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:
Aug. 08, 2006
Filed:
Apr. 20, 2004
Alfred A. Schroeder, San Antonio, TX (US);
Michael T. Romanyszyn, San Antonio, TX (US);
Merrill R. Good, San Antonio, TX (US);
John D. Santy, Converse, TX (US);
George E. Hernandez, San Antonio, TX (US);
Ronald Ray Hoch, San Antonio, TX (US);
Alfred A. Schroeder, San Antonio, TX (US);
Michael T. Romanyszyn, San Antonio, TX (US);
Merrill R. Good, San Antonio, TX (US);
John D. Santy, Converse, TX (US);
George E. Hernandez, San Antonio, TX (US);
Ronald Ray Hoch, San Antonio, TX (US);
Lancer Partnership, Ltd., San Antonio, TX (US);
Abstract
An evacuation system including an evacuation member engages a product package and applies pressure thereto, such that a product in the product package moves toward an outlet in the product package for dispensing. A controller monitors the force applied by a driver to the product package, thereby ensuring that the pressure remains below a particular threshold to protect the integrity of the product package. The controller further monitors the evacuation member location, thereby enabling the controller to recognize when the product package is empty. The evacuation system further includes a package carrier including a pinch-off area that moves product out of an unrecoverable portion of the product package. The evacuation member may be utilized as a stand-alone device or with a primary device, wherein the primary device provides signals to the evacuation system and the evacuation system provides product to the primary device.