Package sorting transfer modules and systems and methods therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11235356-B2
Application number	US-201815916248-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 8, 2018
Priority date	Mar 8, 2017
Publication date	Feb 1, 2022
Grant date	Feb 1, 2022

Abstract

A transfer module assembly includes a frame, a conveyor belt with internal rotating elements, where the conveyor belt is supported by the frame, conveyor drive rollers supported by the frame and configured to drive the conveyor belt, a flat transfer belt mounted beneath the conveyor belt and configured to contact undersides of the internal rotating elements of the conveyor belt in operation, and flat transfer belt drive rollers supported by the frame and configured to drive the flat transfer belt. The conveyor drive rollers are friction-based and operate without use of a sprocket, and comprise depressions for receiving the internal rotating elements of the conveyor belt.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A transfer module assembly, comprising:
a frame;
a conveyor belt with internal rotating elements, wherein the conveyer belt is supported by the frame;
conveyor drive rollers supported by the frame and configured to drive the conveyor belt;
a flat transfer belt mounted beneath the conveyor belt and configured to contact undersides of the internal rotating elements of the conveyor belt in operation; and
flat transfer belt drive rollers supported by the frame and configured to drive the flat transfer belt;
wherein the conveyor drive rollers are friction-based and operate without use of a sprocket, and comprise depressions configured to receive protruding lower portions of the internal rotating elements of the conveyor belt;
wherein the protruding lower portions of the internal rotating elements are configured to engage with an inner surface of the depressions to lock rotation of the internal rotating elements.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the depressions comprise grooves spaced to match a spacing of the internal rotating elements of the conveyor belt, a depth and geometry of the grooves being configured to provide multiple contact points between a surface of the conveyor belt and the conveyor drive rollers.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor drive rollers comprise a friction coating, the friction coating comprising a rubberized sleeve or lagging.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor belt and the flat transfer belt are configured to be driven in different directions.

5. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the direction in which the flat transfer belt is configured to be driven is perpendicular to the direction in which the conveyor belt is configured to be driven.

6. The assembly of claim 4 , further comprising tracking features configured to resist deflection of the flat transfer belt.

7. The assembly of claim 6 , wherein the tracking features comprise tracking grooves on the flat transfer belt drive rollers and features on the flat transfer belt that engage with the tracking grooves.

8. The assembly of claim 7 , further comprising a low-friction slider bed support surface below the flat transfer belt, wherein the tracking features comprise tracking grooves incorporated in the slider bed that align with the tracking grooves in the flat transfer belt drive rollers.

9. The assembly of claim 4 , further comprising a control unit configured to control speed and direction of movement of the conveyor belt and flat transfer belt, wherein the control unit is configured to control relative speed and direction of the conveyor belt and flat transfer belt to achieve movement of an object on the conveyor belt in a predetermined direction, wherein the predetermined direction may be any direction along a surface of the conveyor belt.

10. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor drive rollers propel the conveyor belt using friction maintained by a catenary force of a return portion of the conveyor belt hanging underneath and between the conveyor drive rollers, wherein the conveyor drive rollers have no tensioning mechanisms.

11. A sorter, comprising;
a plurality of transfer module assemblies according to claim 1 arranged in series;
an induction station configured to collect information about objects to be conveyed and to induct the objects onto the plurality of transfer module assemblies;
zone sensors configured to determine progress of the objects on the plurality of transfer module assemblies;
discharge bins configured to receive the objects from the plurality of transfer module assemblies; and
a control system configured to receive data regarding the progress of the objects on the plurality of transfer module assemblies from the zone sensors and to activate transfer modules based on the received data to discharge the objects into appropriate discharge bins.

12. The sorter of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of transfer modules assemblies is configured to be controlled by the control system independently.

13. A sorter method, comprising:
placing a first object on the sorter of claim 11 ;
tracking a position of the first object;
determining a desired direction of movement for the first object; and
controlling speed and direction of motion of the conveyor belt and flat transfer belt of the module on which the first object is positioned in order to move the first object in the desired direction.

14. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the depressions comprise a plurality of circumferential grooves.

15. A transfer module assembly method, comprising:
providing a frame;
supporting a conveyor belt with internal rotating elements on the frame;
supporting conveyor drive rollers on the frame and configuring the conveyor drive rollers to drive the conveyor belt;
mounting a flat transfer belt beneath the conveyor belt and configuring the flat transfer belt to contact undersides of the internal rotating elements of the conveyor belt in operation; and
supporting flat transfer belt drive rollers on the frame and configuring the flat transfer belt drive rollers to drive the flat transfer belt;
wherein the conveyor drive rollers are friction-based and operate without use of a sprocket, and comprise depressions for receiving the internal rotating elements of the conveyor belt;
wherein the depressions are spaced to match a spacing of the internal rotating elements of the conveyor belt, a depth and geometry of the depressions being configured to contact bottom protruding portions of the internal rotating elements.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the conveyor drive rollers comprise a friction coating, the friction coating comprising a rubberized sleeve or lagging.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising configuring the conveyor belt and the flat transfer belt to be driven in perpendicular directions.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising providing tracking features and configuring the tracking features to resist deflection of the flat transfer belt, wherein the tracking features comprise tracking grooves on the flat transfer belt drive rollers and features on the flat transfer belt that engage with the tracking grooves, further comprising providing a low-friction slider bed support surface below the flat transfer belt, wherein the tracking features comprise tracking grooves incorporated in the slider bed that align with the tracking grooves in the flat transfer belt drive rollers.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising providing a control unit configured to control speed and direction of movement of the conveyor belt and flat transfer belt, and configuring the control unit to control relative speed and direction of the conveyor belt and flat transfer belt to achieve movement of an object on the conveyor belt in a predetermined direction, wherein the predetermined direction may be any direction along a surface of the conveyor belt.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the conveyor drive rollers propel the conveyor belt using friction maintained by a catenary force of a return portion of the conveyor belt hanging underneath and between the conveyor drive rollers, wherein the conveyor drive rollers have no tensioning mechanisms.

21. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the depressions comprise a plurality of circumferential grooves.

Assignees

• Regal Beloit America Inc

Inventors

• Lundahl Robert D
• Cutlip Robert W
• Bankard Mark G
• Finch William D

Classifications

• B65G15/46

  formed with guides · CPC title

• B65G17/24

  comprising a series of rollers which are moved {, e.g. over a supporting surface, by the traction element to effect conveyance of loads or load-carriers} · CPC title

• B65G13/06

  Roller driving means · CPC title

• B65G39/07

  Other adaptations of sleeves · CPC title

• B07C5/36 Primary

  Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution {(sorting according to destination B07C3/003, B07C3/02)} · CPC title