Dematic Corp. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20150086304 | ONE-TO-MANY PUT SEQUENCE OPTIMIZATION - A method and system for fulfilling orders includes establishing a queue of orders that are available to be filled, each order in the queue containing at least one unique item type. An order from the order queue is selected and opened as a first order. Another order from the order queue is selected and opened as a second order. Inventory containers each having a unique item type for at least one of the orders are delivered and an operator picks the unique item type from the inventory container. The orders are assembled at order assembly locations that are a particular distance from the operator. The orders are selected and/or the assembly locations assigned in a manner that improves order fulfillment productivity, such as by reducing order fulfillment time, reducing operator travel distance, and the like. | 03-26-2015 |
20140353122 | CONVEYOR MERGE ASSEMBLY - A conveyor assembly comprising a main conveyor having a first side frame and a second side frame, with the first and/or second side frames including a side portion and a support surface. One or more input conveyors having a discharge end are joined to the main conveyor with a bottom portion of the discharge end being positioned on the support surface whereby the input conveyors are accurately mounted in close proximity to the main conveyor to promote the conveyance of items from the input conveyors onto the main conveyor. | 12-04-2014 |
20140350717 | ORDER FULFILLMENT METHOD - An order fulfillment method and order fulfillment system includes picking items from inventory according to orders for the items and placing the picked items into picked receptacles. The picked receptacles are forwarded to an unloading station where an identifier of each item is identified at the unloading stating and the identifier of the item married with the transport receptacle into which the item is placed. The transport receptacles are tracked from the unloading station according to the identifier of the item in that transport receptacle and movement of the transport receptacle. This may be accomplished by unloading items to a sorter having sorter locations. Each of the locations has a unique machine location identification. Items are placed from the picked receptacles to the sorter at one of the locations and an item identification is referenced with the machine location identification of the location at which that item is placed on the sorter. The item is diverted at a particular one of the machine locations to a particular one of a plurality of processing stations according to an order for the item that is at that machine location. The divert is by selecting that item to be diverted according to machine location identification. The item is combined with the order for that item at the processing station. | 11-27-2014 |
20140336814 | MOBILE PICKING METHOD - A picking method includes having in a mobile device data and an application running on the mobile device. An order made up of a number of items to be picked from the warehouse is communicated from a host to a client application of the mobile device. The mobile device provides instructions of a sequence of locations to pick and the items to be picked at each location without further communications from the host. A corresponding picking system is provided. | 11-13-2014 |
20140262700 | CONVEYOR UNDERGUARD - A conveyor underguard that is adapted for use with a conveyor having a pair of spaced apart side channels, each having a lower flange and a plurality of openings on each flange, includes a guard surface and a pair of mounting members, each extending outwardly generally parallel to the guard surface and defining fastener openings. The fastener openings are spaced apart in a manner that aligns with the through-openings of the conveyor. A pair of side members connect the guard surface with the mounting members in a manner that offsets the guard surface from the mounting members away from each flange. The conveyor underguard is defined by a polymeric material body having a planar body pan integrally connected to opposed first and second side walls and to first and second end walls. A first side flange is integrally connected to the first side wall and extends for an entire length of the first side wall. A second side flange is integrally connected to the second side wall and extends for an entire length of the second side wall. Multiple mounting flanges are integrally connected to and extend away from each of the first and second side flanges. Each of the mounting flanges has an elongated aperture. Multiple equally spaced and parallel slots are created in a surface of the body pan. | 09-18-2014 |
20140198458 | MULTIPLE CABLE STRAIN RELIEF - A multiple cable strain relief and electronic assembly having such multiple cable strain relief includes a body, a plurality of cable cutouts and a compression member. The body has at least two spaced apart sidewalls thereby defining a cavity between the sidewalls. The plurality of cable cutouts are in each of the sidewalls. Each cable cutout in one of the sidewalls is aligned with a cable cutout in the other of sidewalls thereby defining a cable cutout pair. The compression member has a retention position that is at least partially extending into the cavity. With the compression member in the retention position a cable extending though a cable cutout pair is deflected in the cavity to retain that cable between the sidewalls and the compression member. | 07-17-2014 |
20130256094 | ROLLER CONVEYOR SYSTEM AND AXLE RETAINER FOR USE IN MOUNTING THE ROLLERS - A conveyor system includes a conveying surface for conveying articles as defined by a plurality of rollers and a frame. Each of the rollers has an axle. The frame is made up of at least two frame members that are spaced apart a distance that corresponds with a length of at least one of the plurality of rollers. A plurality of axle retainers is connected with at least one of the frame members. Each of the axle retainers has a base and a plurality of axle retaining openings that are each adapted to receiving an axle at an end of one of the rollers. At least two of the openings are fixedly at different angles to the base. In this manner, the axle retainers are capable of mounting the rollers at more than one angle with respect to the at least one of the frame members as determined by which of the axle-retaining openings receives the axle. Each roller-mounting angle corresponds to a different orientation of the base with respect to the at least one of the frame members. | 10-03-2013 |
20130161154 | SORTER SLAT ATTACHMENT - A positive displacement sorter includes a plurality of parallel laterally extending slats and a pair of wheel assemblies, each interconnecting common end portions of the slats thereby defining an endless web that travels in a longitudinal direction. An upper surface of the web defines an article-conveying surface. A plurality of pusher shoes travel along the slats in order to laterally displace articles on the conveying surface. A plurality of attachment mechanisms are provided. Each of the attachment mechanisms attaches an end portion of one of the slats to one of the wheel assemblies. Each of the attachment mechanisms includes a shoulder and a collar and at least one locking member. The collar engages the shoulder thereby providing retention of the slat to the wheel assembly. The locking member provides retention of the collar on the shoulder. | 06-27-2013 |
20120125735 | VERTICAL ACTION SORTER AND METHOD OF SORTING ARTICLES - A vertical action sorter is provided along a transport conveyor for selectively diverting articles from the conveyor to a different location, such as a bin or another conveyor. Each sorter includes a sorter module that is selectively raised and lowered in response to an actuator, such as a linear actuator, that drives actuator members along respective tracks associated with the sorter module. Each track includes a contoured surface that controls the rate at which the sorter module will be raised and lowered in response to the linear actuator. A cross member may be provided for evenly supporting the sorter module as it is raised and lowered. | 05-24-2012 |
20120006657 | LOW FRICTION V-BELT DRIVEN CURVE CONVEYOR - A conveyor having at least one curved portion includes a pair of spaced apart side channels that are curved at the curved portion of the conveyor. A plurality of rollers are supported between the side channels. An endless drive member, which is propelled by a motor, drives the rollers. A guide system made up of a plurality of guide members guides the drive member. Each of the guide members includes a guide surface that provides substantial non-slip engagement with the drive member. | 01-12-2012 |
20110233031 | BELT DRIVE CONVEYOR WITH POWER TAP OFF - A conveyor system includes a transport member having a conveying surface that is configured to transport articles in a transport direction, an endless strip and a drive for propelling the endless strip. A power tap off is provided between the strip and the transport member. The power tap off has an input that is driven by the strip and an output that drives the transport member. The power tap off provides a positive transfer of power from the strip to the transport member. | 09-29-2011 |
20110203231 | GOODS-TO-PERSON PICKING STATION AND PICKING METHOD - A goods-to-person picking station and method of picking goods from a product container and placing the goods in at least one order container includes a product container-handling mechanism and at least one order container-handling mechanism juxtaposed with the product container-handling mechanism. The product container-handling mechanism supplies a product container to a pick area. The at least one order container-handling mechanism supplies at least one order container to the pick area. In this manner, an operator can pick goods from a product container at the pick area and place the goods selectively to the at least one order container at the pick area. The product container-handling mechanism includes a product container elevator assembly and a product container extractor assembly. The elevator assembly elevates a product container from the feed area to the pick area. The extractor assembly transfers a product container from the pick area. The elevator assembly and the extractor assembly may be operated from a common drive assembly. | 08-25-2011 |
