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. 26, 2004
Filed:
Jun. 12, 2003
Willson L. Mayerberg, II, Skiatook, OK (US);
Joe C. Bollinger, Tulsa, OK (US);
Jack E. Olson, Tulsa, OK (US);
Lockheed Martin Corporation, Bethesda, MD (US);
Abstract
An article or mail-piece conveyor system comprises a conveyor mechanism which has a substantially horizontally oriented product transportation surface upon which the articles can be conveyed in an upstanding mode as a result of the articles effectively being supported upon lower edge portions thereof, and an inclined surface against which the major or primary surface portions of each article is supported so as to permit the articles to be readily and easily conveyed by means of the horizontally oriented product transportation surface. Vacuum plenum chambers are fluidically connected to the inclined surface so as to withdraw ambient air from the article transportation path and thereby maintain the articles attracted to the inclined surface of the product transportation system, and in addition, positive air plenum chambers are also fluidically connected to the inclined surface so as to provide air to the article transportation path so as to effectively form an air bearing structure for the articles so as to facilitate the smooth and easy transportation of the articles along the transportation flow path in a relatively frictionless manner. Air discharge ports also facilitate the routing or sorting of the articles or mail pieces.