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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11655059-B2
Application number	US-202117199742-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2021
Priority date	Aug 14, 2012
Publication date	May 23, 2023
Grant date	May 23, 2023

Abstract

Systems and methods for manufacturing and inserting a predetermined 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 desired number of products into containers, the system comprising:
a product providing system including a plurality of lanes;
a conveyor system configured to move a plurality of containers into alignment with the plurality of lanes, the conveyor system including,
a carousel,
a plurality of funnel cups pivotally attached to the carousel, each of the plurality of funnel cups configured to pivot between a first position in which the funnel cup is configured to engage a respective one of the plurality of containers and a second position in which the funnel cup is configured to disengage from the one of the plurality of containers; and
a controller configured to,
control the product providing system so as to provide a desired number of products in each of the plurality of containers when the plurality of containers are aligned with the plurality of lanes, and
control movement of the carousel.

2. The system of claim 1 , each of the plurality of funnel cups is configured to engage a respective one of the plurality of containers.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein
the first position is horizontal, and
the second position is inclined.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor system further includes an actuator configured to pivot each of the plurality of funnel cups between the first position and the second position.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of funnel cups is configured to move simultaneously with a respective one of the plurality of containers.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control movement of the plurality of containers by repeatedly moving and stopping the carousel.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein
the product providing system is a pouch providing system, and
each of the plurality of lanes includes a pouch making machine configured to make pouch products.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the pouch making machine of each of the plurality of lanes is configured to make the pouch products at a constant rate independent of a position of the plurality of containers.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of lanes includes a hold-back structure.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to control the hold-back structure of each of the plurality of lanes so as to provide a desired number of products to a respective one of the plurality of containers.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein
the hold-back structure of each of the plurality of lanes is moveable between an open position and a closed position,
in the open position, the hold-back structure is configured to permit the desired number of products to be deposited into a respective one of the plurality of containers aligned with the respective one of the plurality of lanes, and
in the closed position, the hold-back structure of each of the plurality of lanes is configured to prevent products from passing through the respective one of the plurality of lanes and cause the products to accumulate inside the respective one of the plurality of lanes.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein
the controller is configured to move the hold-back structure of each of the plurality of lanes from the open position to the closed position while the conveyor system is moving the plurality of containers, and
the controller is configured to move the hold-back structure of each of the plurality of lanes from the closed position to the open position when the plurality of containers is aligned with the plurality of lanes.

13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a weigh station configured to detect a weight of each one of the plurality of containers.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to compare a detected weight of each one of the plurality of containers to a desired range.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to reject a container of the plurality of containers based on a detected weight being outside of the desired range.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of lanes includes a count sensor configured to detect a number of products released from the product providing system.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to reject a container based a detected count being different than a desired count.

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

19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor system further includes an inclined ramp.

Assignees

• Altria Client Services Llc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B65B5/061

  Filled bags · CPC title

• B65B2220/18

  the primary packaging being bags the subsequent secondary packaging being rigid containers, e.g. cardboard box · CPC title

• B65B65/006

  Multiple parallel packaging lines · CPC title

• B65B9/20

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

• B65B43/54

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