Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Article handling
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-29
2001-07-10
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3651)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Article handling
C198S444000, C198S448000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06259967
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a system for singulating articles as well as a method of singulating articles, such as parcels, which are stored in a bulk, into substantially a single file of articles that are mutually separated. In particular, the invention relates to a system in which the articles are lead between consecutive conveying sections by connecting means, such as e.g. chutes that are designed for providing the desired spreading of articles in a transport direction and/or the desired narrowing of the flow of articles in a direction transverse to the transport direction.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known from the prior art to singulate articles from a bulk using different methods and systems. One method is to feed the articles through a rotating cone shaped housing provided with an inner helix or spiral as disclosed in WO 98/01379. A similar system is disclosed in EP 0 383 673 A1.
A second method is to convey the articles in such a way that they are induced to move transversal to the conveying direction toward one side of the conveyor from which side the articles may be removed in a singulated file as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,023 and in EP 0 616 961 A1.
A third method is to arrange a number of conveyor belts in such a manner that articles that are in excess at a position along a main transport path are returned to an upstream position so as to produce a single file of articles as disclosed in EP 0 795 497 A2, in EP 0 780 328 A1 and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,989.
A fourth method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,052, in which a flow of packages is divided into a number of flows of which each is singulated by a plurality of inclined belts, each moving a received package upwards and over its peak to the next stage, thereby singulating the flow.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system for and a method of singulating articles which are loaded in a bulk onto the system into a single file of articles.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system in which the article-supporting and article-conveying surfaces form a substantially contiguous surface so that the articles will not get stuck in openings or slots or get wedged by moving parts.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a system, wherein the processes leading to the desired re-organization of the articles are mainly performed at devices that do not comprise active drive means for driving the articles so as to provide a robust and reliable system.
It is a yet still further object of the present invention to provide monitoring means for monitoring the operation of the system and provide an output for a control system of said system that enables the control system to control the operation of the singulation system so as to prevent articles from being clustered along their transport path in the system.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention concerns a system for singulating articles, the system comprising
an input conveyor section having means for supporting and conveying articles in a transport direction of the input conveyor section and having an upstream receiving part and a downstream discharge part,
a receiving conveyor section having means for supporting and conveying articles in a transport direction of the receiving conveyor section and having an upstream receiving part and a downstream discharge part,
at least one intermediate conveyor section having means for supporting and conveying articles in a transport direction of the intermediate conveyor section and having an upstream receiving part and a downstream discharge part,
at least two connecting means for leading articles from one conveyor section to the immediately succeeding conveyor section,
a first of the connecting means leading articles from the downstream discharge part of the input conveyor section to the receiving part of a first of the at least one intermediate conveyor sections, the first connecting means leading articles in such a manner that a given article will have a travelling time between passing a reference line drawn perpendicular to the transport direction of the input conveyor section and reaching a reference line drawn perpendicular to the transport direction of the first intermediate conveyor section, which travelling time is dependent on the transverse position of the article at the downstream discharge part of the input conveyor section so that articles having different transverse positions will tend to be spread in the transport direction when passing from the input conveyor section to the first intermediate conveyor section, and
a second of the connecting means leading articles from the downstream discharge part of one of the at least one intermediate conveyor sections to the upstream receiving part of the receiving conveyor section, the second connecting means leading articles in such a manner that articles having a mutual spacing in the direction transverse to the transport direction of said intermediate conveyor section will have a significantly reduced mutual spacing in the direction transverse to the transport direction of the receiving conveyor section when they have been lead by the second connecting means to the receiving conveyor section,
the conveyor sections and connecting means of the system being arranged so that articles being placed on the article-supporting means of the input conveyor section will be conveyed to the article-supporting means of the receiving conveyor section during operation of the system.
The articles may be delivered to the input conveyor section in a bulk from a container, from a chute, from another conveyor section, etc., and the singulated articles may be transported away from the receiving conveyor section in a number of ways. The methods used for loading articles into the system and for unloading articles from the system are unimportant to the system and to the operation of the system.
The first and second connecting means are designed so that articles entering the connecting means will travel a distance at a speed, the distance and the speed combined giving a travelling time depending on the inlet position of the articles. The speed of the articles may be controlled by the properties of the article-supporting surface of the connecting means, either by increasing the friction at parts of the surface by giving it a higher roughness or a rubber covering, or by decreasing the friction at parts of the surface by giving it a low-friction covering, e.g. of polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) or by providing the parts of the surface with rollers or roller-ball racks. The speed of the articles may additionally or alternatively be controlled by the inclination of the article-supporting surface along the paths the articles are supposed to follow. The path of the respective article and thereby the travelling distance may be controlled by the inclination of the article-supporting surface perpendicularly to the path of the article. The speed and/or path of the articles may also be controlled by active drive means comprised in the connecting means.
According to one embodiment, the first connecting means comprises a number of parallel, narrow conveyor belts that convey articles at individual speed so that the speed of the belts is increasing from low speed at one side of the connecting means to high speed at the opposite side of the connecting means.
The means for supporting and conveying articles of the conveyor sections may comprise drive wheels or cylinders engaging with the articles, but preferably the means of at least one of the conveyor sections or alternatively of each of the conveyor sections comprises an endless belt for conveying articles and drive means for driving the endless belt, the endless belt forming an article-supporting surface of the conveyor section(s) in question.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one of the connecting means or alternatively each of the connecting means comprises a chute and the downstream discharge part of the conveyor section immediately preceding said connec
Bruun Brian
Hartlepp Karl Heinz
Matanin Christopher Robert
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Crawford Gene O.
Crisplant a/s
Ellis Christopher P.
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