20110114444 | CONVEYOR SYSTEM AND METHOD OF LATERALLY DISPLACING ARTICLES - A conveyor system and method of laterally displacing articles includes a conveyor defining a conveying surface and conveying articles in a longitudinal direction with the conveying surface. A diverting assembly is positioned diagonally at least partially across the conveying surface. The diverting assembly travels generally vertically between a non-actuated position below the conveying surface and an actuated position extending above the conveying surface. The diverting assembly has a diverting surface that is adapted to laterally displace articles on the conveying surface when in the actuated position. | 05-19-2011 |
20110083941 | DYNAMIC SINGULATOR - An article singulating conveyor assembly and method of singulating articles includes providing a conveying surface defining a plurality of tandem zones. The conveying surface travels in a longitudinal direction. Each of the zones includes a pair of laterally spaced side frame members and a plurality of generally parallel elongated driven rollers that are supported at the side frame members. The driven rollers are adapted to provide lateral variation in the longitudinal speed of the conveying surface. Each of the zones includes at least one drive motor that is adapted to drive the driven rollers in that zone. At least one article sensor is provided that is adapted to sensing articles in the zones. The driven rollers may be divided into a plurality of segmented rollers that are separately rotatable with a separate drive motor to drive corresponding segments for a zone. The drive motors for adjacent zones may be activated in a manner that creates a longitudinal gap between longitudinally adjacent articles. | 04-14-2011 |
20110048894 | CONVEYOR INDUCT - An induction subsystem for a conveying system includes a plurality of induction conveying units that are controlled by a plurality of controls in a manner that delivers articles to a release conveyor with gaps between the articles that approach a desired length. The conveying units may be controlled using algorithms that examine a planned release time for an article and a time at which the article would be released were it to complete the rest of its travel through the induction subsystem at one or more nominal speeds. The difference is used to determine an appropriate speed for at least one of the conveying units. The conveying unit may alternatively be controlled using algorithms that determine desired speed ratios for the conveying units, and which may seek to control the centerline to centerline spacing of articles as they reach the release point such that desired gaps are created. | 03-03-2011 |
20110042181 | DIVERTER FOR SORTER AND METHOD OF DIVERTING - A positive displacement sorter and method of diverting articles includes providing a plurality of interconnected parallel slats defining an endless web that travels in a longitudinal direction, an upper surface of which defines an article-conveying surface and a plurality of pusher shoes. Each of the shoes travels along at least one of the slats in order to laterally divert articles on the conveying surface. Each of the shoes has a diverting member extending below the conveying surface. A plurality of diverting rails below the conveying surface are each capable of engaging the diverting member to cause the associated shoe to travel laterally to divert an article. A plurality of diverters are provided for selectively diverting at least one of the diverting members from a non-diverting path extending longitudinally along the sorter to one of said diverting rails in a diverting state. At least one of the diverters has a gate having a diverting surface. The gate is selectively moveable between the diverting state and a non-diverting state. An actuator moves the gate between the non-diverting state and the diverting state. The actuator may include a rotary actuator having a generally horizontal axis of rotation. An electronic divert control may be provided to apply an activation control signal to the actuator to move the gate between one of the states and the other of the states. The control monitors movement of the gate and adjusts the activation control signal as a function of the movement of the gate. | 02-24-2011 |
