Patents by Inventor Todd D. Pleake

Todd D. Pleake has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5720593
    Abstract: An apparatus for counting, inspecting, and stacking flexible, generally planar food products such as tortillas, or the like. The apparatus has an inclined infeed conveyor with adjustable alignment guides thereon to adjust the lateral position of each tortilla as it moves to a transit conveyor. Sensors mounted on the transit conveyor count the tortillas and inspect the size and shape of the tortillas to detect any defective tortillas moving along the transit conveyor. At the end of the transit conveyor, an arcuate-shaped trajectory guide bends the tortilla into an arcuate shape as the tortilla leaves the trajectory guide and flies through a known flight trajectory to a stacking mechanism. The arcuate shape allows the leading edge of the tortilla to resist bending or folding. A rejection mechanism positioned between the end of the transit conveyor and the trajectory guide redirects any rejected tortillas detected by the sensors downward away from the trajectory guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Assignee: Arr-Tech Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Todd D. Pleake