U.S. patent application number 13/658442 was filed with the patent office on 2014-04-24 for bulk feeding system and method.
This patent application is currently assigned to Multi-Fill, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is MULTI-FILL, INC.. Invention is credited to Byron D Larson, Richard T Price.
Application Number | 20140110437 13/658442 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49546633 |
Filed Date | 2014-04-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140110437 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Price; Richard T ; et
al. |
April 24, 2014 |
Bulk Feeding System and Method
Abstract
A bulk product feeding system includes a product hopper, having
a sloped bottom, a front side, and an outlet located at a lowermost
confluence of the sloped bottom and the front side, the hopper
being configured to receive and hold a bulk quantity of sticky or
fragile product. A first sloped ram is reciprocally disposed in the
bottom of the hopper, and configured to reciprocate toward and away
from the outlet. A second, substantially vertical ram is
reciprocally disposed on the front side of the hopper, and
configured to reciprocate toward and away from the outlet and the
first ram. Motion of the first and second rams is coordinated to
controllably discharge the product through the outlet.
Inventors: |
Price; Richard T; (Lehi,
UT) ; Larson; Byron D; (South Jordan, UT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
MULTI-FILL, INC. |
West Jordan |
UT |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Multi-Fill, Inc.
West Jordan
UT
|
Family ID: |
49546633 |
Appl. No.: |
13/658442 |
Filed: |
October 23, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/196 ;
222/372; 222/502 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 37/16 20130101;
B65D 88/66 20130101; B65G 65/44 20130101; B65B 37/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
222/196 ;
222/502; 222/372 |
International
Class: |
B65D 88/66 20060101
B65D088/66 |
Claims
1. A bulk product feeding system, comprising: a product hopper,
having a sloped bottom, a front side, and an outlet located at a
lowermost confluence of the sloped bottom and the front side, the
hopper being configured to receive and hold a bulk quantity of
sticky or fragile product; a first, sloped ram, reciprocally
disposed in the bottom of the hopper, configured to reciprocate
toward and away from the outlet; and a second, substantially
vertical ram, reciprocally disposed on the front side of the
hopper, configured to reciprocate toward and away from the outlet
and the first ram, motion of the first and second rams being
coordinated to controllably discharge the product through the
outlet.
2. A bulk product feeding system in accordance with claim 1,
wherein the first and second rams have a dynamically adjustable
speed and stroke length.
3. A bulk product feeding system in accordance with claim 1,
wherein the first ram has a maximum stroke length that is about
4''.
4. A bulk product feeding system in accordance with claim 1,
wherein the first and second rams have an extended position of
mutual contact which blocks the outlet.
5. A bulk product feeding system in accordance with claim 1,
wherein the bottom of the product hopper is sloped at an angle of
from about 35.degree. to about 45.degree..
6. A bulk product feeding system in accordance with claim 1,
further comprising: first and second actuators, coupled to the
first and second rams, respectively; and a controller, coupled to
the first and second actuators, configured to coordinate reciprocal
motion of the first and second rams to dynamically control a size
of the outlet and a rate of discharge of the product
therethrough.
7. A bulk product feeding system in accordance with claim 6,
wherein at least one of the first and second actuators include a
vibrational device, configured to vibrate the respective ram.
8. A bulk product feeding system in accordance with claim 7,
wherein the vibrational device is configured to vibrate at a rate
of about 0 to 60 Hz.
9. A bulk product feeding system in accordance with claim 1,
wherein the first ram is configured to reciprocate at a rate of up
to about 60 cycles per minute.
10. A bulk product feeding system in accordance with claim 1,
wherein the first ram comprises a pair of sloped rams, reciprocally
disposed in the bottom of the hopper, configured to independently
reciprocate toward and away from the outlet.
11. A bulk product feeding system, comprising: a product hopper,
having a sloped bottom, a front wall, and an outlet located at a
lower confluence of the sloped bottom and the front wall, the
hopper being configured to receive and hold a bulk quantity of
sticky or fragile product; a pair of sloped rams, positioned in the
bottom of the hopper, configured to independently reciprocate
toward and away from the outlet; a substantially vertical ram,
disposed on the front wall, configured to reciprocate toward and
away from the outlet, the sloped rams and the vertical ram having
an extended position of mutual contact which blocks the outlet; and
a controller, coupled to the sloped rams and the vertical ram,
configured to selectively retract and extend the sloped rams and
the vertical ram to selectively block or unblock the outlet.
12. A bulk product feeding system in accordance with claim 11,
wherein the sloped rams have a dynamically adjustable speed and
stroke length.
13. A bulk product feeding system in accordance with claim 11,
wherein the bottom of the product hopper is sloped at an angle of
from about 35.degree. to about 45.degree..
14. A bulk product feeding system in accordance with claim 11,
further comprising a vibrational device, associated with at least
one of the first and second rams, configured to vibrate the
associated ram to resist clogging of the product.
15. A bulk product feeding system in accordance with claim 11,
further comprising a sensor, configured to measure a discharge rate
of product dispensed from the outlet, the controller being
configured to adjust at least one of a position, speed and stroke
length of motion of at least one of the sloped rams and the
vertical ram in response to the discharge rate in order to attain a
desired discharge rate.
16. A method for controllably dispensing a bulk product,
comprising: placing a bulk quantity of sticky or fragile product
into a hopper having a front wall, a sloped bottom, and an outlet
located at a lower confluence of the front wall and the sloped
bottom; and reciprocating a first sloped ram disposed in the bottom
of the hopper, and a second substantially vertical ram disposed on
the front wall, to selectively open or close the outlet opening, to
control a size of the outlet and a rate of discharge of the product
therethrough.
17. A method in accordance with claim 16, further comprising:
measuring a discharge rate of product dispensed from the outlet;
and adjusting at least one of a speed and stroke length of motion
of at least one of the sloped ram and the vertical ram in response
to the discharge rate.
18. A method in accordance with claim 16, further comprising the
step of vibrating at least one of the sloped ram and the vertical
ram.
19. A method in accordance with claim 16, further comprising:
placing the product dispensed from the outlet into an inlet of a
product measuring and dispensing machine; and dispensing measured
quantities of the product into product containers.
20. A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein the step of
reciprocating the first sloped ram comprises independently
reciprocating a pair of sloped rams, disposed in the bottom of the
hopper.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to equipment for
handling bulk food products and other fragile bulk products. More
specifically, the present disclosure relates to a bulk feeding
system that is adapted to handle bulk cooked food products and the
like.
[0003] 2. Background
[0004] In food packaging operations, bulk products such as cooked
noodles, rice, etc. are frequently transported from the cooking
facilities to the packaging facilities via a large container (e.g.
a 300 liter "bucket") and dumped into the inlet of a portioning and
packaging machine. This machine divides the bulk product into
individual portions and places the portions into packages. This
sort of operation is widely used for packaging frozen entres and
the like.
[0005] Many mechanical bulk product portioning and packaging
machines cannot receive large quantities of the product all at
once, especially where the product is sticky or fragile. This is
because of the nature of the products and of bulk product
transporting machines. Bulk product transport machines generally
include a large hopper into which the product is dumped, with a
transport mechanism such as a conveyor or auger at the bottom, to
which all product is directed, and which draws the product at some
desired rate out of the hopper.
[0006] Unfortunately, sticky products can bridge across the narrow
neck of a hopper, causing the auger or conveyor to "tunnel" through
the bottom of the product, thus stopping the flow. This sort of
condition requires constant worker attention, which increases the
cost of packaging and handling the product. Augers and similar
devices can also be damaging to fragile products, and can be
dangerous to operators.
