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. 30, 2008
Filed:
Dec. 11, 2006
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);
Richard Rodeheaver Hawkins, Raleigh, NC (US);
Larry Jones, Garner, 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);
Richard Rodeheaver Hawkins, Raleigh, NC (US);
Larry Jones, Garner, NC (US);
ConAgra Foods, Inc., Edina, MN (US);
Abstract
Commercial production transport systems, mechanisms, and guides for food processing are configured so as to automate food transport. The system can direct food to travel serially over side-by-side predetermined travel lanes using one or more of a pick-up mechanism and/or router guide channels to pick-up and/or laterally translate the food product form the first travel lane to the second travel lane so that it travels greater than one, and typically a plurality, of revolutions about a tier or level in a vertically stacked food processing unit before moving to the next tier. Associated methods redirect and/or laterally translate food being transported in an automated food processing system.