Material handling apparatus with delivery vehicles
First Claim
1. An apparatus for sorting a plurality of items, comprising:
- a plurality of sort destinations;
a plurality of delivery vehicles for delivering items to the sort destinations, wherein each vehicle comprises;
a surface for supporting items to be delivered; and
an edge-detection assembly for detecting an edge of an item when the item is conveyed onto or discharged from the vehicle, wherein the edge-detection assembly comprises;
an emitter for emitting a beam toward the surface, wherein the emitter is positioned below the surface so that the beam is projected transverse the surface; and
a plurality of detectors for detecting the beam, wherein an object on the surface of the vehicle affects the beam received by the detectors;
wherein the edge-detection assembly is positioned adjacent to, but slightly below, a discharge end of the surface so that the emitter and plurality of detectors form a detection plane that is transverse and orthogonal to a plane defined by the surface;
a controller for controlling the loading of an item onto one of the vehicles or the discharge of an item from the vehicle based on signals from the edge-detection assembly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for sorting items to a plurality of sort destinations. The items are fed into the apparatus at an input station having a scanning station. The scanning station evaluates one or more characteristics of each item. The items are then loaded onto one of a plurality of independently controlled delivery vehicles. The delivery vehicles are individually driven to sort destinations. Once at the appropriate sort destination, the delivery vehicle ejects the item to the sort destination and returns to receive another item to be delivered. A re-induction conveyor may be provided for receiving select items from the vehicles and conveying the items back to the input station for re-processing. Additionally, a controller is provided to control the movement of the vehicles based on a characteristic each item being delivered by each vehicle. The system may also include vehicles having edge-detection assemblies for detecting items being loaded onto or discharged from the vehicles.
18 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An apparatus for sorting a plurality of items, comprising:
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a plurality of sort destinations; a plurality of delivery vehicles for delivering items to the sort destinations, wherein each vehicle comprises; a surface for supporting items to be delivered; and an edge-detection assembly for detecting an edge of an item when the item is conveyed onto or discharged from the vehicle, wherein the edge-detection assembly comprises; an emitter for emitting a beam toward the surface, wherein the emitter is positioned below the surface so that the beam is projected transverse the surface; and a plurality of detectors for detecting the beam, wherein an object on the surface of the vehicle affects the beam received by the detectors; wherein the edge-detection assembly is positioned adjacent to, but slightly below, a discharge end of the surface so that the emitter and plurality of detectors form a detection plane that is transverse and orthogonal to a plane defined by the surface; a controller for controlling the loading of an item onto one of the vehicles or the discharge of an item from the vehicle based on signals from the edge-detection assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification