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:
Apr. 11, 2000
Filed:
Aug. 27, 1998
David N Anderson, Auburndale, FL (US);
Wayne C Sherman, Lakeland, FL (US);
FMC Corporation, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
An improved labeler includes a housing and a bellows drive gear and cassette drive sprocket spaced apart and each rotatably supported in the housing. A stepper motor is mounted in the housing and has an output shaft. A first drive gear is affixed to the shaft and engages the bellows drive gear. A second drive gear is affixed to the shaft. A drive train is interposed between and engages the second gear and the cassette drive sprocket. The stepper motor is positioned between the bellows drive sprocket and the cassette drive sprocket whereby the footprint of the labeler is minimized. Each individual bellows has a marker. A position sensor detects each of the markers. A first sensor detects a fruit. The stepper motor is responsive to the fruit sensor to advance the bellows wheel in response to detection of a fruit.