Combinatorial Scales Patents (Class 177/25.18)
  • Patent number: 8546704
    Abstract: A precise-count high-volume preform delivery system. The system employs a soft-drop conveyor system that is used to deliver preforms into a container or another location. An automatically-controlled preform counting system counts preforms before they are delivered to the conveyor, to allow the number of preforms delivered by the conveyor to be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Inventor: Maurice Minardi
  • Publication number: 20130228384
    Abstract: A weighing unit includes a mounting fastener member including a vertical portion; a load cell disposed at the one side of the vertical portion and including an elastic body of a rectangular frame shape including a fastened portion fastened to a vertical surface and a movable portion opposite to the fastened portion. A plurality of strain gauges are bonded to the elastic body, a weighing hopper disposed at an opposite side of the load cell with respect to the vertical portion, and has a discharge gate, a coupling member is fastened at one end to the movable portion, and is a hopper retaining section including receivers and protrusions, for retaining the weighing hopper, extends from the one end portion to the other end portion in a downward direction to a location below the elastic body; and a gate opening/closing mechanism attached to the coupling member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2010
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: YAMATO SCALE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki Nagai, Makoto Makabe
  • Patent number: 8525048
    Abstract: A combination weigher capable of performing a high-speed operation regardless of a characteristic of a weighed object comprises plural weighing units and a lower collecting chute and a lower collecting hopper which collect the objects which have been discharged from upper collecting hoppers of weighing units and discharge them, and a control unit. The control unit repetitively performs a process for determining a discharge combination from weighing hoppers in all weighing units, a process for causing weighing hoppers making up the discharge combination to discharge the objects, a process for causing all of the upper collecting hoppers to discharge the objects; and a process for causing the lower collecting hopper to discharge the objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Shozo Kawanishi
    Inventor: Shozo Kawanishi
  • Patent number: 8525049
    Abstract: A combination weigher capable of high-speed operation comprises plural weighing units each of which includes a weighing hopper group including plural weighing hoppers arranged along an inner side of an imaginary circle and fed with objects; and a collecting chute disposed below the weighing hopper group and configured to collect the objects discharged from the weighing hoppers and to discharge the objects from a discharge outlet at a bottom part thereof, wherein weighing hopper groups of the respective weighing units include plural weighing hoppers arranged on inner sides of different imaginary circles, the different imaginary circles partially overlap with each other, and the weighing hoppers are not disposed in circular-arc regions of the imaginary circles corresponding to the overlapping region of the different imaginary circles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Inventor: Shozo Kawanishi
  • Patent number: 8319122
    Abstract: A hopper is provided with which damages of articles can be suppressed without lowering the processing speed. A hopper (4) includes a first hopper main body (40), and a first gate (G1). A first inner surface (41) of the first gate (G1) forms a collecting space (A1) for holding articles with the first hopper main body (40), and stores articles in the interior of the collecting space (A1) when in the closed state and discharges articles by turning to open. The first inner surface (41) includes a first upper slanted surface (S2) and a first lower slanted surface (S3) that are continuous. An angle formed by the first lower slanted surface (S3) and the horizontal plane is smaller than an angle formed by the first upper slanted surface (S2) and the horizontal plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikio Kishikawa, Toshikazu Shotsu, Toshiharu Kageyama, Teruo Hayakawa, Yuta Yoneda
  • Patent number: 8247710
    Abstract: A combination weigher includes a plurality of upper collecting chutes disposed below weighing hoppers, a plurality of upper collecting hoppers provided at discharge outlets of the upper collecting chutes, a lower collecting chute provided below the upper collecting hoppers, a lower collecting hopper provided at a discharge outlet of the lower collecting chute, and a control unit which repeatedly performs a combination process to determine one discharge combination of the weighing hoppers, a discharge process for discharging the objects from the weighing hoppers onto the upper collecting chutes, and a discharge process for discharging the objects simultaneously from the upper collecting hoppers, and a discharge process for discharging the objects from the lower collecting hopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Shozo Kawanishi
    Inventor: Shozo Kawanishi
  • Patent number: 8188383
    Abstract: A combination weighing apparatus includes a distribution unit, a plurality of conveying units and a plurality of weighing hoppers. At least one of the conveying units has a trough and a plurality of spiral members. The trough has an inside edge positioned below the distribution unit and an outside edge positioned above the weighing hopper. The spiral members are placed above a bottom surface of the trough with each of the spiral members defining an external peripheral surface. The spiral members are configured and arranged to be rotatably driven to convey the product material supplied from the distribution unit in a vicinity of the inside edge, along the external peripheral surfaces toward a vicinity of the outside edge. The spiral members are configured and arranged to stop movement of the product material on the external peripheral surfaces when the spiral members are not rotatably driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiharu Mikami
