The present invention relates generally to the field of product or package conveyance, and more particularly to a conveyor switch for baked goods, packages, and other products and materials.
Conveyor belts, beltless conveyors, and other material transport mechanisms (“conveyors”) are used to transport various products such as baked goods, packages, and other products and materials during production, processing and packaging. It has been discovered that needs exist for switching product from one or more first conveyors to one or more second conveyors in a controlled fashion, for example to divide one or more first product streams into two or more second product streams for subsequent processing.
It is to the provision of a system and method meeting these and other needs that the present invention is primarily directed.
In example embodiments, the present invention provides a switching system and method for conveying product, such as for example hot-dog buns or other “cluster” type products wherein two or more product units are joined in an array, and a plurality of those arrays or a plurality of individual products, packages, or other products or materials are transported on a conveyor, and dividing a product stream carried by a first conveyor component into two or more product streams carried by two or more second conveyor components.
In one aspect, the present invention relates to a switching system and method. A first (or upstream) product stream is carried on a first conveyor element at a proximal end of the product line. The product stream reaches a switching station, where it is divided into two or more second (or downstream) product streams carried on second conveyor elements at a distal end of the product line. An upstream controller controls the first product stream to form periodic gaps between individual products or between clusters of products. The switch is operated via a switching controller to switch the delivery of the first product stream between the two or more second product streams in timed coordination with the gaps. One or more air surge tanks are optionally provided for speed and smooth movement of the switching carriage. A rodless pneumatic cylinder, hydraulic cylinder, or other actuator moves the belt side to side in the switching process. The system and method are preferably carried out in an automated fashion using one or more controllers linked to a computer processor having software for implementing the process resident thereon.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to a system for conveying products, said system comprising an upstream conveyor, at least two downstream conveyors, a switch between the upstream conveyor and the at least two downstream conveyors, and an upstream controller for generating gaps in a first product stream on the upstream conveyor. The switch is operable to alternate delivery of product from the upstream conveyor to one or the other of the at least two downstream conveyors in timed coordination with the gaps in the first product stream.
In still another aspect, the invention relates to a method of conveying products. The method includes generating gaps in a first product stream carried on an upstream conveyor, and operating a switch in timed coordination with the gaps in the first product stream to form at least two second product streams.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a conveyor switch including a frame defining first and second lateral sides, an inlet end and an outlet end. The conveyor switch further includes a carriage translationally mounted at the outlet end of the frame for traversing a lateral path between the first and second lateral sides of the frame, and an actuator for moving the carriage along the lateral path. The conveyor switch further includes a flexible conveyor belt extending between the inlet end and the outlet end and over the carriage, whereby actuation of the carriage causes a portion of the flexible conveyor belt proximal the outlet end to move laterally from a first position to a second position.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a conveyor system including a metering belt for delivering a product flow comprising a plurality of objects. The system further includes a conveyor switch for receiving the product flow from the metering belt, the conveyor switch having at least one inlet and at least two outlets, a flexible conveyor extending between the at least one inlet and the at least two outlets, and an actuator for switching the flexible conveyor between the at least two outlets. The system further includes at least two outlet conveyors, each outlet conveyor associated with a respective one of the at least two outlets of the conveyor switch.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a method of conveying objects from at least one source to at least two destinations. The method includes receiving the objects from the at least one source into an inlet of a conveyor switch, delivering the objects along a flexible conveyor portion of the conveyor switch, and actuating a laterally translating carriage portion of the conveyor switch to move the flexible conveyor portion from a first state wherein the objects are discharged from the conveyor switch to a first of the at least two destinations to a second state wherein the objects are discharged from the conveyor switch to a second of the at least two destinations.
These and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will be understood with reference to the drawing figures and detailed description herein, and will be realized by means of the various elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following brief description of the drawings and detailed description of the invention are exemplary and explanatory of preferred embodiments of the invention, and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
The present invention may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawing figures, which form a part of this disclosure. It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the specific devices, methods, conditions or parameters described and/or shown herein, and that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments by way of example only and is not intended to be limiting of the claimed invention. Any and all patents and other publications identified in this specification are incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein.
Also, as used in the specification including the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural, and reference to a particular numerical value includes at least that particular value, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” or “approximately” one particular value and/or to “about” or “approximately” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment.
The conveyor switch 10 comprises a frame 20, a switching assembly 40, and a conveyor belt system 90. A metering belt 80 is typically used in conjunction with the conveyor switch 10, upstream of the metering belt for delivering product to the inlet side of the switch. These systems and their respective subsystems will be discussed and explained in further detail in the paragraphs below. It is to be noted that in this disclosure, attached or mounted may reference any of the following methods of attachment, including, but not limited to, glue, welding, bolting, riveting, fastening, taping, screwing, etc. The components of these systems and subsystems may be manufactured from various materials, such as, but not limited to, stainless steel, ultra-high molecular weight plastic, aluminum, titanium, etc. The side-to-side or crosswise dimension denoted by arrow Y in
As seen in
The conveyor platform 26 is mounted on support structures 24 by way of fastening countersunk bolts through the top of the conveyor platform 26 to the support structures 24, such that the conveyor platform 26 retains a smooth and continuous top surface. The pair of platform guide arms 23 is located near the rear inlet of the conveyor platform 26, and extends longitudinally towards the front. The guide arms taper or curve along a smooth radius at their distal ends from the rear to the front. The conveyor platform 26 may have a platform gap 27, usage of which will be discussed in further detail in the following paragraphs. The return platform 21 is mounted to support structures 24 beneath the conveyor platform 26 in a manner similar to the conveyor platform 26. The frame stand 28 is attached to the frame sides 22 and the support structures 24 and supports the frame 20 at a prescribed height above a floor or other support structure.
