Belt accumulation conveyor
First Claim
1. An accumulation conveyor, comprising:
- at least one driven endless conveying member defining an upper conveying surface;
at least one brake surface lateral of said conveying member;
a plurality of elongated longitudinal members arranged in tandem defining a plurality of accumulation zones, each of said longitudinal members vertically reciprocating a portion of said at least one brake surface in order to selectively raise said portion above said conveying surface to thereby accumulate objects in that zone and to selectively lower said portion below said conveying surface to thereby convey objects in that zone; and
a plurality of actuators, each operatively connected with adjacent ends of adjacent ones of said longitudinal members in order to selectively raise and lower said adjacent ends together, wherein each of said actuators includes a member captured in a channel and a device to rotate said member about an axis.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A belt accumulation conveyor includes at least one driven endless conveying member defining a conveying surface and at least one brake surface lateral of the endless conveying member. A plurality of longitudinal members are arranged in tandem, defining a plurality of accumulation zones. Each of the longitudinal members vertically reciprocates a portion of either the conveying surface or the brake surface. A portion of the conveying surface is elevated above the brake surface to convey objects in that zone and a portion of the brake surface is elevated above the conveying surface to accumulate objects in that zone. A plurality of such actuators are provided and each is operatively connected with adjacent ends of adjacent ones of the longitudinal member. In this manner, the respective adjacent ends can be selectively raised and lowered together.
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Citations
67 Claims
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1. An accumulation conveyor, comprising:
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at least one driven endless conveying member defining an upper conveying surface; at least one brake surface lateral of said conveying member; a plurality of elongated longitudinal members arranged in tandem defining a plurality of accumulation zones, each of said longitudinal members vertically reciprocating a portion of said at least one brake surface in order to selectively raise said portion above said conveying surface to thereby accumulate objects in that zone and to selectively lower said portion below said conveying surface to thereby convey objects in that zone; and a plurality of actuators, each operatively connected with adjacent ends of adjacent ones of said longitudinal members in order to selectively raise and lower said adjacent ends together, wherein each of said actuators includes a member captured in a channel and a device to rotate said member about an axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An accumulation conveyor, comprising:
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at least one driven endless conveying member defining an upper conveying surface; at least one brake surface lateral of said conveying member; a plurality of elongated longitudinal members arranged in tandem defining a plurality of accumulation zones, each of said longitudinal members vertically reciprocating a portion of said at least one brake surface in order to selectively raise said portion above said conveying surface to thereby accumulate objects in that zone and to selectively lower said portion below said conveying surface to thereby convey objects in that zone, wherein each of said longitudinal members includes a portion which longitudinally overlaps with a portion of an adjacent one of said longitudinal members; and a plurality of actuators, each operatively connected with adjacent ends of adjacent ones of said longitudinal members in order to selectively raise and lower said adjacent ends together. - View Dependent Claims (18, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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19. An accumulation conveyor, comprising:
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a frame; at least one driven endless conveying member extending substantially the longitudinal length of said frame, the upper surface of said conveying member defining a conveying surface; a plurality of brake assemblies arranged longitudinally in tandem along said frame, each of said brake assemblies defining an accumulation zone, each of said brake assemblies defining at least two longitudinally elongated brake surfaces on opposite lateral sides of said at least one driven endless conveying member; and a control system which senses objects on said conveying surface and selectively elevates adjacent ends of adjacent ones of said brake assemblies in order to elevate the brake surfaces of said adjacent brake assemblies above said conveying surface and thereby accumulate objects in the zones defined by said adjacent brake assemblies; wherein said control system includes an actuator for elevating one of said adjacent ends and wherein said adjacent brake assemblies are joined by an articulation joint in order to elevate the other of said adjacent ends, wherein said articulation joint includes a pin on one of said adjacent brake assemblies engaging a collar on the other of said adjacent brake assemblies. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
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20. An accumulation conveyor, comprising:
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a frame; at least one driven endless conveying member extending substantially the longitudinal length of said frame, the upper surface of said conveying member defining a conveying surface; a plurality of brake assemblies arranged longitudinally in tandem along said frame, each of said brake assemblies defining an accumulation zone, each of said brake assemblies defining at least two longitudinally elongated brake surfaces on opposite lateral sides of said at least one driven endless conveying member; and a control system which senses objects on said conveying surface and selectively elevates adjacent ends of adjacent ones of said brake assemblies in order to elevate the brake surfaces of said adjacent brake assemblies above said conveying surface and thereby accumulate objects in the zones defined by said adjacent brake assemblies; wherein said control system includes an actuator for elevating one of said adjacent ends and wherein said adjacent brake assemblies are joined by an articulation joint in order to elevate the other of said adjacent ends, wherein each of said actuators includes a member captured in a channel mounted to the associated brake assembly and a device to rotate said member about an axis. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An accumulation conveyor, comprising:
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a frame; at least one driven endless conveying member extending substantially the longitudinal length of said frame, the upper surface of said conveying member defining a conveying surface; a plurality of brake assemblies arranged longitudinally in tandem along said frame, each of said brake assemblies defining an accumulation zone, each of said brake assemblies defining at least two longitudinally elongated brake surfaces on opposite lateral sides of said at least one driven endless conveying member, wherein each of said brake surfaces includes a portion which longitudinally overlaps with a portion of said brake surface on an adjacent one of said brake assemblies; and a control system which senses objects on said conveying surface and selectively elevates adjacent ends of adjacent ones of said brake assemblies in order to elevate the brake surfaces of said adjacent brake assemblies above said conveying surface and thereby accumulate objects in the zones defined by said adjacent brake assemblies. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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30. An accumulation conveyor adapted to convey individual packages of goods, comprising:
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a frame; a plurality of driven endless conveying members spaced laterally across said frame, each extending substantially the longitudinal length of said frame, the upper surface of said conveying members defining a conveying surface, wherein each of said conveying members is one of a belt and a padded chain; a plurality of brake assemblies arranged longitudinally in tandem along said frame, each of said brake assemblies defining an accumulation zone, each of said brake assemblies comprising a unitary member made up of at least three parallel spaced apart brake members each defining a brake surface joined at opposite ends of said brake members by end members, wherein said brake surfaces are interlaced with said conveying members; wherein adjacent said ends of adjacent ones of said brake assemblies are joined by an articulation joint so that said adjacent ends are elevated in unison; and a control system which senses packages on said conveying surface and selectively operates a plurality of actuators, each actuator for elevating one of said adjacent ends of adjacent brake assemblies in order to elevate the brake surfaces of said adjacent brake assemblies above said conveying surface and thereby accumulate packages in the zones defined by said adjacent brake assemblies; wherein said actuators concurrently elevate opposite sides of each said unitary member in unison, wherein all of said brake surfaces of that unitary member are elevated together. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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31. An accumulation conveyor, comprising:
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a frame; a plurality of driven endless conveying members spaced laterally across said frame, each extending substantially the longitudinal length of said frame, the upper surface of said conveying members defining a conveying surface; a plurality of brake assemblies arranged longitudinally in tandem along said frame, each of said brake assemblies defining an accumulation zone, each of said brake assemblies defining a plurality of brake surfaces interlaced with said conveying members; wherein adjacent ends of adjacent ones of said brake assemblies are joined by an articulation joint so that said adjacent ends are elevated in unison, wherein said articulation joint includes a pin on one of said adjacent brake assemblies engaging a collar on the other of said adjacent brake assemblies; and a control system which senses objects on said conveying surface and selectively operates a plurality of actuators, each actuator for elevating one of said adjacent ends of adjacent brake assemblies in order to elevate the brake surfaces of said adjacent brake assemblies above said conveying surface and thereby accumulate objects in the zones defined by said adjacent brake assemblies.
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32. An accumulation conveyor, comprising:
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a frame; a plurality of driven endless conveying members spaced laterally across said frame, each extending substantially the longitudinal length of said frame, the upper surface of said conveying members defining a conveying surface; a plurality of brake assemblies arranged longitudinally in tandem along said frame, each of said brake assemblies defining an accumulation zone, each of said brake assemblies defining a plurality of brake surfaces interlaced with said conveying members; wherein adjacent ends of adjacent ones of said brake assemblies are joined by an articulation joint so that said adjacent ends are elevated in unison; and a control system which senses objects on said conveying surface and selectively operates a plurality of actuators, each actuator for elevating one of said adjacent ends of adjacent brake assemblies in order to elevate the brake surfaces of said adjacent brake assemblies above said conveying surface and thereby accumulate objects in the zones defined by said adjacent brake assemblies; wherein each of said actuators includes a pair of members captured in respective laterally spaced apart channels on the associated brake assembly, a device to rotate each of said members about an axis and a torque tube interconnecting said devices along said axis for coordinated movement. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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36. An accumulation conveyor, comprising:
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a frame; a plurality of driven endless conveying members spaced laterally across said frame, each extending substantially the longitudinal length of said frame, the upper surface of said conveying members defining a conveying surface; a plurality of brake assemblies arranged longitudinally in tandem along said frame, each of said brake assemblies defining an accumulation zone, each of said brake assemblies defining a plurality of brake surfaces interlaced with said conveying members, wherein each of said brake surfaces includes a portion which longitudinally overlaps with a portion of said brake surface on an adjacent one of said brake frames; wherein adjacent ends of adjacent ones of said brake assemblies are joined by an articulation joint so that said adjacent ends are elevated in unison; and a control system which senses objects on said conveying surface and selectively operates a plurality of actuators, each actuator for elevating one of said adjacent ends of adjacent brake assemblies in order to elevate the brake surfaces of said adjacent brake assemblies above said conveying surface and thereby accumulate objects in the zones defined by said adjacent brake assemblies. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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Specification