Apparatus for portioning flowable materials
US7521077B2 · kind B2 · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 20, 2006 |
| Grant date | Apr 21, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 27, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01F13/005
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The invention relates to a portioning apparatus and a method. The apparatus includes a hopper and augers to push flowable material to a rotor. Retractable vanes on the rotor push the flowable material toward a fill slot as the rotor rotates. Below the fill slot, there is a mold plate with front and back mold cavities. In a front fill position, the mold plate is positioned so the front mold cavities are filled with flowable material from the fill slot while flowable material in the back mold cavities are pushed out by back knockouts. In a back fill position, the flowable material in the front mold cavities are pushed out by front knockouts while the back mold cavities are filled with flowable material from the fill slot. The mold plate reciprocatively oscillates between the front fill position and the back fill position for high output of portioned material.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.