Patents by Inventor Dennis J. Schuitema
Dennis J. Schuitema has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20090101475Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2008Publication date: April 23, 2009Applicant: DEMATIC CORP.Inventors: Thanh V. Nguyen, Dennis J. Schuitema, Mark S. Harkema, Wayne A. Moshauer
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Patent number: 7364035Abstract: An accumulation conveyor and method, according to the invention, includes providing a plurality of tandem accumulation zones, each of the zones including a conveying surface and at least one drive roller selectively driving the conveying surface. A drive member below the conveying surface extends a length of the plurality of tandem accumulation zones. Each of the zones includes a clutch roller rotated by the drive member and an electromagnetic clutch. The clutch selectively transfers rotation of the clutch roller to the drive roller to drive the conveying surface. The clutch may be made up of a pair of concentric cylinders aligned in a vertical plane and a force transmission member between the concentric cylinders with the force transmission member transmitting force between the concentric cylinders when the clutch is electrically actuated. The clutch may be a wrapped-spring clutch.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2006Date of Patent: April 29, 2008Assignee: Dematic Corp.Inventors: Harry T German, David H Cotter, Wynn M Pelak, Dennis J Schuitema
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Patent number: 6651808Abstract: A roller conveyor belt driver system for a roller conveyor includes a closed loop belt having a continuous driving surface and a non-circular base and a plurality of pulleys which support and engage said non-circular base for at least partially laterally restraining the belt from rotation. A first group of pulleys are constructed and arranged to position the belt in non-orthogonal orientation with respect to the rollers of the conveyor for contacting one or more rollers with the driving surface of the belt. Optionally, the belt driver system includes a lateral restraint associated with a respective pulley of the first group of pulleys to urge the belt to remain engaged with the respective pulley to prevent twisting of the belt and, therefore, increase the life of the belt. For example, the lateral restraint may comprise a bearing which is positioned adjacent the respective pulley and which contacts the belt to maintain the belt in proper orientation in the pulley.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2002Date of Patent: November 25, 2003Assignee: Rapistan Systems Advertising Corp.Inventors: Thanh V Nguyen, Dennis J Schuitema
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Patent number: 6622847Abstract: A compact article singulation and accumulation conveyor includes a receiving portion which receives articles in random order including clusters of side-by-side articles and a discharge portion from which articles are discharged in a single file singulated stream. A first conveying surface transports articles longitudinally from the receiving portion to the discharge portion. A recirculating bed removes side-by-side articles from a downstream portion of the first conveying surface to an upstream portion of the first conveying surface. The recirculating bed is made up of at least one peel-away conveyor having a second conveying surface adapted to move side-by-side articles laterally off the first conveying surface, at least one coupling conveyor having a third conveying surface adapted to move articles from the second conveying surface upstream and at least one return conveyor having a fourth conveying surface adapted to move articles from the third conveying surface to the first conveying surface.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2001Date of Patent: September 23, 2003Assignee: Rapistan Systems Advertising Corp.Inventors: Dennis J. Schuitema, Ronald J. DeVree, Curtis E. LeMay
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Patent number: 6609607Abstract: An article separation conveyor system includes a plurality of conveyors which are independently and/or collectively operable to destack, separate and/or align articles being conveyed along the article separation conveyor. The conveyor system includes a destacking conveyor, a side by side eliminating conveyor and/or an aligning conveyor. The destacking conveyor includes a plurality of conveying portions, which are inclined to convey articles up and then drop or guide them onto the next adjacent conveyor. The side-by-side eliminating conveyor includes a pair of diverting members and is operable to redirect articles from one side of the conveyor to the other to destack and separate articles as they are continuously conveyed along the conveyor. The aligning conveyor is operable to align articles along one side of the discharge conveyor so the articles are arranged for identification at a downstream scanning device and induction onto a sortation system.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2001Date of Patent: August 26, 2003Assignee: Rapistan Systems Advertising Corp.Inventors: Bernard H. Woltjer, Douglas E. Olson, John Stafford, Gerald A. Brouwer, Ricardo N. Schiesser, Dennis J. Schuitema
