CAROUSEL LOADING APPARATUS

Abstract

An embodiment includes a carousel machine designed to slowly deliver a premeasured weighment of product to a receptacle (e.g., bag, box, sack, container, bin). The receptacle, such as a bag or a box, may be manually hung on pneumatic clamps as the carousel rotates. This may help eliminate the jamming of product that normally occurs on existing carousel baggers. Other embodiments are described herein.

Description

BACKGROUND

Loading machine systems come in varied forms. For example, some loaders are for inorganic matter (e.g., toys, clothing) while others loaders are for organic matter (e.g., food articles including melons, potatoes, apples, onions, citrus, and the like). These loaders may operate in harsh environments, subject to dust, dirt, heat, long hours of operation, and the like. A carousel loader is a specific type of loader that loads receptacles on a rotating basis. For example, a carousel loader may include a series of bins distributed about a rotating hub.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of exemplary embodiments, but not limitations, illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like references denote similar elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a carousel loader in an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates bag clamps and a trough in an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3-6 illustrate varying views of bag clamps in an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 includes an exchangeable paddle for bag clamps in an embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 8 includes a system for operating code to drive a carousel loader.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like structures may be provided with like suffix reference designations. The drawings may only show the structures useful to understand the illustrated embodiments. Additional structures known in the art may not have been included to maintain the clarity of the drawings. “An embodiment”, “various embodiments” and the like indicate embodiment(s) so described may include particular features, structures, or characteristics, but not every embodiment necessarily includes the particular features, structures, or characteristics. Some embodiments may have some, all, or none of the features described for other embodiments. “First”, “second”, “third” and the like describe a common object and indicate different instances of like objects are being referred to. Such adjectives do not imply objects so described must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner. “Connected” may indicate elements are in direct physical or electrical contact with each other and “coupled” may indicate elements co-operate or interact with each other, but they may or may not be in direct physical or electrical contact. Also, while similar or same numbers may be used to designate same or similar parts in different figures, doing so does not mean all figures including similar or same numbers constitute a single or same embodiment. Terms such as “upper” and “lower” “above” and “below” may be understood by reference to the illustrated X-Z coordinates, and terms such as “adjacent” may be understood by reference to X-Y coordinates or to non-Z coordinates.

An embodiment includes a carousel machine designed to slowly deliver a premeasured weighment of product to a receptacle (e.g., bag, box, sack, container, and bin). The receptacle, such as a bag, may be manually hung on pneumatic bag clamps as the carousel rotates. This may help eliminate jamming of product that normally occurs on existing carousel baggers.

FIG. 1 illustrates a carousel loader in an embodiment of the invention. Carousel loading apparatus 100 comprises 8 troughs, two of which are labeled as 120, 121. While the embodiment of FIG. 1 includes 8 troughs, other embodiments may include 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 or more troughs. Each of the troughs is respectively coupled to a pusher plate, two of which are labeled as 105, 106. Hub 190 (e.g., rotation point, axis, table, bearing, and the like) is coupled to a motor (not shown).

In an embodiment the pusher plates are respectively configured to advance within the troughs to distribute loads of food articles into receptacles while the motor rotates the hub and troughs. For example, FIG. 1 includes 8 troughs in 8 stages (labeled as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 in FIG. 1). Stage 1 includes a fully retracted pusher plate 105 within trough 120, which has just been loaded with product (e.g., oranges). Bag 110 is empty. Stage 2 shows another pusher plate that is partially advanced and has begun pushing oranges into a bag. Stage 3 shows another pusher plate even further advanced and which has pushed even more product into a bag. Stage 4 shows another pusher plate still even further advanced and which has pushed still even more product into a bag. Stage 5 shows yet another pusher plate that is fully advanced and which has pushed the entire initial single load (which was originally loaded into the trough at state 1) into a bag. Stage 6 shows a partially retracted pusher plate and, in addition, that the bag has now been removed after it was fully loaded. Bag clamps 140, 141 are now narrowed as compared to other bag clamps (such as those for the trough at stage 1 that are expanded to fully open a bag). Stage 7 includes a more fully retracted pusher plate. Stage 8 includes a fully retracted pusher plate and a newly loaded bag. The bag may have just as easily been removed in stages 6-8 instead of stage 5. Further, the new bag may have just as easily been added in stages 6-7 instead of stage 8.

