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:
Mar. 22, 2005
Filed:
Jun. 13, 2002
Sarid M. Shefet, Cary, NC (US);
John Michael Phillips, State Road, NC (US);
Frank Michael Horvath, Jr., Harmony, NC (US);
Lawrence Alan Chandler, Raleigh, NC (US);
Sarid M. Shefet, Cary, NC (US);
John Michael Phillips, State Road, NC (US);
Frank Michael Horvath, Jr., Harmony, NC (US);
Lawrence Alan Chandler, Raleigh, NC (US);
ConAgra Foods, Inc., Edina, MN (US);
Abstract
Methods and devices for loading carrier members with suspended elongated product include straddling suspended elongated product over a carrier member having a width so that portions of the elongated product are serially draped over the carrier member along a desired length thereof and wiping, pushing, or pulling adjacent segments closer together to increase the amount or density of the product on the carrier member. The straddling is carried out so that the draped elongated product defines suspension regions that contact the carrier member intermediate lengths of the elongated product that hang from opposing sides of the carrier member. At least one of the suspended regions on the carrier member is moved in a predetermined direction at a first time then another one of the at least one of the suspended regions on the carrier member is moved in the predetermined direction at a second time. The straddled elongated product is thus arranged so that serially consecutive suspension regions are more closely positioned together on the carrier member based on the first and second moving steps.