Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor system for arranging or rearranging stream of items – By queueing items from quantity source of items into stream...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-07
2001-03-27
Nguyen, Tuan N. (Department: 3653)
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor system for arranging or rearranging stream of items
By queueing items from quantity source of items into stream...
C198S445000, C198S452000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206174
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to conveying apparatus concerned with combining conveyed products, such as bottles, into multiple discrete product paths.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, numerous conveyor systems have been developed to separate a mass of articles into discrete delivery paths leading to labelling, filling or other packaging devices. To this end, it is known to use deflectors, guides and separators placed in the stream of articles being conveyed so as to achieve a single aligned stream. However, those conveyor systems promote frictional contact between the products being conveyed and result in surface wear of the products, noise and a propensity to jam and damage the products being conveyed.
It is also known to use what are commonly called “pressureless” conveyors systems such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,720. Those conveyor systems generally comprise a feed conveyor on which a mass of articles, such as bottles, are disposed at random and advance forward. The feed conveyor leads to an intermediate multi-track conveyor. Each track is driven at a different speed according to a speed gradient. This accelerates the bottles on the side of the conveyor having the fastest track. This promotes separation of the bottles and gradual flow alignment. Moreover, the intermediate conveyor is equipped with a curved guide plate channelling the bottles to a single file output. Once in a single file, the bottles transfer onto a delivery conveyor and exit the pressureless conveyor. However, such systems are designed for single file output and must be installed in parallel in order to provide multiple aligned feed lines as required by most packaging machines. Installing many such machines in parallel consumes valuable factory floor space, adds to cost, noise pollution and requires additional maintenance.
Thus, the present invention addresses the need for a machine that can combine a mass flow of product into two or more discrete output paths with automatic control of the flow of each output path. Moreover, the present invention also addresses the need for a machine which can be operated to selectively switch from two or more discrete output paths to a single file output path. As an added benefit, the present invention also addresses the need for a machine that can separate a single file product input trail into two or more discrete output paths with automatic control of the flow of each output paths.
Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. It should be understood, however, that this detailed description, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, is given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a multilane combiner for combining a mass input flow or alternatively a single file input flow into two or more distinct and controlled output flows. The apparatus of the invention is designed for installation in a conveyor line of the type used to feed a machine requiring the orderly and sequential input of articles. The apparatus of the invention is used for the division of a flow of objects travelling on said conveyor line into multiple output paths, said apparatus comprising:
(a) an input conveyor portion for supporting and advancing a mass of objects in a generally longitudinal direction;
(b) a drive mechanism for driving said input conveyor;
(c) an intermediate multi-track conveyor generally downstream from and connected to the bulk feed conveyor for receiving the objects from the bulk feed conveyor, said multi-track conveyor having guide means mounted orthogonally with respect to said conveyor surface to urge said objects transversely from one conveying track to the next, each conveying track of said multi-track conveyor being driven at a velocity gradient with the fastest conveying track being located the furthest from said guide means;
(d) at least one drive mechanism for driving said intermediate conveyor;
(e) a separation conveyor generally downstream from and connected to the intermediate conveyor for receiving the objects from the intermediate conveyor, said separation conveyor having at least two tracks; each track of said separation conveyor being driven at a velocity gradient with the fastest conveying track being located the furthest from said guide means of said intermediate conveyor thereby achieving a separation of the objects between each track, said tracks each bearing a single file procession of articles;
(f) at least one drive mechanism for driving said separation conveyor;
(g) an output conveyor assembly comprising at least two output channels each connected to a track of the separation conveyor for the linear transfer of articles exiting each track of said separation conveyor;
(h) a drive mechanism for driving each said output channels of said output conveyor assembly;
(i) detection means for detecting the flow of articles in said apparatus including the flow of articles in each said output channels and for generating a signal corresponding to the detected flows;
(j) computer means for receiving the flow signals from said detection means and for processing a response signal selectively directing said drive mechanisms connected respectively to said input, intermediate and output conveyors so as to maintain a substantially even flow of articles in all of said output channels.
The apparatus of the present invention will advantageously be used to obtain, at will, one or two controlled single file delivery streams from a bulk conveyor feed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3310151 (1967-03-01), Carter
patent: 4054199 (1977-10-01), Polderman
patent: 4496040 (1985-01-01), Kronseder et al.
patent: 4889225 (1989-12-01), van Uitert
patent: 2199296 (1988-07-01), None
Nguyen Tuan N.
VCS Control Systems, Inc.
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