FIGS. 2-5 show varying perspectives of bag clamps. FIG. 2 shows outer bag clamps 240, 241. These clamps are coupled to a trough that couples to a hanging bag. The trough includes an output end portion where articles are emptied into a hanging bag. The output end portion includes a horizontal planar floor 255 non-orthogonally coupled to sidewalls 256, 257 and the floor and sidewalls are all monolithically formed with one another. Because they are monolithically formed, there is no need for screws or seams (e.g., that couple a wall to a floor) that may provide a bacteria harboring environment. Floor 255 includes a maximum width 258. Bag clamps 240, 241 are width adjustable (i.e., can adjust to handle different width bag openings via, for example, arms 245, 246). Thus, they have a setting that statically (i.e., statically throughout product filling states 1-5) holds a bag open at a width equal to the maximum width 258 and an additional setting that statically holds additional bags open an additional width greater than the maximum width 258. Thus, a smaller 1 lb bag may have a small opening which is generally equal to width 258. However, a larger 25 lb bag may have a larger opening that is centered about floor 255 but nevertheless has a wider opening than width 258. Thus, the embodiment of FIG. 2 accommodates both small and large bags and loads. In one embodiment width 258 is about 4.5″; however width 258 is not so limited and in other embodiments width 258 is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or more inches. In one embodiment each trough is configured to hold up to 25 lbs of food articles but other embodiments may include troughs for 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 35 lb loads or more.

FIGS. 3-5 further explain an embodiment of bag clamps (where a clamp is a fixator that fixes one item to another and is not specific to any one particular type of fixation device). Such an embodiment includes bag clamps that are configured for adjustable load widths (i.e., differently sized bag openings). The embodiment includes at least two inner clamps 443, 444 to expand a bag and at least two outer clamps 441, 440 to hold the bag against the two inner clamps. FIG. 4 shows clamps 440, 441, 443, 444 in a state ready to receive a bag. FIG. 5 shows clamps 540, 541, 543, 544 in a state ready to receive a bag. FIG. 5 is just a different perspective than that of FIG. 4 but still shows clamps 540, 541, 543, 544 in a state ready to receive a bag. FIG. 6 shows clamps 640, 641, 643, 644 in a state holding a bag.

By comparing FIGS. 4 and 6, one can see that a portion of the bag clamps (443, 444) (a) move toward one another to couple a bag to the bag clamps (end result shown in FIG. 4), and (b) away from one another to expand the bags to receive (end result shown in FIG. 6) articles (e.g., food articles, toys, etc.). Further, an additional portion of the bag clamps (440, 441) (a) move away from one another to couple the bag to the bag clamps (end result shown in FIG. 4), and (b) towards one another to grip the first, second, and third bags between the portion (443, 444) and additional portion (440, 441) of bag clamps (end result shown in FIG. 6).

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a pneumatic actuator/air cylinder 347, 447. When the actuator drives in one direction coupler 342 operates such that clamp arm 348 moves in a direction opposite that of clamp arm 349. Thus, a space between clamps 544 and 540 is formed to receive a bag portion and a space between clamps 541 and 543 is formed to receive another bag portion.

FIG. 7 includes an exchangeable paddle for bag clamps in an embodiment of the invention. In an embodiment the bag clamps each couple to a set of differently sized paddles configured to hold open differently sized bags. Clamp arm 761 may couple to clamp arm 648 to quickly couple paddle 744 to the system. Paddle 744 may be just one paddle in an entire kit of differently sized paddles (e.g., with widths of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 inches or more). Quick attach coupler 760 helps quickly couple arms 648, 761 to one another.

Returning to FIG. 1, each of the pusher plates advances from a back end portion of a trough, through the trough, and to the output end portion of the trough to distribute the articles into the receptacles (although in other embodiments the push plate may traverse only a portion of the length of trough, table, and the like). Focus (for sake of brevity) is now made on just two representative troughs of the 8 troughs in system 100. Troughs 120, 121 are located opposite one another across hub 190. Troughs 120, 121, pusher rod 130 (coupled to actuator 131) and pusher plates 105, 106 are configured to advance pusher plate 106 while retracting pusher plate 105 and advance pusher plate 105 while retracting pusher plate 106 (i.e., pusher plates 105, 106 reciprocate with one another). Further, in an embodiment pusher plate 106 is configured to maximally advance within trough 121 when pusher plate 105 is maximally retracted within trough 120.

