# US 10,246,267 B2 · Inclined-roller destacker > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,246,267 B2 - Document ID: US10246267B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/782,376 - Filed: 2017-10-12 - Published: 2018-02-01 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2015-05-14 - Assignees: Laitram, L.L.C. - Applicants: Laitram, L.L.C. - Inventors: Bryant G. Ragan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10246267B2 ## CPC - B65G 47/28: during transit by a single conveyor - B65G 17/24: comprising a series of rollers which are moved {, e.g. over a supporting surface, by the traction element to effect conveyance of loads or load-carriers} - B65G 21/10: movable, or having interchangeable or relatively movable parts; Devices for moving framework or parts thereof - B65G 39/10: Arrangements of rollers (on a single axle B65G39/04) - B65G 43/08: Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed or discharged {(and controlling the discharging devices B65G47/42)} - B65G 47/1492: {the articles being fed from a feeding conveyor} - B65G 59/12: characterised by de-stacking during transit - B65C 9/02: Devices for moving articles, e.g. containers, past labelling station - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - B65C: LABELLING OR TAGGING MACHINES, APPARATUS, OR PROCESSES (nailing or stapling in general B25C, B27F; applying labels for packaging purposes B65B; labels, name-plates G09F ){(series-printing machines B41L; containers for the storage or transport of packages B65D)} ## Abstract A destacking conveyor and a method for destacking stacked articles, such as parcels and envelopes. The destacking conveyor comprises an inclined array of rollers that are arranged to rotate on axes perpendicular to a conveying direction. The conveyor is divided along its length into continuous roller-activation zones and selectively activated zones. In the continuous zones, the rollers always rotate in the conveying direction. In the selectively activated zones, the rollers are activated to rotate in the conveying direction and deactivated to be freely rotatable and allow articles to slide backward by gravity. The conveyor also includes a lift to change its inclination angle. By regulating the inclination angle and the activation and deactivation of the rollers in the selectively activated zones, piggy-backed articles slide off bottom articles. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A destacking conveyor comprising: a lower infeed end and an opposite upper discharge end; an array of rollers arranged to form an inclined conveying plane extending in a conveying direction from the lower infeed end to the upper discharge end at an inclination angle, wherein the rollers are rotatable about axes perpendicular to the conveying direction, the array of rollers including: a first set of the rollers in a first zone extending in the conveying direction from the lower infeed end a first distance defining the upper end of the first zone, wherein the first set of rollers in the first zone are continuously activated to rotate in the conveying direction; a second set of the rollers in a second zone extending in the conveying direction from the upper end of the first zone a second distance defining the upper end of the second zone; an actuator for selectively activating the second set of rollers in the second zone to rotate in the conveying direction and selectively deactivating the second set of rollers to rotate freely about their axes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A destacking conveyor as in claim 1 wherein the array of rollers further includes a third set of the rollers in a third zone extending in the conveying direction from the upper end of the second zone to the upper discharge end and wherein the third set of rollers in the third zone are continuously activated to rotate in the conveying direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A destacking conveyor as in claim 1 further comprising a lift attached to the upper discharge end to change the inclination angle of the conveying plane. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A destacking conveyor as in claim 1 further comprising a sensor detecting stacked articles in the second zone and sending a signal to the actuator to deactivate or activate the second set of the rollers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A destacking conveyor as in claim 1 further comprising a first bearing surface associated with the first set of the rollers in the first zone and a second bearing surface associated with the second set of the rollers in the second zone and an actuator and wherein the array of rollers are arranged on a conveyor belt advancing in the conveying direction and wherein the first set of the rollers are activated by rolling on first bearing surface and wherein the actuator selectively activates and deactivates the second set of rollers by moving the second bearing surface into and out of contact with the second set of rollers in the second zone. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A destacking conveyor as in claim 1 wherein the array of rollers form a roller conveyor in which the first set of the rollers in the first zone are continuously activated and the second set of the rollers in the second zone are selectively activated and deactivated. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A destacking conveyor as in claim 1 wherein the rollers have a high-friction outer surface. ### Claim 8 A method for destacking a mass of articles, the method comprising: (a) inducting articles into a first zone of rollers rotating in a conveying direction and inclined at an inclination angle that allows top articles carried piggy-back atop bottom articles in contact with the rollers to slide down the articles in contact with the rollers; (b) propelling the bottom articles in contact with the rotating rollers up the inclined rollers to an upper end of the first zone along with any top articles still piggy-backed atop the bottom articles; (c) selectively activating rollers in a second zone of rollers extending in the conveying direction from the upper end of the first zone to propel articles received from the first zone in the conveying direction; (d) selectively deactivating the rollers in the second zone to make them freely rotatable to allow the bottom articles to slide back down the deactivated rollers in the second zone in a direction opposite to the conveying direction and into contact with the roller at the upper end of the first zone to propel the bottom article contacting the roller in the conveying direction and allowing piggy-backed top articles to fall off the bottom article as it reverses direction back into the first zone; (e) selectively reactivating the rollers in the second zone of rollers to propel the bottom articles received from the first zone in the conveying direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 further comprising receiving articles from the second zone in a third zone of rotating rollers to propel the articles through the third zone in the conveying direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 further comprising detecting the presence of piggy-backed top articles in the second zone and deactivating the rollers in the second zone when piggy-backed top articles are detected. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 further comprising lowering the inclination angle as the supply of articles dwindles. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 further comprising changing the inclination angle rapidly back and forth to help jostle piggy-backed top articles off bottom articles. ### Claim 13 A destacking conveyor comprising: a roller-top conveyor belt advancing in a conveying direction along a carryway inclined at an inclination angle from a lower infeed end to an upper discharge end wherein the roller-top conveyor belt includes a plurality of article-supporting rollers extending through the thickness of the roller-top conveyor belt; a first stationary bearing surface underlying the roller-top conveyor belt in a first zone extending in the conveying direction from the lower infeed end to an upper end of the first zone, wherein the rollers passing through the first zone roll on the first stationary bearing surface to propel articles atop the rollers along the roller-top conveyor belt in the conveying direction; a second bearing surface underlying the roller-top conveyor belt in a second zone extending in the conveying direction from the upper end of the first zone to an upper end of the second zone, wherein the second bearing surface is movable from a first position in contact with the rollers passing through the second zone to a second position out of contact with the rollers; an actuator for selectively activating the rollers passing through the second zone to rotate in the conveying direction by moving the second bearing surface to the first position and selectively deactivating the rollers passing through the second zone to rotate freely about their axes by moving the second bearing surface to the second position. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A destacking conveyor as in claim 13 further comprising a third stationary bearing surface underlying the roller-top conveyor belt in a third zone extending in the conveying direction from the upper end of the second zone to the upper discharge end, wherein the rollers passing through the third zone roll on the third stationary bearing surface to propel articles atop the rollers along the roller-top conveyor belt in the conveying direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) A destacking conveyor as in claim 13 further comprising a lift attached to the upper discharge end to change the inclination angle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) A destacking conveyor as in claim 13 further comprising a sensor detecting piggy-backed articles in the second zone and sending a signal to the actuator to move the second bearing surface to deactivate or activate the rollers passing through the second zone. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) A destacking conveyor as in claim 13 wherein the rollers have a high-friction outer surface. ### Claim 18 A destacking conveyor comprising: a lower infeed end and an opposite upper discharge end; a set of rollers arranged to form an inclined conveying plane extending in a conveying direction between the lower infeed end and the upper discharge end at an inclination angle, wherein the rollers are rotatable about axes perpendicular to the conveying direction, wherein the rollers are continuously activated to rotate in the conveying direction; a lift attached to the upper discharge end to change the inclination angle of the conveying plane; wherein the lift changes the inclination angle rapidly back and forth to help jostle piggy-backed top articles conveyed atop the rollers off bottom articles. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A destacking conveyor as in claim 18 wherein the set of continuously activated rollers defines a first roller-activation zone and wherein the destacking conveyor further comprises: a second set of rollers rotatable about axes perpendicular to the conveying direction and defining a second roller-activation zone in series with the first roller-activation zone; an actuator for selectively activating the second set of rollers in the second zone to rotate about their axes in the conveying direction and selectively deactivating the second set of rollers to rotate freely about their axes.