Weighing scales – Computer – Electrical
Patent
1996-06-24
1998-05-19
Gellner, Michael L.
Weighing scales
Computer
Electrical
177119, 177121, 177145, 901 46, 382141, 36447806, 209939, 222 55, 1985022, G01G 300, G01G 1300, G01G 1302, B65G 4300
Patent
active
057538662
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a combinational weigher which uses a plurality of weighing units to weigh batches of articles such as candies and vegetables and selecting a combination of appropriate article batches on the basis of weight values obtained by these weighing units.
A combinational weigher (as described, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication Tokkai 63-30725) uses a plurality of weighing units to weigh batches of articles such as candies, fruits and vegetables that have individually different weights and selects, on the basis of weight values obtained by these weighing units, a combination of batches having a total weight within an allowable range.
As shown schematically in FIG. 17, articles M to be weighed are transported to the weigher by means of a conveyer belt 31 (serving as an article supplying means), supplied to each of vibratory feeders 33.sub.i (serving as transporting means) from a dispersion feeder 32, and delivered from the vibratory feeders 33.sub.i to corresponding weigh hoppers 36.sub.i (serving as weighing means). Throughout herein, subscript "i" shall serve as a dummy index 1-n; indicating that there are a plurality (=n) of substantially identical objects. A numeral having a subscript "i" shall indicate any one or ones of the corresponding n substantially identical objects. When all these n objects are referred to together, no subscript "i" shall be attached. A combination control system (not shown) combines the measured values (weights of articles) obtained by the weigh hoppers 36.sub.i and selects one of the combinations within an allowable range. In other words, a combination having a total weight which is equal to, or the closest to, a given target weight is selected. Articles M from the selected weigh hoppers are discharged together through a discharge chute 39.
In order to carry out the combinational weighing accurately and efficiently, the articles M must be supplied into the individual weigh hoppers 36.sub.i at a steady rate such that the amount received by any of them does not become too large or too small but always remains at a specified level (hereinafter referred to as "the target value" obtained by dividing the target weight by the number of hoppers intended to be in each selected combination). For this purpose, new values of parameters for the operation of the individual vibratory feeders 33.sub.i, such as amplitudes and durations of their vibrations, are set by a parameter-setting means (not shown) adapted to determine new parameter values for the individual vibratory feeders 33.sub.i on the basis of their previous parameter values and the amounts of articles actually supplied thereby when they were operated with these parameter values. The vibratory feeders 33.sub.i are then operated according to the newly set parameter values such that amounts of the articles M which are close to the target value will be delivered to the weigh hoppers 36.sub.i.
As shown in FIG. 18, however, there are situations where the flows of the articles M stagnate during the course of their movement from the dispersion feeder 32 to the individual vibratory feeders 33.sub.i due to the friction among the articles M, creating a pile. If such a pile grows while stagnating and breaks up suddenly or keeps advancing, an exceedingly large amount of the articles M will be supplied to the weigh hopper 36.sub.i corresponding to the vibratory feeder 33.sub.i, presenting an "over-scale" condition. Weigh hoppers 36.sub.i in an over-scale condition are not likely to be selected and adversely affect the efficiency of the combinational calculation.
Another problem is that the bulk of the articles M piled up on the dispersion feeder 32 ("piled bulk") is not always evenly distributed circumferentially, as illustrated in FIG. 19 which also shows that some of the vibratory feeders 33.sub.i thereby receive more articles than the others.
Consider a vibratory feeder 33.sub.i transporting an exceeding small amount of the articles M thereon. Although it has received a smaller-than-no
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Ikeda Tetsuo
Morichi Tohru
Wakasa Yukio
Gellner Michael L.
Gibson Randy W.
Ishida Co. Ltd.
Nishimura Keiichi
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