Methods and apparatus for controlling conveyor zones

• US 20030116408A1
• Filed: 06/17/2002
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Balluff Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Balluff Incorporated
• Inventors: Braun, James W., Ramler, James Clinton, Topmiller, David Allen
• Granted Patent: US 6,827,202 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 198/781.05
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/261 Accumulating articles

Abstract

One aspect of the present invention relates to a module for controlling two or more zones of an accumulating conveyor system. In one embodiment, the single module includes outputs to provide independent actuation signals to cause movement of two zones of the conveyor. The module includes two sensor inputs to receive article detection signals from two zones. Circuitry controls the actuation signals based upon the detection signals received. According to another aspect, a control module is provided with an input for indicating the speed of the conveyor to be used, such that programmed features of the module can be adjusted according to the speed selected. According to another aspect, a sleep mode of operation is provided wherein multiple downstream zones are awakened upon the detection of an article in an upstream zone.

Claims

1. A control module for controlling two or more conveyor zones in an accumulating conveyor, the module comprising:

an input configured to receive a first article detection signal from a first article detection sensor for a first zone in an accumulating conveyor, the first zone comprising a plurality of rollers selectively rotatable in unison by a drive mechanism;

an input configured to receive a second article detection signal from a second article detection sensor in a second zone of the accumulating conveyor, the second zone comprising a plurality of rollers selectively rotatable in unison by a drive mechanism;

an input configured to receive a command signal from another control module;

an output configured to provide a first actuation signal to cause selective rotation of the rollers of the first zone of the conveyor;

an output configured provide a second actuation signal to cause selective rotation of the rollers of the second zone of the conveyor; and

a control circuit receiving the first and second article detection signals and the command signal and configured to independently control the first and second actuation signals based upon the status of the first and second article detection signals and the command signal.

2. The module as recited in claim 1, further comprising a pair of pneumatic valves configured to provide the actuation signals under control of the control circuit, wherein the actuation signals comprise pneumatic signals.

3. The module as recited in claim 1, further comprising a housing having the inputs, and the outputs, wherein the housing houses the control circuit.

4. The module as recited in claim 1, wherein the article detection sensors comprise photo-electric sensors.

5. The module as recited in claim 1, wherein the actuation signals comprise electrical signals.

6. The module as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one input device configured to provide input signals to the control circuit for selecting the mode of operation of the control circuit.

7. The module as recited in claim 6, wherein the input device comprises switches that include one or more switches for operating the first actuation signal according to a singulation mode or a multi-slug mode and one or more switches for operating the second actuation signal according to a singulation or a multi-slug mode.

8. The module as recited in claim 6, wherein the input device is configured to indicate the speed of the conveyor with which the module will be used.

9. The module as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a third output configured to provide a signal to another similar module.

10. A control system for an accumulating conveyor having a plurality of independently driven zones, the system comprising:

an input/output module comprising;

an input configured to receive a first article detection signal from a first article detection sensor for a first zone in an accumulating conveyor, the first zone comprising a plurality of rollers selectively rotatable in unison by a drive mechanism;

an input configured to receive a second article detection signal from a second article detection sensor in a second zone of the accumulating conveyor, the second zone comprising a plurality of rollers rotatable in unison by a single drive mechanism;

an output configured to provide a first actuation signal to cause selective rotation of the rollers of the first zone of the conveyor; and

an output configured provide a second actuation signal to cause selective rotation of the rollers of the second zone of the conveyor;

a control module in communication with the input/output module to receive the first and second article detection signals, wherein the control module is configured to control the first and second actuation signals using the status of the first and second article detection signals.

11. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the input/output module further comprises a pair of pneumatic valves configured to provide the actuation signals under control of the control module.

12. The system as recited in claim 10, further comprising a serial communication link between the control module and the input/output module.

13. The system as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

a second input/output module comprising;

an input configured to receive an article detection signal from an article detection sensor for a third zone in an accumulating conveyor, the third zone comprising a plurality of rollers selectively rotatable in unison by a drive mechanism;

an input configured to receive an article detection signal from an article detection sensor in a fourth zone of the accumulating conveyor, the fourth zone comprising a plurality of rollers rotatable in unison by a single drive mechanism;

an output configured to provide an actuation signal to cause selective rotation of the rollers of the third zone of the conveyor; and

an output configured provide an actuation signal to cause selective rotation of the rollers of the fourth zone of the conveyor;

wherein the control module is in communication with the second input/output module to receive the article detection signals from the second input/output module, and wherein the control module is configured to control the actuation signals of the second input/output module using the status of the article detection signals from the second input/output module.

14. A method for controlling two or more conveyor zones using a single control module, the method comprising:

receiving in a control module at least one signal from another control module for controlling the operation of the control module;

using a circuit in the control module to control a first actuation signal for selectively powering or stopping a first conveyor zone in response to the at least one signal; and

using the circuit in the control module to control a second actuation signal for selectively powering or stopping a second conveyor zone in response to the at least one signal.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the at least one signal comprises a command signal having one of an accumulation state and a release state.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the control circuit further receives article detection signals from sensors indicating whether articles are present in two zones of the conveyor.

17. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the actuation signals comprise electric signals for controlling at least one of a valve, a motor, and a solenoid.

18. A control module for controlling at least one zone of a conveyor, comprising:

an input configured to receive an article detection signal from a zone of a conveyor;

an output configured to provide an actuation signal for control of a zone of the conveyor;

a user input device configured to receive an input from a user representing the speed at which the conveyor will run; and

a control circuit configured to utilize the article detection signal and the user input to set the actuation signal.

19. The module as recited in claim 18, wherein the output comprises a pneumatic connector.

20. The module as recited in claim 18, wherein the user input device comprises at least one switch.

21. A method for controlling a zone of a conveyor using a sleep mode of operation, the method comprising:

deactivating the present zone of a conveyor based upon the absence of one or more articles in one or more zones of the conveyor, so as to enter the present zone into a sleep mode; and

reactivating the present zone of the conveyor as well as at least one downstream zone, based upon the presence of one or more articles in one or more zones of the conveyor, such that the present zone and the at least one downstream zones are awakened.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the present zone and at least one downstream zone are reactivated when an article is detected in a zone upstream to the present zone.

23. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the present zone is deactivated when an article is absent from the present zone for a predetermined amount of time.