Saw toothed merging conveyor and method
First Claim
1. A conveyor for moving a plurality of objects, said conveyor comprising:
- a support frame;
a plurality of main rollers supported by the frame, said plurality of main rollers defining a conveying path and a plurality of entry rollers defining at least one entry portion, said entry portion positioned adjacent to the conveying path and angled with respect to the conveying path; and
a belt extending over at least a portion of the plurality of main rollers defining the conveying path and configured to convey the objects along the conveying path;
wherein the plurality of entry rollers comprise extensions of at least a portion of the plurality of main rollers and wherein the entry portion is configured to receive objects and to convey the objects onto the belt for conveying along the conveying path.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sawtooth merging conveyor system that more accurately controls the position of merging cartons or other objects of varying size, shape, weight or condition. Rollers define entry portions configured to abut supply conveyors and a conveyor belt covers a main portion of the conveyor system. The rollers of the entry portions convey the cartons from the supply conveyors onto the conveyor belt. Slip of the cartons is reduced by the friction of the conveyor belt surface. The rollers of the entry portions may have a coating that improves roller grip of the cartons and matches the thickness of the belt to reduce slip and improve transitioning of the cartons onto the belt. A guide rail defines an outer edge of the entry portions and can includes a plurality of guide rollers connected to the main conveyor drive to urge packages onto the conveyor belt of the main portion.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A conveyor for moving a plurality of objects, said conveyor comprising:
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a support frame; a plurality of main rollers supported by the frame, said plurality of main rollers defining a conveying path and a plurality of entry rollers defining at least one entry portion, said entry portion positioned adjacent to the conveying path and angled with respect to the conveying path; and a belt extending over at least a portion of the plurality of main rollers defining the conveying path and configured to convey the objects along the conveying path; wherein the plurality of entry rollers comprise extensions of at least a portion of the plurality of main rollers and wherein the entry portion is configured to receive objects and to convey the objects onto the belt for conveying along the conveying path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A conveyor for moving a plurality of objects, said conveyor comprising:
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a support frame; a belt defining a conveying path and configured to convey the objects along the conveying path; and a plurality of entry rollers supported by the frame, said plurality of entry rollers defining at least one entry portion, said entry portion positioned adjacent to the conveying path and angled with respect to the conveying path; wherein the entry portion is configured to receive the objects and to convey the objects onto the belt for conveying along the conveying path; and wherein the belt defines a conveying surface and wherein the entry rollers defining the entry portion also define a conveying surface and wherein said conveying surfaces have substantially coplanar adjacent surface portions. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A conveyor for moving a plurality of objects, said conveyor comprising:
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a support frame; a belt defining a conveying path and configured to convey the objects along the conveying path; and a plurality of entry rollers supported by the frame, said plurality of entry rollers defining at least one entry portion, said entry portion positioned adjacent to the conveying path and angled with respect to the conveying path wherein the entry portion is configured to receive the objects and to urge the objects onto the belt for conveying along the conveying path; and at least one guide rail extending along an outer edge of the entry portion and including an urging device configured to urge objects abutting the guide rail onto the belt. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of merging a plurality of objects, the method comprising:
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receiving the objects onto an entry portion defined by a plurality of entry rollers which comprise extensions of at least a portion of a plurality of main rollers, the entry rollers extending away from an edge of a conveyor belt defining at least a portion of a conveying path; conveying the objects over the entry portion, over the edge of the conveyor belt and onto the conveyor belt using the plurality of main rollers; and conveying the objects along the conveying path using the conveyor belt. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification