Sorting conveyor module and assembly
AssigneeTension International, Inc.
InventorRobert Terzini
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A conveyor module, a plurality of which is configured to transport and sort an input stream of packages into a plurality of output streams. The conveyor module includes an infinite belt and a pair of presence sensors that detect the presence of a package on the belt. The conveyor module can be combined with a plurality of like modules in a parallel or orthogonal alignment and controlled independently to bi-directionally move packages longitudinally or transversely toward a desired output stream and to sort an input stream of packages among a plurality of output streams. Any number of conveyor modules may be combined to provide a desired number of output streams and to accommodate desired dimensions of a package transport and sorting system.
Claims19
A modular conveyor system for conveying and sorting a plurality of packages, comprising:
- a plurality of conveyor modules comprising at least first and second conveyor modules wherein said second conveyor module extends adjacent and orthogonally relative to a second end of the first conveyor module, wherein each of the plurality of conveyor modules comprises:
- a belt extending around a drive roller and a driven roller, an upper run of the belt selectively advanceable by the drive roller toward a first end or a second end of the conveyor module, and the upper run of the belt adjustably positionable vertically relative to a horizontal surface or at an upwardly sloped angle relative to a first end of the conveyor module;
- a drive means for driving a roller coupled to the drive roller and operable to rotate the drive roller in either direction;
- a first presence sensor positioned proximate the first end of the conveyor module and a second presence sensor positioned proximate a second end of the conveyor module;
- and
- a controller in communication with the first presence sensor and the second presence sensor of each of the plurality of conveyor modules, the controller programmed to cause the drive means of the first conveyor module to rotate the drive roller to advance a package on the belt of the first conveyor module onto the belt of the second conveyor module after the controller determines that a package supported on the belt of the second conveyor module has advanced off of the belt past the first presence sensor or the second presence sensor.
A conveyance system, comprising:
- a plurality of conveyor modules comprising at least first and second conveyor modules wherein said second conveyor module extends adjacent and orthogonally relative to a second end of the first conveyor module, each of the plurality of conveyor modules comprises a bidirectional conveyor selectively operable to advance a package supported thereon toward either a first end or a second end of the bidirectional conveyor, a second end of the bidirectional conveyor of the first conveyor module extends vertically above an adjacent side of the second conveyor module;
- a first presence sensor positioned relative to the first end of each of the first and second conveyor modules and a second presence sensor positioned relative to a second end of each of the first and second conveyor modules,
- wherein an interruption or a restoration of a signal of at least one of the first and second presence sensors on the second conveyor module causes acceleration of the bidirectional conveyor of the first conveyor module to advance a package supported thereon onto the second conveyor module.
A method for sorting parcels on a conveyance system for delivery to selected locations, comprising:
- arranging a plurality of conveyor modules including bidirectional conveyors such that the bidirectional conveyors of at least some of the conveyor modules are oriented transversely relative to bidirectional conveyors of other conveyor modules of the plurality of conveyor modules to form a conveyance system having a plurality of endpoints corresponding to destination indicia;
- successively advancing a plurality of parcels having destination indicia thereon individually onto a first conveyor module of the conveyance system;
- scanning the destination indicia on each parcel advanced onto the first conveyor module;
- successively advancing each parcel from the first conveyor module to successively adjacent conveyor modules until the parcel reaches a designated endpoint corresponding to the destination indicia on the respective parcel or an endpoint corresponding to none of the destination indicia on the plurality of parcels, wherein as one of the parcels of the plurality of parcels is advanced off of a downstream conveyor module another parcel of the plurality of parcels on a prior adjacent conveyor module is advanced onto the downstream conveyor module, each of the plurality of conveyor modules accommodating one of the plurality of parcels at any one time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.