Bakery Holdings, LLC

Other

Paul Boyd

Geoffrey James Parnell

Lee Robinson

Chris Porras

Geoff Parnell

Landon Scott

Tom Pearce

A loading system for the high speed loading of product in varying numbers comprising: an infeed conveyor having an infeed conveyor stop, a staging conveyor moving at a speed greater than the infeed conveyor and having a staging conveyor stop and a picking conveyor moving at or about the same speed as the staging conveyor and having a moveable picking conveyor stop. A photoelectric sensor or other similar counting device located in the region of the staging conveyor stop counts product as it moves from the infeed conveyor to the staging conveyor by counting the gaps between product units induced by the difference in the advancing speed of the infeed and the staging conveyors.

Product loading system

Apparatus and method for holding an uncompressed bundle of product from the top with a vacuum assisted end effector and then simultaneously compressing the bundle from all sides at the same time with thin compression plates located about the periphery of a vacuum assisted end effector to form an evenly compressed product bundle that is then placed in a container with the compression plates between the product and the container walls. Once the bundle is received in the container, vacuum is removed; the inward force of the compression plates released and the compression plates removed vertically from between the product and the containers walls. The simultaneous compression from all sides provides even distribution of forces on the product and ensures that all product is compressed or deformed to the same degree. Using the apparatus described herein to place the bottom of the products gently onto the inside bottom of the container is further advantageous.

Compressive end effector

A contact activated vacuum assisted suction cup assembly comprising: 1) a cylindrical bellowed or corrugated cup defining a plurality of interconnected bellows or corrugations of alternating, coaxial large and small diameter areas, hereinafter 'bellows', and having; A) an open contact end; and B) a valve end including a valve seat; 2) a valve stem having first and second extremities; 3) a valve plate intermediate the open contact end and the valve end in one of the large diameter areas attached to the first extremity; and 4) a valve stop attached to the valve stem at the second extremity that can engage the valve seat in the closed position. A picking device comprising a vacuum plenum having a plurality of the previously described contact activated vacuum assisted suction cup assemblies mounted therein in plenum apertures that engage a peripheral flange about the valve end is also described.

Vacuum flow suction cup assembly

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Midlothian, VA, United States of America

Paul Boyd