In an embodiment the motor rotates hub 190 and the 8 troughs through an arching path that is greater than 180 degrees. For example, in FIG. 1 the arching path is a full 360 degrees but in other embodiments the arch may be 90 degrees, 270 degrees, and the like. By looking at stages 1-5, a pusher plate is configured to advance within the trough to progressively distribute the load of food articles into the bag along multiple locations of the arching path. By “progressive” one sees the bag gradually fill over the series of stages instead of just filling in a rather instantaneous dump of product during a solitary stage. Thus, FIG. 1 shows progressive article distribution at various points (along and between stages 1-5) along a 360 degree path.

A more general discussion of varying embodiments now follows.

Bag materials may be made include varied materials such as, for example, polypropylene, polyethylene open mesh, paper, nylon mesh, and combinations thereof. The bags may be in various styles such as, for example, header bags and the like. Boxes, such as cardboard boxes, may also be filled in various embodiments. Boxes may be handled by the bag clamps. For example, a lid flap of a box (or a sidewall portion of a box) may be secured between the inner and outer bag clamps on both the left and right sides of the box (e.g., a lid flap fits between 441, 443 and another lid flap fits between 444, 440). Thus, a “bag clamp” is just nomenclature and is not limited to bags but is more generally applicable to receptacles. The terms “bag clamp” and “receptacle clamp” are interchangeable as used herein.

In an embodiment all product contact surfaces are polished stainless steel (e.g., floor 255, walls 256, 257) or food grade plastics (e.g., push plate 205).

In an embodiment a carousel has variable speeds of operation and may work in a continuously rotating mode of operation. The carousel may be driven by a motor coupled to a slip clutch that will pause rotation of the machine in the event of a mechanical conflict with an object (e.g., product jamming such that a door or chute is no longer operable). A slip clutch may drive a center shaft on a round steel table top to which one or more conveyor troughs are mounted.

In an embodiment each conveyor trough has a set of width adjustable pneumatic bag clamps to firmly grip a bag in the open position to receive product. Inner and outer clamps move in unison (i.e., both are moving at at least one specific moment in time) apart and together for maximum bag clamping. Clamping pressure is pneumatically adjustable.

In embodiment, various bag clamp paddle sizes (e.g., paddle 744) are available such as 1.5″ wide for 1-3 lb bags, 5″ wide for 3-15 lb bags, and 7″ wide for 15-25 lb bags.

In an embodiment the carousel loader (a.k.a., bagger) is fed a pre-measured batch of product from a weighing or counting machine. Bags are manually (or robotically) placed on 8 heads (e.g., FIG. 1, system 100) by one or more operators (laborers). Filled bags may be manually released and removed from the system by pressing a clamp release button and physically removing the filled bag from the carousel. In another embodiment filled bags are released by using an automatic take-off unit that grabs the filled bag before the carousel releases the bag (this occurs automatically via an operator adjustable take-off cam that contacts a clamp release valve closing the bag clamps and releasing the filled bag to the take-off unit).

In an embodiment rotation of the carousel is started by pressing a pushbutton on the control box. An operator manually/robotically hangs a bag via bag clamps on each of the 8 heads in positions 6, 7 or 8 (See FIG. 1). In these positions of rotation the bag clamps (e.g., 140, 141) are released and closed together so the operator can stretch a bag over the clamps. When raising the bag over the clamps the operator contacts a trigger wand (e.g., wand 250 of FIG. 2) with the back of his or her hand. The wand sends an air pulse to a valve that activates a cylinder (e.g., cylinder actuator 447 of FIG. 4) and pneumatically opens the bag and clamps it in place awaiting product.

In an embodiment mounted above station 1 (not shown) is a weighment holding collector that accumulates a discharged weighment form a weighing machine. This collector has opening doors through which product is emptied into a trough.

