The present disclosure relates to portioning of compressible materials, and more particularly to compressing and portioning materials to provide rapid, economical, and efficient portioning of the materials to provide (“manufacture”) portions (“instances”) of material having a controllable density, weight, and volume.
Some products, including some consumer goods, include packaged portions (“portioned instances”) of a compressible material (also referred to herein as simply a “material”). In some cases, such portioned instances may be produced (“provided,” “manufactured,” etc.) based on portioning (“segmenting,” “cutting,” “severing,” etc.) a relatively large (“bulk”) instance of the material into multiple smaller portioned instances and packaging the portioned instances.
Some example embodiments utilize one or more supplies of gas to compress a bulk instance of material and to discharge portioned instances of material. Such a use of gas may enable relatively simple and rapidly and easily adjustable control of material compression and discharge with reduced apparatus complexity, reduced maintenance requirements, and/or reduced risk of disrupting a target density and/or volume of the portioned instances of material during the discharge of said instances from the apparatus.
According to some example embodiments, an apparatus configured to provide a portioned instance of a compressible material may include a channel assembly, a gas source, a cutting assembly, and a discharge assembly. The channel assembly may include an upper assembly and a lower assembly. The upper assembly may include an upper inner surface defining an upper channel. The lower assembly may include a lower inner surface defining a lower channel. The upper inner surface and the lower inner surface may collectively at least partially define a continuous channel including the upper and lower channels. The upper assembly may define a top opening of the continuous channel. The lower assembly may define a bottom opening of the continuous channel. The channel assembly may be configured to hold a bulk instance of the compressible material extending continuously through both the upper channel and the lower channel. The gas source may be configured to supply a first gas through the top opening to compress the bulk instance held within the continuous channel, such that the bulk instance includes an upper material portion in the upper channel and a lower material portion in the lower channel. The cutting assembly may be configured to move in relation to the channel assembly to extend transversely through the continuous channel between the upper channel and the lower channel, such that the lower material portion is severed from the upper material portion to produce the portioned instance, and the cutting assembly isolates the lower channel from the upper channel. The discharge assembly may be configured to supply a second gas into the lower channel to discharge the portioned instance through the bottom opening based on directing the second gas through a conduit assembly of the lower assembly to impinge on a lower face of the cutting assembly in the lower channel.
The channel assembly may be configured to move and the gas source is fixed in relation to the channel assembly, such that the gas source is configured to supply the first gas through the top opening based on the channel assembly moving to a first position to be in fluid communication with the gas source. The gas source may be configured to supply a continuous supply of the first gas, such that the supply of the first gas through the top opening of the channel assembly is controlled based on the channel assembly moving in relation to the first position.
The channel assembly may be configured to move and the cutting assembly is fixed in relation to the channel assembly, such that the cutting assembly is configured to extend transversely through the continuous channel based on the channel assembly moving to a second position.
The channel assembly may be configured to move and the discharge assembly is fixed in relation to the channel assembly, such that the discharge assembly is configured to direct the second gas into the lower channel based on the channel assembly moving to a third position to be in fluid communication with the discharge assembly.
The apparatus may further include a rotatable assembly configured to rotate around a central longitudinal axis. The rotatable assembly may include a plurality of channel assemblies. The plurality of channel assemblies may be spaced apart around a circumference of the rotatable assembly. The plurality of channel assemblies may include the channel assembly. The gas source, the cutting assembly, and the discharge assembly may be fixed in relation to the rotatable assembly, such that the gas source is configured to supply the first gas through the top opening based on the rotatable assembly rotating to move the channel assembly to a first position to be in fluid communication with the gas source, the cutting assembly is configured to extend transversely through the continuous channel based on the rotatable assembly rotating to move the channel assembly to a second position, and the discharge assembly is configured to direct the second gas into the lower channel based on the rotatable assembly rotating to move the channel assembly to a third position to be in fluid communication with the discharge assembly. The first position, the second position, and the third position may be different from each other. The gas source may be configured to supply a continuous supply of the first gas to at least a portion of the plurality of channel assemblies, such that the apparatus is configured to control the supply of the first gas to the channel assembly based on rotating the rotatable assembly to move the channel assembly to the first position.
The conduit assembly of the lower assembly may include an annular conduit assembly defining an annular conduit surrounding the lower channel, the annular conduit assembly configured to direct the second gas from the discharge assembly into the annular conduit and one or more bridging conduit assemblies defining one or more bridging conduits extending between the annular conduit assembly and a top end of the lower inner surface, the one or more bridging conduit assemblies configured to direct the second gas from the annular conduit to a top portion of the lower channel. The lower assembly may include a plurality of bridging conduit assemblies between the annular conduit assembly and the top end of the lower inner surface, the plurality of bridging conduit assemblies including the one or more bridging conduit assemblies, and the plurality of bridging conduit assemblies may be spaced apart equidistantly around a circumference of the lower inner surface.
The gas source may be configured to supply the first gas to the channel assembly at a positive pressure that exceeds an absolute pressure of an ambient environment surrounding the apparatus.
The apparatus may include a weight sensor configured to generate sensor data indicating a weight of the portioned instance that is discharged through the bottom opening, and a control device communicatively coupled to the gas source and the weight sensor, the control device configured to adjustably control a pressure of the first gas supplied to the channel assembly based on processing the sensor data, such that a weight of subsequently-provided portioned instances is maintained within a particular range.
The first gas and the second gas may be a common gas.
The continuous channel may be a cylindrical channel.
According to some example embodiments, an apparatus configured to provide a portioned instance of a compressible material may include a rotatable assembly configured to rotate around a central longitudinal axis. The rotatable assembly may include a plurality of channel assemblies. The plurality of channel assemblies may be spaced apart around a circumference of the rotatable assembly. Each channel assembly of the plurality of channel assemblies may include an upper assembly and a lower assembly. The upper assembly may include an upper inner surface defining an upper channel. The lower assembly may include a lower inner surface defining a lower channel. The upper inner surface and the lower inner surface may collectively at least partially define a continuous channel including the upper and lower channels. The upper assembly may define a top opening of the continuous channel. The lower assembly may define a bottom opening of the continuous channel. The channel assembly may be configured to hold a bulk instance of the compressible material extending continuously through both the upper channel and the lower channel. The apparatus may include a gas source fixed in relation to the rotatable assembly. The gas source may be configured to supply a first gas through the top opening of at least one channel assembly of the plurality of channel assemblies to compress the bulk instance held within the at least one channel assembly based on rotation of the rotatable assembly to move the at least one channel assembly to a first position, such that the bulk instance in the at least one channel assembly includes an upper material portion in the upper channel of the at least one channel assembly and a lower material portion in the lower channel of the at least one channel assembly. The apparatus may include a cutting assembly configured to move in relation to the plurality of channel assemblies to extend transversely through a continuous channel of one channel assembly of the plurality of channel assemblies based on rotation of the rotatable assembly to move the one channel assembly to a second position, such that the lower material portion in the one channel assembly is severed from the upper material portion in the one channel assembly to produce the portioned instance, and the cutting assembly isolates the lower channel of the one channel assembly from the upper channel of the one channel assembly. The apparatus may include a discharge assembly fixed in relation to the rotatable assembly. The discharge assembly may be configured to supply a second gas into a lower channel of the one channel assembly of the plurality of channel assemblies to discharge the portioned instance through the bottom opening of the one channel assembly based on directing the second gas through a conduit assembly of the lower assembly of the one channel assembly to impinge on a lower face of the cutting assembly in the lower channel of the conduit assembly in response to rotation of the rotatable assembly to move the one channel assembly to a third position.
The cutting assembly may be fixed in relation to the plurality of channel assemblies, such that the cutting assembly is configured to extend transversely through the continuous channel of the one channel assembly based on the rotatable assembly rotating to move the one channel assembly to the second position.
The conduit assembly of each channel assembly of the plurality of channel assemblies may include an annular conduit assembly defining an annular conduit surrounding the lower channel of the channel assembly, the annular conduit assembly configured to direct the second gas from the discharge assembly into the annular conduit, and one or more bridging conduit assemblies defining one or more bridging conduits extending between the annular conduit assembly and a top end of the lower inner surface of the channel assembly, the one or more bridging conduit assemblies configured to direct the second gas from the annular conduit to a top portion of the lower channel of the channel assembly.
The lower assembly of each channel assembly of the plurality of channel assemblies may include a plurality of bridging conduit assemblies between the annular conduit assembly of the channel assembly and the top end of the lower inner surface of the channel assembly, the plurality of bridging conduit assemblies including the one or more bridging conduit assemblies of the channel assembly. The plurality of bridging conduit assemblies may be spaced apart equidistantly around a circumference of the lower inner surface of the channel assembly.
The gas source may be configured to supply the first gas to the plurality of channel assemblies at a positive pressure that exceeds an absolute pressure of an ambient environment surrounding the apparatus.
The apparatus may include a weight sensor configured to generate sensor data indicating a weight of portioned instances discharged through the bottom openings of the plurality of channel assemblies. The apparatus may include a control device communicatively coupled to the gas source and the weight sensor, the control device configured to adjustably control a pressure of the first gas supplied to the plurality of channel assemblies based on processing the sensor data, such that a weight of subsequently-provided portioned instances is maintained within a particular range.
The first gas and the second gas may be a common gas.
Each continuous channel may be a cylindrical channel.
According to some example embodiments, a method for operating an apparatus may include inserting compressible material into a continuous channel of a channel assembly, the channel assembly including an upper assembly defining an upper channel of the continuous channel and a lower assembly defining a lower channel of the continuous channel, such that the inserted compressible material defines a bulk instance of the compressible material extending continuously through the upper channel and the lower channel. The method may include controlling a gas source to supply a first gas through a top opening of the channel assembly to compress the bulk instance, such that an upper material portion of the bulk instance is in the upper channel, and a lower material portion of the bulk instance is in the lower channel. The method may include controlling a cutting assembly to extend transversely through the continuous channel to isolate the lower channel from the upper channel, such that the lower material portion is severed from the upper material portion to produce a portioned instance of the compressible material. The method may include controlling a discharge assembly to supply a second gas into the lower channel to discharge the portioned instance through a bottom opening of the channel assembly based on directing the second gas through a conduit assembly of the lower assembly to impinge on a lower face of the cutting assembly in the lower channel.
