Method of controlling an accumulation conveyor
AssigneeSICK Product & Competence Center Americas, LLC
InventorsROBERT BECHTEL, MATTHEW FUSSY
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of controlling an accumulation conveyor is provided. For each of a plurality of zones of the accumulation conveyor, the presence of an object is detected with a sensor associated with the zone. A long object mode is entered when the object is detected by the sensor in the zone and by the sensor in the upstream adjacent zone. When in the long object mode, instead of outputting a signal representative of whether the sensor is blocked or clear, a signal is output representing the drive state of the drive unit associated with the zone. In the long object mode, the drive unit of the upstream adjacent one of the zones receives the signal and matches the drive state.
Claims10
A method of controlling an accumulation conveyor, comprising:
- for each of a plurality of zones of the accumulation conveyor:
- detecting a presence of an object with a sensor associated with the zone;
- entering a long object mode when the object is detected by the sensor in the zone and by the sensor in an upstream adjacent one of the zones;
- in the long object mode, outputting a signal representing a drive state of a drive unit associated with the zone;
- and
- in the long object mode, the drive unit of the upstream adjacent one of the zones matching the drive state.
An accumulation conveyor, comprising:
- a plurality of zones, wherein each zone has a drive unit and a sensor associated therewith;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- detect a presence of an object with the sensor associated with each of the zones;
- enter a long object mode when the object is detected by the sensor in one of the zones and by the sensor in an upstream adjacent one of the zones;
- in the long object mode, output a signal representing a drive state of a drive unit associated with the one of the zones;
- and
- in the long object mode, cause the drive unit of the upstream adjacent one of the zones to match the drive state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.