Apparatus and method for buffering products
AssigneeSpecialty Conveyor B.V.
InventorsJohannes Wilhelmus Broers, Jozef Walter Maria Hopman, Wouter Balk
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Abstract
An apparatus for buffering products comprises at least three buffer conveyors (2) arranged in series, which can be driven independently of each other, a first buffer conveyor (2a) which can be connected to supply means for supplying products and a last buffer conveyor (2c) which can be connected to discharge means for discharging the products, wherein the buffer conveyors are so arranged that each of the products follows the same conveying path and that at least one of the buffer conveyors comprises a spiral path.
Claims26
An apparatus for buffering products, comprising at least three buffer conveyors arranged in series, which can be driven independently of each other, a first buffer conveyor connectable to a supply device and a last buffer conveyor connectable to a discharge device, wherein the buffer conveyors include a drivable endless conveyor belt and that said buffer conveyors are so arranged that each of the products follows the same conveying path and at least one of the buffer conveyors comprises a spiral path.
A method for buffering products by means of an apparatus which comprises at least three buffer conveyors arranged in series, which are driven independently of each other, a first buffer conveyor of which is connected to a supply device for supplying products and a last buffer conveyor of which is connected to a discharge device for discharging the products, wherein the method comprises the following steps:
- receiving a predetermined number of products in series from the supply device on the first buffer conveyor,
- then discharging said number of products received on the first buffer conveyor in series to a downstream empty buffer conveyor,
- following that, discharging said number of products in series to a next downstream empty buffer conveyor until said number of products have arrived on the last buffer conveyor, and
- subsequently discharging said number of products in series from the last buffer conveyor to the discharge device.
A method for buffering products by means of an apparatus which comprises at least three buffer conveyors arranged in series, which can be driven independently of each other, a first buffer conveyor which is connected to a supply device for supplying products and a last buffer conveyor which is connected to a discharge device for discharging the products, wherein each of the products follows the same conveying path via the buffer conveyors, which conveying path is in part spiral-shaped.
A method for transporting and buffering products by means of an apparatus comprising at least one supply device, a front buffer conveyor, a rear buffer conveyor arranged downstream of said front buffer conveyor, and a discharge device, wherein products are at least substantially continuously transported from the supply device to the front buffer conveyor and from the front buffer conveyor to the rear buffer conveyor, so that a series of products is buffered by the front and/or the rear buffer conveyor, wherein said series of products is at least substantially continuously transported from the rear buffer conveyor to the discharge device within a predetermined period of time, wherein the conveying velocity at the discharge device is higher than the conveying velocity at the supply device, whilst the supply of products from the supply device to the front buffer means continues uninterruptedly while the series of products are being discharged to the discharge device.
An apparatus for transporting and buffering products, comprising at least one supply device, a front buffer conveyor, a rear buffer conveyor arranged downstream of said front buffer conveyor, and a discharge device, wherein the apparatus is so arranged that, in use, the products are at least substantially continuously transported from the supply device to the front buffer conveyor and from the front buffer conveyor to the rear buffer conveyor, so that a series of products is buffered by the front buffer conveyor and/or the rear buffer conveyor, wherein said series of products is at least substantially continuously transported from the rear buffer conveyor to the discharge device within a predetermined period of time, wherein the conveying velocity at the discharge device is higher than the conveying velocity at the supply device, whilst the supply of products from the supply device to the front buffer conveyor continues uninterruptedly during the discharge of the series of products to the discharge device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.