[0007] Additionally, some product feeding systems can create
pressure on the product during operation, and may require frequent
adjustment of discharge openings and the like to keep the product
flowing, especially in view of changes in the product during a
normal batch process and changes in the product from batch to
batch. It can also be difficult to control the pressure on the
product.
[0008] The present disclosure is directed toward addressing one or
more of the aforementioned issues.
SUMMARY
[0009] It has been recognized that it would be advantageous to
develop a product dispensing system that can receive product in
relatively large quantities at spaced apart intervals, and dispense
the product at a much lower controlled rate.
[0010] It has also been recognized that it would be advantageous to
have a product dispensing system that is resistant to bridging and
clogging of product within a product hopper.
[0011] It has also been recognized that it would be advantageous to
have a product dispensing system that is gentle to fragile
products, such as food products, and avoids compressing the
product.
[0012] In accordance with one embodiment thereof, this disclosure
provides a bulk product feeding system, including a product hopper,
having a sloped bottom, a front side, and an outlet located at a
lowermost confluence of the sloped bottom and the front side, the
hopper being configured to receive and hold a bulk quantity of
sticky or fragile product. A first sloped ram is reciprocally
disposed in the bottom of the hopper, and configured to reciprocate
toward and away from the outlet. A second, substantially vertical
ram is reciprocally disposed on the front side of the hopper, and
configured to reciprocate toward and away from the outlet and the
first ram. Motion of the first and second rams is coordinated to
controllably discharge the product through the outlet.
[0013] In one particular embodiment, the bottom of the hopper can
be sloped at an angle of from about 35.degree. to about 45.degree..
In another particular embodiment, the first ram can comprise a pair
of rams, configured to independently reciprocate in the bottom of
the hopper. In yet another more specific embodiment, a controller
is coupled to the first and second rams, and is configured to
coordinate reciprocal motion of the first and second rams to
dynamically control a size of the outlet and a rate of discharge of
the product therethrough. Another specific embodiment includes a
sensor, configured to measure a discharge rate of product dispensed
from the outlet, the controller being configured to adjust at least
one of a position, speed, frequency and stroke length of motion of
at least one of the first and second rams in response to the
discharge rate in order to attain a desired discharge rate.
[0014] In accordance with another embodiment thereof, the
disclosure provides a bulk product feeding system having a product
hopper, having a sloped bottom and a front wall, a pair of sloped
rams, positioned in the bottom of the hopper, a substantially
vertical ram, disposed on the front wall, and a controller, coupled
to the sloped rams and the vertical ram. The hopper is configured
to receive and hold a bulk quantity of sticky or fragile product
and includes an outlet located at a lower confluence of the sloped
bottom and the front wall. The pair of sloped rams and the
substantially vertical ram are configured to independently
reciprocate toward and away from the outlet, the sloped rams and
the vertical ram having an extended position of mutual contact
which blocks the outlet. The controller is configured to
selectively retract and extend the sloped rams and the vertical ram
to selectively block or unblock the outlet.
[0015] In accordance with another embodiment thereof, the
disclosure provides a method for controllably dispensing a bulk
product. The method includes the steps of placing a bulk quantity
of sticky or fragile product into a hopper having a front wall, a
sloped bottom, and an outlet located at a lower confluence of the
front wall and the sloped bottom, and reciprocating a first sloped
ram disposed in the bottom of the hopper, and a second
substantially vertical ram disposed on the front wall, to
selectively open or close the outlet opening, to control a size of
the outlet and a rate of discharge of the product therethrough.
