Patent ID: 8006468

Claim:
A method for filling at least one container with discrete articles, said method comprising: a) providing at least one vibration tray comprising: i) a discrete article receiving end; ii) a discrete article drop-off end; iii) a plurality of channels extending between the discrete article receiving end and the discrete article drop-off end, each channel including a wall-portion that divides the channel in two along at least a portion of a longitudinal length of the channel, thereby creating within the channel a first side and a second side, wherein at a pre-determined distance from said discrete article drop-off end the wall-portion terminates such that discrete articles moving within the first side of the channel and discrete articles moving within the second side of the channel merge into a single stream of discrete articles within the channel; b) depositing the discrete articles onto the discrete article receiving end of the vibration tray such that the discrete articles are positioned within both the first side and the second side of each channel; c) causing said vibration tray to vibrate in order to move the discrete articles from the discrete article receiving end towards said discrete article drop-off end along the first side and the second side of each channel; d) providing a plurality of sloped paths for receiving the discrete articles from the discrete article drop-off end of said at least one vibration tray, said plurality of sloped paths leading the discrete articles towards at least one container to be filled.