Endless Conveyor Or Portion Thereof Pivots About An Axis Parallel To Path Patents (Class 198/369.3)
  • Patent number: 11021334
    Abstract: A conveying and sorting apparatus has tilting motors which switch tilting conveyor units which are supported so as to be able to swing about a support shaft that is parallel with the conveying direction, between a horizontal conveying orientation and a tilted orientation; and a conveyor driving motor which drives the conveying conveyors and that are provided to the tilting conveyor units. The support shaft has a single interlocking transmission shaft having a length which covers the entire area of the plurality of tilting conveyor units. The conveying conveyors of each tilting conveyor unit are interconnected by the interlocking transmission shaft. One conveyor driving motor is provided for the plurality of tilting conveyor units supported by the interlocking transmission shaft. This single conveyor driving motor drives the conveying conveyors via the interlocking transmission shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Inventor: Yoshihiko Fujio
  • Patent number: 10737889
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a pouch conveying system for routing one or more pouches. Each pouch may include at least one self-closing frame attached to an end of a pouch body. The self-closing frame has a first frame section having at least two portions coupled to each other through a first joint, and a second frame section having at least two portions coupled to each other through a second joint. The second frame section coupled to the first frame section at a first end by a first coupler and at a second end by a second coupler, such that at least one of the first coupler and the second coupler move inward, flexing the first frame section and the second frame section about the first joint and the second joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: INTELLIGRATED HEADQUARTERS, LLC
    Inventors: Howard Bradley Eisenberg, Darius Scott, Joseph Joice
  • Patent number: 8561782
    Abstract: A material handling system has a helical conveyor apparatus operable in a first mode in which the orientation of a product can be changed and a second mode in which the orientation of the product is unchanged, i.e., passed through. The helical conveyor apparatus has a pair of conveying surfaces, with at least one of the conveying surfaces pivotal relative to the other conveying surface. The conveying surfaces can thus be arranged to twist the product as it is being conveyed or pass the product unaltered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Pack Air Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. McCarry, Keith Fiebig, Nathan Grams, Dan Dillinger
  • Patent number: 8245835
    Abstract: A sorting apparatus for sorting products comprises an endless conveying element comprising a support surface. The support surface makes an angle with a horizontal plane, at least at the location of the outlets, about an axis parallel to the conveying direction. The sorting apparatus further comprises locking elements arranged one behind the other, as seen in the conveying direction, which move along synchronously with the conveying element and which can be unlocked independently of each other, which locking elements function to hold the products in place on the support surface. Upon activation of a selected unlocking mechanism, a product is moved downwards from the conveying element towards the outlet under the influence of the force of gravity being exerted thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Eurosort B.V.
    Inventors: Wouter Balk, Jozef Walter Maria Hopman
  • Patent number: 7946412
    Abstract: A conveyor for moving objects along a path is comprised of a plurality of spaced-apart rollers that define the path of the conveyor. The upper edges of the rollers are aligned to define the surface of the path. Two spaced-apart side rails having inward-facing surfaces define two side boundaries of the path. A barrier assembly is disposed within a gap in one of the side rails for facilitating loading and unloading of objects onto the conveyor from one side of the conveyor. The barrier assembly is comprised of a mounting plate mounted to the conveyor and a barrier pivotally mounted to the mounting plate. The barrier has a wall section generally aligned with the inward-facing surface on one of the side rails. The barrier is movable between a first position wherein the wall section is elevated relative to the upper edges of the roller and a second position wherein the wall section is disposed below the upper edge of the rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Steris Inc.
