Conveyor control system employing zone control module

A conveyor control system for use in a conveyor system having spaced rail members supporting a plurality of article driving members therebetween, said driving members defining at least first and second adjacent zones each having a respective said driving member, and first and second pneumatic actuator devices respectively associated with said first and second zones for effecting driving of the respective driving member, comprising:

• a sensor for sensing the absence of an article in said second zone;
• a manifold unit for receiving and transmitting therethrough pressurized air from an air pressure source, said manifold unit being directly mounted to an outer side of one said rail member of said conveyor system;
• a valve unit including a shiftable valve and a solenoid actuator to shift said valve into a position to allow passage of pressurized air from the manifold unit through the valve to activate said first pneumatic actuator device, said valve unit being detachably mounted directly to said manifold unit;
• an electrical control unit for receiving a signal from said sensor and for energizing said solenoid actuator of said valve unit to shift said valve in response to said sensor sensing the absence of an article in the second zone, said electrical control unit being detachably mounted directly to said manifold unit;
• and
• said conveyor control system providing access and removal capability of said valve unit and said electrical control unit without removing said manifold unit from said rail member.

A conveyor control system for use in a conveyor having a plurality of drive rollers divided into a plurality of adjacent zones each having a pressure fluid controlled actuator for the respective drive rollers, and a sensor for each of the zones for sensing the absence of a load in the respective zone, said conveyor control system comprising:

• a power supply;
• a group of zone control modules electrically connected in series relationship to each other and said power supply, each said zone control module corresponding to a respective said zone and including a movable valve which is actuated in response to a sensed condition in an adjacent downstream zone such that drive rollers are actuated in the zone immediately upstream from the adjacent downstream zone;
• electrical connectors connecting said control modules to each other in series;
• and
• a slug module electrically connected in series to said zone control modules and said power supply, said slug module upon receiving a slug activating signal causing overriding of the sensed condition for each of said zone control modules of said group and actuating the valves of the group of control modules to causing driving of said rollers in each of the corresponding zones.