Patent Application
20070296140
Briefly, the present invention provides an apparatus that can both jog and feed a plurality of sortable articles; including articles of the same thickness and articles of varying thickness, such as paper, mail, cards, booklets, inter-office sized envelopes, and the like.
In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a vibrating jogging tray with rotatable rods coupled to a transfer assembly. The transfer assembly has a transfer belt and a first vacuum system. Positioned opposite to the transfer assembly is a separation assembly comprising a separation belt and second vacuum system. In operation, the rods rotate the plurality of articles toward the transfer assembly. The first vacuum system can draw and retain a first article from the plurality of articles onto the transfer belt and the transfer belt can transport the first article past the opposing separation assembly to another station for further processing. In the event that a second article overlaps the first article on the transfer belt, the second vacuum system can draw the second article off of the first article and onto the separation belt. In the event that an article traveling on the transfer assembly and past the separation assembly is thicker than a distance between the transfer belt and the separation belt, a retractable roller is adapted to retract the separation belt and/or the transfer belt to increase the distance therebetween.
In the embodiment shown in
To vibrate the jogging tray 12 and rotate the rods 22 at a synchronized rate, any number of motorized configurations may be used. In the example shown in
In another embodiment, also depicted in
The transfer assembly 50 further includes a first vacuum system 62 comprised of a group of vertically positioned suction fans 64. It is to be understood that other configurations and devices for providing a suction on the belt can also be used. The first vacuum system 62 is adapted to suction air from the plurality of first and second-sized openings 54, 56 in the transfer belt 52 to generate a first and a second suction force 66, 68 (shown in
The first suction force 66 is one that is at least sufficient enough to draw, from the plurality of articles 14 on the jogging tray 12, a first article 70 (shown in
As one of ordinary skill in the mechanical art can appreciate, determining the threshold amount of force needed to accomplish each of these tasks will depend on a number of design factors, such as the distance between the transfer belt 52 and the jogging tray 12, the power level of the first vacuum system 60, the size and number of each of the plurality of first and second-sized openings 54, 56 on the transfer belt 52.
In one embodiment, the distance 58 between the first-sized openings 54 is designed to reduce the likelihood the first suction force 66 will draw more than one article from the forward end 28 of the tray 12 onto the transfer belt 52 at the same time. Considerations for determining the interval distance 58 between each set of first-sized openings 54 includes the overall length of the transfer belt 52, the typical length of the articles 14 being transported, and the speed at which transfer the belt 52 travels. In another embodiment, a metal plate (not shown) mounted behind the transfer belt 52 is used to control the timing of the application of the first suction force 66. The metal plate is positionable in a first position to restrict the flow of air through the first-sized openings 54 and in a second position to allow the flow of air through the first-sized openings 54.
In one example, the transfer assembly has a transfer belt with 75 to 125 first-sized openings appearing on the transfer belt at an interval of every 12.7 millimeters (0.5 inches), with each first-sized opening being 4 to 6 millimeters (0.16 to 0.24 inches) in diameter. The transfer belt further has two to four second-sized openings per 645 square millimeters (per one square inch), with each second-sized opening being 4 to 8 millimeters (0.16 to 0.32 inches) in diameter, and a first vacuum system with a power rating that can range from 367 to 1,471 watts (0.5 to 2 horsepower) to generate a first suction force through the first-sized openings that varies between 2.7 and 4.0 kPa (20 and 30 mmHg) and a second suction force through the second-sized openings that varies between 2.7 and 4.0 kPa (20 and 30 mmHg).
In another embodiment, positioned opposite to a portion of the transfer assembly 50 is a separation assembly 72. The separation assembly 72 includes a separation belt 74 with, optionally, a plurality of third-sized openings 76. The separation belt 74 is adapted to rotate around a plurality of second rollers 78 and, as shown in
To move the separation belt 74, a number 78a of the plurality of second rollers 78 are retractable. The retractable rollers 78a reside on a moveable base plate 80 coupled to a spring 82. When the spring 82 is in a natural position, there is a distance 84 between the separation belt 74 and the transfer belt 52. When the spring 82 is in a biased position, the spring 82 biases the base plate 80 and the retractable rollers 80a on the base plate 80. This, in turn, biases the separation belt 74 in the second position and increases the distance 84 between the separation belt 74 and the transfer belt 52. The distance 84 between the two belts 52, 74 is a design choice that depends, in part, on the average thickness of the majority of articles that the jogging and feeding apparatus 10 is likely to jog and feed. The amount of distance by which the distance will vary depending on the thickness of the article being transported on the transfer belt 52 and the spring rate. In one example, the range is between 0.25 and 12.7 millimeters (0.01 and 0.5 inches).
In another embodiment, if openings 76 in the separation belt 74 are present (as shown in
In one example, the separation assembly has a separation belt with 30 to 50 third-sized openings appearing on the separation belt at an interval of every 12.7 millimeters (0.5 inches), with each opening being 4 to 6 millimeters (0.16 to 0.24 inches) in diameter, and a second vacuum system with a power rating that can range from 367 to 1,471 watts (0.5 to 2 horsepower) to generate a third suction force through the third-sized openings that varies between 2.7 and 4.0 kPa (20 and 30 mmHg).
It is to be understood that the various embodiments described herein can be utilized singularly or in various combinations. In operation, in one embodiment, the first motor 38 gently vibrates the jogging tray 12 while the second motor 44 rotates the plurality of rods 22 at a synchronized rate in the direction of the guide rail 18. An operator places a plurality of articles 14 that are to be jogged and fed (e.g. fed in the jogger and feeder apparatus 10 for purposes of being transported to a scanner, labeler, sorter or the like) in the jogging tray 12 in a vertical position against the guide plate 20. When the jogger and feeder apparatus 10 is turned on, the first motor 38 vibrates the jogging tray 12 and the second motor 44 rotates the rods. The vibration from the tray 12 and the rotation of the rods 22 jostle the plurality of articles 14 and cause the bottom edges 16 of the plurality of articles 14 to align against the top surface 24 of the jogging tray 12. The rotation of the rods 22 further causes the side edges 30 of each of the plurality of articles 14 to justify against the vertical surface 19 of the guide plate 20. The lifting motion from the longitudinal edges 32 on the rods 22 cyclically lifts the plurality of articles 14. On their downward fall, the articles 14 fall within the grooves 26 in the rods 22. Because the articles 14 are positioned within the spiral grooves 26, as the rods 22 rotate, the rods move the articles 14 toward the forward end 28 of the tray 12 and the guide plate 20 also moves therewith.
In embodiments where a transfer assembly is positioned adjacent to the forward end 28 of the jogging tray 16, when the first article 70 has been moved sufficiently close to the rotating transfer belt 52 of the transfer assembly 50, the first suction force 66 (generated by the air suctioned through the plurality of first-sized openings 54 in the transfer belt 52 by the first vacuum system 62) suctions the first article 70 onto the transfer belt 52. The second suction force 68 (generated by the air suctioned through the plurality of second-sized openings 56 in the transfer belt 52 by the first vacuum system 62) maintains the first article 70 on the transfer belt 52. In this way, the first article 70 travels on the transfer belt 52 to a processing station 94 (e.g. a scanner, labeler or sorter) adapted to receive the article 70 from the apparatus 10, shown in
If a separation assembly 72 with retractable rollers 78a is positioned opposite to the transfer assembly 50 and the first article 70 traveling on the transfer belt 52 is thicker than the distance 84 between the transfer belt 52 and the separation belt 74, then, when the first article 70 reaches the separation assembly 72, the moving article 70 generates a lateral force causing the resultant vector to bias the spring 82 and retract the separation belt 42. This increases the distance 84 between the two belts 52, 74 to allow the first article 70 to continue to travel on the transfer belt 52, past the separation assembly 72 and toward the processing station 94.
If the plurality of third-sized openings 76 are present in the separation belt 74 and the first suction force 66 suctions both a first article 70 and a second article 92 onto the transfer belt in a manner that causes the second article 92 to overlap the first article 70 (as shown in
Because a force that is high enough to draw the first article 70 onto the transfer belt 52 will also be high enough to retain the article 70 thereto, it can be appreciated that the transfer belt 52 does not have to have two different sized openings. In another embodiment, shown in
In another embodiment, shown in
It is to be understood that while the invention has been described above in conjunction with preferred specific embodiments, the description is intended to illustrate and not to limit the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims. Indeed, various modifications of the invention in addition to those described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description and the accompanying figures. Such modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.
It is further to be understood that all values are to some degree approximate, and are provided for purposes of description.
The disclosures of any patents, patent applications, and publications that may be cited throughout this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
