US4703679A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus and method for selectively determining orientation of dough pieces
Assignee: Rheon Automatic Machinery Co Ltd
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Filing: 1980-05-27
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Granted: 1987-11-03
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Expires: 2000-05-27
Abstract
Abstract In an apparatus and method for selectively determining the orientation of dough pieces, dough pieces are made to fall from an upper conveyor passing around a curved end portion formed at the downstream end thereof. The falling dough pieces hit a bar positioned underneath the curved end portion and land on a lower conveyor positioned under the bar with the orientation reversed or unchanged depending upon whether the dough piece rides on the forward or the rearward side of the bar.
Inventors
- 👤 Torahiko Hayashi
- 👤 Hirobumi Mugishima
- 👤 Michio Morikawa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 08:43
CPC Classifications
A; A21; A21C; A21C9/00; A21C9/08; A21C9/085; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T83/00; Y10T83/04; Y10T83/0448; Y10T83/0453; Y10T83/202; Y10T83/2074
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
186 words
An apparatus for producing a plurality of dough pieces of the same orientation from a web of dough, comprising: a first conveyor for conveying the web; cutting means for cutting the web on the first conveyor into rows of dough pieces so that the rows are arranged transversely of the lengthwise direction of the web and the dough pieces are independent of each other with the same size and the same orientation in each row; a second conveyor adapted to receive the rows from said first conveyor and to separate them form each other, the second conveyor terminating at its downstream end at a curved end portion; a third conveyor positioned below said second conveyor; and means, including a roller positioned between said second and third conveyors, for receiving dough pieces overturning as they fall from the curved end portion of said second conveyor and permitting the dough pieces to fall from one side of said roller when a first orientation of the dough pieces is desired and to fall from the outer side of said roller when a second orientation of dough pieces is desired.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
186 words
An apparatus for producing a plurality of dough pieces of the same orientation from a web of dough, comprising: a first conveyor for conveying the web; cutting means for cutting the web on the first conveyor into rows of dough pieces so that the rows are arranged transversely of the lengthwise direction of the web and the dough pieces are independent of each other with the same size and the same orientation in each row; a second conveyor adapted to receive the rows from said first conveyor and to separate them form each other, the second conveyor terminating at its downstream end at a curved end portion; a third conveyor positioned below said second conveyor; and means, including a roller positioned between said second and third conveyors, for receiving dough pieces overturning as they fall from the curved end portion of said second conveyor and permitting the dough pieces to fall from one side of said roller when a first orientation of the dough pieces is desired and to fall from the outer side of said roller when a second orientation of dough pieces is desired.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
148 words
An apparatus for selectively determining the orientation of dough pieces, comprising: an upper conveyor for conveying dough pieces supplied thereon, said conveyor terminating at a curved end portion at the downstream end thereof; means, including a bar provided below said curved end portion and presenting an upper surface elevated in the center with downwardly sloping surfaces on respective sides, for receiving the dough pieces overturning as they fall from the upper conveyor and permitting them to move down along either of said sloping surfaces depending on the relationship between the center of gravity of the dough pieces and the location of said bar; and a lower conveyor located under said bar at such a vertical position that the dough pieces falling from said bar land on the lower conveyor with the orientation reversed or unchnaged depending upon which of said sloping surfaces of the bar they move along.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
148 words
An apparatus for selectively determining the orientation of dough pieces, comprising: an upper conveyor for conveying dough pieces supplied thereon, said conveyor terminating at a curved end portion at the downstream end thereof; means, including a bar provided below said curved end portion and presenting an upper surface elevated in the center with downwardly sloping surfaces on respective sides, for receiving the dough pieces overturning as they fall from the upper conveyor and permitting them to move down along either of said sloping surfaces depending on the relationship between the center of gravity of the dough pieces and the location of said bar; and a lower conveyor located under said bar at such a vertical position that the dough pieces falling from said bar land on the lower conveyor with the orientation reversed or unchnaged depending upon which of said sloping surfaces of the bar they move along.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, in which the bar is driven to rotate alternately in the direction of movement of the upper conveyor when the dough piece rides on the forward side of the bar and in the direction opposite thereto when the dough piece rides on the rearward side of the bar.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, in which the bar is a cylinder.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, which the bar is a roller.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, in which the bar is a roller or a cylinder adapted to the driven to constantly rotate about its axis in the same direction as that of movement of the upper conveyor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
