Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
198358000 | Condition responsive control means including sensing condition of source or destination | 34 |
20080308388 | Aircraft baggage conveyor system - The invention relates to an aircraft baggage conveyor system having containers which are of different sizes and are provided for holding and transporting pieces of baggage with different dimensions. In order to differentiate the containers of different sizes within the system and to ensure that they can be stopped reliably using simple means and in a more precisely positioned fashion than in the past taking into account their differences in length and size, it is proposed that, in order to detect and to control preferably the oversized containers within the aircraft baggage conveyor system, a magnetic sensor system is provided between the container belt and the container. | 12-18-2008 |
20090014279 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR AUTOMATING A CHAIN FOR DISTRIBUTING MEAL TRAYS - A device for automating a chain for distributing meal trays includes a plurality of trays ( | 01-15-2009 |
20090014280 | Blow-off sprocket - An improved blow-off system wherein compressed air directed through a nozzle is used to eject individual cans from their support pins, wherein the nozzles move in synchronized manner with the individual cans such that the ejection operation is accomplished without need to stop or slow the processing equipment. The blow-off system has a sprocket, such that the sprocket of the blow-off system can be substituted for an idler or drive sprocket found in the pin chain conveyor system of the processing equipment. Multiple blow-off nozzles are disposed radially from a central distribution manifold, with each nozzle being operated by a dedicated valve. As the cans pass around the sprocket for 90 to 180 degrees, the nozzles are aligned with each can over this entire arc. If a defect is noted such that the can needs to be ejected, the individual nozzle associated with the defective can is activated. | 01-15-2009 |
20090026039 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING A SUBSTRATE CARRIER WITHIN AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE MANUFACTURING FACILITY - In one aspect, a method is provided for electronic device manufacturing. The method includes receiving a request to transfer a carrier to or from a first substrate loading station of an electronic device manufacturing facility, and assigning one of a plurality of carrier supports to carry out the transfer based on a spacing on either side of the assigned carrier being greater than an acceptable spacing. Numerous other aspects are provided. | 01-29-2009 |
20090139832 | Conveying Apparatus and Conveyed Object Inspection Apparatus - A conveying apparatus and a conveyed object inspection apparatus which can perform accurate, damage free image inspection. One conveying roller has a conveying surface formed in a spiral manner on an outer periphery surface thereof. The conveying surface is slanted with respect to the central axis narrowing toward other end side so as to convey a conveyed object while holding it between the conveying surface and other conveying roller. The other conveying roller has a tilt surface provided in a spiral manner on an outer periphery surface thereof. The tilt surface is slanted with respect to the central axis narrowing toward one end side. A feeding means can feed the conveyed object inbetween the conveying rollers. An inspection section has an image acquisition means capable of acquiring an image of an entire outer surface of the conveyed object, and an abnormality detecting means capable of detecting abnormality of the conveyed object based on the image A removing means can then remove an abnormal object. | 06-04-2009 |
20090139833 | MULTI-LINE SUBSTRATE TREATING APPARATUS - A substrate treating apparatus includes substrate treatment lines arranged one over another, each for treating substrates while transporting the substrates substantially horizontally. The apparatus further includes an interface section for transporting the substrates between the substrate treatment lines and an exposing machine having a plurality of exposing stages, the exposing machine being provided separately from the apparatus, and a controller for controlling transport of the substrates in the interface section to cause all the substrates similarly treated in each of the substrate treatment lines to be exposed on one of the exposing stages. This apparatus can uniform the quality of treatment among a plurality of substrates receiving the same type of treatment in the same substrate treating line. | 06-04-2009 |
20090183969 | TRANSPORT SYSTEM - A transport system of this invention includes a transport means for forming a plurality of transport paths from a transport source to a transport destination and transporting a work via a transport path selected from the plurality of transport paths, a control means for controlling the transport means, and a read means for, when the work has arrived at a branch point in the transport path, reading out, from a storage medium, transport path information representing a transport direction of the work at the branch point in the transport path, the storage medium being provided on the work and storing the transport path information. The control means controls the transport means to transport the work in the transport direction of the work at the branch point represented by the transport path information read out by the read means. | 07-23-2009 |
20090211877 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING PRODUCT FLOWS - A system for treating products, such as foodstuff products, in the course of packaging includes a plurality of extraction stations set cascaded along a flow of products that has the character of a disorderly array, in which rows or ranks are not in general distinguishable. The extraction stations may be traversed by the flow possibly likewise deriving from the flow itself respective derived flows of products. The speeds of operation of the extraction stations are adjustable for regulating the intensities of the respective derived flows. The extraction stations have associated thereto inspection stations (preferably of a visual type, e.g., laser type) for detecting the intensities of the derived flows, whilst said derived flows are kept, at least temporarily, as disorderly arrays of advancing products, without proceeding to accumulations or any reordering thereof. A control system operatively connected to the inspection stations and to the extraction stations enables regulation of the speeds of operation of the extraction stations as a function of the intensity detected by the inspection stations so as to be able to exert an effective action of balancing of the derived flows. | 08-27-2009 |
