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Compact article singulation conveyor

  • US 5,918,723 A
  • Filed: 03/15/1996
  • Issued: 07/06/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An article singulation conveyor, comprising:

  • an alignment bed having a longitudinally extending vertical guidance surface and a conveying surface configured to convey articles longitudinally along said alignment bed while articles are guided against said guidance surface, said alignment bed having a substantially uniform width, said alignment bed made up of a plurality of generally parallel rollers that are tapered in a manner that provides a faster speed adjacent said guidance surface than laterally away from said guidance surface;

    a recirculation bed extending from said alignment bed opposite said guidance surface and including at least one peel-away conveyor having a conveyor surface moving substantially perpendicularly away from said alignment bed, at least one return conveyor having a conveying surface moving substantially perpendicularly toward said alignment bed upstream of said at least one peel-away conveyor and a coupling conveyor having a conveying surface for conveying articles from said peel-away conveyor to said return conveyor; and

    an inlet delivering articles upstream of said alignment bed and an outlet receiving singulated articles downstream of said alignment bed;

    wherein clusters of articles tent to recirculate around said recirculation bed and said alignment bed as individual articles of the cluster are pulled away along said alignment bed.

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