Multi-belt conveyor system with removable cartridges

Abstract

The present invention is entitled "Multi-belt conveyor system with removable bins." The present invention describes a multi-belt conveyor. The multi-belt conveyor includes a base assembly including a base frame extending along a length of the multi-belt conveyor. Further, the multi-belt conveyor includes a conveyor bed having a plurality of bins positioned adjacent to one another and mounted to the base frame. In this regard, each bin of the plurality of bins includes a set of conveyor belts configured to move at a defined speed in a direction along the conveyor bed. Further, according to some example embodiments, a bin of the plurality of bins is configured to be removed from the conveyor bed without removing an adjacent bin from the plurality of bins. Further, each bin of the multi-belt conveyor includes an actuation assembly including a drive pulley, a roller-sled bed including a plurality of rollers, and the set of conveyor belts mounted about the roller-sled bed and the drive pulley.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of Chinese patent application filed on June 24, 2020, entitled "Multi-belt conveyor system with removable hoppers" with application number 202010591295.X. Technical Field

[0002] The exemplary embodiments described herein relate generally to multi-belt conveyor systems, and more particularly to multi-belt conveyor systems including removable hoppers. Background Technology

[0003] In general, in a material handling environment, material handling systems can high-speed transport, transport, sort, and organize various types of items (e.g., cartons, boxes, containers, shipping cartons, handbags, packages, plastic bags, jiffy packages, etc.). Depending on the configuration of the material handling system, items can travel unsupervised through the material handling environment as they move on conveyors, or they can be repositioned, redirected, and / or combined into a single item flow. Typically, in such material handling environments, it is generally desirable to create gaps between items as they are conveyed on the conveyor bed of a conveyor. Establishing the correct gaps between items within a continuous flow of items on a conveyor presents associated challenges. Summary of the Invention

[0004] A brief summary of the invention is provided below to offer a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed material handling system. This summary is not an exhaustive overview and is neither intended to identify key or critical components nor to describe the scope of such components. Its purpose is to serve as an introduction to the detailed embodiments provided below, to present some concepts of the features in a simplified form.

[0005] The various exemplary embodiments described herein relate to a multi-belt conveyor including a base assembly that may include a base frame extending along the length of the multi-belt conveyor. Furthermore, the multi-belt conveyor may include a conveyor bed having a plurality of cassettes positioned adjacent to each other and mounted to the base frame. In this regard, each of the plurality of cassettes may include a set of conveyor belts configured to move at a defined speed in a direction along the conveyor bed. Additionally, according to some exemplary embodiments, one of the plurality of cassettes may be configured to be removed from the conveyor bed without removing adjacent cassettes from the plurality of cassettes.

[0006] In some exemplary embodiments, each hopper of the multi-belt conveyor may include an actuation assembly comprising a drive pulley rotatable about an axis. Furthermore, each hopper includes: a roller-slider bed, which may include a plurality of rollers rotatable by the actuation assembly; and a set of conveyor belts mounted around the roller-slider bed and the drive pulley. In this respect, the set of conveyor belts may be configured to move on the roller-slider bed in response to rotation of the drive pulley and the plurality of rollers.

[0007] According to the exemplary embodiment, the actuation assembly may further include a sprocket mechanically coupled to the shaft of the ball bearing and the drive pulley. The sprocket may be configured to rotate by actuation of the actuation assembly. In this respect, actuation of the actuation assembly may include movement of a timing belt mounted around the sprocket to cause rotation of the sprocket, the ball bearing, and the shaft of the drive pulley. In some exemplary embodiments, the actuation assembly may be actuated by a drive motor mounted to the base frame. In this respect, according to the exemplary embodiment, the timing belt may be mounted around the sprocket of the hopper and sprocket teeth including bushings mechanically coupled to the shaft of the drive motor.

[0008] According to some exemplary embodiments, the plurality of hoppers of the multi-belt conveyor may include: a first hopper removably mounted to the base frame; and a second hopper removably mounted to the base frame. The first hopper may include: a first actuation assembly, which may include at least a first drive pulley; a first roller-slider bed, which includes a first set of rollers rotatable by the first actuation assembly; and a first set of conveyor belts mounted around the first roller-slider bed and the first drive pulley. In this respect, the first set of conveyor belts is movable in response to rotation of the first set of rollers and the first drive pulley of the first actuation assembly. According to the exemplary embodiments, the second hopper may include: a second actuation assembly, which includes at least a second drive pulley; a second roller-slider bed, which includes a second set of rollers rotatable by the actuation assembly; and a second set of conveyor belts mounted around the second roller-slider bed and the second drive pulley. According to the exemplary embodiment, the first set of conveyor belts may be configured to move on the first set of rollers at a first speed, and the second set of conveyor belts may be configured to move on the second set of rollers at a second speed different from the first speed, so as to create gaps between articles on the conveyor bed of the multi-belt conveyor.

