Abstract:
An adjustable, side discharge side discharge volumetric feeder particularly suitable for handling products of large articulate configurations. Product is rate fed to a plurality of volumetric chambers having a movable bottom for volume adjustment and an open side wall covered and uncovered by a belt for product discharge. Process and alternatives are disclosed. The feeder manages large particulates such as snacks, pet foods, cereals, candy and the like in a volumetric manner, at high speeds up to 1500 pouches per minute in a gentle manner that minimizes product breakage.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
     Applicant claims the priority of the filing date of United States provisional patent application entitled “STAND UP POUCH FORMING, FILLING AND SEALING” filed on Apr. 10, 2002, Ser. No. 60/371,484. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to feeders for feeding product on discrete volumetric-measured changes and more particularly to volumetric feeders of large particulate products. The feeder is useful for filling product into open pouches preferably comprising a train of pouches temporarily connected serially at common edge or vertical seam seals, and is particularly used for feeding larger particulate product into larger pouches, including pouches of the stand-up pouch configuration. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the past, it has been known to feed product into pouches through the use of a feeder and a filler wheel about which a train of open-top pouches is directed. Product is fed to a filler wheel and passes through spouts inserted in the open-top mouths of the pouches. Examples of such apparatus are found, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,821,873; 5,320,146 and 6,119,440. U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,146 describes a volumetric feeder where a belt is disposed about a feeder wheel to close off the bottoms of fixed, open bottom volumetric cavities, but is pulled away to dump the fill in the cavity through its bottom discharge port and into a spout for pouch filling. A cup feeder or dispenser  14  is used to dispense product onto a top surface of a feeder wheel, the circular discharge end of the dispenser facing the wheel depositing product on the plate as it moves thereunder. 
     While these known devices have certain particular utilities, they do not provide systems capable of adequately handling large particulate products in volumetric measure. Such larger particulates as cereal, candies, pet foods, chips, snacks and the like are typically larger than the product dispensed in prior devices (such as powders). The larger particulates are fragile, frequently assymetrically shaped, and generally difficult to handle with accurate measure and without degrading the product by abrasion and the like. For example, if large particulates were deposited by the dispensing spout of U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,146, they could be captured by the lower edge of the spout on the ring feeder and by each other, or by the rotating plate beneath the cup feeder, for example, grinding or damaging partially released product. In addition, large particulates can bridge in such a dispenser, or in the cylindrical volumetric receiving chambers and frequently cause uneven or inaccurate fills. And it will be appreciated that in volumetric feeding and pouch filling, consistent density of the product charge is highly desired for consistent volume and product packaging. 
     Moreover, there is no provision in the known prior systems (other than a parts change-out) for adjusting the volumetric product charge for change size changes or based on long term trends demanding adjustment in product density changes during operation. And there is nothing suggested to avoid the anticipated bridging problems of large particulates in the system. 
     Accordingly, it is one objective of this invention to provide improved apparatus and methods for feeding product in large particulate form, as opposed to smaller particulates such as powder, and in accurate volumetric charges for downstream handling such as for filling into pouches. 
     Another objective of the invention has been to provide improved apparatus and methods for adjusting volumetric chambers in a volumetric feeder to desired volumetric product charges. 
     A further objective of the invention has been to provide apparatus for handling large particulate products in a feeder without producing bridging. 
     To these and other ends, the invention in a preferred embodiment includes a volumetric feeder comprising a wheel defining a plurality of volumetric product receiving and discharging chambers fed by a product rate feeder. Product is rate-fed onto a plate and into a plurality of adjustable volumetric chambers. An entire side of the chamber comprising a major chamber wall is defined by a belt engaging a periphery of the wheel. The belt is directed away from the wheel to open the chamber side and to allow product to discharge from the chamber into a large spout mouth for depositing into an open pouch, for example. 
     Product is fed onto the wheel via rate-driven belt and vibratory tray, with no cup or tube feed and no product grinding. A sensor senses the height of the large particulate product on the wheel and speeds or slows the product rate feeder as the height or depth of product on the wheel decreases or increases respectively. 