In an embodiment object A (FIG. 1) is a photo-eye that reads if there is a bag on the bag clamps of each of the 8 heads. If there is no bag, the weighment holding collector will not open. If there is a bag and there is product in the weighment holding collector the collector will open depositing a batch of product into a trough. If the weighment holding collector is empty the rotation will stop and system 100 will wait for a weighment to be deposited in the holding collector and the system will automatically restart and resume production.

In an embodiment when the conveyor trough at station 1 (FIG. 1) has received a weighment from the weighment holding collector an air switch mounted below the trough will activate via a fixed cam that will send a signal to an air valve feeding one of the 4 air cylinder actuators (mounted in the center of the carousel, one of which is labeled 131 in FIG. 1). The air cylinder consists of a body and rod 130. In one embodiment the rod extends a maximum of 24″ out one end of the cylinder (see station 5) but is able to extend out each side of the cylinder. When the shaft is extended 24″ out one side of the cylinder body (see station 5) it is only sticking out 2″ from the other side of the cylinder body (see station 1). When a pusher plate is mounted to each end of the cylinder rod then one cylinder performs a pushing operation on 2 conveyor troughs so 4 cylinders operate 8 troughs. When the cylinder is fully retracted in station 1 (opening the full width of the conveyor trough) it is fully extended in trough 121 opposite trough 120 and the pusher plate running on cam follower bearings has extended through the trough pushing the entire product into the open bag.

In an embodiment cylinder speed is adjustable via flow control valves. Every cylinder will activate every time directly following top dead center at position 1 (i.e., will begin advancement immediately after stage 1). This means that at just past top dead center on position 5 each cylinder will retract so that by the time that trough has reached position 1 the pusher plate is fully retracted ready to receive another weighment.

Various embodiments have a number of advantages.

An embodiment includes no vibrators to advance product into receptacles. Vibrators are noisy and destructive to components and products.

An embodiment includes 8 filling heads as opposed to 6 filling heads. This allows the embodiment to have slower rotation speeds to get the same bags per minute production as a 6 head system operating at a faster rotation speed. Slower rotation speeds translate to longer bag hanging time availability, and longer bag filling times—which results in smoother loading and less damage to the product.

In an embodiment there are no lift shafts necessary to raise a tilting floor (lift shafts and tilt floors both require a great deal of maintenance and create a pinch point as a wheel transits a ramp).

In an embodiment there are little to no additional parts (other than inner bag clamp paddles) needed to restrict the opening when running a 1 pound bag from a larger bag. Conventional carousels require the operator to add additional pieces to singulate the product when running to a small bag opening on a 1 pound bag (while previously working with a larger bag).

An embodiment is easier to clean than traditional carousel loaders because there are few or no gaps in the troughs so there is a little to no accumulation of dirt and wax that other carousels suffer. Further, bag clamps and cylinders are protected from dirt and wax because the trough is a fixed piece (e.g., no raised floor that when raised greatly exposes actuators and the like to dirt and debris).

An embodiment provides more versatility on weighment sizes and product sizes. For example, system 100 handles 1 pound bags with ¾″ round product (e.g., small limes) to at least 6″ round products in 25 lb bags (e.g., melons) with only inner clamp changeover necessary (e.g., see FIG. 7). This drastically reduces change over time (between small to large products and vice versa) and hassles.

An embodiment is not dependant on gravity (like a tilting floor or funnel opening for the product to move). Thus, flat products move as well as round products.

In an embodiment there are no bag feed belts for each trough (which require drive and idler rolls, bearings, belting, drive and idler shafts, motor, chains, universal joints, key stock, set screws, guards, slip ring commutators for electricity dispersion—all pieces translating to additional maintenance, and additional costs).

An embodiment includes no reflectors and photo-eyes to read location of a head (end of trough) like some traditional carousel baggers.

Further, embodiments are not specific to any one type of counting and weighing machine.

An embodiment, such as the trough design of FIG. 2 (including floor 255 coupled to walls 256, 257) provides singulation (the ability to move product into the receptacle one product at the time or close thereto) on all weighments from 1-25 lbs with no adjustments necessary.

An embodiment includes a food grade plastic pusher plate mounted to each end of an air cylinder which rides on sealed maintenance free cam follower bearings for a long life with little to no friction.

