This invention relates to the packaging of net-enclosed or netted products, the machines and methods that form such products, and especially to the machines and methods that form net-enclosed turkeys and similar poultry and meat products, as well as potentially, net-enclosed firewood, bulk explosives, and other possible net-enclosed consumer and industrial products.
Knitted and extruded netting is a packaging material of choice for industries including meat and poultry, aquaculture, horticulture, Christmas tree, PVC pipe, environmental, aviation, fruit and produce, toys, housewares, and the like. Knitted netting can be soft, flexible, and conformable to a variety of irregularly shaped products. Knitted netting provides air circulation, and can be decorative and protective. Tipper Tie Inc., a Dover Industries company, makes and sells desirable netting under the trademark Net-All. In meat netting, Net-All netting is used for hams, whole birds, poultry breasts, and molded meat products.
Netting is applied to products manually, semi-automatically, and fully automatically by a variety of machines and methods including the Tipper Tie Whole Bird Packaging System, the Tipper Tie Automatic Whole Bird Packaging System, Tipper Tie Model TB15, and the Tipper Tie Clipper Model Z3214. Another Tipper Tie apparatus for applying netting is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,234, issued on Aug. 27, 1991, to Alfred J. Evans et al. for a Collagen Film and Netting Packaging System and Method. A loop forming mechanism for flexible packaging material is also shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,216, issued on Nov. 24, 1992 to Dennis J. May et al., for a Loop Forming Mechanism for Flexible Packaging Material. As stated in the identified Evans et al. patent, netting is sometimes placed around products to be netted when the products exits chutes or tubes around which the netting is rucked. Machines known as clippers may place metal clips on the netting between the products, to close the netting and provide for separation of the products.
While the existing products, machines and methods of the “netting art” have great value, especially those from Tipper Tie Inc., the frontier of technology is ahead of them, to be advanced further by inventive efforts.
In a first principal aspect, this invention constitutes a product netting machine. The machine comprises, in major part, a chute, a product receiver, voiders, and a clipper. The chute receives products serially through a receiving end, as from a conveyor, and discharges them serially into netting preferably rucked on the chute. As each product arrives at the product receiver, voiders operate to form a rope section of the netting behind the product, at the chute's discharge end. The clipper also clips the netting, to complete the netting of the product, and clips to create the starting end of the next netted product. With a machine as described, products are serially or successively netted and clipped.
In another principal aspect, the invention constitutes a machine as described, with a netting handle former. This former operates to loop the rope section behind the product, before clipping, to form a looped handle for a product in the rope section of the netting. The netting that is clipped behind the products is the netting formed into the loops, and thus, the clips that are put on by the clipper secure the loops in their size and condition.
In a third principal aspect, the invention constitutes a machine as described, with a number of valuable mechanisms, components and structures. As an example, the product receiver is preferably a discharge tray, and product guides on the tray straighten the product, to align it for netting, and also co-operate with the voiders to help tighten the product packaging. As another example, the clipper also preferably is uniquely structured in its clip rails to contribute to tighter packaging. As a third example, the chute is gravity driven and includes product ribs or rails for centering and ease of movement of products. As a fourth example, the handle former is an essentially two-part, mechanically actuated disc and clam shell construction that reaches for the netting, captures it, and rotates a loop into it, while tightening the packaging, in co-ordination with the voiders.
In a fourth aspect, the invention also constitutes the unique elements of the clipper.
In a fifth aspect, then, the invention constitutes a method of product netting. This method comprises moving products, preferably serially, through a chute into netting to enclose the product and begin the method of netting the product. The netting material is then voided behind the product to form the rope section as described with the machine, and the material is clipped, also as described with the machine.
In a preferred sixth aspect of the invention, the method includes forming the loop handle of the rope section and clipping the loop to form a secure, looped handle for a product, and a tight net package for the product as well.
In a seventh aspect, the invention comprises the netted, handled, clipped product itself, and such products that are also potentially further weighed and tagged.
As hopefully apparent, a first object of the invention is to substantially advance the art of netting machines and methods, pushing back the frontiers of this technology, for broader, more satisfactory application of the technology in a variety of uses.
Another set of objects is to apply netting to products essentially automatically, reliably, and at high speed, where the products include whole turkeys, hams, shellfish, and similar items in a variety of industries. The netting may be placed directly over the products or over wrapping over the products.
A third set of objects of the invention is to weigh, potentially tag, bag, and provide consistently sized consumer handles for better-looking finished products, in series, in safe and efficient netting machines, through sophisticated netting application methods.
A fourth set of objects of the invention is to provide a netting machine of easy operation by one person, capable of use with an large assortment of netting, with all electronic controls, constructed of stainless steel, meeting USDA requirements, suitable for harsh environments, and washable for sanitation.
All these and other objects and advantages of the invention are better understood by a study of the detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, which follows after a brief description of the drawing.
The accompanying drawing illustrates the specific preferred embodiment of the machine of the invention. Familiarity with the machines of the prior art is assumed. The structure shown in the drawing is not the only form that the invention as claimed may take. The drawing and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment are intended to limit the claims only as consistent with the law of claim interpretation, whereby claims are interpreted in light of the specification and drawing.