     Since a major chamber wall is defined by the discharge belt which simply moves away from the chamber or discharge, the discharge opening is larger in cross-section than the cross-section of product flow in the chamber and product is easily discharged with no bridging. Moreover, the gentle belt departure from the chamber allows a very gentle discharge motion for fragile particulates. 
     The volumetric chambers of the wheel are preferably defined by extruded members with an open chamber side and a movable puck which can be raised or lowered to decrease or increase the chamber volume, respectively. These pucks can be adjusted to set position for a specific volumetric charge desired. The invention contemplates also their on-the-fly adjustment to adapt the feeder to long term trends in the product density or in the volumetric product charges being produced. 
     Thus, the invention provides improved apparatus and methods for feeding consistent volumetric charges of large particulate product without undue product degradation or bridging. Large particulate products can be packaged in pouches running in typical fashion but without the drawbacks of prior pouch systems with respect to handling large particulates. 
     These and other objectives and advantages will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and from the drawings in which: 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS AND OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of a volumetric feeder according to the invention, with part of the discharge belt broken away to show individual product charges in their respective chambers; 
     FIG. 2 is another perspective illustration of the invention of FIG. 1 with certain elements removed or added for clarity; 
     FIG. 2A is a side elevational view of portions of the invention illustrating volume adjustment components of the invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective illustration of components of the feeder wheel of the invention in expanded view for descriptive purposes; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an adjustable puck defining a movable bottom of the chamber of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the front of the chamber and puck of FIG. 4; and 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Turning now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a perspective view of an adjustable side discharge feeder  10  according to the invention. Feeder  10  is useful to feed a variety of products for packaging in a plurality of pouches (not shown) for example. In such use, feeder  10  is preferably associated with a spout plate  11  for receiving product from the feeder and delivering fed products through spouts  12  to a plurality of pouches. Such spout plates in association with spout filler wheels are generally well known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,821,873; 5,320,146; 5,502,951 and 6,1 19,440, all of which are herein incorporated by reference. The pouch handling mechanisms of these form no part of the present invention. Instead, this invention relates to the feeding of the product as shown in the Figs. 
     In particular, and while useful for feeding a variety of products, feeder  10  is particularly useful for feeding products classified or described in the industry as large particulates. While prior feeders are particularly useful in feeding products in small particulate form, such as powders, such prior devices do not readily lend themselves to handling and feeding products in larger particulate form. Such products include such items as cereals, pet foods, candies, snacks, chips and the like, which are substantially larger than powder class particulates, 
     Accordingly, the feeder  10  comprises an adjustable side discharge volumetric feeder  15 . It is served or supplied, preferably, by a means for delivering large particulate product to side discharge feeder  15 , such as a rate feeder  17 . Any other devices or means for delivering measured product to side feeder  15  could be used, within the scope of the invention. Preferably, the device for feeding product onto side discharge feeder  15  is capable of feeding a measured amount of large particulates in gentle fashion, as will be further described. 
     Components of an adjustable side discharge feeder  15  according to the invention is best seen in the Figs. in the form of a wheel  20  (FIG. 3) carrying a plurality of open-sided volumetric discharge chambers  22  (FIGS. 4 and 5) through a circular path or arc about the wheel&#39;s periphery. The open chamber sides face outwardly from the periphery of the wheel  20  so product therein can be discharged radially outwardly as the wheel  20  turns. 
     A belt  24  as in FIG. 2 (partially broken away in FIG. 1 to show individual product charges in their respective chambers) is oriented around wheel  20  and closes off the open sides of the chambers  22  through a portion of the arc, including a feed portion where product is delivered to the chambers. Belt  24  is directed away from wheel  20  by a pulley  25 , then returns to the wheel as shown in FIG.  2 . When the belt is directed away from the wheel, this opens the open sides of chambers  22  for discharge of product therefrom through a discharge portion  80  of the arc in which they travel. 
