Automatic bagger with intelligent programmable controller

Abstract

An automatic bagging system and method of operation having an intelligent programmable controller is described. Articles are discharged, one at a time, at a rapid rate into compartments of an article receiving housing and are then discharged in a bag. The article receiving housing has hinge gates for guiding the articles in respective ones of the compartments. A detector detects the position of articles being discharged into the article receiving housing and sends article detection signals to a controller. The controller has a programmable processor in which is inputted article loading time lapse data for each of the compartments. The system continuously loads articles into the article receiving housing and retains a first article during the discharge operation of the housing. The controller also operates the hinge gates after a delay of the time lapse data and in synchronism with the article detection signals. The controller controls the speed of an infeed conveyor, the number of articles to be placed in each of the compartments, the discharge thereof, the operation of the hinge gates and the operation of the holding device to support the first article during the discharge mode and controlling the rate of placement of articles on the infeed conveyor.

1 . An automatic bagging system with an intelligent programmable controller, said system comprising a feed conveyor having an article discharge end supported elevated above an article receiving housing having two or more compartments, one or more hinge gates for guiding one or more articles in a respective one of said compartments, actuating means for displacing said hinge gates, a controller having a programmable processor, a detector associated with said feed conveyor for detecting the position of articles being discharged at said discharge end and for feeding article detection signals to said controller, said controller controlling a speed drive of said conveyor, said processor having inputting means to a memory thereof for storing article loading time lapse data for each of said compartments, an actuable article holding device associated with at least one of said compartments above a bottom discharge trap door of said article receiving housing, said discharge trap door discharging articles from said compartments, said actuable article holding device supporting an article in one of said compartments when said discharge trap door is in a discharge mode and releasing said article on said trap door after said mode, said hinge gates actuating means being operated by said controller after a delay of said time lapse data and synchronized to said article detection signals.  
   
   
       2 . An automatic bagging system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said inputting means further comprises article quantity signals for loading a predetermined quantity of articles in each said compartments.  
   
   
       3 . An automatic bagging system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said inputting means further comprises inputting a sequencing signal for programming the sequence of operation of two or more of said hinge gates.  
   
   
       4 . An automatic bagging system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said detector is an ultrasound detector device.  
   
   
       5 . An automatic bagging system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said article receiving housing is provided with three compartments and two hinge gates for guiding said articles sequentially in each of said compartments.  
   
   
       6 . An automatic bagging system as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said processor is programmed by said inputting means to operate said gates in a reverse sequence, said reverse sequence comprising loading a first to a third one of said compartments with said articles, operating said discharge trap door, and loading said third to said first compartment and again operating said discharge trap door and repeating said reverse sequence.  
   
   
       7 . An automatic bagging system as claimed in  claim 6  wherein said articles are pouches, said discharge trap door discharging articles in said compartments into an open end of a bag supported under said trap door.  
   
   
       8 . An automatic bagging system as claimed in  claim 7  wherein there is further provided a pouch forming, filling and sealing machine for placing a product in a bag being formed and sealed, said controller controlling the speed of said machine and synchronizing said feed conveyor thereto as well as to the operation of said hinge gates and said trap door.  
   
   
       9 . An automatic bagging system as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said hinge gates and discharge trap door have an article contact surface which is ceramic coated.  
   
   
       10 . An automatic bagging system as claimed in  claim 5  wherein there are two of said actuable article holding devices, each said holding devices being a support plate secured to a cylinder and displaceable in and out of an associated one of said first and third compartments, said cylinders being operated in alternating sequence by said controller to discharge alternating full loads of said article receiving housing.  
   
   
       11 . An automatic bagging system as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said article loading time lapse signals of each of said compartments differ from one another, said third compartment being furthest of said feed conveyor discharge end and having a greater time lapse signal than said second and first compartments.  
   
   
       12 . An automatic bagging system as claimed in  claim 11  wherein said article detection signals and said inputted article loading time lapse signals constitute an article presence detection for said compartments without the use of physical sensing means in said compartments.  
   
   
       13 . A method of automatically placing a predetermined number of articles in a carrier using an intelligent programmable controller, said method comprising the steps of: 
 i) providing a feed conveyor for feeding articles sequentially to a discharge end of said conveyor above an article receiving housing having two or more compartments, one or more hinge gates associated with said compartments for guiding one or more articles from said discharge end in a respective one of said compartments,    ii) calculating a time lapse for discharging an article from said discharge end to each of said two or more compartments,    iii) inputting signals representative of said time lapse into a processor of said controller and storing time lapse data in a memory of a processor thereof,    iv) detecting the position of articles being discharged at said discharge end and feeding article detection signals to said controller,    v) actuating said hinge gates in response to said article detection signals and said time lapse data associated with said compartment to be loaded, said time lapse data of each compartment being different from one another, and    vi) discharging said compartments of said article receiving housing after they are loaded with said articles.    
   
   
       14 . A method as claimed in  claim 13  wherein there is further provided the step of inputting into said memory of said processor article quantity signals for loading a predetermined quantity of articles in each said compartment, said step (v) being in further response to said article quantity signals.  
   
   
       15 . A method as claimed in  claim 13  wherein there is further provided the step of inputting into said memory of said processor a sequence signal for programming the sequence of operation of said two or more of said hinge gates.  
   
   
       16 . A method as claimed in  claim 13  wherein said article receiving housing is provided with three compartments and two hinge gates for guiding said articles sequentially in each of said compartments, said compartments being by the steps of: 
 (a) loading a first one of said compartments and actuating a first of said two hinge gates as described in step (v),    (b) loading a second one of said compartments and actuating a second of said two hinge gates as described in step (v) and    (c) loading a third one of said compartments.    
   
   
       17 . A method as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said step (a) comprises loading said third compartment which is disposed further away from said discharge end, and wherein after step (vi) there is provided the steps of: 
 (d) loading said third one of said compartments and actuating said second one of said hinge gates as described in step (v),    (e) loading said second one of said compartments and actuating said first of said hinge gates as described in step (v),    (f) loading said first one of said compartments, and repeating step (vi) and thereafter repeating said step (a).    
   
   
       18 . A method as claimed in  claim 13  wherein after step (v) and simultaneously with step (vi) there is provided the step of inserting a support element in said compartment last loaded to momentarily support a further article discharged therein, and withdrawing said support element to cause said further article to fall on a bottom discharge trap wall of said article receiving housing.  
   
   
       19 . A method as claimed in  claim 13  wherein said controller detects the presence of said one or more articles in each said compartments by reception of said article detection signal, said hinge gates being actuated only upon receiving an article detection signal and a time delay corresponding to said time lapse of a compartment being loaded.  
   
   
       20 . A method as claimed in  claim 18  wherein said controller automatically controls in synchronism the placement of said articles onto said feed conveyor, the speed of said conveyor, the loading of said compartments and the actuation of said support element and said bottom discharging trap door.