    Inventors: Elie Couture, Jr., Eric Halstead
  • Patent number: 7815032
    Abstract: Roller assemblies for transporting and laterally shifting pipe section, or joints, on oil and gas exploration and production laybarges, drilling/production vessels and platforms, and pipe spooling yards are disclosed. The roller assemblies comprise rollers that are capable of being tilted to facilitate lateral shifting of the pipe sections or joints. The roller assemblies comprise a frame, a tilting assembly, a roller frame pivotally connected to the tilting assembly and the frame, and a roller rotatably connected to the roller frame by an axle. The tilting assembly lifts one end of the roller frame to tilt the roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Control Flow Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin L. Preston, H. Paul Reinhardt, Jr., Loren D. Skiles
  • Patent number: 7455169
    Abstract: A conveying system with at least one conveying element (2), preferably a conveyor belt, with goods (3) conveyed on the same being delivered at the end of the conveying element (2) to a container (1) situated beneath the conveying element (2). In order to provide a conveying system which allows a transfer of the goods by the conveying element to the provided container without subjecting the goods to a likelihood of damage it is provided that the movable flap (6) in the position sealing the container opening can be pivoted to a position parallel to the inclined sliding surface (4) and is movably held in this position parallel to the sliding surface (4) in order to form a second sliding surface projecting into the container (1) and extending the inclined sliding surface (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: SSI Schäfer PEEM GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Schäfer
  • Patent number: 7341140
    Abstract: An off-loading conveyor of produce having utility in the discrimination and separation of watermelons includes a support structure defining a conveying path, an endless flexible element mounted on the support structure to extend and to move along the conveying path and support elements mounted to pivot from the conveying path and to move with the endless flexible element along the conveying path. The support elements are mounted to mounts which are attached to the endless flexible element. These elements are pivotally mounted to the mount and extend transversely across the conveying path of the conveyor from pivots in alternation from opposite sides of the conveying path. The support elements include elongate bodies which are pivoted adjacent one end and employ a rotatably mounted wheel adjacent the other end. The wheels define a conveying channel and are able to be lifted by cams upwardly to off load produce from either side of the conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Inventor: A. James Warkentin
  • Patent number: 7337892
    Abstract: The invention provides a device for sorting products, comprising bogies which are movable in a direction of transport along a conveying path, which bogies are pivotally interconnected, and supporting platforms comprising a supporting surface for supporting products to be sorted. Each of the supporting platforms includes supporting elements which are movable with respect to an adjacent supporting element for changing the circumference of the supporting platform in question during passage of a bend in the conveying path, which supporting elements include two outer supporting elements which, seen in the direction of transport, are located at the front side and the rear side, respectively, of the supporting platform in question and at least one intermediate supporting element positioned between the outer supporting elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Vanderlande Industries Nederland B.V.
    Inventors: Frits Franciscus Carolus Groot, Gregorius Maria Adrianus Van Vught, Cornelius Christiaan Goelema, Simon Stikkelorum
  • Patent number: 7191892
    Abstract: In an apparatus for transferring products from a first conveying line to a second line conveying line operated stepwise in a feeding direction and particularly for feeding a boxing machine a plurality of compartments are aligned along the feeding direction. Each compartment has a bottom and a pair of lateral boards. The compartments receive products released by a manipulator and taken from the first conveying line. An actuator rotates the compartments from a loading configuration for receiving the products, to an overturned configuration, in which the compartments face corresponding, dwelling seats of the second, feeding line. A holding element closes the upper part of the compartments, moving from the loading configuration up to the overturned configuration. A pusher moves into the compartments in the overturned configuration, to push the products into the facing seats of the second, feeding line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Marchesini Group S.p.A.
    Inventor: Guiseppe Monti
  • Patent number: 7124558
    Abstract: The packaging machine includes: a plurality of lane guides, the plurality of lane guides being spaced apart to form a plurality of lanes; a moveable conveyor belt having a first end and second end, the first end located beneath one of the plurality of lanes, the movable conveyor belt delivers the product to each of the plurality of lanes; a support device located at the plurality of lanes; and a shifting assembly attached to the plurality of lane guides. The method for packaging a case with a product includes: conveying a first plurality of the product to a first lane; supporting the first plurality of the product within the first lane; conveying a second plurality of the product to a second lane; shifting the first lane and the second lane in a first direction; and dropping the first plurality of the products into the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Standard Knapp Inc.
    Inventors: J. Michael Weaver, Jeffrey Reilly, Emilio Cofrancesco, Alexander Bozzi, Nicholas Pini
  • Patent number: 6554122
    Abstract: An assembly is disclosed for conveying and rotating/transferring individual containers or beverage bottle cases or the like articles as well as moving or, laterally in a direction orthogonal to the travel direction of the articles, transferring the same, the assembly comprising two or more substantially cylindrical conveyor rolls (15) that are parallel to each other and aligned longitudinally in the travel direction of the articles, the conveyor rolls being adapted rotatable about their axes in order to effect the rotation of the articles or transfer thereof in the lateral direction, plus one or more conveyor belts (12) or the like means for transferring the articles in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor rolls (15), the conveyor belts (12) being adapted to pass over belt support rolls (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Bevesys Oy
    Inventors: Antti Auno, Hannu Paavola