Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor system for moving a specific load as a separate unit – System includes an oscillating or reciprocating load...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-20
2001-05-01
Hess, Douglas (Department: 3652)
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor system for moving a specific load as a separate unit
System includes an oscillating or reciprocating load...
C198S738000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06223887
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a product transferring device for transferring a product traveling on a conveyor to a receiving location off the side of the conveyor.
Product transferring devices of this type can be broadly categorized into diagonal models and perpendicular models. In the diagonal models, a product is mounted on the conveyor by gradually changing the direction of the product along an arcuate path relative to the conveyor direction. In the perpendicular models, the product is mounted from a direction perpendicular to the direction of the conveyor.
In the former diagonal model, the product to be conveyed has conventionally been moved along an arcuate path that intersects the direction of the conveyor at an angle. A roller conveyor having a plurality of drive rollers may be used for this.
In the perpendicular model, a chain conveyor is used. The chain conveyor has a conveyance path that is roughly perpendicular to the direction of the conveyor on which the product is to be mounted. The conveyor on which the product is to be mounted includes a roller conveyor. The chain conveyor is arranged so that, when seen from the top, it does not interfere with the roller conveyor. This chain conveyor can be moved up and down. When the product reaches the end of the chain conveyor, the chain conveyor is lowered and the product on the chain conveyor is transferred to the roller conveyor.
However, with the diagonal model described above, since the roller conveyor is used to gradually change the direction of the product while it is being mounted on the conveyor, the conveyance path of the roller conveyor necessarily becomes longer. This leads to a larger space requirement, making installation difficult.
While the perpendicular model described above does not require as much space as the diagonal model, transportation of the product by the chain conveyor is halted when the product reaches the end of the chain conveyor. With the product on the chain conveyor stopped in this manner, it is then transferred to the roller conveyor. Thus, when the product is being transferred, the product flow is stopped temporarily. This makes the transfer operation more time-consuming and decreases efficiency.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome these problems and to provide a product transferring device that can smoothly transfer a product without requiring a product to be stopped or its orientation to be changed.
In order to achieve these objects, the invention provides a product transferring device in which a product is conveyed and mounted onto a conveyor from the side of the conveyor. Means for conveying conveys the product along a conveyance direction of the conveyor at a speed identical to or roughly identical to a conveyance speed of the conveyor. Means for loading loads the product on to the conveyor by conveying the product in a direction perpendicular to or roughly perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the conveyor. The conveying means and the loading means are operated simultaneously so that the product is transferred on to the conveyor.
As a result, the large floor space required for the conventional diagonal model described above is not needed. Also, products can be transferred onto the conveyor without requiring the flow of products to be halted as in the conventional perpendicular model described above. Furthermore, since the conveyance speed of the conveying means is the same as or roughly the same as the conveyance speed of the conveyor, the product is neatly transferred to the conveyor without causing disruption in product orientation.
In the invention, the conveying means includes a sliding member that is moved along the conveyance direction of the conveyor to push the product, and the loading means includes a pushing member that is moved along the conveyance direction of the conveyor to push the product. Thus, the combined action of the pushing performed by the sliding member as it moves along the conveying direction of the conveyor and the pushing member, which pushes the product toward the conveyor allows the product to be neatly transferred to the conveyor without causing disruption in product orientation.
In the invention, the pushing member is disposed movably relative to the sliding member. Thus, compared to a case, for example, where the pushing member and the sliding member are separated from each other and are moved independently, this configuration offers a simpler structure. Furthermore, reliable synchronization is provided in the simultaneous operations performed by the pushing member and the sliding member.
In the invention, a transfer conveyor is disposed below the pushing member and the sliding member. The transfer conveyor is driven so that the product is travels in the conveyance direction. Thus, the transfer conveyor takes on a portion of the product conveyance in the loading direction. This reduces the pushing conveyance that the pushing member performs. Also, the transfer conveyor is set to a speed slower than a speed of the pushing member. This allows the pushing member to push the product as desired. Since a product feeding section for feeding a product to the transfer conveyor is disposed toward a conveyance direction of the transfer conveyor, the transfer conveyor is used to reliably feed the product on to the transfer conveyor.
In the invention, the conveying means includes a flat car moving along the conveyance direction of the conveyor, and the loading means includes a pushing conveyor disposed on the flat car. Thus, the product is transferred to the conveyor using the combined action of the conveyance performed by the flat car moving along the conveyance direction of the conveyor, as well as the pushing conveyor disposed on the flat car. Since the product is pushed to the conveyor with the conveyance speed of the pushing conveyor set to be faster than a conveyance speed of the conveyor, the products are neatly transferred on to the conveyor.
Briefly stated, the present invention provides a product transferring device which transfers a product onto a conveyor from the side of the conveyor. During transfer, a first device moves the product along the direction of conveyance of the conveyor at about the same speed as the speed of conveyance of conveyor. A second device, operating simultaneously with said first device, moves the product in a direction roughly perpendicular to the direction of conveyance of the conveyor. The product moves in a diagonal path onto the conveyor. The speed match between the first device and the conveyor permits smooth transfer of the product onto the conveyor.
According to an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a product transferring device in which a product is conveyed and mounted onto a conveyor from the side of said conveyor comprising: first means for conveying said product along a conveyance direction of said product transferring device at a speed substantially equal to a conveyance speed of said conveyor, second means for conveying said product in a direction substantially perpendicular to said conveyance direction of said conveyor, and said first and second means for conveying are operated simultaneously to transfer said product onto said conveyor.
According to a feature of the invention, there is provided a product transferring device for loading a product onto a moving conveyor comprising: a first conveying device, said first conveying device including first means for moving said product in a conveying direction of said moving conveyor, a second conveying device including second means for moving said product in a second direction substantially perpendicular to said conveying direction of said moving conveyor, and simultaneous operation of said first and second conveying devices being effective for moving said product in a diagonal path onto said conveyor.
The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction wit
Daifuku Co. Ltd.
Hess Douglas
Morrison Law Firm
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