[0009] According to some exemplary embodiments, each cassette may include a cassette frame defined by a cassette frame top and a cassette frame base. In this regard, the cassette frame base may be mechanically connected to the cassette frame top by a spring pin and a nut and bolt assembly. The cassette frame base may be defined at an angle relative to the cassette frame top. Furthermore, each cassette may also include a machined transverse member comprising a groove configured to support the positioning of the plurality of rollers of the roller-slider bed on the machined transverse member. The machined transverse member may be configured to engage with the cassette frame top.

[0010] In some exemplary embodiments, the cassette may be configured to be removably mounted on the base assembly by: (i) positioning the cassette on the base assembly such that the cassette frame base is positioned on a portion of the base frame in a defined orientation; (ii) engaging the cassette frame base to the base frame by a nut and bolt assembly; and (iii) engaging a T-bolt between the cassette and another cassette positioned adjacent to the cassette.

[0011] According to some exemplary embodiments, the multi-belt conveyor may include a plurality of T-bolts. In this regard, each T-bolt may be configured to engage the top of the cassette frame of two adjacently positioned cassettes among the plurality of cassettes.

[0012] In some exemplary embodiments, the base assembly of the multi-belt conveyor may include a drive motor mounted to the base frame. The drive motor may include a shaft that passes through at least a portion of the base frame. Furthermore, the base assembly may include sprocket teeth and a tension plate, the sprocket teeth including bushings mechanically coupled to the shaft of the drive motor, and the tension plate being positioned between the sprocket teeth and the base frame. In some examples, the tension plate may include a plurality of slots configured to receive a plurality of front-face bolts to engage the tension plate on the base frame.

[0013] According to some exemplary embodiments, the hoppers of the plurality of hoppers of the multi-belt conveyor may be configured to control the position of the hopper frame base relative to the conveying surface defined by the conveyor bed based on the engagement of the top of the hopper frame with the hopper frame base and the base frame, and the engagement of the top of the hopper frame with the machined transverse member.

[0014] In some exemplary embodiments, the hopper may include a conveyor belt tensioning assembly, which may include a first tensioning plate and a first tensioning bolt. The conveyor belt tensioning assembly may be configured to adjust the tension of the set of conveyor belts mounted around the drive pulley and the roller-slider bed. Furthermore, in the exemplary embodiments, the base assembly may include a timing belt tensioning assembly, which may include a second tensioning plate and a second tensioning nut. The timing belt tensioning assembly may be configured to adjust the tension of the timing belt around the sprocket mounted on the hopper and around the sprocket having the bushing at the base assembly.

[0015] Some exemplary embodiments described herein relate to a hopper for a multi-belt conveyor. The hopper may include an actuation assembly that may include at least a drive pulley configured to rotate about an axis. Furthermore, the hopper may include a roller-slider bed including a plurality of rollers rotatable by the actuation assembly. The hopper may also include a set of conveyor belts mounted around the roller-slider bed and the drive pulleys, and configured to move on the roller-slider bed in response to rotation of the drive pulleys and the plurality of rollers. According to the exemplary embodiments, the hopper may also include a hopper frame including a hopper frame base removably mountable within a section of the conveyor bed defined by the multi-belt conveyor.

[0016] In some exemplary embodiments, the cassette can be removably mounted to a base frame of the multi-belt conveyor, the base frame including a conveyor bed defined by a plurality of conveyor belts. In this regard, each of the plurality of conveyor belts can be configured to operate in the direction along the conveyor bed at one of the following: at the same speed or at different speeds, or at the same acceleration or at different accelerations, or at the same deceleration or at different decelerations, with the remaining conveyor belts of the respective cassette operating at that speed, acceleration, or deceleration.

[0017] In some exemplary embodiments, the cassette may also include a cassette frame top. In this regard, the cassette may be configured to be removably mounted to the base assembly of the multi-belt conveyor by: (i) positioning the cassette on the base frame of the base assembly such that the cassette frame base is positioned on a portion of the base frame in a defined orientation; (ii) engaging the cassette frame base to the base frame by a nut and bolt assembly; and (iii) engaging a T-bolt between the cassette frame top of the cassette and the top of another cassette frame of another cassette positioned adjacent to the cassette on the multi-belt conveyor.

