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:
May. 09, 2006
Filed:
Jun. 13, 2002
Sarid M. Shefet, Cary, NC (US);
Lawrence Alan Chandler, Raleigh, NC (US);
John Michael Phillips, State Road, NC (US);
Frank Michael Horvath, Jr., Harmony, NC (US);
Richard Rodeheaver Hawkins, Raleigh, NC (US);
Larry Jones, Garner, NC (US);
Sarid M. Shefet, Cary, NC (US);
Lawrence Alan Chandler, Raleigh, NC (US);
John Michael Phillips, State Road, NC (US);
Frank Michael Horvath, Jr., Harmony, NC (US);
Richard Rodeheaver Hawkins, Raleigh, NC (US);
Larry Jones, Garner, NC (US);
ConAgra Foods, Inc., Edina, MN (US);
Abstract
Methods, systems, and associated devices for supplying support members to a product loading station, loading, and automatically removing loaded members therefrom include: (a) advancing in spaced-apart relationship, a plurality of carrier members having opposing first and second ends and an associated width and length, along a selected travel path to a loading station; (b) straddling elongated product over each respective carrier member at the loading station so that portions of the elongated product are serially draped over the corner member along a length thereof, the straddling being carried out so that certain lengths of the elongated product hang from opposing sides of the carrier member; and (c) advancing the carrier members loaded with the straddled product downstream of the loading station.