Method and apparatus for aligning labels on shirred food casings
US5573454A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 17, 1994 |
| Grant date | Nov 12, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 17, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA22C11/02
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
In a method for the continuous automated manufacture of stuffed food casings containing imprinted labels, wherein tubular material for the casings from a supply source is axially shirred into sections and the sections are stuffed with food emulsion into divided off portions, the improvement comprising measuring linear motion of the casing as the portions are filled with food emulsion; inputting the measured motion to a programmable logic controller; within the programmable logic controller, calculating an approximate distance between eye-mark bars separating the individual portions, where the calculation is based upon a known distance between eye-mark bars; based upon the calculated approximate distance and the measured motion, selectively sensing eye-mark bars which separate individual casings while ignoring printed label material between eye-mark bars; and, clipping individual sections of the casing closed at precise locations in response to the sensing of eye-mark bars to accurately position the labels between end-clips secured to ends of each of the portions.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.