  • Publication number: 20120103703
    Abstract: A combination weighing device and an operating method thereof are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: GUANGDONG HIGHDREAM INTELLECTUALIZED MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jinkang Zheng
  • Patent number: 8129636
    Abstract: A weighing apparatus is described having a product transport surface (24) for transporting products thereon in a transporting direction (26). The product transport surface (24) has a plurality of grooves (28) which extend substantially parallel to each other and transversely to the transporting direction (26). In a cross section along the transporting direction (26), the upward sloping edges (32) and the downward sloping edges (30) of the grooves (28) form a saw tooth profile, wherein, when viewed in the transporting direction (26), each transition from the upward sloping edge (32) to the downward sloping edge (30) of two adjacent grooves (28) is sharp-edged. The product transport surface is particularly adapted for the transport of products having a soft, flexible and/or sticky surface. Also described are product transporting members in a weighing apparatus which are provided with such a product transport surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Multipond Waegetechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Josef Schmidhuber
  • Patent number: 8119935
    Abstract: A combination weigher of the present invention comprises an inner chute which gathers objects which are discharged in an inward direction from weighing hoppers and discharges the objects, a plurality of outer chutes which gather the objects which are discharged in an outward direction from the weighing hoppers, a collecting hopper provided at discharge outlet of the inner chute, collecting hoppers provided at discharge outlets of the outer chutes, a lower chute which transfers the objects which are discharged from a collecting hopper, and discharges them from a discharge outlet at a bottom part thereof, and a control unit which is configured to switch a discharge direction of the weighing hoppers selected to make up of optimal combinations sequentially performed every time the combination process is performed, and according to these cause the collecting hopper and the collecting hopper to alternately discharge the objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Inventor: Shozo Kawanishi
  • Patent number: 8119934
    Abstract: A combination weigher includes weighing hoppers capable of discharging weighed objects selectively in a first direction or in a second direction, a first collecting chute and a collecting hopper, a second collecting chute and a collecting hopper, and a control unit configured to determine a first discharge combination and a second discharge combination in which combination weight values fall within an allowable range with respect to a target weight value, to cause weighing hoppers belonging to the first discharge combination to discharge the weighed objects in the first direction, to cause weighing hoppers belonging to the second discharge combination to discharge the objects to be weighed in the second direction, and to cause the collecting hopper and the collecting hopper to discharge the objects to be weighed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Shozo Kawanishi
    Inventor: Shozo Kawanishi
  • Patent number: 8115118
    Abstract: A combination weigher of the present invention comprises a first combination weigher unit including a left inner chute, an outer chute, collecting hoppers, weighing hoppers and memory hoppers which are disposed above the left chutes, and a second combination weigher unit including a right inner chute, an outer chute, collecting hoppers, weighing hoppers and memory hoppers which are disposed above the right chutes, and a control unit configured to control the entire combination weigher. The control unit performs a combination process for each combination weigher unit and causes weighing hoppers and memory hoppers which make up of discharge combinations determined in respective combination processes to discharge the objects to be weighed in an inward direction and an outward direction alternately, and to cause the two collecting hoppers to alternately discharge the objects to be weighed according to the discharge, in each combination weigher unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Shozo Kawanishi
    Inventor: Shozo Kawanishi
  • Patent number: 8093514
    Abstract: A mixing-weighing combination weigher of the present invention comprises a plurality of kind-based groups (G1-G8) each of which is made up of a plurality of combination hoppers (4, 5) fed with objects to be weighed, the kind-based groups being fed with different kinds of objects to be weighed; and a control means (11); and the control means (11) is configured to carry out a process in which combination calculation is performed to find combination weight values for each of the kind-based groups, and combination weight values of a selection number predetermined for each kind are selected from the combination weight values based on a predetermined kind-based combination selection condition; a process in which combination calculation is performed in such a manner that one combination weight value is selected for each kind from the combination weight values selected in this process and selected combination weight values are combined to find one all-kind combination total value within an allowable range; and a disc
