.
[0017] With the bag mouth held open by the bag scoop, the product
tray and its contents are advanced to a downstream product delivery
station. The path of travel of the product tray to the product
delivery station passes through the bag scoop at the bag loading
station so that both the product tray and the food article on the
tray pass into the bag. As the product tray continues to advance
from the bag loading station towards the delivery station, the
product tray engages the bottom of the bag and strips the bag off
the bag scoop. Movement of the product tray continues to the
delivery station so that a space is created between the open end of
the bag and the bag scoop.
[0018] Once the bag is removed from the bag scoop, a stripper moves
transversely into a position behind the product. The direction of
the product tray is reversed so that the bag and its contents are
carried against the stripper. The stripper stops the return
movement of the bag and its contents while the product tray
continues its return motion. This causes the bag and the food
article within the bag to slide off of the product tray and onto an
outfeed conveyor. The outfeed conveyor then conveys the bagged
product to a conventional heat sealing station where the bag is
evacuated and the bag mouth is heat sealed.
[0019] Accordingly, the apparatus of the present invention may be
characterized in one aspect thereof by an apparatus for packaging
food article comprising:
[0020] a) a longitudinal frame having an inlet end, an outlet end,
a product receiving station, a bag loading station and a product
delivery station;
[0021] b) wherein the longitudinal frame comprises a means to
transport at least one food article thereon comprising a food
article receiving end and a food article discharge end;
[0022] c) wherein the product receiving station comprises a
horizontal product tray having a longitudinal axis and adapted to
receive the food article from the food discharge end; wherein the
product tray is adapted to both deliver the food article into a
flexible bag and retract from the flexible bag; wherein the product
receiving station is adapted to position the food article such that
the longest dimension of the food article has an orientation
substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the product tray
when the food article is received onto the product tray; and
[0023] d) wherein the bag loading station is adapted to receive and
open the flexible bag; and
[0024] e) wherein the product delivery station comprises a means
for the food article to remain in the flexible bag when the product
tray is retracted from the flexible bag.
[0025] In its method aspect, the present invention may be
characterized by a method for packaging a food article
comprising:
[0026] a) orienting a food article on a moving conveyor with the
product longitudinal axis extending along the conveyor longitudinal
axis;
[0027] b) moving a product tray below the conveyor in the direction
of the conveyor longitudinal axis;
[0028] c) laying the food article from an end of the conveyor and
into the product tray while moving the conveyor and the product
tray at a speed selected to maintain the longitudinal orientation
of the product; and thereafter
[0029] d) bagging the elongated food article.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing components of the
apparatus of the present invention at a start position.
[0031] FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 only showing selected
components on a larger scale at a later stage of operation.
[0032] FIGS. 3 and 4 are views showing steps in the bag opening
operation.
[0033] FIG. 5 is a view taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4.
[0034] FIG. 6 shows a food article at a receiving station of the
apparatus.
[0035] FIGS. 7-10 show steps of loading the food article into a
bag.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0036] Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows the apparatus of the
present invention generally indicated at 10. The apparatus includes
a frame, portions of which are shown at 12. The frame is arranged
along an elongated axis from an inlet end 14 to an outlet end 16
and includes an upstream product receiving station 18, an
intermediate bag loading station 20 and a downstream product
delivery station 22.
[0037] Disposed on the frame is an infeed conveyor 24 arranged to
deliver a food article 26 to the receiving station 18. The food
article is an elongated flaccid muscle such as a boneless pork
loin, beef tenderloin or the like,
[0038] Associated with the conveyor are elongated upright product
guides 28 that extend in the conveyor direction. The guides 28 are
spaced apart and converge towards the receiving station 18.
Accordingly, an elongated food article 26 on the conveyor and
feeding into the space between the guides, while in transit,
assumes an axial alignment relative to the longitudinal axis of the
frame at the delivery end 30 of the conveyor.
[0039] Beneath the conveyor is a product tray 32. The product tray
is long enough to accommodate the full length of the food article
and is an extension of an arm 34. The arm is attached to a carriage
36 that rides on a pair of rails 38. The carriage, in turn, is
connected to a timing belt 40 driven by a motor 42. The motor and
timing belt provide a drive means for moving the carriage along the
rails such that the product tray 32 passes through the bag loading
station 20 when moving between the upstream receiving station 18
and the downstream product delivery station 22.
[0040] Located at the bag loading station 20 is a taped bag feeder
generally indicated at 41. The bag feeder is conventional and known
in the art. It is sufficient for purposes of the present invention
to say that the bag feeder 41 includes a supply of imbricated bags
44 releaseably held by at least two strands of tape 46 equally
spaced from the center of the bag. A mechanism in the bag feeder
pulls the tape to draw the bags one after another from a carton
(not shown) and across a table 48 with the bag mouth oriented
towards the inlet end 14. Individual bags are removed from the tape
and the spent strands of tape are wound on take-up reels 50 (only
one being shown). While the bag is on the table, one or more air
nozzles 52 each directs a stream of air towards the bag mouth to
open the bag held on the tape.
[0041] Suspended over the table 48 and the taped bag feeder 41 is a
bag scoop device generally indicated at 54. The bag scoop device is
oriented facing the outlet end 16 and includes spaced opposite
scoop pans 56 (only one shown in FIG. 1). A scoop flap 58 is
pivotally connected in the space between the pans. A
vertically-oriented pneumatic cylinder 60 carried by the scoop
device operates the flap in that extension of the cylinder moves
the downstream end of the flap upwardly and the retraction of the
cylinder depresses the downstream end of the scoop flap to the
position shown in FIG. 1.
[0042] The bag scoop device 54 is connected to a pair of linear
shafts 61 and is activated by a pneumatic cylinder 62 grounded to
the frame 12. Operation of the cylinder 62 moves the linear shafts
and the bag scoop 54 in a direction towards and away from the
outlet end 16. In this respect a full extension of the cylinder 62
locates the bag scoop towards the inlet end 14 or to the right as
viewed in FIG. 1. Retraction of the cylinder 62 moves the bag scoop
54 and the linear shafts in two steps to the left as viewed in FIG.
1. There first is movement to an intermediate position that locates
the bag scoop over the table 48 and then there is movement to an
end position that locates the bag scoop farther towards the
left.
[0043] Completing the structure at the product delivery station 22
are a product stripper 64 attached to a vertically oriented
pneumatic cylinder 66 that is grounded to the frame 12 and an
outfeed conveyor 68.
[0044] In operation, an operator simply lays the elongated food
article 26 on the infeed conveyor 24. As noted above, the food
article is elongated and flaccid in that it has little or no
longitudinal rigidity. For example, if one end is lifted, the
opposite end would remain on the conveyor; if one end is pushed
longitudinally, the opposite end might not move and the product
would simply bend to a C-shape or S-shape. The intent is to package
the product in an elongated bag that has a diameter not much
greater than the food article. Accordingly, the food article must
be longitudinally aligned with the bag and delivered axially into
the bag.
[0045] Longitudinal alignment is started by the guides 28. In this
respect, the conveyor 24 carries the food article between the
guides 28 and towards the product receiving station 18. As the food
article is carried through the ever narrowing space between the
guides, the guides center the product and urge it to an orientation
aligned along the longitudinal axis of the frame 12.
[0046] FIG. 2 shows the food article 26 emerging from between the
guides 28 at the outlet end 70 of the conveyor 24. The outlet end
is inclined so that the food article begins a decent down the
incline. FIG. 2 also shows the product tray 32 in its home position
located directly below the inclined outlet end 70 and extending
slightly out from under the end of the conveyor.
[0047] As also shown in FIG. 2, an elongated bag 44a is disposed
across the table 48 at the bag loading station 20. The bag 44a is
one of a number of conventional imbricated bags 44b, 44c, etc.,
releaseably adhered to tapes 46 as described above. In a
conventional manner, the bags are drawn from a bag supply (not
shown) by pulling tapes 46 with the tape take-up reels 50 (only one
being shown). As a first bag 44a is advanced across the table, the
take-up reels stop. At some point, preferably while the product
tray is at its home position, a stream of air from the air nozzle
52 strikes the bag mouth 72 and the bag opens.
[0048] With the bag mouth open, cylinder 62 is operated to retract
the cylinder for part of its stroke so as to draw the bag scoop
device 54 linearly to the left to an intermediate position. This
carries the two scoop pans 56 and the scoop flap 58 into the open
mouth of the bag (FIG. 3). Once in this position, the scoop flap
cylinder 60 is activated to rotate the scoop flap 58 about a pivot
connection 74 to the position shown in FIG. 4. When pivoted to the
FIG. 4 position, the scoop flap engages and stretches the bag mouth
about the scoop pans 56 to a full open position (FIG. 5).
Stretching the bag mouth allows the bag scoop device to apply a
holding grip to the inside of the bag. The scoop pans and scoop
flap also protect the inner surface of the bag mouth from contact
with the food article as further described hereinbelow.
[0049] After the bag mouth is firmly gripped and opened by the bag
scoop device 54, cylinder 62 is retracted farther to the left for
the remainder of its stroke. This pulls the bag 44a off the tape
46, and the taped bag feeder 41 is again activated to draw the next
bag 44b across the table 28.
[0050] As noted above, the operating cycle of the product tray 32
begins when the food article is detected at the end of the infeed
conveyor. At this point the product tray is in its home position as
shown in FIG. 2 located beneath and extending slightly out from
under the end of the conveyor 24. Sensors (not shown) are located
to detect when the product tray is at its home position beneath the
end of the conveyor. The infeed conveyor is activated to advance a
product down the inclined portion 70 and off the infeed conveyor.
