US4605082A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Combined weighing apparatus
Assignee: Teraoka Seiko Co Ltd
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Filing: 1984-08-23
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Granted: 1986-08-12
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Expires: 2004-08-23
Abstract
Abstract An improved combined weighing apparatus is provided for weighing vegetables and fruits, confectionary articles, secondary products, perishables and other articles having high variations in single weight with high accuracy to produce packages having a predetermined weight. System for measurement of feeded products and for combination of weights which is equal or most approximate to the target value are improved in a way to eliminate the dead time of combining operation during weighing time for increasing the speed of combining operation while maintaining high accuracy.
Inventors
- 👤 Yoshikazu Matsuura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 17:50
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01G; G01G19/00; G01G19/387; G01G19/393
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
145 words
A combined weighing apparatus comprising 6 set of two weighing hoppers (S1, S2) . . . (S11, S12) for alternately weighing products fed thereto, and sets of three memory hoppers (M1, M2, M3) . . . (M16, M17, M18), each set of weighing hoppers corresponding to a respective set of three memory hoppers, one memory hopper of each set being supplied with weighed products from either of said weighing hoppers of a respective set, for pooling the products, and wherein combinations of weights are formed from a group of memory hoppers consisting of one hopper per each set, a combination which is within a permissible limit and is equal or nearest to a predetermined weight value is selected from said combinations of weights and selected memory hoppers used in the selected combination are fed immediately after being emptied from corresponding odd- or even-numbered weighing hoppers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
145 words
A combined weighing apparatus comprising 6 set of two weighing hoppers (S1, S2) . . . (S11, S12) for alternately weighing products fed thereto, and sets of three memory hoppers (M1, M2, M3) . . . (M16, M17, M18), each set of weighing hoppers corresponding to a respective set of three memory hoppers, one memory hopper of each set being supplied with weighed products from either of said weighing hoppers of a respective set, for pooling the products, and wherein combinations of weights are formed from a group of memory hoppers consisting of one hopper per each set, a combination which is within a permissible limit and is equal or nearest to a predetermined weight value is selected from said combinations of weights and selected memory hoppers used in the selected combination are fed immediately after being emptied from corresponding odd- or even-numbered weighing hoppers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
125 words
A combined weighing apparatus comprising: a plurality of sets of weighing hoppers, each set including at least two weighing hoppers; a plurality of sets of memory hoppers, each set including at least two memory hoppers; each set of memory hoppers being different from any other set of memory hoppers; each set of weighing hoppers being arranged so that only one weighing hopper of each set can discharge into only one memory hopper of a respective predetermined set, at a given time; and one memory hopper from different selected sets of said memory hoppers being grouped to form different combinations of weights, and a combination within a permissible limit of a predetermined weight and which is closest to said predetermined weight is selected from said combinations.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
125 words
A combined weighing apparatus comprising: a plurality of sets of weighing hoppers, each set including at least two weighing hoppers; a plurality of sets of memory hoppers, each set including at least two memory hoppers; each set of memory hoppers being different from any other set of memory hoppers; each set of weighing hoppers being arranged so that only one weighing hopper of each set can discharge into only one memory hopper of a respective predetermined set, at a given time; and one memory hopper from different selected sets of said memory hoppers being grouped to form different combinations of weights, and a combination within a permissible limit of a predetermined weight and which is closest to said predetermined weight is selected from said combinations.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
128 words
A combined weighing apparatus according to claim 2 which comprises a plurality of sets of two weighing hoppers for alternately weighing products fed thereto, and said sets of at least two memory hoppers being arranged to receive weighed products from either of said weighing hoppers from a corresponding set, for pooling weighed products, wherein combinations of weights are formed from the group of memory hoppers consisting of one hopper from each selected set, and a combination which is within a perimissible limit and which is equal or nearest to said predetermined weight is selected from said combinations of weights, and wherein, selected memory hoppers are fed with weighed products, immediately after being emptied, from one weighing hopper from the corresponding set which is not in the weighing operation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, which includes 6 sets of, and 12 pieces in total of, each of said weighing and memory hoppers, respectively.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
174 words
A combined weighing apparatus comprising: a first odd-numbered set of a plurality of weighing hoppers; a second even-numbered set of a plurality of weighing hoppers, the number of weighing hoppers in said second set equal to the number of weighing hoppers in said first set; said first and second sets being arranged about a circle; a plurality of memory hoppers spaced apart about a concentric circle and equal in number to the number of weighing hoppers in said first set; a plurality of detours spaced about said concentric circle and interleaved with said memory hoppers; each weighing hopper being arranged to discharge only into one of predetermined detour and memory hopper; means for associating each weighing hopper with a selected one of the respective detour and memory hopper; and at least one of said weighing hoppers from one of said sets being selectively grouped to form different combinations of weights, and a combination within a permissible limit of a predetermined weight and which is closest to said predetermined weight is selected from said combinations.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
174 words
