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US 9,511,953 B1Granted
Singulators with ports for diverting items
AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.
InventorsHarald Mueller, Louis George Smarzinski, Glenn Turnbull, Jason Dean Grace, Jeffery Lynn Brazeal, Michael Jay Mills
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are various embodiments for a singulator that has a port for diverting items. An item is received on at least one conveyor segment of a singulator. The item is transported using the at least one conveyor segment to a side wall of the singulator. The item is transported using the at least one conveyor segment through a port in the side wall of the singulator.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- a singulator that comprises:
- a side wall having a slot that forms an opening in the side wall, the slot having a horizontal length that is greater than a vertical height associated with the slot;
- a guard that covers a portion of the slot in the side wall and restricts access to the singulator through the slot;
- and
- at least one conveyor segment configured to:
- transport a first packaged product along at least a portion of the at least one conveyor segment using a plurality of driven rollers having a plurality of axes that are skewed relative to the side wall;
- transport the first packaged product along the side wall past the slot to an end of the at least one conveyor segment;
- transport a second packaged product along at least a portion of the at least one conveyor segment using the plurality of driven rollers;
- and
- transport the second packaged product through the slot in the side wall.
7 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a singulator that comprises:
- a side wall having a slot that forms an opening in the side wall, the slot having a horizontal length that is greater than a vertical height associated with the slot;
- a guard that covers a portion of the slot in the side wall and restricts access to the singulator through the slot;
- and
- at least one conveyor segment configured to:
- receive a first packaged product;
- transport the first packaged product to be positioned against the side wall by at least forcing the first packaged product along at least a portion of the at least one conveyor segment using a plurality of driven rollers having a plurality of axes that are skewed relative to the side wall;
- transport the first packaged product along the side wall past the slot to an end of the at least one conveyor segment;
- receive a second packaged product;
- transport the second packaged product to be positioned against the side wall by at least forcing the second packaged product along the at least a portion of the at least one conveyor segment using the plurality of driven rollers;
- transport the second packaged product along the side wall to the slot;
- and
- transport the second packaged product through the slot part instead of to the end of the at least one conveyor segment;
- and
- a container positioned proximate to the side wall and adjacent to the slot, the container being configured to receive the second packaged product after the second packaged product is transported through the slot in the side wall.
12 more elements
A method, comprising:
- receiving a first packaged product on at least one conveyor segment of a singulator;
- transporting the first packaged product to a side wall of the singulator by at least forcing the first packaged product along at least a portion of the at least one conveyor segment using a plurality of driven rollers having a plurality of axes that are skewed relative to the side wall;
- transporting, using the at least one conveyor segment, the first packaged product through a slot that forms an opening in the side wall, the slot having a horizontal length that is greater than a vertical height associated with the slot, the slot having a guard that covers a portion of the slot in the side wall and restricts access to the singulator through the slot;
- receiving a second packaged product on the at least one conveyor segment of the singulator;
- transporting the second packaged product to the side wall of the singulator by at least forcing the second packaged product along the at least a portion of the at least one conveyor segment using the plurality of driven rollers having the plurality of axes that are skewed relative to the side wall;
- transporting, using the at least one conveyor segment, the second packaged product along the side wall;
- and
- transporting, using the at least one conveyor segment, the second packaged product past the slot to an end of the at least one conveyor segment.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.