DIRECT TO CONTAINER SYSTEM WITH ON-LINE WEIGHT CONTROL AND ASSOCIATED METHOD
Systems and methods for manufacturing and inserting a predetermined number of material-filled pouches into containers are disclosed. A system includes a pouch providing system comprising a plurality of lanes, wherein each one of the plurality of lanes includes a pouch making machine and a hold-back structure. The system also includes a conveyor system structured and arranged to move a plurality of containers into alignment with the plurality of lanes. The system further includes a controller structured and arranged to control the hold-back structure in each one of the plurality of lanes such that the pre-determined pouches are inserted into the plurality of containers when the plurality of containers are aligned with the plurality of lanes.
1 . (canceled)
2 . A system for manufacturing and inserting a desired number of products into containers, and weighing the containers, the system comprising:
a product providing system including a plurality of lanes; and
a conveyor system configured to transport and align a plurality of containers with the plurality of lanes, the conveyor system including,
a carousel,
a plurality of funnel cups attached to the carousel, each of the plurality of containers configured to align with a respective one of each of the plurality of funnel cups,
a controller configured to control movement of the plurality of funnel cups into alignment with the plurality of lanes and control distribution of product from the product providing system, and
a weigh station configured to detect a weight of a product-filled container of the plurality of containers.
3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of funnel cups is configured to move simultaneously with a respective one of the plurality of containers.
4 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
an inclined ramp configured to guide each of the plurality of containers into alignment with the respective one of the plurality of funnel cups; and
a plurality of carrier forks, each of the plurality of carrier forks integrated with a respective one of the plurality of funnel cups and configured to engage and carry a respective one of the plurality of containers as the respective one of the plurality of containers progresses up the inclined ramp.
5 . The system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a declined ramp positioned downstream of the product providing system and configured to guide each of the plurality of containers out of alignment with the respective one of the plurality of funnel cups.
6 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of funnel cups are pivotally attached to the carousel and configured to pivot between a first position in which the funnel cup is configured to engage a respective one of the plurality of containers and a second position in which the funnel cup is configured to disengage from the one of the plurality of containers.
7 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to control movement of the plurality of containers by repeatedly moving and stopping the carousel.
8 . The system of claim 2 , wherein
the product providing system is a pouch providing system, and
each of the plurality of lanes includes a pouch making machine configured to make pouch products.
9 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the weigh station is downstream of the product providing system.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of containers is disengaged from the conveyer system and output at an outlet to the weigh station via a conveyor.
11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the conveyor is at least one of a belt, a roller, or a sliding conveyor.
12 . They system of claim 2 , wherein the weigh station comprises a gate configured to temporarily stop one of the plurality of containers on a weigh station sensor, the weigh station sensor configured to detect the weight of the product-filled container.
13 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to compare the detected weight of the product-filled container of the plurality of containers to a low threshold and a high threshold.
14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to reject the product-filled container of the plurality of containers based on the detected weight being less than the low threshold or greater than the high threshold.
15 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust an output of the product providing system in a respective one of the lanes based on the detected weight of a product-filled container of the plurality of containers from the weigh station.
16 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to increase a speed of the product providing system when the detected weight is less than the low threshold and decrease the speed of the product providing system when the detected weight is greater than the high threshold.
17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the increase and decrease is based on an average weight of at least three containers from a respective pouch making machine.
18 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the product is a pouch.
19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the pouch includes smokeless tobacco.
20 . The system of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of containers is configured to be sealed with a lid.
21 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a tamping zone downstream of the product providing system, wherein the product is a pouch and the tamping zone includes a plurality of tampers configured to tamp a plurality of pouches inside each of the plurality of containers.