1. An arrangement for conveying sticky andor flexible product material to a weighing system, comprising:
an infeed configured to hold the product material for conveyance to the weighing system; and
a dosing mechanism operable for controllably conveying product material portions from the infeed to the weighing system, the dosing system comprising:
a trough connected to the infeed and configured to receive product material from the infeed;
a transport screw removably positioned in the trough and operable to convey the product material from the trough to the weighing system;
a motor operable to drive the transport screw through an axle to which the transport screw is detachably connected by a click-connection mechanism; and
a control unit operable to control the motor to drive the transport screw so as to convey a desired portion of product material to the weighing system.
2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the trough comprises a bottom part having a diameter equal to or larger than the outer diameter of the transport screw.
3. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the infeed includes an outer wall, and wherein the trough extends through an opening in the outer wall.
4. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the infeed comprises a conical central part, and wherein the motor is positioned under the conical central part of the infeed.
5. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the control unit is operable on the motor to control the drive speed and running time of the transport screw.
6. The arrangement of claim 5, wherein the control unit is operable to receive information on the weight of the product material portions, and to adjust the drive speed and running time in response to the information.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A color detecting sensor for an ink ribbon comprising:
a first light emitting element for emitting red light;
a second light emitting element for emitting green light;
a third light emitting element for emitting blue light;,
a light receiving element for receiving light emitted from each of the first, second and third light emitting elements through the ink ribbon; and
detecting means for detecting a color of the ink ribbon forming at least a colorless and transparent portion and the colorless and transparent portion based on an output signal of the light receiving element, the detecting means including a storage section for storing, as color reference data, the output signal of the light receiving element when the first, second and third light emitting elements emit light through the colorless and transparent portion respectively, and a color deciding section for comparing, with the color reference data, the output signal of the light receiving element when the first, second and third light emitting elements emit light through the color formed on the ink ribbon respectively, thereby deciding the color of the ink ribbon.
2. The color detecting sensor for an ink ribbon according to claim 1, wherein the ink ribbon has five kinds of colors of yellow, magenta, cyan, black and a colorless portion.
3. A color detecting method for an ink ribbon comprising:
a first light emitting element for emitting red light;
a second light emitting element for emitting green light;
a third light emitting element for emitting blue light;
a light receiving element for receiving light emitted from each of the first, second and third light emitting elements through the ink ribbon; and
detecting means for detecting a color of the ink ribbon forming at least a colorless and transparent portion and the colorless and transparent portion based on an output signal of the light receiving element, the detecting means serving to store, as color reference data, the output signal of the light receiving element when the first, second and third light emitting elements emit light through the colorless and transparent portion respectively, and to compare, with the color reference data, the output signal of the light receiving element when the first, second and third light emitting elements emit light through the color formed on the ink ribbon respectively, thereby deciding the color of the ink ribbon.
4. The color detecting sensor for an ink ribbon according to claim 1, wherein the light receiving element is provided on this side for one color of the ink ribbon from a head portion for transferring the ink ribbon to a medium.
5. The color detecting sensor for an ink ribbon according to claim 4, wherein at least two light receiving elements are provided and serve to detect at least two colors constituting a boundary of the colors of the ink ribbon on this side for one color of the ink ribbon from the head portion.
6. A color detecting sensor for an ink ribbon, wherein at least two color detecting sections for detecting a color of the ink ribbon are provided and serve to detect at least two colors constituting a boundary of the colors of the ink ribbon on this side for one color of the ink ribbon from a head portion for transferring the ink ribbon to a medium.
7. The color detecting method for an ink ribbon according to claim 3, wherein the light receiving element is provided on this side for one color of the ink ribbon from a head portion for transferring the ink ribbon to a medium and serves to detect a boundary of the colors of the ink ribbon on this side for one color of the ink ribbon from the head portion.
8. The color detecting method for an ink ribbon according to claim 7, wherein at least two light receiving elements are provided and serve to detect at least two colors constituting a boundary of the colors of the ink ribbon on this side for one color of the ink ribbon from the head portion.
9. A color detecting method for an ink ribbon, comprising the steps of:
detecting at least two colors constituting a boundary of colors of the ink ribbon on this side for one color of the ink ribbon from a head portion for transferring the ink ribbon to a medium; and
aligning a start position of the color of the ink ribbon with the head portion.
10. The color detecting sensor for an ink ribbon according to claim 1, wherein the ink ribbon has four kinds of colors of yellow, magenta, cyan and a colorless portion.
11. The color detecting sensor for an ink ribbon according to claim 3, wherein the ink ribbon has five kinds of colors of yellow, magenta, cyan, black and a colorless portion.
12. The color detecting sensor for an ink ribbon according to claim 3, wherein the ink ribbon has four kinds of colors of yellow, magenta, cyan and a colorless portion.