A fastening system for joining two ends of a conveyor belt segment includes hinge members having tapering noses for controlling movement of the ends relative to each other. A reinforcing link connects the tips of at least two outermost hinge members. A solid side edge encapsulates a hinge rod securing the two conveyor belt ends together, while a viewing window and lateral slot provide a pathway through the conveyor belt segment.
A conveying system employs a plurality of sets of coordinating flights for controlling the spacing of objects conveyed by a conveyor. Each set of coordinating flights includes a front flight having a rotatable panel that can selectively move into a vertical position for stopping a parcel and a rear flight having a horizontal panel for supporting a parcel from below.
B65G 47/28 - Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors arranging the articles, e.g. varying spacing between individual articles during transit by a single conveyor
A modular-belt conveyor for translating articles along the width of the conveyor atop carriers on the belt. The carriers have an upper article-supporting slat at the top of a belt module connected to a lower follower that extends through the thickness of the module and past its bottom. Guides in the conveyor frame in contact with the followers guide the carriers along the width of the belt in slots. A diverter switch switches the followers between two carryway guides: one defining a home path and the other, a divert path.
B65G 47/52 - Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors, i.e. discharging or feeding devices
B65G 17/00 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface
A belt conveyor comprising a modular conveyor belt constructed of a series of belt rows joined at hinge joints and having an intermediate article-supporting section formed by a spiral wire mesh having first regions with a first transverse pitch alternating with one or more second regions with a lesser second transverse pitch. The one or more second regions are positioned across the width of the belt to contact one or more wearstrips on the belt's carryway.
B65G 17/06 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface having a load-carrying surface formed by a series of interconnected, e.g. longitudinal, links, plates, or platforms
A belt conveyor in which a positively driven short pitch conveyor belt is driven around a tight transfer nose roller by a drive arrangement in which a snub roller is positioned between the nose roller and a drive sprocket. A short take-up belt catenary depends directly from the belt's release point from the sprocket to provide back tension for effective sprocket-belt engagement.
A modular metal-wire conveyor belt constructed of belt rows having an interior article-supporting wire-mesh section flanked by tension links at opposite side edges. Hinge rods through the article-supporting sections and the tension links in adjacent belt rows join adjacent modules at hinge joints into an endless belt loop. Some of the hinge rods have blocking structure at the inner sides of the tension links to maintain the belt's width constant. Other hinge rods are devoid of blocking structure and have rod caps on one end that can be removed to allow the rod to be pulled out of the hinge joint to open the belt for servicing. The article-supporting wire-mesh section can define a flat or a curved top.
B65G 17/06 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface having a load-carrying surface formed by a series of interconnected, e.g. longitudinal, links, plates, or platforms
B65G 17/38 - Chains or like traction elements; Connections between traction elements and load-carriers
A conveying system employs expandable flights for controlling the spacing of objects conveyed by a conveyor. Each flight includes a body portion comprising a pair of panels separated by an expandable linkage system. The flight is pivotally mounted to a mover of a linear transport system via a mounting portion so that the flight can be moved independently of the conveyor.
B65G 15/58 - Belts or like endless load-carriers with means for holding or retaining the loads in fixed position, e.g. magnetic
B65G 21/10 - Supporting or protective framework or housings for endless load-carriers or traction elements of belt or chain conveyors movable, or having interchangeable or relatively- movable parts; Devices for moving framework or parts thereof
Metal-link conveyor belt modules and belts made of such modules. The belt modules have a crossbar. Links extend from opposite sides of the crossbar and terminate in loops. The links have regions of different widths tailored to various operational requirements.
B65G 17/06 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface having a load-carrying surface formed by a series of interconnected, e.g. longitudinal, links, plates, or platforms
9.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING BELT-PULLEY DISENGAGEMENT
A system and method for detecting disengagement of a modular articulating conveyor belt from a toothed pulley with a laser beam. A laser transmitter and a laser detector are positioned at opposite sides of the modular conveyor belt wrapped around a toothed pulley. The laser beam is directed from the laser transmitter to the laser detector along a line that is intermittently intersected by radially outer structure on the belt as it advances fully engaged with the pulley. When the belt stretches with wear or when debris is trapped between the belt and the pulley, the belt starts to ride higher on the pulley in position to block the laser beam for longer time periods indicating disengagement of the belt from the pulley.
B65G 43/02 - Control devices, e.g. for safety, warning or fault-correcting detecting dangerous physical condition of load- carriers, e.g. for interrupting the drive in the event of overheating
B65G 17/08 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface having a load-carrying surface formed by a series of interconnected, e.g. longitudinal, links, plates, or platforms the surface being formed by the traction element
Exemplary embodiments provide a sorting system using the principles of linear motors to move a magnetized mat in multiple directions. The sorting system uses a series of stator coils in particular patterns to direct the magnetized mat along predefined looping pathways such that the magnetized mat can move articles in a desired direction. Embodiments include the use of multiple magnetized mats to improve package sorting rates. The magnetized mat is comprised of a plurality of magnetized and non-magnetized tiles which are connected using flexible tabs that form a living hinge. The living hinge flexes and allows the mat to travel along the predefined looping pathways. The sorting system may be used as a node in a larger grid sorting system and may be connected to conveyors, chutes, or other means for moving articles.
B07C 3/02 - Apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution
B65G 47/28 - Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors arranging the articles, e.g. varying spacing between individual articles during transit by a single conveyor
A belt conveyor comprising a conveyor belt having upper and lower inline rollers arranged in a stack and selectively actuated to rotate. When actuated, the upper article-supporting rollers are rotated by contact with the lower rollers riding on raised bearing faces in a carryway. When deactuated, the upper rollers are braked by braking pads and the lower rollers are out of contact with lowered bearing faces. The belt rollers are actuated and deactuated by a matrix of individually controllable roller actuation assemblies, each defining a roller actuation zone.
B65G 17/24 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface comprising a series of rollers which are moved over a supporting surface by the traction element to effect conveyance of loads or load-carriers
B65G 39/12 - Arrangements of rollers mounted on framework
A flexible thermoplastic conveyor belt constructed of one or more belt segments having corrugated sidewalls. The one or more segments are joined end to end at one or more joints. The ends of the sidewalls at or near the joints are fastened together by fasteners to form a continuous sidewall along the length of the belt. The fasteners are toolless fasteners requiring no tools; they can be fastened and unfastened by hand alone.