The channel assembly may be configured to move, the gas source may be fixed in relation to the channel assembly, and the controlling the gas source to supply the first gas into the continuous channel may include moving the channel assembly to a first position to be in fluid communication with the gas source.
The gas source may be configured to supply a continuous supply of the first gas.
The channel assembly may be configured to move, the cutting assembly may be fixed in relation to the channel assembly, controlling the cutting assembly to extend transversely through the continuous channel may include moving the channel assembly to a second position, and actuating the cutting assembly to extend transversely through the continuous channel in response to the channel assembly being at the second position.
The channel assembly may be configured to move, the discharge assembly may be fixed in relation to the channel assembly, and controlling the discharge assembly to supply the second gas into the lower channel may include moving the channel assembly to a third position to be in fluid communication with the discharge assembly, and controlling the discharge assembly in response to the channel assembly being at the third position.
The apparatus may include a rotatable assembly configured to rotate around a central longitudinal axis. The rotatable assembly may include a plurality of channel assemblies. The plurality of channel assemblies may be spaced apart around a circumference of the rotatable assembly. The plurality of channel assemblies may include the channel assembly. The gas source, the cutting assembly, and the discharge assembly may be fixed in relation to the rotatable assembly. Controlling the gas source to supply the first gas into the continuous channel may include rotating the rotatable assembly to move the channel assembly to a first position to be in fluid communication with the gas source. Controlling the cutting assembly to extend transversely through the continuous channel may include rotating the rotatable assembly to move the channel assembly to a second position, and actuating the cutting assembly to extend transversely through the continuous channel in response to the channel assembly being at the second position. Controlling the discharge assembly to supply the second gas into the lower channel may include rotating the rotatable assembly to move the channel assembly to a third position to be in fluid communication with the discharge assembly, and controlling the discharge assembly in response to the channel assembly being at the third position.
The first position, the second position, and the third position may be different from each other.
The gas source may be configured to supply a continuous supply of the first gas to at least a portion of the plurality of channel assemblies. Controlling the gas source to supply the first gas into the continuous channel may include rotating the rotatable assembly to move the channel assembly to the first position to initiate the supply of the first gas to the channel assembly. The method may further include rotating the rotatable assembly to move the channel assembly away from the first position to inhibit the supply of the first gas to the channel assembly.
The conduit assembly of the lower assembly may include an annular conduit assembly defining an annular conduit surrounding the lower channel, the annular conduit assembly configured to direct the second gas from the discharge assembly into the annular conduit. The conduit assembly may include one or more bridging conduit assemblies defining one or more bridging conduits extending between the annular conduit assembly and a top end of a lower inner surface of the lower assembly, the one or more bridging conduit assemblies configured to direct the second gas from the annular conduit to a top portion of the lower channel.
The lower assembly may include a plurality of bridging conduit assemblies between the annular conduit assembly and the top end of the lower inner surface, the plurality of bridging conduit assemblies including the one or more bridging conduit assemblies. The plurality of bridging conduit assemblies may be spaced apart equidistantly around a circumference of the lower inner surface.
Controlling the gas source to supply the first gas into the continuous channel may include supplying the first gas to the channel assembly at a positive pressure that exceeds an absolute pressure of an ambient environment surrounding the apparatus.
The continuous channel may be a cylindrical channel.
The various features and advantages of the non-limiting embodiments herein may become more apparent upon review of the detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are merely provided for illustrative purposes and should not be interpreted to limit the scope of the claims. The accompanying drawings are not to be considered as drawn to scale unless explicitly noted. For purposes of clarity, various dimensions of the drawings may have been exaggerated.
Some detailed example embodiments are disclosed herein. However, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are merely representative for purposes of describing example embodiments. Example embodiments may, however, be embodied in many alternate forms and should not be construed as limited to only the example embodiments set forth herein.
Accordingly, while example embodiments are capable of various modifications and alternative forms, example embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit example embodiments to the particular forms disclosed, but to the contrary, example embodiments are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of example embodiments. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the description of the figures.
It should be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “connected to,” “coupled to,” or “covering” another element or layer, it may be directly on, connected to, coupled to, or covering the other element or layer or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there are no intervening elements or layers present. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the specification. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
It should be understood that, although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers, and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, region, layer, or section from another region, layer, or section. Thus, a first element, region, layer, or section discussed below could be termed a second element, region, layer, or section without departing from the teachings of example embodiments.
Spatially relative terms (e.g., “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like) may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It should be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the term “below” may encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing various example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “includes,” “including,” “comprises,” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Example embodiments are described herein with reference to cross-sectional illustrations that are schematic illustrations of idealized embodiments (and intermediate structures) of example embodiments. As such, variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, are to be expected. Thus, example embodiments should not be construed as limited to the shapes of regions illustrated herein but are to include deviations in shapes that result, for example, from manufacturing.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, including those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
When the terms “about” or “substantially” are used in this specification in connection with a numerical value, it is intended that the associated numerical value include a tolerance of ±10% around the stated numerical value. Moreover, when reference is made to percentages in this specification, it is intended that those percentages are based on weight, i.e., weight percentages. The expression “up to” includes amounts of zero to the expressed upper limit and all values therebetween. When ranges are specified, the range includes all values therebetween such as increments of 0.1%. Moreover, when the words “generally” and “substantially” are used in connection with geometric shapes, it is intended that precision of the geometric shape is not required but that latitude for the shape is within the scope of the disclosure. Although channels and/or conduits described herein may be illustrated and/or described as being cylindrical, other channel and/or conduit cross-sectional forms are contemplated, such as square, rectangular, oval, triangular and others.
In some example embodiments, including the example embodiments shown in
The apparatus 100 may be configured to provide (“produce,” “manufacture,” “fabricate,” etc.) portioned instances of a compressible material that is initially held in the material supply source 102 based on controlling the channel assembly 110 and the cutting assembly 130 to implement segmenting (“portioning,” “severing,” etc.) of a bulk instance of the compressible material, supplied into the channel assembly 110 from the material supply source 102, into one or more portioned instances of the compressible material. The apparatus 100 may provide said portioned instances to the packaging assembly 160 to be packaged, individually or in groups, to be provided as an end product.
As described further herein, the channel assembly 110 may include upper and lower assemblies that collectively define a continuous channel extending through the channel assembly 110, and the compressible material may be supplied from the material supply source 102 into the continuous channel of the channel assembly 110. As described herein, compressible material supplied (“inserted”) into the channel assembly 110 may be referred to as a “bulk instance” of the compressible material.
The gas source 104 may supply a first gas 105 (e.g., via a first flow conduit as represented by the line representation of the first gas 105 in
The channel assembly 110 may segment the bulk instance of compressible material into one or more portioned instances. The gas source 106 may supply (“provide”) a second gas 107 to the channel assembly 110 (e.g., via a second flow conduit as represented by the line representation of the second gas 107 in
In some example embodiments, the gas sources 104 and 106 (sometimes referred to as “first” and “second” gas sources, respectively) are the same gas source (a common gas source) configured to supply a common gas, via separate flow conduits (e.g., the aforementioned first and second flow conduits) and/or separate gas flow control valves, to compress the bulk instance and to discharge the one or more portioned instances, respectively. The first and second gases may be supplied, by a common gas source and/or different gas sources, to the channel assembly 110 at a common pressure or at different pressures. The first and second gases, as described herein, may be any gas, including air. In some example embodiments, including example embodiments where the gas source 104 and the gas source 106 are different gas sources, the first and second gasses may be different gases.
The power supply 108 may be a device configured to supply electrical and/or mechanical power to one or more portions of the apparatus 100, including one or more portions of the channel assembly 110, to cause the apparatus 100 to function. For example, the power supply 108 may supply power to control the supply of first and second gases to the channel assembly 110, control movement of one or more portions of the channel assembly 110, control movement of the cutting assembly 130, some combination thereof, or the like. In some example embodiments, the power supply 108 may be an electrical motor (e.g., an AC electrical motor).
In some example embodiments, one or more characteristics of the portioned instances to be packaged may be controlled in order to provide a packaged product having one or more relatively consistent characteristics. For example, in some example embodiments, at least a portion of the apparatus 100 (e.g., the control device 120) may be configured to control the density, weight, and/or volume of portioned and packaged instances of a material in order to ensure that each package of portioned material includes an approximately common mass, volume, density, and/or shape of material, thereby providing a relatively consistent end product to consumers.
In some example embodiments, based on the material to be portioned for packaging of the individual portioned instances thereof being a compressible material, at least the density and/or weight of the individual portioned instances of the material may be at least partially controlled (e.g., by at least a portion of apparatus 100, including control device 120) based on compressing a bulk instance of the material within the channel assembly 110 to achieve a particular density of the bulk instance and then segmenting the compressed bulk instance into multiple portions, such that each portioned instance may have a relatively common density that is at least approximately the particular density.
The control device 120 may be communicatively coupled to some or all of the elements of the apparatus 100, as shown in
As shown in
The control interface 124 may be configured to receive control commands, including commands provided by an operator based on manual interaction with the control interface. The control interface 124 may be a manual interface, including a touchscreen display interface, a button interface, a mouse interface, a keyboard interface, some combination thereof, or the like. Control commands received at the control interface 124 may be forwarded to processor 122 via the bus 121, and the processor 122 may execute one or more programs of instruction, for example to adjust operation of one or more portions of the apparatus 100, based on the control commands.