     The chambers  22  preferably comprise integral extrusions  27  of any suitable material such as an extrudable synthetic. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the chambers have a curved interior side wall  28  and an open side  29  defined between edges  30 ,  31 . Through bores  32 ,  33  for mounting the chambers in wheel  20  are provided in the extrusion as shown. A slot  35  is oriented in a rear wall  36  of the chamber  22  for volumetric adjustment as will be described. 
     An adjustable puck member  38  is slidably disposed in chamber  22  and is shaped to correspond to curved inner wall  28  with sufficient tolerance to permit sliding of puck  38  in the chamber. Puck  38  defines a chamber bottom surface  39 , and has a forward, outwardly facing face surface  41  preferably coplanar with edges  30 ,  31  of chamber  22 . 
     Puck  38  is selectively moved in the direction of arrow A, FIG. 5, to adjust the volume of the chamber. When puck  38  is raised, as viewed in FIG. 5, chamber volume is diminished. When puck  38  is lowered, chamber volume is increased. An adjustable arm (not shown in FIG. 5) extends through slot  35  to so move the puck  38  as will be described. 
     It will be appreciated that the upper surface  39  of pucks  38  defining a chamber wall, and here the bottom chamber wall, are tapered downwardly and may be of concave or other complex shapes opening to open side  29  to freely allow filling of large particulates in chambers  22 , and free discharge therefrom without constriction and without product bridging. In this way, the product path through the chamber is not constricted or uniform, but is wide but diverging and prevents product bridging while, at the same time, providing for volumetric adjustment. 
     Certain components of wheel  20  are perhaps best seen in FIG. 3. A lower chamber support plate  43  is provided to support the lower end  42  (FIGS. 4,  5 ) of the chambers  22  through holes (not shown) accommodating bolts extending through bores  32 ,  33  of chamber  22 . 
     An adjustable lift plate  44  is provided with a plurality of radially-extending, puck-adjusting arms  45 . These arms are connected to pucks  38 , respectively, through slots  35  in chambers  22  for moving the pucks  38  to adjust the volumes of chambers  38  as plate  44  is lifted or lowered. A lifting ring  46  is attached to plate  44  as will further be described. 
     An upper chamber support plate  47  is mounted in a fixed distance to plate  43  and is adapted to mount and support upper ends of chamber  22  by means of holes (not shown) for receiving bolts (not shown) extending through chamber bores  32 ,  33  between plates  43 ,  47 . 
     A support plate  48  is oriented above plate  47  and serves to support both a scalloped top plate  49  and outer ring plate  50 . Plate  49  is provided with a scalloped peripheral edge comprising a plurality of open-ended scallops  51  defined by radially extending projections  52  terminating in ends defining the outer edge of plate  49 . These edges have an outer diameter which just fits the inner diameter edge  53  of ring plate  50 . When assembled, an upper surface  54  of ring plate  50  is preferably co-planar with upper surface  55  of plate  49 . 
     Support plate  48  is provided with a series of openings  57  near its peripheral edge  58 . These openings correspond to the scallops  51  in plate  49 , and are in register with such scallops  51  as well as with the open tops  37  (FIGS. 4,  5 ) of chambers  22 . Openings  57  in support plate  48  have outer edges  59  which define a circle having the same diameter as the inner diameter of edge  53  of ring plate  50 . 
     It will be appreciated that top surfaces  54  of ring  50  and  55  of top plate  49  define product receiving surfaces for receiving product. 
     It will be appreciated that scallops  51  in plate  49 , and openings  57  in plate  48  are defined by surfaces facilitating free passage of product into chambers  22 . 
     The projections  52 , defining the scallops, as well as the circular scalloped surfaces in plate  49 , comprise surfaces  96  tapered inwardly through the thickness of plate  49  so the scalloped openings  51  are funnel-like in taper and downwardly toward chambers  22 . Openings  57  in plate  48  are likewise tapered downwardly and inwardly with funnel-like surfaces  97 . The lower portions of surfaces  97  blend with the open tops  37  of chambers  52 , and the lower portions of surfaces  96  blend with upper portions of surfaces  97 . The scallops  51  and openings  57  thus provide a funnel-shaped, gentle inward, and preferably steep, taper into chambers  22  for gently handling product flowing therein. 
