Conveyor system that senses and separates product
First Claim
1. A conveyor system for separating cases of product, the system comprising:
- an elongated, substantially horizontal frame extending from an entry point to an exit point and having a plurality of linear zones, one of the plurality of linear zones being adjacent to the exit point and being an exit zone;
a plurality of individually-controllable motivators arranged along the frame, such that a case placed on one or more motivators will be moved forward towards the exit point by a coordinated movement of the one or more motivators;
a plurality of case sensors arranged along the frame to detect the presence of one or more cases within each of the linear zones; and
a controller mounted to the frame and operably coupled to each of the plurality of case sensors and each of the plurality of motivators and configured to;
activate the motivators in the exit zone to move a case in the exit zone forward to the exit point if a minimum time period has elapsed since a previous case was moved to the exit point, andactivate the motivators in each one of the plurality of linear zones that is not the exit zone to move a case in the zone forward to a next zone closer to the exit point if no case is present in the next zone closer to the exit point.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of a conveyor system for separating cases of product are disclosed. An elongated, substantially horizontal frame extends from an entry point to an exit point and has a plurality of linear zones. A plurality of motivators is arranged along the frame, such that a case placed on one or more motivators will be moved forward toward the exit point by a coordinated movement of the motivators. A plurality of case sensors arranged along the frame detects the presence of one or more cases within each of the linear zones, and a controller activates the motivators such that a minimum time period elapses between cases delivered to the exit point. The system can include an AC/DC power supply configured to receive 110-120V alternating current power at 60 Hz and to provide direct current power to the controller, the plurality of case sensors, and the plurality of individually-controllable motivators.
40 Citations
12 Claims
-
1. A conveyor system for separating cases of product, the system comprising:
-
an elongated, substantially horizontal frame extending from an entry point to an exit point and having a plurality of linear zones, one of the plurality of linear zones being adjacent to the exit point and being an exit zone; a plurality of individually-controllable motivators arranged along the frame, such that a case placed on one or more motivators will be moved forward towards the exit point by a coordinated movement of the one or more motivators; a plurality of case sensors arranged along the frame to detect the presence of one or more cases within each of the linear zones; and a controller mounted to the frame and operably coupled to each of the plurality of case sensors and each of the plurality of motivators and configured to; activate the motivators in the exit zone to move a case in the exit zone forward to the exit point if a minimum time period has elapsed since a previous case was moved to the exit point, and activate the motivators in each one of the plurality of linear zones that is not the exit zone to move a case in the zone forward to a next zone closer to the exit point if no case is present in the next zone closer to the exit point. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
Specification