Food positioning apparatus
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for positioning food in a container. More particularly, the present invention relates to a noodle dragger having the ability to move in a multi-directional motion for positioning noodles in a desired area of the container. 
     Prepared foods that allow consumers to decrease the time and effort needed to prepare meals are popular with consumers. The prepared foods commonly include multiple components, such as meat, vegetable, pasta, rice, and sauce, that are packaged in a single container. It has been found that separately packaging the components during storage and heating enables the quality of prepared foods to be improved. With some prepared foods, the components are packaged in separate bags or in separate sections of a divided serving container. It is also common to place the food components in different areas of an undivided container. A benefit of the undivided serving container is that the undivided container enables the consumer to easily mix the food components after the prepared food is heated. 
     In commercial operations, prepared foods are typically packaged using an assembly line process. Containers are placed on a conveyor, then food components are sequentially deposited in the containers. Because of the rate at which containers move along the assembly line, it is typically more efficient to move the food component to a desired area of a container after the food component is deposited in the container rather than directly depositing the food component in the desired area of the container. 
     A prior art device for positioning food components includes a support arm and a paddle. With the prior art food positioning device, the paddle is fixedly attached to the support so that the paddle cannot pivot with respect to the support arm. 
     As the containers move along the assembly line, the prior art food positioning device pivots into a lowered position such that the paddle is in the containers. The food positioning device remains in the lowered position as the container is moved a desired distance along the assembly line. The food positioning device thereby causes the food component to be moved to the desired area of the container. Once the food components are moved to the desired area of the container, additional food components may be added to the container. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention includes an apparatus for positioning food components in a container that is moving along a conveyor. The apparatus includes a paddle member and a link mechanism. 
     The paddle member is movable between a first position within the container and a second position outside of the container. While moving between the first position and the second position, the paddle member also pivots. The paddle member is adapted to engage the food components and move the food components to a selected location in the container as the container moves along the conveyor. 
     The link moves the paddle member between the first position and the second position. The link also pivots the paddle member as the paddle member is moved between the first position and the second position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a food positioning apparatus according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the food positioning apparatus in a first position. 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the food positioning apparatus in a second position. 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the food positioning apparatus in a third position. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a pair of food positioning apparatuses working in a series orientation. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention includes a food positioning apparatus 10 for positioning food components 11 in a container 12 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The food positioning apparatus 10 has a paddle mechanism 16 and a link 17 that connects the paddle mechanism 16 to a frame 20. 
     The link 17 moves the paddle mechanism 16 from a first position within the container 12 to a second position outside of the container 12. As the paddle mechanism 16 moves between the first position and the second position, the link 17 causes the paddle mechanism 16 to pivot with respect to the link 17. 
     The link 17 includes an arm mechanism 14 and a control mechanism 18. The arm mechanism 14 is pivotally attached to a frame 20. The paddle mechanism 16 is pivotally attached to the arm mechanism 14. The control mechanism 18 causes the paddle mechanism 16 to pivot with respect to the arm mechanism 14 when the arm mechanism 14 is pivoted with respect to the frame 20. The pivoting of the paddle mechanism 16 with respect to the arm mechanism 14 when the arm mechanism 14 is pivoted with respect to the frame 20 is referred to as multi-directional motion. 
     The arm mechanism 14 includes a shaft 30 rotatably attached to the frame 20 and rotatable about an axis 32. The arm mechanism 14 also includes a first arm portion 22 and a second arm portion 24. The first arm portion 22 has a first end 26 and a second end 28. The first end 26 of the first arm portion 22 is fixedly attached to the shaft 30 permitting the first arm portion 22 to pivot about the axis 32 when the shaft 30 is rotated. 
     The second arm portion 24 has a first end 34 and a second end 36. The first end 34 of the second arm portion 24 is fixedly attached to the shaft 30. The attachment of the first arm portion 22 and the second arm portion 24 to the shaft 30 allows the first arm portion 22 and the second arm portion 24 to pivot as a unit about the axis 32 when the shaft 30 is rotated. 
