Importance

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Abstract

The invention comprises a nested tray-like product separator apparatus and a packaging system employing the nested product separator for the separation of a plurality of generally vertically upright nested plastic tray products into packaging units composed of a defined plurality of the nested tray products. The product separator includes a base plate having a cavity therein and a pair of spaced-apart picker elements, with a tension-biased holdback finger element between the pair of spaced-apart picker elements. The product separator includes a pneumatic cylinder, to move the picker elements sequentially and cyclically between a non-use position and a separating position, wherein the one end of the picker elements extend between selected nested tray products to separate the products. The product separator holdback finger element moves with the picker elements in the non-use position and in the product separating position the finger element is moved to a holdback position which is slightly back from the separating position of the pair of picker elements to provide for the defined spatial separation between the holdback finger elements and the pair of picker elements of the nested tray products. The product separator operates in a packaging system which includes a thermoformer, a trim press and a film bagger packaging machine for the tray products with an electric counter operating from the trim press and connected to an electrical solenoid valve to provide activating of the product separator.

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First Claim