United Parcel Service of America, Inc.

Other

United Parcel of America, Inc.

Henri Bonnet

An automated conveyor sortation and item discharge system for sorting items of varying sizes and weights to designated output destinations along a conveyor. The system utilizes a segmented slat conveyor connected by flexible connectors. The flexible connectors form a tooth for driving the conveyor by a sprocket. The flexible connectors isolate adjacent slats, and the flexible teeth isolate the slat conveyor from the drive sprocket for a enhanced reduction in noise levels. The system may utilize a conventional belt conveyor or rigid platforms attached by flexible connectors. Removable ejection mechanisms can be attached to the individual slats of the slat conveyor or to the belt of a belt conveyor. The ejection mechanisms have self-contained drive and actuation mechanisms and may operate independently of the speed of the conveyor. The drive mechanism for the ejection mechanism may be located separately from the ejection mechanism to drive the ejection mechanism when the ejection mechanism moves adjacent to a desired discharge destination. A programmable controller may be provided to control the conveyor and the discharge of items from the conveyor by the ejection mechanisms. The system is easy to repair and operates at high speeds at reduced noise levels.

Automated lateral translation conveyor

A conveyor system particularly configured for discrete parcels, which combines tilting tray concepts with &ldquo;cross-belt&rdquo; or powered conveyor concepts, which allows for the acceleration of parcels above one gravity force &ldquo;G&rdquo;. In one configuration, two levels can be used, the upper for larger packages, and the lower for smaller packages.

High speed parcel sorter

A conveyor system particularly configured for discrete parcels, which combines tilting tray concepts with &ldquo;cross-belt&rdquo; or powered conveyor concepts, which allows for the acceleration of parcels above one gravity force &ldquo;G&rdquo;. In one configuration, two levels can be used, the upper for larger packages, and the lower for lower packages.

A feeding system and method for placing a plurality of objects within a single designated destination area of a sorting system to increase the throughput rate of the system. The disclosed sorting system includes a plurality of carriages movable under the control of a programmable controller between the loading and unloading stations of the sorting system, each carriage carrying a tilt tray. The geographic destination of each of the objects to be placed on a tray, as well as a dimension of each of the objects to be placed on a tray, is determined by an optical scanner and a measuring device. The controller uses the dimension information to determine whether more than one object having the same geographic destination may be placed on the same tray. The invention is adaptable for use with other types of sorting systems.

Feeding system and method for placing a plurality of objects on a tray of an automated sorting system

An automated conveyor sortation and item discharge system for sorting items of varying sizes and weights to designated output destinations along a conveyor. Dual-bellows configurations are provided to provide predetermine package discharge characteristics, including a &ldquo;self-correcting&rdquo; feature. A programmable controller may be provided to control the conveyor and the discharge of items from the conveyor by the ejection mechanisms. The system is easy to repair and operates at high speeds at reduced noise levels.

Conveyor including controlled package ejection capabilities

An apparatus and method for using same relates generally to automated conveying and sorting of items such as packages from one or more loading sites to a variety of output destinations, and more particularly relates to a conveying system which can eject packages to either side of a conveyor path onto designated output chutes, bins or subsequent conveyors under a particular means of control. This control provides a means for speeding up the sorting conveyor when there is no unloading or loading occurring. The main sorting conveyor can be sped up for more rapid loading when the time interval before discharging the next article is within a predetermined range.

Conveyor having variable speed control

A conveyor sortation station including a plurality of inclined splined rollers which form a slider bed. The plurality of splined rollers are aligned with coparallel axes and allow a parcel or other article to slide downwardly thereon under the influence of gravity to a center discharge destination. If desired, the splined rollers may be commonly rotated in either rotational direction to allow for discharge to side discharge locations on either side of the central discharge location.

Chute having sortation features

A power turn conveying apparatus and method of using same is provided which includes the use of a drive belt that extends in a horizontal plane and engages drive pulleys that rotate about vertical axes and are connected by 90 degree gear boxes to horizontally extending conveyor rollers. The drive belt cooperates with the drive pulleys and gearboxes to hold the conveyor rollers to the conveyor frame while the drive belt is tensioned, and easy removal of the conveyor roller assemblies is allowed while the drive belt is untensioned. Receptacles that receive the gearboxes and bearings at the opposite ends of the conveyor rollers extend vertically and define upwardly oriented openings, so that when the drive belt is untensioned the conveyor roller assemblies can be vertically lifted from or vertically dropped into their respective positions in the conveyor system.

Powered conveyor turn having improved repair features

A single &ldquo;tilting&rdquo; tray conveyor is provided which can be tilted to either side of a conveyor axis with the use of a single substantially linear force member lying substantially along the conveyor axis and two selectively detachable side latches which can also act as pivots when not detached. In one embodiment, the linear force member is an air-operated bellows, and the selective detachment is provided by the use of two electromagnets which correspond to two steel rods on either side of the tilting tray.

Tilt tray conveyor including dual action single bellows

A conveyor sorter includes a shuttle moving transversely to the conveyor direction to place in the path of articles either a pass-through conveyor or a diverting conveyor. The shuttle is mounted on a reversible belt drive and preferably has two diverting conveyors, one on either side of the pass-through conveyor. Multiple shuttles can be installed in series along the main conveyor to allow sorting to many destinations. Large packages can be sorted at high speed, and the shuttle can be replaced easily to reduce down time when repairs are needed.

Automated shuttle sorter for conveyors

The present invention reveals an automated sorting device capable of receiving articles from an input source, correctly choosing among which of many output destinations to direct the articles, and transferring those articles without slowing the sorting process. To accomplish its purpose, a sorting conveyor is pivoted at its receiving end about both a horizontal axis and a vertical axis. The sorting conveyor is cradled within a vertically moveable carriage which, in turn, is mounted within a horizontally moveable frame. The frame is driven horizontally and the carriage driven vertically to align the conveyor's output end with each output destination. In a preferred embodiment, tracks attached to a support structure stabilize the frame and a controller positions the frame and carriage in response to destination indicia associated with each article to be sorted.

Automated array sorter for conveyors

The present invention reveals a sorting device, positioned above and orientated across a plurality of conveyors, capable of diverting objects between the conveyors or removing objects entirely from the conveyors, based on the object's destination location or some other characteristic. To accomplish its purpose, the device comprises: a primary conveyor; a secondary conveyor; a monorail positioned above and orientated across the conveyors; a carriage that mounts the monorail; a linear actuator that drives the carriage side to side the length of the monorail; a paddle attached to the carriage that extends downward to contact the objects; a wiper located along the bottom edge of the paddle that is biased in contact with the conveyors; and a controller capable of positioning the carriage so the paddle contacts the object to be diverted and pushes it between conveyors or from conveyors to adjacent destination locations.

Overhead mounted sorter for conveyors

An automated conveyor sortation and item discharge system for sorting items of various sizes and weights to designated output destinations along a conveyor is provided. The system utilizes a discharge drum ejection mechanism mounted medially between a pair of parallel cog belt conveyors for ejecting an item such as a parcel laterally from the surface of the cog belt conveyors to an adjacent chute or slide. The discharge drum of the ejection mechanism is generally rectangular and defines convex opposing sides separated by the longer diameter of the drum. The convex sides of the discharge drum define flexible ridges for contacting an overlying parcel to be discharged from the surfaces of the cog belt conveyors. The flexible ridges enhance translation of the item or parcel by the discharge drum and serve to reduce noise caused by the impact of the discharge drum with the overlying parcel. A tapered discharge drum may be used to counteract rotation of the parcel during discharge. A programmable controller may be provided to control the conveyor system and the discharge of items from the conveyor by the ejection mechanisms. The system is easy to repair and operates at high speeds at reduced noise levels. Also provided is a relatively flat disc intermediate a conveyor gap, which may be disassembled without disturbing the shaft to which the disc is mounted.

Side conveyor disc including quick-change features

An automated conveyor sortation and item discharge system for sorting items of various sizes and weights to designated output destinations along a conveyor is provided. The system utilizes a discharge drum ejection mechanism mounted medially between a pair of parallel cog belt conveyors for ejecting an item such as a parcel laterally from the surface of the cog belt conveyors to an adjacent chute or slide. The discharge drum of the ejection mechanism is generally rectangular and defines convex opposing sides separated by the longer diameter of the drum. The convex sides of the discharge drum define flexible ridges for contacting an overlying parcel to be discharged from the surfaces of the cog belt conveyors. The flexible ridges enhance translation of the item or parcel by the discharge drum and serve to reduce noise caused by the impact of the discharge drum with the overlying parcel. A tapered discharge drum may be used to counteract rotation of the parcel during discharge. A programmable controller may be provided to control the conveyor system and the discharge of items from the conveyor by the ejection mechanisms. The system is easy to repair and operates at high speeds at reduced noise levels.

Growing community of inventors

Atlanta, GA, United States of America

Henri Bonnet