20090255778 | APPARATUS FOR, AND METHOD OF, TRANSPORTING ARTICLES VIA CROSSING TRANSPORTING PATHS - An apparatus and a method are provided for transporting articles via crossing transporting paths. The apparatus contains two processing configurations, a pre-handling configuration, a connecting system, for each processing configuration a respective exit transporting path, for each pre-handling configuration a respective entry transporting path, and for each entry transporting path a respective return path with a start and an end. The return-path start is connected to the associated entry transporting path. The return-path end is connected to at least one of the entry transporting paths. These connections are configured such that the return-path start is disposed downstream of the connecting system and the return-path end is disposed upstream of the connecting system. | 10-15-2009 |
20090314608 | Tire Conveyor Assembly and Components Thereof - An improved conveyor assembly includes a conveyor belt for conveying a product to one or more product operations is disclosed. Such conveyor assembly includes a pair of spaced apart side frames that support the conveyor belt and between which the conveyor belt rotates. The side frames are formed from an upstanding member and a inwardly extending horizontal member. Both the frame upstanding member and the frame horizontal member carry a series of elongated slots. One or more L-shaped brackets are formed from a generally upstanding member and an inwardly extending member. Both the bracket upstanding member and the bracket horizontal member carry a series of elongated slots. The bracket horizontal member slots are configured to overlay the frame elongate horizontal member slots, and the bracket upstanding member slots are configured to overlay the frame upstanding member slots for attaching components to the frames. | 12-24-2009 |
20100236893 | Transfer system co-operating with a machine for producing tobacco and filter product rods as well as method of transferring such rods within the transfer system - Transfer system | 09-23-2010 |
20110005894 | SCREENING EXAMINATION SYSTEM AND METHOD - A screening examination system for screening and examining paper roll is disclosed to include a first conveyor unit, which comprises a first movable wheel set, a first drive wheel, a first fixed wheel and a first conveyor belt, a second conveyor unit, which comprises a second movable wheel set, a second drive wheel, a second fixed wheel and a second conveyor belt, and an examination unit, which examine test products and adjusts the relative positioning between the first movable wheel set and the second movable wheel set subject to examination result for enabling defective products to fall into the gap between the first conveyor unit and the second conveyor unit, accordingly, quality product to be delivered from the first conveyor unit to the second conveyor unit. | 01-13-2011 |
20110005895 | PART ALIGNING APPARATUS AND METHOD - A part aligning apparatus and method are provided. The part aligning apparatus includes a vibrating container unit which transfers parts having a nonsymmetrical structure, an alignment direction setting unit which receives the parts transferred by the vibrating container unit, and passes parts aligned in a first alignment direction and returns to the vibrating container unit parts aligned in a second alignment direction different from the first alignment direction, based on a size difference of contact portions of the parts according to alignment directions of the transferred parts, and an ejecting unit which receives the parts passed through the alignment direction setting unit and sequentially ejects the received parts to an inlet of a tray. | 01-13-2011 |
20110042180 | APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING PRODUCTS - An apparatus for conveying products to a destination has a revolving conveyor chain embodied by entraining elements revolving along a first continuous track and have a certain chain pitch. A revolving conveying device is disposed with grippers arranged at a distance therebetween on the conveying device revolving around a second continuous track. A first zone of the first and second continuous track transfers products from the first continuous track on the conveyor chain to the second continuous track via the grippers. A second zone of the second continuous track delivers products from the grippers at the destination. A third zone of the first and second continuous track returns products not needed at the destination from the grippers on the second continuous track to the conveyor chain on the first continuous track. A distance traveled by the conveyor chain on the first continuous track from a transfer point of the products in the first zone to a return point in the third zone and a distance traveled by the grippers on the second continuous track from the transfer point of the products in the first zone to the return point in the third zone are chosen such that a phase shift amounting to a fraction of the chain pitch occurs between the conveyor chain and the gripper between the return point and the transfer point. | 02-24-2011 |
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 |
20110079489 | WINDOW COMPONENT SYSTEM INCLUDING PUSHER FOR SCRAP REMOVAL - An apparatus for automatic removal of scrap elongated window component stock from a conveyor includes a path of travel altering mechanism, a translating mechanism, and a controller. The path of travel altering mechanism is positioned along the path of travel that selectively facilitates movement of scrap elongated window component stock off the path of travel. The translating mechanism is in communication with the path of travel altering mechanism for moving the scrap elongated window component stock off of the path of travel. | 04-07-2011 |
20110272243 | APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING FOOD PRODUCTS TO A LOADING HEAD - An apparatus and method of transporting food products to a loading station having a cooling conveyor that selectively drops food product into a distributor. The distributor separates product into at least two lanes and drops product onto a conveyor. A balancing and diverting conveyor monitors and counts product in each lane and diverts product selectively based upon the sensed product. An orienter transfers product from a loading conveyor to a buffer conveyor. The buffer conveyor transfers product to a main conveyor which transfers product to a loading head. | 11-10-2011 |
20130270063 | GOODS TRANSPORT FACILITY - A goods transport facility provided with a detected body installed on the ground side for providing stop control. A detected-body detector on a mobile assembly detects the presence of the detected body. The goods transport facility is switchable between a first and a second control status so that when a fire detector means detects that no goods are on fire, the first control status is maintained. Once the fire detector detects a fire, the status is switched to the second control status. In the first control status, a mobile assembly control provides travel control using an optical distance-measuring sensor to control the actuation of the mobile assembly. In the second control status, the actuation of the mobile assembly travels until detected by the detected-body detector for a goods storage section to which goods are to be transferred, and brought into alignment with the target travel position. | 10-17-2013 |
20130270064 | Arrangement and method for print product distribution - The invention is relates to an arrangement for carrying out steps in connection with a distribution of print products, so-called print product distribution. In this arrangement, devices for commissioning and devices for remission of print products are combined, with at least one of the devices being involved both in the commissioning and the remission so that error-free commissioning and a correct remission are performed. | 10-17-2013 |
20130299308 | LETTER PROCESSING APPARATUS AND LETTER PROCESSING METHOD - A letter processing apparatus has a first transporting passage, a first detection unit, a second transporting passage, a second detection unit, a third transporting passage, and a sorting control unit. The first detection unit detects the letter transported in the first transporting passage. The second detection unit detects the letter transported in the second transporting passage. The third transporting passage causes the letter to pass. The sorting control unit directs a first letter to the first transporting passage and directs a second letter transported after the first letter to the second transporting passage. On the basis of the inter-letter distance between the two letters being transported, the transporting speed of each letter, and the preparation time from end time for the first detection to the start time of the second detection, a third letter is sorted to the first transporting passages, the second transporting passages or the third transporting passage. | 11-14-2013 |
20140054130 | EGG TRANSPORT DEVICE FOR A PACKAGING DEVICE FOR EGGS - The present invention relates to an egg transport device for a packaging device for eggs, comprising a distribution conveyor which extends in a direction of transport from a feed outer end to a discharge outer end and which, as seen in the direction of transport, is bounded on either side by guides extending at least substantially in the direction of transport, which egg transport device is adapted to deliver eggs over at least two discharge tracks of a discharge conveyor ( | 02-27-2014 |
20140231217 | LABORATORY SAMPLE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND CORRESPONDING METHOD OF OPERATION - A laboratory sample distribution system is presented. The system comprises a plurality of container carriers. The container carriers each comprise at least one magnetically active device such as, for example, at least one permanent magnet, and carry a sample container containing a sample. The system also comprises a transport device. The transport device comprises a transport plane to carry the plurality of container carriers and a plurality of electro-magnetic actuators stationary arranged below the transport plane. The electro-magnetic actuators move a container carrier placed on top of the transport plane by applying a magnetic force to the container carrier. The transport device also comprises a control device to control the movement of the container carriers on top of the transport plane by driving the electro-magnetic actuators. The control device controls the movement such that more than two container carriers are movable simultaneously and independently from one another. | 08-21-2014 |
20150083549 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SORTING ARTICLES - Described herein is a method for configuring a sorting system with multiple carriers. A sensor is provided on one of the sensors and the sensor is passed across a number of divert locations. An index feature at each divert location is detected by the sensor and the logical position of each divert location is determined. The divert locations are then indexed to the logical position. | 03-26-2015 |
20150101908 | ARTICLE CARRIER APPARATUS AND METHOD - The present subject matter relates to article carriers and related methods for use in grading apparatus and in particular, but not exclusively, for use in grading fruit. The present subject matter provides an article carrying apparatus comprising a plurality of carrier lanes each for receiving and conveying a number of articles; one or more diverters arranged to control the distribution of received articles into the lanes; a sensor arranged to determine a capacity use parameter for each lane; and a controller arranged to control the position of each diverter dependent on the determined capacity use parameters. | 04-16-2015 |
