# US 2023/0264902 A1 · Conveyor sensor

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- Number: US 2023/0264902 A1
- Document ID: US20230264902A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/141,135
- Filed: 2023-04-28
- Published: 2023-08-24
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-21
- Assignees: Banner Engineering Corp.
- Applicants: Banner Engineering Corp.
- Inventors: Dennis R. Luer; Richard C. Bragg
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230264902A1

## CPC

- B65G 43/08: Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed or discharged {(and controlling the discharging devices B65G47/42)}
- G01S 7/521: Constructional features
- B65G 13/00: Roller-ways (storage devices comprising roller-ways B65G1/02; endless-chain conveyors comprising load-supporting rollers B65G17/00; rollers or arrangements thereof B65G39/00)
- B65G 15/64: for automatically maintaining the position of the belts
- B65G 39/16: for aligning belts or chains
- B65G 43/02: detecting dangerous physical condition of load carriers, e.g. for interrupting the drive in the event of overheating
- G01S 15/04: Systems determining presence of a target
- G01S 15/88: Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications (seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00)
- G01V 8/20: using multiple transmitters or receivers
- B65G 13/11: Roller frames
- B65G 43/00: Control devices, e.g. for safety, warning or fault-correcting
- B65G 2203/0233: Position of the article
- B65G 2203/025: Speed of the article
- B65G 2203/042: Sensors
- B65G 2203/044: Optical
- B65G 2812/02168: Belts provided with guiding means, e.g. rollers
- G01S 7/4813: {Housing arrangements}
- G01S 15/87: Combinations of sonar systems
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02)

## Abstract

Some embodiments of the technology disclosed herein relate to a sensor device. An elongate sleeve has a first end and a second end and extends along a longitudinal axis. A plurality of sensors are fixed relative to the sleeve. A first endcap is coupled to the first end, where the first endcap has an endcap body. A first axle is coupled to the endcap body, where the first axle extends along the longitudinal axis and the first axle defines a retaining feature. An intermediate component is coupled to the first axle, and the intermediate component is selectively rotatable about the longitudinal axis. The sensor device has an orientation locking structure that is configured to be engaged to selectively fix the orientation of the intermediate component about the longitudinal axis relative to the endcap body.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sensor device comprising:
an elongate sleeve extending along a longitudinal axis, wherein the elongate sleeve has a first end and a second end;
a plurality of sensors fixed relative to the sleeve;
a first endcap coupled to the first end, the first endcap comprising an endcap body;
a first axle coupled to the endcap body, wherein the first axle extends along the longitudinal axis, and the first axle defines a retaining feature;
an intermediate component coupled to the first axle, wherein the intermediate component is selectively rotatable about the longitudinal axis; and
an orientation locking structure configured to be engaged to selectively fix the orientation of the intermediate component about the longitudinal axis relative to the endcap body.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sensor device of claim 1, wherein the intermediate component is linearly translatable relative to the endcap body along the first axle, and wherein the intermediate component is freely rotatable about the longitudinal axis when the intermediate component is in a first linear position relative to the endcap body, and the intermediate component has a fixed orientation about the longitudinal axis when the intermediate component is in a second linear position relative to the endcap body.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The sensor device of claim 1, the endcap body further comprising the first axle, wherein the intermediate component is rotatably disposed about the first axle between the endcap body and the retaining feature, and the intermediate component is linearly translatable between the endcap body and the retaining feature.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The sensor device of claim 1, the intermediate component comprising the first axle, wherein the endcap body is rotatably disposed about the first axle between the intermediate component and the retaining feature, and the endcap body is linearly translatable between the intermediate component and the retaining feature.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The sensor device of claim 1, wherein the retaining feature extends radially outward from a distal end of the first axle.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The sensor device of claim 2, wherein the intermediate component and the first endcap mutually define the orientation locking structure that selectively engages when the intermediate component is in the second linear position.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The sensor device of claim 2, wherein the orientation locking structure selectively engages in a plurality of fixed orientations about the first axle when the intermediate component is in the second linear position relative to the endcap body.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The sensor device of claim 1, wherein the orientation locking structure comprises:
a first protrusion extending outward from the endcap body; and
a series of protrusion receptacles defined by the intermediate component, wherein the first protrusion has a radial position relative to the longitudinal axis, and each of the protrusion receptacles in the series of protrusion receptacles are in circumferential alignment with the first protrusion to selectively receive the first protrusion.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The sensor device of claim 8, wherein the first protrusion extends longitudinally outward from a distal end of the endcap body.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The sensor device of claim 8, wherein the series of protrusion receptacles are defined by an inner region of the intermediate component.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The sensor device of claim 1, wherein the orientation locking structure comprises:
a first protrusion extending outward from the intermediate component; and
a series of protrusion receptacles defined by the endcap body, wherein the first protrusion has a radial position relative to the longitudinal axis, and each of the protrusion receptacles in the series of protrusion receptacles are each in circumferential alignment with the first protrusion to selectively receive the first protrusion.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The sensor device of claim 11, wherein the first protrusion extends longitudinally inward from a proximal end of the intermediate component.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The sensor device of claim 11, wherein the series of protrusion receptacles are defined by an inner region of the endcap body.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The sensor device of claim 1, wherein the orientation locking structure comprises: a first protrusion; a first protrusion receptacle defined by the intermediate component; and a second protrusion receptacle defined by the endcap body, wherein the first protrusion receptacle and the second protrusion receptacle are configured to mutually receive the first protrusion.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The sensor device of claim 14, wherein the intermediate component defines a series of protrusion receptacles in circumferential alignment with the first protrusion receptacle.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The sensor device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of sensors are linearly aligned relative to each other.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The sensor device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of sensors are linearly aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The sensor device of claim 1, further comprising a second endcap coupled to the second end of the sleeve, wherein the second endcap has a rail coupler that is freely rotatable relative to the sleeve.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The sensor device of claim 18, wherein the rail coupler defines a polygonal protrusion and a circular protrusion, each extending longitudinally outward from a distal end of the second endcap.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The sensor device of claim 19, wherein the polygonal protrusion is hexagonal.

### Claim 21 (depends on 18)

The sensor device of claim 18, wherein the second endcap further comprises:
a rod translatably disposed in the sleeve; and
a spring compressibly disposed between the rod and the sleeve, wherein the rail coupler is rotatably coupled to the rod about a second axle.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The sensor device of claim 21, wherein the second axle defines a retaining feature configured to retain the rail coupler thereon.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The sensor device of claim 1, wherein the intermediate component defines a polygonal protrusion configured to receive a corresponding opening in a conveyor rail.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The sensor device of claim 23 wherein the polygonal protrusion is hexagonal.

### Claim at position 25

25-46. (canceled)