Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01G—WEIGHING
  • G01G11/00—Apparatus for weighing a continuous stream of material during flow; Conveyor belt weighers
  • G01G11/06—Apparatus for weighing a continuous stream of material during flow; Conveyor belt weighers having fluid weight-sensitive devices
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01G—WEIGHING
  • G01G5/00—Weighing apparatus wherein the balancing is effected by fluid action
  • G01G5/006—Weighing apparatus wherein the balancing is effected by fluid action with pneumatic means

Definitions

• a pneumatic weighing device is disclosed in TJ S Patent 4,306,629, wherein an air cushion is employed to support an article passing through a weighing station Weight of an article is detected by employing a pressure transducer to measure the amount of pressure required to support the article
• the present invention is directed towards a weighing mechanism, wherein a weigh pan is provided with a plenum chamber having an apertured upper surface through which air under pressure is directed for purposes of providing an air cushion for supporting and transporting articles to be weighed
• the weigh pan is supported on a conventional load cell for measuring the weight of the article supported above the weigh pan by the air cushion Articles are transported onto and from the weigh pan by vertically stationary air cushion devices
• the weighing mechanism additionally includes pneumatic means for rejecting articles of improper weight from a stream of articles passing downstream from the weigh pan
• an apertured vacuum chamber is supported for ⁇ ertical movement with the weigh pan and provides a zone of reduced pressure cooperating with the air cushion to support irregularly shaped articles in spaced relation to the apertured surface of the weigh pan
• an apertured vacuum chamber is connected directh to a load cell in the absence of the provision of an air cushion above a weigh pan for use in weighing articles having upwardly-facmg surfaces, which are relatively large compared to their downwardly- facing surfaces
• the present invention permits an increase in accuracy of the weighing operation, as compared to prior known weighing mechanisms employing belt or chain conveyors passing across a load cell mounted weigh pan, and provides for a lower cost installation Moreover, it is contemplated that the invention will allow for substantial increases in the numbers of articles weighed per unit time and/or the speed at which articles are transported through a weighing station BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• Fig 1 is a prospective view of a weighing mechanism formed tn accordance with the present invention
• Fig 2 is a prospective view of an alternative weigh pan configuration adapted for the weighing of elongated cyhnd ⁇ cally shaped articles
• Fig 3 is a prospective view of a pneumatic rejecter adapted for rejecting articles of improper weight
• Fig 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along the line 4-4 in Fig 3
• Fig 5 is a prospective view of an alternative pneumatic rejecter
• Fig 6 is a side elevational view of an alternative weighing station, wherein an apertured vacuum chamber is supported above and for vertical movement with a weigh pan,
• Fig 7 is a side elevational view of a further alternative weighing station wherein an apertured vacuum chamber provides the sole support for an article during a weighing operation
• Fig 8 is a prospective view of a further alternative weighing station
• a weighing mechanism formed in accordance with the present invention includes a weighing station generally designated as 10
• Weighing station 10 includes a weigh pan 12, which is supported for vertical movement by a conventional load cell 14 n response to the weight of an article 16, such as a 16, placed thereon, and arranged m alignment with vertically stationary, infeed and outfeed air cushion transport devices, 18 and 20, which bridge between the weigh pan and infeed and outfeed or discharge conveyors, such as conventional belt conveyors 22 and 24
• Weigh pan 12 is shown as including a plenum chamber 26 having a generally planer upper surface 28 formed with a plurality of apertures 30 through which air under pressure supplied to chamber 26 through supply conduct 32 is exhausted to atmosphere in order to create an air cushion for supporting article 16 in a non-contacting relation with surface 28, during transport thereof across the surface between transport devices 18 and 20 in the direction indicated by arrow 34
• Transport devices 18 and 20 include vertically stationary plenum chambers 36 and 38 having generalh planer upper surfaces 40 and 42 formed with