The communication interface 125 is communicatively coupled to one or more of the elements of apparatus 100, for example as shown by the dashed-line elements in
Sensor device 150 is configured to generate data signals (also referred to herein as simply “sensor data”) based on monitoring one or more aspects of a portioned instance of the compressible material that is discharged by the channel assembly 110. In some example embodiments, the sensor device 150 is a weight scale device that is configured to generate data signals associated with a weight of a portioned instance based on the portioned instance interacting with a sensing element of the sensor device 150. The data signals may be communicated to control device 120 via communication interface 125, and the processor 122 may process the data signals to determine a weight of the portioned instance.
In some example embodiments, the control device 120 (e.g., the processor executing a program of instructions) may be configured to determine one or more characteristics of a portioned instances based on an instance of sensor data received from the sensor device 150. For example, the memory 123 may store information indicating a volume of portioned instances, and the processor 122 may be configured to determine a density of a portioned instance based on the stored volume and further based on processing sensor data received from sensor device 150 to determine a weight and/or mass of the portioned instance.
Referring now to
At S102, the control device 120 may control the material supply source 102 (e.g., based on generating control signals that, when received at the material supply source 102, cause a supply valve, pump, conveyer device, etc., to actuate to control a flow of compressible material from the material supply source 102) to cause the material supply source 102 to supply compressible material to the channel assembly 110.
At S104, the control device 120 may control one or more elements of the apparatus 100 (e.g., the gas source 104, the power supply 108, the cutting assembly 130, the gas source 106, some combination thereof, or the like) to cause one or more portioned instances of the compressible material to be produced at the channel assembly 110. Such an operation is described further below with reference to
At S106, the control device 120 may receive sensor data (“data signals”) from the sensor device 150 based on the produced one or more portioned instances interacting with a sensing element of the sensor device 150 and the sensor device 150 responsively generating one or more data signals that are communicated to the control device 120. In some example embodiments, the sensor device 150 may be a weight sensor (e.g., a weight scale) configured to generate data signals associated with the weight of a portioned instance interacting with a sensing element of the weight sensor.
At S108, the control device 120 may process the received sensor data to determine a value associated with one or more particular aspects (“characteristics,” “properties,” etc.) of the produced one or more portioned instances. For example, where the sensor device 150 generating the sensor data is a weight sensor, the control device 120 may process the received sensor data to determine a weight (“mass”) value associated with the produced one or more portioned instances. In another example, for example where the control device 120 stores data indicating a predicted volume of produced portioned instances, the control device 120 may process the received sensor data (associated with weight values) to determine a density value associated with the produced one or more portioned instances.
A value determined based on processing sensor data received from sensor device 150 may be an arithmetic value (e.g., a mean value, a median value, or the like) associated with one or more particular aspects associated with a set or range of discharged portioned instances (e.g., the last 10 produced portioned instances, the portioned instances produces within the last 30 minutes, etc.) For example, the control device 120 may maintain and continuously update a running mean weight of the last 20 portioned instances produced by channel assembly 110. The control device 120 may update the running mean weight based on processing received sensor data from sensor device 150 to determine a weight of a most recently-produced portioned instance and updating the running mean weight value based on the determined weight.
At S110, the control device 120 may compare the value determined at S108 (e.g., an arithmetic value) to a particular (or, alternatively, predetermined) value or range of values to determine whether the arithmetic value matches the particular value or is within the range of values. The particular value or range of values may be stored at the control device 120 (e.g., in memory 123). If so, the process as shown in
As a result, the apparatus 100 may be configured to rapidly adjust one or more elements thereof (e.g., the supply of first gas 105) to rapidly adjust one or more characteristics (e.g., density) of produced portioned instances without requiring complicated adjustments to the apparatus 100. Furthermore, because the operations shown in
In some example embodiments, an apparatus 100 includes a channel assembly that includes an upper assembly and a lower assembly, where the upper assembly includes an upper inner surface defining an upper channel, the lower assembly includes a lower inner surface defining a lower channel, the upper inner surface and the lower inner surface collectively at least partially define a continuous channel including the upper and lower channels, the upper assembly defines a top opening of the continuous channel, and the lower assembly defines a bottom opening of the continuous channel. For example, as shown in
As further shown in
In some example embodiments, including the example embodiments shown in
Referring back to
As shown in
Still referring to
As shown in
As further shown in
In some example embodiments, including the example embodiments shown in
In addition, where a bulk instance of compressed material extends through the upper channel 219 and the lower channel 229, and as a result of the cutting assembly 230 extending transversely to the continuous channel 290, the cutting assembly 230 may sever the lower material portion of the bulk instance (held in the lower channel 229) from the upper material portion of the bulk instance (held in the upper channel 219). For example, as noted above, the cutting assembly 230 may include an edge portion 234 that is configured to cut through the bulk instance of the compressed material based on the cutting assembly 230 moving transversely through the channel assembly 200 between the upper channel 219 and the lower channel 229.
The severed lower material portion may be referred to herein as a portioned instance of the compressible material. As a result, severing the lower material portion from the upper material portion may be referred to herein as producing the portioned instance of the compressible material, where the severed material portion is the portioned instance.
