Patent · US Active

Sorting apparatus

US8060243B2 · kind B2 · utility

15Cited by
8References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 3, 2008
Grant dateNov 15, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 12, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB65G47/54
  • WIPO fieldHandling
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A sorting apparatus includes: a characteristic information obtaining unit which obtains characteristic information of each of packages; a first branching unit to a third branching unit each of which performs branching operation for forwarding a predetermined package among the packages to a corresponding one of a first branching conveyor to a third branching conveyor; an interval adjusting unit which adjusts an interval which is a distance between two packages, which are a current package and the next package, forwarded sequentially; a branch control unit which causes each of the first branching unit to the third branching unit to change the details of branching operations according to the characteristic information; and an interval control unit which causes the interval adjusting unit to increase the interval in proportion to the time required for the branching operation for the current package.

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