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:
Feb. 20, 2018
Filed:
May. 31, 2017
Applicant:
Top Tier, Llc, Clackamas, OK (US);
Inventors:
Cary Michael Pierson, Milwaukie, OR (US);
Stephen L. Heston, West Linn, OR (US);
Assignee:
Top Tier, LLC, Clackamas, OR (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B65G 47/244 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B65G 47/2445 (2013.01);
Abstract
An infeed apparatus includes an item manipulator that orients items such as cases in a desired orientation as determined by a build menu, and a row build apparatus that is synchronized with the manipulator to space items pursuant to the build menu. The manipulator uses a pusher to push items across a friction belt to thereby orient the items, and includes sensors for determining when an item is in an incorrect orientation. The row build receives items from the pusher and is selectively advanced to locate items in a desired relative orientation so that rows of items are built correctly.