• 专利附录
  • 专利说明
  • 权利要求
  • 类似技术
  • 同族专利
  • 引用文献
  • 法律状态
  • 优先权
    • 专利摘要:
    CONVEYOR BELT; AND DEVIATOR CARRIER. It is a cleanable shoe diverter belt that has narrow translatable propellers that form article diverter shoes that cover little or no conveyor surface of the belt. The cam followers on the shoes below the thrusters selectively follow the guides fixed or actuated under the belt to transfer the shoes along a transverse track across the width of the belt. Cam followers of different lengths are programmed to follow different paths by multilevel guides.
    公开号:BR112014033092B1
    申请号:R112014033092-1
    申请日:2013-06-28
    公开日:2021-02-02
    发明作者:Kevin W. Guernsey；Brian R. Lee；Jorge E. Nagel
    申请人:Laitram, L.L.C.；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    [001] The invention relates, in general, to mechanically driven conveyors and, more particularly, to shoe-type diverters.
    [002] Article diverters, such as shoe separators, are used to move articles across the width of a conveyor, as the conveyor transports the articles in a transport direction. Typical shoe separators include article-boosting elements, referred to as shoes, which are driven laterally through the conveyor to propel the articles off one or both sides of the conveyor to one or more exit locations. Articulated plate conveyors and modular conveyor belts are used as the platform for the shoes, which run on rails that extend across the widths of the articulated plates or conveyor modules. Conventionally, the shoes are in a locked shape with dependent structural elements that keep the shoe on the rail or extend below to engage conductive guides that control the shoe positions. Although shoe separators and other diverters are widely used in packaging handling applications, they are not as useful in food handling and other applications where hygiene is important, due to the fact that they are not easy to clean. . Thus, there is a need for removable shoe-type diverters. SUMMARY
    [003] Diverter conveyors and conveyor belts meet this need by incorporating features of the invention. An example of an article diverter conveyor belt comprises a plurality of conveyor modules. Each module extends in length from a rear end to an anterior end in a transport direction and the width from a left side to a right side. The track modules are arranged end to end. At least some of the belt modules include an intermediate part that extends, in length, from the front end to the rear end and, in width, from the left side to the right side. The middle part has an upper side and an opposite lower side. An elongated slit is formed in the middle part from the upper side to the bottom side. The gap extends across most of the width of the middle. A monolithic propellant is mobilely retained in the middle to move along the elongated slit. The propellant has an upper part for engaging the article above the upper side of the intermediate part and a lower cam part below the bottom side of the intermediate part.
    [004] Another version of an article diverter conveyor comprises conveyor modules, each of which extends in length from a rear end to an anterior end, in a transport direction, and in width from a left side to a right side. The track modules are arranged end to end. At least some of the treadmill modules include an intermediate part that extends, in length, from the front end to the rear end and, in width, from the left side to the right side and with an upper side and a lateral opposite bottom. An elongated slit formed in the middle part from the upper side to the bottom side extends across most of the width of the middle part. A thruster extends through the elongated slit. The propellant includes a narrow coupling part of the article, above the intermediate part and a lower part below the intermediate part. The external dimensions of the thruster, just above the upper side and just below the bottom side of the intermediate part, are slightly larger than the width of the slit to retain the thruster in the slit.
    [005] Another version of an article diverter conveyor comprises an upper side and an opposite lower side. The parallel rails extend transversely across most of the conveyor width. The thrusters are arranged to travel along the tracks. The thrusters include upper hitch parts of the article above the upper side of the conveyor belt and cam followers below the bottom side for contact with guides below the conveyor belt. The cam followers of some of the thrusters extend below the bottom side of a first distance, and the cam followers of others of the thrusters extend below the bottom side of a second longer distance.
    [006] In another aspect of the invention, an article diverter conveyor comprises a conveyor belt that has a plurality of propellers arranged to travel transversely across the width of the conveyor along spaced paths. The thrusters include cam followers that extend below the conveyor belt. A retractable guide disposed below the conveyor belt has a guide surface that is selectively movable between a first position in contact with the cam followers to translate the thrusters through the conveyor belt and a second position that is not in contact with the cam followers to avoid moving the thrusters.
