Lane divider insert sleeve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11084667-B2
Application number	US-201916707376-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2019
Priority date	Dec 9, 2019
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

A lane divider system includes a guide rail and a bracket for connecting the guide rail to a flow bed. The guide rail can be tubular, with a proximal end of a bracket inserted into each end of the tube. A flexible, compressible sleeve can be installed at each end of the tube where the proximal end of the bracket, are inserted into the tube. The tube and bracket being inserted should be closely dimensioned to fit securely. By providing a compliant sleeve, the security of the connection with the tube can be enhanced.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A container flow bed, defining a longitudinal flow direction from a proximal loading end to a distal unloading end, comprising:
a flow bed frame having a first frame edge at a first proximal end of the flow bed and a second frame edge at a distal second end of the flow bed, with a flow section therebetween, the flow section adapted to promote the low friction movement of objects between the first frame edge and the second frame edge in a flow direction;
a proximal end of a first lane divider bracket engaged with the first frame edge and a distal end of the first lane divider bracket extending towards the second frame edge;
a first end of a tubular guide rail having an open center portion disposed over the distal end of the first lane divider bracket, the guide rail extending in the flow direction and providing a continuous barrier from the first end to the second end of the flow section, the guide rail adapted to help prevent objects traveling on the flow section from diverging from the flow direction;
a first retention sleeve formed of compressible material over the first end of the guide rail, the first retention sleeve having an outer wall against an outside surface of the guide rail, an inner wall against an inside surface of the guide rail, and a connecting edge from the outer wall to the inner wall, over a first end edge of the guide rail, the distal end of the first lane divider bracket nested within the inner wall of the first retention sleeve, the inner wall of the first retention sleeve in a state of compression between the distal end of the first lane divider bracket and the first end of the guide rail.

2. The container flow bed of claim 1 , comprising a second lane divider bracket releasably engaged with the second frame edge at a distal end of the second lane divider bracket with a proximal end of the second lane divider bracket extending towards the first frame edge;
a second end of the tubular guide rail having an open center portion disposed over the proximal end of the second lane divider bracket;
and a second retention sleeve over the second end of the guide rail, the second retention sleeve having an outer wall against the outside surface of the guide rail, an inner wall against the inside surface of the guide rail, and a connecting edge from the outer wall to the inner wall and, over a second end edge of the guide rail, the proximal end of the second lane divider bracket tightly nested within and compressing the inner wall of the second retention sleeve against the inside surface of the second end of the guide rail.

3. The container flow bed of claim 2 , wherein the first and the second lane divider brackets have a square cross section with four corners, the guide rail and the first and the second retention sleeves have a circular cross section, and the first and second lane divider brackets are in contact with the first and second retention sleeves at the four corners.

4. The container flow bed of claim 2 , wherein the first lane divider bracket has a square cross section and the guide rail and the first retention sleeves have a circular cross section, the first retention sleeve is elastically compressable and is partially compressed by the distal end of the first lane divider bracket.

5. The container flow bed of claim 1 , wherein the first lane divider bracket is solid.

6. The container flow bed of claim 1 , wherein the first retention sleeve is formed of elastic material and partially compressed by the distal end of the first lane divider bracket.

7. The container flow bed of claim 1 , wherein the first lane divider bracket is solid, formed from steel and has an outer dimension of at least about ¼ inch and the guide rail has an inner diameter of at least about ¼ inch.

8. The container flow bed of claim 1 , wherein the first lane divider bracket is solid, formed from steel and has an outer dimension of at least about ⅜ inch and the guide rail has an inner diameter of at least about ⅜ inch.

9. The container flow bed of claim 1 , wherein the first lane divider bracket is engaged with the first frame edge through a first frame end opening in the first frame edge and the first lane divider bracket and the first frame end opening through which it is engaged are adapted to prevent rotation between the first lane divider bracket and the first frame end and the first lane divider bracket and the guide rail are adapted to resist wobble and slippage therebetween.

10. The container flow bed of claim 9 , and comprising a lower frame end opening vertically aligned under the first frame end opening and the first lane divider bracket extends through the first frame end opening and the lower frame end opening, and a retention pin extends through the portion of the first lane divider bracket extending through the lower frame end opening.

11. The container flow bed of claim 1 , wherein the first lane divider bracket is solid steel and has a square cross section of about 0.5 inches in width, with the four corners of the distal end of the first lane divider bracket pressing against and compressing the inner wall of the first retention sleeve.

12. A lane divider system extending from a first proximal end to a second distal end, comprising
a first lane divider bracket adapted to securely fit in a first end of a container flow bed at a proximal end thereof;
a distal end of the lane divider bracket inserted into a first proximal end of a tubular guide rail;
a first retention sleeve over the first end of the guide rail, the first retention sleeve having an outer wall against an outside surface of the guide rail, an inner wall against an inside surface of the guide rail, and a connecting edge from the outer wall to the inner wall and over a first end edge of the guide rail, the distal end of the first lane divider bracket nested within and compressing the inner wall of the first retention sleeve.

13. The lane divider system of claim 12 , comprising
a second lane divider bracket adapted to releasably engage with a second distal end of the container flow bed at a distal end thereof;
a second distal end of the tubular guide rail having an open center disposed over the proximal end of the second lane divider bracket; and
a second retention sleeve over the second end of the guide rail, the second retention sleeve having an outer wall against the outside surface of the guide rail, an inner wall against the inside surface of the guide rail, and a connecting edge from the outer wall to the inner wall, over a second end edge of the guide rail, the proximal end of the second lane divider bracket tightly nested within and against the inner wall of the second retention sleeve.

14. The lane divider system of claim 13 , wherein the first and the second lane divider brackets have a square cross section and the guide rail and the first and the second retention sleeves have a circular cross section.

15. The lane divider system of claim 12 , wherein the first lane divider bracket is solid with a square cross section and four corners, with the four corners compressing the inner wall of the first retention sleeve.

16. The lane divider system of claim 12 , wherein the first retention sleeve is flexible and partially compressed by the proximal end of the first lane divider bracket.

17. The lane divider system of claim 12 , wherein the first lane divider bracket has a square cross section with four corners and the guide rail and the first retention sleeves have a circular cross section, the first retention sleeve is elastically compressible and is partially compressed by the four c

Assignees

• Frazier Ind Co

Inventors

• Iellimo Domenick

Classifications

• B65G13/12

  adjustable · CPC title

• B65G1/023 Primary

  Arrangements of article supporting rollers on racks · CPC title

• B65G47/71 Primary

  the articles being discharged {or distributed} to several {distinct separate} conveyors {or to a broader conveyor lane} · CPC title