# US 10,865,056 B2 · Inclined air conveyor destacking apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,865,056 B2 - Document ID: US10865056B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/514,603 - Filed: 2019-07-17 - Published: 2020-01-30 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2018-07-30 - Assignees: Fives Intralogistics S.P.A. Con Socio Unico - Applicants: Fives Intralogistics S.P.A. Con Socio Unico - Inventors: Carmine Filella; Marco Castelli - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10865056B2 ## CPC - B07C 1/04: Forming a stream from a bulk; Controlling the stream, e.g. spacing the articles - B65G 59/062: {by means of reciprocating or oscillating escapement-like mechanisms} - B65G 15/58: with means for holding or retaining the loads in fixed position, e.g. magnetic - B65G 43/08: Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed or discharged {(and controlling the discharging devices B65G47/42)} - B65G 47/30: during transit by a series of conveyors - B65G 49/065: {supported partially or completely on fluid cushions, e.g. a gas cushion (in general B65G51/00)} - B65G 59/06: De-stacking from the bottom of the stack - B65G 59/12: characterised by de-stacking during transit - B65H 3/126: {separating from the bottom of pile} - B65G 2203/041: Camera - H10P 72/36: {using air tracks} - B07C: POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING (specially adapted for a specific purpose covered by another class, see the relevant place, e.g. A43D33/06, B23Q7/12) - 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) - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract The destacker apparatus (1), comprises: a succession of conveyors (10, 11, 12) arranged inclined relative to the horizon, each comprising a mobile surface (S) for receiving and supporting articles (J, K) carried upwards by the conveyors (10, 11, 12); and a device for varying the pressure of a fluid (2). The surface (S) of the conveyors (10, 11, 12) has through holes and the pressure varying device (2) is fluid dynamically connected to this surface (S). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A destacker apparatus (1), comprising: a succession of conveyors (10, 11, 12) arranged inclined relative to the horizon, each comprising an inclined mobile surface (S) for receiving and supporting articles (J, K) carried upwards by the conveyors (10, 11, 12); and at least one device for varying the pressure of a fluid (2); wherein the mobile surface (S) of a first one of the conveyors (10, 11, 12) is a first mobile surface (S) and has through holes and wherein the pressure varying device (2) is fluid dynamically connectable to said first mobile surface (S) and is effective (a) to provide sufficient negative pressure to prevent some of said articles (J, K) from sliding backward down the first mobile surface (S) and (b) to provide negative pressure to a plurality of said articles (J, K) simultaneously. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the holes are distributed on a majority portion of the first mobile surface (S). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the conveyors (10, 11, 12) comprises a conveyor belt closed in a loop and provided with a contact surface (S) defined by an upper ramp of the belt. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus (1) according to claim 3, wherein said first one of the conveyors (10, 11, 12) comprises a perforated box-shaped element effective to communicate fluid dynamically with the pressure varying device (2). ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus (1) according to claim 4, wherein said first one of the conveyors (10, 11, 12) comprises a plurality of perforated box-shaped elements that are operable to suck or blow independently from each other. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The apparatus (1) according to claim 3, wherein the contact surfaces (S) of two or more conveyors (10, 11, 12) are positioned substantially on a same plane. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein at least one pair of conveyors (10, 11, 12) is mutually positioned in such a way that the downstream end of the conveyor further upstream is higher than the upstream end of the conveyor downstream. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus (1) according to claim 7, wherein said downstream end overlaps said upstream end. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the pressure varying device (2) is also effective to produce an overpressure. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus (1) according to claim 1, comprising: at least one acquisition device (3) designed to detect the arrangement of the articles (J, K) moved on at least one conveyor (10, 11, 12) and to produce arrangement signals; and at least one processing unit connected to the acquisition device (3) and configured to control the operation of the pressure varying device (2) according to the arrangement signals. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus (1) according to claim 10, wherein said first one of the conveyors (10, 11, 12) comprises a contact surface (S) that defines a conveying surface along which the articles are moved, said contact surface being divided into a plurality of operating areas designed to be selectively positioned in fluid communication with the pressure varying device (2), the processing unit comprising a position module for determining the relative position of the articles (J, K) on the contact surface, as a function of the arrangement signals. and a selection module configured in such a way as to select which of the operating areas is put in fluid communication with the pressure varying device (2), as a function of the position signals. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein said articles (J, K) comprise a first article and a second article, the first article being dissimilar to the second article. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the mobile surface (S) of each of three adjacent conveyors (10, 11, 12) has through holes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein said first one of the conveyors comprises a conveyor belt, wherein an upper branch of the belt has multiple zones that are operable to suck or blow independently from each other. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein two of said conveyors are adjacent to each other in succession and are fluid dynamically connectable to the pressure varying device (2) and each has a mobile surface (S) having through holes; the apparatus (1) being effective to produce a negative pressure in one of said two adjacent conveyors and simultaneously produce an overpressure in the other of said two adjacent conveyors. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus (1) according to claim 15, wherein the overpressure in produced in the conveyor which is upstream of the other conveyor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the pressure varying device (2) is effective to provide a negative pressure from a first end of said first one of the conveyors (10, 11, 12) to a second end of said first one of the conveyors (10, 11, 12).