Apparatus for controlling flow in air conveyor systems

Abstract

The present invention is an air conveyor system which has a blower in communication with a plenum. The blower provides air to the plenum to move the objects within the plenum. The present invention includes a plurality of dampers disposed at predetermined locations along the plenum with the dampers being normally open. A sensor device senses the location where the objects have accumulated within the plenum. Furthermore, the present invention includes a closing device for closing the damper which is at the location where the objects have accumulated within the plenum. The closing of the damper is based upon the sensed accumulated location. The system includes a variable speed blower for providing air to move objects within the plenum. The objects are either in an accumulated or unaccumulated state within the plenum. A velocity measuring device measures the velocity of the objects, and an adjustment device which is connected to the velocity measuring device adjusts the speed of the blower to a predetermined speed based upon the velocity of the unaccumulated objects.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.