ANGLED-ROLLER BELT CONVEYOR
First Claim
1. A conveyor comprising:
- a conveyor belt running along a conveying path in a direction of belt travel and including an article-conveying surface extending transverse to the direction of belt travel from a first side to a second side;
wherein the conveyor belt includes a plurality of article-supporting rollers at the article-conveying surface arranged to direct supported articles toward the first side of the conveyor belt as the conveyor belt runs in the direction of belt travel;
a movable obstruction defining a pivot point disposed above the article-conveying surface of the conveyor belt between the first and second sides of the conveyor;
wherein the movable obstruction intercepts a conveyed article and the article pivots at the pivot point as the conveyor belt runs in the direction of belt travel .
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A conveyor and a method for rotating and registering an article against a rail. The conveyor includes an angled-roller conveyor belt whose article-supporting rollers are arranged to rotate about axes directing conveyed articles toward a side rail. An obstruction is selectively activated to move into a position just above a top article-conveying surface of the belt. In that position, the obstruction intercepts conveyed articles. The obstruction forms a pivot about which the articles rotate as the belt advances and the angled rollers rotate. An electric eye or other sensor sensitive to oversized or misoriented articles controls the positioning of the obstruction to rotate misoriented articles 90° or to let correctly oriented articles pass without contact and reorientation.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. A conveyor comprising:
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a conveyor belt running along a conveying path in a direction of belt travel and including an article-conveying surface extending transverse to the direction of belt travel from a first side to a second side;
wherein the conveyor belt includes a plurality of article-supporting rollers at the article-conveying surface arranged to direct supported articles toward the first side of the conveyor belt as the conveyor belt runs in the direction of belt travel;
a movable obstruction defining a pivot point disposed above the article-conveying surface of the conveyor belt between the first and second sides of the conveyor;
wherein the movable obstruction intercepts a conveyed article and the article pivots at the pivot point as the conveyor belt runs in the direction of belt travel . - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A conveyor comprising:
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a conveyor carryway;
a conveyor belt supported on the carryway and running in a direction of belt travel and including an article-conveying surface extending transverse to the direction of belt travel from a first side to a second side;
wherein the conveyor belt includes a plurality of article-supporting rollers in rolling contact with the carryway that extend above the article-conveying surface and that are arranged to rotate about axes oblique to the direction of belt travel to direct supported articles toward the first side of the conveyor belt;
a rail at the first side of the conveyor belt to receive articles directed across the belt;
a movable obstruction including a pivot point disposed over the carryway above the article-conveying surface of the conveyor belt between the first and second sides of the conveyor;
wherein the movable obstruction intercepts a conveyed article and the article pivots at the pivot point as the conveyor belt runs in the direction of belt travel. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A conveyor comprising:
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an angled-roller belt extending in width from a first side to a second side and in thickness from a top surface to a bottom surface and traveling in a direction of belt travel, the angled-roller belt including;
a plurality of article-supporting rollers having salient portions extending beyond the top and bottom surfaces, the rollers arranged to rotate about axes oblique to the direction of belt travel;
a roller bearing surface disposed beneath the angled-roller belt in contact with the plurality of rollers to rotate the rollers about the axes and direct conveyed articles toward the first side of the angled-roller belt;
a movable obstruction disposed above the top surface of the angled-roller belt and defining a pivot point about which conveyed articles intercepted by the movable obstruction pivot as the belt travels. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A conveyor comprising:
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an angled-roller belt traveling in a direction of belt travel, the angled-roller belt including;
a plurality of article-supporting rollers arranged to rotate about axes oblique to the direction of belt travel as the angled-roller belt is traveling;
a movable obstruction disposed over the angled-roller belt in a position to contact conveyed articles and to act as a pivot about which conveyed articles can pivot as the angled-roller belt is traveling. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method for rotating a conveyed article and registering it against a rail, comprising:
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providing a rail along the side of a moving roller-top conveyor belt;
conveying an article along the moving roller-top conveyor belt having rollers arranged to rotate to direct the article toward the rail;
moving an obstruction to a position above the roller-top conveyor belt to intercept articles conveyed along the roller-top conveyor belt and cause the articles to rotate at the obstruction as the roller-top conveyor belt moves. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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Specification