Dematic Gmbh

Rapistan Systems Advertising Corp.

Clinton R Lupton

Matthew T Brayman

Wynn M Pelak

Ted W Haan

Michael J Kasper

Daniel O Amarandei

Jerry J Bukoski

Kenneth D Kane

Phillip C Butler

Ryan D Tasma

Floyd W Butler

Charles J DeWildt

A conveyor system includes a transport member having a conveying surface that is configured to transport articles in a transport direction, an endless strip and a drive for propelling the endless strip. A power tap off is provided between the strip and the transport member. The power tap off has an input that is driven by the strip and an output that drives the transport member. The power tap off provides a positive transfer of power from the strip to the transport member.

Belt drive conveyor with power tap off

An article singulating conveyor assembly and method of singulating articles includes providing a conveying surface defining a plurality of tandem zones. The conveying surface travels in a longitudinal direction. Each of the zones includes a pair of laterally spaced side frame members and a plurality of generally parallel elongated driven rollers that are supported at the side frame members. The driven rollers are adapted to provide lateral variation in the longitudinal speed of the conveying surface. Each of the zones includes at least one drive motor that is adapted to drive the driven rollers in that zone. At least one article sensor is provided that is adapted to sensing articles in the zones. The driven rollers may be divided into a plurality of segmented rollers that are separately rotatable with a separate drive motor to drive corresponding segments for a zone. The drive motors for adjacent zones may be activated in a manner that creates a longitudinal gap between longitudinally adjacent articles.

Dynamic singulator

A sortation system and method of sorting product includes providing a sorter assembly and a supply system supplying product that is received by the sorter assembly. Product supplied to the sorter assembly is monitored and a parameter is determined that is indicative of the relationship between product supplied to the sorter assembly and product being sorted by the sorter assembly. The supply system is controlled as a function of a value of the parameter.

High volume conveyor sortation system

Systems and methods for accumulating articles on transport conveyors, for efficiently merging articles, and for automatically controlling sortation speed are disclosed. Transport conveyor beds upstream of an accumulation conveyor bed may be controlled to more densely pack articles, as well as to more timely deliver articles to the downstream subsystem when accumulation terminates. Slugs of articles in a merge subsystem may be released based on a prioritization scheme that heavily weighs the ability of the slug to attach to the next-most downstream slug. A combination of closed and open-looped control of the slug's movement may be used to accurately position slugs on the merge bed. A downstream sortation speed may be automatically adjusted based on the amount of merge traffic.

Conveyor systems

A sortation system and method includes providing a sorter assembly and a slug-building assembly. Product is received by the sorter assembly and sorted to a series of sortation lanes. The slug-building assembly includes a plurality of supply lines supplying product for sorting by the sorter assembly. At least one of the supply lines includes an accumulation conveyor and a slug conveyor. Product is accumulated in slug portions at the accumulation conveyor. Slug portions are combined into product slugs at the slug conveyor. Product slugs are discharged from the slug conveyor for sorting by the sorter assembly.

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Caledonia, MI, United States of America

Clinton R Lupton