SINGULATED RELEASE FOR ZONED CONVEYOR SYSTEMS
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A conveyor system for transporting a series of loads, comprising:
- a series of conveyor zones including at least a selectively operable upstream conveyor zone and a selectively operable downstream conveyor zone;
a first drive motor in communication with the upstream conveyor zone and a second drive motor in communication with the downstream conveyor zone, the drive motors configured to selectively operate a respective conveyor zone to advance the loads along the conveyor system; and
a control circuit in communication with the first and second drive motors for providing singulated package release, wherein the control circuit selectively operates the first and second drive motors to cause the upstream and downstream conveyor zones to;
(i) advance adjacent first and second loads thereon at a rate of speed;
(ii) stop operation of the upstream conveyor zone when the first load is discharged from the upstream conveyor zone and is supported solely by the downstream conveyor zone and the second load is supported solely by the upstream conveyor zone to maintain the second load stationary on the upstream conveyor zone;
(iii) maintain operation of the downstream conveyor zone while operation of the upstream conveyor zone is stopped to advance the first load on the downstream conveyor zone relative to the second load a displacement distance along the downstream conveyor zone corresponding to a defined number of revolutions of the second drive motor; and
(iv) simultaneously operate both the downstream conveyor zone and the upstream conveyor zone when the second drive motor has rotated the defined number of revolutions to simultaneously advance the first and second loads on the upstream and downstream conveyor zones, respectively,wherein the control circuit operates the conveyor zone drive motors so as to maintain a one-to-one relationship between the conveyor zones and the loads supported on and advanced by the conveyor zones to thereby provide for the singulated package release.
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Abstract
The disclosure describes zoned conveyor systems that provide singulated package release control based on a defined displacement distance using motor revolution data of a downstream conveyor zone.
24 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A conveyor system for transporting a series of loads, comprising:
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a series of conveyor zones including at least a selectively operable upstream conveyor zone and a selectively operable downstream conveyor zone; a first drive motor in communication with the upstream conveyor zone and a second drive motor in communication with the downstream conveyor zone, the drive motors configured to selectively operate a respective conveyor zone to advance the loads along the conveyor system; and a control circuit in communication with the first and second drive motors for providing singulated package release, wherein the control circuit selectively operates the first and second drive motors to cause the upstream and downstream conveyor zones to; (i) advance adjacent first and second loads thereon at a rate of speed;
(ii) stop operation of the upstream conveyor zone when the first load is discharged from the upstream conveyor zone and is supported solely by the downstream conveyor zone and the second load is supported solely by the upstream conveyor zone to maintain the second load stationary on the upstream conveyor zone;
(iii) maintain operation of the downstream conveyor zone while operation of the upstream conveyor zone is stopped to advance the first load on the downstream conveyor zone relative to the second load a displacement distance along the downstream conveyor zone corresponding to a defined number of revolutions of the second drive motor; and
(iv) simultaneously operate both the downstream conveyor zone and the upstream conveyor zone when the second drive motor has rotated the defined number of revolutions to simultaneously advance the first and second loads on the upstream and downstream conveyor zones, respectively,wherein the control circuit operates the conveyor zone drive motors so as to maintain a one-to-one relationship between the conveyor zones and the loads supported on and advanced by the conveyor zones to thereby provide for the singulated package release. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A control device for a zoned conveyor system, comprising:
a control circuit comprising a selectively operable distance learn mode for determining a desired spacing distance associated with a downstream conveyor zone for use in a singulated package release mode, the downstream conveyor zone having a drive motor, wherein the distance learn mode is configured to electronically define a number of motor revolutions correlated to the desired spacing distance. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of controlling a conveyor having adjacent upstream and downstream conveyor zones for advancing a series of loads, comprising:
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selectively operating the conveyor zones at a rate of speed to advance a first load on the downstream conveyor zone and a second load on the upstream conveyor zone, counting a number of Hall-effect signal pulses associated with the downstream conveyor zone to determine when the first load travels a predetermined distance on the downstream conveyor zone; stopping operation of the upstream conveyor zone when the first load is supported by the downstream conveyor zone and the second load reaches a predetermined position on the upstream conveyor zone before the first load travels the predetermined distance on the downstream conveyor zone to maintain the second load stationary on the upstream conveyor zone; continuing operation of the downstream conveyor zone to advance the first load thereon to the predetermined position on the downstream conveyor zone while operation of the upstream conveyor zone is stopped and the second load is maintained stationary on the upstream conveyor zone; and thereafter simultaneously operating both the upstream conveyor zone and the downstream conveyor zone when the first load travels the predetermined distance on the downstream conveyor zone based on the counting step to simultaneously advance the first load on the downstream conveyor zone and the second load on the upstream conveyor zone; wherein operation of the conveyor system maintains a one-to-one relationship between the conveyor zones and the loads supported on and advanced by the conveyor zones. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification