Transfer conveyor arrangement and control

• US 9,309,058 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelligrated Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intelligrated Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Maglaty, Jonathan Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): LOGAN, KYLE O
• Application Number:
  US14/211,338
• Publication Number:
  US 20140277700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 700/230
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/08 using arrangements of conveyors transport of sheets B65H; transport in general B65G
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/36 Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution sorting according to destination B07C3/003, B07C3/02
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 43/10 Sequence control of conveyors operating in combination
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/54 at least one of which is a roller-way

Abstract

A routing module capable of conveying incoming articles from a plurality of infeed conveyor zones to a plurality of discharge conveyors is controlled efficiently to avoid gridlock. The control logic may consider upstream fullness and downstream fullness conditions. Articles may be conveyed to alternative destinations to avoid upstream articles from being delayed due to the lack of availability of the desired destination path for an article.

Claims

1. A method comprising;

controlling a routing module comprising a plurality of conveying zones each having an associated zone control module and configured to receive articles from a plurality of infeed conveyor zones and to discharge the articles to any of a plurality of discharge conveyor zones toward each respective article'"'"'s final destination;

determining whether there is space on said routing module for an additional article;

selecting an infeed conveyor zone to release its associated article therefrom to a designated discharge conveyor zone associated with said associated article'"'"'s final destination;

determining whether conveyors downstream of the designated discharge conveyor zone are considered full; and

releasing said associated article to said routing module.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting an infeed conveyor zone to release comprises determining whether any of said plurality of infeed conveyor zones can be picked to release.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein selecting an infeed conveyor zone to release comprises determining whether an area of the routing module which would receive an article from a picked infeed conveyor zone is considered full.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein selecting an infeed conveyor zone to release comprises determining whether upstream of the infeed conveyor zone is considered full.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein selecting an infeed conveyor zone to release comprises starting a timer.

6. The method of claim 5, comprising, if the timer has expired, determining whether an alternative destination is available.

7. A material handling system for conveying articles to respective final destinations, said material handling system comprising:

a plurality of infeed conveying zones configured to convey articles;

a plurality of discharge conveying zones configured to convey articles;

a routing module configured to receive articles from any of said plurality of infeed conveyor zones and to discharge the articles to any of said plurality of discharge conveyor zones toward each respective article'"'"'s final destination, said routing module comprising a plurality of conveying zones each having an associated zone control module; and

a controller in communication with said routing module, wherein said controller comprises at least one processor that executes instructions to cause said routing module to perform operations comprising determining whether there is space on said routing module for an additional article, selecting an infeed conveyor zone to release its associated article therefrom to a designated discharge conveyor zone associated with said associated article'"'"'s final destination, determining whether conveyors downstream of the designated discharge conveyor zone are considered full, and releasing said associated article to said routing module.

8. The material handling system according to claim 7, wherein said operation of selecting an infeed conveyor zone to release comprises determining whether any of said plurality of infeed conveyor zones can be picked to release.

9. The material handling system according to claim 7, wherein said operation of selecting an infeed conveyor zone to release comprises determining whether an area of the routing module which would receive an article from a picked infeed conveyor zone is considered full.

10. The material handling system according to claim 7, wherein said operation of selecting an infeed conveyor zone to release comprises determining whether upstream of the infeed conveyor zone is considered full.

11. The material handling system according to claim 7, wherein said operation of selecting an infeed conveyor zone to release comprises starting a timer.

12. The material handling system according to claim 11, wherein said operations comprise, if the timer has expired, determining whether an alternative destination is available.

13. A controller for controlling a material handling system comprising a plurality of infeed conveying zones configured to convey articles, a plurality of discharge conveying zones configured to convey article, the controller comprising:

at least one processor that executes instructions to cause said routing module to perform operations comprising;

controlling a routing module configured to receive articles from any of said plurality of infeed conveyor zones and to discharge the articles to any of said plurality of discharge conveyor zones toward each respective article'"'"'s final destination, said routing module comprising a plurality of conveying zones each having an associated zone control module;

determining whether there is space on said a routing module for an additional article;

selecting an infeed conveyor zone to release its associated article therefrom to a designated discharge conveyor zone associated with said associated article'"'"'s final destination;

determining whether conveyors downstream of the designated discharge conveyor zone are considered full; and

releasing said associated article to said routing module.

14. The material handling system according to claim 13, wherein said operation of selecting an infeed conveyor zone to release comprises determining whether any of said plurality of infeed conveyor zones can be picked to release.

15. The material handling system according to claim 13, wherein said operation of selecting an infeed conveyor zone to release comprises determining whether an area of the routing module which would receive an article from a picked in feed conveyor zone is considered full.

16. The material handling system according to claim 13, wherein said operation of selecting an infeed conveyor zone to release comprises determining whether upstream of the infeed conveyor zone is considered full.

17. The material handling system according to claim 13, wherein said operation of selecting an infeed conveyor zone to release comprises starting a timer.

18. The material handling system according to claim 17, wherein said operations comprise, if the timer has expired, determining whether an alternate destination is available.

19. A material handling system for conveying articles to respective final destinations, said material handling comprising:

a plurality of infeed conveying zones configured to convey articles;

a plurality of discharge conveying zones configured to convey articles;

a routing module configured to receive articles from any of said plurality of infeed conveyor zones and to discharge the articles to any of said plurality of discharge conveyor zones toward each respective article'"'"'s final destination, said routing module comprising a plurality of conveying zones, each respective conveying zone having an associated infeed conveying zone of said plurality of infeed conveying zones configured to discharge articles to said respective conveying zone;

an associated discharge zone of said plurality of discharge zones, said respective conveying zone configured to discharge articles to said associated discharge zone;

an associated upstream conveying zone of said plurality of conveying zones configured to discharge articles to said respective conveying zone; and

an associated downstream conveying zone of said plurality of conveying zones, said respective conveying zone configured to discharge articles to said associated downstream conveying zone.

20. The material handling conveyor of claim 19, wherein each conveying zone of said plurality of conveying zones comprises a right angle transfer conveyor.

21. The material handling conveyor of claim 19, comprising a plurality of conveying loops, each said conveying loop comprising a respective one of said infeed conveying zones and a respective one of said discharge conveying zones, said plurality of conveying loops intersecting with each other at said routing module such that articles may be transferred from one conveying loop to any other conveying loop at said routing table.