     The paddle mechanism 16 preferably includes a rod 40, a paddle 42, and a cam 44. The rod 40 is rotatably attached to the second end 36 of the second arm portion 24 such that the rod 40 rotates about an axis 50. The paddle 42 is fixedly attached to the rod 40. The attachment of the paddle 42 to the rod 40 allows the paddle 42 to pivot with respect to the second arm portion 24. The cam 44 is fixedly attached to the rod 40 proximate to an end 52 of the rod 40. 
     Pivoting of the paddle 42 with respect to the second arm portion 24 is directed by the control mechanism 18. The control mechanism 18 preferably includes a first gear 56 and a second gear 58. 
     The first gear 56 is fixedly attached to the frame 20. The second gear 58 is rotatably attached to the second arm portion 24 with a pin 62. The second gear 58 is positioned to operably engage the first gear 56 so that the second gear 58 rotates when the first arm portion 22 is pivoted with respect to the frame 20. 
     The control mechanism 18 includes a connecting rod 60 that has a first end 64 and a second end 66. The first end 64 is attached to the second gear 58 and the second end 66 is attached to the cam 44. As a result of the connecting rod 60 operably attaching the second gear 58 to the cam 24, the paddle 42 pivots with respect to the second arm portion 24 when the first arm portion 22 pivots with respect to the frame 20. 
     When items are fabricated in an assembly line manner, it is typically more efficient to control the operation of the various elements of the assembly line through a common source. The common source is frequently a rotating line shaft (not shown), which is mounted beneath the assembly line. The operation of various elements of the assembly line is controlled by selectively engaging the rotating line shaft (not shown). 
     In the present invention, a connecting arm 68 is attached to the second end 28 of the first arm portion 22. The rotating line shaft (not shown) is operably connected to the connecting arm 68 using a series of gears and chains (not shown) that interact to convert the rotational motion of the rotating line shaft into a reciprocating motion of the connecting arm 68. 
     The food positioning apparatus 10 of the present invention preferably includes an adjustable stop 70. The length of the adjustable stop 70 is varied to selectively control the pivoting range of the first arm portion 22 by contacting the first arm portion 22. By controlling the pivoting range of the first arm portion 22, the pivoting range of the paddle 42 with respect to the second portion 24 is also controlled. The adjustable stop 70 thereby enables the placement of the food components 11 in the container 12 to be controlled. 
     To minimize the stress placed on the components of the food positioning apparatus 10 caused by the adjustable stop 70 interrupting the pivoting range of the first arm portion 22, the connecting rod 68 is preferably constructed to allow a length of the connecting rod 68 to vary in response to the adjustable stop 70 contacting the first arm portion 22. Preferably, the connecting rod 68 includes two rod portions (not shown) that are connected with a resilient portion (not shown), such as a spring. During the operation of the food positioning apparatus 10, the resilient portion retains the rod portions in a constant relationship such that the length of the connecting rod 68 remains constant. However, when the first arm portion 22 contacts the adjustable stop 70, the resilient portion deforms to allow the length of the connecting rod 68 to decrease and thereby reduce the stress placed on the components of the food positioning apparatus 10. 
     A conveyor 74 is positioned on the frame 20. The conveyor 74 moves with respect to the frame 20 and the food positioning apparatus 10 in a machine direction as indicated by arrow 96. The food positioning apparatus 10, the frame 20, and the conveyor 74 form a portion of an assembly line 72. 
     In operation, containers 12, which are suitable for holding a prepared food product having at least one food component 11, are delivered along the conveyor 74. Each container 12 includes a base 80 and a plurality of side walls 86 extending from the base 80. 
     A desired amount of the food components 11 is placed in the container 12. The container 12 is then moved in the machine direction 96 along the conveyor 74 until the container 12 is positioned beneath the food positioning apparatus 10 as illustrated in FIG. 3. Once the side wall 86 moves past the paddle 42, the arm mechanism 14 pivots in a counterclockwise direction as indicated by arrow 88. Pivoting of the arm mechanism 14 in the counterclockwise direction 88 causes the second gear 58 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction as indicated by arrow 90. Rotation of the second gear 58 then causes the connecting arm 60 to move with respect to the second arm portion 24 towards the axis 32 as indicated by arrow 92. Movement of the connecting arm 60 then causes the paddle 42 to pivot with respect to the second arm portion 24 in a counterclockwise direction as indicated by arrow 94. The pivoting of the arm mechanism 14 and the paddle 42 thereby results in the paddle 42 being positioned proximate to the base 80 in the container 12. 
     The paddle 42 remains positioned in the container 12 as the container 12 moves a desired distance in the machine direction 96 as illustrated in FIG. 2. The movement of the container 12 with respect to the food positioning apparatus 10 causes the paddle 42 to contact the food components 11. The continued movement of the container 12 results in the food components 11 being moved to the desired area of the container 12. 
     As the container 12 continues moving in the machine direction 96, the arm mechanism 14 pivots away from the conveyor 74 in a clockwise direction as indicated by arrow 98 in FIG. 4. Pivoting of the arm mechanism 14 causes the second gear 58 to rotate in a clockwise direction as indicated by arrow 100. Rotation of the second gear 58 causes the connecting arm 60 to move with relation to the second arm portion 24 away from the axis 32 as indicated by arrow 102. Movement of the connecting arm 60 then causes the paddle 42 to pivot with respect to the second arm portion 24 in a clockwise direction as indicated by arrow 104. The pivoting of the arm mechanism 14 with respect to the frame 20 and the paddle 42 with respect to the arm mechanism 14 allows the paddle 42 to avoid contacting the side wall 86 of the container 12 as the container 12 moves on the conveyor 74. 
     Because the arm mechanism 14 pivots with respect to the frame 20 and the paddle 42 pivots with respect to the arm mechanism 14, the food positioning apparatus 10 of the present invention provides superior results to prior art food positioning devices where the paddle could not pivot with respect to the arm. For example, the food positioning device 10 of the present invention allows the food components 11 to be moved to a smaller area of the container 12. To move the food components 11 to the smaller area of the container 12, the paddle 42 must remain in the container 12 for a longer period of time. As the arm mechanism 14 and the paddle 42 are pivoted out of the container 12, the movement of both the arm mechanism 14 and the paddle 42 enable the food positioning apparatus 10 to more rapidly move above the side wall 86 and thereby avoid contacting the container 12. 
     The longer residence time in the container was not possible with the prior art food positioning apparatus because it was not possible to pivot the food positioning apparatus so as to avoid the paddle contacting the rear wall of the container. To obtain a longer residence time, the prior art food positioning apparatus was moved at an increased rate. However, it was found that the increased movement rate provided unsatisfactory results in positioning the food components in the desired area of the container. 
     The present invention also includes an embodiment where more than one food positioning apparatus 10, 100 is mounted along the conveyor 74 as illustrated in FIG. 5. Each of the food positioning apparatuses 10, 100 preferably contains a structure that is similar to the structure described with reference to FIGS. 1-4. 
     Using two food positioning apparatuses 10, 100 in a series orientation provides several advantages. For example, with certain types of food components 11 it is difficult to move the food components 11 to the desired area of the container 12. The difficulties may arise because the food components are long or do not bend easily. 
     Attempting to move this type of food components 11 to the desired area of the container 12 in a single step may damage the food components 11. With the two food positioning apparatuses 10, 100 system, the food components 11 can be moved a portion of the desired distance with the first food positioning apparatus 10 and then the remainder of the distance with the second food positioning apparatus 100. The two-step movement of the food components 11 thereby reduces the damage of the food components 11. 
     Alternatively, the food components 11 may relax to an area that is greater than the desired area after the paddle 42 moves out of the container 10. Using two food positioning apparatuses 10, 100, the food components 11 are moved to the desired area of the container 12 with the first food positioning apparatus 10. The food components 11 then relax to an area that is greater than the desired area when the paddle 42 is moved out of the container 12. 
     The second food positioning device 100 then moves the food components 11 back to the desired area of the container 12. When the paddle 42 on the second food positioning apparatus 100 moves out of the container 12, the food components 11 once again relax but the amount of relaxation is smaller than with the one-step movement process. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.