US20020066639A1 - Bowl diverter - Google Patents
Bowl diverter Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20020066639A1 US20020066639A1 US09/728,657 US72865700A US2002066639A1 US 20020066639 A1 US20020066639 A1 US 20020066639A1 US 72865700 A US72865700 A US 72865700A US 2002066639 A1 US2002066639 A1 US 2002066639A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- bowl
- conveyor
- diverter
- hanger
- exit opening
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
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Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
- B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
- B07C5/00—Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
- B07C5/36—Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10S209/00—Classifying, separating, and assorting solids
- Y10S209/924—Gravity conveyor moving item from separating station
Definitions
- This invention relates generally to an article sorting system and, more particularly, to sorting articles, such as mail, into different bags or sacks at high throughput and high density.
- U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,786 discloses a conveyer sorter apparatus which includes a conveyer having a diverting arm for intercepting articles to a holding area.
- U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,445 discloses a centrifugal rotary transfer apparatus for a multiple tray conveyor having spirally-shaped, conical supporting surfaces each having a pickup vane.
- U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,223 discloses a distribution-transferring device for articles to be conveyed incorporated in a conveyor for distributing articles. There is diverting for sorting horizontally from a conveyor onto perpendicular branch conveyors.
- U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,440 discloses a vibratory bowl feeder with automatic clean out function having a ramp formed on a bottom surface.
- a rigid chute connected as an exit from a conveyor leads to a rotating bowl with an exit opening.
- An array of mail sacks are supported below the bowl.
- a rotary actuator is rotated to locate the exit opening above a destined mail sack.
- a package is diverted into any one of, a number of locations, e.g., four locations, in this manner.
- the present invention provides a device and a method for receiving a sequence of small packages such as polybags or cartons and sorting them into different mail sack locations as required.
- Rotary actuators rotate a diverter bowl through 270 degrees thereby directing the flow of packages into, e.g., one of four or more location.
- Sensors may be used to confirm delivery to the appropriate location.
- the movement of the bowl to divert a selected article into a selected bag is timed so that the bowl is in its correct position for the delivery of the selected bag before the bag has passed completely through the bowl from its entrance opening at its upper end.
- FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a tilt tray, feed chute, feed bowl and bag hanger.
- FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of th-e feed chute and feed bowl.
- FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the feed bowl.
- FIG. 4A is a side view of ant alternate diverter.
- FIG. 4B is a front view of the alternate diverter shown in FIG. 4A.
- a conveyor 12 carries a plurality of tilt trays or carts 10 which are moved by the conveyor 12 and follow the conveyor path.
- the tray 10 tilts in the direction the article 14 is to be fed and the article 14 moves off of the tilt tray 10 and into a sorting device.
- the use of tilt tray or carts is known in this art, U.S. Pat. No. 6,112,879 being a recent example of one such device as used for a package sorting conveyor.
- the present invention there may be a plurality of locations at which the tilt trays deposit articles. After being deposited at a selected location, the article moves down a chute 16 located at each deposit location and into a diverter bowl assembly 18 which includes a bowl 30 .
- the bowl is mounted on a shaft 32 mounted for rotation in a bearing 34 .
- Gearing 36 is connected to the shaft to rotate the shaft, and a motor 38 drives the gearing 36 .
- the particular arrangement shown is circular at the top 20 (but could have a different shape) and has an opening 22 at one side of the bottom 24 .
- the bowl is arranged to rotate and thus, the rotational position of the bowl determines where its contents are deposited.
- FIG. 1 there is a bag hanger 26 which holds four bags 28 , but a different arrangement with a different number of bags could be used.
- the position of the bowl determines which bag receives the article which is being sorted.
- articles 14 such as packages are discharged from a tilt tray 10 (although a cross-belt or similar sorter device cold be used) and onto a chute 16 .
- a rotating bowl 18 with a single opening 22 is positioned at the end of the chute 16 .
