ELECTROMAGNETIC CONVEYOR SYSTEM
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A conveyor system comprising:
- a first conveyor conveying electrically conductive articles in a first direction to an exit end;
a second conveyor conveying the electrically conductive articles from an entrance end in a second direction different from the first direction;
a diverter forming a junction between the exit end of the first conveyor and the entrance end of the second conveyor;
wherein the diverter includes;
a top surface;
an entrance adjacent to the exit end of the first conveyor receiving the electrically conductive articles on the top surface from the exit end of the first conveyor;
an exit adjacent to the entrance end of the second conveyor;
a plurality of coils arranged in a matrix of contiguous first and second zones below the top surface, wherein the coils in each of the first zones produce an electromagnetic flux wave that travels in the first direction and forces the electrically conductive articles on the top surface above the zone to move in the first direction and the coils in each of the second zones produce an electromagnetic flux wave that travels in the second direction and forces the electrically conductive articles on the top surface above the zone to move in the second direction, wherein at least some of the zones along the entrance are first zones and at least some of the zones along the exit are second zones;
wherein some of the coils in the diverter are in the first zones and the rest of the coils are in the second zones;
wherein the electrically conductive articles are directed from the entrance to the exit by the coils in the first and second zones and onto the second conveyor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A conveyor system for conveying electrically conductive articles such as aluminum cans. The conveyor system comprises a plurality of coils below the top surface of an electromagnetic conveyor at a junction between an infeed conveyor and a discharge conveyor. The coils propagate electromagnetic flux waves that induce currents in the electrically conductive articles that force the articles to follow a conveying path from the infeed to the discharge conveyor. Dead spots on the electromagnetic conveyor can be eliminated by adjusting the coil drive waveforms.
3 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A conveyor system comprising:
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a first conveyor conveying electrically conductive articles in a first direction to an exit end; a second conveyor conveying the electrically conductive articles from an entrance end in a second direction different from the first direction; a diverter forming a junction between the exit end of the first conveyor and the entrance end of the second conveyor; wherein the diverter includes; a top surface; an entrance adjacent to the exit end of the first conveyor receiving the electrically conductive articles on the top surface from the exit end of the first conveyor; an exit adjacent to the entrance end of the second conveyor; a plurality of coils arranged in a matrix of contiguous first and second zones below the top surface, wherein the coils in each of the first zones produce an electromagnetic flux wave that travels in the first direction and forces the electrically conductive articles on the top surface above the zone to move in the first direction and the coils in each of the second zones produce an electromagnetic flux wave that travels in the second direction and forces the electrically conductive articles on the top surface above the zone to move in the second direction, wherein at least some of the zones along the entrance are first zones and at least some of the zones along the exit are second zones; wherein some of the coils in the diverter are in the first zones and the rest of the coils are in the second zones; wherein the electrically conductive articles are directed from the entrance to the exit by the coils in the first and second zones and onto the second conveyor. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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2. (canceled)
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15. A conveyor system comprising:
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a first conveyor conveying electrically conductive articles in a first direction to an exit end; a second conveyor conveying the electrically conductive articles from an entrance end in a second direction, wherein the angle θ
between the first direction and the second direction is given by 0°
<
θ
≤
90°
;a diverter forming a junction between the exit end of the first conveyor and the entrance end of the second conveyor; wherein the diverter includes; a top surface; an entrance adjacent to the exit end of the first conveyor receiving the electrically conductive articles on the top surface from the exit end of the first conveyor; an exit adjacent to the entrance end of the second conveyor; a plurality of coils arranged in parallel below the top surface and having magnetic axes in a third direction oblique to the first direction and producing an electromagnetic flux wave that forces the electrically conductive articles on the top surface above the coils to move in the third direction, wherein the angle a between the first direction and the third direction is given by 0°
<
α
<
θ
;wherein the electrically conductive articles are directed from the entrance to the exit by the coils and onto the second conveyor. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A conveyor system comprising:
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a first conveyor conveying electrically conductive articles in a first direction to an exit end; a second conveyor conveying the electrically conductive articles from an entrance end in a second direction different from the first direction; a diverter forming a junction between the exit end of the first conveyor and the entrance end of the second conveyor; wherein the diverter includes; a top surface; an entrance adjacent to the exit end of the first conveyor receiving the electrically conductive articles on the top surface from the exit end of the first conveyor; an exit adjacent to the entrance end of the second conveyor; a plurality of coils arranged in an arc below the top surface from the entrance to the exit wherein, in a plan view perpendicular to the top surface, each of the coils has a narrow end at the inside of the arc and an opposite wider end at the outside of the arc; wherein the electrically conductive articles are directed from the entrance to the exit by the coils and onto the second conveyor. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A conveyor system comprising:
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an electromagnetic conveyor including; a top surface; an entrance over which electrically conductive articles are transferred onto the top surface; an exit over which electrically conductive articles are transferred off the top surface; a plurality of coils arranged below the top surface in an array and producing electromagnetic flux waves causing forces that move the electrically conductive articles across the top surface from the entrance to the exit; a controller driving the coils with drive waveforms characterized by a first amplitude and periodic pulses of a greater second amplitude that periodically increase the forces acting on the electrically conductive articles in low-force regions on the top surface to enhance movement of the electrically conductive articles from low-force regions on the top surface. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A conveyor system comprising:
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an electromagnetic conveyor including; a top surface; an entrance over which electrically conductive articles are transferred onto the top surface; an exit over which electrically conductive articles are transferred off the top surface; a plurality of coils arranged below the top surface in individual zones and producing electromagnetic flux waves causing forces that move the electrically conductive articles through the zones across the top surface from the entrance to the exit; controllers associated with the zones and driving the coils with drive waveforms having different frequencies or phase angles in adjacent zones to enhance movement of the electrically conductive articles from zone to zone. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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Specification