Patent ID: 7538280

Claim:
A combination weigher comprising: a plurality of base groups and one or more adjustment groups into which a combination hopper chamber line formed by combination hopper chambers arranged in a line shape and fed with objects to be weighed is divided, each of the plurality of base groups being made up of a plurality of combination hopper chambers and the one or more adjustment groups being disposed between adjacent base groups and being made up of one or a plurality of combination hopper chambers; a discharge path switching chute which is disposed below the base groups and the adjustment groups and is provided at a lower part thereof with a plurality of outlets respectively corresponding to the base groups, the discharge path switching chute being configured to gather the objects to be weighed discharged from the combination hopper chambers of at least the base group corresponding to each outlet and to discharge the objects to be weighed from each outlet, and configured to switch a discharge path of the objects to be weighed discharged from the combination hopper chamber of each adjustment group so that the objects to be weighed discharged from the combination hopper chamber in each adjustment group are discharged selectively from one of the two outlets respectively corresponding to two base groups disposed at both sides of each adjustment group; and a control means configured to perform: a combination process including combining each adjustment group with one of the base groups at both sides thereof to re-divide the base groups and the adjustment groups into a plurality of discharge groups each including one base group and made up of a plurality of combination hopper chambers arranged continuously and performing combination calculation based on weights of the objects to be weighed fed into the combination hopper chambers in each discharge group to determine combination hopper chambers forming a combination in which a total weight of the objects to be weighed falls within an allowable range with respect to a target weight and a difference with respect to the target weight is smallest; a discharge path switching process for controlling the discharge path switching chute so that the objects to be weighed discharged from the combination hopper chambers of each adjustment group are discharged from the outlet corresponding to the base group included in the discharge group to which the adjustment group belongs; and a discharge process for causing the combination hopper chambers forming the combination determined in each discharge group to discharge the objects to be weighed.