In some example embodiments, the apparatus 100 includes a discharge assembly configured to supply a second gas into the lower channel to discharge the portioned instance through the bottom opening based on directing the second gas through a conduit assembly of the lower assembly to impinge on a lower face of the cutting assembly in the lower channel.
For example, as shown in
Still referring to
As further shown in
Still referring to
Based on the sealing plate 250 sealing the bottom opening 226, the sealing plate 250 may restrict any compressible material held in at least the lower channel 229 of the channel assembly 200 to remain within the channel assembly 200. For example, the sealing plate 250 may be in a closed position (“configuration”), as shown in at least
The sealing plate 250 position (“configuration”) may be at least partially controlled by a control device, including the control device 120 shown in
Referring first to
As shown in
In some example embodiments, a supply of the first gas 105 to the channel assembly 200 is inhibited during the insertion of compressible material 502 into the continuous channel 290 at S402. In some example embodiments, including the example embodiments shown in
Referring now to
In some example embodiments, the first gas 105 is supplied (e.g., based on control of an element associated with a gas source by control device 120) at a pressure exceeding the ambient pressure surrounding the apparatus 100, such that the first gas 105 compresses the bulk instance 510 of compressible material to cause the density of the bulk instance 520 to be adjusted to a density that matches a particular density value or is within a particular range of density values. Additionally, the amount of compression (e.g., the force applied on the bulk instance 510 by the first gas 105 to achieve compression of the bulk instance 510) may be adjustably controlled (e.g., by control device 120) based on adjusting the supply of the first gas 105 to the continuous channel 290 via top opening 214 (for example, based on control device 120 controlling a gas supply valve associated with the gas source 104).
Based on utilizing the first gas 105 to achieve density adjustment of the compressible material through compression of the bulk instance 510, where the first gas 105 can be simply controlled (e.g., via control of a gas flow control valve of the gas source 104 by control device 120) to control the amount of compression and thus the resulting density of the compressed bulk instance 520, the apparatus 100 may be configured to enable relatively simplified compression and density control of the compressible material, thereby providing capital and operational savings due to reduced complexity, simplified operations, simplified adjustment operations, and mitigating a need to take the apparatus 100 off-line from operation in order to implement adjustments to the compression provided by the first gas 105. Regarding the supply of first gas 105, the utilization of moving parts may be restricted to the gas source 104 gas flow control valve that is used to control the supply of first gas 105 to the continuous channel 290, thereby representing a substantial reduction in the quantity and complexity of mechanical and/or hydraulic structures that would otherwise be used to achieve compression of the bulk instance 510.
Referring now to
As shown, the cutting assembly 230 extends transversely through transverse conduit 232 so that the edge portion 234 of the cutting assembly 230 cuts through the bulk instance 520 to separate the upper and lower material portions 522 and 524 of the bulk instances 520 into separate, respective and isolated instances of the compressible material. The upper surface 231 of the extended cutting assembly 230 further defines a bottom boundary of the upper channel 219 holding the upper material portion 522, and the lower surface 233 of the extended cutting assembly 230 further defines a top boundary of the lower channel 229 holding the lower material portion 524. A mechanism via which the cutting assembly (e.g., 230) may be enabled to extend transversely through a transverse conduit (e.g., 232), according to at least some example embodiments, is described further below with reference to at least
As shown in
Referring now to
As shown in
In some example embodiments, the channel assembly 200 may be configured to move (e.g., based on control of the channel assembly 200 by control device 120 of apparatus 100), and one or more of the gas source 104, the cutting assembly 230, and the discharge assembly 240 may be fixed in relation to the channel assembly 200 such that one or more of operations S402-S408 is controlled based on the channel assembly 200 moving in relation to one or more positions.
As referred to herein, a “position” may include a single point location or a range of locations (e.g., a “region”) in space in relation to a fixed portion of apparatus 100 (e.g., power supply 108, control device 120, material supply source 102, some combination thereof, or the like).
In some example embodiments, the gas source 104 may be fixed in relation to the channel assembly 200, such that the gas source 104 is configured to supply the first gas through the top opening 214 of the channel assembly 200 based on the channel assembly 200 moving to a first position to be in fluid communication with the gas source 104. For example, as shown in
In some example embodiments, the gas source 104 is configured to supply a continuous supply of the first gas 105, such that the supply of the first gas 105 through the top opening 214 of the channel assembly 200 is controlled based on the channel assembly 200 moving in relation to the first position. For example, in response to the channel assembly 200 being moved away from the first position, the supply of first gas 105 to the channel assembly 200 may be inhibited, even though the gas source 104 continues to supply the first gas 105, e.g., via an at least partially opened gas flow control valve. Where the apparatus 100 includes multiple channel assemblies 200, moving a first channel assembly 200 away from the first position to thus inhibit the supply of first gas 105 to the first channel assembly 200 may further include moving a second channel assembly 200 to the first position to thus initiate the supply of first gas 105 to the second channel assembly 200, based on maintaining a continuous supply of first gas 105 from gas source 104 to any channel assembly 200 that is at the first position. Such example embodiments are described further below with reference to additional drawings.
