Conveyor apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A conveyor apparatus for diverting product from a single lane to one of a plurality of lanes, the conveyor apparatus comprising:
- a wall having an upstream portion positioned proximate the single lane and a downstream portion positioned proximate the plurality of lanes, the upstream portion stationary relative to the single lane and the downstream portion configured to be movable relative to the plurality of lanes; and
a take-up system coupled to the wall for varying a length of the wall in response to movement of the downstream portion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A conveyor apparatus for diverting product from a single lane to one of a plurality of lanes includes a wall having an upstream portion positioned proximate the single lane and a downstream portion positioned proximate the plurality of lanes. The upstream portion is stationary relative to the single lane and the downstream portion is configured to be movable relative to the plurality of lanes. A length of the wall is configured to vary in response to movement of the downstream portion.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A conveyor apparatus for diverting product from a single lane to one of a plurality of lanes, the conveyor apparatus comprising:
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a wall having an upstream portion positioned proximate the single lane and a downstream portion positioned proximate the plurality of lanes, the upstream portion stationary relative to the single lane and the downstream portion configured to be movable relative to the plurality of lanes; and a take-up system coupled to the wall for varying a length of the wall in response to movement of the downstream portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A conveyor apparatus for diverting product from a single lane to one of a plurality of lanes, the conveyor apparatus comprising:
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a wall having an upstream portion positioned proximate the single lane and a downstream portion positioned proximate the plurality of lanes, the upstream portion stationary relative to the single lane and the downstream portion configured to be movable relative to the plurality of lanes, wherein a length of the wall is configured to vary in response to movement of the downstream portion; and a take-up system coupled to the wall, the take-up system configured to facilitate varying the length of the wall by releasing and taking up a portion of the wall in response to movement of the downstream portion, wherein the take-up system comprises;
a housing, a collar positioned on the housing to guide the wall about the housing, a torsion spring positioned within the housing to rotate the housing and take-up a portion of the wall, and a tensioner coupled to the torsion spring to facilitate tension adjustment of the torsion spring.
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9. A conveyor apparatus for diverting product from a single lane to one of a plurality of lanes, wherein the product in the single lane is moving on a conveyor along a travel path, the conveyor apparatus comprising:
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a wall provided above the conveyor, the wall having an upstream portion and a downstream portion;
wherein the downstream portion is configured to be movable in a direction substantially parallel to the travel path and is configured to be selectively movable in a non-parallel direction to the travel path in order to selectively direct the product to one of the plurality of lanes; anda take-up system that varies a length of the wall between the upstream portion and the downstream portion by selectively taking up and releasing a portion of the wall. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A conveyor apparatus for diverting product from a single lane to one of a plurality of lanes, the conveyor apparatus comprising:
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a wall having an upstream portion positioned proximate the single lane and a downstream portion positioned proximate the plurality of lanes, the wall configured to direct the product from the single lane toward the plurality of lanes; a carriage system configured to move relative to the plurality of lanes in a first direction and in a second direction non-parallel to the first direction, the downstream portion of the wall coupled to the carriage system for movement therewith, wherein the carriage system moves the downstream portion of the wall adjacent to one of the plurality of lanes to direct the product toward the one of the plurality of lanes; and a take-up system coupled to the wall and configured to take-up and release a portion of the wall in response to movement of the downstream portion of the wall. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A conveyor apparatus for diverting product from a single lane to one of a plurality of lanes, the conveyor apparatus comprising:
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a first wall including a first upstream portion positioned proximate the single lane and a first downstream portion positioned proximate the plurality of lanes; a second wall generally parallel to the first wall and defining a channel therebetween, the second wall having a second upstream portion positioned proximate the single lane and a second downstream portion positioned proximate the plurality of lanes, the first and second upstream portions stationary relative to the single lane, the first and second downstream portions movable relative to the plurality of lanes and the first; a carriage system including a yoke configured to be movable relative to the plurality of lanes in a first direction and a second direction non-parallel to the first direction, the first downstream portion and the second downstream portion coupled to the yoke for movement therewith; a first take-up system coupled to the first wall and configured to take-up and release a portion of the first wall in response to movement of the yoke; and a second take-up system coupled to the second wall and configured to take-up and release a portion of the second wall in response to movement of the yoke. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification