Sorting equipment

• US 5,701,992 A
• Filed: 05/31/1996
• Issued: 12/30/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daifuku Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Daifuku Company Limited
• Inventors: Enomoto, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Bidwell, James R.
• Application Number:
  US08/657,755
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 198/370.01, 198/370.03, 198/370.06, 198/370.1
• US Class Current: 198/370.06
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 17/345 the surfaces being equipped with a conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/02 Articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2207/10 Antistatic features
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2207/18 Crossing conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 43/00 Control devices, e.g. for safety, warning or fault-correcting

Abstract

A sorting equipment comprising a plurality of running trucks which travel in a coupled condition with one another along a definite travelling route comprised of a pair of rails. Disposed in each of the running trucks is a conveyor for conveying load laterally relative to a running direction. Induction lines are laid for supplying a high-frequency current along the travelling rails and a pickup coil is disposed in the running truck in an opposed relation to the induction lines. Rollers provided to each running truck which are to be brought into contact with the travelling rails are comprised of electrically conductive wheels, and the travelling rails are made of an electrically conductive material. In each running truck, a linear motor is disposed above the travelling rails and a metal plate is disposed on the linear motor. The metal plate is connected to an earthling conductor wired in the running truck, and the earthling conductor is connected to the rollers.

Claims

1. A sorting equipment comprising a plurality of running trucks which travel along a definite travelling route in a condition where they are coupled with one another and each of which has at least one carrying means for carrying load laterally relative to a travelling direction of said running trucks, wherein an induction line to be supplied with a high-frequency current is laid along said definite travelling route, wherein a power supply coil for supplying to said carrying means an electromotive force produced due to a magnetic flux produced by said induction line is disposed in said running trucks, wherein said definite travelling route is comprised of electrically conductive members, and wherein at least one of wheels of said running truck which is to be brought into contact with said definite travelling route is made of an electrically conductive material.

2. A sorting equipment according to claim 1, wherein a linear motor is disposed along the definite travelling route, wherein a secondary conductor for said linear motor is disposed in each of the running trucks, and wherein said secondary conductor is connected to an earthling conductor of each of the running trucks and the earthling conductor is connected to the electrically conductive wheel.

3. A sorting equipment according to claim 2, wherein only a wheel of a specific running truck is configured as an electrically conductive wheel, and wherein the electrically conductive wheel is connected to an earthling conductor of said specific running truck and each earthling conductors of all the running trucks are connected to one another.

4. A sorting equipment according to claim 1, wherein said definite travelling route is comprised of a pair of right and left rails having inclined surfaces which are to be brought into contact with the wheels of the running trucks, wherein a linear motor is disposed between the pair of travelling rails, and wherein said secondary conductor for the linear motor is disposed in each of the running trucks.

5. A sorting equipment according to claim 1, wherein a cleaner is disposed in at least one of the running trucks for cleaning the surface of the definite travelling route which is to be brought into contact with the wheels of the running trucks.