SPLIT-LEVEL SINGULATOR

• US 20100065403A1
• Filed: 04/04/2008
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Laitram LLC
• Original Assignee: Laitram LLC
• Inventors: Fourney, Matthew L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,900,768 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 47/22 Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors during feeding B65G47/14

Abstract

A split-level singulator for arranging and conveying articles in a single file. The singulator comprises a central conveyor and two flanking conveyors advancing in a conveying direction. Rollers in the conveyors protrude through the thickness of the conveyors and ride on underlying supporting bearing surfaces that cause the rollers to rotate as the conveyors advance in the conveying direction. The rollers in the central conveyor rotate in the conveying direction. The rollers in the flanking conveyors rotate in directions oblique to the conveying direction to direct articles conveyed atop the rollers downstream and toward the central conveyor. The tops of the rollers of the central conveyor are vertically offset above or below the tops of the flanking oblique rollers.

Claims

1. A singulator comprising:

a first conveyor advancing in a conveying direction, the first conveyor having rollers protruding through the thickness of the first conveyor with the rollers'"'"' peripheries protruding above the first conveyor arranged to rotate in the conveying direction, wherein the tops of the rollers'"'"' peripheries all extend to a first level;

second and third conveyors flanking the first conveyor on opposite sides and advancing in the conveying direction;

wherein the second and third conveyors have rollers protruding through the thickness of the second and third conveyors with the rollers'"'"' peripheries protruding above the second and third conveyors arranged to rotate oblique to the conveying direction and toward the first conveyor, wherein the tops of the rollers'"'"' peripheries all extend to a second level unequal to the first level;

bearing surfaces disposed below the first, second, and third conveyors on which the rollers in the first, second, and third conveyors roll as the conveyors advance in the conveying direction.

2. A singulator as in claim 1 wherein the first level is below the second level.

3. A singulator as in claim 1 wherein the first level is above the second level.

4. A singulator as in any preceding claim wherein the first, second, and third conveyors are individual abutting first, second, and third conveyor belts.

5. A singulator as in claim 4 wherein the first conveyor belt is supported in a different plane from the second and third conveyor belts.

6. A singulator as in claim 1 wherein the rollers in the first conveyor have a different radius from the rollers in the second and third conveyors.

7. A singulator as in claim 1 wherein the first, second, and third conveyors are contiguous regions across the width of a single conveyor belt.