Bundle breaker with servo-motor control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11498237-B2
Application number	US-202117220968-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 2, 2021
Priority date	Apr 6, 2020
Publication date	Nov 15, 2022
Grant date	Nov 15, 2022

Abstract

A bundle breaker has upstream and downstream breaking supports each having an input end and an output end. A first platen is located above the upstream breaking support, and a second platen is located above the downstream breaking support, and each platen has an actuator for moving the respective platen toward and away from the breaking supports to selectively clamp a log between the platens and the breaking supports. A third actuator is configured to apply a shifting force to the downstream breaking support to shift the input end of the downstream breaking support relative to the output end of the upstream breaking support from a first position toward a second position to break the second portion of the log from the first portion of the log. The first actuator and/or the second actuator and/or the third actuator includes at least one servo motor.

First claim

We claim:

1. A bundle breaker comprising:
an upstream breaking conveyor having an input end and an output end,
a first platen located above the upstream breaking conveyor,
a first actuator operably connected to the first platen and configured to shift the first platen toward a raised position above the upstream breaking conveyor and toward a lowered position above the upstream breaking conveyor to selectively clamp a first portion of a log between the first platen and the upstream breaking conveyor,
a downstream breaking conveyor having an input end and an output end,
a second platen located above the downstream breaking conveyor,
a second actuator operably connected to the second platen and configured to shift the second platen toward a raised position above the downstream breaking conveyor and toward a lowered position above the downstream breaking conveyor to selectively clamp a second portion of the log between the second platen and the downstream breaking conveyor,
a third actuator configured to apply a shifting force to the downstream breaking conveyor to shift the input end of the downstream breaking conveyor relative to the output end of the upstream breaking conveyor from a first position toward a second position to break the second portion of the log from the first portion of the log,
a controller configured to control the first actuator and the second actuator and the third actuator, and
a 2-D sensing system configured to determine a surface area of an object supported by the upstream breaking conveyor or of an object supported by the downstream breaking conveyor,
wherein the first actuator and/or the second actuator comprises at least one servo motor,
wherein the controller is configured to detect a torque of the at least one servo motor and to stop a shifting of the first platen toward the lowered position of the first platen in response to the torque exceeding a predetermined level or in response to the torque changing at a rate greater than a predetermined rate or to stop a shifting of the second platen toward the lowered position of the second platen in response to the torque exceeding the predetermined level or the torque changing at a rate greater than the predetermined rate, and
wherein the predetermined level or the predetermined rate is based on the surface area of the object supported by the downstream breaking conveyor and/or the surface area of the object supported by the upstream breaking conveyor.

2. The bundle breaker according to claim 1 , wherein the first actuator is a first servo motor and the second actuator is a second servo motor, and wherein the at least one servo motor comprises the first servo motor and the second servo motor.

3. A method comprising:
providing the bundle breaker according to claim 1 ,
positioning a log on the bundle breaker such that a first bundle of the log is supported by the downstream breaking conveyor and a second bundle of the log is supported by the upstream breaking conveyor,
controlling the first actuator to shift the first platen toward the lowered position of the first platen, and
stopping the first platen in response to a determination that the torque produced by the first servo motor has exceeded the predetermined level or has changed at a rate greater than the predetermined rate.

4. A method comprising:
providing the bundle breaker according to claim 1 ,
positioning a log on the bundle breaker such that a first bundle of the log is supported by the downstream breaking conveyor and a second bundle of the log is supported by the upstream breaking conveyor,
controlling the second actuator to shift the second platen toward the lowered position of the second platen, and
stopping the second platen in response to a determination that the torque produced by the second servo motor has exceeded the predetermined level or has changed at a rate greater than the predetermined rate.

5. A bundle breaker comprising:
an upstream breaking support having an input end and an output end,
a first platen located above the upstream breaking support,
a first actuator operably connected to the first platen and configured to shift the first platen toward a raised position above the upstream breaking support and toward a lowered position above the upstream breaking support to selectively clamp a first portion of a log between the first platen and the upstream breaking support,
a downstream breaking support having an input end and an output end,
a second platen located above the downstream breaking support,
a second actuator operably connected to the second platen and configured to shift the second platen toward a raised position above the downstream breaking support and toward a lowered position above the downstream breaking support to selectively clamp a second portion of the log between the second platen and the downstream breaking support,
a third actuator configured to apply a shifting force to the downstream breaking support to shift the input end of the downstream breaking support relative to the output end of the upstream breaking support from a first position toward a second position to break the second portion of the log from the first portion of the log,
a controller configured to control the first actuator and the second actuator and the third actuator, and
at least one sensor configured to detect a surface area of an object supported by the upstream breaking support and/or to detect a surface area of an object supported by the downstream breaking support,
wherein the controller is configured to limit a pressing force applied by the first platen against the first portion of the log based on the surface area of the object supported by the upstream breaking support and/or to limit a pressing force applied by the second platen against the second portion of the log based on the surface area of the object supported by the downstream breaking support.

6. The bundle breaker according to claim 5 ,
including a LIDAR system,
wherein the at least one sensor is an element of the LIDAR system.

7. The bundle breaker according to claim 5 ,
wherein the downstream breaking support comprises a downstream breaking conveyor and the upstream breaking support comprises an upstream breaking conveyor.

8. A method comprising:
providing the bundle breaker according to claim 5 ,
positioning a log on the bundle breaker such that a first bundle of the log is supported by the upstream breaking support and a second bundle of the log is supported by the downstream breaking support,
controlling the second actuator to shift the second platen toward the lowered position of the second platen, and
stopping the second platen in response to a determination that the pressing force applied by the second platen against the second portion of the log has reached a predetermined level.

9. A method comprising:
providing the bundle breaker according to claim 5 ,
positioning a log on the bundle breaker such that a first bundle of the log is supported by the upstream breaking support and a second bundle of the log is supported by the downstream breaking support,
controlling the first actuator to shift the first platen toward the lowered position of the first platen, and
stopping the first platen in response to a determination that the pressing force applied by the first platen against the first portion of the log has reached a predetermined level.

Assignees

• A G Stacker Inc

Inventors

• Allen Jr Clarence C
• Blosser Jerry
• STEMPIHAR Eric
• Senger Randall Donn
• Wunder Joseph

Classifications

• B26D7/04

  providing adjustable clamping pressure · CPC title

• B26F3/002 Primary

  Precutting and tensioning or breaking · CPC title

• B26D5/007 Primary

  Control means comprising cameras, vision or image processing systems · CPC title

• B26D7/1827

  by tearing · CPC title

• B26D7/0625

  by endless conveyors, e.g. belts · CPC title