Electrocom Automation

Recognition Equipment Incorp.

Siemens Electrocom, L.p.

Jerry D Erwin

James Moody Pippin

Dale R Duvall

Richard K Habitzreiter

A product dispensing apparatus includes a gathering conveyor and a plurality of product dispensers for dispensing items onto the gathering conveyor, the plurality of product dispensers including a first subset of product dispensers and a second subset of product dispensers, the first subset and the second subset have at least one common product dispenser. First and second relays are coupled to the first and second subset of product dispensers, respectively; simultaneously energizing the first and second relay actuates at least one of the product dispensers. The product dispensers are arrayed in a matrix for dispensing products, the matrix of product dispensers having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, corresponding the first and second subset. At least one of the product dispensers is a cartridge dispenser including a solenoid, stop gate and a stripper, the stop gate being moveable between a first and second position for retaining cartridges in the first position and releasing a first cartridge in the second position, the stop gate and the stripper retaining a second cartridge as the first cartridge is released. The apparatus includes a programmable logic controller for engaging the solenoid to dispense products upon defined order zones, separated by buffer zones, on the conveyor and a central control computer coupled to the programmable logic controller for establishing a sequence for dispensing products from the product dispenser matrix.

Product dispensing apparatus

An automated method for filling orders using an automated ordering system having a product conveyor, a computer controller, and a plurality of dispensers for dispensing products arrayed in a matrix in rows and columns, wherein the method of filling orders comprises the steps of: coupling each dispenser in a row to a first common control element in the controller; coupling each dispenser in a column to a second common control element in the controller, where the column of dispensers shares a common dispenser with the row of dispensers; and actuating the first and the second control elements simultaneously to dispense a product from the common dispenser onto the conveyor.

Automated method for filling orders with cartridge dispensers

An automated ordering system has a gathering conveyor belt and a plurality of product dispenser onto the gathering conveyor belt, the plurality of product dispensers arrayed in a matrix in rows and columns wherein each row of product dispensers and each column of product dispensers share common control elements. The product dispensers are of cartridge type utilizing gravity to eject products from a cartridge suspended above the gathering conveyor belt onto the gathering conveyor belt. A universal product dispenser platform accepts a wide range of different sizes and shapes of cartridges storing products to be dispensed. The universal product platform provides support for an actuator for singulating products mounted to the cartridge.

Orders filling system with cartridge dispenser

An automated ordering system has a gathering conveyor belt and a plurality of product dispensers for dispensing products onto the gathering conveyor belt, the plurality of product dispensers arrayed in a matrix in rows and columns wherein each row of product dispensers and each column of product dispensers share common control elements. The product dispensers are of cartridge type utilizing gravity to eject products from a cartridge suspended above the gathering conveyor belt onto the gathering conveyor belt. A universal product dispenser platform accepts a wide range of different sizes and shapes of cartridges storing products to be dispensed. The universal product platform provides support for an actuator for singulating products mounted to the cartridge.

Order filling system with cartridge dispenser

To read characters printed on a document it is transported beneath a self-scan photocell array extending substantially the entire width of the document. Output signals from the photocells of the array are scanned by a plurality of channels, amplified and converted into a digital data format representing the character patterns. The digital data is then processed to memory electronics and search electronics to select lines of character pattern data for transmission to a character recognition unit. The search electronics compresses the character data into search segments to evaluate the top and bottom position of character lines. Further, the search electronics determines line linkages between the elements of one search segment of compressed data and the elements of the preceding search segments for future processing in a line tracker. The line tracker provides signals to extract character lines from a temporary storage for transmission to a line block memory. When the parameters of selected lines are determined by the line tracker of the search electronics the character data in the line block memory is unloaded into circuitry that functions to select data to be routed to read electronics for processing to a character recognition unit.

Growing community of inventors

Dallas, TX, United States of America

Jerry D Erwin