Positive displacement shoe and slat sorter apparatus and method
AssigneeRapistan Systems Advertising Corp.
InventorsFrank W. Veit, David W. Zeitler, Rhonda J. Verploegen, Andrew R. Black, Charles W. Bozarth, Clyde Miin-Arng Ko
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A positive displacement sorter apparatus and method includes providing a plurality of slats being interconnected in an endless web, an upper run of the web defining a conveying surface, and a plurality of pusher shoes gliding along at least some of the slats to laterally displace articles on the conveying surface. A linear motor system is provided to propel the web and includes a plurality of linear motor secondaries at the slats and at least one primary for propelling the secondaries. A control system controls the primaries.
Claims60
A positive displacement sorter apparatus comprising a plurality of interconnected slats defining an endless web, said web having upper and lower runs and transition portions between said upper and lower runs, said upper run of said web defining a conveying surface, a plurality of pusher shoes each gliding along at least one of said plurality of slats to laterally displace articles on said conveying surface, wherein each of said slats has an outer surface including upper, lower, front and rear surface portions and wherein one of said front and rear surface portions is a generally concave surface and the other of said front and rear surface portions is a generally convex surface, wherein generally constant-width gaps are maintained between said front and rear surface portions of adjacent ones of said slats as said slats move throughout said endless web including through said transition portions.
A positive displacement sorter apparatus comprising a plurality of interconnected slats defining an endless web, an upper run of said web defining a conveying surface, a plurality of pusher shoes each gliding along at least one of said plurality of slats to laterally displace articles on said conveying surface, wherein each of said slats has an outer surface including upper, lower, front and rear surface portions and wherein one of said front and rear surface portions is a generally concave surface and the other of said front and rear surface portions is a generally convex surface, wherein adjacent ones of said slats have cooperatively faced portions that maintain generally constant gaps between adjacent ones of said slats as said slats move throughout said endless web;
- wherein one of said generally concave and generally convex surface portions has a first enclosing radius of curvature and wherein said other of said generally concave and generally convex surface portions has a second enclosing radius of curvature, wherein said first and second enclosing radii have a common locus;
- and
- a wheel assembly for supporting the web, said wheel assembly having a slat-support wheel at a locus of one of said first and second radii.
A positive displacement sorter apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of interconnected slats defining an endless web having upper and lower runs and transition portions between said upper and lower runs, said upper run of said web defining a conveying surface;
- a plurality of pusher shoes each gliding along at least one of said plurality of slats to laterally displace articles on said conveying surface;
- a linear motor propulsion system for propelling said web, said linear motor propulsion system comprising at least one motor primary and a plurality of motor secondaries at said slats, said at least one motor primary and said plurality of motor secondaries interact with each other to propel said web;
- said at least one motor primary being between said upper and lower runs;
- and
- said at least one motor primary being at a laterally central region of said web.
A positive displacement sorter apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of interconnected slats defining an endless web having upper and lower runs and transition portions between said upper and lower runs, said upper run of said web defining a conveying surface;
- a plurality of pusher shoes each gliding along at least one of said plurality of slats to laterally displace articles on said conveying surface;
- a linear motor propulsion system for propelling said web, said linear motor propulsion system comprising at least one motor primary and a plurality of motor secondaries at said slats;
- and
- said at least one motor primary being between said upper and lower runs:
- wherein said motor secondaries include magnet plates fixed within the associated slats.
A positive displacement sorter apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of interconnected slats defining an endless web having upper and lower runs and transition portions between said upper and lower runs, said upper run of said web defining a conveying surface;
- a plurality of pusher shoes each gliding along at least one of said plurality of slats to laterally displace articles on said conveying surface;
- a linear motor propulsion system for propelling said web, said linear motor propulsion system comprising at least one motor primary and a plurality of motor secondaries at said slats;
- and
- said at least one motor primary being between said upper and lower runs:
- wherein said at least one motor primary is adapted to propel slats in said lower run from above.
A positive displacement sorter apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of interconnected slats defining an endless web having upper and lower runs and transition portions between said upper and lower runs, said upper run of said web defining a conveying surface;
- a plurality of pusher shoes each gliding along at least one of said plurality of slats to laterally displace articles on said conveying surface;
- a linear motor propulsion system for propelling said web, said linear motor propulsion system comprising at least one motor primary and a plurality of motor secondaries at said slats;
- and
- said at least one motor primary being between said upper and lower runs:
- wherein said at least one motor primary is elongated in a particular direction and including a cooling system for said at least one motor primary flowing cooling air generally perpendicular said particular direction.
A positive displacement sorter apparatus comprising a plurality of interconnected slats defining an endless web, an upper run of said web defining a conveying surface, a plurality of pusher shoes each gliding along at least one of said plurality of slats to laterally displace articles on said conveying surface, wherein each of said slats has an outer surface including upper, lower, front and rear surface portions and wherein one of said front and rear surface portions is a generally concave surface and the other of said front and rear surface portions is a generally convex surface, wherein adjacent ones of said slats have cooperatively faced portions that maintain generally constant gaps between adjacent ones of said slats as said slats move throughout said endless web;
- a support track network;
- a wheel assembly moveably supporting said endless web for movement on said support track network;
- and
- said wheel assembly comprising at least one wheel supporting each slat and couplers for coupling adjacent ones of said slats, wherein a relationship between said at least one wheel and said surface configuration substantially avoids portions of said surface from extending above said conveying surface while said slats are moving between said upper portion and said transition portions.
A positive displacement sorter apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of interconnected slats defining an endless web having upper and lower runs and transition portions between said upper and lower runs, said upper run of said web defining a conveying surface;
- a plurality of pusher shoes each gliding along at least one of said plurality of slats to laterally displace articles on said conveying surface;
- a linear motor propulsion system for propelling said web, said linear motor propulsion system comprising at least one motor primary and a plurality of motor secondaries at said slats;
- said at least one motor primary being between said upper and lower runs;
- a magnetic interface between said at least one motor primary and one said motor secondaries passing said at least one motor primary;
- and
- a lateral stabilizer between each of said pusher shoes and the corresponding one of said slats.
A positive displacement sorter apparatus comprising a plurality of interconnected slats defining an endless web, an upper run of said web defining a conveying surface, a plurality of pusher shoes each gliding along at least one of said plurality of slats to laterally displace articles on said conveying surface, wherein each of said slats has an outer surface including upper, lower, front and rear surface portions and wherein one of said front and rear surface portions is a generally concave surface and the other of said front and rear surface portions is a generally convex surface, wherein adjacent ones of said slats have cooperatively faced portions that maintain generally constant gaps between adjacent ones of said slats as said slats move throughout said endless web;
- a wheel assembly having at least one wheel supporting each slat for movement on said support track network;
- said wheels are rotating about an axis projecting laterally to an interior of the associated slat;
- and
- wherein said wheel assembly comprises a plate assembly coupling adjacent slats.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.