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. 22, 1995
Filed:
Oct. 28, 1994
Applicant:
Inventors:
Brian K Hilbish, Bedford, VA (US);
Arnold C Burgess, Bedford, VA (US);
Michael A Wilson, Big Island, VA (US);
Assignee:
Simplimatic Engineering Company, Lynchburg, VA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B65G / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
406 88 ;
Abstract
An air conveyor is provided with a plenum chamber with a perforated deck plate, side walls, and a holddown with holes of an area density sufficiently low to pressurize an enclosed article transport zone. On curved portions of the air conveyor the holddown holes have an area density gradient which increases from an outer toward an inner side of the curve. In another aspect, the invention provides methods for accumulating articles without undue damage and for moving articles away from the outer side of the curve.