Multi-directional roller assembly
First Claim
1. A multi-directional roller assembly, comprising:
- a frame rotatable about a main axis; and
at least one set of two parallel, mutually-actuating rollers mounted to the frame, each roller rotatable about a minor axis in an opposite direction from the other roller in the set, wherein each minor axis is transverse to the main axis.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-directional roller assembly for directing articles in a conveying system. The multi-directional roller assembly has a rotatable roller frame housing at least one set of mutually-actuating rollers. The multi-directional roller assembly directs an article supported by the assembly along a trajectory determined by the orientation of the multi-directional roller assembly relative to an input force. The orientation of the multi-directional roller assembly may be changed to change the trajectory. A conveyor system may include an array of multi-directional roller assemblies. An actuator controls the orientation of the multi-directional roller assemblies individually and may also control an array of multi-directional roller assemblies as a group.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A multi-directional roller assembly, comprising:
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a frame rotatable about a main axis; and at least one set of two parallel, mutually-actuating rollers mounted to the frame, each roller rotatable about a minor axis in an opposite direction from the other roller in the set, wherein each minor axis is transverse to the main axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A roller plate, comprising:
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an upper plate having an array of upper openings; a lower plate having an array of lower openings matching the array of upper openings; and an array of multi-directional roller assemblies housed in the upper and lower openings, each multi-directional roller assembly comprising a frame rotatable about a main axis and at least one set of two parallel rollers mounted to the frame, each roller in each set rotatable about a minor axis that is transverse to the main axis, wherein each roller is rotatable in an opposite direction from the other roller in the set. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A conveyor system, comprising:
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an array of multi-directional roller assemblies, each multi-directional roller assembly comprising a frame rotatable about a main axis and at least one pair of parallel, mutually-actuating rollers mounted to the frame, each roller rotatable about a minor axis in an opposite direction from an associated roller in the pair, wherein the minor axis is transverse to the main axis; and a driver for inducing rotation of at least one of the frame and the rollers. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of directing an article of conveyance using a multi-directional roller assembly, comprising:
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placing an article in contact with the multi-directional roller assembly, the multi-directional roller assembly including a frame rotatable about a main axis and at least one roller rotatable about a minor axis that is transverse to the main axis; and applying an input force to the multi-directional roller assembly at an input angle relative to the major axis, causing rotation of at least one of the frame and the roller, such that the article is pushed from the multi-directional roller assembly at an output angle that is at least twice the input angle. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. A multi-directional roller assembly, comprising:
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a frame rotatable about a main axis; and at least one set of mutually-actuating rollers mounted to the frame, each roller rotatable about a minor axis that is transverse to the main axis, wherein an object supported by the frame and rollers will be directed off the assembly at an output angle relative to an input force that is twice an input angle between the main axis and the input force. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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31. A multi-directional roller assembly, comprising:
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a frame rotatable about a main axis, the frame including axle nubs; at least one set of two parallel, mutually-actuating rollers mounted to the frame, each roller rotatable about a minor axis that is transverse to the main axis; and a disk-shaped roller housing for rotatably mounting the frame, the roller housing including peripheral openings extending along the main axis for receiving the axle nubs.
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32. A multi-directional roller assembly, comprising:
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a frame rotatable about a main axis; and a first pair of parallel, mutually-actuating rollers mounted to the frame, the parallel, mutually actuating rollers having outer surfaces in contact with each other, such that rotation of a first roller in a first direction about a first minor axis induces rotation of a second, parallel roller in a second direction about a second minor axis, wherein the first minor axis and second minor axis are transverse to the main axis. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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Specification