Endless Conveyor Patents (Class 83/155)
  • Patent number: 11858082
    Abstract: An illuminator that emits light from a radially outer portion of the cutting tool toward the cutting tool includes a first light source and a second light source, and a first lens and a second lens. The first lens has a first emission surface including a first outermost portion located farthest and at a first distance from a first center axis including a first light source center of the first light source and perpendicular to the first light source. The second lens has a second emission surface including a second outermost portion located farthest and at a second distance from a second center axis including a second light source center of the second light source and perpendicular to the second light source. A distance between the first center axis and the second center axis is shorter than a sum of the first distance and the second distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroto Korekawa, Akihiro Hozumi, Toshiyuki Kani
  • Patent number: 11606957
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a mechanical system for providing a food product on a sheet of paper. The disclosed mechanical system includes an adjustable conveyor belt system that is configured to enable a puck of food product to land up-right. The angle (e.g., slope) of the adjustable conveyor belt system can be adjusted to account for variations in the size and shape of the puck. The disclosed mechanical system also includes a flattener that is configured to provide memory to the pressed pucks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: RISCO USA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Alan G. Miller
  • Patent number: 10721938
    Abstract: A taco shell is produced using a rotary cutter including a shaft, an outer blade extending radially outward from the shaft and a first inner blade extending radially outward from the shaft. The outer blade defines an interior area, enclosed by the outer blade, and an exterior area. The first inner blade is located in the interior area and includes a plurality of teeth. A dough piece is cut from a dough sheet with the outer blade, and a first arcuate line of depressions is created in the dough piece with the plurality of teeth. The dough piece is folded to form a shaped dough piece, and the shaped dough piece is baked to produce a hard taco shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Shivakumar Elayedath, John J Fenske, Sean Igo, Andrew David King, David Morrison Russell, Samuel Whitmore, Mark Anthony Zentile
  • Patent number: 10675775
    Abstract: A transport device, in particular a chain track frame, for a cutting machine, for receiving slices separated from the material to be cut by a cutting blade and for transporting the slices from the cutting blade to a deposit region, includes: a frame on which the following components are mounted: a receiving apparatus for receiving separated slices; a plurality of guide rollers arranged so as to be spaced apart from each other; a drive device for driving a plurality of transport chains or transport belts extending in parallel with each other, the transport chains or transport belts being guided in a closed circulating manner by the drive device via the guide rollers; and a coupling for connecting the drive device to a drive. The frame comprises a single part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Bizerba SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Hannes Richter, Nikolaus Koch, Timo Capone
  • Patent number: 9815219
    Abstract: The present invention relates to apparatus, systems and methods for manufacturing food, more specifically strip products out of meats such as chicken, of variable thickness and texture, in various shapes and sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: West Liberty Foods, LLC
    Inventors: Edward Claussen, Gerald Lessard, Todd Bailey
  • Patent number: 8978529
    Abstract: A food article feed apparatus for a food article slicing machine. The apparatus has conveyor with a drive belt for connecting a drive source to a drive roller, and a conveyor belt. The drive roller is for driving the conveyor. The drive roller has an outer diameter and a recessed diameter where the drive belt is connected around the recessed diameter and the conveyor belt is connected around the outer diameter. The drive belt operates within an area defined by the first conveyor belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Formax, Inc.
