We claim:
1. A system for stacking a predetermined number of nestable objects comprising:
a cavity configured to permit entry and containment of nestable objects to create an orientated, stacked arrangement, wherein the cavity has a receiving end and a discharge end a flange functionally positioned proximate the discharge end to create a span within the cavity having a length;
an ejector mechanism functionally positioned proximate the receiving end of the cavity;
wherein the flange and ejector mechanism cooperative to change the orientation of the stacked arrangement upon entry of a final nestable object to the cavity by discharging the stacked arrangement.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the flange is stationary.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein the flange is functionally affixed to a bottom quarter of the discharge end.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the flange and ejector cooperative to change the orientation of the nestable objects from a substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontal position.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein the flange protrudes into the cavity.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined number of nestable objects is within the range of 2 to 50.
7. The system of claim 6 wherein the predetermined number of nestable objects is within the range of 8 to 35.
8. The system of claim 7 wherein the predetermined number of nestable objects is within the range of 20 to 25.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein the flange is adjustable.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein the flange is adjustable perpendicular to the cavity to change the height of the flange.
11. The system of claim 9 wherein the flange is adjustable in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the cavity to change the length of the span.
12. The system of claim 9 further comprising an indexing mechanism for adjusting the flange position proximate the discharge end of the cavity.
13. The system of claim 12 wherein the indexing mechanism is attached to the cavity.
14. The system of claim 1 wherein the cavity can be extended in a longitudinal direction to change the length of the span.
15. The system of claim 1 wherein the cavity can be shortened in a longitudinal direction to change the length of the span.
16. The system of claim 1 further comprising a surface for receiving the discharged stacked arrangement proximate the discharge end.
17. The system of claim 16 wherein the surface for receiving is a conveyor.
18. The system of claim 1 wherein the nestable objects are selected from a group consisting of plates, bowls, trays, cups, lids, disks, food containers, covers, and the like.
19. A method for automatically stacking a predetermined number of nestable objects comprising the steps of:
providing a cavity suitable for containing a plurality of nestable objects, the cavity having a receiving end, a discharge end, and a flange, wherein the flange is functionally positioned proximate the discharge end;
receiving a series of consecutive nestable objects into the cavity at the receiving end to form an oriented, stacked arrangement of objects;
advancing the stacked arrangement toward the flange wherein the stacked arrangement, upon reaching a predetermined size, comes into functional contact with the flange;
discharging the stacked arrangement from the cavity onto a surface to thereby change the orientation of the stacked arrangement by preventing the advancing of an edge of the stacked arrangement by contact with the flange.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein consecutively received nestable objects advance previously received objects toward the flange.
21. The method of claim 19 wherein the receipt of the nestable object corresponding to the predetermined number in cooperation with a ejector mechanism advances the stacked arrangement of objects into functional contact with the flange.
22. The method of claim 19 wherein the predetermined number of nestable of objects is within the range of 2 to 50.
23. The method of claim 19 wherein the predetermined number of nestable objects is within the range of 8 to 35.
24. The method of claim 19 wherein the predetermined number of nestable objects is within the range of 20 to 25.
25. The method of claim 19 wherein the flange is stationary.
26. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of transporting stacked arrangements after they are discharged from an area of discharge to allow for subsequent stacked arrangements to be discharged.
27. The method of claim 26 wherein the step of transporting is achieved by a conveyor.
28. A system for packaging a predetermined number of nestable objects comprising:
a manufacturing source for producing a plurality of nestable objects which are designed to be packaged;
a stacking apparatus comprising a cavity, the cavity configured for receiving nestable objects from the manufacturing source and containing the nestable objects in an orientated, stacked arrangement, the cavity comprising a flange, the flange cooperating with an ejector mechanism to automatically change the orientation of the stacked arrangement when the predetermined number of nestable objects are received by the cavity;
a packaging mechanism configured for receiving and packaging the stacked arrangement of nestable objects from the stacking apparatus.
29. The system of claim 28 wherein the flange is stationary.
30. The system of claim 28 wherein the predetermined number of objects and the number of nestable objects that are packaged are consistently identical.
31. The system of claim 28 wherein the predetermined number of nestable objects is within the range of 8 to 35.
32. The system of claim 28 wherein the objects change orientation and are discharged when the nestable objects come into functional contact with the flange.
33. The system of claim 32 wherein the flange is adjustable.
34. The system of claim 33 wherein the flange is functionally affixed proximate a discharge end of the cavity.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method, comprising:
monitoring a plurality of physical servers, on a computing system, that each provide an initial level of virtual resources to a plurality of virtual machines;
receiving a requested level of virtual resources for a virtual machine of interest hosted by a first physical server from the plurality of physical servers;
determining whether the first physical server is able to host the requested level of virtual resources for the virtual machine of interest; and
implementing, in response to the first physical server not being able to host the requested level of resources for the virtual machine of interest, a path to accommodate the virtual machine of interest involving a schedule of actions for a plurality of secondary virtual machines on the plurality of physical servers, the path implemented by:
resizing the plurality of secondary virtual machines to create unallocated virtual resources;
measuring unallocated virtual resources in the plurality of physical servers; and
migrating at least some of a resized plurality of secondary virtual machines to the plurality of physical servers with sufficient unallocated virtual resources to accommodate each secondary virtual machine so that the first physical server has sufficient unallocated virtual resources to accommodate the virtual machine of interest.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
increasing, in response to the first physical server being able to host the requested level of resources for the virtual machine of interest, the virtual resources to the requested level for the virtual machine of interest on the first physical server.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein implementing the path includes:
determining whether the virtual machine of interest is able to be migrated to a second physical server from the plurality of servers; and
migrating the virtual machine of interest to the second physical server in response to the virtual machine of interest being able to be migrated to the second physical server.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the virtual machine of interest is able to be migrated in response to the second physical server having sufficient unallocated virtual resources for the virtual machine of interest.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein resizing the plurality of secondary virtual machines includes:
determining an operating threshold of the plurality of secondary virtual machines; and
resizing the plurality of secondary virtual machines to the operating threshold.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
increasing the virtual resources to the requested level for the virtual machine of interest.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein implementing the path includes:
predicting the schedule of actions that define a path; and
determining whether the schedule of actions is within an action threshold; and
implementing the path in response to the schedule of actions being within the action threshold.
8-20. (canceled)