    [007] Another version of a diverter conveyor comprises a conveyor belt that advances in a direction of travel of the belt. The belt has thrusters arranged to travel transversely across the width of the conveyor belt, along regularly spaced trajectories, at a distance that defines a thruster pitch. The thrusters include cam followers that extend below the conveyor belt. A cam wheel arranged below the conveyor belt rotates on a geometric axis perpendicular to the plane of the conveyor belt. The cam wheel includes regularly spaced shoulders around its periphery to match the thruster pitch. Some of the shoulders are cam blades that receive a driving force from the cam followers to rotate the cam wheel. At least one of the shoulders is a bypass cam that has an anterior edge that extends radially outwardly, further away than the cam blades, to engage the cam follower of a thruster. The bypass cam moves the thruster, while the cam follower of the next front thruster is pushing on one of the cam blades to rotate the cam wheel as the conveyor advances.
    [008] Yet, another version of a diverter conveyor comprises a conveyor belt that has a plurality of propellers arranged to travel transversely across the width of the conveyor belt, along spaced paths. Some of the thrusters include cam followers that extend below the conveyor belt, at a first distance; others among the thrusters include cam followers that extend below the conveyor belt a second greater distance. A guide arranged below the conveyor belt has the first guide surfaces on a first level to engage the cam followers of the first and second plurality of thrusters to transfer their thrusters and the second guides on a second level below the first level and below the followers of cam of the first plurality of thrusters and, not below the cam followers of the second plurality of thrusters, to translate the second plurality of thrusters, and not the first plurality of thrusters.
    [009] Another version of a diverter comprises conveyor modules that extend, in length, from a rear end to an anterior end in a transport direction and, in width, from a left side to a right side. The modules are arranged end to end. At least some of the modules include a floor that extends, in length, from the front end to the rear end and, in width, from the left side to the right side. The floor has an upper side and an opposite lower side. An elongated crack is formed in the floor, from the upper side to the bottom side. The slot extends across most of the module's width. A bar extends along the width of the module below the upper side of the floor. A thruster has opposite first and second ends and a through hole arranged between the ends. The thruster extends through the elongated slot with a first part that includes its first end above the floor, and a second part that includes its second end below the floor. The bar extends through the through hole in the thruster to retain the thruster in the bar as the thruster moves across the width of the conveyor module, along the elongated slot. A guide coupled to the thrusters moves the thrusters along the slits. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
    [010] These features of the invention, as well as other aspects and advantages, are described in more detail in the description below, in the attached claims and in the attached drawings, in which:
    [011] Figure 1 is an isometric view of part of a diverter belt that incorporates features of the invention;
    [012] Figure 2 is a front elevation view of the mat part of Figure 1;
    [013] Figure 3 is a schematic plan of a separator that uses a mat as in Figure 1;
    [014] Figure 4 is an enlarged cross section of the conveyor belt of Figure 2, seen along line 4-4;
    [015] Figures 5A and 5B are axonometric views of a module usable on a diverter belt, as in Figure 1, with a retractable propeller, notched, in retracted and extended positions;
    [016] Figure 6 is an axonometric view of a module usable on a diverter belt, as in Figure 1, with a propeller that has a part that contacts the article in the shape of a cobblestone above the floor;
    [017] Figures 7A to 7D are front views of another version of a treadmill module that incorporates features of the invention;
    [018] Figures 8A and 8B are seen in front and side elevation of a propeller used in a conveyor module, as in Figures 7A to 7D, and Figures 8C and 8D are seen in front and side elevation of a propeller, as in Figures 8A and 8B, with fins;
    [019] Figure 9 is an isometric view of part of a conveyor belt built of modules, as in Figures 7A to 7D;
    [020] Figure 10 is a side elevation view of the conveyor belt of Figure 9;
    [021] Figure 11 is a side elevation view of a conveyor belt, as in Figure 9, but which has cam followers of different heights in the thrusters;
    [022] Figure 12 is an axonometric view of a version of a guide mechanism usable with a conveyor belt, as in Figure 11;
    [023] Figure 13 is an isometric view of a stepped guide mechanism usable with a conveyor belt, as in Figure 11;
    [024] Figure 14 is an isometric view of part of a conductor with fixed guiding mechanisms and a retractable guiding mechanism to guide the propellers of a conveyor, as in Figure 10;
    [025] Figure 15A is an isometric view of another version of a retractable guide mechanism usable with a conveyor belt, as in Figure 10, and Figures 15B and 15C are side elevational views of the retractable guide mechanism, in the retracted positions and not retracted;
