Patents Assigned to Sparc Systems Limited
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Patent number: 10711948Abstract: A rotary introducer is provided for introducing a trackable element and/or contaminant onto a flow path of a food-transit system without adjusting a flowrate. The introducer comprises an inlet and an outlet which is communicable with a food-transit conduit; and a pair of rotatable driving/drivable members. In a trackable-element receiving condition, the inlet is open to receive a trackable element in the device cavity, and the outlet is closed by at least one of the driving/drivable member. However, in a discharge condition, the outlet is open such that a trackable-element discharge force is directed radially inwardly through the outlet to discharge the trackable element from the device cavity, thus enabling outlet to close. A food-transit system using the rotary introducer and a method of introducing a trackable element and/or contaminant into food-transit system without adjusting a flowrate of foodstuffs therethrough are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2017Date of Patent: July 14, 2020Assignee: Sparc Systems LimitedInventors: David Buckley, David Reynolds, Jonathan Ives
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Patent number: 10309946Abstract: A removable self-centring magnetically-clampable food-inspection pipe apparatus comprising: a food-inspection pipe with a through-bore having a tubular pipe body through which the through-bore passes, and a first connector part at each end of the pipe body defining first seating surfaces; and second connector parts which each define second seating surfaces and on which each first connector part is respectively slidably demountably seatable, one of the first and/or second connector parts having at least in part a magnetically-attractable material, and the other of the corresponding first and/or second connector parts having a plurality of magnetic elements equi-angularly spaced about a bore axis of the pipe body, poles of consecutive magnetic elements being opposite to each other, so that, as the food-inspection pipe is introduced laterally to the bore axis, the first and second connector parts slidably engage and self-centre the food-inspection pipe.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2017Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: SPARC SYSTEMS LIMITEDInventor: David Buckley
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Publication number: 20170254790Abstract: A removable self-centring magnetically-clampable food-inspection pipe apparatus comprising: a food-inspection pipe with a through-bore having a tubular pipe body through which the through-bore passes, and a first connector part at each end of the pipe body defining first seating surfaces; and second connector parts which each define second seating surfaces and on which each first connector part is respectively slidably demountably seatable, one of the first and/or second connector parts having at least in part a magnetically-attractable material, and the other of the corresponding first and/or second connector parts having a plurality of magnetic elements equi-angularly spaced about a bore axis of the pipe body, poles of consecutive magnetic elements being opposite to each other, so that, as the food-inspection pipe is introduced laterally to the bore axis, the first and second connector parts slidably engage and self-centre the food-inspection pipe.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2017Publication date: September 7, 2017Applicant: Sparc Systems LimitedInventor: David Buckley
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Patent number: 8984844Abstract: Tablet-container filling apparatus is provided for feeding and separating tablets and for filling a tablet container with the said tablets. The tablet-container filling apparatus comprises a tablet-color identifier (3, 5), a tablet remover (4) whereby a rogue tablet is removable once identified by the tablet-color identifier, a tablet counter (7), a container conveyor (9), and a controller (5, 7) for controlling tablet flow into a container on said conveyor, the tablet-color identifier (3, 5) being on at least two sides of a tablet flow path, so that in use a tablet color is identifiable from at least said two sides.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2010Date of Patent: March 24, 2015Assignee: Sparc Systems LimitedInventor: Kenneth Shail
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Patent number: 8985316Abstract: The conveyor device comprises a support, a magnetic driving unit at the support, and an at least substantially sealed conveyor unit demountably supportable on the support. The conveyor unit includes a magnetic drivable unit magnetically drivable by the said magnetic driving unit, and an endless conveyor belt extending around two spaced apart rollers. At least one of the rollers is drivable by the said drivable unit. The conveyor unit is thus preferably demountable from the support for cleaning without requiring disconnection of a physical drive and/or electrical feed extending between the conveyor unit and the support. Additionally, a weighing element is preferably provided at the support to dynamically weigh an item as it moves along the conveyor unit.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2011Date of Patent: March 24, 2015Assignee: Sparc Systems LimitedInventor: Claudiu Mihai
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Publication number: 20130270072Abstract: The conveyor device comprises a support, a magnetic driving unit at the support, and an at least substantially sealed conveyor unit demountably supportable on the support. The conveyor unit includes a magnetic drivable unit magnetically drivable by the said magnetic driving unit, and an endless conveyor belt extending around two spaced apart rollers. At least one of the rollers is drivable by the said drivable unit. The conveyor unit is thus preferably demountable from the support for cleaning without requiring disconnection of a physical drive and/or electrical feed extending between the conveyor unit and the support. Additionally, a weighing element is preferably provided at the support to dynamically weigh an item as it moves along the conveyor unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2011Publication date: October 17, 2013Applicant: SPARC SYSTEMS LIMITEDInventor: Claudiu Mihai
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Publication number: 20120096816Abstract: Tablet-container filling apparatus is provided for feeding and separating tablets and for filling a tablet container with the said tablets. The tablet-container filling apparatus comprises a tablet-colour identifier (3, 5), a tablet remover (4) whereby a rogue tablet is removable once identified by the tablet-colour identifier, a tablet counter (7), a container conveyor (9), and a controller (5, 7) for controlling tablet flow into a container on said conveyor, the tablet-colour identifier (3, 5) being on at least two sides of a tablet flow path, so that in use a tablet colour is identifiable from at least said two sides.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2010Publication date: April 26, 2012Applicant: SPARC SYSTEMS LIMITEDInventor: Kenneth Shail
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Patent number: 6504387Abstract: An item detection/inspection arrangement has at least four capacitor plates arranged together in at least two pairs of opposing or generally opposing plates to provide, in use, at least two intersecting electric fields, items passing through the fields, in use, producing respective signals/pulses dependent on the changes of capacitance for the pairs of plates, and processing for producing from the signals/pulses, detection/inspection data for the items.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2000Date of Patent: January 7, 2003Assignee: Sparc Systems LimitedInventors: Kenneth Victor Shail, Stephen Adrian Tolputt