# US 8,770,389 B2 · Vibrator

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- Number: US 8,770,389 B2
- Document ID: US8770389B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/566,855
- Filed: 2012-08-03
- Published: 2013-02-14
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2011-08-12
- Assignees: TNA Australia Pty Limited
- Applicants: Phillip Millard; Tim Moulsdale
- Inventors: Phillip Millard; Tim Moulsdale
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770389B2

## CPC

- B65G 27/28: with provision for dynamic balancing
- B65G 27/18: Mechanical devices {(B65G27/26 takes precedence)}
- B65G 27/24: Electromagnetic devices
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)

## Abstract

A vibrator (16) for the tray (10) of a vibratory conveyor (slip conveyor). The conveyor (16) includes bases 19 and 20 supported by resilient mountings (17, 18) on a stationary structure 37. Elongated resilient mountings (17, 18) extend between bases (19, 22), with the tray (10) supported on the base (23).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vibrator configured to be secured to an item to vibrate the item, the vibrator comprising:
a first base configured to be secured to a supporting structure for movement relative thereto along a predetermined first path;
a first mounting secured to the first base and configured to be secured to the structure to provide for said relative movement, and to at least partly support the first base;
a second base configured to be secured to the supporting structure for movement relative thereto along a second path generally parallel to the first path, and further configured to be secured to the item;
a second mounting, the second mounting being secured to the second base and configured to be secured to the supporting structure to provide for the relative movement between the second base and supporting structure, and to at least partly support the second base;
at least one resilient coupling attached to both the first base and the second base, wherein the resilient coupling extends between the first base and the second base, to provide for relative movement between the bases;
a motor operatively associated with the bases to cause the relative movement between the bases; and wherein
the bases, coupling, and motor cooperate to provide two mobile base assemblies that oscillate along a third path that is generally parallel to the first and second paths, and substantially in unison in opposite directions,
wherein a first one of the base assemblies has a first mass and comprises said first base, and
a second one of said base assemblies has a second mass and comprises said second base,
wherein the first mass is greater than the second mass to enable the second base assembly to be secured to the item, so that the second mass and item have a combined mass that is substantially equal to the first mass.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vibrator of claim 1, wherein each path is substantially linear.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The vibrator of claim 1, wherein the at least one resilient coupling is at least two resilient couplings, wherein the resilient couplings are elongated members, wherein the first base is secured to a first end extremity of a first one of the couplings and to a first end extremity of a second one of the couplings, and wherein the second base is secured to a second end extremity of the first one of the couplings and to a second end extremity of the second one of the couplings.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The vibrator of claim 1, wherein the resilient coupling is longitudinally elongated in a direction generally perpendicular to the paths and extends longitudinally between the first base and the second base.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The vibrator of claim 1, wherein the motor is an electromagnetic motor comprising an electro-magnet and an armature.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The vibrator of claim 5, wherein the armature is attached to the first base and the electro-magnet is attached to the second base.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The vibrator of claim 1, wherein the vibrator has a natural frequency, wherein the motor is configured to run at said natural frequency.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The vibrator of claim 1, wherein each path is inclined to the horizontal.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The vibrator of claim 1, wherein each base assembly comprises a center of gravity, wherein the centers move along a third path that is generally parallel to the first and second paths.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The vibrator of claim 1, wherein the at least one resilient coupling comprises a first pair of couplings and a second pair of couplings, the first pair of couplings being spaced in the direction of the paths from the second pair of couplings, with the couplings of each pair of couplings being spaced in a direction transverse of the first path.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The vibrator of claim 1, wherein the first mounting is a first pair of mountings and wherein the second mounting is a second pair of mountings, the first pair of mountings being spaced in the direction of the first path from the second pair of mountings.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The vibrator of claim 1, wherein the first base assembly further comprises a weight that has a weight mass, wherein the weight is modular and interchangeable, such that the weight can be selected and replaced so that the weight mass is a desired weight mass.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

In combination, the vibrator of claim 1, and said item, wherein said item is a tray of a conveyor, wherein the tray comprises a bottom wall comprising a bottom surface, wherein the vibrator is attached to the bottom surface.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

In combination, the vibrator of claim 1, and said item, wherein said item is a tray for a conveyor, and wherein said tray has a tray mass, wherein the combined mass is the second mass plus the tray mass.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The combination of claim 13, further comprising the conveyor, wherein the conveyor comprises said tray.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The combination of claim 14, further comprising the conveyor, wherein the conveyor comprises said tray.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The vibrator of claim 1, wherein the at least one resilient coupling is a plurality of resilient couplings, wherein the resilient couplings are elongated members, wherein the first base is secured to a first end extremity of a first one of the couplings and to a first end extremity of a second one of the couplings, and wherein the second base is secured to a second end extremity of the first one of the couplings and to a second end extremity of the second one of the couplings, and wherein each of the resilient couplings is longitudinally elongated in a direction generally perpendicular to the paths.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The vibrator of claim 17, wherein the motor is an electromagnetic motor comprising an electro-magnet and an armature, wherein the armature is attached to the first base and the electro-magnet is attached to the second base.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The vibrator of claim 18, wherein the vibrator has a natural frequency, wherein the motor is configured to run at said natural frequency.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The vibrator of claim 19, wherein each path is inclined to the horizontal.

### Claim 21 (depends on 4)

The vibrator of claim 4, wherein the at least one resilient coupling is a plurality of resilient couplings, wherein each of the resilient couplings is longitudinally elongated so as to extend longitudinally between the first base and the second base, wherein each of the couplings extends in the direction generally perpendicular to said paths, and wherein the first base assembly further comprises a weight whose mass is selected depending on the mass of the item.

### Claim 22

A vibrator configured to be secured to an item to vibrate the item relative to a structure, wherein the item has an item mass mitem, the vibrator comprising:
a first base assembly, comprising a first base, wherein the first base assembly has a first base assembly mass m1;
a first mounting secured to the first base and configured to be secured to the structure to provide for movement of the first base relative to the structure along a first path;
a second base assembly, comprising a second base configured to be secured to the item, wherein the second base assembly has a second base assembly mass m2;
a second mounting secured to the second base and configured to be secured to the structure to provide for movement of the second base relative to the structure along a second path, wherein the second path is generally parallel to the first path;
a resilient coupling, attached to at least one of the first base and the second base, to provide for relative movement between the bases; and
a motor operatively associated with the bases to cause the relative movement between the bases;
wherein m1≈mitem+m2.