[0016] The invention will now be described more fully with
reference to the accompanying drawings, which are intended to be
read in conjunction with both this summary, the detailed
description, and any preferred or particular embodiments
specifically discussed or otherwise disclosed. This disclosure may,
however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be
construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather,
these embodiments are provided by way of illustration only so that
this disclosure will be thorough, and fully convey the full scope
of the invention to those skilled in the art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] Additional features and advantages of the invention will be
apparent from the detailed description which follows, taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which together
illustrate, by way of example, features of the invention, and
wherein:
[0018] FIG. 1 is an illustration of one embodiment of a product
packaging system incorporating a bulk feeding system in accordance
with the present disclosure
[0019] FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of one embodiment of a bulk
feeding system in accordance with the present disclosure,
incorporated in a single unit with an upwardly inclined product
conveyor and a product portioning device;
[0020] FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the bulk feeding
hopper of FIG. 2;
[0021] FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the bulk feeding hopper
of FIG. 2, showing the bottom rams and the front vertical ram;
[0022] FIG. 5 is a side, cross-sectional view of the bulk feeding
hopper of FIG. 2, showing the bottom ram and front ram extended
forward to block the outlet of the hopper;
[0023] FIG. 6 is a side, cross-sectional view of the bulk feeding
hopper of FIG. 2, showing the bottom ram and front ram retracted to
open the outlet of the hopper; and
[0024] FIG. 7 is an illustration of another embodiment of a product
packaging system incorporating a bulk feeding system in accordance
with the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] Reference will now be made to exemplary embodiments
illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used
herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood
that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby
intended. Alterations and further modifications of the inventive
features illustrated herein, and additional applications of the
principles of the inventions as illustrated herein, which would
occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of
this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the
invention.
[0026] As noted above, some product feeding systems can create
pressure on the product during operation, which can be difficult to
control, and can present difficulty keeping the product flowing in
given changes in the characteristics of the product, such as
changes in temperature, moisture content, viscosity, etc. These
changes can occur during a given batch or from batch to batch.
Because of these and other issues, some systems involve significant
maintenance and oversight during operation.
[0027] Advantageously, a bulk feeding system has been developed
that allows sticky or fragile products, such as food products, to
be loaded in bulk into a feed hopper for a product packaging
system, and which avoids or reduces some problems, such as
tunneling and damage to the product, pressure increases and flow
issues, etc., that are common with some bulk product transport
devices. One embodiment of a bulk feeding system 10 is shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2. This system includes a product hopper 12 that can be
positioned to discharge product 30 into an inlet hopper 80 of a
sloped product conveyor 82 that feeds the product 30 into an inlet
70 of a product portioning machine 72. The product portioning
machine 72 discharges product 30 into containers 74 that are
sequentially moved past the outlet of the product portioning
machine on a a conveyor 76. A bin hoist (described below) can be
used to lift and dump the product into the hopper 12 of the bulk
feeding system 10.
[0028] More detailed views of one embodiment of the hopper 12 are
provided in FIGS. 3 and 4. The hopper 12 includes a sloped bottom
14, a front side 16, and an outlet opening 18 located at a
lowermost confluence of the sloped bottom 14 and the front side 16.
The hopper also includes sidewalls 20 that can be sloped and spaced
apart by a distance sufficient to resist bridging of the product.
The bottom 14 of the product hopper 12 is sloped toward the outlet
opening 18 to help assist in discharging product. The bottom of the
hopper can be sloped at any angle within a wide range of angles,
and can include multiple slopes. It will be apparent that a
desirable slope for the bottom of the hopper can depend on the
nature of the product that is to be discharged, and the selected
slope can be the steepest that is desired for any product, for
example. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the upper portion
of the bottom 14 of the hopper is sloped at an angle of about
45.degree. but other angles can also be used.
[0029] The system 10 includes at least one reciprocal ram 22 in the
bottom of the hopper 12. As best viewed in FIG. 4, a pair of rams
22 can be disposed in the sloped bottom of the hopper, and are
powered by pneumatic air cylinders 24, 26 (shown most clearly in
FIGS. 5 and 6) to independently, slidingly reciprocate back and
forth in the bottom of the hopper 12, toward and away from the
outlet opening 18, as indicated by arrow 28. While two rams 22 are
shown in the embodiment of FIG. 4, it is to be appreciated that
this system 10 can be configured with only one ram in the bottom,
or more than two rams can be used. In the embodiment shown in FIG.
