Weighing scales – Computer – Electrical
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-29
2004-06-29
Gibson, Randy W. (Department: 2841)
Weighing scales
Computer
Electrical
Reexamination Certificate
active
06756546
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a combination weighing apparatus for performing a combination weighing of articles and, more particularly to a dispensing table assembly employed in such combination weighing apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A combination weighing apparatus used for weighing various types of articles generally includes a dispensing table assembly distributing the articles to be weighed, supplied from above by the effect of gravity, over the dispensing table assembly, a plurality of troughs arranged in a pattern radially of and below an outer peripheral edge of the dispensing table assembly, a plurality of pooling hoppers arranged in a circular row and positioned immediately below respective front ends of the troughs, and a corresponding number of weighing hoppers positioned immediately below the respective pooling hoppers. The weighing hoppers when receiving the articles from the dispensing table assembly through the troughs and pooling hoppers perform weighing of the articles to determine respective weights of the articles within the respective weighing hoppers so that a combination calculation can be performed using the weights of the articles measured respectively within the weighing hoppers in such a way as to select an optimum combination of articles in which the sum of the measured weights of those articles meets or closely approximate to a target weight or number. The articles, of which weights have satisfied the optimum combination, are subsequently discharged from the associated weighing hoppers onto a collecting chute to eventually provide products satisfying the target weight.
In this type of the combination weighing apparatus, it is necessary for a predetermined quantity of the articles to be weighed to be supplied and distributed from the dispensing table assembly onto the troughs. By way of example, if the articles are unable to be supplied from some troughs towards associated weighing hoppers, such weighing hoppers will be excluded from the combination calculation, and if the number of the weighing hoppers excluded from the combination calculation is many, it may occur that a predetermined weight condition to be satisfied during the combination calculation will not be satisfied, resulting in reduction in weighing accuracy and efficiency. Also, if even though the articles are satisfactorily supplied, the amount of the articles so supplied to some weighing hoppers is extremely small, selection of the weighing hoppers for the combination calculation would be difficult, resulting in stagnation of the articles within such some weighing hoppers for a substantial length of time. In particular, where the dispensing table assembly is divided into a plurality of dispensing tables so that the different kinds of the articles are weighed simultaneously, respectively, it will become necessary to employ partition walls secured to respective divided edges of the dispensing tables for preventing some of the articles supplied onto one of the dispensing tables from entering the other of the dispensing tables and, also, to generally vibrate those dispensing tables. When the dispensing tables are so vibrated, the articles collide with the partition walls and then jump backwards to such an extent as to result in an insufficient amount of the articles being supplied onto some of the troughs in the vicinity of the divided edges of the dispensing tables and, hence, an insufficient amount of the articles are supplied into the respective weighing hoppers, thereby posing a detrimental problem.
In order to cope with the above discussed problem, the Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 8-54278 discloses a combination weighing apparatus which employs a cone-shaped dispensing table assembly divided into two halves, each comprised of a generally sector shaped dispensing table. Each of the resultant dispensing tables has a partition wall secured to a divided edge thereof for preventing some of the articles to be weighed dispensed onto one of the dispensing tables from entering the other of the dispensing tables. Each of the dispensing tables has an angle of inclination along a generatrix of the surface on which the articles are dispensed, which angle of inclination is continuously varied in a circumferential direction so that the greatest angle of inclination is attained in the vicinity of an outer end of the partition wall and the smallest angle of inclination is attained on the generatrix of the article dispensing surface positioned at an intermediate location as viewed from the site where the greatest angle of inclination is defined. By so designing, the articles to be weighed can be uniformly delivered even onto troughs positioned adjacent the partition walls.
However, it has been found that the combination weighing apparatus disclosed in the above mentioned publication has a problem. Specifically, despite the fact that the distributing point represented by a vertex of the respective dispensing table is defined at a location adjacent the divided edge, two supply members for supplying the articles onto the associated dispensing tables cannot be disposed immediately above the associated distributing points for avoiding any possible mixing of the articles on those dispensing tables and, therefore, the two supply members have no way other than to be disposed in side-by-side relation with each other in a horizontal direction. In this arrangement disclosed in the above mentioned publication, the supply members that ought to be positioned immediately above the distributing points, respectively, have their centers of supply that are separated in a radial direction perpendicular to the partitioning walls and, as a result thereof, most of the articles falling from the supply members onto the dispensing tables tend to be biased in a direction of the greatest inclination at a falling position and will not be sufficiently distributed from the falling position towards the partition wall. Accordingly, the surface area of each of the dispensing tables is reduced by a quantity corresponding to the thickness of the associated partition wall and the amount of the articles to be supplied towards the troughs positioned adjacent the partition wall where the amount of the article is small is further decreased, resulting in insufficient supply of the articles towards such troughs.
Also, even if the dispensing tables are circumferentially vibrated by respective vibrating mechanisms to move the articles toward the partition wall in a circumferential direction, some of the articles colliding with the partition wall may be repelled backwardly by the partition wall and will not stagnate in the vicinity of the partition wall.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, the present invention is intended to provide a combination calculating apparatus employing a dispensing table assembly which is divided into a plurality of dispensing tables with partition walls, each secured to a divided edge of each of the dispensing tables, wherein each of the dispensing tables is so designed as to allow articles to be weighed to be uniformly dispensed even to an area adjacent the partition wall so that the articles can eventually be delivered onto a plurality of troughs uniformly.
In order to resolve the above discussed problems, the present invention is featured in the following construction.
In the first place, the present invention is featured in a combination weighing apparatus which includes a generally round dispensing table assembly, a plurality of article delivery devices arranged below and radially of an outer peripheral edge of the dispensing table assembly for receiving articles to be weighed from the dispensing table assembly, and a corresponding number of weighing devices disposed below respective front ends of the delivery devices. The dispensing table assembly is comprised of a plurality of divided dispensing tables obtained by dividing the dispensing table assembly across a geometric center thereof, and at least one of
Gibson Randy W.
Ishida Co. Ltd.
Staas & Halsey , LLP
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