Carousel conveyor and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A conveyor for recirculating articles, comprising:
- a recirculation section extending in length from a first end to a second end and laterally in width from a first side to a second side;
a first conveyor belt having rotatable article-supporting rollers advancing continuously along the first side of the recirculation section in a first direction from the first end to the second end;
a second conveyor belt having rotatable article-supporting rollers, the second conveyor belt advancing continuously along the second side of the recirculation section in an opposite second direction from the second end to the first end;
wherein the rotatable article-supporting rollers in the first and second conveyor belts are rotated in a first lateral direction in a first transfer region of the of the recirculation section proximate the first end to push articles off the second conveyor belt onto the first conveyor belt and toward the first side in the first transfer region;
wherein the rotatable article-supporting rollers in the first and second conveyor belts are rotated in an opposite second lateral direction in a second transfer region of the recirculation section proximate the second end to push articles off the first conveyor belt onto the second conveyor belt and toward the second side in the second transfer region; and
wherein the rotatable article-supporting rollers in the first and second conveyor belts are arranged to rotate on axes parallel to the first and second directions.
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Abstract
Apparatus and method for recirculating articles on a belt conveyor. An article-recirculation path is formed in a pair of parallel conveyor belts running continuously in opposite directions. Article-supporting rollers in each belt rotate to transfer articles from one belt to the other in a transfer region at each end of the conveyor to form an endless recirculation path.
16 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A conveyor for recirculating articles, comprising:
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a recirculation section extending in length from a first end to a second end and laterally in width from a first side to a second side; a first conveyor belt having rotatable article-supporting rollers advancing continuously along the first side of the recirculation section in a first direction from the first end to the second end; a second conveyor belt having rotatable article-supporting rollers, the second conveyor belt advancing continuously along the second side of the recirculation section in an opposite second direction from the second end to the first end; wherein the rotatable article-supporting rollers in the first and second conveyor belts are rotated in a first lateral direction in a first transfer region of the of the recirculation section proximate the first end to push articles off the second conveyor belt onto the first conveyor belt and toward the first side in the first transfer region; wherein the rotatable article-supporting rollers in the first and second conveyor belts are rotated in an opposite second lateral direction in a second transfer region of the recirculation section proximate the second end to push articles off the first conveyor belt onto the second conveyor belt and toward the second side in the second transfer region; and wherein the rotatable article-supporting rollers in the first and second conveyor belts are arranged to rotate on axes parallel to the first and second directions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for recirculating articles on a conveyor, comprising:
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conveying articles atop rollers in first and second conveyor belts advancing continuously in opposite directions; rotating the rollers in the first and second conveyor belts in a first lateral direction in a first transfer region at one end of a recirculation section of the conveyor to push articles atop the rollers off the second conveyor belt and onto the first conveyor belt in the first transfer region; rotating the rollers in the first and second conveyor belts in an opposite second lateral direction in a second transfer region at the opposite end of the recirculation section to push articles atop the rollers off the first conveyor belt and onto the second conveyor belt in the second transfer region. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A conveyor for recirculating articles, comprising:
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a recirculation section extending in length from a first end to a second end and laterally in width from a first side to a second side; a first conveyor belt having rotatable article-supporting rollers advancing continuously along the first side of the recirculation section in a first direction from the first end to the second end; a second conveyor belt having rotatable article-supporting rollers, the second conveyor belt advancing continuously along the second side of the recirculation section in an opposite second direction from the second end to the first end; wherein the rotatable article-supporting rollers in the first and second conveyor belts are rotated in a first lateral direction in a first transfer region of the of the recirculation section proximate the first end to push articles off the second conveyor belt onto the first conveyor belt and toward the first side in the first transfer region; wherein the rotatable article-supporting rollers in the first and second conveyor belts are rotated in an opposite second lateral direction in a second transfer region of the recirculation section proximate the second end to push articles off the first conveyor belt onto the second conveyor belt and toward the second side in the second transfer region; and wherein the rotatable article-supporting rollers in the first and second conveyor belts are arranged to rotate on axes oblique to the first and second directions. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification