Patent ID: 7857302
Filing Date: 2010-12-28
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
1. A vacuum friction feeder comprising: at least one vacuum friction belt provided with a plurality of holes; a pair of rollers; a table top provided with at least one suction port; an exposure table having a substantially horizontal top surface; and a separator; wherein the at least one vacuum friction belt is adapted to rotate around the table top while supported by the rollers such that a suction pressure can be drawn through the plurality of holes provided in the at least one vacuum friction belt as the plurality of holes pass over the suction port, wherein the substantially horizontal top surface of the exposure table is adapted to support a stack of products such that a portion of a bottommost product in the stack of products extends beyond an edge of the exposure table and is thereby exposed to the at least one vacuum friction belt above the suction port in the table top, wherein the exposure table is operatively associated with the table top and is adapted to be movable relative to the table top in a plane defined by the substantially horizontal top surface to adjust the portion of the bottommost product in the stack of products exposed to the at least one vacuum friction belt, and wherein the separator is adapted to be adjustably positionable above the at least one vacuum friction belt such that no more than one product in the stack of products can pass between the separator and the at least one vacuum friction belt at one time.