DUAL CONVEYOR SORTING SYSTEM

• US 20200130939A1
• Filed: 10/31/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Setpoint Systems Inc. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Setpoint Systems Inc. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Davies, George
• Granted Patent: US 11,040,831 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 1/04 Forming a stream from a bulk; Controlling the stream, e.g. spacing the articles
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/08 using arrangements of conveyors transport of sheets B65H; transport in general B65G
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/02 Measures preceding sorting, e.g. arranging articles in a stream orientating sorting and transport of caps B67B3/06
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/36 Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution sorting according to destination B07C3/003, B07C3/02
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 15/12 with two or more endless belts
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 15/22 comprising a series of co-operating units
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 21/12 to allow adjustment of position of load-carrier or traction element as a whole
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/0285 Postal items, e.g. letters, parcels
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/0233 Position of the article
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/0283 Position of the load carrier
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/0291 Speed of the load carrier
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 27/04 Load carriers other than helical or spiral channels or conduits
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/1492 the articles being fed from a feeding conveyor
• 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

Apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed for a dual conveyor sorting system. An apparatus includes a first conveyor belt assembly that includes a first conveyor belt moving at a first rate in a first direction. An apparatus includes a second conveyor belt assembly that includes a second conveyor belt moving at a second rate in a second direction. The first rate is faster than the second rate and the first direction is the same as the second direction. The first conveyor belt assembly is positioned along a first axis perpendicular to the second conveyor belt assembly positioned along a second axis. A first edge of the first conveyor belt assembly is positioned substantially adjacent to a first edge of the second conveyor belt assembly.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a first conveyor belt assembly comprising a first conveyor belt moving at a first rate in a first direction; and

a second conveyor belt assembly comprising a second conveyor belt moving at a second rate in a second direction, the first rate faster than the second rate, the first direction the same as the second direction,

wherein the first conveyor belt assembly is positioned along a first axis perpendicular to the second conveyor belt assembly positioned along a second axis, a first edge of the first conveyor belt assembly positioned substantially adjacent to a first edge of the second conveyor belt assembly.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an inner angle between the first conveyor belt assembly and the second conveyor belt assembly is between 85 and 95 degrees.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the inner angle between first conveyor belt assembly and the second conveyor belt assembly is 90 degrees.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first conveyor belt assembly is positioned in a substantially vertical orientation along the first axis such that the first direction is along a third axis perpendicular to the first and second axes.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second conveyor belt assembly is positioned in a substantially horizontal orientation along the second axis such that the first direction is along a third axis perpendicular to the first and second axes.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second conveyor belt assemblies are each positioned between 40 and 50 degrees above a horizontal plane along the first and second axes.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first and second conveyor belt assemblies are each positioned 45 degrees above the horizontal plane along the first and second axes.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second conveyor belt assemblies are situated a distance above a horizontal plane at a first end along a third axis such that the first and second conveyor belt assemblies are inclined above the horizontal plane.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second directions of the first and second conveyor belts along the third axis is in a direction upward of the incline above the horizontal plane.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second conveyor belt assemblies are configured to vibrate at a variable rate.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a sensor system configured to detect a status of objects moving along the first and second conveyor belts along the third axis, the sensor system adjusting one or more of a speed, a direction, and an angle of one or more of the first and second conveyor belt assemblies based on the detected status.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the detected status indicates that objects moving along the first and second conveyor belts are in an incorrect order, the sensor system adjusting one or more of a speed, a direction, and an angle of one or more of the first and second conveyor belt assemblies so that the objects are ordered correctly.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the detected status indicates that objects on the first and second conveyor belts are obstructed from moving, the sensor system adjusting one or more of a speed, a direction, and an angle of one or more of the first and second conveyor belt assemblies to clear the obstruction.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the detected status indicates that objects on the first and second conveyor belts are oriented incorrectly, the sensor system adjusting one or more of a speed, a direction, and an angle of one or more of the first and second conveyor belt assemblies to correctly orient the objects.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more flexibly rigid objects positioned above one or more of the first and second conveyor belts to de-stack objects stacked on the one or more of the first and second conveyor belts.

16. A system, comprising:

a plurality of apparatuses, each apparatus comprising;

a first conveyor belt assembly comprising a first conveyor belt moving at a first rate in a first direction; and

a second conveyor belt assembly comprising a second conveyor belt moving at a second rate in a second direction, the first rate faster than the second rate, the first direction the same as the second direction,

wherein the first conveyor belt assembly is positioned along a first axis perpendicular to the second conveyor belt assembly positioned along a second axis, a first edge of the first conveyor belt assembly positioned substantially adjacent to a first edge of the second conveyor belt assembly,

wherein an apparatus of the plurality of apparatuses is positioned adjacent to and overlapping a subsequent apparatus of the plurality of apparatuses along a third axis so that objects moving on the apparatus along the third axis fall onto the subsequent apparatus.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein an inner angle between the first conveyor belt assembly and the second conveyor belt assembly of each of the plurality of apparatuses is between 85 and 95 degrees.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the first and second conveyor belt assemblies of each of the plurality of apparatuses are each positioned between 40 and 50 degrees above a horizontal plane along the first and second axes.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the first and second directions along the third axis of the first and second conveyor belts of each of the plurality of apparatuses is in a direction upward of the incline above the horizontal plane.

20. A method, comprising:

moving a first conveyor belt of a first conveyor belt assembly at a first rate in a first direction;

moving a second conveyor belt of a second conveyor belt assembly at a second rate in a second direction, the first rate faster than the second rate, the first direction the same as the second direction,

wherein the first conveyor belt assembly is positioned along a first axis perpendicular to the second conveyor belt assembly positioned along a second axis, a first edge of the first conveyor belt assembly positioned substantially adjacent to a first edge of the second conveyor belt assembly.