Method and System for Efficient Loading of Coextruded Meat Products Into a Packaging Machine Using Controlled Conveying and Handling

Abstract

A system and method of transporting and loading coextruded meat products in a packaging machine are disclosed. A single line of the coextruded meat products are conveyed using a linear transfer conveyor to an orienting conveyor onto which they are transferred. The orienting conveyor establishes a group of coextruded meat products which is subsequently transported from the orienting conveyor into a cavity of the packaging machine using a pushing device. It is contemplated one or more of these processing lines may run in parallel and that various steps could involve batch operations, such as, for example, multiple groups being pushed into multiple cavities simultaneously.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for transporting and loading coextruded meat products in a packaging machine, the system comprising:
 a linear transfer conveyor adapted to convey a single line of the coextruded meat products;   an orienting conveyor adapted to receive the single line of the coextruded meat products thereon from the linear transfer conveyor and to establish a group of coextruded meat products thereon;   a pushing device adapted to push the group of coextruded meat products from the orienting conveyor into a respective cavity of the packaging machine.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the linear transfer conveyor, the orienting conveyor, and the pushing device establish a process line for transporting and loading coextruded meat products in the packaging machine. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the system includes a plurality of the processing lines. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the orienting conveyor includes a series of parallel slots which are adapted to sequentially receive the coextruded meat products from the linear transfer conveyor. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the orienting conveyor is adapted to simultaneously hold multiple groups of coextruded meat products. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the pushing device is adapted to simultaneously push the multiple groups of coextruded meat products from the orienting conveyor into respective cavities of the packaging machine. 
     
     
         7 . A method of transporting and loading coextruded meat products in a packaging machine, the method comprising:
 conveying a single line of the coextruded meat products using a linear transfer conveyor;   transferring the single line of the coextruded meat products from the a linear transfer conveyor to an orienting conveyor to establish a group of coextruded meat products on the orienting conveyor; and   transporting the group of coextruded meat products from the orienting conveyor into a cavity of the packaging machine using a pushing device.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the linear transfer conveyor, the orienting conveyor, and the pushing device establish a process line for transporting and loading coextruded meat products in the packaging machine and wherein the system includes a plurality of the processing lines that operate in parallel with one another. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the step of transferring the single line of the coextruded meat products from the linear transfer conveyor to an orienting conveyor involves sequentially transferring the coextruded meat products from the linear transfer conveyor to a series of parallel slots in the orienting conveyor. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of transporting the group of coextruded meat products from the orienting conveyor into a cavity of the packaging machine using a pushing device includes transporting multiple groups of the coextruded meat products from the orienting conveyor into respective cavities of the packaging machine using the pushing device.