Distributed sorter drive using electro-adhesion

• US 9,499,346 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2015
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dematic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Dematic Corporation
• Inventors: Triesenberg, Thomas H. III, Pilarz, Nolan R., Schuitema, Dennis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): RUSHIN, LESTER III
• Application Number:
  US14/703,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20150329294A1
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 198/370.01, 198/370.06, 198/370.1, 198/690.1, 198/691
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 17/08 the surface being formed by the traction element
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 17/345 the surfaces being equipped with a conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 23/00 Driving gear for endless conveyors; Belt- or chain-tensioning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 23/14 Endless driving elements extending parallel to belt or chain B65G23/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/46 and distributing, e.g. automatically, to desired points in tube mail systems B65G51/36
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/844 the article-engaging elements being pushers transversally movable on the supporting surface, e.g. pusher-shoes

Abstract

A sorter drive for propelling travelling members of a sorter along a path, in which the sorter has a plurality of interconnected travelling members that travel along a path and sortation members carried by the travelling members, with the sortation members adapted to discharge articles to particular destinations, according to an aspect of the invention, includes an endless drive member and an electro-adhesion system. The endless drive member engages the travelling members. The electro-adhesion system increases attraction of the endless drive member and the travelling members.

Claims

1. A sorter, comprising

a plurality of interconnected travelling members that travel along a path;

sortation members carried by said travelling members, said sortation members adapted to discharge articles to particular destinations; and

a drive that is adapted to propel said travelling members along said path, said drive comprising an endless drive member engaging said travelling members, a motor to propel said endless drive member and an electro-adhesion system connected with said endless drive members in order to drive said interconnected travelling members with electro-adhesion, said electro-adhesion system energizes the endless drive member to increase attraction of said endless drive member and said travelling members through electro-adhesion in order to provide sufficient force between said endless drive member and said travelling members in a sheer direction to propel the travelling members with the endless drive member.

2. The sorter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said travelling members comprise a plurality of slats and said sortation members comprise pushers that travel along said slats to divert articles from a conveying surface, said slats connected in an endless web having an upper portion that defines said conveying surface and a return portion, said endless drive engaging a lower surface of said upper portion or an upper surface of said lower portion.

3. The sorter as claimed in claim 2 wherein said slats are metallic.

4. The sorter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said travelling members comprise interconnected carriages and said sortation members comprise cross belts or tilting surfaces supported by said carriages, said carriages travelling generally horizontally in a closed loop for receiving articles to said sortation members from inducts and discharging articles laterally to destinations, said endless drive engaging a lower surface of said carriages.

5. The sorter as claimed in claim 4 wherein said endless drive member comprises a belt.

6. The sorter as claimed in claim 3 wherein said endless drive member comprises a belt.

7. The sorter as claimed in claim 2 wherein said endless drive member comprises a belt.

8. The sorter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said endless drive member comprises a belt.

9. The sorter as claimed in claim 8 including a plurality of said drives distributed along said path.

10. The sorter as claimed in claim 4 including a plurality of said drives distributed along said path.

11. The sorter as claimed in claim 3 including a plurality of said drives distributed along said path.

12. The sorter as claimed in claim 2 including a plurality of said drives distributed along said path.

13. The sorter as claimed in claim 1 including a plurality of said drives distributed along said path.

14. The sorter as claimed in claim 13 wherein said electro-adhesion system energizes the entire said endless member in a single zone of energization.

15. The sorter as claimed in claim 14 wherein said electro-adhesion system substantially constantly energizes the entire said endless member thereby providing said single zone.

16. The sorter as claimed in claim 9 wherein said electro-adhesion system energizes the entire said endless member in a single zone of energization.

17. The sorter as claimed in claim 16 wherein said electro-adhesion system substantially constantly energizes the entire said endless member thereby providing said single zone.

18. The sorter as claimed in claim 4 wherein said electro-adhesion system energizes the entire said endless member in a single zone of energization.

19. The sorter as claimed in claim 18 wherein said electro-adhesion system substantially constantly energizes the entire said endless member thereby providing said single zone.

20. The sorter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said electro-adhesion system energizes the entire said endless member in a single zone of energization.

21. The sorter as claimed in claim 20 wherein said electro-adhesion system substantially constantly energizes the entire said endless member thereby providing said single zone.

22. A sorter drive for propelling travelling members of a sorter along a path, said sorter having a plurality of interconnected travelling members that travel along a path and sortation members carried by said travelling members, said sortation members adapted to discharge articles to particular destinations, said drive comprising:

an endless drive member that is adapted to engage said travelling members, a motor to propel said endless drive member and an electro-adhesion system connected with said endless drive member in order to drive said interconnected travelling members with electro-adhesion; and

said electro-adhesion system energizes the endless drive member to increase attraction of said endless drive member and said travelling members through electro-adhesion in order to provide sufficient force between said endless drive member and said travelling members in a sheer direction to propel the travelling members with the endless drive member.

23. The sorter drive as claimed in claim 22 wherein said endless drive member comprises a belt.

24. The sorter drive as claimed in claim 23 wherein said electro-adhesion system energizes the entire said endless member in a single zone of energization.

25. The sorter drive as claimed in claim 24 wherein said electro-adhesion system substantially constantly energizes the entire said endless member thereby providing said single zone.

26. The sorter drive as claimed in claim 22 wherein said electro-adhesion system energizes the entire said endless member in a single zone of energization.

27. The sorter drive as claimed in claim 26 wherein said electro-adhesion system substantially constantly energizes the entire said endless member thereby providing said single zone.