    [026] Figures 16A to 16D are top plan views that illustrate the sequential operation of a rotating guide mechanism actuated by a usable cam with a conveyor belt, as in Figure 10;
    [027] Figure 17 is a top plan view of the conveyor belt of Figure 10, with the thrusters controlled by the guide mechanism of Figures 16A to 16D;
    [028] Figure 18 is an isometric view of a pin diverter mat, as in Figure 1 or Figure 10, used in a feed balance application;
    [029] Figure 19 is an isometric view of a pin diverter conveyor used in a switching application;
    [030] Figure 20 is an isometric view of a pin diverter used in a simple alignment application;
    [031] Figure 21 is an isometric view of a pin diverter conveyor used in a synchronized feed fusion application;
    [032] Figure 22 is an isometric view of two pin diverter belts used in a recirculating singulation application;
    [033] Figure 23 is an isometric view of three pin diverter belts used in a size separation rejection application;
    [034] Figure 24 is an isometric view of a pin diverter conveyor used in a simple fusion application;
    [035] Figure 25 is an isometric view of a pin diverter conveyor used in a separation application;
    [036] Figure 26 is an isometric view of a pin diverter used in a two-way separation application; and
    [037] Figure 27 is an isometric view of a pin diverter conveyor that illustrates multiple consecutive pin thrusters translated parallel to maintain article orientation during deviation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
    [038] Figures 1 and 2 show a part of the conveyor belt usable as an article diverter that incorporates features of the invention. The conveyor belt 10 is constructed of a series of conveyor modules 12, arranged in rows 14. Each conveyor module 12 extends, in length, from a rear end 16 to an anterior end 17, in a direction of transport 18, that is, a direction of travel of the belt. The modules 12 extend, in width, from a left side 20 to a right side 21. The module has an intermediate part, in the form of a central floor 22, and hinge elements 24 spaced along the front and back ends 16, 17 of module 12. The articulation elements 24 are interconnected, by articulation pins, for example, in articulation joints 26 between adjacent rows 14. Unlike a modular articulated conveyor, an articulated plate conveyor constructed of modules hinged plate between flanking roller chains could be used.
    [039] An elongated slit 28 extends across the floor 22, from a top carrier side 30 to an opposite bottom side 31, and across most of the width of the midpoint of the module between its two ends 16, 17. A propeller 32, in the form of a pin, is received in slot 28, as also shown in Figure 4. The propeller extends from a bottom end 34 to an opposite top end 35. A through hole 36 is disposed in the propellant between its two opposite ends 34, 35. The propellant, in this example, is realized as a monolithic element formed in a homogeneous way, as a single piece by molding, for example. A crossbar 38 that extends across the width of the module, below the floor 22, is connected to the bottom of the module, close to the right and left sides 20, 21 by blankets 40, as shown in Figure 2. The bar is received in the thrust hole of the thruster 36. The bar 38, which is parallel to the slit 28, retains the thruster 32 and allows it to translate along the slit. The bar can also serve as a drive bar engaged by idle and drive sprockets in a positively driven conveyor system. The upper portion 42 of the thruster 32 between the top end of the thruster 35 and the upper side 30 of the floor 22 is used as a shoe to propel articles 44 transversely through the module 12 towards both sides.
    [040] A guide mechanism 46 supports the belt 10 along an upper conductor 48, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, and, together with the belt, forms a diverter conveyor 50, such as a separator. The guide mechanism 46 shown schematically in Figure 3 is a conventional system of mechanical guides 52, 53 on the conductor 48, which has vertical surfaces that engage the bottom ends 34 of the thrusters 32 to deflect the thrusters through the belt. The bottom ends, which act as keels or cam followers, follow the guides as the conveyor 12 advances in the direction of transport 18. As shown in Figure 3, the pin thrusters 32, in each module, translate, as guided by the upstream guide 52. In this example, article 44, like a tray, is propelled towards and out of the right side 21 of the conveyor by the thrusters to an exit conveyor 54 disposed in a specific location, along the conveyor. After passing the downstream end 56 of the upstream guide 53, the thrusters remain in their transverse position until they reach the downstream return guide 53, which guides the thrusters back to the left side 20 of the track. Certainly, many different diverters with multiple outlet conveyors, both on the sides and in the associated guide arrangements, can be used in addition to one in Figure 3, which is used as a simple example to describe the operation of a separator. In addition, different guiding mechanisms can be used. For example, the propellant may include a magnetic material, such as ferrous or magnetic particles, or a magnetically or magnetic attractive element (58, Figure 4), such as a magnet or a piece of iron. The guiding mechanism would then include magnetic guides or an electromagnetic matrix to translate the thrusters through the conveyor.