B65G 17/08 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface having a load-carrying surface formed by a series of interconnected, e.g. longitudinal, links, plates, or platforms the surface being formed by the traction element
xx in the x direction can be used as an estimate of the speed of the conveyor belt. The orientation of the object can be tracked from frame to frame to reveal whether the conveyor belt is changing the object's orientation relative to the conveying direction.
A sorting system for dynamically sorting items includes movable receptacles that can receive sorted items from a sorting conveyor on the fly. A controller determines and coordinates the movement between the sorted items and the movable receptacle, so that sorted items land in the movable receptacle while the receptacle is moving. A queue of receptacles alongside a sorting conveyor and extending into an overflow region can dynamically move, contract, advance and—or reverse as needed, based on the items being sorted.
A conveyor component for use in a conveyor includes a flexible hub for mounting a shaft and a continuous rim connected to the flexible hub for contacting a conveyor belt. The flexible hub includes a peripheral gap that can be widened using an expansion tool to enlarge a shaft-receiving opening formed by the flexible hub. Positioning tabs on a radially inner surface of the flexible hub move into engagement with a groove on the shaft when the conveyor component is in a relaxed state and the peripheral gap is contracted and out of engagement with the groove when the peripheral gap is expanded, and the flexible hub is flexed.
A split sprocket for conveyor belts or chains comprises a first section and a second section that mates with the first section to form a sprocket with drive teeth distributed about the periphery and a central hub for retaining a shaft. The second section is inserted into a space in the first section and rotated into an engaged position to form a complete sprocket.
An adaptor for mounting components to a drive assembly for a conveyor belt comprises a shaped body having a bearing opening, fastener openings for fastening the shaped body to an outside surface of an end plate of the drive assembly and openings for mounting an auxiliary conveyor component to the adaptor to place the auxiliary conveyor component relative to the conveyor belt.
B65G 21/10 - Supporting or protective framework or housings for endless load-carriers or traction elements of belt or chain conveyors movable, or having interchangeable or relatively- movable parts; Devices for moving framework or parts thereof
B65G 23/22 - Arrangements or mountings of driving motors
B65G 39/12 - Arrangements of rollers mounted on framework
A shaft-mounted conveyor assembly (10) comprises a series of scroll modules (100, 102) arranged in series on a shaft (12) to form a helix having a peripheral surface for contacting a conveyor belt. Each scroll module includes an open hub (120) for receiving the shaft and a webbed scroll portion (110) defining the peripheral surface. The shaft includes L-shaped mounting slots (30) in mounting regions for mounting the scroll modules. A snap-on locking collar (200) prevents axial movement of the scroll modules after installation on the shaft.
F16D 1/112 - Quick-acting couplings in which the parts are connected by simply bringing them together axially having retaining means rotating with the coupling and acting by interengaging parts, i.e. positive coupling the interengaging parts comprising torque-transmitting surfaces, e.g. bayonet joints
F16D 1/08 - Couplings for rigidly connecting two coaxial shafts or other movable machine elements for attachment of a member on a shaft or on a shaft-end with hub and longitudinal key
A magnetic conveyor (30) comprising article-supporting movers (80) propelled by an array of stator elements (72) arranged in rows and columns. The movers include permanent magnets (82) whose magnetic fields interact with electromagnetic waves produced by the stator elements. Some of the stator elements produce electromagnetic waves that travel parallel to a conveying direction and others produce electromagnetic waves that can be controlled to travel in any direction. Movers are arranged in a formation of rows and columns in a staging area. An article (34) is transferred onto a group of movers in forward rows of the formation in the staging area. The group separates from the staging area as it conveys the article in the conveying direction. Stator elements are energized to replenish the staging area with movers to fill the gaps left by the article-conveying group of movers.
A fastening system for joining two opposing ends of flexible conveyor belt segments includes mating sets of rigid connectors embedded in and extending from confronting ends of the flexible conveyor belt segments. The rigid connectors include laterally-extending load-transferring surfaces that interface to transmit axial tension between the confronting segment ends, or hinge elements that interleave to form a hinge passageway for receiving a connecting rod. The rigid connectors are chemically bonded to the conveyor belt segment ends through microscopic entanglement, a mechanical bond, adhesive bond or through another suitable process.
Conveyor belt modules and a modular conveyor belt constructed of those modules. The belt modules comprise a plurality of thin metal links attached to a crossbar at spaced locations. The metal links extend along lines oblique to the length of the crossbar from a first loop to a second loop. Belt rows include one or more of the belt modules sandwiched between tension links. Hinge rods connect adjacent belt rows together through aligned first and second loops and first and second rod holes in the tension links of adjacent belt rows to form the conveyor belt. The links can be formed of bent wire or stamped and bent sheet metal. Intermediate portions of the links can be planar or curved.
B65G 17/06 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface having a load-carrying surface formed by a series of interconnected, e.g. longitudinal, links, plates, or platforms
B65G 17/30 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface - Details; Auxiliary devices
A conveyor system includes a conveyor belt having a plurality of article-diverting conveyor belt rollers. An underlying drive roller assembly includes a plurality of pivotable rollers carriers, each having a freely rotatable drive roller that contacts the conveyor belt rollers from below. An actuator moves a movable orientation plate along an arc-shaped path to pivot the carriers and change the orientation of the drive rollers. The drive rollers may also move into and out of engagement with the conveyor belt rollers as their orientation changes. The movable orientation plate is sandwiched between upper and lower support plates to adjust the orientation of the drive rollers relative to the belt rollers.
A closed-loop vacuum conveyor controlling the pressure in a plenum. Pressure sensors in the plenum send pressure signals to a processor that controls the speed of a blower motor sucking air from the plenum and through openings in a foraminous conveyor belt against which conveyed aluminum cans are held by air pressure. The processor controls the blower speed with a variable-frequency drive to adjust the pressure in the plenum to accommodate a varying product density or the shape, size, or weight of conveyed products on the outer surface of the conveyor belt. The plenum may be divided into separate chambers by partitions or adjustable dampers. The pressure in the chambers can be controlled by adjusting each chamber's blower speed or the opening of its dampers.
B65G 21/20 - Means incorporated in, or attached to, framework or housings for guiding load-carriers, traction elements or loads supported on moving surfaces
B65G 47/84 - Star-shaped wheels or devices having endless travelling belts or chains, the wheels or devices being equipped with article-engaging elements
An edge module for a modular conveyor belt. The edge module includes a rod-retention plug that is pivotably mounted in a socket that opens onto the module's bottom. The plug has a bore that receives an axle in the socket on which the plug can be rotated. An arm attached to a main body of the plug by a living hinge allows the arm to flex from a relaxed state occluding a hinge-rod passageway at the belt's hinge joints to a flexed state allowing a hinge rod to be inserted into or removed from the passageway. Locking structure on the plug and in the socket engage to lock the plug in place. A sideguard mounted in the edge module is locked in place by locking structure in the edge module. Locking structure on both the sideguard and the plug engage to lock the sideguard and the plug in place.
B65G 17/08 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface having a load-carrying surface formed by a series of interconnected, e.g. longitudinal, links, plates, or platforms the surface being formed by the traction element
A conveyor system comprising a sorting conveyor sorting articles off one or both sides to a chute system that includes an upper chute and a lower slide. Articles slide down the chute system to a discharge conveyor. The upper chute and the lower slide are separated by a gap. And the upper chute has a topography that prevents articles from tipping over onto another side. The chute system provides a large drop in elevation in a small footprint to conserve floor space.
B65G 47/57 - Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors, i.e. discharging or feeding devices to or from inclined or vertical conveyor sections for articles
B65G 47/44 - Arrangements or applications of hoppers or chutes
B65G 11/08 - Chutes with discontinuous guiding surfaces, e.g. arranged in zig-zag or cascade formation
A method and system for detecting objects, such as cans or bottles, conveyed on a conveyor. A rangefinder, such as a Lidar camera, takes periodic depth frames of a target area on the conveyor. A processing system uses the depth frames to identify and track the objects from frame to frame as they advance along the conveyor. Objects having certain characteristics, such as a can that is toppled, are counted.
Apparatus and method for activating conveyor belt roller assemblies by lowering and extending wearstrips to selectively lower the conveyor belt to place the conveyor belt roller assemblies into contact with actuating rollers. A wearstrip module housing the wearstrips includes an upper support upon which the wearstrips are mounted that is longitudinally and vertically movable relative to a lower support fixed relative to the actuating rollers. Mounting brackets rotatably mount the lower support and actuating rollers in a fixed position and orientation.
A modular belt constructed of belt-edge modules that include slide bodies that slide along recesses in base module bodies. Slide cam surfaces on the slide bodies' hinge elements interact with base cam surfaces on the base module bodies' hinge elements of adjacent belt rows to move the slide bodies laterally as the belt articulates and de-articulates at its hinge joints. Optional clamp jaws on the base module bodies and the slide bodies are opened and closed by the sliding action. A belt with clamp jaws can be used as a cover belt for a conveyor belt with sideguards.
B65G 17/08 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface having a load-carrying surface formed by a series of interconnected, e.g. longitudinal, links, plates, or platforms the surface being formed by the traction element
A conveyor belt module includes a laterally-extending protrusion to prevent misorientation of the module during assembly. In a proper orientation, the laterally-extending protrusion extends into a recess of an adjacent conveyor belt module, with clearance between the protrusion and the nadir of the recess. Reversal of the conveyor belt module prevents the conveyor belt module from fitting into a row of modules.
B65G 17/08 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface having a load-carrying surface formed by a series of interconnected, e.g. longitudinal, links, plates, or platforms the surface being formed by the traction element
A modular plastic conveyor belt constructed of injection-molded belt modules having narrowed portions either above or below rod holes in hinge elements. The narrowed portions are formed by a restricted-flow region in an injection-mold cavity that ensures that weld lines in the hinge elements are angled off the pull line of the conveyor belt.
B65G 17/08 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface having a load-carrying surface formed by a series of interconnected, e.g. longitudinal, links, plates, or platforms the surface being formed by the traction element
A hinged magnetic mover for conveying product comprises a plurality of hingedly connected modules including magnets. The magnets form an array of X magnets alternating with Y magnets. A carryway for the hinged magnetic mover forms a stator comprising XY coils with Hall sensors for interacting with the magnets to induce a motive force on the mover.
A modular roller conveyor comprising a plurality of conveyor modules interconnected by a plurality of links. Each conveyor module comprises an entry end and an exit end, opposing side rails, and a conveying surface coupled to the opposing side rails. The links are operable to rotate the conveyor modules between a stacked configuration and a coplanar configuration. In alternative embodiments, a plurality of modular roller conveyors may be pivotally connected by hinges disposed along the perimeter of the bottom conveyor module. Each conveyor module may include separators at its entry and exit ends and wheels on the bottom conveyor module. Additionally, a system is disclosed that includes a stacking tool operable to transition the modular roller conveyor between the stacked and coplanar configurations.
B65G 21/14 - Supporting or protective framework or housings for endless load-carriers or traction elements of belt or chain conveyors movable, or having interchangeable or relatively- movable parts; Devices for moving framework or parts thereof to allow adjustment of length or configuration of load-carrier or traction element
B65G 47/88 - Separating or stopping elements, e.g. fingers
A method for pulling a modular conveyor belt and a belt puller for performing the method. The belt puller has eyelets on one end that interleave with hinge elements on an end of a modular conveyor belt. A rod through the eyelets and the hinge elements connects the belt to the puller, which can then be used to pull the belt. Two ends of an unconnected belt can be pulled together by connecting a belt puller to each end, joining the belt pullers with a ratchet strap or other pulling tool, and tightening the strap to pull the ends together.
B65G 17/08 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface having a load-carrying surface formed by a series of interconnected, e.g. longitudinal, links, plates, or platforms the surface being formed by the traction element
F16G 3/02 - Belt fastenings, e.g. for conveyor belts with series of eyes or the like, interposed and linked by a pin to form a hinge
F16G 3/00 - Belt fastenings, e.g. for conveyor belts
B65G 17/00 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface
A method for closing modular belts and a belt closer having two clamps for clamping to a side edge of a modular flat-top conveyor belt. A ratchet strap or other pulling tool is connected between the two clamps of the belt closer. Once the clamps are clamped to unconnected end sections of a belt, the ratchet strap is used to pull the two sections together so that they can be joined by a hinge rod to form an endless belt.
A transfer conveyor for transferring products from the end of a first product conveyor onto a second product conveyor comprises transfer conveyor belts including movable flaps for lifting and carrying the product over a transfer gap between the first product conveyor and the second product conveyor. A frame guides the transfer conveyor belts and moves the flaps between a deployed and retracted position.
B65G 15/10 - Conveyors having endless load-conveying surfaces, i.e. belts and like continuous members, to which tractive effort is transmitted by means other than endless driving elements of similar configuration comprising two or more co-operating endless surfaces with parallel longitudinal axes, or a multiplicity of parallel elements, e.g. ropes defining an endless surface
B65G 15/14 - Conveyors having endless load-conveying surfaces, i.e. belts and like continuous members, to which tractive effort is transmitted by means other than endless driving elements of similar configuration comprising two or more co-operating endless surfaces with parallel longitudinal axes, or a multiplicity of parallel elements, e.g. ropes defining an endless surface with two or more endless belts the load being conveyed between the belts
B65G 17/46 - Means for holding or retaining the loads in fixed position on the load-carriers, e.g. magnetic
B65G 47/52 - Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors, i.e. discharging or feeding devices
A sorting conveyor system sorting parcels into volume-adjustable containers with movable floors and an associated method for adjusting the depth of the container's interior volume. The containers are mounted on carts and have movable floors that are raised and lowered to decrease and increase the depth of the container's interior volume below an upper rim as a function of the load of parcels in the container.
A multi-compartment sealed bag and a method for separating liquid from solid food content in a primary compartment in the bag. An inner seal separates the primary compartment from a secondary compartment. A gap in the inner seal allows liquid to drain from the first compartment into the second compartment so that less liquid is emptied from the bag along with the solid food contents.
A transfer system comprising a carrier attached by fastening structure to a linear-motor shuttle driven by a linear-motor stator along a track. Tray packs or other conveyed objects are transferred between the carriers and infeed and outfeed conveyors by the carriers at transfer segments as the carriers advance along the track.
A sprocket having a series of circumferentially spaced tooth blades bridging the peripheries of two axially spaced outer rings. An optional locking ring between the outer rings provides additional support for the tooth blades or the outer rings and helps lock the tooth blades in place. The sprocket can be a split sprocket for easier installation onto and removal from a shaft.
A conveyor belt module (20) includes a movable hinge rod retainer (220) that can be opened and closed without tools. The movable hinge rod retainer facilitates opening and rejoining of the conveyor belt (100) at one or more dedicated locations. In a first position, the hinge rod retainer locks a hinge rod (130) withing a hinge rod passageway. A user can easily move the hinge rod retainer to a second position in which the hinge rod passageway is open to allow removal of the hinge rod.
B65G 17/08 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface having a load-carrying surface formed by a series of interconnected, e.g. longitudinal, links, plates, or platforms the surface being formed by the traction element
Method for conditioning almonds for slicing, slivering, or chopping. Whole almonds are preheated at a temperature above 85°C in a dry-air preheater before pasteurization in a steam cooker at atmospheric pressure and at a temperature of between 85°C and 99°C. The pasteurized almonds are sent to a cutting apparatus that slices, slivers, or chops the whole almonds into slices, slivers, or dice.
A23L 3/16 - Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by heating loose unpacked materials
A23L 3/18 - Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by heating loose unpacked materials while they are progressively transported through the apparatus
A rotatable retainer for hinge rods in modular conveyor belts. The rod retainer includes a plug that is rotatably received in a socket in the edge portion of a conveyor belt module. An aperture through the plug is adjustable between a first locked and operational position guiding a hinge rod obliquely into a hinge-joint passageway between adjacent rows of belt modules and an unlocked second position guiding the hinge rod straight into the passageway. A sideguard, such as for a stacker belt, can optionally be formed with the plug.
B65G 17/08 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface having a load-carrying surface formed by a series of interconnected, e.g. longitudinal, links, plates, or platforms the surface being formed by the traction element
A sorting conveyor system (46) comprising a main conveyor line (48) intersected by cross conveyors (18) having roller-top conveyor belts (20). The roller-top conveyor belts, which can be driven bidirectionally perpendicular to the conveying direction of the main conveyor line, have article-supporting belt rollers (22) that can rotate freely in the main conveying direction (14). Articles (38) fed from the main conveying line onto the cross conveyor can be sorted to the left or the right by the conveyor belt. Articles destined for sorting downstream pass over the stopped roller-top conveyor belt atop the freely rotatable belt rollers and back onto the main conveyor line. A booster (40), such as a motorized roller (40), between the main conveyor line and the cross conveyor applies a force in the main conveying direction against articles destined to cross the cross conveyor.
B65G 47/52 - Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors, i.e. discharging or feeding devices
B07C 5/36 - Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution
B65G 47/53 - Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors, i.e. discharging or feeding devices between conveyors which cross one another
B65G 47/54 - Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors, i.e. discharging or feeding devices between conveyors which cross one another at least one of which is a roller-way
A dedicated access module inserted between standard conveyor belt modules in a conveyor belt forms a dedicated opening and closing point for the conveyor belt. The dedicated access module comprises two mating portions, each portion including standard, articulating hinge elements on an outside end and non-articulating connection means on an inside end for connecting to the other, corresponding mating portion.
B65G 17/08 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface having a load-carrying surface formed by a series of interconnected, e.g. longitudinal, links, plates, or platforms the surface being formed by the traction element
A conveyor system includes a conveyor belt having a plurality of article-diverting conveyor belt rollers. An underlying drive roller assembly includes a plurality of pivotable rollers carriers, each having a freely rotatable drive roller that contacts the conveyor belt rollers from below. An actuator engages an orientation device to pivot the carriers and change the orientation of the drive rollers. The drive rollers may also move into and out of engagement with the conveyor belt rollers as their orientation changes. The orientation device is sandwiched between three-dimensional support plates to adjust the orientation of the drive rollers relative to the belt rollers. A top support plate includes corrugated vertical walls forming wearstrip holders. The orientation device may raise or lower the drive rollers during pivoting of the roller carriers. The drive roller assembly may be a modular assembly that can be customized for varying sizes, shapes and configurations.
B65G 17/24 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface comprising a series of rollers which are moved over a supporting surface by the traction element to effect conveyance of loads or load-carriers
B65G 47/54 - Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors, i.e. discharging or feeding devices between conveyors which cross one another at least one of which is a roller-way
A magnetic tray for a tray conveyor has a permanent-magnet array producing a magnetic field that interacts with an electromagnetic flux wave produced by a linear-motor stator to propel the tray in a conveying direction. The tray includes a top conveying platform supported on a mover housing the permanent-magnet array and a tray-clearing tool that removes conveyed articles or debris from the platform. The tray-clearing tool is powered by the stator.
B65G 47/96 - Devices for tilting links or platforms
B65G 54/02 - Non-mechanical conveyors not otherwise provided for electrostatic, electric, or magnetic
B65G 35/06 - Mechanical conveyors not otherwise provided for comprising a load-carrier moving along a path, e.g. a closed path, and adapted to be engaged by any one of a series of traction elements spaced along the path
B60L 1/00 - Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of electrically-propelled vehicles
B65G 47/34 - Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyors
A tray shuttle and a tray conveyor using the tray shuttle to route magnetic conveyor trays from one conveyor section to another. The trays and the shuttles are propelled by linear-motor stators that produce electromagnetic flux waves that interact with the magnetic fields of permanent-magnet arrays in movers in each tray. Each shuttle has a main holder mover and one or more other movers connected to a linkage that operates one or more pushers that push trays off a tray holder on the shuttles.
A conveying system (100) employs independently controlled flights (160). The flights are controlled separately from a conveying surface using a linear transport system. The linear transport system allow the position of the flights to be controlled based on a parameter, such as the length of a conveyed object. The flights are pivotally mounted to a mover of the linear transport system and can pivot relative to the conveying surface to allow the flights to fit in a space between an end of carryway and a receptacle.
B65G 47/28 - Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors arranging the articles, e.g. varying spacing between individual articles during transit by a single conveyor
B65G 54/02 - Non-mechanical conveyors not otherwise provided for electrostatic, electric, or magnetic
B65H 5/16 - Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines by pusher, needles, friction, or like devices adapted to feed single articles along a surface or table
A sorting system having a buffer interposable between a discharge, such as a chute, supplying packages and multiple destination receptacles, such as wheeled bins. The buffer temporarily accumulates packages to ensure correct package delivery to assigned destination receptacles during overflow conditions. The buffer may be realized in various ways that operate in horizontal, vertical, or inclined planes.
B65G 15/42 - Belts or like endless load-carriers made of rubber or plastics having ribs, ridges, or other surface projections
B65G 37/00 - Combinations of mechanical conveyors of the same kind, or of different kinds, of interest apart from their application in particular machines or use in particular manufacturing processes
B65G 47/38 - Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyors by dumping, tripping, or releasing load-carriers
B65G 47/46 - Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyors with distribution, e.g. automatically, to desired points
B65G 61/00 - Use of pick-up or transfer devices or of manipulators for stacking or de-stacking articles not otherwise provided for
B07C 3/08 - Apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution using arrangements of conveyors
B07C 5/36 - Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution
B65G 11/20 - Auxiliary devices, e.g. for deflecting, controlling speed of, or agitating, articles or solids
B65G 47/51 - Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyors with distribution, e.g. automatically, to desired points according to unprogrammed signals, e.g. influenced by supply situation at destination
A sorting conveyor and bagging device for selectively depositing packages in bags through collapsible openings in the bags themselves or in sleeves protruding from the mouths of bags. Sliders are positioned between the bags at the ends of chutes. Actuators slide the sliders along the slide tracks to selectively open and position the opening to one bag to receive packages from the chute while the opening to the other bag is closed and positioned out of the way.
B65B 67/12 - Sack holders, i.e. stands or frames with means for supporting sacks in the open condition to facilitate filling with articles or materials
B07C 3/08 - Apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution using arrangements of conveyors
Diverting paddles (72) on discharge chutes guide packages into multiple destination receptacles (22, R1) assigned to the package. The paddles (38, 72) can present static or driven flat outer surfaces or static or driven roller surfaces to the packages. The paddles (38, 72) block packages from entering non-assigned receptacles (22, 24, R1). The chutes may be made tillable to feed packages into receptacles (22, 24, R1) at different elevations.
A shrimp processing system conveys raw peeled shrimps to an imaging chamber in which shrimp bits and shrimps with residual shell are detected and diverted from the stream of acceptable shrimps allowed to pass on to downstream processing. An ultraviolet (UV) light source in the imaging chamber is constantly on. A visual inspection system takes images of the passing stream of shrimp when a white-light source is turned on to illuminate an exposure region to detect bits, clumps of shrimps, and acceptable individual shrimps. The visual inspection system takes images of the passing stream when the white-light source is turned off and the exposure region is subjected only to ultraviolet radiation. The visual inspection system detects shrimps with residual shell in the UV images. Shrimp bits and shrimps with residual shell are diverted from the stream of shrimps by air-jet nozzles to corresponding reject destinations.
A hinge-rod removal and insertion tool for opening and closing modular conveyor belts during installation and servicing. The tool is a pliers with jaws forming a split aperture. The jaws open to admit the end of the hinge rod of a modular conveyor belt. The jaws close to grasp the hinge rod so that it can be pulled from the belt. A head at the distal end of the jaws is used to push a hinge rod back into the belt. The tools have lift hooks to lift a section of belt to gain access to the ends of the hinge rods.
A dedicated access assembly for a conveyor belt forms a dedicated opening and closing point for the conveyor belt. The dedicated access assembly includes a female portion having one or more open hooks and a male portion including a hinge rod extending between linking elements. The open hook disengages from and engages the hinge rod to selectively open and close the conveyor belt. A latching mechanism can selectively lock the dedicated access assembly.
B65G 17/08 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface having a load-carrying surface formed by a series of interconnected, e.g. longitudinal, links, plates, or platforms the surface being formed by the traction element
A conveyor-rail cleaner for cleansing, scrubbing, and rinsing the rails of a cleanable conveyor system. The cleaner includes cleaning units pivotably connected to allow it to negotiate turns in the track. Position-adjustable scrub brushes accommodate transitions between one-rail conveyor segments and two-rail segments at switch segments between separate adjacent conveyor tracks. The conveyor system includes a filling station for filling the cleaning units with cleansing and rinsing agents and recharging batteries powering scrub-brush motors.
Retainer rings for locking in an N-sided shaft to restrict axial movement of components sandwiched between them. The retainer rings have inner edges bounding a central bore. The inner edges are defined by a series of N arcs whose distance from the bore's center decreases gradually along the inner edge from a first end to a second end of each arc. The rings are slid on to the shaft with the corners of the shaft aligned with the first ends of the arcs. Then the rings are rotated on the shafts toward the second ends of the arcs until the corners of the shafts jam against the inner edges. A special spanner wrench can be used to tighten and loosen the rings on the shaft.
F16D 1/08 - Couplings for rigidly connecting two coaxial shafts or other movable machine elements for attachment of a member on a shaft or on a shaft-end with hub and longitudinal key
B65G 23/00 - Driving gear for endless conveyors; Belt- or chain-tensioning arrangements
F16D 1/06 - Couplings for rigidly connecting two coaxial shafts or other movable machine elements for attachment of a member on a shaft or on a shaft-end
F16D 1/104 - Quick-acting couplings in which the parts are connected by simply bringing them together axially having retaining means rotating with the coupling and acting only by friction
A stacked-package detection system for a matrix sorter detects stacked packages by comparing weight or dimension measurements on primary sorters from those measurements on secondary sorters. Weight or dimension increases for a package on a secondary sorter indicate a stack of packages. A recirculation system diverts packages identified on the secondary sorters as stacked packages back into bulk flow to be reprocessed by the primary or secondary sorters.
A sealing wedge-lock washer assembly usable in a hygienic, secure fastening system. A wedge-lock washer assembly comprises two wedge-lock components—one of which is a sealing wedge-lock washer having a wedge-lock cam and a sealing material bonded to its outer rim. The other component is a standard wedge-lock washer or a bolt whose head has a wedge-lock cam that engages the complementary cam on the sealing wedge-lock washer. The resulting sealing wedge-lock washer assembly locks a bolt in a secure joint that is hygienically sealed from the intrusion of contaminants by the sealing material.
F16B 39/24 - Locking of screws, bolts, or nuts in which the locking takes place during screwing down or tightening by means of washers, spring washers, or resilient plates that lock against the object
An overhead tray conveyor system conveying tray movers holding trays carrying products to a workstation area for processing. Soiled trays are transferred from the tray movers to a wash system. Once sanitized, the trays are returned from the wash system to the tray movers advancing around a track circuit.
B65G 47/61 - Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors, i.e. discharging or feeding devices to or from conveyors of the suspended, e.g. trolley, type for articles
carrywaycarryway. The sturdy edges have bearing surfaces, such as the peripheries of wheels or the faces of wear pads, mounted at the sides of the belt to bear the belt's weight when the belt rollers are not supported on a roller-activation system.
B65G 17/24 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface comprising a series of rollers which are moved over a supporting surface by the traction element to effect conveyance of loads or load-carriers
B65G 17/30 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface - Details; Auxiliary devices
A multi-piece component for a conveyor comprises a first section and a second section that mates with the first section around a shaft using a hygienic fastener to form a complete module. The hygienic fastener seals an interface between the fastener and the first section and between the first section and the second section. Chamfers facilitate positioning of the multi-piece component on a shaft.
A spiral conveyor having a self-stacking conveyor belt positively driven on a helical path up or down a drive drum. Stacker supports at opposite sides of the belt support the tiers above. Locking structure on the outer stacker supports interlock consecutive tiers. Drive members on the drive drum have a belt entrance segment and a positive-drive segment. The positive-drive segment has ridges that engage the inner side of the belt without slip. The entrance segment provides a smooth reduction in drum diameter without drive ridges to multiple belt tiers entering the helical path.
B65G 17/08 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface having a load-carrying surface formed by a series of interconnected, e.g. longitudinal, links, plates, or platforms the surface being formed by the traction element
B65G 17/38 - Chains or like traction elements; Connections between traction elements and load-carriers
B65G 21/18 - Supporting or protective framework or housings for endless load-carriers or traction elements of belt or chain conveyors for conveyors having endless load-carriers movable in curved paths in three-dimensionally curved paths
A sorting conveyor system comprising a main sorting conveyor sorting packages directly into destination receptacles or first onto discharge sorting conveyors and further onto other destination receptacles. Multi-destination discharge chutes service two or more destination receptacles. Package detectors detect packages delivered to the destination receptacles to help identify packages sorted to the wrong destination receptacles.
B65G 43/08 - Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed, or discharged
B65G 47/53 - Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors, i.e. discharging or feeding devices between conveyors which cross one another
B07C 3/08 - Apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution using arrangements of conveyors
A slat conveyor belt includes connected drive modules that can be easily disassembled and assembled. Each drive module comprises a slat portion connected to a drive portion forming a drive chain. A conveyor frame for the conveyor belt includes a dust cover for the drive chain and a separator for selectively separating a slat portion from an associated drive portion. A magazine automatically removes and stores separated slats.
B65G 17/06 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface having a load-carrying surface formed by a series of interconnected, e.g. longitudinal, links, plates, or platforms
B65G 17/30 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface - Details; Auxiliary devices
B65G 21/08 - Protective roofs or arch supports therefor
A drive assembly for conveyor belt comprises a pair of opposing end plates for mounting a conveyor drive and mounting assemblies for mounting at least one of a position limiter assembly, a scraper assembly, a combined limiter-scraper assembly and side guards. The scraper assembly and combined limiter-scraper assembly include a leaf spring that is selectively tensioned by a tensioning element on an end plate to bias the scraper blade of the scraper assembly into an operational position.
A conveyor employs an adjustable product containment guard adjacent to a carryway for containing product on the carryway. The product containment guard is mounted to an end plate that includes multiple seats for moving the product containment guard between different positions.
B65G 21/20 - Means incorporated in, or attached to, framework or housings for guiding load-carriers, traction elements or loads supported on moving surfaces
B65G 21/10 - Supporting or protective framework or housings for endless load-carriers or traction elements of belt or chain conveyors movable, or having interchangeable or relatively- movable parts; Devices for moving framework or parts thereof
A sorting system having a main sorting conveyor sorting articles to discharge conveyors feeding articles to diverters having freely rotatable, gravity-activated rollers arranged in an inclined plane. The orientations of the rollers are selectably changed to divert articles riding downward along each diverter to different destinations. The main sorting conveyor comprises a roller belt with belt-roller actuators at sorting locations. The belt-roller actuators and the diverters are identical mechanisms.
B65G 47/53 - Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors, i.e. discharging or feeding devices between conveyors which cross one another
Belt edge modules for constructing modular conveyor belts with sturdy outer edges. The edge modules have thickened outer edge regions in module edge portions that are difficult to snip or break off to access hinge rods.
B65G 17/08 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface having a load-carrying surface formed by a series of interconnected, e.g. longitudinal, links, plates, or platforms the surface being formed by the traction element
A plastic modular conveyor belt constructed of belt modules with wear pads. The belt is supported in the carryway of a conveyor atop linear wearstrips along which the belt's wear pads slide as the belt advances.
B65G 17/08 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface having a load-carrying surface formed by a series of interconnected, e.g. longitudinal, links, plates, or platforms the surface being formed by the traction element
A modular noseroller assembly for transitioning a conveyor belt at an end of a carryway comprises a plurality of roller-mounting modules connected to a spacer element to form a noseroller assembly that can be installed in a conveyor frame. The roller-mounting modules mount freely-rotating rollers on an axle extending through the plurality of roller-mounting modules. The configuration and size of the noseroller assembly can be easily modified depending on a particular application.
B65G 39/12 - Arrangements of rollers mounted on framework
B65G 39/04 - Adaptations of individual rollers and supports therefor the rollers comprising a number of roller- forming elements mounted on a single axle
B65G 15/60 - Arrangements for supporting or guiding belts, e.g. by fluid jets
A sorting conveyor and a method for sorting packages to selected destinations. A neural network executed by a multi-core classification processor uses captured images of package units conveyed on an infeed conveyor to classify each package unit. A control processor controls a sorting conveyor to direct each package unit to a destination depending on the package unit's classification.