As the product advances down the inclined portion of the conveyor,
the motor 42 is activated. This moves the timing belt 40 so as to
drive carriage 36 to the left as viewed in FIG. 2, and this moves
the product tray 32 towards the product receiving station 18 as the
product drops off the inclined portion of the conveyor.
[0051] The forward motion of the carriage and the infeed conveyor
movement preferably are selected so that as the food article drops
off the conveyor, it is laid into the product tray without
disturbing the longitudinal orientation of the food article. In
this respect, the speed of the conveyor and product tray preferably
are synchronized so the product tray 32 moves forward at
substantially the same speed as the infeed conveyor and delivers
the food article off the conveyor. In some cases, it may be
necessary to move the product tray faster or slower than the
conveyor to achieve this result. In any event, the result of the
speed selection of the conveyor and product tray is that as the
food article drops off the end of the conveyor, the product is laid
into the product tray 32 in a manner that maintains the
longitudinal orientation of the product as it is laid into the
product tray (see FIG. 6).
[0052] The product tray 32 continues its forward motion after
receiving the product until it (and the food article 26 on the
tray) enter the bag that is being held open by the scoop pans 56
and scoop flap 58 as shown in FIG. 7.
[0053] As mentioned hereinabove, the position of the scoop pans and
scoop flap protect the inside surface of the bag from contact with
the food article entering the bag. As shown in FIG. 5, the scoop
pans 56 and the flap 58 protect a large portion of the bag surface.
The portion of the bag surface left exposed in FIG. 5 is towards
the underside of the bag. However, this portion of the bag surface
is protected by the product tray entering the bag. The inner
surface of the bag adjacent to the bag mouth comprises the seal
area of the bag so little or no portion of this seal area comes in
contact with the food article. Accordingly, there is no
contamination of this area by fat, blood or other meat juices.
Since the seal area is left uncontaminated, the prospects for
making a good heat seal are improved, and the likelihood of a poor
or intermittent heat seal is reduced.
[0054] The product tray 32 continues to advance even after making
contact with the closed end of the bag. This pulls the bag off the
bag scoop device 54 as shown in FIG. 8 and delivers the bag and
product to the product delivery station 22 over the outfeed
conveyor 68. The forward advance of the product tray stops at this
point.
[0055] As shown in FIG. 9, the stripper 64 then is extended
downward by the activation of the cylinder 66 (FIG. 1) into the
product tray at a position behind the product 26. Once the stripper
is in position, the carriage 36 is reversed by a change in
direction of the drive motor 42. This draws the product tray 32 to
the right as shown in the FIGS. 9-10. However, the location of the
stripper 64 behind the product prevents the product and the bag
from moving. The result, as shown in FIG. 10, is that the product
tray 32 slides out from under the food article. This allows the bag
and the food article within the bag, together referred to as the
"bagged product," to be deposited on the outfeed conveyor 68.
[0056] As the product tray returns to its start position, the
outfeed conveyor carries the bagged product to an evacuator/heat
sealer (not shown). The cylinders 60 and 66 return to their home
positions so the product stripper 64 and the scoop flap 58 are
returned to the position as shown in FIG. 1. Cylinder 62 also
returns the bag scoop device 54 to its home position.
[0057] At this point, the process repeats, and the next food
article coming down the inclined portion of the conveyor is laid
into the product tray. However, it should be noted that the next
loading cycle should not commence until the previous cycle is
complete; otherwise, the loading machine may jam. Accordingly, if a
food article begins a decent down the inclined portion of the
conveyor prior to the completion of a given loading cycle, a sensor
(not shown) is located to detect the leading edge of a food article
on the conveyor. If the leading edge is detected before the
previous cycle is complete, the sensor will cause the conveyor to
stop. This stoppage continues until an indication is received that
the previous cycle is complete and the product tray is again at its
home position.
[0058] Accordingly, it should be appreciated that the present
invention accomplishes its intended objects in providing an
apparatus and method for packaging elongated boneless pieces of
meat such as boneless pork loins, beef tenderloins and the like
that minimizes manual handling of the food article and reduces the
likelihood of contamination of the food article. The packaging
apparatus and method of the present invention operates to orient an
elongated food article in the direction of its longitudinal axis
and maintains this orientation while the product is transferred
from an infeed conveyor to a product loading device that inserts
the product into an elongated bag.
[0059] The apparatus and method further reduces the likelihood that
the seal area of the bag will be contaminated by the packaging
process, thereby reducing the instances of incomplete or weak heat
seals or poorly evacuated bags. The present invention further
increases productivity by reducing the likelihood of dropping
either a bag or the food article when inserting the product into an
elongated bag comparable in size to the food article. The invention
also reduces the chance of repetitive motion injuries to
workers.
* * * * *