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Yamato Scale Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Higuchi, Taketoshi Okamura
  • Publication number: 20120000715
    Abstract: A portable weighing apparatus comprises a portable platform body. The platform body has a top surface adapted to support a wheel of a vehicle/trailer when the platform body lies on the ground. A weight sensor related to the top surface of the platform body produces a weight signal as a function of a weight of the wheel and vehicle/trailer on the platform body. A weighing processor outputs a weight value from the weight signal. A load sensor has a trigger portion generally centrally located in a direction on the top surface of the platform body. The load sensor actuates a measurement from the weight sensor when triggered. A system for weighing a vehicle/trailer and a method for measuring the weight of a wheel and vehicle/trailer are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Inventor: Fathi Saigh
  • Patent number: 8035041
    Abstract: A combination weigher of the present invention comprises a plurality of base groups into which a plurality of combination hoppers (4) which are circularly arranged are divided; a plurality of collecting chutes (6A to 6D) which are respectively disposed to respectively correspond to the base groups, a plurality of collecting hoppers (7A to 7D) respectively provided at the outlets of the collecting chutes; and a control means (21) wherein the control means (21) is configured to perform: a combination process to determine p discharge groups each including one or more base groups and perform combination calculation for each of the discharge groups to select combination hoppers forming optimal combination, a process to cause the combination hoppers forming optimal combinations in all discharge groups to discharge the objects to be weighed simultaneously; and a process to sequentially select the discharge groups and to cause the collecting hoppers corresponding to the base groups including the combination hoppers f
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Inventors: Hiroshi Higuchi, Shozo Kawanishi, Taketoshi Okamura
  • Publication number: 20110155474
    Abstract: A weighing apparatus having a load receiving element and a plurality of load cells directly or indirectly associated with the load receiving element such that when an object to be weighed is placed on the load receiving element, the weight of the object is unevenly applied to the load cells. The weighing apparatus includes load cells of different capacity based on the uneven loading applied thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: METTLER-TOLEDO, INC.
    Inventor: Thomas S. Rice
  • Patent number: 7952036
    Abstract: A combination weigher of the present invention comprises a plurality of weighing hoppers which are capable of selectively discharging the products in a first direction or in a second direction, a collecting chute which is configured to gather the products which have been discharged from the weighing hoppers in the first direction and to discharge them, a recycle conveyor which is configured to convey the products which have been discharged from the weighing hoppers in the second direction and have been loaded onto the recycle conveyor, a feeding means configured to feed the products to the weighing hoppers, a transport means which is configured to transport the products which have been discharged from the recycle conveyor to feed the products to the feeding means, a combination calculation means which is configured to determine a discharge combination, a recycle hopper determination means configured to determine weighing hoppers whose products should be recycled, and a control means configured to cause the we
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Yamato Corporation
    Inventor: Ralph Kieselhorst
  • Publication number: 20110082660
    Abstract: A weighing system is equipped with a plurality of weighing units, a combinatorial computing section, a weight checking unit, a correction value computing section and a correction value inputting section. The weighing units weigh goods. The combinatorial computing section is configured to perform combinatorial computing of the weighing results, to select a combination of the goods that is close to a target value calculated using a correction value, and to selectively control the weighing units to discharge the goods. The weight checking section is disposed downstream of the weighing units to check weights of the goods that have been discharged from the weighing units. The correction value computing section is configured to calculate the correction value based on checking results obtained by the weight checking unit. The correction value inputting section is configured to input the correction value to the combinatorial computing section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Applicant: ISHIDA CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20110036645
    Abstract: A combination measuring device has a combination measuring unit. The combination measuring unit has a dispersing section configured to radially disperse articles loaded thereinto from above, a plurality of head sections configured to receive the articles from the dispersing section, and an assembling section configured to assemble the articles, which are contained in hoppers of one or more of the head sections selected according to a target weight. The head sections are arranged on a line formed by cutting away a circular arc from a circle surrounding the dispersing section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2009
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Applicant: ISHIDA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiharu Kageyama, Mikio Kishikawa
  • Patent number: 7855343