    Inventor: James E. Pasek
  • Publication number: 20150040521
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for cutting a bar of product into slices of product by means of a cutting device. The invention also relates to a packaging machine for packaging slices of product, having a plurality of work stations and a cutting device for cutting a bar of product into slices of product. The invention further relates to a system consisting of a cutting device and a packing machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: GEA Food Solutions Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Gerd Hübner, Klaus Meyer
  • Publication number: 20150020664
    Abstract: A method and system for the processing of food items that are supplied to a batching apparatus, where the batching apparatus comprises at least one handling means of the robotic type. By means of the batching apparatus a first process is performed, according to which food items are selectively batched in consideration of measured, detected and/or estimated data for the individual items and in consideration of at least one predefined criterion. Particular food items are identified and led to another process, the particular food items being food items that are deviant in relation to one or more predefined parameter(s) relating to the batching and/or food items that have not been selected to be batched during the first process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Henrik F. Skyum, Svend Baekhoj Jensen, Rene Knudsen
  • Patent number: 8931240
    Abstract: A shuttle system including a main conveyor for transporting food products in a longitudinal direction, a supply of open top containers displaced along a longitudinal direction and movable in the longitudinal direction into a filling station. The shuttle system includes a shuttle robot for moving food products from the main conveyor to an open top container in the filling station. A sensor for receiving food product position data and a controller receiving data from the sensor and for instructing operation of the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Formax, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott Lindee
  • Patent number: 8911167
    Abstract: A sheet cutting device includes a conveyance unit configured to convey a sheet, a cutting unit configured to cut the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit, and a conveyance belt configured to convey a cut piece cut from the sheet cut by the cutting unit in a direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the conveyance unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Manabu Kanazawa, Masahito Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8910457
    Abstract: The apparatus includes a slicing machine (1) for cutting rows of slices (A) from several pieces of food product, and a loading unit (2) comprising a set of array-forming conveyor belts (7a, 7b, 7c) arranged in parallel, a device for aligning each of the array-forming conveyor belts (7a, 7b, 7c) with the slicing machine (1) for receiving successive rows of slices (A) arranged in a direction transverse to the forward movement direction while the array-forming conveyor belt is made to move forward synchronously with the operation of the slicing machine (1) until forming a partial array of slices (A) on each array-forming conveyor belt, and a transfer device for transferring a complete array of slices (A) formed by the partial arrays from the array-forming conveyor belts (7a, 7b, 7c) to a moving conveying surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Metalquimia, S.A.
    Inventor: Narcis Lagares Corominas
  • Publication number: 20140308886
    Abstract: A conveying apparatus has a conveying path to supply a plurality of products for consumption having soft parts and intended for processing to a processing device. A conveying intermediate space has conveying surfaces that face one another and receive the products for consumption between them while applying pressure thereto. A first conveying surface comprises a flexible surface-deformable conveying cover and a row arrangement of pressure elements that are arranged next to one another in a row extending transverse to the conveying direction, each having a pressure-applying transverse profile extending transverse to the conveying direction, and are held to be displaceable in the height dimension direction of the conveying intermediate space against a restoring force such that each pressure element co-operates with the surface-deformable conveying cover during the passage of the products for consumption through the conveying path in order to form a variable conveyor cross-section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventor: Olaf Schwarz
  • Publication number: 20140302236
    Abstract: Fibre fabric cutting system and method with a first and a second conveyor belt guided along a first and second curved path, respectively. A fibre fabric supply unit supplies a web of fibre fabric to a cutting section of the first curved path. A cutting unit cuts the web of fibre fabric into sheets. The first curved path and the second curved path cooperate to define for the sheets a first transport path including a plurality of vertically spaced levels extending transversally to the vertical direction and arranged one above the other. The cutting section defines the first level and each of the subsequent levels is defined by a section of one of the conveyor belts. Sheets transported along the first transport path move from one level to the next level and are alternately supported against the gravitational force by the first and the second conveyor belt on consecutive levels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventors: Philippe Blot, Pierre Zahlen, Tassilo Witte
  • Publication number: 20140260857
    Abstract: The present invention relates to apparatus, systems and methods for manufacturing food, more specifically strip products out of meats such as chicken, of variable thickness and texture, in various shapes and sizes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: West Liberty Foods LLC
    Inventors: Edward Claussen, Gerald Lessard, Todd Bailey
  • Publication number: 20140260856
    Abstract: An automated book punch includes a base, a positioning mechanism, a punching mechanism, a conveying mechanism, a transfer mechanism and a paper straightening/collection mechanism: the base has a paper tray; the positioning mechanism at a fixed position (an open position) locates a book held in the paper tray (allows the book to pass); the punching mechanism is used to punch a book held in the paper tray; the conveying mechanism conveys a book in the paper tray; the transfer mechanism is able to shift a punched book from the conveying mechanism to a predetermined position; the paper straightening/collection mechanism collects and straightens a book from the transfer mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: CHUNG SHEEN TECHNOLOGY CO.,LTD.
    Inventor: CHOU-CHIH CHIANG
  • Patent number: 8650998
    Abstract: The invention relates to a machine for automatically cutting sheet material, the machine comprising a bench having a cutting zone, a cutter head mounted on means for moving it relative to the bundle, a cutter conveyor housed inside a box placed under the cutting zone, and means for establishing suction in the box, the box bulging outwards at least in its bottom portion that is remote from the cutting zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Lectra
    Inventors: Thierry Badie, Didier Chabirand, Régis Lallement
  • Publication number: 20130340580
    Abstract: A portioning system (10) for cutting a work product (13) into a diced pattern as the work product is being carried by a conveyor (12). A cutter actuator (17) moves at least one cutter (18) parallel and transverse to the conveyor (12) either singularly or simultaneously at a speed significantly faster than the travel speed of the conveyor. A control system (220) is capable of controlling the direction and speed of movement of the cutter (18) and the conveyor (12) according to one or more directly controlled parameters including cutter pattern width, belt speed, cutter movement speed, cutter direction of movement, shape of desired end product(s), weight of desired end product(s), size of desired end product(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Inventors: John R. Strong, Jon A. Hocker, Arthur W. Vogeley, JR.
  • Publication number: 20130333539
    Abstract: A machine for cutting leathers (1), comprising: a structure (2) which circumscribes an operating area (3) where the leathers are to be laid, maintained stretched and still such as to allow cutting operations; at least an aspirating plane (4, 40) arranged at the operating area (3) and connected to a depression source (9) such as to maintain the leather stretched and still following activation of the depression source (9); a cutting unit (5), borne by the structure (2), arranged above the operating area (3) and movable with respect thereto, such as to realise the cut in the leathers in the operating area (3); the machine (1) comprising at least two closed-loop belts (6, 66) made of a permeable material and flanked to one another, each comprising an upper branch (60, 606) and a lower branch (61, 616), each of the belts (6, 66) being arranged such that the upper branch (60, 606) thereof remains above and in proximity of the aspirating plane (4, 40), in order to restingly receive the leathers to be cut and in orde
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2012
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: TESEO S.p.A.
    Inventor: Gianni Gallucci
  • Patent number: 8534172
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for translating articles. The apparatus has a rectangular work area defined by the upper run of a positioning conveyor having an oblique-roller conveyor belt selectively driven forward or reverse in coordination with the actuation and deactuation of the obliquely rotatable belt rollers. Tools, such as cutting tools or inspection stools, along the sides of the work area interact with the sides of the articles as they are translated without rotation in a rectangular path against guide surfaces on the periphery of the work area by the sequential reversing of the conveyor belt direction and the actuation and deactuation of the article-supporting rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Matthew L. Fourney
  • Publication number: 20130233137
    Abstract: A web product cutting and screening machine includes a first conveying unit having a first movable roller set, a second conveying unit having a second movable roller set movable relative to the first movable roller set and defining with the first movable roller set a first gap therebetween, and a cutter movable across the first gap to cut off a web product, producing a head cut piece, normal cut pieces and a tail cut piece. During screening operation, the second movable roller set can be moved away from the first movable roller set to screen the heat cut piece and the first movable roller set can be moved away from the second movable roller set to screen the tail cut piece, and therefore the web product cutting and screening efficiency is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: CHAN LI MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: TUNG I TSAI
  • Publication number: 20130205961
    Abstract: A method and a device for separating food products, including to permit a straight cut at high cycle rates, the food product is conveyed by a conveying device in the direction of transport. The food product is cut through, where a cutting element is moved in the direction of transport and transverse to the direction of transport, wherein the motion of the cutting element transverse to the direction of transport is controlled independently of its motion in the direction of transport and the food product does not rest on the cutting area on the conveying means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: ALBERT HANDTMANN MASCHINENFABRIK GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Albert Handtmann Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG
  • Patent number: 8485077
    Abstract: A treatment device for material strands having a separating device for dividing a material strand and a transport system. The treatment device comprises at least one front and one rear transport unit. At least one drive unit is provided for moving at least one transport unit relative to the other transport unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Schmidt & Heinzmann GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Richard Brüssel
  • Publication number: 20130104710
    Abstract: Embodiments may disclose a fluff portioning apparatus including: a guide coupled to a meat grinder, the guide configured to receive a meat portion from the meat grinder and transport the meat portion away from the meat grinder in a direction towards a cutting blade; the cutting blade configured to cut the meat portion received from the guide, creating a first meat portion; and a front conveyer which transports the first meat portion in a direction away from the cutting blade using a front conveyer belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: HOLLYMATIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: HOLLYMATIC CORPORATION
  • Publication number: 20130104709
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for slicing food products which can have a non-homogeneous structure. The device comprises a supply device, a cutting device, namely the slicer, and a removal device, preferably an endless conveyor belt. It is provided to have the device be designed to be self-cleaning. Sterilization of the device is likewise provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: Weber Maschinenbau GmbH Breidenbach
    Inventor: Weber Maschinenbau GmbH Breidenbach
  • Publication number: 20130101329
    Abstract: A sheet cutting device includes a conveyance unit configured to convey a sheet, a cutting unit configured to cut the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit, and a conveyance belt configured to convey a cut piece cut from the sheet cut by the cutting unit in a direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the conveyance unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
  • Publication number: 20130036887
    Abstract: In a system, at least two picker support elements are positioned adjacent a transport surface that is moving workpieces, and at least two picking elements are connected to each of the picker support elements. The picking elements have physical picking features that remove the workpieces from the transport surface and move the workpieces to another location. A controller is operatively connected to the picker support elements and the picking elements, and the controller independently controls the picker support elements and the picking elements to dynamically position the picking elements in coordination with a dynamic size, spacing, and transport speed of the workpieces being moved by the transport surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: KENNETH P. MOORE, Douglas K. Herrmann, Derek A. Bryl, Paul N. Richards, Richard Scarlata
  • Publication number: 20130000454
    Abstract: An input conveyor, output conveyor, and knife assembly with a blade between the input and output conveyors all reciprocate back and forth as a blade moves perpendicular to the conveyors to cut portioned sized of product, such as ground meat. The cut cycle allows the product feed to keep moving in a continuous manner on conveyors. For ground meat, this system can allow production rates of 150 pieces or more per minute per conveyor line and can improve the accuracy of portioning. The blade is actuated by a profiled cam set that pulls the blade down, and then returns it with a spring to an upper position. The knife assembly can accelerate just after cutting to reduce the potential for sticking to the cut product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: RISCO USA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Alan G. MILLER
  • Publication number: 20120285303
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system are provided for cutting panels of stock material for producing hard book casings. The apparatus may include a transport mechanism, a vertical cutter, and/or a horizontal cutter. The vertical cutter may produce a vertical cut of the stock material. The horizontal cutter may produce a horizontal cut of the stock material. The apparatus may produce properly dimensioned panels from the stock material in a single pass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: GP2 TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Thomas Porat
  • Publication number: 20120247290
    Abstract: A thin layer is cut from a foam material body using a band-knife. A take-off device that lifts and removes the layer from the cutting site, comprises a belt conveyor with an electrostatically chargeable conveyor element. The layer is lifted and removed from the cutting site by electrostatic attraction to the conveyor element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: Fecken-Kirfel GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Norbert Leyens, Stefan Lennartz
  • Publication number: 20120210837
    Abstract: A book trimmer is provided. The book trimmer includes an infeed device supplying a plurality of books to be trimmed, an edge trimming knife for trimming the books which is movable back and forth in a book travel direction and a conveyor downstream of the edge trimming knife, the conveyor including a reciprocating section movable back and forth in the book travel direction, the conveyor positively controlling the books as the books are received from the infeed device. A method for trimming a book is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: GOSS INTERNATIONAL AMERICAS, INC.