- a hanger 26 holding four mail bags 28 are tightly arranged in a square below.
- the bowl 18 is rotated to position the opening 22 above a mail bag 28 .
- the package 14 is discharged onto the chute 16 and diverted by the bowl 18 into the correct mail bag 28 . This provides up to four times the sorting density compared to prior devices and a shorter sorted may be used as a result.
- a rigid chute is connected as an exit from the conveyor and leads to a rotating bowl with an exit opening.
- An array of mail sacks are supported below the bowl.
- a rotary actuator is rotated to locate the exit opening above a destined mail sack.
- a package is diverted into any one of, a number of locations, e.g., four locations, in this manner.
- the present invention provides a device and a method for receiving a sequence of small packages such as polybags or cartons and sorting them into different mail sack locations as required.
- Rotary actuators rotate a diverter bowl through 270 degrees thereby directing the flow of packages into, e.g., one of four or more location.
- Sensors may be used to confirm delivery to the appropriate location.
- the movement of the bowl 30 to divert a selected article 14 into a selected bag 28 is timed so that the bowl is in its correct position for the delivery of the selected bag before the article has passed completely through the bowl from its entrance opening at its upper end.
- Sensors 40 may be used to confirm delivery of the articles.
- FIGS. 4A and 4B are two views of an alternate type of diverter.
- the bowl diverter 42 is more in the form of a tube than a bowl as was the first type of diverter.
- the bottom 44 is rounded where the opening 46 is located as with the first type diverter.
- the bottom 44 can be square as shown is FIG. 4B.
- the opening 46 at the top can also be square (or rectangular) or can be round.
Abstract
Description
- This invention relates generally to an article sorting system and, more particularly, to sorting articles, such as mail, into different bags or sacks at high throughput and high density.
- In the past, rigid flappers were used in a rigid chute or pop-up belt transfer arrangement on a motorized roller conveyor, but there were several shortcomings of such systems including insufficient speed and sorting density.
- U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,786 discloses a conveyer sorter apparatus which includes a conveyer having a diverting arm for intercepting articles to a holding area.
- U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,445 discloses a centrifugal rotary transfer apparatus for a multiple tray conveyor having spirally-shaped, conical supporting surfaces each having a pickup vane.
- U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,223 discloses a distribution-transferring device for articles to be conveyed incorporated in a conveyor for distributing articles. There is diverting for sorting horizontally from a conveyor onto perpendicular branch conveyors.
- U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,440 discloses a vibratory bowl feeder with automatic clean out function having a ramp formed on a bottom surface.
- It is an object of the present invention to provide high throughput and high density diversion of bagged products into different sacks.
- It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus to increase the efficiency of a mail sorting system.
- These and other objects are accomplished according to the invention in which a rigid chute connected as an exit from a conveyor leads to a rotating bowl with an exit opening. An array of mail sacks are supported below the bowl. A rotary actuator is rotated to locate the exit opening above a destined mail sack. A package is diverted into any one of, a number of locations, e.g., four locations, in this manner.
- The present invention provides a device and a method for receiving a sequence of small packages such as polybags or cartons and sorting them into different mail sack locations as required. Rotary actuators rotate a diverter bowl through 270 degrees thereby directing the flow of packages into, e.g., one of four or more location. Sensors may be used to confirm delivery to the appropriate location.
- Thus, when an article is to be bagged into a selected bag at a selected multi-bag site, the product is diverted from the conveyor onto an exit chute from which it is fed into a rotating bowl having a lower exit opening. Below the bowl there is an arrangement of bags, such as four, and the bowl is controlled in its movement so that the exit opening is positioned above a chosen bag and the article falls by gravity through the exit opening of the bowl and into the selected bag.
- The movement of the bowl to divert a selected article into a selected bag is timed so that the bowl is in its correct position for the delivery of the selected bag before the bag has passed completely through the bowl from its entrance opening at its upper end.
- The present invention together with the above and other advantages may best be understood from the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the drawings, wherein:
- FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a tilt tray, feed chute, feed bowl and bag hanger.
- FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of th-e feed chute and feed bowl.
- FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the feed bowl.
- FIG. 4A is a side view of ant alternate diverter.
- FIG. 4B is a front view of the alternate diverter shown in FIG. 4A.
- A
conveyor 12 carries a plurality of tilt trays orcarts 10 which are moved by theconveyor 12 and follow the conveyor path. When anarticle 14 on thetray 10 is to be deposited at a selected location, thetray 10 tilts in the direction thearticle 14 is to be fed and thearticle 14 moves off of thetilt tray 10 and into a sorting device. The use of tilt tray or carts is known in this art, U.S. Pat. No. 6,112,879 being a recent example of one such device as used for a package sorting conveyor. - In the present invention there may be a plurality of locations at which the tilt trays deposit articles. After being deposited at a selected location, the article moves down a
chute 16 located at each deposit location and into adiverter bowl assembly 18 which includes abowl 30. The bowl is mounted on ashaft 32 mounted for rotation in abearing 34. Gearing 36 is connected to the shaft to rotate the shaft, and amotor 38 drives thegearing 36. The particular arrangement shown is circular at the top 20 (but could have a different shape) and has anopening 22 at one side of thebottom 24. The bowl is arranged to rotate and thus, the rotational position of the bowl determines where its contents are deposited. In FIG. 1 there is abag hanger 26 which holds fourbags 28, but a different arrangement with a different number of bags could be used. - The position of the bowl determines which bag receives the article which is being sorted.
- In operation,
articles 14 such as packages are discharged from a tilt tray 10 (although a cross-belt or similar sorter device cold be used) and onto achute 16. A rotatingbowl 18 with asingle opening 22 is positioned at the end of thechute 16. Ahanger 26 holding fourmail bags 28 are tightly arranged in a square below. Thebowl 18 is rotated to position the opening 22 above amail bag 28. Thepackage 14 is discharged onto thechute 16 and diverted by thebowl 18 into thecorrect mail bag 28. This provides up to four times the sorting density compared to prior devices and a shorter sorted may be used as a result. - Thus, a rigid chute is connected as an exit from the conveyor and leads to a rotating bowl with an exit opening. An array of mail sacks are supported below the bowl. A rotary actuator is rotated to locate the exit opening above a destined mail sack. A package is diverted into any one of, a number of locations, e.g., four locations, in this manner.
- The present invention provides a device and a method for receiving a sequence of small packages such as polybags or cartons and sorting them into different mail sack locations as required. Rotary actuators rotate a diverter bowl through 270 degrees thereby directing the flow of packages into, e.g., one of four or more location. Sensors may be used to confirm delivery to the appropriate location.
- Thus, when an
article 14 is to be bagged into a selectedbag 28 at a selected multi-bag site, the product is diverted from the conveyor onto anexit chute 16 from which it is fed into the rotatingbowl 30 having alower exit opening 22. Below thebowl 30 there is an arrangement ofbags 28, such as four, mounted on ahanger 26 and thebowl 30 is controlled in its movement so that theexit opening 22 is positioned above a chosenbag 28 and thearticle 14 falls by gravity through the exit opening 22 of thebowl 30 and into the selectedbag 28. - The movement of the
bowl 30 to divert a selectedarticle 14 into a selectedbag 28 is timed so that the bowl is in its correct position for the delivery of the selected bag before the article has passed completely through the bowl from its entrance opening at its upper end. -
Sensors 40 may be used to confirm delivery of the articles. - FIGS. 4A and 4B are two views of an alternate type of diverter. As can be seen the
bowl diverter 42 is more in the form of a tube than a bowl as was the first type of diverter. The bottom 44 is rounded where theopening 46 is located as with the first type diverter. The bottom 44 can be square as shown is FIG. 4B. Theopening 46 at the top can also be square (or rectangular) or can be round.
