Patent ID: 8417375

Claim:
A method for dispensing a set number of items as a batch, the method comprising the steps of: (a) setting the set number of items in the batch; (b) calibrating by (b1) forwarding items along a conveyor for a time interval; (b2) counting the number of items to fall off an end of the conveyor in the time interval; (b3) calculating throughput per unit time; (c) setting the conveyor to operate for a discrete time period calculated so that a number of items dispensed reaches but does not exceed the set number, without adjusting one or more of a conveyor amplitude setting and a conveyor frequency setting; (d) counting the number of items dispensed in the discrete time period of step c; (e) adding the number of items to fall off the conveyor in the discrete time period of step c to the number of items dispensed; and (f) repeating steps c, d and e until the number of items dispensed is greater than or equal to the set number, wherein each iteration of step f uses the number of particles per unit time in the preceding discrete time period as a basis for determining a new item throughput rate for calculating a subsequent discrete time period for operating the conveyor.