20150314964 | DYNAMIC DISCHARGE COMPENSATION FOR A SORTATION SYSTEM - The discharge accuracy of unit sortation is improved by making real time adjustments to the discharge timing of the carrier based on the determined actual position of each article on respective carriers. The adjustments are applied at the time the discharge command is given. | 11-05-2015 |
20150323556 | SPECIMEN TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM - A specimen transportation system is configured from linear modules, turn modules, and connection modules, wherein adjacent modules are connected to one another, and the modules form multiple paths through which specimen racks outputted from one specimen output device are transported to multiple analysis devices. Each path is associated with a node signal indicating whether said path can be used for transportation, and a node signal sequence comprising multiple node signals of the paths is configured. In the specimen transportation system, the node signal sequence is transferred from the downstream side to the upstream side, and problems such as the detention of a specimen rank in the specimen transportation system are dealt with by using said node signal sequence. | 11-12-2015 |
20150360878 | LABORATORY SAMPLE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND CORRESPONDING METHOD OF OPERATION - A laboratory sample distribution system is presented. The system comprises a plurality of container carriers. The container carriers each comprise at least one magnetically active device such as, for example, at least one permanent magnet, and carry a sample container containing a sample. The system also comprises a transport device. The transport device comprises a transport plane to carry the plurality of container carriers and a plurality of electro-magnetic actuators stationary arranged below the transport plane. The electro-magnetic actuators move a container carrier placed on top of the transport plane by applying a magnetic force to the container carrier. The transport device also comprises a control device to control the movement of the container carriers on top of the transport plane by driving the electro-magnetic actuators. The control device controls the movement such that more than two container carriers are movable simultaneously and independently from one another. | 12-17-2015 |
20160039611 | CROSS-BELT SYSTEM AND AUTOMATED ITEM DIVERSION - A sorting method, cross-belt system, and computer-storage media are provided for conveying and sorting items. The cross-belt system includes a plurality of interlocking palettes that form a conveyor belt. Each palette may be engaged by a series of rollers that are triggered to discharge items on the palettes to appropriate loading areas. The rollers are configured to move a belt of the palettes in one of at least two directions to a selected loading area that is positioned on either side of the cross-belt system. | 02-11-2016 |
20160052722 | ARTICLE SORTING APPARATUS - An article sorting apparatus includes a conveying path, a conveyer cell, a loading section, a sorting section and a control device. The conveyer cell includes a belt, a projecting portion and an actuator. The belt forms a setting surface on which an article is set. The projecting portion projects from a surface of the belt. The actuator drives the belt. The conveyer cell moves on the conveying path in a first conveying direction and conveys the article set on the setting surface in a second conveying direction orthogonal to the first conveying direction. The loading section transfers the article to the conveyer cell. The control device, when a size of the article is smaller than a predetermined size and when the loading section transfers the article to the setting surface, controls the actuator to drive the belt such that the projecting portion contacts a lower surface of the article. | 02-25-2016 |
20160075520 | DOSING APPARATUS - The present invention relates to a dosing apparatus for dosing a good, in particular a good to be dried such as a fermentation substrate or dung, comprising a conveyor for conveying a good to be dried in a conveying direction, wherein the good to be dried may be fed onto the conveyor by a feeding system and wherein the conveyor may deliver the good to be dried to a downstream unit such as a drying apparatus, and a control unit designed to control a conveying speed of the conveyor, wherein the conveyor is pivotally arranged about a vertical swivel axis, characterized in that the control unit is arranged and designed to control an oscillating movement, preferably a speed, in particular an angular speed, and/or a frequency of the oscillating movement, of the conveyor about the swivel axis. | 03-17-2016 |
20160101957 | MISSORT PREVENTION SYSTEM IN A CONVEYING SYSTEM - A missort prevention system prevents missorts in a sortation conveying system. The missort prevention system includes a sensor for detecting the presence of an unexpected article on a chute transitioning articles off of a conveyor and a missort preventer for blocking the further passage of the unexpected article on the chute. | 04-14-2016 |
20160145054 | A DIVIDER ARRANGEMENT FOR GUIDING PACKAGES BETWEEN AT LEAST TWO CONVEYOR BELTS, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME. - A divider arrangement, guide device, for guiding packages between at least two conveyor belts, and method of controlling the same is provided. | 05-26-2016 |
20160176655 | ARTICLE CARRIER APPARATUS | 06-23-2016 |
20160376111 | DEVICE FOR THE SORTED FEEDING OF A PACKAGING MACHINE FOR BOTTLES AND THE LIKE - A device for the sorted feeding of a packaging machine for bottles, which comprises elements for feeding the bottles to a carousel provided with receptacles, and comprises pickup star conveyors, each receptacle of the carousel being provided with a lever that is connected to a device for moving the lever between a first position for locking a bottle and a second, open position that allows the exit of the bottle toward a pickup star conveyor, the elements for moving the lever being actuated by a cam arranged at the position at which a bottle is accommodated in the corresponding receptacle and by a motor, which is activated by a signal that arrives from the lane connected to the pickup star conveyor that lacks a bottle. | 12-29-2016 |