US 5,862,907 A · Control system and module for an accumulation conveyor

Abstract

An accumulating conveyor is divided into a plurality of accumulating zones from an infeed end to a discharge end. An accumulation module is associated with each accumulating zone and includes a photo electric sensor, a microprocessor, and input/output connections. Each module is coupled to an actuator that controls the driving of the associated accumulating zone, either engagement or disengagement of the driving force to either move or stop the product thereon. The sensor detects the presence or absence of a product within its zone and communicates the same to the microprocessor. The modules may be set in a singulation mode or a slug mode, the mode determining the throughput of the product within the zone depending on the presence or absence of a product on the upstream and downstream accumulating zone. An enable/disable sleep and jam mode is incorporated into the microprocessor decision process to stop the drive force for the particular zone when no product is forthcoming and to try to dislodge any jammed package from a zone and stop the flow of product upstream thereof. Each accumulation module is in communication with the adjacent accumulation modules both upstream and downstream thereof, where possible, via integral plug-ins to aid in determining whether to move or stop the product depending on the selected modes of operation.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An accumulating conveyor including:

(a) a plurality of accumulating zones arranged in end-to-end relationship and defining a conveying path for item flow, said plurality of accumulating zones including an infeed accumulating zone relative to product flow along said conveying path, and a discharge accumulating zone relative to product flow along said conveying path, each said accumulating zone separately engageable and disengageable with a drive force;
(b) an accumulating controller comprising an accumulation module within each accumulating zone, each accumulation module including:
(i) logic circuitry;
(ii) a sensor in communication with said logic circuitry;
(iii) input/output connections in communication with said logic circuitry including a drive/no drive signal output;
(c) wherein said accumulation modules are linked together via said input/output connections such that each accumulation module is in communication with an adjacent downstream accumulation module relative to product flow and an adjacent upstream accumulation module relative to product flow, and, in the case of an infeed accumulation module within said indeed accumulation zone said infeed accumulation module is in communication only with an adjacent downstream accumulation module relative to product flow, and, in the case of a discharge accumulation module within said discharge accumulation module is in communication only with an adjacent upstream accumulation module relative to product flow;
and
(d) wherein said accumulation controller is selectively settable to convey product along the accumulating conveyor either in a singulation mode of operation or in a slug mode of operation.

5 more elements

A sensing module for controlling the application of a drive force to a respective accumulating zone of an accumulation conveyor, the sensing module comprising:

a body;
logic circuitry within said body;
a sensor in said body and coupled to said logic circuitry, said sensor providing an item sensed signal to said logic circuitry when an item is within its respective accumulating zone;
and
control connections in communication with said logic circuitry and including an upstream product detect signal input adapted to receive a product detect signal downstream output from an upstream sensing module relative to product flow, a downstream product detect signal input adapted to receive a product detect signal upstream output from a downstream sensing module relative to product flow, a product detect signal upstream output adapted to transmit a product detect signal to an upstream module, a product detect signal downstream output adapted to transmit a product detect signal to a downstream module, and a drive/no-drive force selection output in communication with the drive force that selectively enables and disables the drive force for the respective accumulating zone;
wherein said logic circuitry is settable in either a singulation mode or a slug mode and evaluates said signals to determine whether to output a drive or no drive force selection signal.

3 more elements

An accumulation controller for controlling the flow of items being conveyed on an accumulating conveyor, the accumulation controller comprising:

a plurality of accumulation modules, one in each accumulating zone, coupled in a daisy-chain manner, each module in communication with its immediately adjacent modules or module in the case of a last module in a last accumulating zone relative to product flow and in the case of a first module in a first accumulating zone, wherein the accumulation controller is selectively settable via one module in a singulation mode or a slug mode.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Control system and module for an accumulation conveyor

Life of this patent

Control system and module for an accumulation conveyor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20