20100300835 | REDUCING DRAG ON THE WEB OF A POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT SORTER - A method of reducing drag on the web of a positive displacement sorter is used with a web made up of a plurality of parallel slats interconnected at their opposite ends with chain assemblies in an endless loop. A plurality of pusher shoes each travel along at least one of said slats. The sorter further includes a driven sprocket assembly and a non-driven sprocket assembly. Each of the sprocket assemblies includes at least two sprockets on a shaft, each for engaging one of the chain assemblies. The sprocket assemblies support the chain assemblies at opposite ends of the web. The method includes auditing the sorter including determining if the slats are skewed with respect to the direction of travel of the web. If it is determined that the slats are skewed, then the chain assemblies and the non-driven sprocket assembly are modified. The chain assemblies are modified by adding side thrust wheels on opposite sides of the web. The non-driven sprocket is modified by locking the sprockets to the shaft such that the sprockets rotate together. | 12-02-2010 |
20100243412 | BELT CONVEYOR AND METHOD - A method of replacing a continuous belt on a belt conveyor having a frame assembly includes providing a removable belt module with a removable belt module frame, the removable belt module frame having at one end a rotatably mounted drive pulley and having at an opposite end a rotatably mounted other pulley. The continuous belt is reeved around the drive pulley and the other pulley. The removable belt module is removed from at least one attachment surface of the frame assembly while the continuous belt remains under tension. A replacement removable belt module is then placed at the attachment surface. Optionally, the continuous belt has a low modulus characteristic, and the removable belt module may include at least one pivot arm for mounting at least one of the drive pulley and the other pulley to the removable belt module frame. | 09-30-2010 |
20100179686 | DUAL POWER MOTORIZED ROLLER - A conveying system may include a frame that supports a plurality of rollers which carry articles thereon. At least one of the rollers may be a motorized roller with first and second motors adapted to rotate an outer cylindrical shell of the motorized roller. A controller external to the motorized roller may send speed control commands to the motorized roller to control both the first and second motors in a manner that increases torque of the motorized roller. The motors may be controlled in four quadrant mode, or two quadrant mode, or a combination thereof. The motorized roller may be used in a right angle transfer mechanism, or in other components of a conveying system. | 07-15-2010 |
20100146907 | STACKING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MULTI-LAYER STACKING OF OBJECTS ON A SUPPORT - A stacking apparatus and method of multi-layer stacking of objects of different sizes on a support to form a stacked support includes providing a support handler. A support is elevated with the support handler and objects of different sizes and shapes are stacked on the support to form a stacked support. A stacked support is removed and an empty support supplied with the support handler. A placeholder is provided above the support handler. The placeholder has a first mode for receiving objects on the placeholder. The placeholder has a second mode for providing access to a support on the support handler. The placeholder is put in the first mode while the support handler removes a stacked support and supplies an empty support. The placeholder is put in the second mode when the support handler is elevating a support being stacked with articles. Objects that have been received on the placeholder during the first mode are deposited from the placeholder to the support when changing the placeholder from the first mode to the second mode. | 06-17-2010 |
20090152074 | CONVEYOR DIVERTER - A conveyor diverter and method provides a device for diverting articles from a transport conveyor at increased throughput by urging a subsequent article onto the diverter before a prior article has been directed off of the diverter. The diverter raises a downstream portion of diverter surface while leaving upstream portions of the diverter surface in a lowered position, thereby permitting articles entering the diverter in a first direction to be diverted in a second direction. The diverter includes a transport conveying surface for conveying articles in the first direction and a lift assembly for raising and lowering the upstream portions and downstream portions of the diverter surface. The diverter may be configured to provide turn, cross-transfer, cross-transfer with increased throughput, and transport functions. Thus, a method is provided for achieving increased throughput and/or multiple divert functions. | 06-18-2009 |
