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:
Mar. 22, 2011
Filed:
Sep. 08, 2008
Clinton R. Lupton, Caledonia, MI (US);
Kenneth D. Kane, Grand Rapids, MI (US);
Phillip C. Butler, Middleville, MI (US);
Charles J. Dewildt, Wyoming, MI (US);
Clinton R. Lupton, Caledonia, MI (US);
Kenneth D. Kane, Grand Rapids, MI (US);
Phillip C. Butler, Middleville, MI (US);
Charles J. DeWildt, Wyoming, MI (US);
Dematic Corp., Grand Rapids, MI (US);
Abstract
Systems and methods for accumulating articles on transport conveyors, for efficiently merging articles, and for automatically controlling sortation speed are disclosed. Transport conveyor beds upstream of an accumulation conveyor bed may be controlled to more densely pack articles, as well as to more timely deliver articles to the downstream subsystem when accumulation terminates. Slugs of articles in a merge subsystem may be released based on a prioritization scheme that heavily weighs the ability of the slug to attach to the next-most downstream slug. A combination of closed and open-looped control of the slug's movement may be used to accurately position slugs on the merge bed. A downstream sortation speed may be automatically adjusted based on the amount of merge traffic.