Conveyors – chutes – skids – guides – and ways – Chutes
Patent
1997-08-12
2000-06-06
Bidwell, James R.
Conveyors, chutes, skids, guides, and ways
Chutes
193 4, 414276, 99467, B65G 1100
Patent
active
060707097
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention concerns a distributor apparatus (sorter) which distributes items supplied thereto to individual delivery locations.
Mechanically operated distributor apparatuses are used to distribute individual portions of material to given delivery locations which are predetermined by a control computer. In the case of single-purpose installations for the distribution of frozen food the sorter operates at an ambient temperature of -27.degree. C. As no interruption in the frozen chain is to be feared under those conditions, the delivery locations of the distributor apparatus can be of any desired configuration.
As however wholesalers are increasingly selling both frozen food and also dairy products and for considerations of economy want to use only a single distributor apparatus for that purpose, the requirement profile in regard to a distributor apparatus has altered greatly in recent years. In a hybrid mode of operation involving frozen food and dairy products the distributor apparatus must be operated at an ambient temperature of +5.degree. C. as dairy products cannot in any way survive a residence time of more than 5 minutes in the temperature range of -27.degree. C. without aqueous or albumin-bearing constituents being permanently damaged.
The object of the present invention therefore is to permit, by virtue of a specific design configuration of the delivery locations of the distributor apparatus, the storage of the items of a shopping expedition, for example a standardised wire grid-like trolley, during a shopping run of the distributor apparatus and during the subsequent packaging time of the wire grid-type trolley, in such a way that a temperature of -18.degree. C. is not exceeded without cooling in the distribution of frozen items.
According to the invention that is achieved in that the delivery locations are in the form of heat-insulated storage chutes.
The storage chutes bridge over the difference in height between the distributor apparatus and the discharge locations, while the items slide inclinedly downwardly under the influence of the force of gravity. The heat insulation (heat barrier effect) of the storage chutes ensures that the frozen item always remains at a temperature of at least -18.degree. C. or below, even with an ambient temperature of +5.degree. C., as is required for reasons relating to foodstuffs hygiene.
As over 100 storage chutes are often required in distributor apparatuses depending on the respective system size, it is advantageous in terms of a compact structure for the overall installation if the storage chutes are of a tubular configuration and are of a rectangular cross-section.
In regard to the design of the storage chutes, not only a possible rise in temperature of the frozen goods may be taken into consideration, but also excessive cooling of the dairy products. It is particularly critical in this connection if prolonged operation of the distributor apparatus with frozen goods is followed by the commencement of shopping involving dairy products. In order to minimise the cooling influence of the mass of the chute on the dairy products, it is desirable for the storage chutes to be made from a material in regard to which, on the basis of a high specific strength, the required material usage gives a technical minimum in respect of the product "chute mass times specific heat", that is to say for example fiber-reinforced plastic material. For advantageous coefficients of friction of the chute/item material pairing, besides metal sheet, for example steel, plastic coatings of the chute surface have also proven to be advantageous.
For optimum heat insulation or heat barrier effect in respect of the storage chutes, it is desirable for the storage chutes to be coated with an insulating layer. In that respect foam of a thickness of at least 2 cm is particularly suitable.
Further features and details of the present invention will be apparent from the specific description hereinafter. In the drawing:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a distributor apparatus according t
REFERENCES:
patent: 2730223 (1956-01-01), MacLean
patent: 4205936 (1980-06-01), Green
patent: 5044267 (1991-09-01), Sollich
patent: 5163360 (1992-11-01), Petz
patent: 5220986 (1993-06-01), Winkler, III
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