The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 21, 1999
Filed:
Aug. 06, 1997
Michael Eshelman, New Port Richey, FL (US);
George Harrison, Brooksville, FL (US);
Jack Roach, Wrightsville, PA (US);
Chad Roberts, Spring Hill, FL (US);
Brian Karp, Spring Hill, FL (US);
David Pugh, Brooksville, FL (US);
Sean Coombs, Lansing, MI (US);
Sims Machine & Controls, Inc., Brooksville, FL (US);
Abstract
A centrifugal feeder for rectangular items with one of its upper or lower surfaces having luminescent characteristics which are greater than the other surface. It is desired to orient the items with its elongated axis in the direction of the output and its luminescent surface downward. The feeder has a rotating bowl surrounded by a rotating rim. Items are placed on the rotating bowl by any suitable device. A sweep pushes the items randomly onto the rim and a pair of sweeps then insure that the items are flat and only one layer high. The rim then narrows so that items not disposed with their elongated axis tangentially will over balance and fall off the rim. A sensor then determines the space between items, and if the space exceeds a preselected interval, signals for more items to be placed onto the bowl. A luminescence sensor then determines if the item thereunder is disposed with its greater luminescent surface up and a kick off device kicks off items with the greater luminescent side up. As the items fall off the rim a turn over device places the items on the bowl with the desired surface up and the items then go through the selection process again along with the newly deposited items.