The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Jul. 18, 2023

Filed:

Mar. 09, 2021
Applicant:

Sst Systems, Inc., Sturgeon Bay, WI (US);

Inventors:

Chad Martin Andreae, Sturgeon Bay, WI (US);

Bradley M. Andreae, Sturgeon Bay, WI (US);

Stephen C. Mann, Sturgeon Bay, WI (US);

Anthony C. Scoville, Sturgeon Bay, WI (US);

Assignee:

SST SYSTEMS, INC., Sturgeon Bay, WI (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B65G 17/48 (2006.01); B65G 19/02 (2006.01); B65G 19/18 (2006.01); B65G 43/00 (2006.01); B65G 9/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B65G 17/485 (2013.01); B65G 19/025 (2013.01); B65G 19/185 (2013.01); B65G 43/00 (2013.01); B65G 9/002 (2013.01); B65G 9/006 (2013.01); B65G 9/008 (2013.01); B65G 2203/0291 (2013.01); B65G 2811/0673 (2013.01);
Abstract

A method of operating a conveyor system includes providing a fixed, non-powered rail defining a conveyor path, the rail supporting first and second consecutive automated conveyor carriers (ACC), each of which includes a motor-powered self-driving trolley. First and second loads are suspended from the first and second ACCs. The first and second ACCs are driven independently along the rail by executing instructions from independent on-board controllers of the first and second ACCs, wherein a first spacing between the first and second ACCs is maintained through a first section of the rail. The first ACC is accelerated away from the second ACC to increase the spacing from the first spacing to a second spacing for navigating a second section of the rail, the second section being a curved section.


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