Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method for separating articles on a conveyor

US4946025A · kind A · utility

8Cited by
8References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateNov 28, 1988
Grant dateAug 7, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 28, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB65G2201/0261
  • WIPO fieldHandling
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A method is provided for conveying a series of articles along a conveyor path freely disposed on a conveyor surface while maintaining protective article-to-article separation. The method comprises the steps of introducing each article one at a time in a series to the conveyor surface, alternating the introducing of the articles with introduction to the conveyor surface of at least one relatively noncompressible and inelastic spacer freely disposed between adjacent articles in the series for separating the adjacent articles from each other, and conveying the series of articles alternated with the spacer on either side thereof along the conveyor, the articles being free to contact the spacer but not any other article in the series.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.