Positioning belt conveyor

• US 8,534,172 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2012
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Laitram LLC
• Original Assignee: Laitram LLC
• Inventors: Fourney, Matthew L.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHONG H
• Application Number:
  US13/425,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20120175222A1
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 838/70, 83872-874, 83/23, 83/26, 83/27, 83/35, 83/36, 83/39, 83/56, 83 72- 76, 83/761, 83/766, 83/767, 83/769, 83/78, 83/84, 83109-113, 831/55, 831/551, 831/56, 831/62, 831/63, 832/02, 832/09, 832/40, 832/55, 832/68, 833/31, 833/32, 834/01, 834/04, 834/041, 834/25, 834/252, 834/253, 834/38, 838/59, 839/45, 838/35, 534/92, 533/811, 533/812, 533/814, 533/821, 198/799, 198/339.1, 198/341.01
• US Class Current: 83/39
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 1/147 with horizontal cutting member
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 11/00 Combinations of several similar cutting apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/00 Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/06 Arrangements for feeding or delivering work of other than sheet, web, or filamentary form feeding or discharging sheets, webs, or filaments B65H
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 69/0033 by cutting B65B69/0008-B65B69/0025 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0289 Plural independent rotary blades
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0524 Plural cutting steps
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/162 With control means responsive to replaceable or selectable information program
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/2092 Means to move, guide, or permit free fall or flight of product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/2192 Endless conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/2196 Roller[s]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/2211 Abutment in path of product being moved by work feeder
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/4458 Work-sensing means to control work-moving or work-stopping means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/4579 With change of direction between tools
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6476 Including means to move work from one tool station to another
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6584 Cut made parallel to direction of and during work movement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9319 Toothed blade or tooth therefor

Abstract

Apparatus and method for translating articles. The apparatus has a rectangular work area defined by the upper run of a positioning conveyor having an oblique-roller conveyor belt selectively driven forward or reverse in coordination with the actuation and deactuation of the obliquely rotatable belt rollers. Tools, such as cutting tools or inspection stools, along the sides of the work area interact with the sides of the articles as they are translated without rotation in a rectangular path against guide surfaces on the periphery of the work area by the sequential reversing of the conveyor belt direction and the actuation and deactuation of the article-supporting rollers.

Claims

1. A positioning apparatus comprising:

a conveyor belt advanceable in and opposite to a first direction and having a plurality of rollers rotatable on axes oblique to the first direction and supporting an article within a work area having four sides;

a guide surface disposed along each of the four sides of the work area to register and guide the article;

wherein the conveyor belt is selectively advanced in and opposite to the first direction and the rollers are selectively actuated and deactuated in coordination with the advancement of the conveyor belt to translate the article through the work area without rotation against the guide surfaces.

2. A positioning apparatus as in claim 1 comprising a bearing surface underlying the conveyor belt in the work area, wherein the bearing surface is selectively movable into and out of contact with the rollers to actuate and deactuate the rollers as the conveyor belt advances.

3. A positioning apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising an infeed conveyor delivering the article to the conveyor belt over a first side of the work area and a discharge conveyor receiving the article from the conveyor belt over a different second side of the work area.

4. A positioning apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the first side and the second side are perpendicular to each other.

5. A positioning apparatus as in claim 1 comprising a controller selectively advancing the conveyor belt in coordination with actuating and deactuating the rollers to cause the article to follow a path through the work area against the guide surfaces at the sides of the work area.

6. A positioning apparatus as in claim 5 further comprising a sensor associated with at least one of the sides to detect an article contacting the guide surface on the at least one side.

7. A positioning apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a tool operating on the article along at least one of the four sides.