SORTING CONVEYOR SYSTEM

• US 20090139835A1
• Filed: 05/15/2007
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Univeyor A/S
• Original Assignee: Univeyor A/S
• Inventors: Christensen, Torben
• Granted Patent: US 8,087,510 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 198/370.30
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/648 about a vertical axis

Abstract

A conveyor system for sorting items that are supplied in a random sequence via a feeding conveyor, and including sorting means (4) arranged in a row for directing the items to specific receiving positions at at least one side of the sorting means (4). The sorting means (4) are constituted by relatively short individually driven belt conveyors (4) which are pivotably suspended on mainly vertical turning shafts (8), and which at a foremost end part (5) project in over a next belt conveyor (4) in the row, and where at the foremost end part (5) and at a distance to the rear, the pivotable belt conveyor (4) is designed with as low a height as a foremost reversing roller and a reversing roller disposed at a distance to the rear of the foremost roller. By means of simple technical measures it is possible to counteract the drawbacks of corresponding prior art conveyor systems and to achieve further advantages that are very essential and new.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A conveyor system for sorting items supplied in random sequence comprising a feeding conveyor for supplying the items, and including sorting means arranged in a row for directing the items to specific receiving positions at at least one side of the sorting means;

and wherein the sorting means are individually driven belt conveyors which are pivotably suspended on vertical turning shafts, and which at an end part project in over a next belt conveyor in the row.

12. A conveyor system according to claim 11, wherein at the end part, the pivotable belt conveyor has height determined by a reversing roller at the end part.

13. A conveyor system according to claim 11, wherein at the end part and a distance to the rear thereof, the pivotable belt conveyor has height determined by the reversing roller and another reversing roller disposed by the distance to the rear of the reversing roller.

14. A conveyor system according to claim 11, wherein the vertical turning shaft for the pivotable belt conveyor is disposed at a rearmost end of the belt conveyor and is provided with a pivot control mechanism which extends rearwardly, and which interacts with a control arm connected to a pivot motor.

15. A conveyor system according to claim 14, wherein the pivot control mechanism includes mutually parallel, downwardly open guide sections that are interspaced and receive receiving guide rollers of the control arm with the spacing between the guide rollers on the control arm being the same as spacing between the open guide sections.

16. A conveyor system according to claim 14, wherein engagement between the guide rollers of the control arm and the guide sections is such that the guide rollers engage both guide sections when the control arm is transversely disposed in relation to a longitudinal center axis of the pivotable belt conveyor, corresponding to the pivotable belt conveyor not being turned outwards.

17. A conveyor system according to claim 15, wherein engagement between the guide rollers of the control arm and the guide sections is such that the guide rollers engage both guide sections when the control arm is transversely disposed in relation to a longitudinal center axis of the pivotable belt conveyor, corresponding to the pivotable belt conveyor not being turned outwards.

18. A conveyor system according to claim 16, wherein the engagement between the guide rollers of the control arm and the guide sections is such that a left one of the guide rollers engages a left one of the guide sections when the control arm is turned clockwise, corresponding to the pivotable belt conveyor being turned outwards about 45°

to a left side in relation to a longitudinal center axis.

19. A conveyor system according to claim 17, wherein the engagement between the guide rollers of the control arm and the guide sections is such that a left one of the guide rollers engages a left one of the guide sections when the control arm is turned clockwise, corresponding to the pivotable belt conveyor being turned outwards about 45°

to a left side in relation to a longitudinal center axis.

20. A conveyor system according to claim 16, wherein the engagement between the guide rollers of the control arm and the guide sections is such that a right one of the guide rollers engages a right one of the guide sections when the control arm is turned counterclockwise, corresponding to the pivotable belt conveyor being turned outwards about 45°

to a right side in relation to a longitudinal center axis.

21. A conveyor system according to claim 17, wherein the engagement between the guide rollers of the control arm and the guide sections is such that a right one of the guide rollers engages a right one of the guide sections when the control arm is turned counterclockwise, corresponding to the pivotable belt conveyor being turned outwards about 45°

to a right side in relation to a longitudinal center axis.

22. A conveyor system according to claim 14, wherein the pivot control mechanism includes position control means including induction sensors adjustably mounted in curved slots, and which interact with plate-shaped position guide members.

23. A conveyor system according to claim 15, wherein the pivot control mechanism includes position control means including induction sensors adjustably mounted in curved slots, and which interact with plate-shaped position guide members.

24. A conveyor system according to claim 16, wherein the pivot control mechanism includes position control means including induction sensors adjustably mounted in curved slots, and which interact with plate-shaped position guide members.

25. A conveyor system according to claim 17, wherein the pivot control mechanism includes position control means including induction sensors adjustably mounted in curved slots, and which interact with plate-shaped position guide members.

26. A conveyor system according to claim 18, wherein the pivot control mechanism includes position control means including induction sensors adjustably mounted in curved slots, and which interact with plate-shaped position guide members.

27. A conveyor system according to claim 19, wherein the pivot control mechanism includes position control means including induction sensors adjustably mounted in curved slots, and which interact with plate-shaped position guide members.

28. A conveyor system according to claim 20, wherein the pivot control mechanism includes position control means including induction sensors adjustably mounted in curved slots, and which interact with plate-shaped position guide members.

29. A conveyor system according to claim 21, wherein the pivot control mechanism includes position control means including induction sensors adjustably mounted in curved slots, and which interact with plate-shaped position guide members.

30. A conveyor system according to claim 18, wherein each of the belt conveyors includes an electric drive motor which accelerates the belt conveyor at least when turned laterally outwards in relation to a longitudinal center axis for moving the items out to a receiving position.

31. A conveyor system according to claim 19, wherein each of the belt conveyors includes an electric drive motor which accelerates the belt conveyor at least when turned laterally outwards in relation to a longitudinal center axis for moving the items out to a receiving position.

32. A conveyor system according to claim 20, wherein each of the belt conveyors includes an electric drive motor which accelerates the belt conveyor at least when turned laterally outwards in relation to a longitudinal center axis for moving the items out to a receiving position.

33. A conveyor system according to claim 21, wherein each of the belt conveyors includes an electric drive motor which accelerates the belt conveyor at least when turned laterally outwards in relation to a longitudinal center axis for moving the items out to a receiving position.