Direct to container system with on-line weight control and associated method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10220969-B2
Application number	US-201313967181-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 14, 2013
Priority date	Aug 14, 2012
Publication date	Mar 5, 2019
Grant date	Mar 5, 2019

Abstract

Systems and methods for manufacturing and inserting a pre-determined number of material-filled pouches into containers are disclosed. A system includes a pouch providing system comprising a plurality of lanes, wherein each one of the plurality of lanes includes a pouch making machine and a hold-back structure. The system also includes a conveyor system structured and arranged to move a plurality of containers into alignment with the plurality of lanes. The system further includes a controller structured and arranged to control the hold-back structure in each one of the plurality of lanes such that the pre-determined pouches are inserted into the plurality of containers when the plurality of containers are aligned with the plurality of lanes.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A system for manufacturing and inserting a pre-determined number of material-filled pouches into containers, the system comprising:
a pouch providing system comprising a plurality of lanes, wherein each one of the plurality of lanes comprises a pouch making machine and a hold-back structure;
a conveyor system structured and arranged to move a plurality of containers into alignment with the plurality of lanes, the conveyor system comprising a carousel, an inclined ramp for guiding the containers into alignment with a plurality of funnel cups attached to the carousel, each funnel cup including an integrated carrier fork structured and arranged to engage a respective one of the plurality of containers as it progresses up the inclined ramp, and to carry the container; and
a controller structured and arranged to control the hold-back structure in each one of the plurality of lanes such that a predetermined number of pouches are inserted into each of the plurality of containers when the plurality of containers are aligned with the plurality of lanes.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the pouch making machines make the pouches at a substantially constant rate independent of a position of the plurality of containers; and
the pouches made by the pouch making machine in a respective one of the plurality of lanes are inserted directly into a respective container of the plurality of containers aligned with the respective lane.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein:
the hold-back structure is moveable between an open position and a closed position;
the open position permitting the pouches to be inserted into a respective container aligned with the respective lane; and
the closed position preventing the pouches from passing through the respective lane and causing the pouches to accumulate inside the respective lane while a full container is removed and an empty container is brought into alignment with the respective lane.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein:
the controller is structured and arranged to move the hold-back structure to the closed position when the conveyor system is moving the plurality of containers; and
the controller is structured and arranged to move the hold-back structure to the open position when the plurality of containers are aligned with the plurality of lanes.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a weigh station structured and arranged to detect a weight of each one of the plurality of containers after the pouches are inserted into the plurality of containers.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein:
the pouch making machine of each one of the plurality of lanes comprises a tobacco feeder structured and arranged to control an amount of tobacco that is included in each of the pouches made by the pouch making machine; and
the controller is structured and arranged to adjust an output of the tobacco feeder in a respective lane of the plurality of lanes based on the detected weight of one of the containers that was filled at the respective lane.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is structured and arranged to:
compare the detected weight of a respective container of the plurality of containers to a low threshold and a high threshold; and
reject the respective container when the detected weight is less than the low threshold or greater than the high threshold.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor system is structured and arranged to move the plurality of containers away from the plurality of lanes and into a tamping zone where tampers are structured and arranged to tamp the pouches inside of the plurality of containers.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor system is structured and arranged to simultaneously move the plurality of containers away from the plurality of lanes and move a second plurality of containers into alignment with the plurality of lanes.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the pouches include smokeless tobacco contained within a paper case; and
the containers comprise cylindrical containers structured and arranged to be sealed with a lid.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
each one of the plurality of lanes comprises a sampling structure and a transfer structure;
the transfer structure contains the hold-back structure; and
the sampling structure is moveable between a first position in which the pouches made in a respective lane of the plurality of lanes are directed to the transfer structure and a second position in which the pouches made in the respective lane are directed away from the transfer structure.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is structured and arranged to control movement of the plurality of containers by moving and stopping of the carousel.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein each funnel cup is solidly mounted to said carousel and does not pivot to engage the container.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of lanes comprises a count sensor structured and arranged to detect a count of the pouches released from the pouch providing system that are to be inserted into a respective one of the plurality of containers; and
the controller is structured and arranged to reject the respective container when the detected count does not equal the predetermined number.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the controller is structured and arranged to compare said count of released pouches to a detected number of pouch cutting operations and, if unequal, to reject the respective container.

16. A method for manufacturing and inserting material-filled pouches into containers, the method comprising:
engaging a plurality of containers with a conveyor system, the conveyor system comprising a carousel, an inclined ramp for guiding the plurality of containers into alignment with a plurality of funnel cups attached to the carousel, each funnel cup including an integrated carrier fork structured and arranged to engage a respective container of the plurality of containers as it progresses up the inclined ramp, and to carry the respective container;
simultaneously moving the plurality of containers into alignment with a corresponding plurality of pouch making machines;
inserting pouches directly from respective pouch making machines of the plurality of pouch making machines into respective containers of the plurality of containers;
individually weighing each one of the plurality of containers after the inserting; and
adjusting a rate of material supplied to a respective pouch making machine of the plurality of pouch making machines based on the weighing, wherein said adjustment of the rate changes an amount of material included in pouches made by the respective pouch making machine.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the adjusting the rate of material comprises adjusting a speed of a material feeder included in the respective pouch making machine exclusive of speeds of other material feeders included in other pouch making machines of the plurality of pouch making machines.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
comparing a detected weight of a respective container of the plurality of containers that received the pouches from the respective pouch making machine to a low threshold and a high threshold;
increasing a speed of the material feeder included in the respective pouch making machine when the detected weight is less than the low threshold; and
decreasing the speed of the material feeder included in the respective pouch making machine when the detected weight is greater than the high threshold.

Assignees

• Altria Client Services Llc

Inventors

• Evans James D
• Longest Herbert Cary
• Murrell Tamika S
• Powell Jr Robert V
• Straight Jeremy
• Chalkley Jarrod

Classifications

• B65B65/006

  Multiple parallel packaging lines · CPC title

• B65B43/54

  Means for supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation · CPC title

• B65B5/101 Primary

  by gravity (B65B5/12 and B65B5/108 take precedence) · CPC title

• B65B5/08

  Packaging groups of articles, the articles being individually gripped or guided for transfer to the containers or receptacles · CPC title

• B65B9/20

  the webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles · CPC title