Patent ID: 8672117

Claim:
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: a feeder plate; a product support plate, the product support plate defining an end of the path of travel of products along the product input line and configured to support the products in an upright position in the absence of the feeder plate; and an alignment plate positioned along a side of the path of travel of products in the product input line, the alignment plate maintaining a constant relative position to the product support plate and guiding the products along the path of travel toward the support plate: and 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.