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:
Nov. 04, 2003
Filed:
Mar. 15, 2002
Applicant:
Inventors:
Gerald A. Brouwer, Grandville, MI (US);
Clint R. Lupton, Grand Rapids, MI (US);
Assignee:
Rapistan Systems Advertising Corp., Grand Rapids, MI (US);
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B65G 1/08 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B65G 1/08 ;
Abstract
A gravity conveyor includes one or more zones with each zone having at least one brake associated therewith. A controller turns the brakes on for each zone according to various programmable conditions. The downstream-most zone may have its brakes turned on whenever a package is present at the end of the conveyor. Any of the zones may have their brakes turned on in a pulsed manner. The zones may also have their brakes turned on in other situations, such as simultaneous blockage of that zone with another zone, the initial sensing of the leading edge of an article, as well as in other situations.