    [041] Another version of the propellant is shown in module 12 of Figures 5A and 5B. The thruster 32 'has a vertically elongated orifice slot 60, which receives the crossbar 38. The elongated through hole extends close to the top end 35 of the thruster 32' and allows it to be retracted to a level below from the upper side 30 of the floor 22. A horizontal cam surface 61 on the conductor is positioned high enough to force the bottom side 34 of the thruster 32 'upwards, towards the slot 28, to keep the thruster in an extended position above the floor. When the horizontal cam surface is diminished or absent, the thruster 32 'falls in its retracted position below the upper side of the floor.
    [042] Yet another version of the thruster is shown in Figure 6. The thruster 32 "has a platform part that contacts the parallelepiped article 62 that extends above the upper side 30 of the floor 22 and a bottom cam follower 64, like the one for the propeller in Figure 1. The maximum dimension of the part that contacts article 62 in the direction of transport 18 is slightly smaller than the width of the slot 28, in the direction of transport, so that the propeller 32 "does not overlaps the upper side 30 of the floor 22. The height of the propeller 32 "could be even less than that indicated in Figure 6, to form a platform 65 slightly elevated above the upper side 30 to engage the bottoms of transported items, lift the them slightly and load them through the floor 22. The propeller 32 "could include a vertical bolt that drives the part 66 that forms an L shape with the platform part that it supports by contacting the horizontal article 62.
    [043] Unlike conventional solid shoes, the narrow studs 32, 32 'of Figures 1 to 5 and the narrow propellers in parallelepiped shape 32 "of Figure 6 do not overlap and obstruct any part of the top or bottom of the floor 22. This makes the upper side 30 of the belt is accessible and easy to clean.
    [044] Another version of a conveyor module with a pin propeller is shown in Figures 7A to 7D. The conveyor module 70 is similar to the module 12 of Figure 5A, but differs in the sense that it has an elongated slit 72 that is longitudinally deflected from its central actuating bar 73. In other words, the slit is closer to a first end 74 of the module than its second opposite end 75. A pin thruster 76 is slightly retained in slot 72. Thruster 76 has an upper portion 78 and a lower cam follower portion 80 joined by an intermediate stem portion 82 , as shown in Figures 8A and 8B. The propellant, in this example, is realized as a monolithic element formed homogeneously as a single piece by molding, for example. The upper part is in the shape of a pawn and extends outwards towards the bottom to form a skirt 84 that slides along the conveyor top surface 86 of the belt module 70. The narrow rod 82 resides in the slot 72. The lower part 80 has an upper shoulder 88 which slides along the bottom of the surface 87 of the module. The height of the rod 82 is slightly greater than the thickness of the module 70 in the slot. The height of the shoulder portion 88 is slightly greater than the height of the trigger bar 73, so that the cam follower 80 is below the bottom of the trigger bar. The external dimensions of the thruster, slightly above the top carrier side 86 and slightly below the bottom side 87 of the intermediate part, are slightly larger than the slot width sufficient to retain the propeller in the slot. The narrow part 90 of the floor 91 of the plastic module between the slot 72 and the first end 74 and shown planned in Figure 7C is flexed up or down to temporarily widen the slot to admit the thruster in place. Once the thruster is in place, the narrow part 90 is released, and module 70 returns to its natural state which retains thruster 76. Alternatively, slot 72 could have a wider access opening 89 at one end that is large enough in diameter to accommodate thruster 76 in the slot. Placing guides under the belt would confine the propellant to the narrow main part of the gap.
    [045] The propeller of Figures 8A and 8B is equipped with fins 81 in Figures 8C and 8D to form a propeller 83 better suited to propel non-rigid items, such as bags. The fins extend from opposite sides of a central pin 85, parallel to the direction of transport, when installed on a conveyor belt. Together with the fins 81, they form a vertical plate to propel the articles through the belt.
    [046] A part of the conveyor belt 92 constructed of rows 94 of the conveyor modules 70 is shown in Figures 9 and 10. The rows are joined by hinge rods 95 received at the aligned openings 96 of interlocking elements 98 of adjacent rows. In contrast to having propeller modules 70 in each row, conveyor 92 could have propeller modules interspersed with standard slitless and propulsion modules.
    [047] As shown in the side view of Figure 10, all lower cam follower parts 80 of thrusters 76 extend the same distance below the belt to the same depth. In another version, a conveyor belt 92 ', shown in Figure 11, has lower cam follower parts 80, 80', 80 "on thrusters 76, 76 ', 76" that extend below different distances to different depths. When used with the guide 100, 100 ', as in Figure 12 or Figure 13, the thrusters 76, 76', 76 "can be guided differently. The guide 100 in Figure 2 is mounted on the conductive conveyor under the conveyor belt The guide 100 has a deep channel 102 that deflects to the right. A superficial channel 103 branches off from the deep channel, but in line, with its upstream part. The 76 "thrusters that have the deepest cam followers 80 "find a guide surface in the form of a shoulder 104 at the branch of the superficial and deep channels 102, 103. The shoulder guides thrusters 76" through the belt. Propellants 76, 76 'that have shallower cam followers 80, 80' clean the shoulder 104 and maintain their lateral positions on the belt. The side walls of the channels 102, 103 form guides for the thrusters.
    [048] Another version of a 100 'bypass guide that overlaps the conveyor belt on the conductor is shown in Figure 13. This guide has three levels, or scales 106, 106', 106 ", at three different depths. , 108 ', and 108 "serve as guide surfaces for the thrusters. The shoulder 108 is between the top scale 106 and the intermediate scale 106 '. The shoulder 108 'is between the intermediate scale 106' and the bottom scale 106 ". The shoulder 108 'forms the outer edge of the bottom scale 106". The thrusters 76 "with the deepest cam followers 80" are guided through the track by the bottom cam 108 ". The intermediate cam followers 80 ', 80 clean the bottom cam. Propeller 76' with the track follower intermediate cam 80 'is guided by intermediate cam 108', and the superficial cam follower 80 by superficial cam 108. In this way, the step guide 100 'can translate thrusters 76, 76', 76 "to different lateral positions across the width conveyor 92 '.
    [049] Figure 14 shows two rows of a conveyor belt 110 that advances along a conductor, in a direction of travel of the conveyor 112. A guide mechanism 114 is held in place, under the conveyor belt, by a pair of frame members 116, 117. The guide mechanism comprises a funnel-like guide upstream 118, with a curved guide wall 120 that guides all cam followers and thrusters 76 to the left side of the track. The island top surfaces 122, 123 provide support for the bottom surfaces of the mat 110. A selectively retractable bypass guide 124 has a diverter wall 126 with a curved inlet hook 128 that guides thrusters 76 to the right side of the mat , when the guide is in an elevated offset position, as shown in Figure 14. The guide is pivotally attached to the right-hand frame member 116 by a hinge 130 that allows the guide to pivot over its pivot geometric axis 132 downwards , to a stowed position, in which the thrusters are not deflected. An actuator (not shown in the drawings), such as a hydraulic or air cylinder, a motor and gears, a solenoid or other actuator device, is used to pivot the guide 124 between the retracted (non-diverter) position and the non-retracted position. (diverter). The actuator can be controlled by a controller that receives sensor signals that indicate an article passage in a certain place, along the conductor and synchronizes the actuator's performance accordingly. A return funnel 134, identical to the inlet funnel, in this example guides the thruster 76 back to the left side of the conveyor. Figures 15A and 15B show the guide 124 in the stowed (non-deflecting) position, which allows the thruster 76 to pass without deviating. In Figure 15C, the guide 124 is shown in a non-retracted (diverter) position. Hook part 128 of guide wall 126 intercepts cam follower 80 of thruster 76 and guides it through the belt to the right side, as indicated by arrow 130. In this example, the guide rotates on a hinge by an actuator (not shown), such as a linear actuator or a motor-driven rotary hinge. But the guide can be selectively retracted in other conventional ways. For example, the entire guide can be moved upwards, in an upper position of deviation, and downwards, in a lower position of non-deviation, by a conventional linear actuator.
    [050] Figures 16 and 17 show a cam wheel guiding mechanism for registering and measuring conveyed items. The cam wheel 132, in this example, has five shoulders: (a) four identical cam blades 134 and (b) a bypass cam 136 equally spaced around the periphery of the wheel. The circumferential spacing of the blades and the bypass cam combine the linear spacing, or pitch, of the slots 72, and the thrusters 76. The cam wheel 132 is passive and pivots over a central pivot pin 138 that defines a geometric axis perpendicular to the conveyor 92 plane. As conveyor 92 advances in the direction of travel of conveyor 112, the cam followers below the conveyor, in thrusters 76, contact blades 134 to rotate the wheel through one fifth of a complete rotation (72 °), without changing the position of the thrusters on the track 72, as shown in Figure 16A. When the leading edge 140 of the bypass cam 136 contacts a thruster 76 ', it forces that thruster along the rail, as shown in Figures 16B and 16C. The next thruster then engages a rear edge 142 of the diverter cam to rotate the other cam 72 °, as shown in Figure 16D. With the cam wheel 132 of Figure 16A to 16D mounted in a housing 144, under a side edge of the conveyor 92, as in Figure 17, each fifth of the thruster 76 'is positioned away from the starting position of the other thrusters 76. The four consecutive thrusters 76, in the initial position, serve to register all the transported articles 146 in the same lateral position, across the width of the belt. The fifth bypass thrusters 76 'measure the articles at evenly spaced locations along the length of the belt. Cam wheels, with different geometries, can be used to achieve different effects.
    [051] Figures 18 to 27 represent various conveyor configurations with the use of a propeller conveyor diverter, as shown in Figures 1 to 15, in different transport applications.
    [052] Figure 18 shows a power balance setting. Two feed conveyors 150, 151 feed articles 146 in two ways on a conveyor belt 145 which has two thrusters 147, 147 '(one right side thruster 147 and one left side thruster 147') in each slot 72. The thrusters are arranged to have a left side row of thrusters and a right side row of thrusters, as the belt 145 enters the feed end of the conductor. The left side thrusters 147 'remain in the readjust position, as indicated by arrow 152. The right side thrusters are guided to deflect the articles on the right side feed conveyor 151 to the left, as indicated by arrow 153, in line with the articles from the left side feed conveyor 150. A fixed non-retractable guide can be used for deflection. A downstream guide, indicated by the arrow 154, selectively guides the left side thrusters 147 'through the belt or leaves them in place to deflect the articles to the right or allow them to continue directly along the left side. The right side thrusters 147 can optionally be guided by a fixed guide to align the deflected articles along the right side of the conveyor. In this way, the imbalances in the flow between the two feed conveyors can be balanced at the outlet from the driving belt diverter. In the example in Figure 18 and all the following examples, the arrows indicate the geometry of the guides and the deviation paths of the thrusters.
    [053] Figure 19 shows a switching configuration in which items supplied by a single feed conveyor 156 are switched from a single path to two outlets on an outgoing conveyor 158. The drive belt diverter passes through select an article from the single row directly (arrow 160) along the left side, or deviate to the right side (arrow 161) from the driving belt 145 to form the two article paths.
    [054] Simple alignment of an article flow is achieved with the conveyor configuration of Figure 20. Articles 146 on a feed conveyor 162 are pivoted by a buffer 164 as they enter the drive belt 145. A guide deflects the inlet articles, as indicated by arrow 166, and aligns them on the conveyor in line with an outlet conveyor 168. A fixed non-retractable guide can be used in this configuration.
    [055] A three-to-one fusion conveyor configuration is shown in Figure 21. Three parallel feed conveyor belts 170 with register thrusts 172 measure and release articles 146 for the driving belt 145, one at a time, from each feeding belt in rotation mode. The guide directs thrusters 147 from external positions to internal positions to plow articles in a single row aligned with exit conveyor 174, as indicated by arrows 176, 177. Fixed guides can be used to guide thrusters 147 .
    [056] Figure 22 represents a singularizer with recirculation to prevent articles from leaving side by side. A feed conveyor 178 is shown releasing articles 146 two by two to the drive belt 145. The thrusters 147 are guided to plow the articles towards one side to form a single row aligned with an exit conveyor 180, as indicated by arrow 182. The side-by-side articles 146 'are pushed off the side of the drive belt 145 over a recirculating drive belt 145' moving in the opposite direction. The guide for the recirculation belt 145 'positioned its thrusters 147' to direct the recirculated articles 146 'back to the first drive belt 145 to be singled out. Fixed guides can be used to position the 147 thrusters.
    [057] The carrier configuration in Figure 23 can separate articles of different sizes and selectively reject the articles. A feed conveyor 184 releases small articles 146 and large articles 146 'to a conveyor diverter 186 that separates articles by size. A size 188 sensor sends a signal to a guide under the belt to selectively divert large items to a left side drive belt diverter 190 and small items to a right side drive belt diverter 192, as indicated by arrow 194. Similar to the size sensor, the quality sensors 196, 197 send indicative product quality signals to the associated guiding mechanisms for each quality diverter 190, 192 to selectively divert the rejected items 146X and 146X ', as indicated by the arrows 198, 199.
    [058] The simple fusion conveyor in Figure 24 uses a propeller conveyor diverter 200 with a fixed diverter guide, the operation of which is indicated by the arrow 202, to fuse two lanes of articles from two feed conveyors side by side 204, 205 that feed the articles, one at a time, to the conveyor diverter. The cast articles are released in a single row to a downstream exit conveyor 206.
    [059] In the separator shown in Figure 25, articles 146 on a propeller conveyor diverter 208 are deflected by selectively actuated guides underlying the pin conveyor 145 in sequential locations indicated by arrows 210, 211, 212. When a guide is actuated , it directs thrusters 147 to push the articles off the side of the diverter conveyor belt onto an associated conveyor among the separation conveyors 214, 215, 216. If none of the guides are actuated for an article, the article continues to advance to outside the drive belt end 145, as indicated by arrow 218. The drive belt diverter can also be operated as a two-way separator, as shown in Figure 26, to separate items on the side of the diverter 220 for multiple separation conveyors.
    [060] The drive belt diverter 222 of Figure 27 diverts the articles from one way to the other without changing the orientations of the articles. The guide has three parallel guide walls, as indicated by the three paths in arrow diagram 224. The three paths are spaced from each other by the spacing, or pitch, of thrusters 147 and their slots 148. With this configuration, three thrusters are translated through conveyor 145 simultaneously, which moves an article more or less centered on the three thrusters from the left way to the right way, without pivoting. If the guide is not actuated, the thrusters remain in their reset position to maintain an article on the left track.
    权利要求:
    Claims (15)
    [0001]
    1. CONVEYOR BELT (92), comprising: a plurality of conveyor modules (70), each of which extends in length from a rear end (74, 75) to an anterior end (74, 75) at a transport direction, in width from left to right side, in which the plurality of conveyor modules (70) is disposed from end to end and in which at least some of the conveyor modules include: an intermediate part or floor ( 91) which extends in length from the front end (74, 75) to the rear end (74, 75) and in width from the left side to the right side and which has a top side (86) and a bottom side opposite (87); an elongated slit (72) formed in the middle part (91) from the top side (86) to the bottom side (87) and extending across part of the width of the middle part (91); a thruster (76) that is understood through the elongated slot (72); wherein the propellant (76) includes an upper part (78) of article coupling above the intermediate part (91) and a lower part (80) below the intermediate part (91); and where the external dimensions of the thruster (76) on the top side (86) and on the bottom side (87) of the intermediate part (91) are greater than the width of the slit (72) enough to retain the thruster (76 ) in the slot (72); and characterized in that the slot (72) is positioned closer to one end of the intermediate part of the module than to the opposite end (74, 75), and the module is plastic, in order to provide a narrow part (90) between the slot ( 72) and the nearest end (74, 75) which is configured to be flexed up or down to temporarily enlarge the slot (72) to admit the thruster (76) in place of the slot (72).
    [0002]
    2. CONVEYOR BELT (92) according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper part (78) of the upper article coupling includes a pin that extends upwards away from the top side (86) of the intermediate part (91) of the conveyor module (70).
    [0003]
    3. CONVEYOR BELT (92), according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper part (78) of the propeller article coupling (76) includes the platform above the intermediate part and that forms an L with the pin or fins ( 81) extending from opposite sides of the pin parallel to the direction of transport.
    [0004]
    4. CONVEYOR BELT (92) according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper part (78) of article hitching includes a vertical plate to push articles across the width of the conveyor belt (92) or a horizontal platform to support the bottoms of articles.
    [0005]
    5. CONVEYOR BELT (92), according to claim 1, characterized in that the lower part (80) is a cam follower.
    [0006]
    6. CONVEYOR BELT (92), according to claim 1, characterized in that the propellant (76) includes magnetic material (58).
    [0007]
    7. CONVEYOR BELT (92), according to claim 1, characterized in that the propellant (76) is a monolithic element.
    [0008]
    CARRIER BELT according to claim 1, characterized in that the intermediate part (91) includes an access opening (89) at one end of the slot (72) that is wide enough to admit the thruster (76) into the slot.
    [0009]
    CONVEYOR BELT (92) according to claim 1, characterized in that at least some of the conveyor modules (70) include a bar (73) that extends along the width of the conveyor module (70) below the side top (86) of the intermediate part (91) and in which the thruster (76) has a through hole that receives the bar.
    [0010]
    10. CONVEYOR BELT (92) according to claim 5, characterized by the cam followers of some of the thrusters (76) extending below the bottom side (87) at a first distance and the cam followers of the other thrusters ( 76) extend below the bottom side (76) at a second greater distance.
    [0011]
    CONVEYOR BELT according to claim 9, characterized in that the bar (73) has a driving surface to receive a driving force from a driving element to drive the conveyor belt in the direction of transport.
