Patents Assigned to COMPAC TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
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Patent number: 10933446Abstract: An article carrier is disclosed. The article carrier comprises a mounting portion adapted for connection to a conveyor such that when the article carrier is connected to the conveyor the conveyor is positioned on a conveyor axis of the article carrier. The article carrier has first and second carrier portions connected to the mounting portion which are configured to allow weighing of one or more articles carried, in use, by the carrier portions. The first carrier portion comprises a first bearing surface and a second bearing surface, and the second carrier portion comprises a third bearing surface and a spaced apart fourth bearing surface. A distance between the conveyor axis and any point on one of the bearing surfaces, measured orthogonally to the conveyor axis, is different to a distance between the conveyor axis and any point on any of the other bearing surfaces, measured orthogonally to the conveyor axis.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2017Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: COMPAC TECHNOLOGIES LIMITEDInventors: Andrew David Mcintyre, Hamish Alexander Nigel Kennedy, Kevin Lo
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Patent number: 10703579Abstract: The invention relates to a tipping actuator for a conveyor system that comprises a plurality of article carriers moving on an endless conveyor in a conveying direction, each article carrier having a carrier frame for bearing an article, the carrier frame being pivotally mounted on the article carrier and operable to tip to enable discharge of the article borne on the carrier frame. The tipping actuator comprises a trigger member for contacting the article carriers to tip them and is configured such that, when in a non-contact position, the article carriers are able to at least partly tip towards the trigger member such that the contact portion of the trigger member is received by a portion of the article carrier. In another embodiment, a contact portion of the trigger is sloped with two different gradients. An electromagnet may be used to cause actuation of the trigger.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2018Date of Patent: July 7, 2020Assignee: COMPAC TECHNOLOGIES LIMITEDInventors: Isaac James Anstis, Simon Richardson, Sam Voschezang, Sheldon Phillip White
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Publication number: 20190151903Abstract: An article carrier is disclosed. The article carrier comprises a mounting portion adapted for connection to a conveyor such that when the article carrier is connected to the conveyor the conveyor is positioned on a conveyor axis of the article carrier. The article carrier has first and second carrier portions connected to the mounting portion which are configured to allow weighing of one or more articles carried, in use, by the carrier portions. The first carrier portion comprises a first bearing surface and a second bearing surface, and the second carrier portion comprises a third bearing surface and a spaced apart fourth bearing surface. A distance between the conveyor axis and any point on one of the bearing surfaces, measured orthogonally to the conveyor axis, is different to a distance between the conveyor axis and any point on any of the other bearing surfaces, measured orthogonally to the conveyor axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2017Publication date: May 23, 2019Applicant: Compac Technologies LimitedInventors: Andrew David Mcintyre, Hamish Alexander Nigel Kennedy, Kevin Lo
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Publication number: 20180370738Abstract: The invention relates to a tipping actuator for a conveyor system that comprises a plurality of article carriers moving on an endless conveyor in a conveying direction, each article carrier having a carrier frame for bearing an article, the carrier frame being pivotally mounted on the article carrier and operable to tip to enable discharge of the article borne on the carrier frame. The tipping actuator comprises a trigger member for contacting the article carriers to tip them and is configured such that, when in a non-contact position, the article carriers are able to at least partly tip towards the trigger member such that the contact portion of the trigger member is received by a portion of the article carrier. In another embodiment, a contact portion of the trigger is sloped with two different gradients. An electromagnet may be used to cause actuation of the trigger.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2018Publication date: December 27, 2018Applicant: COMPAC TECHNOLOGIES LIMITEDInventors: Isaac James ANSTIS, Simon RICHARDSON, Sam VOSCHEZANG, Sheldon Phillip WHITE
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Patent number: 10099258Abstract: This invention relates to an article inspection system having one or more endless article conveyors configured to convey articles along one or more conveying paths. One or more light sources and one or more light diffusers are provided, wherein each light diffuser is positioned substantially at or below the level of the articles when conveyed along the conveying paths so as to illuminate, using light from the one or more light sources, at least side portions of the articles with substantially diffuse light when the articles are conveyed along the conveying path(s). At least one camera is positioned to image articles which are conveyed along the conveying paths.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2016Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: Compac Technologies LimitedInventors: Duncan Galbraith, Michael Edmondson, Simon Knightley
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Patent number: 10011440Abstract: The invention relates to a tipping actuator for a conveyor system that comprises a plurality of article carriers moving on an endless conveyor in a conveying direction, each article carrier having a carrier frame for bearing an article, the carrier frame being pivotally mounted on the article carrier and operable to tip to enable discharge of the article borne on the carrier frame. The tipping actuator comprises a trigger member for contacting the article carriers to tip them and is configured such that, when in a non-contact position, the article carriers are able to at least partly tip towards the trigger member such that the contact portion of the trigger member is received by a portion of the article carrier. In another embodiment, a contact portion of the trigger is sloped with two different gradients. An electromagnet may be used to cause actuation of the trigger.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2016Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignee: COMPAC TECHNOLOGIES LIMITEDInventors: Isaac James Anstis, Simon Richardson, Sam Voschezang, Sheldon Phillip White
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Patent number: 9840376Abstract: The present disclosure relates to apparatus for carrying articles such as fruit for sorting, and in particular though not exclusively to apparatus for singulating the articles. There is provided a singulation apparatus for an article carrying system, the apparatus comprising a flume adapted to receive a plurality of articles at a first end; a fluid inlet associated with the first end and arranged in use to direct a fluid flow to carry the received articles along the flume to a second end; wherein a parameter of the fluid flow is controlled in order to singulate the received articles along the flume. A method for singulation is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2014Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: Compac Technologies LimitedInventors: Sheldon Phillip White, Jonathan Patrick Jackson, Max Hilton Hendrikse, Eric Adrianus Plessius
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Publication number: 20170190517Abstract: The invention relates to a tipping actuator for a conveyor system that comprises a plurality of article carriers moving on an endless conveyor in a conveying direction, each article carrier having a carrier frame for bearing an article, the carrier frame being pivotally mounted on the article carrier and operable to tip to enable discharge of the article borne on the carrier frame. The tipping actuator comprises a trigger member for contacting the article carriers to tip them and is configured such that, when in a non-contact position, the article carriers are able to at least partly tip towards the trigger member such that the contact portion of the trigger member is received by a portion of the article carrier. In another embodiment, a contact portion of the trigger is sloped with two different gradients. An electromagnet may be used to cause actuation of the trigger.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2016Publication date: July 6, 2017Applicant: COMPAC TECHNOLOGIES LIMITEDInventors: Isaac James ANSTIS, Simon RICHARDSON, Sam VOSCHEZANG, Sheldon Phillip WHITE
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Patent number: 9533837Abstract: The present subject matter relates to article carriers for use in grading apparatus and in particular, but not exclusively, for use in grading fruit. The present subject matter provides an article carrying apparatus comprising a plurality of carrier lanes each for receiving and conveying a number of articles; one or more diverters arranged to control the distribution of received articles into the lanes; a sensor arranged to determine a capacity use parameter for each lane; and a controller arranged to control the position of each diverter dependent on a difference between combined determined capacity use parameters and combined target capacity use parameters for lanes to one side of said diverter.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2014Date of Patent: January 3, 2017Assignee: Compac Technologies LimitedInventors: Andrew Stitt, Lee Adrian Cook, Jonathon Patrick Jackson
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Patent number: 9527680Abstract: The invention relates to a tipping actuator for a conveyor system that comprises a plurality of article carriers moving on an endless conveyor in a conveying direction, each article carrier having a carrier frame for bearing an article, the carrier frame being pivotally mounted on the article carrier and operable to tip to enable discharge of the article borne on the carrier frame. The tipping actuator comprises a trigger member for contacting the article carriers to tip them and is configured such that, when in a non-contact position, the article carriers are able to at least partly tip towards the trigger member such that the contact portion of the trigger member is received by a portion of the article carrier. In another embodiment, a contact portion of the trigger is sloped with two different gradients. An electromagnet may be used to cause actuation of the trigger.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2013Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: COMPAC TECHNOLOGIES LIMITEDInventors: Isaac James Anstis, Simon Richardson, Sam Voschezang, Sheldon Phillip White
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Patent number: 9527113Abstract: An article carrier (100) has a mounting portion (1) adapted for connection to a conveyor. A connecting member (4) is rotatably connected to the mounting portion (1) and is rotatable relative to the mounting portion (1) about a first axis of rotation (R1). A carrier portion (3) is rotatably connected to the connecting member (4) and is rotatable relative to the connecting member (4) about a second axis of rotation (R2), wherein the first axis of rotation (R1) is spaced apart from the second axis of rotation (R2). A releasably lockable carrier support means (5) is provided to support the carrier portion (3) in a carriage position when in a locked state, and to allow rotation of the carrier portion (3) to a discharge position when in an unlocked state.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2013Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: Compac Technologies LimitedInventors: Hamish Alexander Nigel Kennedy, Isaac James Anstis, Shon Cornelius Franciscus Van Tiel
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Patent number: 9475655Abstract: The present subject matter relates to article carriers and related methods for use in grading apparatus and in particular, but not exclusively, for use in grading fruit. The present subject matter provides an article carrying apparatus comprising a plurality of carrier lanes each for receiving and conveying a number of articles; one or more diverters arranged to control the distribution of received articles into the lanes; a sensor arranged to determine a capacity use parameter for each lane; and a controller arranged to control the position of each diverter dependent on the determined capacity use parameters.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2014Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: Compac Technologies LimitedInventors: Lee Adrian Cook, Jonathan Patrick Jackson
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Patent number: 9446433Abstract: An article carrier (100) has a mounting portion (1) adapted for connection to a conveyor. A connecting member (4) is rotatably connected to the mounting portion (1) and is rotatable relative to the mounting portion (1) about a first axis of rotation (R1). A carrier portion (3) is rotatably connected to the connecting member (4) and is rotatable relative to the connecting member (4) about a second axis of rotation (R2), wherein the first axis of rotation (R1) is spaced apart from the second axis of rotation (R2). A releasably lockable carrier support means (5) is provided to support the carrier portion (3) in a carriage position when in a locked state, and to allow rotation of the carrier portion (3) to a discharge position when in an unlocked state.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2013Date of Patent: September 20, 2016Assignee: Compac Technologies LimitedInventors: Hamish Alexander Nigel Kennedy, Isaac James Anstis, Shon Cornelius Franciscus Van Tiel
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Patent number: 9216864Abstract: An elongate flume is provided for receiving items of produce. The flume comprises a first side and an opposite second side. A plurality of baffles are provided, each baffle having a first end at or adjacent the first side of the flume and a second end which is spaced apart from the first side of the flume and spaced apart from the second side of the flume.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2014Date of Patent: December 22, 2015Assignee: Compac Technologies LimitedInventor: Eric Adrianus Plessius
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Publication number: 20130319815Abstract: An apparatus for the processing of articles (5) is disclosed. The apparatus includes guide means (1) having a body, a first end (2) for receiving articles, and a second end (3) for dispatching articles. The apparatus may be used to transfer articles (5) from a first conveyor means to a second conveyor means with a reduced likelihood of the articles colliding with other articles.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2011Publication date: December 5, 2013Applicant: COMPAC TECHNOLOGIES LIMITEDInventors: Hamish Alexander Nigel Kennedy, Robert James Vercoe, Marcus John Davies, Adam Alexander Tebbutt