The switching assembly 40 comprises a switching assembly frame 41, a pneumatic sliding actuator 42, a guide rail 44, a pressurized air supply 46, a plurality of air hoses 48, and a carriage 60. The assembly frame 41 is mounted between the front end of the frame sides 22. The pneumatic sliding actuator 42 is mounted transversally to the front end of the assembly frame 41 such that the actuator 42 may actuate horizontally to either side of the assembly frame 41, and in example form comprises a rodless cylinder. In alternate forms, the actuator may take the form of a pneumatic actuator, a hydraulic actuator, an electronic or electromagnetic actuator, a manual actuator, or various other forms of actuators. Air hoses 48 connect the actuator 42 to the air supply 46, so that pressurized air is delivered to operate the actuator 42. The air supply 46 in this embodiment is delivered from a compressor, via an air surge tank, wherein the air tank is attached to the stand 28. The guide rail 44 is mounted to the assembly frame 41, displaced above and parallel to the actuator 42.
The carriage 60 comprises upper guide arms 66, lower guide arms 68, a carriage platform 61, a carriage frame 62, a mounting device 64, a shaft pulley or roller 65, and a linear bearing (not shown). The carriage frame 62 is attached to the actuator 42 by the mounting device 64. The upper guide arms 66 are attached near the top of the carriage frame 62, and extend longitudinally over the conveyor platform 26. The upper guide arms 66 taper or curve at a point distal from the front of the carriage frame. The upper guide arms 66 may have laterally-oriented rollers attached to their underside to reduce the friction between the upper guide arms 66 and the conveyor platform 26. The carriage shaft pulley or roller 65 is mounted near the top and front of the carriage frame 62. The carriage platform 61 is attached near the vertical middle of the carriage frame 62 and extends longitudinally towards the rear of the conveyor switch 10. The carriage platform 61 is horizontally level with the return platform 21. The linear bearing is attached to the rear face of the carriage frame 62 and is mounted onto the guide rail 44. The linear bearing supports the carriage 60 on the guide rail 44 and lessens the amount of friction experienced between them as the carriage is actuated from side to side.
Attached to the peripheral sides of the carriage platform 61 are the lower guide arms 68. The lower guide arms 68 taper at a distal end from the front of the carriage frame 62 much like the upper guide arms 66. The gap 27 in the conveyor platform 26 allows for the passage of a plurality of vertical bolts that connect the upper guide arms 66 to the lower guide arms 68 and the carriage platform 26. The bolts provide vertical support for the ends of the carriage platform 61 and the lower guide arms 68.
As seen in
As seen in
During operation of the conveyor switch 10, incoming product is received at the rear of the conveyor switch 10, now referred to as the inlet, where said product is then conveyed towards the front of the conveyor switch, now referred to as the outlet, by the translational conveying motion of the belt 91. In a first state of the conveyor switch 10, product is being conveyed from the inlet to a first lateral side of the outlet of the conveyor switch. When the need or opportunity arises to have the product be fed towards the second or opposite lateral side of the outlet of the conveyor switch 10, a switching sequence begins.
The switching sequence begins with air from the air supply 46 being selectively released to actuate the actuator 42. As depicted in
The portion of the belt 91 on the conveyor platform 26 is shortened during the transitional state, due to the shortened distance the belt 91 must longitudinally traverse over the conveyor platform 26 in its intermediate position, caused by the carriage 60 momentarily laterally traversing across the middle of the conveyor platform 26 at which point the belt extends in a generally linear path without lateral bends or offsets (a straight line being the shortest path between two points). As the conveyor switch 10 traverses through the intermediate or transitional state, the excess length of the belt 91 that is no longer needed to longitudinally span the conveyor platform 26 must be taken up so that slack in the belt is not formed, which could interfere with the operation of the conveyor belt system 90. The take-up pulley 95 eliminates potential slack by means of its weight causing it to drop down within channels 97, lengthening the circuit of the belt and retaining tension on the belt. The take up pulley 95 is designed to automatically provide a calibrated amount of downward force required to take-up the excess length of the belt 91, while simultaneously allowing the conveyor belt system 90 to operate without unnecessary load on the motor 93. The ends of the take up pulley 95 are able to freely slide vertically up and down within the vertical take up channels 97 on the frame sides 22 a distance sufficient to compensate for the change in the distance traversed by the belt 91.
As seen in
The conveyor switch 10 and associated system can be provided in various configurations, which include, but are not limited to, a conveyor switch that has a plurality of conveyor belt systems and a plurality of switching assemblies that result in one or more product inlets and two or more product outlets. Such embodiments may be in the form of conveyor switches with one inlet and two outlets, one inlet with three outlets, two inlets and three outlets, two inlets and four outlets, etc. Other embodiments may be in the form of a conveyor switch where orientation of the actuator may be other than horizontal, i.e. a vertical conveyor switch that switches between a first operating height at one elevation and a second lower or higher operating height or a circular conveyor switch that is able to displace its outlet along a circular path. The embodiments and described shown are for example purposes only, and are not meant to be limiting to the claims listed below.
While the invention has been described with reference to preferred and example embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications, additions and deletions are within the scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/472,964, filed May 27, 2009, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/056,941, filed May 29, 2008, the entireties of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
61056941 | May 2008 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 12472964 | May 2009 | US |
Child | 12543085 | US |