Positive displacement sorter
First Claim
1. A positive displacement sorter, comprising:
- a plurality of interconnected parallel slats defining an endless web that travels in a longitudinal direction, said web having upper and lower runs and transition sections between said upper and lower runs, an upper surface of said upper run of said web defining an article-conveying surface;
a plurality of pusher shoes, each of said shoes travelling along at least one of said slats in order to laterally displace articles on said conveying surface, each of said shoes having a diverting member extending below said conveying surface;
a plurality of diverting rails below said conveying surface, each of said diverting rails capable of engaging said diverting member to cause the associated shoe to travel laterally to divert an article;
a plurality of diverters, each for selectively diverting at least one of said diverting members from a non-diverting path extending longitudinally along said sorter to one of said diverting rails in a diverting state; and
a propulsion system propelling said web, said propulsion system including at least one drive assembly engaging a driven surface comprising a lower surface of said upper run or an upper surface of said lower run, wherein said at least one drive assembly includes a belt having a belt surface engaging said driven surface, said belt surface adapted to resist slippage between said belt and said driven surface, wherein said belt surface comprises a plurality of slat drive cogs, each adapted to engage a vertical surface of one of said slats, wherein at least some of said slats have a groove formed in that slat and wherein said slat drive cogs comprise a set of first slat drive cogs each adapted to engage an interface between adjacent ones of said slats and a set of second slat drive cogs each adapted to engage said groove in one of said slats.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A positive displacement sorter includes a plurality of interconnected parallel slats defining an endless web that travels in a longitudinal direction. The web has upper and lower runs and transition sections between the upper and lower runs. An upper surface of the upper run of the web defining an article-conveying surface. A plurality of pusher shoes travels along at least one of the slats in order to laterally divert articles on the conveying surface. Each of the shoes has a diverting member extending below the conveying surface. A plurality of diverting rails below the conveying surface is capable of engaging the diverting member to cause the associated shoe to travel laterally to divert an article. A plurality of diverters selectively diverts at least one of the diverting members from a non-diverting path extending longitudinally along the sorter to one of the diverting rails in a diverting state. A propulsion system propels the web. The propulsion system includes at least one drive assembly engaging a lower surface of the upper run or an upper surface of the lower run.
53 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A positive displacement sorter, comprising:
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a plurality of interconnected parallel slats defining an endless web that travels in a longitudinal direction, said web having upper and lower runs and transition sections between said upper and lower runs, an upper surface of said upper run of said web defining an article-conveying surface; a plurality of pusher shoes, each of said shoes travelling along at least one of said slats in order to laterally displace articles on said conveying surface, each of said shoes having a diverting member extending below said conveying surface; a plurality of diverting rails below said conveying surface, each of said diverting rails capable of engaging said diverting member to cause the associated shoe to travel laterally to divert an article; a plurality of diverters, each for selectively diverting at least one of said diverting members from a non-diverting path extending longitudinally along said sorter to one of said diverting rails in a diverting state; and a propulsion system propelling said web, said propulsion system including at least one drive assembly engaging a driven surface comprising a lower surface of said upper run or an upper surface of said lower run, wherein said at least one drive assembly includes a belt having a belt surface engaging said driven surface, said belt surface adapted to resist slippage between said belt and said driven surface, wherein said belt surface comprises a plurality of slat drive cogs, each adapted to engage a vertical surface of one of said slats, wherein at least some of said slats have a groove formed in that slat and wherein said slat drive cogs comprise a set of first slat drive cogs each adapted to engage an interface between adjacent ones of said slats and a set of second slat drive cogs each adapted to engage said groove in one of said slats. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A positive displacement sorter, comprising:
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a plurality of interconnected parallel slats defining an endless web that travels in a longitudinal direction, said web having upper and lower runs and transition sections between said upper and lower runs, an upper surface of said upper run of said web defining an article-conveying surface; a plurality of pusher shoes, each of said shoes travelling along at least one of said slats in order to laterally displace articles on said conveying surface, each of said shoes having a diverting member extending below said conveying surface; a plurality of diverting rails below said conveying surface, each of said diverting rails capable of engaging said diverting member to cause the associated shoe to travel laterally to divert an article; a plurality of diverters, each for selectively diverting at least one of said diverting members from a non-diverting path extending longitudinally along said sorter to one of said diverting rails in a diverting state; and a propulsion system propelling said web, said propulsion system including at least one drive assembly engaging a driven surface comprising a lower surface of said upper run or an upper surface of said lower run, wherein said at least one drive assembly includes a belt having a belt surface engaging said driven surface, said belt surface adapted to resist slippage between said belt and said driven surface, wherein said at least one drive assembly includes a drive pulley driving said belt, said belt having pulley interface cogs and said drive pulley having teeth engaging said pulley interface cogs, wherein said at least one drive assembly includes at least one pressure pulley pressing said belt against said driven surface and wherein said pulley interface cogs extend only partially across a width of said belt thereby defining a generally planar edge portion wherein said at least one pressure pulley includes a recessed area and at least one flange adjacent said recessed area, said recessed area accommodating said pulley interface cogs and said at least one flange engaging said edge portion of said belt. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A drive assembly for a positive displacement sorter having a plurality of interconnected parallel slats defining an endless web that travels in a longitudinal direction, said web having upper and lower runs and transition sections between said upper and lower runs, an upper surface of said upper run of said web defining an article-conveying surface, said drive assembly comprising:
