Apparatus for diverting successive articles in a single lane to plural lanes
US6772872B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 3, 2003 |
| Grant date | Aug 10, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 3, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65G2201/02
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus and method for diverting articles from a single lane to one of a plurality of lanes wherein the articles in the single lane are moving on a conveyor along a travel path, the apparatus comprising a pair of spaced apart flexible rails suspended above the conveyor where the flexible rails define a guide channel therebetween. The guide channel can have an upstream portion configured to receive the articles in the single lane and a downstream portion configured to distribute the articles to one of the lanes. The flexible rails are movable in a direction substantially parallel to the travel path. The downstream portion of the guide channel is configured to be selectively movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the travel path in order to selectively distribute the articles to one of the lanes.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.