A two-axis modular belt comprising two orthogonal belt loops intersecting at a union on a carryway. The belt is constructed of rectangular belt modules arranged in rows and columns. The modules are interconnected by hinge elements that allow columns of an advancing belt loop to translate relative to the rows of the other stationary belt loop.
Conveyor belt modules having rodless hook hinges and modular conveyor belts constructed of those modules. Hooks on opposite ends of belt modules hook into complementary hooks on adjacent modules to interconnect the modules at hinge joints into an endless belt. The geometry of the modules enables them to be manufactured by extrusion.
A multi-angle sorter having an omnidirectionally endless conveyor belt surrounding a polygonal frame to form a belt-frame assembly supported atop a roller drive including multiple pairs of diagonally opposite roller sets. Each pair of roller sets is arranged to drive the belt in a corresponding angular direction. A grid sorter comprises a grid of intersecting conveyor lines composed of multi-angle sorters at the intersections in line with conventional bidirectional conveyors.
B65G 47/53 - Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors, i.e. discharging or feeding devices between conveyors which cross one another
A grid sorter for discharging articles received from many inputs to selected discharge destinations. The grid sorter comprises a rectangular grid of parallel conveyor lines. Each line has a series of bidirectional conveyors fed articles by infeed conveyors at each end of the line. Omnidirectional-roller sorters, at the intersections of the conveyor lines, can pass articles received from one line in multiple directions: along that same line; in either direction to an intersecting line; or obliquely to a selected discharge between lines. Omnidirectional rollers in the omnidirectional-roller sorters are controlled by a controller to push articles in selected directions to predetermined discharge destinations.
B65G 47/53 - Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors, i.e. discharging or feeding devices between conveyors which cross one another
An article-unloading apparatus comprising a bin assembly including a bag inside a bin. The bin assembly is raised and lowered by a lift and tilted, when raised, to dump articles onto a decline conveyor, such as a ramp. A winch attached to the bag moves the bottom of the bag through the bin to help push articles from the tilted bin assembly. A camera takes a video image of the articles entering the ramp to detect clumps. Stops on the ramp are selectively actuated to block the bottom-most articles in a clump to help separate articles.
A method for inspecting peeled shrimp by human operators in a culling station illuminated by ambient visible light and in a dark shell-detection booth illuminated by ultraviolet (UV) lamps. The UV radiation emitted by the lamps is filtered to remove visible light from the filtered UV irradiating the shrimp in the dark booth. Irradiated shrimp shell fluoresces and is detectable by the naked eye. A human operator in the dark booth detects the fluorescing shell and removes those shrimps.
Processes for machine-peeling shrimp and a system for preparing shrimp for machine peeling. According to the processes, shrimp are frozen— completely through or only their outer surfaces— in a brine solution, thawed, and then peeled in a mechanical peeling machine to remove the shells. The peeling-prep system includes a conveyor system conveying shrimp continuously through a brine freezer and a thawer before peeling.
A system for determining an average weight or other property and uniformity of a sample comprises a scale for receiving objects to be measured and performing measurements, and a processor programmed to receive successive measurements from the scale, as objects from the sample are added to the scale in series. The processor tracks the number of objects added, and calculates an average weight and uniformity based on the measurements and number of objects on the scale.
G01G 19/42 - Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in groups with provisions for indicating, recording, or computing price or other quantities dependent on the weight for counting by weighing
G01G 23/18 - Indicating devices, e.g. for remote indication; Recording devices; Scales, e.g. graduated
G01G 23/01 - Testing or calibrating of weighing apparatus
A tray conveyor comprising ice-coated magnetic trays driven by a linear-motor stator along a rail track. The ice coating is applied to the trays to provide a product-bearing ice surface. After the product is processed and transferred off the tray, the top layer of the contaminated ice coating is removed and the tray with the remaining ice coating reused.
System and methods for estimating the number of packages in a measurement zone to gauge package flow. A linear array of distance-measuring sensors measures the height profile of a mass of packages conveyed past. The profile is differentiated, and steps in the differentiated profile are counted to detect package edges and to produce an estimate of the number of packages in the measurement zone. The estimate can be used to adjust the speed of the conveyor to provide a constant package flow.
A belt conveyor having a platform that is movable from a retracted position recessed into a conveyor belt's top surface and an extended position above the top surface. The platform translates across the width of the belt in a slot to carry articles across the width of the belt. Guides in the conveyor below the belt have cam surfaces that raise and lower the carrier and translate it across the belt. The carrier may include a cam-actuated lever to flip articles on the belt or off a side of the belt.
An article conveying system includes an alignment guide that allows larger packages to be spaced inwards from an aligning edge of a conveyor. The alignment guide provides at least two different registration points for packages, depending on the height of the packages. High profile packages, such as large boxes, are inset from an alignment edge of the conveyor, while low profile articles, such as envelopes, are registered against the alignment edge.
B65G 47/28 - Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors arranging the articles, e.g. varying spacing between individual articles during transit by a single conveyor
B65G 21/20 - Means incorporated in, or attached to, framework or housings for guiding load-carriers, traction elements or loads supported on moving surfaces
An end assembly for a conveyor comprises opposing mounting plates machined from steel billet and including upper openings for mounting a drive between the mounting plates and a grease egress channel below the upper openings for directing grease from a grease-filled bearing in the upper opening to the exterior of the end assembly.
A conveyor system for conveying electrically conductive articles such as aluminum bottles or cans. The conveyor system comprises a plurality of coils below the top surface of an electromagnetic conveyor at a junction between an infeed conveyor and a discharge conveyor. The coils propagate electromagnetic flux waves that induce currents in the electrically conductive articles that force the articles to follow a conveying path from the infeed to the discharge conveyor. Dead spots on the electromagnetic conveyor can be eliminated by adjusting the coil drive waveforms. And a long electromagnetic conveyor driven by a train of narrow pulses is used to singulate electrically conductive articles.
B65G 47/53 - Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors, i.e. discharging or feeding devices between conveyors which cross one another
B65G 54/02 - Non-mechanical conveyors not otherwise provided for electrostatic, electric, or magnetic
B65G 43/08 - Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed, or discharged
A conveyor conversion kit includes a plurality of conveyor brackets for converting a conveyor frame to accommodate a new conveyor belt. Each bracket includes a base, a plurality of wearstrip seats for mounting wearstrips forming a carryway for the conveyor belt without tools and side guard seats for mounting side guards to contain the conveyor belt on the carryway without tools.
A package delivery drone comprises at least one propeller for generating lift and an article containment area for containing an article to be carried by the drone. The floor of the article containment area comprises a dynamic support surface for supporting the article and allowing the article to move into, out of and through the article containment area. The package delivery drone interfaces with a docking station having a shelf for exchanging packages with the drone.
A conveyor employs an assembly at a drive end having a position limiter assembly configured to accommodate flights in a conveyor belt while ensuring proper engagement between the conveyor belt and a drive. The end assembly includes opposing end plates, a drive extending between the end plates and a position limiter assembly extending between the end plates below the drive for ensuring proper engagement of a conveyor belt with the drive. The position limiter comprises a series of spaced apart rollers mounted to and spaced from a mounting bar extending between the end plates. Roller mounting arms connect the rollers to the mounting bars.
A hygienic magnetic tray and conveyor. The low-profile tray includes a forcer sandwiched between an article-supporting top and an opposite bottom. The top is made of hygienic material, and the bottom can be made of a low-friction material. The tray is propelled along a guide surface on an enclosure housing stator coils supported in a conveyor frame. The stator forms a linear motor with the forcer in the tray. Various disposal systems provide escape routes for removing fluids and debris from the guide surface of the stator enclosure.
An omnidirectional anemometer and a method for using such an anemometer to measure the airflow along a conveying path, such as a helical path through a processing chamber. The anemometer is a low-profile, omnidirectional, three-axis anemometer with minimal airflow-occluding structure. Because of its low profile, the anemometer can fit in spiral conveyors with a short tier pitch.
G01P 5/24 - Measuring speed of fluids, e.g. of air stream; Measuring speed of bodies relative to fluids, e.g. of ship, of aircraft by measuring the direct influence of the streaming fluid on the properties of a detecting acoustical wave
G01F 1/66 - Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by measuring frequency, phase shift or propagation time of electromagnetic or other waves, e.g. using ultrasonic flowmeters
A cleanable frame and a method for making a cleanable frame having a simplified frame design. A hygienic conveyor frame assembly comprises a plurality of hollow tubular sections joined together to form an evacuated, sealed conveyor frame support structure that functions as a sterilization zone. An integral carryway is placed on the support structure. Lifters coupled to the conveyor frame can lift the carryway and conveyor belt for cleaning. Infeed and outfeed assemblies are also movable between operating and cleaning positions. A sensor can monitor the conditions of the frame interior to ensure that the vacuum is maintained and initiate a corrective action if the vacuum seal is breached.
Apparatus and methods for bulk processing items on a conveyor belt using an angled axial fan that extends obliquely into a processing chamber and includes a curved back wall forming an air flow chamber. The angled axial fan enhances air flow around a product being processed on the conveyor belt. A heater employs shrouds and a series of baffle plates held together using a connecting pin to heat circulated air in a low-pressure area below the conveyor belt. Baffles in an upper chamber mix and direct heated, circulated air over the conveyed product.
A continuous product-processing apparatus having a conveyor capable of repositioning product and cleaning itself of debris and a method for its operation. The apparatus includes a conveyor that transports products atop a conveyor belt along a carryway to a processing chamber. Upper and lower diverting rollers guide the belt along an S-shaped product-repositioning path segment of the carryway. The diverting rollers are rotated at a speed normally greater than the speed of the conveyor belt to cause the belt to slip on the roller's periphery, which effects a scraping action against the conveying side of the belt to dislodge debris from the belt and the rollers. One-way ratcheting drives or belt restricters positioned on the product-positioning path segment to limit belt excursion are used to prevent the belt from building up along the carryway and tightening in the lower return.
Superhydrophobic conveyor belt components and methods for molding those components out of thermoplastic polymers. The plastic components have superhydrophobic regions on outer surfaces that shed aqueous solutions and remain dry. The water-shedding regions are textured with a nano- or micro-structure that is rough enough to endow the region with superhydrophobic properties.
B65G 17/30 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface - Details; Auxiliary devices
B65G 17/08 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface having a load-carrying surface formed by a series of interconnected, e.g. longitudinal, links, plates, or platforms the surface being formed by the traction element
Can conveyors using various stator coil configurations to spread, gap, align, lane, reject, singulate, and rotate aluminum cans as they are propelled along the length of the conveyor. The electrically conductive cans acting as rotors form linear-induction motors (LIMs) with the stators to move the cans.
A tray conveyor with trays driven by a linear synchronous motor. The trays are supported on a pair of guide rails in a conveyor frame. The trays include a permanent-magnet array whose magnetic field interacts with a traveling electromagnetic wave produced by a linear-motor stator extending along the conveyor between the guide rails to propel the tray in a conveying direction.
An integral weighing and sorting system that weighs articles on a roller belt and selectively actuates or deactuates belt rollers to divert selected articles. After an article is weighed on the roller belt, its weight is compared to a predetermined weight range. Out-of-range articles are directed to exit the belt via a different route from that of in-range articles by actuating the rollers to rotate in a direction transverse to the travel direction in a roller-actuation zone.
B07C 5/22 - Sorting according to weight using a plurality of stationary weighing mechanisms
B07C 5/36 - Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution
B65G 69/20 - Auxiliary treatments, e.g. aerating, heating, humidifying, de-aerating, cooling, de-watering, or drying, during loading or unloading; Loading or unloading in a fluid medium other than air
98.
SINGULATION AND SEPARATION SYSTEM FOR A SHRIMP PROCESSOR
A separation and singulation system for presenting shrimps or other product individually to a processor. The separation and singulation system includes a divider pan that separates a layer of shrimp into several lanes, a shaker pan that receives the lanes of shrimp and agitates them to separate clumps of shrimp and a flume for providing further singulation and acceleration of the shrimp. The singulated, separated shrimps are then sent to a processor.
An inspection station and a method of inspecting products for anomalies. The inspection station comprises a trough and a light source. The trough channels a flow of product-laden water along its length. The light source illuminates the product through the water from below, making product anomalies detectable by visual inspection. In that way, products with anomalies, such as shrimp with residual veins, can be culled and reprocessed.
A roller for a conveyor system comprises a nonlinear bore hole to facilitate retention of the roller on a roller-receiving portion of a corresponding shaft. A nonlinear bore hole comprises a central cylindrical portion for receiving a roller-receiving portion of the shaft and unaligned slots in communication with the central cylindrical portion to prevent migration of the roller from the roller-receiving portion.
patents
