Patent ID: 7790990

Claim:
A combination weigher comprising: a plurality of weighing hoppers which are arranged in a circular shape and are each configured to hold products, and then to discharge the products selectively in an inward direction of the circular shape or in an outward direction of the circular shape, the weighing hoppers being each configured to measure weight of the products which are held therein; a collecting chute which is positioned below the weighing hoppers, the collecting chute being configured to collect the products which have been discharged from the weighing hopper in the inward direction and to discharge the products from a discharge outlet at a bottom part thereof; a recycle conveyor which is positioned below the weighing hoppers so as to surround the collecting chute, the recycle conveyor being configured to convey, in one direction around the collecting chute, the products which have been discharged from the weighing hopper in the outward direction and have been loaded onto the recycle conveyor; a discharge means which is configured to discharge the products on the recycle conveyor in a predetermined position from the recycle conveyor; a combination calculation means which is configured to determine a discharge combination which is a combination of weighing hoppers holding the products whose total weight falls within a predetermined weight range; a recycle hopper determination means configured to determine a weighing hopper whose products should be recycled, based on a predetermined recycle condition; and a control means configured to cause the weighing hoppers selected to form the discharge combination to discharge the products in the inward direction, and to cause the weighing hopper determined by the recycle hopper determination means to discharge the products in the outward direction, and wherein the recycle conveyor includes an annular rotary table onto which the products are loaded, the rotary table being rotatable around a vertical axis extending through a center of the circular shape in which the weighing hoppers are arranged; and wherein the discharge means includes a guide plate which guides, to outside the rotary table, the products on the rotary table which is rotating.