20090139834 | RETRACTABLE DIVERTER NOSE - A diverter assembly for a positive displacement sorter apparatus having a plurality of interconnected slats that define a conveying surface adapted to convey articles in a longitudinal direction and having a plurality of pusher shoes adapted to move along at least one of the plurality of slats to laterally displace articles on the conveying surface. The diverter assembly includes a diverting track extending diagonally under the conveying surface and an actuator is provided for selectively diverting at least one of the pusher shoes toward the diverting track. A diverter nose is adapted to guide the pusher shoe to the diverting track when diverted by the actuator or to guide the pusher shoe away from said diverting track when not diverted by said actuator. At least a portion of said diverter nose is adapted to move laterally and longitudinally when struck generally head-on by a portion of a pusher shoe. | 06-04-2009 |
20090101475 | ROLLER TRANSPORT CONVEYOR AND METHOD - A roller transport conveyor and method provides a device for conveying items along a plurality of rollers, in which the device may be set up and operated and serviced by manually raising and lowering one or more contact members that transmit force from a spring to urge a drive belt into contact with an underside of the rollers. The contact member is adjustable by raising and lowering the contact member to expand and contract the spring, or by raising and lowering a base on which the spring is supported, so that the drive belt may be engaged with and disengaged from the rollers. A gravity take-up includes a mass suspended from a cable that is routed to a pulley having the drive belt reeved thereon. The cable is wound upon a winch that compensates for belt stretch, or for belts of various lengths. | 04-23-2009 |
20090071801 | CONVEYOR SYSTEM ALIGNER AND METHOD OF ALIGNING - A conveyor system aligner, method of aligning and continuous aligning belt includes providing a belt support assembly having a generally vertical support surface and a channel defined in the support surface. A belt drive propels the aligning belt along the support surface and items, such as cartons, are conveyed past the aligning belt. A continuous aligning belt is provided that has a contact portion and a guide member. The contact portion has a contact surface and a glide surface. The glide surface is configured to travel along the support surface. The guide member is adapted to be captured by the channel and travels in the channel to support the aligning belt. | 03-19-2009 |
20090065330 | CONVEYOR SYSTEMS - 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. | 03-12-2009 |
20090027043 | ROLLER ENCODER - An encoder is provided for a conveyor having a belt, a plurality of rollers supporting the belt and a motor for driving one of the rollers. The encoder includes a hall effect cartridge having at least one hall effect sensor. The hall effect cartridge is adapted to be mounted inside of one of the rollers supporting the conveyor. The encoder also includes a magnetic ring adapted to be mounted inside the roller and rotate with the roller, wherein the ball effect sensor monitors the rotation of the magnetic ring and generates a signal in the form of pulse data based on the rotation of the roller. | 01-29-2009 |
20080264765 | SKEWED SLAT CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ARTICLE CONVEYOR - A positive displacement article sorter and method of monitoring a positive displacement article sorter, wherein the article sorter includes a frame, an endless web traveling in a longitudinal direction about the frame and an electric motor driving the endless web. The endless web is defined by a pair of continuous chains and a plurality of cross members connected at opposite ends with the chain. The positive displacement sorter includes a plurality of pusher shoes, each laterally traveling along at least one of the cross members. A sensing assembly is provided that has first and second portions. The first portion of said sensing assembly is positioned at the web. The second portion of said sensing assembly is positioned at a stationary location. The first portion of said sensing assembly is sensed with the second portion of the sensing assembly as the first portion of said sensing assembly travels about the frame. A parameter of the web is determined from an output of the sensing assembly. | 10-30-2008 |
20080202893 | POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT SORTER - A positive displacement sorter apparatus includes a plurality of interconnected slats defining an endless traveling web. An upper run of the web defines a first conveying surface traveling in a longitudinal direction. A plurality of pusher shoes are provided, each moving along at least one of the slats to laterally displace an article on said conveying surface. A web end portion of the web is extendable and contractible in the longitudinal direction. A product handling conveyor at the web end portion has a second conveying surface that is adapted to supply product to, or receive product from, the first conveying surface. The product handling conveyor has a conveyor end portion that is adjacent to the web and is moveable with extension and contraction of the web end portion. In this manner, the first and second conveying surfaces maintain a constant relative relationship. | 08-28-2008 |