a belt having a belt surface that is adapted to engage a driven surface comprising a lower surface of the upper run or an upper surface of the lower run and a drive pulley driving said belt, wherein said belt surface comprises a plurality of slat drive cogs, each adapted to engage a vertical surface of one of said slats, a pair of end pulleys and a plurality of inner pulleys between said end pulleys, said inner pulleys biasing said belt surface against the slats, at least one of said end pulleys being spaced away from said lower surface of said upper run or said upper surface of said lower run to provide a transition between said drive cogs and said slats. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A drive assembly for a positive displacement sorter having a plurality of interconnected parallel slats defining an endless web that travels in a longitudinal direction, said web having upper and lower runs and transition sections between said upper and lower runs, an upper surface of said upper run of said web defining an article-conveying surface, said drive assembly comprising:
a belt having a belt surface that is adapted to engage a driven surface comprising a lower surface of the upper run or an upper surface of the lower run and a drive pulley driving said belt, wherein said belt surface comprises a plurality of slat drive cogs, each adapted to engage a vertical surface of one of said slats, wherein at least some of said slats have a groove formed in that slat and wherein said slat drive cogs comprise a set of first slat drive cogs each adapted to engage an interface between adjacent ones of said slats and a set of second slat drive cogs each adapted to engage said groove in one of said slats.
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16. A drive assembly for a positive displacement sorter having a plurality of interconnected parallel slats defining an endless web that travels in a longitudinal direction, said web having upper and lower runs and transition sections between said upper and lower runs, an upper surface of said upper run of said web defining an article-conveying surface, said drive assembly comprising:
a belt having a belt surface that is adapted to engage a driven surface comprising a lower surface of the upper run or an upper surface of the lower run and a drive pulley driving said belt, wherein said belt surface comprises a plurality of slat drive cogs, each adapted to engage a vertical surface of one of said slats, wherein said belt having pulley interface cogs on a surface opposite said slat drive cogs, said pulley interface cogs engaging teeth in said drive pulley, wherein said at least one drive assembly includes at least one pressure pulley pressing said belt against said driven surface and wherein said pulley interface cogs extend only partially across a width of said belt thereby defining a generally planar edge portion of said belt wherein said at least one pressure pulley includes a recessed area and at least one flange adjacent said recessed area, said recessed area accommodating said pulley interface cogs and said at least one flange engaging said edge portion of said belt. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A drive belt for a drive assembly for a positive displacement sorter, said sorter having a plurality of interconnected parallel slats defining an endless web that travels in a longitudinal direction, said web having upper and lower runs and transition sections between said upper and lower runs, an upper surface of said upper run of said web defining an article-conveying surface, said drive assembly having a drive pulley that is adapted to drive said belt, said belt comprising:
a belt surface engaging a driven surface comprising a lower surface of the upper run or an upper surface of the lower run of the web, said belt surface having a plurality of slat drive cogs, each adapted to engage a vertical surface of one of said slats, wherein said slat drive cogs comprise a set of first slat drive cogs each adapted to engage an interface between adjacent ones of the slats and a set of second slat drive cogs each adapted to engage a groove in one of the slats. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A positive displacement sorter, comprising:
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a plurality of interconnected parallel slats defining an endless web that travels in a longitudinal direction, said web having upper and lower runs and transition sections between said upper and lower runs, an upper surface of said upper run of said web defining an article-conveying surface; a plurality of pusher shoes, each of said shoes travelling along at least one of said slats in order to laterally displace articles on said conveying surface, each of said shoes having a diverting member extending below said conveying surface; a plurality of diverting rails below said conveying surface, each of said diverting rails capable of engaging said diverting member to cause the associated shoe to travel laterally to divert an article; a plurality of diverters, each for selectively diverting at least one of said diverting members from a non-diverting path extending longitudinally along said sorter to one of said diverting rails in a diverting state; and a propulsion system propelling said web; wherein said web includes a wheel assembly at each lateral end of said slats to interconnect said slats and to provide moveable support to said web and a separable interface between each lateral end of each of said slats and said wheel assembly, said separable interface allowing said slats to be generally vertically separable from said wheel assembly, said separable interface includes an insert engaging the lateral end of the slat and having upper and lower surface portions that generally coincide with upper and lower surfaces of said slats, said separable interface including a generally horizontal member defined by a metal plate that is joined with a metallic portion of said wheel assembly, wherein with said lower surface portion of said insert supported by said horizontal member at least two fasteners extending between said upper surface portion of said insert and said metal plate removeably supports said slat with said wheel assembly. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification