Feeding flexible products

Abstract

A stack of pouches (or other flexible products) is supported such that the stack declines from the horizontal. A pouch at the base of the stack can then be pulled upwardly from the base of the stack. This may be accomplished with an inclined conveyor on which the base of the stack rests. Because the basal pouch is pulled upwardly, gravity assists in ensuring that none of the other pouches in the stack follow the basal pouch. Thus, the approach assists in ensuring single pouch feeding.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A flexible product feeder, comprising: 
 an inclined conveyor;    a product stack support declining toward said inclined conveyor for supporting a product stack such that a product at a base of said stack rests on said inclined conveyor;    a motor for moving said conveyor so as to urge any product resting thereon upwardly.    
     
     
         2 . The feeder of  claim 1  wherein said product stack support comprises an urging conveyor for urging a lower end of products in a product stack toward said inclined conveyor.  
     
     
         3 . The feeder of  claim 2  further comprising a sensor proximate said inclined conveyor for sensing a lower end of a product at a base of a stack of products supported by said product stack support, said urging conveyor for operating when said sensor fails to sense a lower end of a product at a base of a stack of products supported by said product stack support.  
     
     
         4 . The feeder of  claim 3  further comprising an abutment positioned for spacing a lower end of a product at a base of a product stack supported by said product stack support from said inclined conveyor.  
     
     
         5 . The feeder of  claim 4  further comprising a nip at an upper end of said inclined conveyor for nipping products fed upwardly on said inclined conveyor.  
     
     
         6 . The feeder of  claim 5  further comprising an overhead belt conveyor overhead of said inclined conveyor for re-directing products fed by said inclined conveyor.  
     
     
         7 . The feeder of  claim 5  further comprising an underlying conveyor underlying said overhead conveyor.  
     
     
         8 . The feeder of  claim 7  further comprising means for driving said overhead conveyor and underlying conveyor in a downstream direction at a speed greater than a speed of said inclined conveyor.  
     
     
         9 . The feeder of  claim 2  wherein said urging conveyor is accommodated in a gapped floor of said product stack support.  
     
     
         10 . The feeder of  claim 9  further comprising a base for said product stack support which allows adjustment of an angle of declination of said product stack support.  
     
     
         11 . The feeder of  claim 1  wherein said product stack support makes an inside angle with said inclined conveyor of about ninety degrees.  
     
     
         12 . The feeder of  claim 1  wherein said product stack support declines from the horizontal at an angle of between twenty to forty degrees and makes an inside angle with said inclined conveyor of between about eighty and one hundred degrees.  
     
     
         13 . The feeder of  claim 10  wherein said inclined conveyor comprises a friction belt.  
     
     
         14 . The feeder of  claim 13  wherein said urging conveyor comprises a friction belt.  
     
     
         15 . The feeder of  claim 4  further comprising a member for blocking from upward feeding all but a product lying against said inclined conveyor.  
     
     
         16 . A pouch feeder, comprising: 
 an inclined conveyor;    a pouch stack support declining toward said inclined conveyor for supporting a pouch stack such that a pouch at a base of said stack rests on said inclined conveyor;    a motor for moving said conveyor so as to urge any pouch resting thereon upwardly.    
     
     
         17 . A method for feeding flexible products, comprising: 
 supporting a stack of products such that said stack declines from the horizontal;    feeding a basal product from a base of said stack by pulling said basal product upwardly.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said basal product is pulled upwardly at approximately a right angle to said stack.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said feeding comprises operating an upwardly inclined conveyor against which said basal product rests.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising re-directing flexible products pulled upwardly by said inclined conveyor with an overhead belt conveyor.