Force sensing assembly and method for a product delivery system

• Main Authors: BACCO; DAVID R, MONCRIEF; FRANK
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 17.12.1996
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: CONVEYING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS,CABLES; MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGINGARTICLES OR MATERIALS; MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNERANALOGOUS TO PAPER; MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN AMANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS; SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS; STORING; TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING ORTIPPING; TRANSPORTING; UNPACKING; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUSTO PAPER

A force sensing assembly measures a magnitude of a force generated at the tabs in a product delivery system. The product delivery system can be one in which a force is produced at the tabs by the weight of the stack, by a paddle pushing an end of the stack, or by another similar type of advancing mechanism. In a preferred embodiment, the force sensing assembly has a pair of tabs connected to a cross-bar which extends across the stack and which is connected to the frame of the feeder through a bell crank at one end and a lever at the other end. The bell crank has one arm connected to the cross-bar and a second arm connected to a load cell. The force at the tabs causes the lever and bell crank to rotate, with the force being transmitted through the bell crank, through a spring, and then to the load cell. The load cell generates a force signal which is supplied to a controller for adjusting the amount of force at the tabs. The controller adjusts the force by adding more products to the stack or by advancing the stack closer to the tabs. The load cell preferably has a stopper for preventing an excessive amount of force from reaching the cell.