CONVEYOR SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ACCUMULATING PACKAGES OF VARYING LENGTHS

• US 20110297509A1
• Filed: 02/09/2011
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hytrol Conveyor Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hytrol Conveyor Company, Inc.
• Inventors: Taylor, Bryan Dale
• Application Number:
  US13/024,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20110297509A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 198/572
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/261 Accumulating articles

Abstract

A drive controller for controlling movement of a plurality of packages by an accumulation conveyor. The drive controller is configured to determine a length of each of the packages and to coordinate driving of a number of zones needed to accommodate the package. For example, a sensor in each of the conveyor zones communicates blockage by the packages to the drive controller. The drive controller determines a sequence of blockage of the sensors in adjacent zones. Blockage of the sensor in an upstream zone before the sensor in a downstream zone indicates an oversized package that extends longer than a zone length of the downstream zone and into the upstream zone. The drive controller is configured to drive the downstream zone and upstream zone simultaneously when detecting the oversized package.

Claims

1. An accumulation conveyor for moving packages, the accumulation conveyor comprising:

a conveying surface divided into a plurality of zones;

a plurality of sensors configured to detect a first package having a first length and a second package having a second length; and

a drive controller configured to;

determine a first number of the zones needed to accommodate the first length of the first package;

in response to determining the first number of the zones, allocating the first number of the zones for moving the first package;

coordinate operation of the first number of the zones to move the first package along the conveying surface;

determine a second number of the zones needed to accommodate the second length of the second package;

in response to determining the second number of the zones, allocating the second number of the zones for moving the second package; and

coordinate operation of the second number of zones to move the second package along the conveying surface.

2. The accumulation conveyor system of claim 1, wherein the first number of the zones and the second number of the zones are different because the first length and the second length are different.

3. The accumulation conveyor system of claim 1, wherein the first number of the zones and the second number of the zones are equal because the first length and the second length differ by less than a length of one of the zones.

4. The accumulation conveyor system of claim 1, wherein:

the sensors are configured to detect a third package having a third length; and

in response to the sensors detecting the third package, the drive controller is configured to;

determine a third number of the zones needed to accommodate the third length of the third package;

in response to determining the third number of the zones, allocating the third number of the zones for moving the third package; and

coordinate operation of the third number of zones to move the third package along the conveying surface.

5. The accumulation conveyor system of claim 1, wherein the first number of zones is one.

6. The accumulation conveyor system of claim 1, wherein the second number of zones is one.

7. A method of controlling zones of an accumulation conveyor comprising:

determining a first number of the zones to accommodate a first package, wherein the first number of the zones is based on a first length of the first package;

in response to determining the first number of the zones, allocating the first number of the zones for moving the first package;

coordinating operation of the first number of the zones to move the first package along the accumulation conveyor;

determining a second number of the zones to accommodate a second package, wherein the second number of the zones is based on a second length of the second package;

in response to determining the second number of the zones, allocating the second number of the zones for moving the second package; and

coordinating operation of the second number of the zones to move the second package along the accumulation conveyor.

8. The accumulation conveyor system of claim 7 further comprising:

determining the first length is different than the second length and, in response, the first number of the zones is different than the second number of the zones.

9. The accumulation conveyor system of claim 7 further comprising:

determining the first length and the second length differ by less than a length of one of the zones and, in response, the first number of the zones is equal to the second number of the zones.

10. The accumulation conveyor system of claim 7 further comprising:

determining a third number of the zones to accommodate a third package, wherein the third number of the zones is based on a third length of the third package;

in response to determining the third number of the zones, allocating the third number of the zones for moving the third package; and

coordinating operation of the third number of the zones to move the third package along the accumulation conveyor.