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.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 30, 1994
Filed:
Jul. 22, 1993
Rapistan Corporation, Grand Rapids, MI (US);
Abstract
A conveyor system including an induction subsystem for producing a desired spacing between packages as they are discharged from a single induction line. The induction line includes a conveyor and a speed controller for controlling the running speed of the conveyor in a manner that discharges a package as close as possible to a time necessary to provide a desired gap with a previously-discharged package. A control monitors movement of packages on the conveyor and includes a device for determining a speed adjustment required for each speed controller to cause the packages on the line to reach the discharge conveyor as close as possible to the desired time. Speed adjustments include a constant acceleration to a higher discrete speed or deceleration to a lower discrete speed from a nominal discrete speed with a return to the nominal speed prior to discharging the package. In one embodiment, the induction line is operated by two servo-controlled motors, with the speed of the downstream motor being controlled in a manner that will provide desired spacing between inducted packages and with the speed of the upstream motor being controlled in o proportion to the speed of the downstream motor. This provides an initial controllable gap between packages to reduce the range of gaps experienced by the induction control.