Segmented tilt tray sorter

A method for sorting and conveying using a sorter conveyor system, which system includes a conveyor loop including a rail, at least one conveyor segment, which segment comprises a series of cart units each having wheel structures mounted for rolling movement along the rail, wherein a first and last cart in each segment are adjacent to only one other cart in that segment, each cart having a tray for carrying one or more items thereon, a selectively actuable mechanism for tilting the tray laterally in at least one direction to unload an item from the tray to an unloading station adjacent the conveyor loop, and a coupling mechanism for joining each cart unit in each series in a head to tail relationship, and wherein one or more drive elements are connected to one or more of the cart units and configured to permit the conveyor segment to be driven by a linear drive, and a drive system including a plurality of linear induction drive units disposed at spaced positions along the conveyor loop for driving each of the drive elements of the cart units in each segment, which method comprises the steps of:

• moving the conveyor segment past a loading station;
• loading items onto the trays of one or more of the carts as the carts pass the loading station;
• actuating the linear drive system to move the segment of carts past a row of unloading stations;
• and
• unloading items from the cart trays to the unloading stations in accordance with a sorting scheme.

A tilt tray conveyor sorter conveyor system comprising:

• a conveyor loop including a rail;
• a plurality of conveyor segments, each segment including a series of connected cart units each having wheel structures mounted for rolling movement along the rail, the first and last cart unit in each segment being adjacent only to one cart unit in that segment, at least one of the carts units having a tray for carrying one or more items thereon and a selectively actuable mechanism which tilts the tray to unload an item from the tray to an any of a plurality of unloading stations adjacent to the conveyor loop;
• drive elements connected to a plurality of the cart units, the drive elements permitting the conveyor segment to be driven with a linear drive;
• and
• a plurality of linear induction drive units disposed at spaced positions along the conveyor loop for driving each of the drive elements of the cart units in each segment, the linear induction drive units being spaced at intervals not less than the length of the shortest conveyor segment such that each conveyor segment is always adjacent a induction drive unit, each conveyor segment being controlled for travel along the rail independent of each other segment.