US 11,597,609 B2 · System and method for slat installation/removal

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for conveyor operation and maintenance that employ one or both of a “smart shoe” technology where one or more conveyor shoes incorporate features, such as an RFID tag, and a “missing pin detection” technology where one or more pin components of conveyor shoes incorporate features, such as an RFID tag, allowing selective wireless tracking and identification capability. A conveyor system comprises a shoe management system allowing interactions directly with one or more RFID readers, which can detect, store and/or monitor information associated with “smart shoe” and/or “missing pin detection” RFID tags, where interface between this application and the reader can be implemented via a socket interface. System and method also or optionally provide for unique slat installation and removal.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A conveyor slat assembly comprising:

a slat;
a latch moveable between an engaged position, in which the latch is engaged with a hub of a conveyor system, thereby fixing the slat to the conveyor system, and a release position in which the latch is disengaged from the hub, thereby enabling separation of the slat from the conveyor system, wherein the latch comprises a hook pivotable between the engaged position in which the hook is engaged with the hub, and the release position in which the hook is disengaged from the hub;
and
a controller configured to control movement of the hook between the engage position and the release position, wherein the controller comprises:
a shaft moveable in an axial direction thereof and configured to selectively interface with the hook such that in the engaged position, the shaft acts on the hook to cause the hook to engage the hub, and in the release position, the shaft moves in an axial direction, releasing the hook from the hub.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method for slat installation/removal

Life of this patent

System and method for slat installation/removal

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14