Spiral conveyor apparatus with automatic flow control
AssigneeCarter Control Systems, Inc.
InventorsDonald F. Belz, Duane L. Glass
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spiral conveyor with automatic flow control includes a plurality of curved segments connected to form a spiral for the flow by gravity of articles from an upper level to a lower level. Each of the segments includes freely rotating skate wheels forming a conveying surface and a controlled, powered cylindrical roller. A sensor mounted in each segment senses the presence of an article in the segment. A controller receives the signals from the sensors and activates the associated roller for transport mode to assist articles through the conveyor if the path is clear, or if the downstream portion of the conveyor is blocked, to reverse the roller for accumulate mode to hold articles in the segment until the path is cleared.
Claims21
A conveyor apparatus, comprising:
- a spiral path formed from a plurality of conveyor segments fastened together, including curved conveyor segments;
- a powered roller mounted in each of a plurality of the conveyor segments, each powered roller being individually powered and individually controllable for selected rotation alternatively in a forward travel direction or in a reverse travel direction;
- a sensor in a plurality of the conveyor segments;
- and
- a control unit connected to at least one of the powered rollers and to at least one of the sensors.
A conveyor apparatus, comprising:
- a spiral conveyor frame formed from a plurality of curved segments mounted together on a base;
- a powered roller mounted in each curved segment, each powered roller being individually powered and individually controllable for selected rotation alternatively in a forward travel direction or in a reverse travel direction;
- a plurality of sensors, wherein there is at least one of the plurality of sensors in each of the conveyor segments;
- and
- a control unit connected to one of the driven powered roller devices and to one of the sensors,
- wherein the spiral conveyor frame defines a height change from an entrance segment to an exit segment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.