68 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, in which the bar is a roller or a cylinder adapted to be driven to intermittently rotate about its axis in the same direction as that of movement of the upper conveyor, such that the roller or the cylinder rotates when the dough piece rides on the forward side thereof and stops when the dough pieces rides on the rearward side thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
72 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, in which the bar is displaced alternately back and forth in a direction substantially parallel to the coveying direction of the dough pieces such that the bar is displaced in the rearward direction when the dough piece rides on the forward side of the bar and the bar is displaced in the forward direction when the dough piece rides on the rearward side of the bar.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, in which the bar is a cylinder.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, in which the bar is a roller.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, in which the roller or the cylinder is driven to constantly rotate about its axis in the same direction as that of movement of the upper conveyor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus according to claim 9 or 10 in which the roller or the cylinder is driven to rotate in the direction of movement of the upper conveyor when the roller or the cylinder is moved rearwardly and is driven to rotate in the opposite direction when the roller or the cylinder is moved forwardly.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
145 words
An apparatus for selectively determining the orientation of dough pieces comprising: an upper conveyor for conveying dough pieces lying in a first or second orientation, said upper conveyor terminating at a curved end portion at the downstream end thereof; means, including a member provided below said curved end portion and presenting an upper surface elevated in the center with downwardly sloping surfaces on respective sides, for receiving dough pieces overturning as they fall from the upper conveyor and permitting them to move downwardly along one of said sloping surfaces when a first orientation is desired and permitting them to move downwardly along the other sloping surface when a second orientation is desired; and a lower conveyor positioned under said member for receiving dough pieces falling form said member with the orientation reversed or unchanged depending upon which sloping surface of the member they move along.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
145 words
An apparatus for selectively determining the orientation of dough pieces comprising: an upper conveyor for conveying dough pieces lying in a first or second orientation, said upper conveyor terminating at a curved end portion at the downstream end thereof; means, including a member provided below said curved end portion and presenting an upper surface elevated in the center with downwardly sloping surfaces on respective sides, for receiving dough pieces overturning as they fall from the upper conveyor and permitting them to move downwardly along one of said sloping surfaces when a first orientation is desired and permitting them to move downwardly along the other sloping surface when a second orientation is desired; and a lower conveyor positioned under said member for receiving dough pieces falling form said member with the orientation reversed or unchanged depending upon which sloping surface of the member they move along.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
156 words
A method for orientating a plurality of dough pieces in the same direction, comprising the steps of: conveying dough pieces lying in a first or second orientation along a conveyor terminating in a curved end portion at the downstream end thereof; receiving said dough pieces on a member provided below said curved end portion, said member presenting an upper surface elevated in the center with downwardly sloping surfaces on respective sides, with the dough pieces being overturned as they fall from the upper conveyor to permit said dough pieces to move downwardly along one of said sloping surfaces when a first orientation is desired and to permit them to move downwardly along the other sloping surface when a second orientation is desired; and receiving said dough pieces falling from said member with the orientation reversed or unchanged depending upon which sloping surface of the member they move along on a lower conveyor positioned under said member.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
156 words
A method for orientating a plurality of dough pieces in the same direction, comprising the steps of: conveying dough pieces lying in a first or second orientation along a conveyor terminating in a curved end portion at the downstream end thereof; receiving said dough pieces on a member provided below said curved end portion, said member presenting an upper surface elevated in the center with downwardly sloping surfaces on respective sides, with the dough pieces being overturned as they fall from the upper conveyor to permit said dough pieces to move downwardly along one of said sloping surfaces when a first orientation is desired and to permit them to move downwardly along the other sloping surface when a second orientation is desired; and receiving said dough pieces falling from said member with the orientation reversed or unchanged depending upon which sloping surface of the member they move along on a lower conveyor positioned under said member.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-11-02 | 1991-05-04 | 1991-11-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-11-02 | 1995-05-04 | 1995-11-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-11-02 | 1999-05-04 | 1999-11-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |