Apparatus That Controls Motion of Proximate Independent Movers Along a Path

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019367291-A1
Application number	US-201815990852-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 29, 2018
Priority date	May 29, 2018
Publication date	Dec 5, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system and an apparatus capable of independently driving movers are described herein. The system and apparatus includes: a track that forms a path for movers; a plurality of movers movably mounted on the track for moving along the path; and a plurality of drive elements fixedly arranged along the track. The drive elements each have a surface that is oriented to contact a driven member of the movers. The drive elements are configured to sequentially engage the driven member of a plurality of the movers to provide controlled independent motion of the movers along the track. The drive elements may be driven by rotary motors. A method of independently driving movers is also described herein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus that controls the motion of independent movers located in different lanes along a path, said apparatus comprising:
a track that forms a path for movers; a first lane and a second lane that are parallel to said path; a first mover movably mounted on the track for moving along said path, said first mover comprising a first driven member that is oriented to travel in the first lane and to be contacted by at least one drive element at any position along the path; a second mover movably mounted on the track for moving along said path, said second mover comprises a second driven member that is oriented to travel in the second lane and to be contacted by at least one drive element at any position along the path; a first plurality of drive elements arranged along the first lane of the track, said drive elements each comprising a surface that is oriented to contact the first driven member of said first mover, wherein said drive elements are configured to sequentially engage the first driven member of said movers to provide controlled motion of said first mover independently around said track, wherein the drive elements are each driven by a rotary motor; a second plurality of drive elements fixedly arranged along the second lane of the track, said drive elements each comprising a surface that is oriented to contact the second driven member of said second mover, wherein said drive elements are configured to sequentially engage the second driven member of said movers to provide controlled motion of said second mover independently around said track, wherein the drive elements are each driven by a rotary motor; and a programmable computer control system in communication with the rotary motors for controlling the motion of the rotary motors.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said path is in the form of a closed loop.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said path is linear.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first driven member comprises a first gear rack joined to said first mover and the second driven member comprises a second gear rack joined to said second mover wherein the first gear rack travels in the first lane and the second gear rack travels in the second lane.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 wherein at least one drive element comprises a pinion gear.

6 . The apparatus of claim 4 wherein at least one drive element comprises a timing belt that has a plurality of teeth thereon.

7 . The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the machine direction length of the first gear rack is longer than the machine direction length of the first mover and the machine direction of the second gear rack is longer than the machine direction length of the second mover

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the first gear rack and second gear rack can be positioned by the first and second plurality of drive elements such that the first gear rack and second gear rack overlap in the machine direction.

9 . The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the first mover and second mover can be positioned by controlled motion of rotary motors such that the first and second mover can be moved in and out of close proximity with each other in the machine direction.

10 . The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the controlled motion system further comprises:
a first plurality of movers including said first mover and additional movers, wherein a gear rack is joined to each mover, wherein the gear racks are each disposed to travel in the first lane;
a second plurality of movers including said first mover and additional movers, wherein a gear rack is joined to each mover, wherein the gear racks are each disposed to travel in the second lane, wherein
the first and second plurality of movers are sequenced along the path, wherein a mover with a gear rack in the first lane is alternated with a mover with a gear rack in the second lane.

11 . An apparatus that controls the motion of independent movers located in different lanes along a path, said apparatus comprising:
a track that forms a path for movers; a first lane, a second lane, and a third lane that are parallel to said path; a first mover, a second mover, and a third mover movably mounted on the track for moving along said path in sequential order, said first mover comprising a first driven member that is oriented to travel in the first lane and to be contacted by at least one drive element at any position along the path; said second mover comprising a second driven member that is oriented to travel in the second lane and to be contacted by at least one drive element at any position along the path; said third mover comprising a third driven member that is oriented to travel in the third lane and to be contacted by at least one drive element at any position along the path; a first plurality of drive elements fixedly arranged along the first lane of the track, said drive elements each comprising a surface that is oriented to contact the first driven member of said first mover, wherein said drive elements are configured to sequentially engage the first driven member of said movers to provide controlled motion of said first mover independently around said track, wherein the drive elements are each driven by a rotary motor; a second plurality of drive elements fixedly arranged along the second lane of the track, said drive elements each comprising a surface that is oriented to contact the second driven member of said second mover, wherein said drive elements are configured to sequentially engage the second driven member of said movers to provide controlled motion of said second mover independently around said track, wherein the drive elements are each driven by a rotary motor; a third plurality of drive elements fixedly arranged along the first lane of the track, said drive elements each comprising a surface that is oriented to contact the third driven member of said third mover, wherein said drive elements are configured to sequentially engage the third driven member of said movers to provide controlled motion of said third mover independently around said track, wherein the drive elements are each driven by a rotary motor; and a programmable computer control system in communication with the rotary motors for controlling the motion of the rotary motors.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said path is in the form of a closed loop and at least a portion of said path is linear.

13 . The apparatus of claim 11 wherein at least one drive element comprises a pinion gear.

14 . The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the first driven member comprises a first gear rack joined to said first mover, the second driven member comprises a second gear rack joined to said second mover, and the third driven member comprises a third gear rack joined to said third mover; wherein the first gear rack travels in the first lane, the second gear rack travels in the second lane, and the third gear rack travels in the third lane.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 such that the first mover, the second mover, and the third mover can be positioned by controlled motion of rotary motors such that the first, second, and third movers can be moved in and out of close sequential proximity with each other in the machine direction.

16 . The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the controlled motion system further comprises:
a first plurality of movers with a gear rack joined to each mover wherein the gear racks are each disposed to travel in the first lane;
a second plurality of movers with a gear rack joined to each mover wherein the gear racks are

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Papsdorf Clifford Theodore
• Debruler Jason Lee
• Congleton Stephen Douglas
• Howdyshell Mark Neil

Classifications

• B65G2201/0235

  Containers · CPC title

• B65G35/00

  Mechanical conveyors not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B65G43/00

  Control devices, e.g. for safety, warning or fault-correcting · CPC title

• B65G43/08 Primary

  Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed or discharged {(and controlling the discharging devices B65G47/42)} · CPC title

• G05B19/25

  for continuous-path control · CPC title