    [0012]
    12. DEVIATOR CARRIER, characterized by comprising: a conveyor belt (92) as defined in the preceding claims, a guide (100, 100 ') coupled to the thrusters to transfer the thrusters (76) along the elongated slits (72).
    [0013]
    DEVIATOR TRANSPORTER, according to claim 12, characterized by comprising: propellant cam followers (76) extending below the bottom side (76) of the conveyor belt; a retractable guide (124) disposed below the conveyor belt (92) and which has a selectively movable guide surface between a first position in contact with the cam followers to transfer the thrusters (76) through the conveyor belt and a second position not in contact with the cam followers to avoid the translation of the thrusters; wherein the retractable guide has an articulation (130) that allows the guide (124) to pivot between the first and second positions.
    [0014]
    DEVIATOR CARRIER, according to claim 12, characterized by comprising: the conveyor belt that advances in a direction of transport and in which the propellers (76) are arranged to transverse across the width of the conveyor belt along trajectories regularly spaced at a distance that defines a thruster step, where thrusters include cam followers that extend below the bottom side of the conveyor; a cam wheel (132) disposed below the conveyor belt (92) and rotating on a geometric axis perpendicular to the plane of the conveyor belt, the cam wheel including: a plurality of shoulders (134, 136) spaced evenly in around the periphery of the cam wheel (132) to correspond to the propellant step, wherein a first plurality of shoulders (134) are cam blades that receive a driving force from the cam followers to rotate the cam wheel and at minus one of the shoulders (136) is a bypass cam that has an anterior edge that extends radially outwards farther than the cam blades to engage the cam follower of a thruster and translate the thruster (76), while the cam follower of the next thruster is pushing forward one of the cam blades to rotate the cam wheel as the conveyor belt advances.
    [0015]
    DEVIATOR CARRIER, according to claim 12, characterized in that it comprises: cam followers (80, 80 ’, 80") forming the lower portions of the thrusters (76); wherein the cam followers (80 ') of a first plurality of thrusters extend below the bottom side at a first distance and the cam followers (80 ") of a second plurality of thrusters extend below the bottom side at a second distance greater distance; a guide (100, 100 ') arranged below the conveyor belt and which has first guide surfaces on a first level to engage the cam followers (80', 80 ”) of the first and second plurality of thrusters (76) to transfer their thrusters and second guides on a second level below the first level and below the cam followers of the first plurality of thrusters and not below the cam followers of the second plurality of thrusters to transfer the second plurality of thrusters and not the first plurality of thrusters.
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    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    AU2013287006B2|2017-01-05|
    US20150183592A1|2015-07-02|
    CN104411606B|2017-03-01|
    AU2013287006A1|2015-01-22|
    CN104411606A|2015-03-11|
    EP2870087B1|2018-09-05|
    BR112014033092A2|2017-06-27|
    EP2870087A1|2015-05-13|
    CA2877166A1|2014-01-09|
    PL2870087T3|2018-12-31|
    ES2699975T3|2019-02-13|
    JP2015525724A|2015-09-07|
    MX354841B|2018-03-20|
    EP2870087A4|2016-04-27|
    US9399558B2|2016-07-26|
    US20140008178A1|2014-01-09|
    WO2014008135A1|2014-01-09|
    MX2015000176A|2015-04-08|
    IN2015DN00455A|2015-06-26|
    DK2870087T3|2019-01-07|
    JP6273275B2|2018-01-31|
    CA2877166C|2020-05-12|
    US8985304B2|2015-03-24|
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    法律状态:
    2018-12-04| B06F| Objections, documents and/or translations needed after an examination request according art. 34 industrial property law|
    2019-10-22| B06U| Preliminary requirement: requests with searches performed by other patent offices: suspension of the patent application procedure|
    2020-09-08| B06A| Notification to applicant to reply to the report for non-patentability or inadequacy of the application according art. 36 industrial patent law|
    2020-12-15| B09A| Decision: intention to grant|
    2021-02-02| B16A| Patent or certificate of addition of invention granted|Free format text: PRAZO DE VALIDADE: 20 (VINTE) ANOS CONTADOS A PARTIR DE 28/06/2013, OBSERVADAS AS CONDICOES LEGAIS. |
    优先权:
    申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
    US201261668182P| true| 2012-07-05|2012-07-05|
    US61/668,182|2012-07-05|
    US13/839,326|2013-03-15|
    US13/839,326|US8985304B2|2012-07-05|2013-03-15|Cleanable diverter|
    PCT/US2013/048652|WO2014008135A1|2012-07-05|2013-06-28|Cleanable diverter|
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