    Abstract: A measuring device is arranged to store a block or group of a plurality of objects in a state where the objects are congested in the block, to suppress the scattering magnification of the objects when the objects are dropped off to prevent failures such as seal bite in a filling device disposed below the measuring device, to shorten the dropping length of the objects, and to reduce the contact resistance of the objects to a receiving opening of the filling device during the objects are dropped off to attain the discharging speed of the objects. The shapes and opening degrees of a gate unit can be changed so that a lower opening of a hopper is disposed inside the receiving opening of the filling device in a top plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukio Nakagawa, Hiroshi Hattori, Teruo Hayakawa
  • Publication number: 20100263940
    Abstract: A weighing device having a plurality of digital weighing cells (164), each including a sensor connected to a force transmission unit (163), each generating a digital measurement value corresponding to a transmitted force at a measurement time point, and including a data processing device that converts the digital measurement values to transmission units configured to be transmitted over a data communications line (20) to a central control unit (18) connected to all weighing cells for analysis of the transmission units. The central control unit (18) calculates a digital combination value based on the transmission units originating from the various weighing cells (164), the combination value representing a weight force with which the weighing device (16) is loaded at a weighing time point. The conversion of the measurement values to transmission units involves a pairing of each converted measurement value with a time value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: SARTORIUS AG
    Inventors: Alfred KLAUER, Christian Oldendorf, Thomas Schink, Erich Bettwieser
  • Publication number: 20100224421
    Abstract: A combination weigher capable of performing a high-speed operation regardless of a characteristic of a weighed object comprises plural weighing units and a lower collecting chute and a lower collecting hopper which collect the objects which have been discharged from upper collecting hoppers of weighing units and discharge them, and a control unit. The control unit repetitively performs a process for determining a discharge combination from weighing hoppers in all weighing units, a process for causing weighing hoppers making up the discharge combination to discharge the objects, a process for causing all of the upper collecting hoppers to discharge the objects; and a process for causing the lower collecting hopper to discharge the objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: Shozo Kawanishi
    Inventor: Shozo Kawanishi
  • Patent number: 7790990
    Abstract: A combination weigher of the present invention comprises a plurality of weighing hoppers which are arranged in a circular shape and are each configured to discharge the products selectively in one of two directions, a collecting chute which is configured to gather the products which have been discharged from the weighing hopper in the inward direction and to discharge the products, a recycle conveyor configured to convey the products which have been discharged from the weighing hoppers in the outward direction and have been loaded onto the recycle conveyor, a discharge means which is configured to discharge the products from the recycle conveyor; a combination calculation means which is configured to determine a discharge combination, a recycle hopper determination means configured to determine a weighing hopper whose products should be recycled, and a control means configured to cause the weighing hoppers selected to form the discharge combination to discharge the products in the inward direction, and to cau
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Yamato Corporation
    Inventor: Ralph Kieselhorst
  • Patent number: 7759585
    Abstract: Distribution unit (21, 23) for distributing material into a number of delimited openings (23) arranged next to each other in such a manner that a transition (27) is provided between the individual openings; and wherein, in connection with the individual transition, a pushing unit (25) is arranged, wherein said pushing unit is arranged such that it is able to actively push material in a direction away from the transition. The distribution unit may partake in a weighing apparatus. Material settling in the transition is pushed down into one of the openings by the pushing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Bilwinco A/S
    Inventor: Hans Peter Widmer
  • Patent number: 7752826
    Abstract: A production system is provided in which high production efficiency can be maintained in the entire production line even in cases in which there is a lack of uniformity in the rates at which the articles are actually supplied from a supply unit; the weighing unit, packaging unit, quality inspection unit, or other constituent device has stopped operating; or other problems have occurred. In this production system, a centralized control system controls the set capacities of devices that constitute a production line including a weighing device, a bagging machine, and other devices disposed downstream, so that the capacities are varied on the basis of the detection results of a supply rate detection sensor of a supply device, that is, on the basis of the actual rates of supply from the supply device to the weighing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Yamaguchi, Kazumi Kitagawa, Yukio Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 7732718