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Publication number: 20020134649Abstract: A roller conveyor belt driver system for a roller conveyor includes a closed loop belt having a continuous driving surface and a non-circular base and a plurality of pulleys which support and engage said non-circular base for at least partially laterally restraining the belt from rotation. A first group of pulleys are constructed and arranged to position the belt in non-orthogonal orientation with respect to the rollers of the conveyor for contacting one or more rollers with the driving surface of the belt. Optionally, the belt driver system includes a lateral restraint associated with a respective pulley of the first group of pulleys to urge the belt to remain engaged with the respective pulley to prevent twisting of the belt and, therefore, increase the life of the belt. For example, the lateral restraint may comprise a bearing which is positioned adjacent the respective pulley and which contacts the belt to maintain the belt in proper orientation in the pulley.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 17, 2002Publication date: September 26, 2002Applicant: Rapistan Systems Advertising Corp., a corporation of the State of DelawareInventors: Thanh V. Nguyen, Dennis J. Schuitema
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Patent number: 6390286Abstract: A roller conveyor belt driver system for a roller conveyor includes a closed loop belt having a continuous driving surface and a non-circular base and a plurality of pulleys which support and engage said non-circular base for at least partially laterally restraining the belt from rotation. A first group of pulleys are constructed and arranged to position the belt in non-orthogonal orientation with respect to the rollers of the conveyor for contacting one or more rollers with the driving surface of the belt. Optionally, the belt driver system includes a lateral restraint associated with a respective pulley of the first group of pulleys to urge the belt to remain engaged with the respective pulley to prevent twisting of the belt and, therefore, increase the life of the belt. For example, the lateral restraint may comprise a bearing which is positioned adjacent the respective pulley and which contacts the belt to maintain the belt in proper orientation in the pulley.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 1999Date of Patent: May 21, 2002Assignee: Rapistan Systems Advertising Corp.Inventors: Thanh V. Nguyen, Dennis J. Schuitema
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Publication number: 20010048868Abstract: A compact article singulation and accumulation conveyor includes a receiving portion which receives articles in random order including clusters of side-by-side articles and a discharge portion from which articles are discharged in a single file singulated stream. A first conveying surface transports articles longitudinally from the receiving portion to the discharge portion. A recirculating bed removes side-by-side articles from a downstream portion of the first conveying surface to an upstream portion of the first conveying surface. The recirculating bed is made up of at least one peel-away conveyor having a second conveying surface adapted to move side-by-side articles laterally off the first conveying surface, at least one coupling conveyor having a third conveying surface adapted to move articles from the second conveying surface upstream and at least one return conveyor having a fourth conveying surface adapted to move articles from the third conveying surface to the first conveying surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2001Publication date: December 6, 2001Applicant: Mannesmann Dematic Rapistan Corp., a corporation of the State of New YorkInventors: Dennis J. Schuitema, Ronald J. DeVree, Curtis E. LeMay
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Publication number: 20010030102Abstract: An article separation conveyor system includes a plurality of conveyors which are independently and/or collectively operable to destack, separate and/or align articles being conveyed along the article separation conveyor. The conveyor system includes a destacking conveyor, a side by side eliminating conveyor and/or an aligning conveyor. The destacking conveyor includes a plurality of conveying portions, which are inclined to convey articles up and then drop or guide them onto the next adjacent conveyor. The side-by-side eliminating conveyor includes a pair of diverting members and is operable to redirect articles from one side of the conveyor to the other to destack and separate articles as they are continuously conveyed along the conveyor. The aligning conveyor is operable to align articles along one side of the discharge conveyor so the articles are arranged for identification at a downstream scanning device and induction onto a sortation system.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2001Publication date: October 18, 2001Inventors: Bernard H. Woltjer, Douglas E. Olson, John Stafford, Gerald A. Brouwer, Ricardo N. Schiesser, Dennis J. Schuitema