    Inventor: Glenn Alan GUARALDI
  • Patent number: 8161854
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for cutting boxes. The box cutter has a rectangular work area defined by the upper run of an oblique-roller conveyor belt selectively driven forward or reverse in coordination with the actuation and deactuation of the obliquely rotatable belt rollers. Cutting tools along the sides of the work area cut into the side panels of the boxes as they are translated without rotation in a rectangular path against guide surfaces on the periphery of the work area by the sequential reversing of the conveyor belt direction and the actuation and deactuation of the box-supporting rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Matthew L. Fourney
  • Patent number: 8132488
    Abstract: A sheet cutting device, including a cutting blade for cutting a bundle of sheets, while moving in a slanted direction compounded by a direction perpendicular to the surface of sheet and a direction parallel to the sheet surface; a supporting member for supporting the bundle of sheets in the vicinity of a cutting position; a pressing section to press the bundle of sheets against the supporting member in a direction reverse to a moving direction of the cutting blade and perpendicular to the sheet surface, and the pressing section to receive the cutting blade at the time when the cutting blade cuts the bundle of sheets; a cutting blade driving section to drive the cutting blade; a pressing section driving section to drive the pressing section; and a control section to release pressing of the bundle of sheets and retract the cutting blade, after the bundle of sheets is cut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kaneko, Toshio Shida, Hiroyuki Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 8079293
    Abstract: A perforating machine for perforating a plurality of perforation lines in a vent baffle sheet comprises a support table having two spaced apart openings, perforating wheels, two backstop wheels, and an endless feed belt having a plurality of protrusions. The perforating wheels and the two backstop wheels are positioned on opposite side of the support table. The perforating wheels engage with the two backstop wheels through the two spaced apart openings. The endless feed belt has an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion of the endless feed belt is positioned above the support table. The protrusions on the lower portion of the endless feed belt engage with side stiffeners of the vent baffle sheet to move the sheet through the perforating wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Brentwood Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Matt Kortuem, Palle Rye, Dave Rosten, Richard L. Partlow, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20110017031
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for cutting boxes. The box cutter has a rectangular work area defined by the upper run of an oblique-roller conveyor belt selectively driven forward or reverse in coordination with the actuation and deactuation of the obliquely rotatable belt rollers. Cutting tools along the sides of the work area cut into the side panels of the boxes as they are translated without rotation in a rectangular path against guide surfaces on the periphery of the work area by the sequential reversing of the conveyor belt direction and the actuation and deactuation of the box-supporting rollers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: LAITRAM, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Matthew L. Fourney
  • Publication number: 20100319510
    Abstract: A turf collecting machine capable of automatically collecting laid artificial athletic turf, separating the infill and tufted backing components of the collected turf, and then depositing those separated components into separate storage containers is disclosed. The apparatus also includes mechanisms for cleaning the infill particles collected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Inventor: John H. Bearden
  • Patent number: 7836805
    Abstract: A cam follower plate used in a product processing line such as a pizza making assembly line. The cam follower plate includes a panel of synthetic resin having side grooves to engage rails of the assembly line, a forward located slot surrounded by a wall, the slot having a predefined geometry such that the slot wall is engaged by a cam roller to impart motion to the panel, and a rearward located row of holes for receiving a pin carrying connector to facilitate the connection of the driven panel to other elements of the assembly line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Quantum Technical Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark J. Freudinger, David J. White
  • Patent number: 7832316
    Abstract: An apparatus for slicing food products. The apparatus includes at least two cutter heads integrated with a common base construction and in which a food supply is provided for each cutting knife. The product flows from the cutter heads are combined into a single outflow conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Weber Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Gunther Weber
  • Patent number: 7832313
    Abstract: A device for through-cutting of an extruded ice mass, which has a first knife which is reciprocably arranged in a transverse first plane immediately after the outlet of the nozzle and arranged with a first length of stroke and a second knife which is reciprocably arranged in a plane which is parallel to the first plane and which is arranged immediately below the first knife with respect to the flow direction out of the nozzle, the second knife is arranged with a second stroke length which is smaller than the first stroke length, and a control for producing simultaneous reciprocation of the first and the second knife. Hereby, a shearing is achieved which is more precise and commonly applicable for manufacturing of ice cream portions by an automated production of ice cream products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Tetra Laval Holding & Finance S.A.