An embodiment includes a trough mounted from the back (near a fully retracted pusher plate), away from product touch areas (near where an operator may be working near the output end portion of the trough) so no screws, bolts or fasteners exist to come loose and fall out (possibly getting into the bags) and no mounting holes or screw heads exist (where contamination can develop).

An embodiment is configured so that when fully assembled, even with weighment holding collector and electrical control cabinet, the embodiment still fits into a standard width semi trailer with no disassembly of the machinery necessary.

An embodiment includes a front shield (element 491 of FIG. 4) on each trough that is constructed of clear food-grade polycarbonate for observation. The shield is adjustable to provide settings for bigger or smaller bag sizes (adjusting the position using a pinch knob such as knob 760).

In an embodiment the bag clamping mechanism on each of the 8 heads consists of left and right inner clamps (443, 444) which may be available in, for example, 3″, 5″ and 7″ widths for different bag sizes from ranging from 1-25 lbs.

In an embodiment the inner (443, 444) and outer (440, 441) clamps on each side of a head (left and right sides) are tied together with a connecting rod 342. The outer clamps are adjustable (“in” for narrow bags or “out” for wider bags). The inner and outer clamps are driven together or apart by a single air cylinder 347 per head. When the inner clamps are closed together to allow for an operator to hang a bag, the outer clamps are driven apart giving the operator access to the inner clamps without the outer clamps impeding the bag hanging process.

When the operator hangs a bag on the closed clamps the operator contacts rod 450 (which is attached to an air switch) with the back of his or her hand. This supplies a burst of air to a valve and switch that drives the air clamping cylinder 347. This opens the inner clamps and closes the outer clamps pinching the bag in place.

As mentioned above, an embodiment allows small and large weighments (e.g., 1-25 lbs) and small to large products (e.g., key limes, small potatoes, oranges, onions, and grapefruit). The trough is designed so that there is no funnel effect where product will jam while entering the bag. The embodiment (e.g., FIG. 2) requires no additional pieces to be added when running small bags, small weighments, and small products. In an embodiment the trough is 24.5″ long, 12″ wide, and 11″ deep allowing more than enough room for up to 25 lb weighments or more.

In an embodiment the shape of the trough is such that the bottom center (floor 255) may use a small 1 lb bag on up to 25 lb bags and more. The sidewall/floor coupling angle encourages singulation of product by directing product to the center of the bag. The pusher plate helps promote product being delivered to the bag slowly as the carousel rotates (unlike traditional carousel baggers that deliver the entire weighment of product to the bag at once).

In an embodiment, the width of the trough meets the width of the bag (e.g., see FIG. 2) so no funneling of product is necessary. The product is pushed forward along the trough into the bag.

In an embodiment product, such as 10 lbs of oranges, proceeds with natural singulation to the center of the trough dictated by the shape of the trough. The bag clamps are wider than the base of the trough so product is pushed from, for example, a 4″ opening (e.g., dimension 258) in the base of the trough to a 6″ opening where the bag is clamped ensuring that all product falls quickly into the bag without jamming (because the available bag opening is equal to or larger than the base of the trough in an embodiment).

In an embodiment the pusher plate is connected to and driven by an air cylinder. A conventional air cylinder consists of a body and a ram that extends out from or retracts into the air cylinder body. However, an embodiment includes an air cylinder that also uses a rod and a body but the rod extends out of each end of the body of the cylinder (see FIG. 1). In an embodiment, when the rod is extended out from the air cylinder on one end the rod sticks out 25″ on one side of the cylinder and 1½″ out the other side of the cylinder. When used in conjunction with 8 conveyor troughs system 100 uses only 4 air cylinders to do the work of 8 conventional air cylinders. The two heads opposite each other share an air cylinder 131 that is connected to the pusher plates 105, 106 in each of the opposing troughs. In FIG. 1 heads 1 & 5, 2 & 6, 3 & 7, and 4 & 8 each share air cylinders. When head #1 (trough 120) has the pusher plate fully retracted the opposite head #5 (trough 121) is serviced by the same air cylinder 131 and at this point has the pusher plate fully extended having pushed the entire product into the bag.

Thus, various embodiments concern a continuously rotating machine element consisting of 8 bag clamped filling troughs designed to slowly move a weighment of product from the filling trough to the pre-hung bags as the machine rotates.

