EP0282225B1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Combinational weighing systems
Assignee: DIGI EUROPE LIMITED
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Filing: 1988-03-02
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Granted: 1992-06-17
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Expires: 2008-03-02
Abstract
No abstract record available.
Inventors
- 👤 Jonathan Mark Isherwood
- 👤 Robert William Tansley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 20:57
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01G; G01G23/00; G01G23/01; G01G23/012; G01G13/00; G01G13/16; G01G13/18; G01G19/00; G01G19/387; G01G19/393
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
171 words
A combinational weighing system comprising: a plurality of weighing machines each comprising a weighing hopper (20) and an associated hopper module (22) arranged to provide a measurement of the weight of the contents of the associated hopper (20); a plurality of channels (14), each of which feeds articles from a common source (12) directly into a respective one of said hoppers (20); means (76) for utilising the weight measurements provided by said hopper modules (22) to select from said hoppers (20) a number of hoppers (20) whose contents have a total weight substantially equal to a target weight; and means for discharging (23, 36, 37, 38) said selected number of hoppers directly (20) into a collection chute (24) to feed a batch of articles of substantially said target weight to a collection point, characterised in that each said weighing hopper (20) is associated with a respective electric stepper motor (36) for opening and closing a port in the hopper (20) through which the contents of the hopper (20) discharges when open.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
45 words
A system according to Claim 1 wherein each hopper module (22) is associated with a respective means for individually controlling the feeding of articles to the hopper (20) associated with that hopper module (22) in dependence on the weight of articles in that hopper (20).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
108 words
A system according to Claim 2 wherein each said respective means comprises: means for initiating said feeding of articles to said hopper (20); means for producing a first signal indicative of the weight measured by said hopper module (22); means for producing a second signal in response to a signal received from a central control means (76) of the system; means for detecting when said first signal substantially equals said second signal; means for causing said feeding of articles to said hopper (20) to stop when said first signal equals said second signal; and means for communicating said first signal as detected to said central control means (76).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A system according to Claim 3 wherein: said first signal is of analogue form; said means for producing said second signal comprises digital to analogue converter means; and said means for detecting comprises a microprocessor.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
30 words
A system according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein each said hopper module (22) is associated with a respective means for individually calibrating that hopper module (22).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
94 words
A system according to Claim 5 wherein each said respective means comprises: means for producing a first signal indicative of the weight measured by said hopper module (22); means for producing a second signal in response to a signal derived from a central control means (76) of the system; control means for repeatedly causing said second signal to be altered until said second signal substantially equals said first signal; and means for communicating the value of said second signal to said central control means (76) when said second signal substantially equals said first signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
A system according to Claim 6 wherein said control means repeatedly causes said second signal to be altered in dependence upon the difference between said second signal and said first signal as measured in a summing junction of said respective means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
A system according to Claim 6 or Claim 7 wherein: said first and second signals are of analogue form; said means for producing said second signal comprises one fine and one coarse digital to analogue converter; and said control means is a microprocessor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system according to Claim 8 when dependent on Claim 7 wherein said summing junction is an amplifier summing junction.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
63 words
A system according to Claim 5 wherein each said respective means comprises: a calibration mechanism (34) including: a calibration weight; means for causing said calibration weight to be measured by said hopper module (22); and means for communicating the value of the weight of the calibration weight as measured by said hopper module (22) to a central control means (76) of the system.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system according to Claim 10 wherein said means for causing comprises a direct current solenoid.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
33 words
A system according to any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein each said hopper module (22) is associated with a respective means for individually checking the accuracy of that hopper module (22).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
64 words
A system according to Claim 12 wherein each said respective means comprises: means for causing the weighing hopper (20) associated with that hopper module (22) to remain empty after being discharged; and means for communicating the signal output by that hopper module (22) when said empty hopper (20) is weighed by that hopper module (22) to a central control means (76) of the system.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system according to Claim 13 wherein, at any one time, only one of said plurality of weighing hoppers (20) remains empty after a discharge.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
46 words
A system according to Claim 13 or Claim 14 wherein said means for causing causes the weighing hopper (20) associated with that hopper module (22) to remain empty after being discharged only after said weighing hopper (20) has already been discharged a predetermined number of times.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
35 words
A system according to any one of Claims 1 to 15 wherein said electric stepper motor (36) is under software control whereby the characteristics of the opening and closing of said port may be altered.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
69 words
A system according to any one of Claims 1 to 16 wherein said electric stepper motor (36) opens and closes said port in said hopper (20) by means of the rotation of a dog clutch (38) rigidly fixed at one end to the rotor (37) of the stepper motor (36) and positioned so as to engage at the other end a mechanism (23) for opening and closing said port.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
95 words
A system according to any one of Claims 1 to 17 wherein said common source (12) comprises a substantially circular and substantially flat surface (12) onto which said articles are fed; said plurality of channels (14) extend radially outward from beneath said surface (12); and said surface (12) and said channels (14) are caused to undergo vibratory motion so as to cause said articles fed onto said surface (12) to pass radially outward across said surface (12), into and radially outward along said plurality of channels (14), and into said plurality of respective hoppers (20).
Claim 19
Independent Claim
55 words
A system according to any one of Claims 1 to 18 wherein the top of one side of each of said plurality of channels (14) is folded over the top of the other side of the adjacent channel (14) so as to prevent said articles falling between adjacent areas of said plurality of channels (14).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
AU520425B2
Cited
EP0175592A2
Cited
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