Conveyor system and method
AssigneeValka Ehf
InventorsHilmar Erlingsson, Úlfar Arnórsson, Ívar Meyvantsson, Helgi Hjálmarsson
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Abstract
A conveyor system, comprising a first conveyor assembly having: an input end; an output end; and a conveyor belt arranged to convey an object from the input end toward the output end in a direction of travel. The conveyor system comprises a fluid projection mechanism, the fluid projection mechanism being arranged to provide a fluid suitable for providing a lifting force to a conveyed object as the conveyed object passes over the fluid projection mechanism.
Claims22
A conveyor system, comprising:
- a first conveyor assembly having:
- an input end;
- an output end, and
- a conveyor belt arranged to convey an object from the input end toward the output end in a direction of travel,
- wherein the conveyor system comprises a fluid projection mechanism, the fluid projection mechanism being arranged to provide a fluid suitable for providing a lifting force to a conveyed object as the conveyed object passes over the fluid projection mechanism;
- and
- wherein the conveyor system further comprises a conveyor roller, the conveyor roller comprising:
- a body having a rolling surface between a first end and a second end;
- a fluid cavity located within the body, the fluid cavity having a fluid cavity outlet, and
- a plurality of fluid channels distributed about a circumference of the conveyor roller and arranged to connect the fluid cavity with the rolling surface, the fluid cavity outlet being configured to communicate with at least two of the fluid channels simultaneously to provide at least two fluid streams from the rolling surface.
A conveyor roller for a conveyor assembly, comprising:
- a body having a rolling surface between a first end and a second end;
- a fluid cavity located within the body, the fluid cavity having a fluid cavity outlet;
- a plurality of fluid channels distributed about a circumference of the conveyor roller and arranged to connect the fluid cavity with the rolling surface, the fluid cavity outlet being configured to communicate with at least two of the fluid channels simultaneously to provide at least two fluid streams which exit the body through the rolling surface for directing at a conveyor belt of the conveyor assembly.
A method of conveying an object from a first conveyor assembly, the conveyor assembly having an input end and an output end and comprising a conveyor belt arranged to convey an object in a direction of travel from the input end towards the output end, wherein the conveyor assembly comprises a conveyor roller assembly, the conveyor roller assembly comprising:
- a body having a rolling surface between a first end and a second end;
- a fluid cavity located within the body, the fluid cavity having a fluid cavity outlet, and
- a plurality of fluid channels distributed about a circumference of the conveyor roller and arranged to connect the fluid cavity with the rolling surface, the fluid cavity outlet being configured to communicate with at least two of the fluid channels simultaneously to provide at least two fluid streams from the rolling surface, the method comprising:
- conveying an object on the conveyor belt;
- providing, on the conveyor roller assembly, a fluid projection mechanism arranged to project the fluid, and
- directing the fluid to provide a lifting force to the conveyed object as the conveyed object passes over the fluid projection mechanism to lift the object from the conveyor belt.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.