Patent ID: 6094888
Filing Date: 2000-08-01
Classification: G01M

Abstract:
System for mechanically processing pliable sealed bags received in a vertical orientation having a lower end and an upper end, with the sealed bag including product bunched at the lower end and a volume of trapped air, comprising, in combination: a lower conveyor including an endless belting for conveying the sealed bag in a movement direction; at least a first conditioning roller rotatable about an axis and having a periphery of an unequal spacing from the axis for engaging with and deflecting the endless belting of the lower conveyor; an overhead conveyor including an endless carrier, with the endless belting and the endless carrier being movable to move the sealed bag in the movement direction when sandwiched between the endless belting and the endless carrier, with the overhead conveyor further including first and second support plates each having a planar shape and movable to positions at different spacings from the endless belting, with the support plates being parallel to the endless belting and the movement direction, with the second support plate being downstream from the first support plate; a sensor for detecting movement of the second support plate relative to the overhead conveyor; and a flexible chain guide having generally C-shaped cross sections formed by first and second L-shaped legs upstanding from a central member, with the C-shaped cross sections adapted to slideably receive the first and second support plates, with the flexible chain guide including a series of longitudinally spaced lateral cuts extending through the first and second L-shaped upstanding legs, with the endless carrier being slideably captured on the flexible chain guide and having the shapes of the support plates while passing over the support plates and being flexible at positions other than when passing over the support plates.