Chute accumulation system
AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.
InventorRaashid Mohammed
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments herein describe a chute for temporarily buffering packages when, for example, a container disposed at the end of the chute has been removed. The chute includes a flap that activates to hold packages in an accumulation area when the container is removed. In one embodiment, the flap is disposed at an end of the chute at a decline so that during normal operation packages slide off the flap into the container. An actuator can rotate the flap from a decline position into a vertical position such that the flap serves as a stop to prevent packages from sliding off the chute when containers are being swapped out. Once a new container is disposed at the end of the chute, the actuator can rotate the flap back to the decline position so that any accumulated packages are then ejected into the container.
Claims18
A chute, comprising:
- a first portion arranged at a decline relative to a ground surface;
- a second portion arranged at a decline relative to the ground surface;
- and
- a vertical step, wherein the second portion is connected to the first portion by the vertical step, wherein the vertical step establishes a vertical drop between the first and second portions of at least three inches;
- a moveable blocking surface;
- and
- a controller configured to move the blocking surface from a first position where objects traveling down the first portion can pass by the blocking surface and are ejected by the chute, to a second position where objects traveling down the first portion are blocked by the blocking surface and prevented from being ejected from the chute.
A chute, comprising:
- a first portion arranged at a decline relative to a ground surface;
- a moveable blocking surface;
- and
- a controller configured to move the blocking surface from a first position where objects traveling down the first portion can pass by the blocking surface and are ejected by the chute, to a second position where objects traveling down the first portion are blocked by the blocking surface and prevented from being ejected from the chute,
- wherein the blocking surface is arranged vertically, relative to the ground surface, when in the first and second positions, wherein moving the blocking surface between the first and second positions comprises one of raising and lowering the blocking surface in a direction normal to the ground surface.
A chute, comprising:
- a first portion arranged at a decline relative to a ground surface;
- a second portion arranged at a decline relative to the ground surface;
- and
- a vertical step, wherein the second portion is connected to the first portion by the vertical step;
- a moveable blocking surface, wherein the second portion is between the first portion and the blocking surface;
- and
- a controller configured to move the blocking surface from a first position where objects traveling down the first portion can pass by the blocking surface and are ejected by the chute, to a second position where objects traveling down the second portion are blocked by the blocking surface and prevented from being ejected from the chute.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.