Systems and methods for providing an improved timing conveyor

• US 20070034481A1
• Filed: 08/15/2005
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Laitram LLC
• Original Assignee: Materials Handling Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Fourney, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 7,311,192 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 198/779
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 17/24 comprising a series of rollers which are moved , e.g. over a supporting surface, by the traction element to effect conveyance of loads or load-carriers
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/28 during transit by a single conveyor

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for a conveyor system for evenly spacing conveyed objects are provided. In one embodiment, the conveyor system includes a conveyor belt that includes a conveyor having cavities, rollers in some of cavities, and a positioning component. The conveyor system further includes a conveyor drive coupled to the conveyor system and a roller engagement surface positioned adjacent the conveyor belt and configured to engage the plurality of rollers.

Claims

1. A conveyor system for controlling spacing of conveyed objects, comprising:

a conveyor configured to transfer a plurality of objects in a first direction, comprising;

a conveyor belt having a plurality of cavities;

a plurality of rollers, each roller being disposed in a cavity and having an axis perpendicular to the first direction;

a positioning component provided adjacent the rollers;

a conveyor drive component coupled to the conveyor system, the conveyor drive component configured to drive the conveyor belt; and

a roller engagement surface positioned adjacent the conveyor belt and configured to engage the plurality of rollers.

2. The conveyor system of claim 1, wherein the conveyor belt has a thickness and the plurality of rollers have a minimum diameter, and wherein the minimum diameter is greater than the thickness.

3. The conveyor system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of rollers comprise first rollers having a first diameter and second rollers having a second diameter and wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter.

4. The conveyor system of claim 3, wherein plurality of second rollers are positioned closer to the positioning component along the first direction than the plurality of first rollers.

5. The conveyor system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of rollers comprise first rollers having a first friction coefficient and second rollers having a second friction coefficient and wherein the first friction coefficient is greater than the second friction coefficient.

6. The conveyor system of claim 5, wherein the second rollers are positioned closer to the positioning component along the first direction than the first rollers.

7. The conveyor system of claim 1, wherein the positioning component comprises a friction pad configured to stop the motion of objects relative to the conveyor belt.

8. The conveyor system of claim 7, wherein the friction pad is substantially co-planar with the conveyor belt.

9. The conveyor system of claim 1, wherein the positioning component comprises a flight configured to stop the motion of objects relative to the conveyor belt.

10. The conveyor system of claim 9, wherein the flight comprises a fixed element that extends above the conveyor belt.

11. The conveyor system of claim 9, wherein the flight comprises a movable element movable between an extended position in which the flight extends above the plurality of rollers and a retracted position in which the flight is positioned below the plurality of rollers.

12. The conveyor system of claim 11, further comprising an actuator that actuates the movable element from the retracted position to the extended position.

13. The conveyor system of claim 12, wherein the actuator comprises a cam.

14. The conveyor system of claim 1, wherein the roller engagement surface is positioned underneath the conveyor belt and wherein the plurality of objects are positioned on top off the plurality of rollers of the conveyor belt.

15. A method of manufacturing a conveyor, comprising:

disposing rollers into cavities of a conveyor belt, the rollers having a diameters that are larger than the thickness of the conveyor belt;

securing an object-positioning component to the conveyor belt, the object-positioning component being configured to stop travel of objects along the conveyor belt;

placing a roller engagement surface adjacent the conveyor belt and in contact with the rollers such that linear travel of the conveyor belt will cause the rollers to rotate; and

coupling a conveyor drive component to the conveyor belt.

16. A method for conveying objects, comprising:

driving a conveyor belt in a direction of belt travel, the conveyor belt having a first roller disposed therein;

contacting the first roller with a roller engagement surface being located underneath the conveyor belt to cause the first roller to rotate as the conveyor belt travels along the roller engagement surface;

accelerating a first object on the conveyor belt relative to the conveyor belt as a result of rotation of the first roller; and

halting the first object on the conveyor belt to achieve a specific interval between the first object and a second object.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the rotating the first roller comprises rotating the first roller in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of belt travel.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising contacting a second roller to the roller engagement surface.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the halting the objects comprises halting the first object with a friction pad of the conveyor belt.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the halting the objects comprises halting the first object with a flight of the conveyor belt.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the flight is actuatable between an extended position in which the flight extends above the plurality of rollers and a retracted position in which the flight is positioned below the plurality of rollers.

22. A conveyor belt for spacing conveyed objects, comprising:

acceleration components configured to move an object along the conveyor belt; and

a positioning component positioned along the conveyor belt, the positioning component configured to halt motion of the object on the conveyor belt.

23. The conveyor belt of claim 22, wherein the acceleration components comprise rollers disposed in cavities of the conveyor belt and wherein the rollers have diameters larger than a thickness of the conveyor belt.

24. The conveyor belt of claim 23, wherein the rollers are aligned within the conveyor belt to accelerate objects in a direction of belt travel.

25. The conveyor belt of claim 22, wherein the positioning component comprises a friction pad.

26. The conveyor belt of claim 22, wherein the positioning component comprises a flight.

27. The conveyor belt of claim 26, wherein the flight comprises a fixed flight.

28. The conveyor belt of claim 26, wherein the flight comprises an actuatable flight that is actuatable between an extended position in which the flight extends above the plurality of rollers and a retracted position in which the flight is positioned below the plurality of rollers.

29. The conveyor belt of claim 28, wherein the actuatable flight comprises a linearly-actuatable flight.

30. The conveyor belt of claim 28, wherein the actuatable flight comprises a rotationally-actuatable flight.

31. A method for positioning objects, comprising:

accelerating an object along a conveyor belt such that the object travels faster than a speed of travel of the conveyor belt; and

halting the object with a positioning component of the conveyor belt such that the object travels on the conveyor belt at the same speed as the conveyor belt and is held at a desired location along the conveyor belt.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein accelerating comprises contacting the object with a plurality of rollers.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the accelerating further comprises engaging the rollers with a roller engagement surface.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the halting comprises contacting the object with a positioning component.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the halting comprises contacting the object with a friction pad along the conveyor belt.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the halting comprises contacting the object with a flight along the conveyor belt.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the contacting comprises using a fixed flight along the conveyor belt.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the contacting comprises using an actuatable flight along the conveyor belt.