A combined weighing apparatus comprising: a first odd-numbered set of a plurality of weighing hoppers; a second even-numbered set of a plurality of weighing hoppers, the number of weighing hoppers in said second set equal to the number of weighing hoppers in said first set; said first and second sets being arranged about a circle; a plurality of memory hoppers spaced apart about a concentric circle and equal in number to the number of weighing hoppers in said first set; a plurality of detours spaced about said concentric circle and interleaved with said memory hoppers; each weighing hopper being arranged to discharge only into one of predetermined detour and memory hopper; means for associating each weighing hopper with a selected one of the respective detour and memory hopper; and at least one of said weighing hoppers from one of said sets being selectively grouped to form different combinations of weights, and a combination within a permissible limit of a predetermined weight and which is closest to said predetermined weight is selected from said combinations.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
99 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, including 12 weighing hoppers (S1, . . . S12), 6 memory hoppers (M1 . . . M6) and 6 detours (N1 . . . N6), wherein, when odd-numbered weighing hoppers are in a weighing operation, at least one weight value from said set of even-numbered weighing hoppers and from said memory hoppers, takes part in forming said weight combinations, while when even-numbered weighing hoppers are in a weighing operation, at least one weight value from said set of odd-numbered weighing hoppers and from said memory hoppers, takes part in forming said weight combinations.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
103 words
A combined weighing apparatus comprising: a plurality of sets of weighing hoppers, said sets being spaced apart about a circle; a plurality of memory hoppers spaced about a concentric circle; each weighing hopper being arranged to discharge only into three predetermined memory hoppers; means for associating each weighing hopper with only one of the respective three predetermined memory hoppers; and one memory hopper from different selected sets of three memory hoppers being grouped to form different combinations of weights, and a combination within a permissible limit of a predetermined weight and which is closest to said predetermined weight is selected from said combinations.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
103 words
A combined weighing apparatus comprising: a plurality of sets of weighing hoppers, said sets being spaced apart about a circle; a plurality of memory hoppers spaced about a concentric circle; each weighing hopper being arranged to discharge only into three predetermined memory hoppers; means for associating each weighing hopper with only one of the respective three predetermined memory hoppers; and one memory hopper from different selected sets of three memory hoppers being grouped to form different combinations of weights, and a combination within a permissible limit of a predetermined weight and which is closest to said predetermined weight is selected from said combinations.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, which comprises n sets of odd- and even-numbered weighing hoppers provided circularly in a manner that odd- and even-numbered hoppers alternately weigh products, and the number of memory hoppers being equal to that of the weighing hoppers plus n, and which are provided circularly below said weighing hoppers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
65 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, including 5 sets of, and 10 pieces in total of weighing hoppers and 15 memory hoppers, wherein when odd-numbered weighing hoppers are in a weighing operations, first sets of three memory hoppers are grouped to form said combinations while when even-numbered hoppers are in a weighing operation, different sets of three memory hoppers are grouped to form said combinations.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
169 words
A combined weighing apparatus comprising: a first odd-numbered set of a plurality of weighing hoppers; a second even-numbered set of a plurality of weighing hoppers, the number of weighing hoppers in said second set being equal to the number of weighing hoppers in said first set; said first and second sets being arranged about a circle; a plurality of memory hoppers spaced apart about a concentric circle and equal in number to the number of weighing hoppers in said first set; each weighing hopper being arranged to discharge only into one predetermined memory hopper; means for associating said memory hoppers with respective weighing hoppers of only one of said first and second sets; and at least one of: (a) at least one memory hopper, and (b) at least one weighing hopper from one of said sets being selectively grouped to form different combinations of weights, and a combination within a permissible limit of a predetermined weight and which is closest to said predetermined weight is selected from said combinations.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
169 words
A combined weighing apparatus comprising: a first odd-numbered set of a plurality of weighing hoppers; a second even-numbered set of a plurality of weighing hoppers, the number of weighing hoppers in said second set being equal to the number of weighing hoppers in said first set; said first and second sets being arranged about a circle; a plurality of memory hoppers spaced apart about a concentric circle and equal in number to the number of weighing hoppers in said first set; each weighing hopper being arranged to discharge only into one predetermined memory hopper; means for associating said memory hoppers with respective weighing hoppers of only one of said first and second sets; and at least one of: (a) at least one memory hopper, and (b) at least one weighing hopper from one of said sets being selectively grouped to form different combinations of weights, and a combination within a permissible limit of a predetermined weight and which is closest to said predetermined weight is selected from said combinations.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
127 words
A method of weighing products, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of sets of weighing hoppers, each set including at least two weighing hoppers; providing a plurality of sets of memory hoppers, each set including at least two memory hoppers; each set of memory hoppers being different from any other set of memory hoppers; arranging each set of weighing hoppers so that only one weighing hopper of each set can discharge into only one memory hopper of a respective predetermined set, at a given time; grouping one memory hopper from different selected sets of said memory hoppers to form different combinations of weights; and selecting a combination within a permissible limit of a predetermined weight and which is closest to said predetermined weight from said combinations.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
127 words
