Parts sorter
US5027938A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 15, 1989 |
| Grant date | Jul 2, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 15, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S209/92
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus for sorting a plurality of substantially identical parts has a holding bin having a volume for holding a plurality of substantially identical parts and an opening for releasing some of the parts; a spring-mass system for translating the parts forward; a channel having a width of approximately nx, where n is an integer greater than one and x is the width of a characteristic dimension of the parts based on a preferred orientation due to translation of the parts; and a fluted chute having n rounded bottom, downwardly extending, diverging flutes each of a width of at least x, for separating remaining stacked parts and dividing a single plane of parts into n one dimensional lines of parts, such that the parts may be individually handled. The channel accepts a plurality of parts from the opening in the holding bin, and together with the vibrating spring-mass system which is preferably a second order system, arranges the parts into a substantially single plane of parts of no more than n abreast in the channel and forwards the parts towards a chute. The parts pass through the chute, over optical sensors and to a gate section having accumulator and deflector gates. A gate contr…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.