    Inventors: Carsten Hermansen, Steen Sprogoe Petersen
  • Publication number: 20100132526
    Abstract: An apparatus for holding a plate-like material during a separation process. The apparatus includes a separating device that is movable, during the separation process, in a first axial direction that is transverse to a second axial direction that the plate-like material is conveyed in during the separation process. The apparatus also includes first and second transport tables. The first transport table has a first contact surface and the second transport table has a second contact surface. The first contact surface and the second contact surface are spaced apart by a gap along which the separating device is movable. The apparatus also includes at least one holding device that is operable hold the plate-like material relative to the first and second contact surfaces such that the plate-like material is movable along the first and second contact surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: TRUMPF WERKZEUGMASCHINEN GMBH + CO. KG
    Inventors: Eberhard Wahl, Martin Blaser
  • Publication number: 20100107835
    Abstract: A food handling system having a positioning system and method. The positioning system includes a main conveying surface, an electronic sensor, a controller and a robot. The main conveying surface is configured to move food products. The electronic sensor is configured to capture position data about one or more food products on the main conveying surface within a sensor range of the sensor. The controller is signal-connected to the electronic sensor and the robot. The controller is configured to receive data captured by the sensor and is configured to instruct the robot to move a food product to a destination position. The robot is configured to reposition one or more food products on the conveying surface according to instructions sent by the controller. The robot has a longitudinal and a lateral working range. The food product may include formed meat patties or sliced meat or cheese products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventor: Scott Lindee
  • Publication number: 20100095818
    Abstract: A printing press folder is provided. The folder includes a cutting pair cutting a web at a cutting location to form signatures, a pair of transport cylinders forming a first nip and a pair of acceleration cylinders forming a second nip. The pair of transport cylinders receives the signatures downstream of the cutting pair at the first nip and transports the signatures away from the cutting pair. The first nip is separated from the cutting location by a first distance. The pair of acceleration cylinders receives the signatures from the pair of transport cylinders at the second nip and transports the signatures away from the pair of transport cylinders. The second nip is separated from the first nip by a second distance. The pair of transport cylinders is movable with respect to the pair of acceleration cylinders and the pair of acceleration cylinders is movable with respect to the pair of transport cylinder so the first distance and the second distance are selectively variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: Goss International Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyle Albert Sandahl, Douglas Joseph Dawley
  • Patent number: 7698977
    Abstract: An apparatus for providing groups of shingled slices comprises a jump conveyor and a slicing machine. The slicing machine includes a slicing blade. The jump conveyor includes a first slice receiving section and a second slice receiving section, the first slice receiving section having a first slice receiving surface, and the second slice receiving section having a second slice receiving surface. The jump conveyor is located adjacent the slicing blade so that the first slice receiving surface receives slices cut by the slicing blade directly. The first slice receiving section is articulated with respect to the second slice receiving section to be articulatingly movable relative to the second slice receiving section to vary the angular orientation of the first slice receiving surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: AEW Delford Group Limited
    Inventor: Alan Culling
  • Patent number: 7673575
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for feeding and slitting mattress covers, quilts and other soft goods supported on a table. The apparatus has a first slitting wheel rotatable by a motor. A second slitting wheel is rotatable by the motor and contacts the first slitting wheel to provide a cutting action. The apparatus further includes a conveyor operable by the motor for conveying the soft goods past the slitting wheels, and a compression assembly having an actuator, a swing arm, and wheels for compressing the soft goods and holding the soft goods against the conveyor to preventing slippage or twisting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: L&P Property Management Company
    Inventors: Alex Dobrescu, Terrance L. Myers
  • Patent number: 7603934
    Abstract: An apparatus for trimming brochures has a pair of front cutting blades and a transport apparatus for guiding the brochures to the pair of front cutting blades. For an operator-friendly changeover of the apparatus which is associated with little expenditure, in the event of a change of the distance between the front edges of the brochures and their respective setpoint cutting line, the transport apparatus can be locked at adjustable distances from the pair of front cutting blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventor: Jürgen Kurtz