A method of weighing products, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of sets of weighing hoppers, each set including at least two weighing hoppers; providing a plurality of sets of memory hoppers, each set including at least two memory hoppers; each set of memory hoppers being different from any other set of memory hoppers; arranging each set of weighing hoppers so that only one weighing hopper of each set can discharge into only one memory hopper of a respective predetermined set, at a given time; grouping one memory hopper from different selected sets of said memory hoppers to form different combinations of weights; and selecting a combination within a permissible limit of a predetermined weight and which is closest to said predetermined weight from said combinations.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
170 words
A method of weighing products, comprising the steps of: providing a first odd-numbered set of a plurality of weighing hoppers; providing a second even-numbered set of a plurality of weighing hoppers, the number of weighing hoppers in said second set being equal to the number of weighing hoppers in said first set; arranging said first and second sets about a circle; arranging a plurality of memory hoppers spaced apart about a concentric circle and equal in number to the number of weighing hoppers in said first set; arranging each weighing hopper to discharge only into one predetermined memory hopper; selectively associating said memory hoppers with respective weighing hoppers of only one of said first and second sets; selectively grouping at least one of: (a) at least one memory hopper, and (b) at least one weighing hopper from one of said sets to form different combinations of weights; and selecting a combination within a permissible limit of a predetermined weight and which is closest to said predetermined weight from said combinations.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
170 words
A method of weighing products, comprising the steps of: providing a first odd-numbered set of a plurality of weighing hoppers; providing a second even-numbered set of a plurality of weighing hoppers, the number of weighing hoppers in said second set being equal to the number of weighing hoppers in said first set; arranging said first and second sets about a circle; arranging a plurality of memory hoppers spaced apart about a concentric circle and equal in number to the number of weighing hoppers in said first set; arranging each weighing hopper to discharge only into one predetermined memory hopper; selectively associating said memory hoppers with respective weighing hoppers of only one of said first and second sets; selectively grouping at least one of: (a) at least one memory hopper, and (b) at least one weighing hopper from one of said sets to form different combinations of weights; and selecting a combination within a permissible limit of a predetermined weight and which is closest to said predetermined weight from said combinations.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
176 words
A method of weighing products, comprising the steps of: providing a first odd-numbered set of a plurality of weighing hoppers; providing a second even-numbered set of a plurality of weighing hoppers, the number of weighing hoppers in said second set equal to the number of weighing hoppers in said first set; arranging said first and second sets about a circle; arranging a plurality of memory hoppers spaced apart about a concentric circle and equal in number to the number of weighing hoppers in said first set; arranging a plurality of detours spaced about said concentric circle interleaved with said memory hoppers; arranging each weighing hopper to discharge only into one of a predetermined detour and memory hopper; selectively associating each weighing hopper with a selected one of the respective detour and memory hopper; selectively grouping at least one of said weighing hoppers from one of said sets to form different combinations of weights; and selecting a combination within a permissible limit of a predetermined weight and which is closest to said predetermined weight from said combinations.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
176 words
A method of weighing products, comprising the steps of: providing a first odd-numbered set of a plurality of weighing hoppers; providing a second even-numbered set of a plurality of weighing hoppers, the number of weighing hoppers in said second set equal to the number of weighing hoppers in said first set; arranging said first and second sets about a circle; arranging a plurality of memory hoppers spaced apart about a concentric circle and equal in number to the number of weighing hoppers in said first set; arranging a plurality of detours spaced about said concentric circle interleaved with said memory hoppers; arranging each weighing hopper to discharge only into one of a predetermined detour and memory hopper; selectively associating each weighing hopper with a selected one of the respective detour and memory hopper; selectively grouping at least one of said weighing hoppers from one of said sets to form different combinations of weights; and selecting a combination within a permissible limit of a predetermined weight and which is closest to said predetermined weight from said combinations.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of weighing products, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of sets of weighing hoppers with said sets being spaced apart about a circle; arranging a plurality of memory hoppers spaced about a concentric circle; arranging each weighing hopper to discharge only into three predetermined memory hoppers; associating each weighing hopper with only one of the respective three predetermined memory hoppers; grouping one memory hopper from different selected sets of three memory hoppers to form different combinations of weights; and selecting a combination within a permissible limit of a predetermined weight and which is closest to a predetermined weight from said combinations.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of weighing products, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of sets of weighing hoppers with said sets being spaced apart about a circle; arranging a plurality of memory hoppers spaced about a concentric circle; arranging each weighing hopper to discharge only into three predetermined memory hoppers; associating each weighing hopper with only one of the respective three predetermined memory hoppers; grouping one memory hopper from different selected sets of three memory hoppers to form different combinations of weights; and selecting a combination within a permissible limit of a predetermined weight and which is closest to a predetermined weight from said combinations.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-08-11 | 1990-02-10 | 1990-08-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-08-11 | 1994-02-10 | 1994-08-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-08-11 | 1998-02-10 | 1998-08-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |