Patent ID: 7603833

Claim:
A method for packing products comprising: a) at an upstream product information acquisition stage acquiring information relating to at least one of the height, width, length, volume, shape, and weight of individual products on a product packing line by any of the following methods: i) using a digital camera system which sees individual meat cuts, ii) directing at least one beam or line from a scanning laser over individual meat cuts with deflection and/or reflection of laser light on the meat cut being seen by a camera system, and iii) using a series of horizontal and vertical beams across the conveyor path at different heights or spacings through which the meat cuts pass; b) utilizing a machine for supplying bags sequentially as individual products on a conveyor approach a packing apparatus; c) providing an automated bag opener comprising a frame carrying spreader fingers, the frame moveable between a first position, in the product stream, and a second position out of the product stream; and d) automatedly taking up on the automated bag opener a bag as each individual product approaches the bag opener, and machine opening a mouth of the bag to a variable extent of lift in a direction at approximately right angles to a major plane of the unopened bag and to a variable degree of width opening in a direction approximately in a major plane of the unopened bag, based on information relating to at least one of the height, width, length, volume, shape, and weight of the product acquired at the upstream product information acquisition stage; wherein the bag opener moves repeatedly between i) a position out of the product stream in which the bag opener takes up a bag from the bag supply system, and ii) a position in the product stream for receiving a product in the bag after opening of the mouth thereof; and wherein the bag is taken up by i) rotating the frame to the second position, ii) inserting the spreader fingers into the bag; iii) spreading the spreader fingers to pick up the bag, and iv) bringing the bag into a position in the product stream whereby the product can enter the bag.