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:
Oct. 29, 2002
Filed:
Mar. 31, 2000
Gerald A. Isaacs, Arlington, TX (US);
James M. Pippin, Keller, TX (US);
Stephen T. Kugle, late of Arlington, TX (US);
Hans-Joachim Grund, Erlaugen, DE;
Siemens ElectroCom, L.P., Arlington, TX (US);
Abstract
A hold-and-release singulator includes a conveyor having a transport mechanism for carrying a group of items such as parcels, packages, containers or the like from an entry end towards an exit end of the singulator, a hold and release system that can hold items that have entered the singulator on the conveyor so that such items are not transported by the conveyor while causing one item to be transported by the conveyor, and a control system that controls operation of the conveyor and the hold-and-release system in a manner effective to remove the group of items from the exit end of the conveyor one at a time according to a removal scheme, preferably with a predetermined minimum spacing. The hold and release system can take several forms, such as a mechanism for selectively actuating a portion of the conveyor at a time to remove an item from the exit end of the conveyor, or a mechanism that can hold items off of the conveyor surface so that such items are not transported when the conveyor is running, and selectively set items onto the conveyor surface so that such items are transported when the conveyor is running. In the latter case, the control system controls operation of the conveyor and the hold-and-release system in a manner effective to hold a group of items off of the conveyor surface and then lower the items according to the removal scheme so that the items leave the exit end of the conveyor one at a time with a predetermined minimum spacing. The items may be supported from beneath by a series or array of supports which lift the items, or an arm may suspend the items from above to hold the items off of the conveyor surface.