Sortation system and related methods
AssigneeSpan Tech LLC
InventorsJames L. Layne, Stephen C. Fye, Scott Dayton Barbour, Aaron M. Cotton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A conveyor system for sorting articles being conveyed in a conveying direction. A first conveyor section includes a plurality of inclined conveyors for de-stacking articles. A second conveyor section includes at least one indexing conveyor for spacing a first group of articles from upstream articles. A third conveyor section includes a chicane conveying path for forming the first group of articles into a single row generally aligned with the conveying direction. Related methods are also disclosed.
Claims22
A conveyor system for sorting articles being conveyed in a conveying direction, comprising:
- a first conveyor section comprising a plurality of inclined conveyors for de-stacking articles;
- a second conveyor section comprising at least one indexing conveyor for spacing a first group of articles from upstream articles;
- and
- a third conveyor section including a chicane conveying path for forming the first group of articles into a single row generally aligned with the conveying direction, wherein the plurality of inclined conveyors includes a final conveyor in the first conveyor section that is longer and higher at an exit point than the other inclined conveyors in the first conveyor section.
A conveyor system for sorting articles being conveyed in a conveying direction, comprising:
- a first conveyor section comprising a plurality of inclined conveyors for de-stacking articles;
- and
- a second conveyor section comprising a plurality of powered belt diverters for forming articles into a single row aligned with the conveying direction, wherein the plurality of inclined conveyors includes a final conveyor in the first conveyor section that is longer and higher at an exit point than the other inclined conveyors in the first conveyor section.
A conveyor system for sorting articles being conveyed in a conveying direction, comprising:
- a first conveyor section comprising at least one indexing conveyor for spacing a first group of articles from upstream articles;
- and
- a second conveyor section comprising at least one endless conveyor and a plurality of powered belt diverters for forming the first group of articles into a single row aligned with the conveying direction, wherein the plurality of powered belt diverters are adapted to operate at a higher conveying speed than the at least one endless conveyor.
A conveyor system for sorting articles, comprising:
- at least one endless conveyor having a first conveying surface moving in a first conveying direction;
- and
- a plurality of powered belt diverters arranged above the first conveying surface for engaging articles thereon, each having a second conveying surface oriented transverse to the first conveying surface for conveying the articles in a second conveying direction different from the first conveying direction, wherein a first powered belt diverter extends so as to provide a third conveying direction at a first angle relative to the first conveying direction, and a second powered belt diverter extends so as to provide a fourth conveying direction at a second angle relative to the first conveying direction, and wherein the plurality of powered belt diverters are adapted to operate at a higher conveying speed than the at least one endless conveyor.
A conveyor system for sorting articles being conveyed in a conveying direction, comprising:
- at least one conveyor having a first conveying surface moving in a first conveying direction;
- and
- a plurality of powered belt diverters arranged above the first conveying surface for engaging articles thereon, the plurality of powered belt diverters forming a chicane conveying path, wherein the plurality of powered belt diverters are adapted to operate at a higher conveying speed than the at least one conveyor.
A method for intended use in conjunction with the sorting of articles being conveyed in a conveying direction, comprising:
- providing unstacked articles, wherein the step of providing unstacked articles comprises de-stacking any stacked articles using a series of cascading conveyors, and wherein the series of cascading conveyors includes a final conveyor that is longer and higher at an exit point than any other conveyor of the series of cascading conveyors;
- spacing a first group of unstacked articles from upstream articles;
- and
- using a plurality of powered belt diverters, forming the first group of articles into a single row aligned with the conveying direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.