Method and system for automatically sorting and packing products

US7080737B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• FPS Food Processing Systems, B.V. · NL

Inventors

• Paul Buisman · Scherpenzeel, NL
• Peter Neumann · Berlin, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 2, 2003
• Grant date: Jul 25, 2006
• Expiry date: Oct 14, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q10/087
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A method is provided for automatically sorting and packing batches of products, such as, for instance, eggs or fruits which are each provided with an origin code. The method includes supplying first batches of coded products to a sorting apparatus and simultaneously assigning the corresponding codes to fields of a register of a computer program. The products are subjected to criteria in at least one classification apparatus and the products are marked with classification data as obtained with the classification apparatus, while for each individual product the codes and the data are assembled with the computer program in fields of the register to form a label. The classified products are sorted and subsequently packaged to form second, sorted batches of products at packing stations of a packing apparatus. The products at the packing stations are batchwise provided with a second code, a destination code, and these second codes are assigned to the fields of the register and therein are added to the labels of each corresponding product. A computer program comprises a routine for, upon discharge of the second batches from the packing stations, collecting labels that contain at least a s…