4, the upper portion of the bottom 14 of the hopper is sloped at an
angle of about 45.degree. and the rams 22 in the bottom of the
hopper 12 are oriented at an angle of about 35.degree. relative to
the horizontal.
[0030] Another, substantially vertical ram 32 is reciprocally
disposed on the front side 16 of the hopper 12, and is powered by a
pneumatic cylinder 52. Like the rams 22 in the bottom of the hopper
12, this vertical ram 32 is configured to reciprocate toward and
away from the outlet opening 18, as indicated by arrow 54. The
sloped rams 22 and vertical ram 32 have front ends 36, 38,
respectively, that can draw together to substantially completely
block the outlet opening 18, or open it any desired amount. The
vertical ram 32 can be used to close the outlet opening 18
completely, and thereby prevent flowable product from flowing out.
The outlet opening 18 is thus created by the position of the bottom
rams and the vertical ram. The gate opening can be from 0'' to 5''
depending on product requirements. Where food products are to be
dispensed, the bulk feeder 10 (e.g. the hopper, rams, etc.) can be
made of food grade acceptable stainless steels and plastics.
[0031] Motion of the rams 22, 32 is shown most clearly in FIGS. 5
and 6. The rams can be powered in a variety of ways. In the
embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1-6, the rams are powered by
bi-directional pneumatic cylinders 24, 26 and 52, which can cause
the rams to extend or retract as indicated by arrows 28 and 54. The
pneumatic air cylinders 24, 26 and 52 can be multi-stroke air
cylinders, and function as actuators for the rams, independently
controlling the movement of all of the rams 22, 32. The motion of
the rams 22, 32 can be coordinated by a computerized
electromechanical controller (not shown), which can be housed in a
cabinet (56 in FIGS. 2, 4) that is attached to the bulk feeding
system 10. Compressed air is provided to the pneumatic cylinders
via air lines (not shown), under control of the system controller.
The air supply can be controlled to allow the direction, speed,
stroke length and other aspects of the motion of the rams 22, 32 to
be very accurately controlled. The controller can be configured to
coordinate reciprocal motion of the rams 22, 32 to control the size
of the outlet 18 and a rate of discharge of the product
therethrough. This allows the product to be loaded into the hopper
in large batches (which may not be uniform in volume), and
discharged from the bulk feeding system at a lower, controlled
rate.
[0032] A product discharge sensor 58 can be positioned adjacent to
the outlet 18 to sense the rate of discharge from the hopper 12.
This can be an optical sensor that provides to the controller a
signal indicating that product is or is not flowing from the outlet
18. When low or no product output is detected, the controller can
be programmed to retract one or more of the rams 22, 32 to increase
the outlet opening, or take other action. If too much product is
being discharged, one or more of the rams 22, 32 can be extend to
restrict the outlet opening 18, for example.
[0033] The system shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 includes a mechanism for
sensing the position and motion of the rams 22, 32. The rams 22, 32
can have a dynamically adjustable speed and stroke length. For
example, the bottom rams 22 can have a maximum stroke length that
is about 4''. The front ram 32 can have a maximum stroke length
that is about 6''. In one embodiment, the bottom rams 22 and
vertical ram 32 are configured to reciprocate at a rate of up to
about 60 cycles/min, though higher reciprocation rates can also be
used. In another more specific embodiment, the bottom rams 22 and
vertical ram 32 are configured to reciprocate at a rate of up to
about 20 cycles/min. The controller can also be configured to
extend or retract any or all of the rams with a pulsatile motion,
if desired. This pulsatile motion imparts vibrational energy to the
respective rams, and can be applied with very long or very short
dwell times between pulses, if desired. The pulsatile motion can be
provided through the use of solenoid actuated valves associated
with the pneumatic cylinders, or other vibrational devices that
impart vibrational energy to the rams. The vibrational devices can
be configured to vibrate at a rate of about 0 to 60 Hz. Pulsatile
motion can be desirable for inducing vibration into the product to
prevent sticking, encourage loosening, etc. This can be
particularly useful for the bottom rams 22, so as to loosen sticky
product and promote discharge of the product through the outlet 18.
A wide variety of other motions of the rams can also be provided.
For example, a different frequency of vibration or pulsatile motion
can be used for forward versus reverse motion of the rams.
[0034] In typical use, a relatively large quantity of product 30 is
dumped into the inlet of the hopper 12 from some sort of conveyance
container. The conveyance container can be part of a bin hoist, for
example. Bin hoists are frequently used in the food packaging
industry for transporting batches of food product from a kitchen to
the product packaging area. One type of bin hoist 34 is shown in
FIG. 7. The bin hoist includes a base 36 having wheels or casters
38, with a vertical mast 40 attached to the base. A handle 41 is
attached to the mast to allow a user to roll the hoist to a desired
location. A bin 42 for containing bulk product 44 (shown in dashed
lines) is attached to the mast, and can be moved from a lower
position, shown at 46, to a raised position (shown in dashed lines
at 48). The bin 42 is usually held at the lower position when it is
desired to move the bin hoist to another location. When at the
desired location, the bin is hoisted up the mast (e.g. via a hand
crank or via a power winch mechanism) to the raised position, at
which the bin can be rotated, as shown at 50, to allow the user to
dump the product into the hopper 12.
[0035] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the rams 22 and 32 can be
retracted or extended independently at a controlled rate to
discharge product from the hopper 12. When one of the rams 22, 32
retracts (i.e. pulls away from the outlet opening 18), the size of
the opening increases and bulk product 30 falls out of the hopper
12. If product drops out of the hopper 12 too rapidly, one or more
of the rams 22, 32 can be extended forward, thus restricting the
size of the outlet 18. In this way the likelihood of pressure
buildup in the product is reduced because of the geometry of the
hopper 12. Advantageously, the bottom rams 22 do not push the
product into a vertical wall at the front end of the hopper 12.
Instead, the bottom rams 22 move the product forward (down), so
that it can it fall out of the opening 18.
[0036] The size, shape and configuration of the rams 22, 32 can
vary. In one embodiment, the top surfaces of the rams are flat and
smooth so that the rams can slide beneath the product in the hopper
when it moves. It is possible that some products may tend to stick
to the top of the rams 22 as they reciprocate. Accordingly, the
hopper 12 can be configured so that the rams 22 retract into a
pocket having a top edge 86, so that fixed structure of the hopper
provides a scraping function during refraction of a given ram,
pushing any sticking product forward. If desired, the surfaces of
the rams 22 and 32 can be provided with a non-stick surface or
coating (e.g. PTFE or Teflon.RTM.) to help reduce sticking of
product. The rams can be configured in a variety of ways. For
example, the front end 38 of the bottom rams 22 can be stepped or
rounded or sloped, or configured in other ways to assist in product
discharge. The rams 22can vary in size from about 1'' high to about
6'' high, for example, depending upon the product flow and desired
feed rate. Other ram sizes can also be used. The rams can move full
strokes or 1'' combinations at the front or back end of the stroke,
for example. Other stroke motion patterns or combinations can also
be used. Different stroke patterns can be referred to as "gears."
The controller can be programmed to adjust the opening and stroke
pattern based on feedback from the product discharge sensor 58
until the correct flow is obtained. For very flowable products the
outlet opening can be small, and small ram strokes can be used. For
relatively non-flowable products, the outlet opening can be large,
and large ram strokes can be used.
[0037] A given bulk feeding system can be provided with multiple
rams of different sizes, allowing a user to interchange the rams at
will to use a different ram for a different product. The size of
the outlet opening and how much clearance is provided around the
forward face of the ram at maximum extension are factors that can
vary depending upon the nature of the product being discharged.
[0038] The size and shape and configuration of the hopper 12, and
other components of the bulk feeding system 10 can also vary. In
one embodiment, the hopper 12 holds a volume of about 90 gallons
(i.e. about 340 liters). As shown in FIG. 6, a product sensor 84
can be located in the hopper 12, and configured to provide a signal
to the controller when product is required. This can be a depth
sensor that extends downwardly into the hopper 12 to detect when
the hopper is at or near empty. This depth sensor can be a
conductivity sensor that measures the electrical conductivity of
the product whenever the product is in contact with the sensor. The
controller for the bulk feeding system 10 can be programmed such
that, when a sudden drop in conductivity occurs, the system
recognizes this as indicative of a product out condition. In such a
case, the system can be programmed to move the rams 22, 32 to close
the outlet 18, and send an indication to a worker to take
appropriate action, such as provide additional product. When
product is again sensed in the hopper 12, the system can reset and
retract the rams 22, 32 to begin to discharge product. This can
include adjusting the ram stokes in view of the signal from the
product discharge sensor 58, until a desired discharge rate is
attained.
[0039] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the outlet 18 of the hopper 12
can be located adjacent to an inlet hopper 80 of a sloped product
conveyor 82. Alternatively, the outlet 18 of the hopper 12 can be
positioned adjacent to a product conveyor onto which product falls
as it is discharged. This conveyor can be oriented substantially
perpendicular to the direction of motion of the rams 22, as shown
in FIG. 2, or it can be oriented to discharge parallel to the
direction of motion of the conveyor, as shown in FIG. 1, or
oriented in other ways.
[0040] Another exemplary installation of a bulk feeding system 10
is shown in FIG. 7. In this embodiment, the bulk feeding system 10
is elevated and positioned to discharge product onto a horizontal
conveyor 60. This conveyor in tummy feeds the product into an inlet
70 of a product portioning machine 72 that dispenses measured
portions of product into containers 74 on a conveyor 76.
Alternatively, the conveyor could transport the product to a
product distribution system that directs the product to multiple
product portioning machines. The use of a horizontal conveyor can
be desirable where the product includes liquid that it is desirable
to retain. For example, some food products include sauce or broth
that can tend to drip away during packaging. With the horizontal
conveyor 60 shown in FIG. 7, liquids are generally retained.
Additionally, a drip trough 78 can be positioned below the conveyor
to catch liquids that might drip from the conveyor. The drip trough
can be sloped to cause the liquids to drain into the inlet of the
product portioning machine.
[0041] The invention thus provides a system that dispenses bulk
products that may be sticky and/or fragile (e.g. not suitable for
auger or direct conveyor withdraw), and also allows the input of
large quantities, while dispensing small quantities at a controlled
rate. In various embodiments, the feeder can deliver product at a
rate of more than 4,000 lbs. per hour, depending upon the nature of
the product. The configuration of the hopper and ram prevents or
reduces compression and damage to the product, and prevents
bridging and sticking of the product, thus allowing large
quantities to be placed into the hopper while not requiring worker
attention to prevent clogs, etc. Additionally, the system can
automatically control the motion of the rams to control the rate of
dispensing of the product. Advantageously, this bulk feeding system
can be used in a wide variety of applications where it is desired
to take a bulk amount of product and feed it out at a controlled or
reduced rate. It can be used with a wide variety of filling
machines and production lines, for example, and is particularly
suited to fragile or sticky food products, such as cooked pasta and
the like.
[0042] It is to be understood that the various elements of the bulk
feeding system disclosed herein can be mixed and matched in many
combinations not specifically shown in the figures, and the present
disclosure is intended to cover such. Although the present
disclosure is described in terms of certain embodiments, other
embodiments will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art,
given the benefit of this disclosure, including embodiments that do
not provide all elements and features set forth herein, which are
also within the scope of this disclosure. It is to be understood
that other embodiments may be utilized, without departing from the
scope of the present disclosure.
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