The description which follows may refer to the componentry of the machine in such spatial terms as “forward,” “front,” “rear,” “upper,” “lower,” “left,” “right,” “behind,” “downstream,” etc. Terms such as these, which depend on the specific spatial orientation of the components, are intended for the aid of the reader, and except as incorporated into the claims, they are not intended as a limitation on the possible orientation of components in any possible alternate, but covered, embodiment of the invention. Except as consistent with the law of claim interpretation, the drawing and following description are only illustrative of the invention.
For orientation of the reader to the drawing, and for ease of beginning of reading of the following detailed description, a brief description of the drawing is as follows:
The preferred product netting machine of the invention is a machine generally designated 20 in
The machine 20 also includes a netting handle former 42. This former 42 operates to loop the rope section 38 (see
Also as in
In another aspect, then, the preferred embodiment constitutes a method of product netting. This method utilizes the preferred machine 20 and comprises automatically moving products 30 from a conveyor 34, serially, through a chute 22 into netting 36 to enclose the product 30 and begin the method of netting the product 30. The netting material 36 is voided behind the product 30 to form the rope section 38 as described with the machine 20, and the material 36 is clipped, also as described with the machine 20. The method includes forming the loop handle 46 of the rope section 38 and clipping the loop 46 to form a secure, looped handle for a product 30, and a tight net package for the product 30 as well.
The preferred embodiment also constitutes the netted, handled, clipped product 30, and such products that are also further weighed and tagged.
Referring again to
A calibrated weight scale 56 may be as shown to the far left. The conveyor 34 may be segmented, as in the two segments shown, or with one or three or more segments. Preferably, the center of the conveyor belt is void or absent of any belting material, to provide a centering or alignment slot or groove 134 on the conveyor 34 for the product, as in
The chute receiving end 32 of the chute 22, and the whole of the chute 22, are preferably aligned with the conveyors so as to generally extend in a common direction. The chute 22 is, of course, tilted and gravity actuating, while the conveyor 34 is level and motorized. Movement of the conveyor 34, after weighing or otherwise when ready, by manual, semi-automatic, or time-based or other automatic actuation, causes the products 30 to reach the chute receiving end 32 and move into the upper chute end 32, serially or one at a time. The product ribs 52, 54 extend substantially throughout the chute 22, from its receiving end 32 to its discharge end 40, aligned with the common direction of the chute 22 and conveyor 34, and spaced from each other across the bottom centerline of the chute 22. The ribs 52, 54 also contribute to the centering of the product, to resist moving or turning except for movement straight down the chute. The ribs thereby enhance centering of the product in the netting and formation of the handle along the centerline of the product. The ribs 52, 54 are most preferably made during bending to create the chute. The resulting ribs have curved upper, lengthwise tips and are finished at the upper and lower ends with sloped ends as in
As with a variety of past machines, the netting 36 is readily manually rucked on the chute 22. Access may be provided by removable and swinging mounting of components to permit manual access to the chute. The input end 32 is also accessible for rucking. Once the netting is rucked, it may also be manually pulled on start-up into the area of the clipper 28 and voiders 26, with appropriate safety precautions. For a first product, a handle may be pre-placed on the downstream end of the netting 36.
Products 30 on the conveyor 34 that have moved down the chute 22 move into the netting 36 as the product and the netting that is driven by the product exit the chute. The product continues under gravity onto the tray 24, as in
Products 30 on the conveyor 34 that have moved down the chute 22, into the netting 36, onto the tray 24, and into the product guides 48, have the guides 48 move upward and angle inward, holding the products securely with a slight upward movement. Once this happens, the voiders 26, netting handle former 42, and clipper 28 become active. The voiders comprise multiple plates under the action of multiple cylinders such as voider cylinders 62 (
As above, the handle former 42 is an essentially two-part, mechanically actuated disc and clam shell construction that reaches in after action of the voiders causes the conditions of
Referring to
Referring again to
Referring now to
Referring to
The formation of the loop handle 46 is then completed. Referring to
As indicated, the clipper 28 clips the netting, to complete the netting of the product, and clips and cuts the netting to create the starting end of the next netted product. The clipper has a flush side. This allows the clipper to be placed in the relatively tight location of the machine 20. Unconventionally, a clip rail normally on one side is located to the opposite side, such that from one side, two clip rails feeds clipper mechanisms on both sides of the clipper. To accommodate the second clip rail on the common side, the second clip rail is angled into the opposite side anvil location and the second clip rail passes through the clip die support structure of the other clip die and anvil. The opposite side clip groove is straight. The other clip rail, that is straight, feeds an angled clip groove. Thus, the angle between clip rails and clip grooves is the same for both clip mechanisms. The clipper dies are ribbed for columnar support, with the ribs turned toward the same side of the clipper. With a machine 20 as described, products are serially or successively netted and clipped.
The handle former thus includes a loop former movable to engage the rope section, draw the engaged rope section to create a loop-length of the rope section, and twist the engaged, drawn, loop-length of rope section to form a loop. The handle former further includes motive means on a base, as for example, in the nature of the described cylinders, for moving the loop former to engage, draw, and twist the rope section.