    Abstract: A combination weighing apparatus includes a dispersion unit, conveying units and weighing units. The dispersion unit is arranged to radially disperse product material. The conveying units are arranged around a periphery of the dispersion unit. The weighing units are arranged around a periphery of the conveying units. Each of the conveying units includes a trough. At least one of the troughs has a cross-sectional diameter that gradually increases generally from the inside end to the outside end so that the one of the troughs and an adjacent one of the troughs are kept in contact with each other from the inside ends to the outside ends. At least one of the conveying units has a spiral member disposed over a bottom surface of the trough. The spiral member is configured and arranged to convey the product material supplied from the dispersion unit toward the outside end of the trough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Tatsuoka, Hiroshi Hattori, Mikio Kishikawa
  • Patent number: 7732717
    Abstract: A combination weighing apparatus includes a dispersion unit, a plurality of weighing hoppers, and a combination unit. The dispersion unit circumferentially disperses articles that drop from above. The weighing hoppers are arranged generally circumferentially below the dispersion unit. The combination unit combines weight results obtained from each of the weighing hoppers. In addition, a state of a drop position of the articles in the dispersion unit changes during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaya Fujii
  • Patent number: 7712629
    Abstract: A device for moving articles between positions at time intervals. The device includes at least two gates disposed sequentially in the direction of travel of the article which can controllably be opened and closed. Upstream of each gate there is formed a temporary holding area for the article. The two gates (1; 2; 3; 4) are controllable by means of one single drive motor (8) or actuator. The two gates (1; 2; 3; 4) are each associated with one control element (5; 6) rotatable about a respective axis of rotation, and the drive motor or actuator (8) is adapted to move one actuating element (7) that is rotatable about an axis of rotation and which is common to the respective control elements (5; 6) of the two gates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Tomra Systems ASA
    Inventor: Gorm Sverre Bruland
  • Publication number: 20100108405
    Abstract: A combination weigher of the present invention comprises a plurality of weighing hoppers which are capable of selectively discharging the products in a first direction or in a second direction, a collecting chute which is configured to gather the products which have been discharged from the weighing hoppers in the first direction and to discharge them, a recycle conveyor which is configured to convey the products which have been discharged from the weighing hoppers in the second direction and have been loaded onto the recycle conveyor, a feeding means configured to feed the products to the weighing hoppers, a transport means which is configured to transport the products which have been discharged from the recycle conveyor to feed the products to the feeding means, a combination calculation means which is configured to determine a discharge combination, a recycle hopper determination means configured to determine weighing hoppers whose products should be recycled, and a control means configured to cause the we
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: YAMATO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ralph Kieselhorst
  • Publication number: 20100108404
    Abstract: A combination weigher of the present invention comprises a plurality of weighing hoppers which are arranged in a circular shape and are each configured to discharge the products selectively in one of two directions, a collecting chute which is configured to gather the products which have been discharged from the weighing hopper in the inward direction and to discharge the products, a recycle conveyor configured to convey the products which have been discharged from the weighing hoppers in the outward direction and have been loaded onto the recycle conveyor, a discharge means which is configured to discharge the products from the recycle conveyor; a combination calculation means which is configured to determine a discharge combination, a recycle hopper determination means configured to determine a weighing hopper whose products should be recycled, and a control means configured to cause the weighing hoppers selected to form the discharge combination to discharge the products in the inward direction, and to cau
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: YAMATO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ralph Kieselhorst
  • Publication number: 20100096192
    Abstract: A combination weigher includes a plurality of upper collecting chutes disposed below weighing hoppers, a plurality of upper collecting hoppers provided at discharge outlets of the upper collecting chutes, a lower collecting chute provided below the upper collecting hoppers, a lower collecting hopper provided at a discharge outlet of the lower collecting chute, and a control unit which repeatedly performs a combination process to determine one discharge combination of the weighing hoppers, a discharge process for discharging the objects from the weighing hoppers onto the upper collecting chutes, and a discharge process for discharging the objects simultaneously from the upper collecting hoppers, and a discharge process for discharging the objects from the lower collecting hopper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: SHOZO KAWANISHI
    Inventor: Shozo Kawanishi
  • Publication number: 20100089666
