Implements or apparatus for applying pushing or pulling force – Screw
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-10
2002-04-09
Hail, III, Joseph J. (Department: 3723)
Implements or apparatus for applying pushing or pulling force
Screw
C254S0930HP, C254S102000, C254S122000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06367777
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to a dispensing unit; more particularly to a food items dispensing unit; and more particularly still to an electrically controlled food items dispensing unit.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Frozen french fry dispensers are known in the art. An example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,498 issued to Cahlander et al: U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,847 issued to Cahlander et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,918 issued to Cahlander et al. Each of the foregoing patents discloses a french fry dispenser which includes a main storage bin, a device for moving the fries from the main storage bin into a secondary location, a means for holding the fries in the secondary location, a pneumatic cylinder apparatus for stopping empty baskets until a load basket request is made; an apparatus for moving empty cooking baskets into a position under the secondary storage location; and a pneumatic cylinder apparatus for moving baskets filled with the fries to a staging area.
While the disclosed dispenser automates the process of dispensing frozen articles and has been successful in the marketplace, there are several areas in which the dispenser may be improved. First, the pneumatic cylinder apparatus used for stopping the plurality of empty baskets until a load basket request is made and the pneumatic cylinder apparatus for automatically moving the basket filled with the fries to a staging area are often not desired by the end users. Compressed air (or other fluid) generally drives the pneumatic cylinder. While a pneumatic cylinder apparatus is often used to move an item from one position to another position, a substantial amount of noise is created from the compressor. Also, the seals and/or hoses used in a pneumatic cylinder apparatus may leak because of wear and tear, aging or other defects. The compressor may also become overheated after extensive uses of the apparatus, causing the overload protection switch to open which would disable the dispensing unit from operating for minutes even to hours. Further, a pneumatic cylinder apparatus used in a fry dispenser generally requires a low pressure for safety reasons. Furthermore, in using a pneumatic cylinder apparatus for a fry dispenser, grease often leaks into the pneumatic part of the apparatus which requires periodic maintenance, e.g. requiring frequent adjustment for the pneumatic cylinders to maintain operation. This is one of the user's major concerns. Other issues of a pneumatic cylinder apparatus which cause the need for maintenance are wear and tear, and clogging due to shortening or other airborne contamination. And further yet, especially in a low pressure pneumatic cylinder apparatus, it is generally difficult to adjust/maintain the speed of movement.
Therefore, there arises a need in the art for an electric version of a dispenser apparatus which is capable of dispensing articles, such as frozen fries, in a similar manner but overcoming the above mentioned disadvantages. Such electric version of the dispenser apparatus should also provide for an accurate control without the need for periodic maintenance for a basket lift and a stop gate control, etc.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides for a reliable method and apparatus for dispensing articles and controlling the movement of empty baskets or containers and filled baskets or containers. The movement of baskets or containers is controlled by electrically driven apparatuses.
In a preferred embodiment constructed according to the principles of the present invention, a dispensing unit includes a main storage area which can take the form of a bulk storage hopper, an accumulator area into which the dispensed articles are transferred during the “gravimetric” dispensing of the articles. What is meant by gravimetric is that a quantity of articles is transferred to the accumulator area, where the transferred mass is weighed.
The accumulator area may be formed from the same walls of the primary storage area. A means for controllably transferring articles from the primary to the accumulator area is also provided. The controllable transfer means may include a drum having a plurality (or series) of elevated areas about the circumference of the drum and a diverter shape located in the primary storage area. A drive means is provided to rotate the drum when transferring articles.
The articles in the accumulator area are retained in that area by a gate means. The gate means are selectively operated between open and closed positions. Weight sensing means are arranged and configured to weigh the articles retained by the gate means in real time. A controller monitors the real time signal of the weight sensing means and operates the drive means to control the articles dispensed into the accumulator area to a predetermined level. It will be appreciated that the gate means may be selectively opened automatically upon reaching the desired weight or may be operated by a user when desired.
One feature of the present invention is that by monitoring a request for filling a basket and the movement of the basket(s) on a loading ramp and/or between a loading area or station and a staging area or station, a controller can determine whether a basket should be released by a stop gate and/or a basket carrier or saddle should be lifted to the loading station or lowered to the staging station.
Therefore, according to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an electrically controlled apparatus for filling articles in at least one basket. The apparatus includes:
a) an electrically driven stop gate, wherein one basket can be held/released by the stop gate;
b) a first sensor set and a controller determining whether the stop gate opens or closes;
c) a second sensor set and the controller determining a position of the stop gate;
d) an electrically driven basket lift, wherein a basket carrier can be lifted/lowered by the basket lift between a loading station, whereby an empty basket released by the stop gate and carried by the basket carrier can be filled, and a staging station, whereby a filled basket carried by the basket carrier can be removed;
e) a third sensor set and the controller determining whether the articles should be dispensed; and
f) a fourth sensor set and the controller determining whether the basket carrier should be lifted from the staging station to the loading station.
In one aspect of the invention, the basket lift is driven by a first electric motor, and the stop gate is driven by a second electric motor. A resting or standby position for the first electric motor is where the basket lift is in an extended position such that the basket carrier is in the loading station, and a resting or standby position for the second electric motor is where the stop gate is open. Accordingly, when an empty basket is placed on a loading ramp or guide, the basket slides onto the basket carrier to be filled. One advantage of this aspect of the invention is that it significantly saves time for filling an empty basket.
A further aspect of the invention is that the first motor maintains its motion/resting positions by using a proportional servo technique.
One aspect of the invention is that the basket lift includes a lift base, the first electric motor is mounted on the lift base; a lift coupling mounted on and rotatable by the first electric motor; and an extendable/retractable basket lift assembly connected to the lift coupling, such that the first electric motor is initially turned in one direction to extend the basket lift assembly in a pre-loading position, which lifts the basket carrier to the loading station. The first electric motor is in its resting or standby position. When a filling request is received, articles are dispensed in the empty basket, and the first electric motor is turned in an opposite direction. The basket lift assembly is retracted to bring the basket carrier to the staging station. After unloading the basket, the first motor may drive the basket lift assembly back to the pre-loading position to be ready for the next request whereby t
Fritze Karl Jon
Herpers Ferdinand Joseph
Koerner Bruce Hamilton
Kuhlemeier Kirby Juhl
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Robot Aided Manufacturing Center, Inc.
Wilson Lee
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