Lockheed Martin Corporation

Lockhead Martin Corp.

Jason G McLaughlin

Michael A Wisniewski

Hajime Morikawa

Bruce H Hanson

J Edward Roth

A device and method for sequencing trays includes a tray receiving conveyor and a recirculating conveyor. Trays are placed on the recirculating conveyor and merged with ejected trays into a multiple of sequenced trays at one or more merge locations. The system can include more than one merge location, with one of the merge locations providing a merge of trays into a contiguous sequence of trays.

Tray handling system and process

A system and method that sequences product to increase machine throughput. A plurality of input feeding devices each randomly receives products from a stream of product. A plurality of output groups corresponding to the plurality of input feeding devices are provided during a first pass phase and a second pass phase. The plurality of input feeding devices feed the product to output bins of the plurality of output groups. A control has a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation for a first pass phase and a second pass phase, respectively. In the first mode, the control allows all input feeding devices of the plurality of input feeding devices complete access to all output groups of the plurality of output groups during the first pass phase. In the second mode, the control constrains placement of the products to output groups assigned in the first pass phase such that the groupings of the products to the assigned output groups remain constant between the first pass phase and the second pass phase.

Sequencing system and method of use

A system and method sequencing objects in trays by assigning a direction to tray locations, where each of the tray locations provides space for trays. The objects are placed into the trays corresponding to assigned directions of the objects. A determination is made as to whether there are additional objects that correspond to the direction and, if so, the direction is assigned to unassigned tray locations based on pre-defined rules. Once all of the objects are in the trays, the trays are moved to the feeder system in a sequential order based on the directions. In a second pass, the directions are reassigned to the tray locations based on a number of trays required to hold the objects. The objects are placed into the trays corresponding to the directions of the objects. The trays are then transported to an unloading stage in a sequential order corresponding to the reassigned directions.

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Owego, NY, United States of America

Jason G McLaughlin