Vertically stacked conveyor system with diversion conveyor

• US 9,022,201 B1
• Filed: 10/30/2013
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Humana Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Humana Incorporated
• Inventors: Hyman, Steve, Kapadia, Atin, Mahar, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): NICHOLSON III, LESLIE AUGUST
• Application Number:
  US14/067,613
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 198/369.1, 198/370.01, 198/370.02, 198/363, 198/435, 198/436, 198/442
• US Class Current: 198/369.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/46 and distributing, e.g. automatically, to desired points in tube mail systems B65G51/36
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/5104 for articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/56 to or from inclined or vertical conveyor sections
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/57 for articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/681 from distinct, separate conveyor lanes
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/71 the articles being discharged or distributed to several distinct separate conveyors or to a broader conveyor lane

Abstract

A conveyor process and system for sorting objects having a plurality of inbound conveyors in a vertically stacked configuration and a plurality of diversion conveyors connected to the inbound conveyors for diverting objects transported on the inbound conveyors to a particular outbound conveyor.

Claims

1. A conveyor system comprising:

a plurality of inbound conveyors for transporting objects from a source location, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of inbound conveyors are in a vertically stacked configuration;

a plurality of outbound conveyors for transporting objects to a destination location;

a plurality of diversion conveyors, one for each outbound conveyor, and wherein each diversion conveyor is connected to each of the inbound conveyors for diverting objects from the inbound conveyors to a particular one of the outbound conveyors; and

horizontal diversion hardware for pushing vials from each of the inbound conveyors to each of the diversion conveyors.

2. A conveyor system according to claim 1, further comprising a control system electrically connected to the conveyor system and configured to assign an order to a downstream sorter location dependent upon the volume of load at each sorter.

3. A conveyor system according to claim 1, wherein the source location for each inbound conveyor is a pill counter unit.

4. A conveyor system according to claim 1, wherein the destination location is a sorter location for packaging orders.

5. A conveyor system according to claim 1, wherein the destination location is a pill vial sorter location for packaging orders.

6. A conveyor system according to claim 1, wherein each diversion conveyor is in a stair step configuration for transporting objects from the inbound conveyors to the outbound conveyors.

7. A conveyor system comprising:

a plurality of inbound conveyors for transporting objects from a source location, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of inbound conveyors are in a vertically stacked configuration;

a plurality of outbound conveyors, each of the plurality of outbound conveyors configured for transporting objects to a particular destination location; and

a plurality of diversion conveyors, each of the plurality of diversion conveyors operationally connected to one the outbound conveyors, and wherein each diversion conveyor is operationally connected to each of the inbound conveyors for diverting objects from the inbound conveyors to a particular one of the outbound conveyors;

a plurality of diversion mechanisms, where one of the plurality of diversions mechanisms are located where each of the diversion conveyors are operationally connected to each of the plurality of inbound conveyors for moving vials from the inbound conveyors to the diversion conveyors;

a processing system in electrical communication with each of the diversion mechanisms, the processing system programmed with one or more software routines executing on the processing system to;

     1) control the movement of each of the diversion mechanisms to control diversion of moving vials from the inbound conveyors to a particular diversion conveyor based on the intended destination location for the vials; and

wherein each of the diversion conveyors run in the vertical direction is a stair-stepping configuration.

8. A conveyor system comprising:

a plurality of inbound conveyors for transporting objects from a source location, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of inbound conveyors are in a vertically stacked configuration;

a plurality of outbound conveyors, each of the plurality of outbound conveyors configured for transporting objects to a particular destination location; and

a plurality of diversion conveyors, each of the plurality of diversion conveyors operationally connected to one of the outbound conveyors, and wherein each diversion conveyor is operationally connected to each of the inbound conveyors for diverting objects from the inbound conveyors to a particular one of the outbound conveyors;

a plurality of diversion mechanisms, where one of the plurality of diversions mechanisms are located where each of the diversion conveyors are operationally connected to each of the plurality of inbound conveyors for moving objects from the inbound conveyors to the diversion conveyors;

a processing system in electrical communication with each of the diversion mechanisms, the processing system programmed with one or more software routines executing on the processing system to;

     1) control the movement of each of the diversion mechanisms to control diversion of moving objects from the inbound conveyors to a particular diversion conveyor based on the intended destination location for the objects.

9. A conveyor system according to claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of diversion conveyors run vertical in a stair-stepping configuration.

10. A conveyor system according to claim 8, wherein the objects being transported by are pill vials.

11. A conveyor system according to claim 8, wherein the processing system programmed with one or more software routines executing on the processing system to control diversion of the objects based on loads at the destination locations.