• apertures 30 will be of small diameter, closely-spaced and arranged in a relatively uniform pattern of columns and rows, at least in the central portion of surface 28 across which articles are intended to pass Further, apertures 30 ma ⁇ exhaust jets of air arranged normal to surface 28 or be inclined at a desired angle relative thereto in the direction of arrow 34 in order to assist in transporting articles between infeed and discharge ends 28a and 28b of surface 28. Also, if desired, apertures 30 arranged in the outermost columns of apertures and extending parallel to the direction of arrow 34, may be shaped and arranged to direct jets of air transversely of the direction of arrow 34 in order to direct or position articles centrally of surface 28, as same are transported between transport devices 18 and 20 An alternative weigh pan 12' illustrated in Fig 2 is intended for use in weighing elongated, generally cylindrical or
• the present invention would typically include a suitable mechanism for use in separating articles of improper weight from a stream of proper weight articles passing downstream from weighing station 10 on outfeed conveyor 24
• a pneumatic rejecter 60 is arranged between a discharge end of discharge conveyor 24 and the inlet end of a further transport conveyor 62, and includes a plenum chamber 64, which is supplied with pressurized air through a supply conduit 66 and is formed with an upper support surface 68 having a concave, lengthwise-extending side edge 68a.
• Surface 68 has an inlet surface portion 70, which curves downwardly and transversely towards edge 68a, an outlet surface portion 72, which curves upwardly and transversely towards edge 68b, and a central or reject surface portion 74, which interconnects portions 70 and 72 and slopes downwardly from edge 68b to edge 68a
• Surface portions 70, 72 and 74 are provided with relatively uniformly-spaced columns and rows of apertures 76 sufficient to provide an air cushion adapted to support articles such as boxes 16 in a non- contacting relationship with surface 68 during passage between convevors 24 and 62
• AdditionalK reject surface portion 74 is provided with a rejecter nozzle in the form of a line of enlarged, closely - spaced apertures 80 or a slot, not shown, aligned with the direction of travel of the articles
• Chamber 64 is additionally provided with a side wall surface 82, which
• Chamber 64 may have concave opposite ends to provide for minimum separation between its upper surface 68 and the article transport surfaces 24a and 62a of belt conveyors 24 and 62, as shown m Fig 3
• a first discharge stream of articles transported by belt conveyor 24 downstream of weighing station 10 would normally be centered transverselv of the conve's or as indicated in Figs 3 and 4
• the force of gra ⁇ and air jets directed normal to such surface portion tend to move the articles transverse! into a second discharge stream of articles, shown only in Fig 4, as being displaced transversely relative to the first discharge stream and disposed in a closely-spaced relationship to side wall surface 82 by the time the articles begin to transverse reject surface portion 74
• a conventional memorv or timing circuit is employed to indicate when an article of improper weight is disposed in vertical alignment with nozzle apertures 80, whereupon a blast of air is directed upwardly, as indicated b ⁇ arrow 90 for purposes of rejecting such article of improper weight upwardly over side wall surface 82, as indicated at 16' m Fig 4
• Articles of proper weight are not rejected and pass onto further transport belt conveyor 62 in a third discharge stream, not shown aligned
• a second pneumatic rejecter shown in Fig 5 at 100 includes a plenum chamber 102 supplied with pressu ⁇ zed air via a conduit 104
• Chamber 102 has a generally planar upper surface 106 provided with columns and rows of apertures 108 adapted to provide an air cushion for supporting articles in a non-contacting relation with surface 106 during passage thereacross between conveyor 24 and a further transport belt conveyor 62, and a vertically upstanding side wall surface 110 provided with apertures 112
• surface 106 is provided with a rejecter nozzle defined for example by a plurality of enlarged, closely-spaced apertures 114 or a slot, not shown, aligned in the direction of travel of articles 16
• Apertures 112 are located only adjacent the inlet end of surface 106, as shown in Fig 5
• a first discharge line of articles conveyed by conveyor 24 is transported lengthwise of surface 106 by the air cushion created by apertures 108 for discharge onto conveyor 62