    Abstract: A combination weighing apparatus includes a distribution unit, a plurality of conveying units and a plurality of weighing hoppers. At least one of the conveying units has a trough and a plurality of spiral members. The trough has an inside edge positioned below the distribution unit and an outside edge positioned above the weighing hopper. The spiral members are placed above a bottom surface of the trough with each of the spiral members defining an external peripheral surface. The spiral members are configured and arranged to be rotatably driven to convey the product material supplied from the distribution unit in a vicinity of the inside edge, along the external peripheral surfaces toward a vicinity of the outside edge. The spiral members are configured and arranged to stop movement of the product material on the external peripheral surfaces when the spiral members are not rotatably driven.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: ISHIDA CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshiharu MIKAMI
  • Publication number: 20100044116
    Abstract: A hopper is provided with which damages of articles can be suppressed without lowering the processing speed. A hopper (4) includes a first hopper main body (40), and a first gate (G1). A first inner surface (41) of the first gate (G1) forms a collecting space (A1) for holding articles with the first hopper main body (40), and stores articles in the interior of the collecting space (A1) when in the closed state and discharges articles by turning to open. The first inner surface (41) includes a first upper slanted surface (S2) and a first lower slanted surface (S3) that are continuous. An angle formed by the first lower slanted surface (S3) and the horizontal plane is smaller than an angle formed by the first upper slanted surface (S2) and the horizontal plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: ISHIDA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mikio Kishikawa, Toshikazu Shotsu, Toshiharu Kageyama, Teruo Hayakawa, Yuta Yoneda
  • Patent number: 7667147
    Abstract: A combination weigher of the present invention comprises a plurality of weighing hoppers (4) each of which includes two weighing chambers (4a, 4b) and is capable of weighing objects to be weighed which have been fed to the two weighing chambers, the weighing chambers being capable of independently discharging the objects to be weighed; a plurality of feeding hoppers (3) which are disposed above the weighing hoppers to respectively correspond to the weighing hoppers, for selectively feeding the objects to be weighed to each of the two weighing chambers of the corresponding weighing hopper; and a control unit (10) which is configured to perform combination calculation based on weight of the objects to be weighed which have been fed into the weighing chambers of each of the weighing hoppers (4) to select weighing chambers (4a, 4b) forming a combination which have been fed with the objects to be weighed whose total weight falls within a predetermined weight range, and is configured to cause the selected weighing
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Yamato Scale Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Higuchi, Shozo Kawanishi, Taketoshi Okamura
  • Patent number: 7663067
    Abstract: A first gate opens obliquely downward, and maintains the posture, rendering the slope angle of the bottom surface thereof steeper than that of the bottom surface of the second gate. Thus, the bottom surface of the second gate forms a gentle slope sliding surface, and the bottom surface of the first gate forms a steep slope sliding surface. Then articles drop following the shape of a parabola toward the bottom surface of the first gate on the steep slope side, with momentum gained from sliding down the bottom surface of the second gate on the gentle slope side, and then change the sliding trajectory inward upon bumping into the bottom surface of the first gate. The articles then drop following the shape of a parabola toward the center area of a dispersal table, with momentum gained from sliding down the bottom surface of the first gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Teruo Hayakawa, Takao Kihara, Noboru Kobayashi, Satoshi Takada, Koichi Makino
  • Publication number: 20100018782
    Abstract: A weighing arrangement includes an infeed for product material to be weighed and at least one dosing mechanism for controlled conveying of product material portions from the infeed to a weighing system. The dosing mechanism includes a motor-driven transport screw positioned in an open trough for conveying the product material from the infeed to the weighing system, and a control unit for controlling the motor in order to deliver a desired portion of product material to the weighing system. This weighing arrangement provides a gentle, well-defined conveyance of product materials that are not suited for vibrational conveyance or conveyance by a screw conveyor in a tubular housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventor: Henning Ingemann Hansen
  • Publication number: 20100012394
    Abstract: A combination weigher includes weighing hoppers capable of discharging weighed objects selectively in a first direction or in a second direction, a first collecting chute and a collecting hopper, a second collecting chute and a collecting hopper, and a control unit configured to determine a first discharge combination and a second discharge combination in which combination weight values fall within an allowable range with respect to a target weight value, to cause weighing hoppers belonging to the first discharge combination to discharge the weighed objects in the first direction, to cause weighing hoppers belonging to the second discharge combination to discharge the objects to be weighed in the second direction, and to cause the collecting hopper and the collecting hopper to discharge the objects to be weighed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: Shozo Kawanishi
    Inventor: Shozo Kawanishi
  • Patent number: 7633019
    Abstract: A combination weighing device is configured and arranged to efficiently perform processes from combination weighing to discharging. The combination weighing device includes a control unit configured to control a container arrangement mechanism so as to tilt the orientation of a container storing weighed articles selected based on the results of weighing to discharge a portion or all of the articles in the container into its adjacent container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Nakajima, Shuji Murata, Fumitaka Tokuda, Ken Shimizu, Takashi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20090301792