  • Publication number: 20090165616
    Abstract: A trimmer including a common support frame and first and second cutting units movably mounted on the common support frame. Each respective cutting unit including a unit frame, a cutting strip connected to each respective unit frame, and a knife movably mounted on each respective unit frame for an oblique swing cut against a respective cutting strip. Each respective unit frame absorbing all cutting forces between the knife and the cutting strip during the oblique swing cut.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: MULLER MARTINI HOLDING AG
    Inventor: Horst Rathert
  • Publication number: 20090133556
    Abstract: A thin section preparing apparatus is provided, which prepares a thin section from an embedded block having a biological sample embedded and carries it, including: a cutter that slices the block at a pull angle; an approaching and separating mechanism that relatively moves the block and the cutter along an approaching and separating direction; a carrying mechanism having a carrying body arranged as one end side is near a nose, and a moving unit that moves the body along a transport direction; a sliding mechanism that relatively moves the block and the body along a nose direction; and a control unit that controls a combined velocity vector that combines a transport velocity vector of the body along the transport direction with a travel velocity vector of the body along the nose direction to be nearly equal to a block velocity vector of the embedded block along the approaching and separating direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Inventors: Tetsumasa Ito, Koji Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 7528341
    Abstract: A scribing apparatus simultaneously performs scribing processes for a TFT substrate and a C/F substrate in the same location, thereby efficiently utilizing equipment spaced and achieving enhanced productivity. A substrate cutting apparatus is equipped with the scribing apparatus, and a substrate cutting method uses the substrate cutting apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jung Sik Kim
  • Publication number: 20090107314
    Abstract: [Problems] In a conventional texture cutting, little attention was paid to the accuracy of the angled or the curved texture cutting, and the accurate cutting could not be conducted. [Mean of Solving Problems] A contact point between the top edge of a lower blade 75 and a rotation blade 67 is made to intersect with a center axis C with an error range of ±3 mm. Thereby, the accuracy of the angled or curved cutting is improved. Especially, the center of the rotation blade is significantly desirable to be positioned ahead of the center axis in the traveling direction, thereby enabling the smoother cutting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2006
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Applicant: NAMX CO. LTD.,
    Inventor: Nobuo Nasu
  • Patent number: 7503245
    Abstract: The method for manufacturing a tissue section, which is used for a sample for observation by a microscope, comprises the steps of slicing an organism specimen (12), whose form has been fixed by freezing or by using an embedding agent, along a slicing surface, characterized by: adjusting a distance between the slicing surface of the organism specimen (12) and one side of a tape (32) and a temperature difference between the organism specimen (12) and the tape (32) when the slicing of the organism specimen (12) is started, thereby a tip part of the tissue section (16) curling to the outside of the slicing surface of the organism specimen (12) is allowed to adhesively abut on one side of the tape (32) running apart from the slicing surface of the organism specimen (12); and running the tape (32) at a speed in synchronism with a slicing speed of the tissue section (16) after the tip part of the tissue section (16) is allowed to adhesively abut on the one side of the tape (32), thereby the entire tissue section (16
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Sakura Seiki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Miyazawa, Iwao Kuroiwa, Masahiko Arakawa, Akira Yanagimachi
  • Publication number: 20090049966
    Abstract: This invention includes a system for cutting food products, such as potatoes, into proportional length pieces. In a one embodiment, the system includes a cutting assembly, sensors upstream of the cutting assembly and a programmable logic controller. The cutting assembly preferably includes a housing defining a passageway, at least two separately actuatable stops extendable into the passageway to provide an abutment to hold the food product in place, and at least two separately actuatable blades for slicing the food product into pieces. The controller cooperates with the sensors to determine the length of each food product and, based on a length determinative algorithm, selectively actuate one of the stops and at least one of the blades to determine how many times the food product will be sliced and location of the cut(s) relative to the leading end of the food product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: John C. Julian, Gary R. Brockman, Trent R. Wetherbee