Conveyor system with roller assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016159581-A1
Application number	US-201514942301-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 16, 2015
Priority date	Dec 4, 2014
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A conveyance device comprises a sorting plate housing a plurality of roller assemblies and a series of narrow conveyor belts for conveying articles towards the sorting plate. In a first mode, the narrow conveyor belts bypass the roller assemblies and convey articles over the sorting plate. In a second mode, the conveyor belts bring an article into contact with the roller assemblies, which then manipulate the trajectory of the article.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A conveyance device, comprising:
a sorting plate having an array of roller assemblies for contacting and directing an article of conveyance along a selected trajectory; at least one conveyor belt passing between two roller assemblies; and an actuator for selectively raising and lowering the conveyor belt relative to the sorting plate.

2 . The conveyance device of claim 1 , further comprising a track for guiding the conveyor belt.

3 . The conveyance device of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor belt returns below the sorting plate.

4 . The conveyance device of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor belt selectively actuates at least one roller assembly from below the sorting plate.

5 . The conveyance device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator changes the position of the conveyor belt depending on an orientation of at least one roller assembly.

6 . The conveyance device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a ramp connected to rack gear.

7 . A conveyance device, comprising:
a sorting plate having a plurality of rows of roller assemblies for contacting and directing an article of conveyance along a selected trajectory; a plurality of tracks passing between roller assemblies; a plurality of narrow conveyor belts contained in the tracks; and an actuator for varying the distance between the narrow conveyor belts and the roller assemblies.

8 . The conveyance device of claim 7 , wherein the actuator varies the distance based on an orientation of at least one roller assembly.

9 . The conveyance device of claim 7 , further comprising a secondary conveyor belt below the sorting plate for actuating the roller assemblies.

10 . The conveyance device of claim 9 , wherein at least one narrow conveyor belt contacts the secondary conveyor belt in the returnway of the narrow conveyor belt to actuate the secondary conveyor belt.

11 . The conveyance device of claim 9 , wherein the secondary conveyor belt actuates the roller assemblies.

12 . The conveyance device of claim 7 , wherein the actuator raises the narrow conveyor belts above the roller assemblies when the roller assemblies are in a first position and lowers the narrow conveyor belts below the tops of the roller assemblies when the roller assemblies are in a second position.

13 . A method of sorting articles, comprising the steps of:
conveying articles towards a sorting plate having a plurality of roller assemblies using a series of narrow conveyor belts; and adjusting a distance between the roller assemblies and the narrow conveyor belts depending on an orientation of the roller assemblies.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of adjusting comprises raising the narrow conveyor belts above the roller assemblies if the roller assemblies are in a pass-through orientation.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of adjusting comprises lowering the narrow conveyor belts below the tops of the roller assemblies if the roller assemblies are in a sorting orientation.

Assignees

• Laitram Llc

Inventors

• Fourney Matthew L

Classifications

• B65G47/22

  Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors (during feeding B65G47/14) · CPC title

• B65G39/12

  mounted on framework · CPC title

• B65G47/54 Primary

  at least one of which is a roller-way · CPC title

• B65G15/50 Primary

  Endless load-carriers consisting of a series of parallel ropes or belt strips · CPC title

• B65G15/105

  the surface being formed by two or more ropes · CPC title