Conveyed item divider/sorter
US5048696A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 31, 1990 |
| Grant date | Sep 17, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 31, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S209/905
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A conveyed item divider apparatus and method for automatically dividing a mixture of a plurality of first items and a plurality of second items into a first group containing only the first items and a second group containing only the second items. The apparatus includes a first conveyor conveying the mixture of items along a common path beneath an overlying second conveyor containing a negative pressure chamber. Each of the containers is suctioned in abutting relationship with the second conveyor. A shutter mechanism selectively releases each of the second containers to the first conveyor where they are urged laterally to follow a second path along the first conveyor. Each of the first containers is subsequently returned to the first conveyor to follow a first path along the first conveyor which is substantially colinear with the common path and is separate from the second path.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.