While conventional carousel baggers are designed to work with weighments from 3-20 lbs, any smaller weighment and the opening to the bag becomes a funnel shaped restriction resulting in damaged product or jamming of product that does not get into the bag (i.e., the output of the conventional trough is wider than the input to the bag). Flat floor 255 is configured such that the bag width of a 1 lb bag is accommodated with outwardly angled sides above the floor (and maximum width 258 may vary in other embodiments to go even smaller for smaller bags and vice versa for larger bags). In an embodiment each trough has a height of 11″, length of 26″, and provides enough volume to hold a 25 lb weighment (although in other embodiments a single system may include differently sized troughs to accommodate different articles or size of articles). The width of troughs in floor system 100 works with 1 lb bags with no restrictions and further accommodates up to 25 lb bags with a naturally occurring singulation of product based on the trough design (resulting in no jamming of any standard sized produce at weighments from 1-25 lbs and beyond).

An embodiment includes a method of filling pre-made bags or boxes with weighments of product. While food products have been discussed above embodiments are not limited to the same and may accommodate any articles that need loading.

Embodiments include troughs with a shape that helps prevent product blockage, a bag clamping mechanism that moves both the outer and inner bag clamps as a unit for maximum bag clamping, and the use of 4 air cylinders each with a pusher rod extending through the body of the air cylinder to each move a pusher plate in 8 filling troughs (i.e., a non 1:1 ratio between actuator and pusher plate).

Embodiments may include programming to operate systems such as system 100 (e.g., to advance the pusher plate to distribute the articles over the course of an arched path). Embodiments may be implemented in code and may be stored on a non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon instructions which can be used to program a system to perform the instructions. The storage medium may include, but is not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, solid state drives (SSDs), compact disk read-only memories (CD-ROMs), compact disk rewritables (CD-RWs), and magneto-optical disks, semiconductor devices such as read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs) such as dynamic random access memories (DRAMs), static random access memories (SRAMs), erasable programmable read-only memories (EPROMs), flash memories, electrically erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs), magnetic or optical cards, or any other type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions.

Embodiments may be implemented in many different system types. Referring now to FIG. 8, shown is a block diagram of a system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. System 500 may be used to implement code/logic for operating system 100 (e.g., to advance the pusher plate to distribute the articles over the course of an arched path). Multiprocessor system 500 is a point-to-point interconnect system, and includes a first processor 570 and a second processor 580 coupled via a point-to-point interconnect 551. Each of processors 570 and 580 may be multicore processors. The term “processor” may refer to any device or portion of a device that processes electronic data from registers and/or memory to transform that electronic data into other electronic data that may be stored in registers and/or memory. First processor 570 may include a memory controller hub (MCH) and point-to-point (P-P) interfaces. Similarly, second processor 580 may include a MCH and P-P interfaces. The MCHs may couple the processors to respective memories, namely memory 532 and memory 534, which may be portions of main memory (e.g., a dynamic random access memory (DRAM)) locally attached to the respective processors. First processor 570 and second processor 580 may be coupled to a chipset 590 via P-P interconnects, respectively. Chipset 590 may include P-P interfaces. Furthermore, chipset 590 may be coupled to a first bus 516 via an interface. Various I/O devices 514 may be coupled to first bus 516, along with a bus bridge 518, which couples first bus 516 to a second bus 520. Various devices may be coupled to second bus 520 including, for example, a keyboard/mouse 522, communication devices 526, and data storage unit 528 such as a disk drive or other mass storage device, which may include code 530, in one embodiment. Code may be included in one or more memories including memory 528, 532, 534, memory coupled to system 500 via a network, and the like. In one embodiment, use of the term control logic includes hardware, such as transistors, registers, or other hardware, such as programmable logic devices (535). However, in another embodiment, logic also includes software or code (531). Such logic may be integrated with hardware, such as firmware or micro-code (536). Further, an audio I/O 524 may be coupled to second bus 520.

An embodiment includes a carousel loading apparatus comprising:

first, second, and third troughs respectively coupled to first, second, and third pusher plates; and a hub coupled to a motor and the first, second, and third troughs; wherein the first, second, and third pusher plates are respectively configured to advance within the first, second, and third troughs to distribute first, second, and third loads of food articles into first, second, and third receptacles while the motor rotates the hub and the first, second, and third troughs.

An embodiment includes pneumatically operable bag clamps, coupled to each of the first, second, and third troughs, to couple the first, second, and third receptacles to the first, second, and third troughs; wherein the first, second, and third receptacles include first, second, and third hanging bags.

An embodiment includes wherein the first, second, and third troughs respectively include output end portions where the first, second, and third loads of food articles are emptied from the first, second, and third troughs into the first, second, and third hanging bags.

An embodiment includes wherein the output end portions each include a horizontal planar floor non-orthogonally coupled to sidewalls and the floor and sidewalls are all monolithically formed with one another.

An embodiment includes wherein each floor includes a maximum width and the bag clamps include a setting that statically holds the first, second, and third bags open a width generally equal to the maximum width and an additional setting that statically holds additional bags open an additional width greater than the maximum width.

An embodiment includes wherein the bag clamps are configured for adjustable load widths.

An embodiment includes wherein the bag clamps each couple to a set of differently sized paddles configured to hold open differently sized bags.

An embodiment includes wherein a portion of the bag clamps (a) move towards one another to couple the first, second, and third bags to the bag clamps, and (b) away from one another to expand the first, second, and third bags to receive the first, second, and third loads of food articles.

An embodiment includes wherein an additional portion of the bag clamps (a) move away from one another to couple the first, second, and third bags to the bag clamps, and (b) towards one another to grip the first, second, and third bags between the portion and additional portion of bag clamps.

An embodiment includes wherein the horizontal planar floor has a maximum width of less than 4.5″.

An embodiment includes wherein the bag clamps coupled to the first trough comprise at least two inner clamps to expand the first bag and at least two outer clamps to hold the first bag against the two inner clamps.

An embodiment includes wherein each of the first, second, and third troughs is configured to hold up to 25 lbs of the first, second, and third loads of food articles.

An embodiment includes wherein each of the first, second, and third pusher plates advance from a back end portion of the first, second, and third troughs, through the first, second, and third troughs, and to the output end portions of the first, second, and third troughs to distribute the first, second, and third loads of food articles into the receptacles.

An embodiment includes wherein the first and second troughs are located opposite one another across the hub and a pusher rod, coupled to the first and second pusher plates, is configured to advance the first pusher plate while retracting the second pusher plate and advance the second pusher plate while retracting the first pusher plate.

An embodiment includes wherein the first pusher plate is configured to maximally advance within the first trough when the second pusher plate is maximally retracted within the second trough.

An embodiment includes wherein the motor rotates the hub and the first, second, and third troughs through an arching path that is greater than 180 degrees.

An embodiment includes wherein the first pusher plate is configured to advance within the first trough to progressively distribute the first load of food articles into the first receptacle along multiple locations of the arching path.

An embodiment includes a carousel loading apparatus comprising: a plurality of troughs respectively coupled to a plurality of pusher plates and a motor; wherein the pusher plates are respectively configured to advance within the troughs to distribute a plurality of articles into a plurality of receptacles while the motor rotates the troughs.

An embodiment includes bag clamps, coupled to troughs, to couple the receptacles to the troughs; wherein the receptacles include a plurality of hanging bags.

An embodiment includes wherein the bag clamps are configured for adjustable load widths.

An embodiment includes wherein: a portion of the bag clamps (a) move toward one another to couple the bags to the bag clamps, and (b) away from each other to expand the bags to receive the articles; and an additional portion of the bag clamps (a) move away from one another to couple the bags to the bag clamps, and (b) towards one other to grip the bags between the portion and additional portion of bag clamps.

An embodiment includes wherein each of the pusher plates advance from a back end portion of the troughs, through the troughs, and to the output end portions of the troughs to distribute the articles into the receptacles.

An embodiment includes wherein the troughs are located opposite one another and a pusher rod, coupled to first and second plates of the pusher plates, is configured to advance the first pusher plate while retracting the second pusher plate and advance the second pusher plate while retracting the first pusher plate.

An embodiment includes wherein the motor rotates the troughs through an arching path that is greater than 180 degrees.

An embodiment includes wherein the pusher plates are configured to advance within the troughs to progressively distribute the articles into the receptacles along multiple locations of the arching path.

While the present invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate numerous modifications and variations therefrom. It is intended that the appended claims cover all such modifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of this present invention.

Claims

1. A carousel loading apparatus comprising: first, second, and third troughs respectively coupled to first, second, and third pusher plates; anda hub coupled to a motor and the first, second, and third troughs;wherein the first, second, and third pusher plates are respectively configured to advance within the first, second, and third troughs to distribute first, second, and third loads of food articles into first, second, and third receptacles while the motor rotates the hub and the first, second, and third troughs.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising: pneumatically operable bag clamps, coupled to each of the first, second, and third troughs, to couple the first, second, and third receptacles to the first, second, and third troughs;wherein the first, second, and third receptacles include first, second, and third hanging bags.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first, second, and third troughs respectively include output end portions where the first, second, and third loads of food articles are emptied from the first, second, and third troughs into the first, second, and third hanging bags.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the output end portions each include a horizontal planar floor non-orthogonally coupled to sidewalls and the floor and sidewalls are all monolithically formed with one another.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each floor includes a maximum width and the bag clamps include a setting that statically holds the first, second, and third bags open a width generally equal to the maximum width and an additional setting that statically holds additional bags open an additional width greater than the maximum width.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the bag clamps are configured for adjustable load widths.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the bag clamps each couple to a set of differently sized paddles configured to hold open differently sized bags.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein a portion of the bag clamps (a) move towards one another to couple the first, second, and third bags to the bag clamps, and (b) away from one another to expand the first, second, and third bags to receive the first, second, and third loads of food articles.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein an additional portion of the bag clamps (a) move away from one another to couple the first, second, and third bags to the bag clamps, and (b) towards one another to grip the first, second, and third bags between the portion and additional portion of bag clamps.

10. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the horizontal planar floor has a maximum width of less than 4.5″.

11. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the bag clamps coupled to the first trough comprise at least two inner clamps to expand the first bag and at least two outer clamps to hold the first bag against the two inner clamps.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each of the first, second, and third troughs is configured to hold up to 25 lbs of the first, second, and third loads of food articles.

13. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each of the first, second, and third pusher plates advance from a back end portion of the first, second, and third troughs, through the first, second, and third troughs, and to the output end portions of the first, second, and third troughs to distribute the first, second, and third loads of food articles into the receptacles.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second troughs are located opposite one another across the hub and a pusher rod, coupled to the first and second pusher plates, is configured to advance the first pusher plate while retracting the second pusher plate and advance the second pusher plate while retracting the first pusher plate.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first pusher plate is configured to maximally advance within the first trough when the second pusher plate is maximally retracted within the second trough.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motor rotates the hub and the first, second, and third troughs through an arching path that is greater than 180 degrees.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first pusher plate is configured to advance within the first trough to progressively distribute the first load of food articles into the first receptacle along multiple locations of the arching path.

18. A carousel loading apparatus comprising: a plurality of troughs respectively coupled to a plurality of pusher plates and a motor;wherein the pusher plates are respectively configured to advance within the troughs to distribute a plurality of articles into a plurality of receptacles while the motor rotates the troughs.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 comprising: receptacle clamps, coupled to troughs, to couple the receptacles to the troughs;wherein the receptacles include a plurality of hanging receptacles.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the receptacle clamps are configured for adjustable load widths.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein: a portion of the receptacle clamps (a) move toward one another to couple the receptacles to the receptacle clamps, and (b) away from each other to secure the receptacles to receive the articles; andan additional portion of the receptacle clamps (a) move away from one another to couple the receptacles to the receptacle clamps, and (b) towards one other to secure the receptacles between the portion and additional portion of receptacle clamps.

22. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein each of the pusher plates advance from a back end portion of the troughs, through the troughs, and to the output end portions of the troughs to distribute the articles into the receptacles.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the troughs are located opposite one another and a pusher rod, coupled to first and second plates of the pusher plates, is configured to advance the first pusher plate while retracting the second pusher plate and advance the second pusher plate while retracting the first pusher plate.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the motor rotates the troughs through an arching path that is greater than 180 degrees.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the pusher plates are configured to advance within the troughs to progressively distribute the articles into the receptacles along multiple locations of the arching path.