Vision based article typing and sorting system

A typing and article sorting system, comprising:

• an off-loading collector conveyor having an independent drive motor in flow communication with a transport loaded with parcels;
• a transition zone selected on said off-loading collector conveyor;
• at least two spaced apart overhead cameras having a field of view of said transition zone one on each side of said transition zone;
• at least one single beam photoelectric eye positioned over said collector conveyor below said overhead cameras in the direction of flow of said of said collector conveyor;
• a computer for controlling said collector conveyor speed and movement based upon signals received from said cameras identifying gaps between said packages on said collector conveyor of sufficient space for insertion of an additional package from said collector conveyor.
• b) a slide sorter conveyor speed control apparatus in flow communication with said vision based bulk package conveyor flow management system, comprising:
• said collector conveyor conveying a first article of a selected size, shape, irregular base, marking, or other characteristic and a second article of a selected different size, shape of characteristic in flow communication with a pop-up conveyor along a longitudinal axis;
• said pop-up conveyor disposed between and in flow communication with said collector conveyor for passing through said first article, said pop-up conveyor diverting and conveying said second article in a direction away from said longitudinal axis;
• said pop-up conveyor comprising:
• i) a frame including pass-through conveyor comprising a plurality of spaced apart parallel conveyor rollers disposed normal to and at about the same height as said collector conveyor for receiving and conveying and passing through said first article from said collector conveyor including a motor and drive means for rotating said conveyor rollers;
• ii) at least one pop-up belt disposed between said spaced apart conveyor rollers, said at least one pop-up belt spaced apart from and in parallel alignment with said conveyor rollers including a motor and drive means for rotating said at least one pop-up belt;
• iii) said at least one pop-up belt resting a selected distance below said conveyor rollers in an inactive position during conveying said first articles from said collector conveyor passing over and through said conveyor rollers of said pop-up conveyor along said longitudinal axis;
• iv) said pop-up conveyor including cam means for raising said at least one pop-up belt a selected distance above said conveyor rollers conveying and diverting said second articles from longitudinal axis;
• said computer in electrical communication with said variable speed control means and said pop-up conveyor motor and at least said collector conveyor for controlling actuation of said at least one pop-up belt of said pop-up conveyor in response to data transmitted from said at least one single beam photoelectric eye allowing said first article to pass over said conveyor rollers and through said pop-up conveyor along said longitudinal axis and activating said cam means raising said at least one pop-up belt diverting said second article away from said longitudinal axis.

A typing and article sorting system, comprising:

• an off-loading collector feed conveyor having an independent drive motor in flow communication with a transport loaded with articles;
• a transition zone selected on said off-loading collector feed conveyor;
• at least one camera having a field of view of said transition zone;
• controller means for maintaining an off-loading collector feed conveyor speed to achieve a desired conveyor area utilization on a down stream receiving conveyor according to the formula V2=V1×2×(DO %)/(RCO %+FCO %) where V is velocity (conveyor speed), DO is Desired Occupancy, RCO is Receiving Conveyor Occupancy, and FCO is Feeding Conveyor Occupancy wherein occupancy comprises conveyor area, conveyor volume, or conveyor density);
• a conveyor speed control system, comprising a first conveyor positioned to carry articles in the direction of a longitudinal axis of said conveyor, a second conveyor positioned across said longitudinal axis of said first conveyor including means operative to move said second conveyor between a home position in which said pass-through element receives said articles from said second conveyor and transfers them along the direction of said longitudinal axis, and a diverting position in which said second conveyor receives said articles from said first conveyor and transfers them away from the direction of said longitudinal axis, a multiplexed light screen to detect the full length of said articles, a photocell over a first conveyor surface to detect portions of said articles that can be engaged by said second conveyor, and a computer control means for controlling actuation of said second conveyor in response to data transmitted from said multiplexed light screen and said photocell;
• wherein said articles can be diverted upon decreasing the speed of the first conveyor prior to diverting said articles with said second conveyor and said articles are moving forward as said second conveyor is actuated, and the speed of the first conveyor is reduced prior to the transfer of said articles to said second conveyor as a function of the length of the item or the length of the first portion of the item falling within close proximity to a selected surface of said first conveyor that is close enough that the second conveyor can be expected to engage and impart a transverse force to discharge said articles.