    Abstract: A combination weigher of the present invention comprises an inner chute which gathers objects which are discharged in an inward direction from weighing hoppers and discharges the objects, a plurality of outer chutes which gather the objects which are discharged in an outward direction from the weighing hoppers, a collecting hopper provided at discharge outlet of the inner chute, collecting hoppers provided at discharge outlets of the outer chutes, a lower chute which transfers the objects which are discharged from a collecting hopper and discharges them from a discharge outlet at a bottom part thereof, and a control unit which is configured to switch a discharge direction of the weighing hoppers selected to make up of optimal combinations sequentially performed every time the combination process is performed, and according to these cause the collecting hopper and the collecting hopper to alternately discharge the objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: Shozo Kawanishi
    Inventor: Shozo Kawanishi
  • Publication number: 20090294183
    Abstract: A combination weigher of the present invention comprises a first combination weigher unit including a left inner chute, an outer chute, collecting hoppers, weighing hoppers and memory hoppers which are disposed above the left chutes, and a second combination weigher unit including a right inner chute, an outer chute, collecting hoppers, weighing hoppers and memory hoppers which are disposed above the right chutes, and a control unit configured to control the entire combination weigher. The control unit performs a combination process for each combination weigher unit and causes weighing hoppers and memory hoppers which make up of discharge combinations determined in respective combination processes to discharge the objects to be weighed in an inward direction and an outward direction alternately, and to cause the two collecting hoppers to alternately discharge the objects to be weighed according to the discharge, in each combination weigher unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: Shozo Kawanishi
    Inventor: Shozo Kawanishi
  • Publication number: 20090277692
    Abstract: A combination weighing apparatus includes a dispersion unit, conveying units and weighing units. The dispersion unit is arranged to radially disperse product material. The conveying units are arranged around a periphery of the dispersion unit. The weighing units are arranged around a periphery of the conveying units. Each of the conveying units includes a trough. At least one of the troughs has a cross-sectional diameter that gradually increases generally from the inside end to the outside end so that the one of the troughs and an adjacent one of the troughs are kept in contact with each other from the inside ends to the outside ends. At least one of the conveying units has a spiral member disposed over a bottom surface of the trough. The spiral member is configured and arranged to convey the product material supplied from the dispersion unit toward the outside end of the trough.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: ISHIDA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiko TATSUOKA, Hiroshi HATTORI, Mikio KISHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20090277132
    Abstract: A combination weighing device is configured and arranged to efficiently perform processes from combination weighing to discharging. The combination weighing device includes a control unit configured to control a container arrangement mechanism so as to tilt the orientation of a container storing weighed articles selected based on the results of weighing to discharge a portion or all of the articles in the container into its adjacent container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Inventors: Masayoshi Nakajima, Shuji Murata, Fumitaka Tokuda, Ken Shimizu, Takashi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20090260896
    Abstract: A combination weighing apparatus includes a dispersion unit, a plurality of weighing hoppers, and a combination unit. The dispersion unit circumferentially disperses articles that drop from above. The weighing hoppers are arranged generally circumferentially below the dispersion unit. The combination unit combines weight results obtained from each of the weighing hoppers. In addition, a state of a drop position of the articles in the dispersion unit changes during operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Applicant: ISHIDA CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masaya Fujii
  • Publication number: 20090236150
    Abstract: A weighing device includes a weighing unit, a conveying unit, a plurality of discharge parts, a discharging unit and a controlling part. The controlling part is configured to set an order of priority for the discharge parts, to sort the objects weighed by the weighing unit into a plurality of predetermined weight ranks, to select a combination of a plurality of the objects in the same weight rank so that the combination has a total weight equal to a final target weight, and to control the discharging unit to discharge the objects selected for the combination into one of the discharge parts having the highest priority among the discharge parts that are not being used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: ISHIDA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masami Kono, Masaru Inoue, Koichi Kataoka
  • Publication number: 20090229889
