The present technology is generally directed to methods and systems for automated food packaging. The method and system includes singulating a plurality of elongate food products into a plurality of individual product pieces, conveying the plurality of individual product pieces along a moving surface, depositing a portion of the individual product pieces into a bucket, where the products are deposited such that a length of greater than about 90% of the individual product pieces are generally aligned parallel with the first side or second side of the bucket. Methods and systems include measuring a height between a top surface of the deposited portion of produce pieces and a top side of the moving surface, vertically lowering the bucket if the measured height is less than a threshold amount, and depositing a second portion of individual product pieces into the vertically lowered bucket.

An apparatus includes a fixed assembly and a reciprocating assembly. The fixed assembly includes a hopper, a first gas manifold, and a dispensing chamber, and the reciprocating assembly includes a channel assembly defining a channel conduit, a shield plate vertically aligned therewith, and a second gas manifold. The reciprocating assembly may move, in relation to the fixed assembly, to a first position to enable the channel conduit to be filled with bulk compressible material from the hopper, a second position to enable compressible material to be pushed from the channel conduit to the dispensing conduit and to be compressed in the dispensing chamber according to a first gas directed through the channel conduit by the first gas manifold, and a third position to enable the compressed material to be pushed out of the dispensing conduit according to a second gas directed through the dispensing conduit by the second gas manifold.

An apparatus includes a fixed assembly and a reciprocating assembly. The fixed assembly includes a hopper, a first gas manifold, and a dispensing chamber, and the reciprocating assembly includes a channel assembly defining a channel conduit, a shield plate vertically aligned therewith, and a second gas manifold. The reciprocating assembly may move, in relation to the fixed assembly, to a first position to enable the channel conduit to be filled with bulk compressible material from the hopper, a second position to enable compressible material to be pushed from the channel conduit to the dispensing conduit and to be compressed in the dispensing chamber according to a first gas directed through the channel conduit by the first gas manifold, and a third position to enable the compressed material to be pushed out of the dispensing conduit according to a second gas directed through the dispensing conduit by the second gas manifold.

An apparatus includes a fixed assembly and a reciprocating assembly. The fixed assembly includes a hopper, a first gas manifold, and a dispensing chamber, and the reciprocating assembly includes a channel assembly defining a channel conduit, a shield plate vertically aligned therewith, and a second gas manifold. The reciprocating assembly may move, in relation to the fixed assembly, to a first position to enable the channel conduit to be filled with bulk compressible material from the hopper, a second position to enable compressible material to be pushed from the channel conduit to the dispensing conduit and to be compressed in the dispensing chamber according to a first gas directed through the channel conduit by the first gas manifold, and a third position to enable the compressed material to be pushed out of the dispensing conduit according to a second gas directed through the dispensing conduit by the second gas manifold.

An apparatus includes a fixed assembly and a reciprocating assembly. The fixed assembly includes a hopper, a first gas manifold, and a dispensing chamber, and the reciprocating assembly includes a channel assembly defining a channel conduit, a shield plate vertically aligned therewith, and a second gas manifold. The reciprocating assembly may move, in relation to the fixed assembly, to a first position to enable the channel conduit to be filled with bulk compressible material from the hopper, a second position to enable compressible material to be pushed from the channel conduit to the dispensing conduit and to be compressed in the dispensing chamber according to a first gas directed through the channel conduit by the first gas manifold, and a third position to enable the compressed material to be pushed out of the dispensing conduit according to a second gas directed through the dispensing conduit by the second gas manifold.

A method is for producing individual dosing quantities of a powdered product via a drum dosing device. A dosing drum has a dosing opening on its circumference. In an ejection position, an ejection process is effected, the dosing opening being subjected to a positive pressure and the dosing quantity being thereby ejected from the opening, and an associated ejection reference time-point being determined. The individual mass of an ejected dosing quantity and an associated measurement reference time-point are determined via the measuring device. An actual time period is ascertained from the difference between the measurement reference time-point and the ejection reference time-point and compared with a specified time period. In dependence on the comparison, an adaptation of the positive pressure for a subsequent ejection process is performed such that the level of the positive pressure is increased if the actual time period is too great.

A method is for producing individual dosing quantities of a powdered product via a drum dosing device. A dosing drum has a dosing opening on its circumference. In an ejection position, an ejection process is effected, the dosing opening being subjected to a positive pressure and the dosing quantity being thereby ejected from the opening, and an associated ejection reference time-point being determined. The individual mass of an ejected dosing quantity and an associated measurement reference time-point are determined via the measuring device. An actual time period is ascertained from the difference between the measurement reference time-point and the ejection reference time-point and compared with a specified time period. In dependence on the comparison, an adaptation of the positive pressure for a subsequent ejection process is performed such that the level of the positive pressure is increased if the actual time period is too great.

The present invention relates to a food production line (11) with a forming apparatus (5) that comprises a rotating drum (1), which is utilized to form a product (7) from a food mass and a packaging machine (13), which packages the products in a packaging (14). The present invention further relates to a process for forming a product, whereas several products are formed and subsequently dropped simultaneously from a drum on an accumulation belt.

A capacitive sensor assembly is for a bulk material dosing device for determining the mass of dosing quantities produced via the bulk material dosing device. The sensor assembly has at least one sensor unit which includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an insert positioned between the two electrodes. A measurement channel extending in a vertical direction is formed in the insert. A tensioning device acting on the relevant electrode is arranged in a horizontal direction on a side, facing away from the insert, of at least one electrode. At least the two electrodes and the interposed insert can, in the loosened state of the tensioning device, be displaced in the horizontal direction. A plurality of sensor units are arranged in a row extending in the horizontal direction, wherein in each case one tensioning device is arranged between the sensor units.

An apparatus configured to provide portioned instances of a compressible material includes a channel assembly, a gas source, a cutting assembly, and a discharge assembly. The channel assembly holds a bulk instance of the material extending through upper and lower channels of a continuous channel. The gas source supplies gas to compress the bulk instance. The cutting assembly moves in relation to the channel assembly to isolate the upper and lower channels, severing upper and lower material portions of the bulk instance. The discharge assembly directs gas to impinge on a lower face of the cutting assembly to discharge the lower material portion as a portioned instance. The channel assembly may be moveable, where operation of the gas source, cutting assembly, and/or discharge assembly are based on moving the channel assembly between various positions. The gas supply may be controlled based on a determined property of the portioned instance.