Patent ID: 8672117
Filing Date: 2014-03-18
Classification: B65B,B65G

Abstract:
1. An inline product feeder comprising: a product input line configured to receive a contiguous supply of products, the product input line configured to guide the products in continuous motion along a path of travel during packaging; a packaging line configured to receive separated groups of the products from the product input line; a feeder unit configured to separate a group of products from the contiguous supply of products in the product input line and move the group of products into the packaging line, the separated group of products including a predetermined number of products from the product input line, wherein the feeder unit includes: wherein the feeder plate includes a support surface and a guide surface, the support surface approximately parallel to the product support plate and configured to support the products in an upright position in the absence of the product support plate, the guide surface approximately parallel to the guide plate and configured to guide the group of products into the packaging line.