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Patent number: 6269933Abstract: A compact article singulation and accumulation conveyor includes a receiving portion which receives articles in random order including clusters of side-by-side articles and a discharge portion from which articles are discharged in a single file singulated stream. A first conveying surface transports articles longitudinally from the receiving portion to the discharge portion. A recirculating bed removes side-by-side articles from a downstream portion of the first conveying surface to an upstream portion of the first conveying surface. The recirculating bed is made up of at least one peel-away conveyor having a second conveying surface adapted to move side-by-side articles laterally off the first conveying surface, at least one coupling conveyor having a third conveying surface adapted to move articles from the second conveying surface upstream and at least one return conveyor having a fourth conveying surface adapted to move articles from the third conveying surface to the first conveying surface.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 1998Date of Patent: August 7, 2001Assignee: Mannesmann Dematic Rapistan Corp.Inventors: Dennis J. Schuitema, Ronald J. DeVree, Curtis E. LeMay
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Patent number: 6152288Abstract: An active high volume storage carousel provides an improved drive system. The carousel includes a driven conveyor, which defines a continuous path and includes at least one container handling location along the continuous path. A track rail extends around the continuous path and provides vertical support for a plurality of storage columns, which are drivingly coupled to the conveyor by couplers. When the storage columns are moved through the container handling location, at least one of the storage columns is drivingly decoupled from the driven conveyor so that the decoupled storage column can be easily loaded with or unloaded of containers.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 1998Date of Patent: November 28, 2000Assignee: Mannesmann Dematic Rapistan Corp.Inventors: Bernard H. Woltjer, Dennis J. Schuitema
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Patent number: 6056107Abstract: A compact article singulation conveyor includes a receiving portion which receives articles in random order including clusters of side-by-side articles and a discharge portion from which articles are discharged in a single file singulated stream. A first conveying surface transports articles longitudinally from the receiving portion to the discharge portion. A recirculating bed removes side-by-side articles from a downstream portion of the first conveying surface to an upstream portion of the first conveying surface. The recirculating bed may be made up of at least one peel-away conveyor having a second conveying surface adapted to move side-by-side articles laterally off the first conveying surface, at least one coupling conveyor having a third conveying surface adapted to move articles from the second conveying surface upstream and at least one return conveyor having a fourth conveying surface adapted to move articles from the third conveying surface to the first conveying surface.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 1999Date of Patent: May 2, 2000Assignee: Mannesmann Dematic Rapistan Corp.Inventors: Dennis J. Schuitema, Ronald J. De Vree
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Patent number: 5918723Abstract: A compact article singulation conveyor includes a receiving portion which receives articles in random order including clusters of side-by-side articles and a discharge portion from which articles are discharged in a single file singulated stream. A first conveying surface transports articles longitudinally from the receiving portion to the discharge portion. A recirculating bed removes side-by-side articles from a downstream portion of the first conveying surface to an upstream portion of the first conveying surface. The recirculating bed is made up of at least one peel-away conveyor having a second conveying surface adapted to move side-by-side articles laterally off the first conveying surface, at least one coupling conveyor having a third conveying surface adapted to move articles from the second conveying surface upstream and at least one return conveyor having a fourth conveying surface adapted to move articles from the third conveying surface to the first conveying surface.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 1996Date of Patent: July 6, 1999Assignee: Mannesmann Dematic Rapistan Corp.Inventors: Dennis J. Schuitema, Ronald J. DeVree
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Patent number: 5860784Abstract: An active high volume storage and retrieval system provides an improved accumulator and package transfer devices. The storage and retrieval system includes a storage carousel having a plurality of spaced apart, horizontal storage tiers and a lift having a plurality of article supports for supporting articles to be delivered to or to be received from the storage carousel. A first conveyor is provided which delivers articles to the article supports of the lift assembly. A second conveyor is provided which receives articles from the article supports of the lift assembly. A first article transfer device is disposed adjacent the lift, which includes a plurality of injection pushers for pushing containers from the storage supports of the lift onto storage tiers of the carousel. A second article transfer device disposed adjacent the carousel. The second article transfer device includes a driver beam and a plurality of ejection pushers, with each ejection pusher aligned with one of the article supports.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 1996Date of Patent: January 19, 1999Assignee: Mannesmann Dematic Rapistan Corp.Inventors: Dennis J. Schuitema, Ricardo N. Schiesser