Claims (4)
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US09/728,657 US6439367B1 (en) | 2000-12-01 | 2000-12-01 | Bowl diverter |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US09/728,657 US6439367B1 (en) | 2000-12-01 | 2000-12-01 | Bowl diverter |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20020066639A1 true US20020066639A1 (en) | 2002-06-06 |
US6439367B1 US6439367B1 (en) | 2002-08-27 |
Family
ID=24927757
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US09/728,657 Expired - Fee Related US6439367B1 (en) | 2000-12-01 | 2000-12-01 | Bowl diverter |
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US (1) | US6439367B1 (en) |
Cited By (10)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20030098661A1 (en) * | 2001-11-29 | 2003-05-29 | Ken Stewart-Smith | Control system for vehicle seats |
US20040011648A1 (en) * | 2002-07-17 | 2004-01-22 | Paul Phillip H. | Laminated flow device |
US20040074768A1 (en) * | 2002-10-18 | 2004-04-22 | Anex Deon S. | Electrokinetic pump having capacitive electrodes |
US20050230080A1 (en) * | 2004-04-19 | 2005-10-20 | Paul Phillip H | Electrokinetic pump driven heat transfer system |
US20050247558A1 (en) * | 2002-07-17 | 2005-11-10 | Anex Deon S | Electrokinetic delivery systems, devices and methods |
US20090148308A1 (en) * | 2007-12-11 | 2009-06-11 | Saleki Mansour A | Electrokinetic Pump with Fixed Stroke Volume |
US7867592B2 (en) | 2007-01-30 | 2011-01-11 | Eksigent Technologies, Inc. | Methods, compositions and devices, including electroosmotic pumps, comprising coated porous surfaces |
US20110031268A1 (en) * | 2005-11-23 | 2011-02-10 | Deon Stafford Anex | Electrokinetic pump designs and drug delivery systems |
US8979511B2 (en) | 2011-05-05 | 2015-03-17 | Eksigent Technologies, Llc | Gel coupling diaphragm for electrokinetic delivery systems |
CN113727925A (en) * | 2019-05-24 | 2021-11-30 | 莱特拉姆有限责任公司 | Compact sorting machine |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN106391490B (en) * | 2016-06-21 | 2019-11-22 | 顺丰速运有限公司 | A kind of rack for hanging bag for filling |
Family Cites Families (9)
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US2868245A (en) * | 1956-03-26 | 1959-01-13 | Earl A Ernst | Sacking device |
US3921786A (en) | 1971-05-27 | 1975-11-25 | A W & H Manufacturing Co Inc | Conveyer sorter apparatus |
US4043445A (en) | 1975-02-10 | 1977-08-23 | S.I. Handling Systems Inc. | Centrifugal rotary transfer apparatus |
IT8522178V0 (en) * | 1985-06-13 | 1985-06-13 | Mpa Mecc Postale Automat | SORTING DEVICE FOR BELT CONVEYOR SYSTEMS. |
JPH0736898Y2 (en) | 1987-02-19 | 1995-08-23 | エービー テトラパック | Distribution and transfer device for conveyed articles on conveyor |
US5269440A (en) | 1993-01-07 | 1993-12-14 | Honeywell Inc. | Vibratory bowl feeder with automatic clean out function |
US6016922A (en) * | 1997-10-17 | 2000-01-25 | Burman; Konstantin | Rotating lumber sorting device |
DE29805197U1 (en) * | 1998-03-21 | 1998-08-13 | Trumpf Gmbh & Co | Device for sorting workpiece parts on a machine for cutting workpieces |
US6095314A (en) * | 1998-07-17 | 2000-08-01 | Mantissa Corporation | Multi-cell chute for a tilt tray sorter |
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Cited By (25)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20030098661A1 (en) * | 2001-11-29 | 2003-05-29 | Ken Stewart-Smith | Control system for vehicle seats |
US7517440B2 (en) | 2002-07-17 | 2009-04-14 | Eksigent Technologies Llc | Electrokinetic delivery systems, devices and methods |
US20050252772A1 (en) * | 2002-07-17 | 2005-11-17 | Paul Philip H | Flow device |
US20040011648A1 (en) * | 2002-07-17 | 2004-01-22 | Paul Phillip H. | Laminated flow device |
US7364647B2 (en) | 2002-07-17 | 2008-04-29 | Eksigent Technologies Llc | Laminated flow device |
US20050247558A1 (en) * | 2002-07-17 | 2005-11-10 | Anex Deon S | Electrokinetic delivery systems, devices and methods |
US20070144909A1 (en) * | 2002-10-18 | 2007-06-28 | Eksigent Technologies, Llc | Electrokinetic Pump Having Capacitive Electrodes |
US7235164B2 (en) | 2002-10-18 | 2007-06-26 | Eksigent Technologies, Llc | Electrokinetic pump having capacitive electrodes |
US8192604B2 (en) | 2002-10-18 | 2012-06-05 | Eksigent Technologies, Llc | Electrokinetic pump having capacitive electrodes |
US7267753B2 (en) | 2002-10-18 | 2007-09-11 | Eksigent Technologies Llc | Electrokinetic device having capacitive electrodes |
US20080173545A1 (en) * | 2002-10-18 | 2008-07-24 | Eksigent Technologies, Llc | Electrokinetic Pump Having Capacitive Electrodes |
US20040074768A1 (en) * | 2002-10-18 | 2004-04-22 | Anex Deon S. | Electrokinetic pump having capacitive electrodes |
US20040074784A1 (en) * | 2002-10-18 | 2004-04-22 | Anex Deon S. | Electrokinetic device having capacitive electrodes |
US8715480B2 (en) | 2002-10-18 | 2014-05-06 | Eksigent Technologies, Llc | Electrokinetic pump having capacitive electrodes |
US7875159B2 (en) | 2002-10-18 | 2011-01-25 | Eksigent Technologies, Llc | Electrokinetic pump having capacitive electrodes |
US20050230080A1 (en) * | 2004-04-19 | 2005-10-20 | Paul Phillip H | Electrokinetic pump driven heat transfer system |
US7559356B2 (en) | 2004-04-19 | 2009-07-14 | Eksident Technologies, Inc. | Electrokinetic pump driven heat transfer system |
US8794929B2 (en) | 2005-11-23 | 2014-08-05 | Eksigent Technologies Llc | Electrokinetic pump designs and drug delivery systems |
US8152477B2 (en) | 2005-11-23 | 2012-04-10 | Eksigent Technologies, Llc | Electrokinetic pump designs and drug delivery systems |
US20110031268A1 (en) * | 2005-11-23 | 2011-02-10 | Deon Stafford Anex | Electrokinetic pump designs and drug delivery systems |
US7867592B2 (en) | 2007-01-30 | 2011-01-11 | Eksigent Technologies, Inc. | Methods, compositions and devices, including electroosmotic pumps, comprising coated porous surfaces |
US8251672B2 (en) | 2007-12-11 | 2012-08-28 | Eksigent Technologies, Llc | Electrokinetic pump with fixed stroke volume |
US20090148308A1 (en) * | 2007-12-11 | 2009-06-11 | Saleki Mansour A | Electrokinetic Pump with Fixed Stroke Volume |
US8979511B2 (en) | 2011-05-05 | 2015-03-17 | Eksigent Technologies, Llc | Gel coupling diaphragm for electrokinetic delivery systems |
CN113727925A (en) * | 2019-05-24 | 2021-11-30 | 莱特拉姆有限责任公司 | Compact sorting machine |
Also Published As
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US6439367B1 (en) | 2002-08-27 |
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