• articles of the first discharge line are of proper weight
• articles transported lengthwise of surface 106 and by conveyor 62 are aligned with such first discharge line
• a suitable memon or timing circuit serves to first cause a blast of air to be directed through apertures 112 to displace such article of improper weight transversely of its direction of travel into a displaced position arranged in overlying relation with nozzles 114, as indicated in broken line in Fig 5, and then to direct a blast of air upwardly through apertures 114 to flip such article off of surface 106, as indicated by arrow 120
• Pressurized air may be supplied to apertures 112 and 114 by suitable valve-controlled conduits, not shown
• Fig 6 illustrates an alternative weighing station 130, wherein a vacuum chamber 132 is supported above and for vertical movement with a pneumatic weigh pan 134 by a load cell 136 in response to the weight of an article 16 passing between conveyors 22 and 24 Facing surfaces 138 and 140 of chamber 132 and weigh pan 134 would preferably be essentially parallel and provided with apertures, not shown, connected to suitable sources of vacuum and air pressure by suitable conduits 142 and 144 for purposes of establishing zones of reduced air pressure 150a and increased air pressure or an air cushion 150b above and below an article being weighed
• aperture surface 138 is arranged to extend beyond the inlet and outlet ends of weigh pan 134 m order to assist in the transfer of articles onto and from the weigh pan relative to conveyors 22 and 24
• FIG. 7 illustrates a further alternative weighing station 160, wherein a vacuum chamber 162 has an apertured surface 164 placed in flow communication with a suitable vacuum source, not shown, by a conduit 166, and is supported for vertical movement by a load cell 168 via a connector 170 independently of a vertically-aligned and facing, stationary flat surface 172
• surface 172 may be dispensed with, and a single pair of a parallel chain conveyors may be employed in place of conveyors 22 and 24 to transport articles into and from weighing station 160
• aperture surface 164 would serve to create a zone of reduced pressure above an article passed therebelow for purposes of lifting an article to be weighed from engagement with stationary surface 172 or a conveyor passing through the weighing station
• apertured surface 164 would preferably be sized and arranged
• a weighing station of the construction in Fig 7 is particularly adapted for weighing irregularly-shaped articles of the type having upwardly-facing surfaces, which are substantially larger than their downwardly-facing surfaces, as for the case of a double package 16 connected by a common cover or closure shown in this figure.
• the weigh pan is generally designated as 182 and shown as comprising a pair of parallel, elongated tubular members 184 and 186, which extend lengthwise of weigh pan 182 in the direction indicated by arrow 182a are transversely interconnected by support members 188, 188 and
• Tubular members 184 and 186 are preferably divided into a plurality of units 184a- 184c and 186a- 186c individually supplied with an under pressure by supply conduits 184a' -184c' and 186a' -186c' Each unit is provided with a plurality of air discharge apertures 192 and 194, arranged to form two rows of apertures The apertures may be positioned to direct their exhaust jets normal to a plane arranged to extend tangent to the upper surfaces of members 184 and 186, or at a slight inclination relative thereto in order to propel a package lengthwise of weigh pan 182 It is anticipated that tubular members may be of unitary construction when desiring to weigh packages which are relatively small in the direction of movement lengthwise of weigh pan 182.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Sorting Of Articles (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

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Citations (3)

Family Cites Families (28)

• 1999
  • 1999-10-25 JP JP2000579954A patent/JP2002529688A/ja active Pending
  • 1999-10-25 US US09/830,142 patent/US6630633B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-10-25 EP EP99971504A patent/EP1125100B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-10-25 WO PCT/US1999/024843 patent/WO2000026621A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 1999-10-25 AU AU12246/00A patent/AU1224600A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-10-25 DE DE69928828T patent/DE69928828T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime

Patent Citations (3)

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