Patent ID: 11912455
Assignee: GRAVITRON, LLC
Field: Handling (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  F | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. A method of processing cartridges, the method comprising:
(a) loading cartridges in a rack, wherein the cartridges each include a cartridge top and an upper cartridge opening defined by the cartridge top, wherein the cartridges each include an upper rim having a radial thickness and defining a radially inner edge of the rim and a radially outer edge of the rim, wherein the upper rim further defines an uppermost surface with an uppermost edge of the cartridge tops disposed radially outward relative to the inner edge and radially inward relative to the radially outer edge;
(b) positioning a tray above the rack, wherein the tray includes a platform defining a plurality of platform holes extending fully through the platform, wherein each of the platform holes has an upper platform opening and a lower platform opening, wherein a maximum diameter of the lower platform opening is smaller than a maximum diameter of the upper cartridge opening, wherein positioning the tray comprises placing the tray directly on the cartridge tops such that the tray directly contacts the uppermost edge of the cartridge tops, wherein positioning the tray comprises at least partially inserting the lower platform opening through the upper cartridge opening to contact the radially inner edge of the rim, and wherein the tray includes a plurality of cartridge recesses that circumscribe respective ones of the platform holes such that the cartridge recesses receive the cartridge top of the cartridges;
(c) loading the tray with a selected amount of product;
(d) manipulating the product in the tray to fall through the platform holes in the tray into the cartridges;
(e) tamping the product in the cartridges;
(f) further manipulating product remaining in the tray to fall through the platform holes into the cartridges;
(g) removing the tray from the rack of cartridges; and then
(h) closing tops of the cartridges by inserting plugs into the cartridges, and removing the cartridges from the rack, wherein a bottom end of the plug is disposed below the upper cartridge opening and inside the cartridge.