In some example embodiments, the channel assembly 200 may be configured to move and the cutting assembly 230 may be fixed in relation to the channel assembly 200, such that the cutting assembly 230 is configured to extend transversely through the continuous channel 290 (e.g., based on control of one or more elements of apparatus 100 by control device 120) based on the channel assembly 200 moving to a second position (e.g., based on control of one or more elements of apparatus 100 by control device 120). For example, as shown in
In some example embodiments, the second position may be different from the first position and/or may at least partially overlap with the first position. For example, where the first position is a region that encompasses the second position, such that the second position is fully overlapped by the first position, the supply of first gas 105 may be maintained to a given channel assembly 200 at S405 and S406, concurrently with the channel assembly 200 being moved to the second position to cause extension of the cutting assembly 230 transversely through the continuous channel 290 of the channel assembly 200.
In some example embodiments, the channel assembly 200 may be configured to move (e.g., based on control of one or more elements of apparatus 100 by control device 120) and the discharge assembly 240 may be fixed in relation to the channel assembly 200, such that the discharge assembly 240 is configured (e.g., based on control of one or more elements of apparatus 100 by control device 120) to direct the second gas 107 into the lower channel 229 based on the channel assembly 200 moving to a third position to be in fluid communication with the discharge assembly 240. For example, as shown in
In some example embodiments, the third position may be different from the first position and/or the second position and/or may at least partially overlap with the first position and/or the second position.
In some example embodiments, the gas source 106 is configured to supply a continuous supply of the second gas 107, such that the supply of the second gas 107 through the conduit assembly 244 of the channel assembly 200 is controlled based on the channel assembly 200 moving in relation to the third position. For example, in response to the channel assembly 200 being moved away from the third position, the supply of second gas 107 to the conduit assembly 244 may be inhibited, even though the gas source 106 continues to supply the second gas 107, e.g., via an at least partially opened gas flow control valve. Where the apparatus 100 includes multiple channel assemblies 200, moving a first channel assembly 200 away from the third position to thus inhibit the supply of second gas 107 to the conduit assembly 244, may further include moving a second channel assembly 200 to the third position to thus initiate the supply of second gas 107 to the second channel assembly 200, based on maintaining a continuous supply of second gas 107 from gas source 106 to any channel assembly 200 that is at the third position. Such example embodiments are described further below with reference to additional drawings.
As described further below with reference to additional drawings, the apparatus 100 may include an assembly, for example a rotatable assembly, that is configured to move (e.g., based on control of one or more elements of apparatus 100 by control device 120) one or more channel assemblies 200 with reference to one or more of the first position, second positon, and third positon to control operation of one or more of the supply of first gas 105, the operation of the cutting assembly 230, and the supply of the second gas 107 with reference to the one or more channel assemblies 200.
In some example embodiments, including the example embodiments shown in
In addition, an apparatus 100 that includes a channel assembly 200 configured to utilize a gas (e.g., first gas 105 and/or second gas 107) to compress and portion a bulk instance 150 of material enables avoidance of frequent maintenance and upkeep that may be implemented to maintain in a piston control system that may result from the piston impacting a compressible material periodically in cycles, thereby inducing cyclic wear on the piston face.
In addition, an apparatus 100 that includes a channel assembly 200 configured to utilize a gas (e.g., first gas 105 and/or second gas 107) to compress and portion a bulk instance 150 of material enables avoidance of cyclic wear of the side edges of the piston of a piston control system that could result in constant maintenance and/or periodic replacement and thus avoids taking the apparatus offline, thereby avoiding at least temporarily halting portioned instance production.
Furthermore, an apparatus 100 that includes a channel assembly 200 configured to utilize a gas (e.g., first gas 105 and/or second gas 107) to compress and portion a bulk instance 150 of material enables improved ease of control and/or adjustment thereof in order to control the density of the bulk and portioned instances of a compressed material, at least in part by avoiding adjustment of the amount of compression applied by a piston of a piston control system to enable such density adjustment and further avoiding changes of piston compression over time due to wearing of apparatus elements and/or “drift” of apparatus element configurations. Thereby an apparatus 100 that includes a channel assembly 200 configured to utilize a gas (e.g., first gas 105 and/or second gas 107) to compress and portion a bulk instance 150 of material enables avoidance of complex and/or time-consuming maintenance that may require taking the apparatus out of operation for a period of time to perform such adjustment, thereby avoiding at least temporarily halting production of portioned instances of material.
In some example embodiments, the compressible material may have fluidic characteristics (e.g., may be “moist” and/or “wet”), such that the material may have a relatively high viscosity, and may be at least mildly adhesive to various surfaces (e.g., may be “sticky”). Such a material may at least partially adhere to portions of the apparatus 100, for example inner surfaces of a channel in which the material is compressed.