     Moreover, the top edges  98  of projections  52  lie in a plane slightly lower than the plane of surfaces  54 ,  55 . The combination of the scallop shaped openings  51  and the relieved top edges  98  of projection  52  serve to facilitate product handling of large particulates without product grinding or degradation as product falls into chambers  22  and as product is swept under wiper  77 . 
     Accordingly, the scallop shape facilitates minimization of product breakage as a top product wiper  77  which ultimately determines allowable volume, approaches (relatively) the edge of the scallops  51 . The scalloped shape provides improved particulate nesting and minimizes breakage. 
     An inner fence  60  is disposed on surface  53  of plate  49  and an outer fence  61  is disposed about the outer edge of ring  50 . A circular cover plate (not shown in FIG. 3) is disposed over fence  60  (FIGS.  1  and  2 ). It will be appreciated that product fence  61  keeps product from falling off wheel  20 , while fence  60  keeps product from falling into the open central area defined by circular inner edge  79  of plate  49 . 
     In use, wheel  20  is disposed above a spout plate  11  (FIGS. 1 and 2) so the open sides  29  of chambers  22  are oriented radially inwardly of, and above, open mouths  13  of spouts  12 . Product discharging from chambers  22  falls into mouths  13  of spouts  12 . 
     To help direct product discharging from chambers  22  into mouth  13 , deflectors  65  (FIG. 2) are disposed between and just above each of the mouths  13 . Deflectors  65  are mounted or are connected to lift plate  44  so they are lifted and lowered along with pucks  38  as the chamber volumes are adjusted. 
     Returning to FIG. 1, the product rate feeder  17  comprises a product hopper  68  which discharges product, such as large particulate product, into lower hopper chamber  69 . An adjustable gate  70  is opened to control product flow out of chamber  69  onto metering belt  71 . Metering belt  71  is driven by any suitable drive  72 , and an associated control of any suitable form receiving signal from product height detecting sensor  73  as will be described, to drive belt  71  and feed an amount of product at a desired rate onto a vibratory tray  74 . Product is discharged from the end  75  of tray  74  onto surfaces  54  and  55  of ring plate  50  and scalloped plate  49 , and preferably over scallops  51 . Product falls both into the open mouths of chambers  22  defined by scallops  51  and openings  57 , and onto surfaces  54 ,  55 . 
     A curved final wiper  77  is disposed a selected distance above surfaces  54 ,  55  and serves to doctor or wipe product, very gently into chambers  22 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, top product wiper  77  is stationarily oriented above plate  49  and ring  50 . The bottom edge of the wiper may be spaced very close to plate  49 , ring  50  or slightly spaced therefrom so some product moves thereunder, to the inner upper surfaces of plate  49  as shown in FIG.  1 . Where the speed of plate  49  and ring  50  is such that centrifugal force urges product outwardly, where it could fall into chambers  22  which have been uncovered by belt  24  for discharge, or where the product shape allows it to slide or roll outwardly, an alternate guide  77 A (FIG. 2) can be used. Guide  77 A has an end  78  which is operably associated with a further intermediate fence  62  stationarily mounted over plate  49 . Fence  62  retains product inwardly of scallops  51  and chambers  22  as the chambers  22  are uncovered by belt  24  in discharge are  80 . Fence  62  can terminate at an end  64  disposed at an angular position so any product flowing past end  64  can move outwardly but beyond where belt  24  recovers and closes open chamber walls  22 . Dropping of product into chambers  22  beyond this point is acceptable since the chambers are thus closed and are being moved back for another refill and discharge cycle. 
     Sensor  73  is disposed downstream of wiper  77  and oriented to detect the height or depth of product remaining on surfaces  54 ,  55  which did not fall into chambers  22 . If the detected height is higher than a selected value, the sensor signal initiates drive control and drive  72  to slow belt  71  to slow the rate of product discharge from belt  71  and tray  74 . Similarly, if the detected product level is lower than a selected value, the drive  72 , in response, speeds up belt  71  to discharge product at a higher rate. Any suitable form of sensing, belt drive and control can be used as will be clearly appreciated. 
     Of course, wheel  20  is spinning while product is being discharged. It will be appreciated that product is discharged freely onto and along moving surfaces  54 ,  55  in a gentle, free flowing manner, and is not captured by any discharge spout or cup causing grinding of product on these surfaces. 
     As wheel  20  turns, the belt  24  departs the edges  30 ,  31  of filled chambers  22  as well as outer-facing surface  41  of pucks  38 . This occurs progressively and gently, wholly opening the open side  29  of chambers  22  for a gentle product discharge radially from wheel  20 . Product falls into mouths  13  of spouts  12  for further packaging, such as in pouches (not shown). The chambers move through a discharge arc  80  (FIG. 2) where they are uncovered by the belts  24  as they are carried in a circular path by wheel  20 . 
     It will also be appreciated that it is desirable to adjust the volume of chambers  22  to change the volumetric quantity of product in the chambers  22  for discharge. This occurs where different products or different volumetric capacities for varied package sizes are desired. It can also occur where it appears that there is a long term trend in one direction or another in the density of product discharged. 
     To this end, pucks  38  are lifted or lowered to adjust the volume of chambers  22 . Reference is made to FIG.  2 A. Here, a plurality of driven adjusting screws  81  are attached to lift ring  46  and thus to adjustable lift plate  44 . The screws reside in threaded nuts or journals  82  on upper chamber support plate  47  and are provided with sprockets  83  operably connected by a chain  84  to a drive such as a gear motor or servo drive  85 . 
     Motor  85  is activated by any suitable control, not shown, for rotating sprockets and screws  81  to selectively raise or lower plate  44  and thus the pucks  38  (and deflectors  65 ). As the pucks  38  are raised, volume of chambers  22  is reduced. When the pucks  38  are lowered, the volume of chambers  22  is enlarged. A commutator or other electrical connection is used to power motor  85  as will be appreciated. 
     It will also be appreciated that the size of volume of chambers  22  can be set or adjusted by manual or automatic control to preselected positions for particular products at package sites, or automatically in response to fill, weigh or other parameters as desired. 
     In an alternate form of the invention, it will be appreciated that belt  24  could be replaced by two belts  90 ,  91  (or more), one belt  90  covering the upper open side  29  of chambers  22 , and the other belt  91  covering a lower portion of that same side. One belt  90  is drawn off the wheel  20  by a pulley  92  and belt  91  is drawn off by a pulley  93 . Pulleys  92 ,  93  are oriented at different radial angles from an axis of rotation  95  of wheel  20 , thus one belt uncovers a portion of open chamber side  29  before the other as wheel  20  spins. In this way, the discharge is staged, and may provide an even gentler handling of product. 
     It will also be appreciated in a further embodiment, that belts  24 ,  90  or  91  may be vibrated by any suitable means to enhance chamber filling and discharge. 
     This feeder is particularly useful in feeder product in large particulate format into pouches, for example, in the system disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/371,484, filed on even date herewith, entitled “STAND-UP POUCH FORMING, FILLING AND SEALING” and naming the following inventors: Frank G. Oliverio; Boris E. Makutonin; David P. Hizer; Lawrence K. Jones and Robert J. Burkhardt. That application is herewith incorporated herein by reference. 
     Accordingly, large particulate product is volumetrically separated and discharged for packaging at continuous high speed and without bridging or degradation as it flows through the system. The volumetric measure of the product is adjustable to accommodate varied large particulates, or volumetric sizes. Discharge is from the open sides of volumetric chambers  22 , and the discharge path through the chambers  22  diverges to prevent product constriction and bridging. 
     These, and other modifications and alternative embodiments of the invention will be readily apparent from the foregoing to those of ordinary skill in the art and without departing from the scope of the invention and applicants intend to be bound only by the claims appended hereto.