Raymond J Rhodes

US Patent:

8020724, Sep 20, 2011

Filed:

Oct 25, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/972556

Inventors:

Steven J. Remis - Alexandria LA, US
Adam Hahn - Pittsburgh PA, US
Raymond Rhodes - Pittsburgh PA, US
John Volkar - Mars PA, US

Assignee:

Parata Systems, LLC - Durham NC

International Classification:

B65G 59/04
B65H 3/08
G07F 11/00

US Classification:

221211, 221 4, 221 7, 221 13, 221197, 221168, 221 69, 111179, 111 77, 111185, 198 471, 198397, 198453

Abstract:

A singulating disc, carried by a housing, has a plurality of openings around its periphery. The disc rotates vertically through a pickup chamber of a hopper carried by the housing. A vacuum is pulled through the openings by a pump which is connected to the disc. Items are placed in the hopper and, via gravity, fall to the bottom of the hopper where they contact the periphery of the rotating disc. The vacuum at the openings attaches an item and holds it while the disc rotates. At the top of the disc's rotation, a diverter directs the item into a path depending on the results of a fragment detection and/or counting mechanism. Items that are allowed to pass by the diverter are scraped off the disc into another path by a scraper. Negative pressure is used to singulate and count a multitude of sizes and shapes of items with no calibration. Retractable paddles, a vacuum management system, and RFID tags may be incorporated.

US Patent:

8348094, Jan 8, 2013

Filed:

Nov 7, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/936234

Inventors:

Steven J. Remis - Alexandria LA, US
Adam Hahn - Pittsburgh PA, US
Raymond Rhodes - Pittsburgh PA, US
John Volkar - Mars PA, US

Assignee:

Parata Systems, LLC - Durham NC

International Classification:

G07F 11/00

US Classification:

221 69, 221 7, 221 13, 221211, 221 97, 221203, 221200, 221277, 221278, 221168, 221201, 198397, 198453, 198493, 198533, 198443, 452 31

Abstract:

A singulating disc, carried by a housing, has a plurality of openings around its periphery. The disc rotates vertically through a pickup chamber of a hopper carried by the housing. A vacuum is pulled through the openings by a pump which is connected to the disc. Items are placed in the hopper and, via gravity, fall to the bottom of the hopper where they contact the periphery of the rotating disc. The vacuum at the openings attaches an item and holds it while the disc rotates. At the top of the discs rotation, a diverter directs the item into a path depending on the results of a fragment detection and/or counting mechanism. Items that are allowed to pass by the diverter are scraped off the disc into another path by a scraper. Negative pressure is used to singulate and count a multitude of sizes and shapes of items with no calibration. Retractable paddles, a vacuum management system, and RFID tags may be incorporated.