In some example embodiments, an apparatus 100 that includes a channel assembly according to some example embodiments, including the example embodiments shown in at least
Referring to
For example, as shown in
As shown in
As shown, the annular conduit assembly 620 may extend, at least partially within the interior of the lower assembly 220, at least partially around the lower channel 229. In
In some example embodiments, the conduit assembly 244 further includes one or more bridging conduit assemblies that define one or more bridging conduits extending between the annular conduit assembly and a top end of the lower inner surface, where the one or more bridging conduit assemblies are configured to direct a second gas from the annular conduit to a top portion of the lower channel.
For example, as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The example embodiments of the apparatus shown in
In some example embodiments, an apparatus may include a rotatable assembly that is configured to rotate around a central longitudinal axis and includes a plurality of channel assemblies. The plurality of channel assemblies, each of which may be similar to the channel assembly 110 as described herein, may be spaced apart around a circumference of the rotatable assembly.
For example, as shown in
While the rotatable assembly 701 shown in
In some example embodiments, including the example embodiments shown in at least
In some example embodiments, including the example embodiments shown in at least
As shown in at least
In some example embodiments, where an apparatus 100 includes a rotatable assembly, the gas source 104 of the apparatus may be fixed in relation to the rotatable assembly. As a result, the gas source 104 may be configured to supply the first gas 105 through a top opening 716 of a given channel assembly 710 of the plurality of channel assemblies 710 based on the rotatable assembly rotating to move the given channel assembly 710 to a first position to be in fluid communication with the gas source 104.
For example, as shown in
The hopper 748 is configured to be loaded with compressible material from a material supply source 102 (not shown in
Additionally, the hopper enclosure 770 is configured to establish an enclosure, such as the enclosure 260 described above with reference to at least
Because the hopper enclosure 770 and first gas port 780 are fixed in position in relation to the rotatable assembly 701, the gas source 104 may supply a continuous supply of the first gas 105 to the hopper enclosure 770 via the first gas port 780. As a result, the supply of the first gas 105 to a given channel assembly 710 may be controlled by the apparatus 100 based on rotation of the rotatable assembly 701 to move the given channel assembly 710 to a position under the hopper enclosure 770.
Restated, the range (“region”) of locations of a given channel assembly 710 of the plurality of channel assemblies 710 may have and remain in fluid communication with (e.g., “underneath”) the hopper enclosure 770 may be referred to herein as a “first position 810” based on the channel assemblies 710 under the hopper enclosure 770 being in fluid communication with the gas source 104 via the first gas port 780. Thus, in order to cause at least the gas source 104 to supply first gas 105 through the top opening 716 of a channel assembly 710 to compress the bulk instance of compressible material held in the continuous channel 290 of the channel assembly 710, the apparatus may rotate the rotatable assembly 701 to move the channel assembly 710 to the first position 810.
In some example embodiments, where an apparatus 100 includes a rotatable assembly, the cutting assembly 730 of the apparatus 100 may be fixed in relation to the rotatable assembly 701. As a result, the cutting assembly 730 may be configured to extend transversely through the continuous channel 290 of the given channel assembly 710 based on the rotatable assembly rotating to move the given channel assembly 710 to a second position. The cutting assembly 730 as described herein may be any of the cutting assemblies as described herein, including any of the cutting assembly 130 shown in
For example, as shown in
As further shown in
As shown in
In some example embodiments, where an apparatus 100 includes a rotatable assembly 701, the discharge assembly 740 (which may be any of the discharge assemblies described herein, including discharge assembly 240) of the apparatus 100 may be fixed in relation to the rotatable assembly 701. As a result, the discharge assembly 740 may be configured to direct the second gas 107 into the lower channel 729 of a given channel assembly 710 based on the rotatable assembly 701 rotating to move the given channel assembly 710 to a third position so that an inlet 742 of a conduit assembly 744 of the lower assembly 712 of the given channel assembly 710 to be in fluid communication with the discharge assembly 740. Each discharge assembly 740, inlet 742, and conduit assembly 744 as described herein may be any of the discharge assemblies, inlets, and conduit assemblies described herein, respectively, including any of the discharge assembly 240, inlet 242, and conduit assembly 244, respectively.
For example, as shown in
As shown in
As shown, second gas 107 may be supplied only to the lower assembly 712, of the plurality of lower assemblies 712 in disc 786, that is aligned with the discharge assembly 740, for example as shown in
Thus, as described herein, a position associated with alignment of a channel assembly 710 (e.g., the inlet 742 of the lower assembly 712 thereof) with discharge assembly 740 may be referred to herein as a “third position 830,” such that a channel assembly 710 that is moved to the third position 830 may align the inlet 742 thereof with the fixed discharge assembly and the second gas 107 enters the conduit assembly 744 of the given channel assembly 710.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in at least
As shown in
Example embodiments have been disclosed herein; it should be understood that other variations may be possible. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.
This application is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/533,735 filed on Nov. 23, 2021, which is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/975,087 filed on May 9, 2018, the entire contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 17533735 | Nov 2021 | US |
Child | 18446020 | US | |
Parent | 15975087 | May 2018 | US |
Child | 17533735 | US |