The rope section defines a line of movement of the rope section. The loop former is movable transversely of the line to extend past the rope section and engage the rope section on retraction. The loop former is retractable transversely to draw the rope section. The loop former is also rotatable around an axis skewed from the line to twist the rope section, to form the loop. The handle former further includes motive means on the base for moving the loop former transversely of the line, and rotatably around an axis skewed from and perpendicular to the line of movement. The motive means is functional to overlap two spaced segments of the rope section while forming a loop between the spaced segments.
The loop former includes a disc with an outer perimeter to form the loop around the outer perimeter of the disc, and an openable and closable clam shell including the disc. The motive means is further for moving the disc linearly transversely to the line, and for allowing the disc to move past the rope section and then engage the rope section with the loop forming around the outer perimeter of the disc on retraction of the loop former.
With the mechanisms of the machine 20 driven by pneumatic cylinders as described, and with the timing of the cylinders set automatically, the machine 20 applies netting to products essentially automatically, reliably, and at high speed, where the products include whole turkeys, hams, shellfish, and similar items in a variety of industries. With extra mechanisms including a tag printer and a mechanism to feed printed tags under a clip, the machine 20 weighs, tags, bags, and provides consistently sized consumer handles for better-looking finished products, in series, in a safe and efficient netting machine.
The machine 20 is easily operated by one person, capable of use with a large assortment of netting, and may be provided with all electronic controls. The machine 20 may be constructed of stainless steel, may meet USDA requirements, is suitable for harsh environments, and is washable for sanitation. The machine 20 most preferably comprises a sensor for sensing a product on the product receiver and actuating the voiders and clipper, and a sensor for sensing a product on the product receiver and actuating the voiders, clipper and netting handle former. Automatic indexing of the conveyors, once product weight has been calculated, greatly increases the throughput of the machine. Conventional sensors are contemplated.
As can be observed, the method of product netting employed by the machine 20 comprises several steps. A product is moved through a chute into netting to enclose the product with the netting. The enclosed netting is voided to form a rope section of the netting between the product and the chute. The rope section is clipped. With these steps, successively netted and clipped products may be formed by the method of the machine. The method also comprises, as described, forming a netting handle by forming a loop of the rope section to form a looped handle in the rope section of the netting. Netted products are thereby formed with netting handles. The clipping of the rope section is clipping of the looped rope section to secure the handle.
With the most preferred controls, a product is placed on the weight scale conveyor. The weight settles for a specified time dependent on the weight scale. The scale then sends a signal to a product tag or label printer. After the tag is printed, the conveyors index the product to the staging conveyor at the receiving end of the chute, while the handle is formed for the incoming product and the tag is attached to the netting. As the indexing takes place, an ultrasonic sensor on the staging conveyor confirms the presence of the product. This sensor both (a) stops the indexing of the conveyors, and (b) prevents loss of relationship between a tag and a product by sensing product removal, and causing a fault.
While the indexed product is on the staging conveyor, another product is loaded on the scale conveyor. Once the scale settles on the second product, indexing occurs again, sending the first product down the chute. The first product is clipped from behind and the next loop is formed with the second tag. A last product button is available and manually pushed to advance the last product without need of a scale reading, signal to a printer, or tag printing.
As most preferred for some applications, the machine has the ribs 52, 54 continue onto the platen, where the product rests as the handle is made and clips are applied. Also, between the chute and voiders, the machine provides an air blast that actuates after the clips are applied, to the end of the trayed product and the beginning of the next product. The air blast holds the “next” handle off the discharge platen and keeps it centered as the next product is formed by a product unit arriving down the chute. The air blast also keeps the handle from being caught in the voider plates when the machine begins a new operational cycle.
Referring to
The preferred embodiment and the invention are now described in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable a person of skill in the art to make and use the same. To particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter regarded as invention, the following claims conclude this specification.
This Application claims benefit to U.S. application Ser. No. 10/725,109 filed Dec. 1, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,976,346, and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/478,077, filed Jun. 12, 2003.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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3377771 | Schmidt, Sr. | Apr 1968 | A |
3383754 | Klenz | May 1968 | A |
3389533 | Tipper et al. | Jun 1968 | A |
3499259 | Marietta, Jr. et al. | Mar 1970 | A |
3763621 | Klein et al. | Oct 1973 | A |
3815323 | Longo | Jun 1974 | A |
4044450 | Raudys et al. | Aug 1977 | A |
4165593 | Niedecker | Aug 1979 | A |
4247005 | Buxton | Jan 1981 | A |
4537006 | Pieri | Aug 1985 | A |
4675945 | Evans et al. | Jun 1987 | A |
4930292 | Focke et al. | Jun 1990 | A |
5420910 | Rudokas et al. | May 1995 | A |
5473866 | Maglecic et al. | Dec 1995 | A |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20060096241 A1 | May 2006 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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60478077 | Jun 2003 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 10725109 | Dec 2003 | US |
Child | 11312998 | US |