    Abstract: An electronic weight scale includes: a main scale module including a main weight sensor disposed in a main housing and outputting an output corresponding to weight acting on the main housing and sensed thereby, a controller operable in one of folded and unfolded modes in response to a control signal from an input unit, and a display unit mounted on the main housing; and an auxiliary scale unit connected pivotally to the main scale module and including an auxiliary scale module that has an auxiliary weight sensor disposed in an auxiliary housing and outputting an output corresponding to weight acting on the auxiliary housing and sensed thereby. The controller outputs weight information, that indicates the output from the main weight sensor when in the folded mode and that indicates a sum of the outputs from the main and auxiliary weight sensors when in the unfolded mode, to the display unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: Shu-Te University
    Inventors: Chyun-Chau Lin, Nien-Te Liu, Shu-Hung Yeh, Chieh-I Wang
  • Patent number: 7579558
    Abstract: A combination weigher of the present invention has a relationship with the packaging machine in which, a bag accommodating time required to accommodate the objects to be weighed falling from the collecting hopper (4) into the bag in a case where the gate of the collecting hopper (4) is always kept open, is longer than a seal stopping time after completion of sealing a lower end of any one of the bags successively manufactured by the packaging machine (21) before start of sealing an upper end of the bag, wherein the control unit (10) causes the gate of the collecting hopper (4) to be closed immediately before any portion of the objects to be weighed discharged from the weighing hoppers (1) arrives at the collecting hopper (4) at the latest, and causes the gate of the collecting hopper (4) to be opened before all of the objects to be weighed arrive at the collecting hopper (4) and after a specified time that elapses from when the gate of the collecting hopper (4) is closed, such that by keeping the gate of the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Yamato Scale Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Higuchi, Shozo Kawanishi, Taketoshi Okamura
  • Publication number: 20090200087
    Abstract: A mixing-weighing combination weigher of the present invention comprises a plurality of kind-based groups (G1-G8) each of which is made up of a plurality of combination hoppers (4, 5) fed with objects to be weighed, the kind-based groups being fed with different kinds of objects to be weighed; and a control means (11); and the control means (11) is configured to carry out a process in which combination calculation is performed to find combination weight values for each of the kind-based groups, and combination weight values of a selection number predetermined for each kind are selected from the combination weight values based on a predetermined kind-based combination selection condition; a process in which combination calculation is performed in such a manner that one combination weight value is selected for each kind from the combination weight values selected in this process and selected combination weight values are combined to find one all-kind combination total value within an allowable range; and a disc
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Applicant: YAMATO SCALE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Higuchi, Taketoshi Okamura
  • Patent number: 7572986
    Abstract: A combination weigher of the present invention comprises a center base body (9), a plurality of feeding hoppers (3), a plurality of weighing hoppers (4) each including two weighing chambers (4a, 4b), a plurality of memory hoppers (5) each including two accommodating chambers (5a, 5b), a collecting chute (7) configured to receive objects to be weighed discharged from the weighing chamber and the accommodating chamber and to discharge the objects to be weighed, and a control unit (10) configured to perform combination calculation based on measured values of the objects to be weighed inside the weighing chambers of each weighing hopper (4) and measured values of the objects to be weighed inside the accommodating chambers of each memory hopper (5) to select a combination of weighing chambers and/or accommodating chambers which will discharge the objects to be weighed, and to cause the selected chambers to discharge the objects to be weighed onto the collecting chute (7), the two weighing chambers of each weighing
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Inventors: Shozo Kawanishi, Hiroshi Higuchi, Taketoshi Okamura
  • Publication number: 20090194558
    Abstract: A storage hopper temporarily stores articles supplied from above and then discharges the articles downward. The storage hopper includes a holding member of an article holding change mechanism in a storage portion. The holding member changes a state in which the articles are held in the storage portion according to a state of the articles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: ISHIDA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yukio Nakagawa, Hiroshi Hattori, Teruo Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 7569778
    Abstract: An arrangement for conveying product material to a weighing system includes an infeed for product material to be weighed and at least one dosing mechanism for controlled conveying of product material portions from the infeed to a weighing system. The dosing mechanism includes a motor-driven transport screw formed as a helically-shaped rod positioned in an open trough for conveying the product material from the infeed to the weighing system, and a control unit for controlling the motor in order to deliver a desired portion of product material to the weighing system. This arrangement provides a gentle, well-defined conveyance of product materials that are not suited for vibrational conveyance or conveyance by a screw conveyor in a tubular housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Cabinplant International A/S
    Inventor: Henning Ingemann Hansen