Article sorting system and method

• US 6,688,459 B1
• Filed: 04/16/2003
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hytrol Conveyor Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hytrol Conveyor Company, Inc.
• Inventors: Wallace, Paul Dewayne, Bonham, Boyce Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): HESS, DOUGLAS A
• Application Number:
  US10/414,976
• Time in Patent Office: 300 Days
• Field of Search: 198/370.09, 198/847, 198/360, 198/361, 198/367, 198/369.1, 198/370.04, 198/370.07, 198/370.01, 198/846, 198/617, 209/916, 209/911, 209/651, 209/653, 209/658
• US Class Current: 198/617
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/44 Arrangements or applications of hoppers or chutes
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/82 Rotary or reciprocating members for direct action on articles or materials, e.g. pushers, rakes, shovels means for pushing glass articles onto a conveyor C03B9/453
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/916 Reciprocating pusher feeding item

Abstract

The conveyor sorting system and method are provided. The system includes a conveyor for transporting articles along a predetermined path, and a pair of opposing chutes for receiving articles directed from the conveyor by a sorting device having a single paddle. The chutes are in communication with one another so that articles directed into either chute from the conveyor are directed to a common discharge end. In this regard, the single paddle of the present invention is operable to direct consecutively-spaced articles to opposing chutes that lead to the common discharge end.

Claims

1. A method of sorting an article from a conveyor, comprising:

directing the article along a path of travel with the conveyor;

detecting the presence of the article at a point along the path of travel; and

directing the article from the conveyor to one of a plurality of opposing chutes, the chutes being in communication with one another and having a common discharge end.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein detecting the presence of the article comprises detecting a bar code.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein detecting the presence of the article comprises detecting a breach of a light beam.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein detecting the presence of the article comprises detecting light values corresponding to color.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein directing the article from the conveyor comprises engaging the article with a paddle having a first side and a second side, the first side and the second side each being capable of directing the article to a respective chute of said plurality of opposing chutes.

6. A method of sorting an article from a conveyor, comprising:

directing the article along a path of travel with the conveyor;

detecting the presence of the article at a point along the path of travel;

directing the article from the conveyor to one of a plurality of opposing chutes being in communication with one another and having a common discharge end; and

selectively positioning a discharge wall proximate the common discharge end between a discharge position and a storage position.

7. A method of sorting an article from a conveyor, comprising:

directing the article along a path of travel with the conveyor;

detecting the presence of the article at a point along the path of travel;

directing the article from the conveyor to one of a plurality of opposing chutes being in communication with one another and having a common discharge end; and

directing the article to a storage tote.

8. A method of sorting an article from a conveyor, comprising:

directing the article along a path of travel with the conveyor;

detecting the presence of the article at a point along the path of travel;

directing the article from the conveyor to one of a plurality of opposing chutes being in communication with one another and having a common discharge end; and

storing the article in the pair of chutes for a predetermined interval.

9. A method of sorting articles from a conveyor, comprising:

directing articles along a path of travel with the conveyor;

directing a first article to a first chute by engaging the first article with a first side of a paddle, the paddle moving from a first position to a second position; and

directing a second article to a second chute by engaging the second article with a second side of the paddle, the paddle moving from the second position to the first position,

wherein the first article and the second article are directed into a common tote.