Patent ID: 7472525
Filing Date: 2009-01-06
Classification: A22C,B65B,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A system for enclosing at least one product in a covering material, comprising: an elongate product chute having an outer surface and opposing receiving and discharge end portions with an interior cavity extending therethrough; a product pusher mechanism that is configured to controllably and automatically advance into and retract from the product chute to thereby advance a product through the product chute and out of the discharge end portion of the product chute along a product travel path; a clipper mechanism pivotably attached to a mounting frame and disposed downstream of the product chute, wherein the clipper mechanism pivots from a home to a full-clip position in cooperating alignment with the product chute, the clipper mechanism configured to apply at least one clip to a covering material that encloses the product after the product exits the product chute in the product travel path; and a cutting assembly comprising an actuator and a cutting member disposed downstream of the product chute, the cutting assembly comprising a mounting bracket holding a cutting member and a cutting actuator attached to a lower portion of the clipper mechanism to pivot with the clipper mechanism the mounting bracket attached to the cutting member so that the cutting member, in a retracted configuration, and cutting actuator reside below a clip window associated with the clipper mechanism, whereby, in operation, the cutting assembly automatically pivots with the clipper mechanism as the clipper mechanism travels from the home to the full-clip position, wherein, in the home position, the cutting member is held in a non-vertical orientation away from and above the product travel path, and wherein, in the full-clip position, the actuator is configured to direct the cutting member to automatically travel upwardly to sever adjacent portions of covering material from an underside to top side thereof.