[0018] In some exemplary embodiments, the actuation assembly of the hopper may include a sprocket. The sprocket may be mechanically coupled to a ball bearing and a shaft of the drive pulley. The sprocket may be configured to rotate by actuation of the actuation assembly, the actuation of the actuation assembly may include: movement of a timing belt mounted around the sprocket to cause rotation of the shaft of the sprocket, the ball bearing, and the drive pulley.

[0019] In some exemplary embodiments, the cassette can be removably mounted in the section of the multi-belt conveyor based on the engagement of the cassette frame base with the base frame. In this respect, the cassette can be mounted in the section of the multi-belt conveyor such that the roller-slider bed defined by the plurality of rollers of the cassette can be aligned with the conveying surface defined by the conveying bed of the multi-belt conveyor.

[0020] In some exemplary embodiments, the hopper may further include a conveyor belt tensioning assembly. The conveyor belt tensioning assembly may include a tension plate and tension bolts, which may be configured to adjust the tension of the set of conveyor belts mounted around the drive pulley and the roller-slider bed.

[0021] Some exemplary embodiments described herein relate to a method for constructing a multi-belt conveyor. The method may include positioning a cassette on a base frame of the multi-belt conveyor. In this regard, the cassette may include: a roller-slider bed including a plurality of rollers; at least one drive pulley configured to rotate about an axis; and a set of conveyor belts mounted around the roller-slider bed and the drive pulleys. The set of conveyor belts may be configured to move on the roller-slider bed in response to rotation of the drive pulleys and the plurality of rollers. The method may further include mounting the cassette on the base frame of the multi-belt conveyor by engaging a cassette frame base with a section of the base frame. Furthermore, the method may include installing a timing belt between the cassette and the base frame to mechanically connect the drive pulleys of the cassette to the shaft of a drive motor of the multi-belt conveyor.

[0022] In some exemplary embodiments, the method further includes removing the cassette mounted to the base frame of the multi-belt conveyor by: (i) unfastening the front face bolts to loosen the engagement of a tension plate through which the drive motor of the multi-belt conveyor is mounted to the base frame; (ii) releasing the tension of a timing belt mounted around a sprocket and a bushing-equipped sprocket tooth of the cassette, the bushing being mechanically coupled to the shaft of the drive motor; (iii) disengaging a nut and bolt assembly that engages the cassette frame base with the section of the base frame; and (iv) removing the cassette from the base frame of the conveyor.

[0023] According to the exemplary embodiment, the cassette may include a cassette frame top defined at an angle to the cassette frame base. In this regard, the cassette frame base may be oriented to engage with and be coupled to the section of the base frame via a nut and bolt assembly. Furthermore, the cassette may include a machined transverse member comprising a groove configured to support positioning of the plurality of rollers of the roller-slider bed on the machined transverse member. The machined transverse member may be configured to engage with the cassette frame top.

[0024] The above description of the invention is provided merely to outline some exemplary embodiments to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of this disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that the above embodiments are merely examples and should not be construed as limiting the scope or substance of this disclosure in any way. It should be understood that, in addition to those summarized herein, the scope of this disclosure covers many possible embodiments, some of which will be further described below. Attached Figure Description

[0025] The description of the exemplary embodiments can be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that, for simplicity and clarity of illustration, the elements shown in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some elements are exaggerated relative to others. Embodiments incorporating the teachings of this disclosure are shown and described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0026] Figure 1 A perspective view of a multi-belt conveyor including multiple hoppers according to some exemplary embodiments described herein is shown.

[0027] Figure 2 Another perspective view of a multi-belt conveyor according to some exemplary embodiments described herein is shown, depicting an assembly of multiple hoppers.

[0028] Figure 3A side view of a multi-belt conveyor comprising multiple hoppers arranged adjacent to each other, according to some exemplary embodiments described herein, is shown. Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of a multi-belt conveyor according to some exemplary embodiments described herein is shown, depicting one of a plurality of cassettes disassembled from the base assembly of the multi-belt conveyor.

[0029] Figure 5 A side view of a multi-belt conveyor according to some exemplary embodiments described herein is shown, depicting one of a plurality of cassettes detached from the base assembly of the multi-belt conveyor.

[0030] Figure 6 Perspective views and exploded views of a cartridge according to some exemplary embodiments described herein are shown.

[0031] Figure 7 A flowchart illustrating a method for mounting a hopper on a multi-belt conveyor according to some exemplary embodiments described herein is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0032] Some embodiments of this disclosure will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate some, but not all, embodiments of this disclosure. In fact, this disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided to enable this disclosure to meet applicable legal requirements. Unless otherwise specified, the terms “or” and “optionally” are used herein in the sense of alternatives and combinations. The terms “illustrative” and “exemplary” are used for examples without an indication of quality level. Throughout the document, similar reference numerals refer to similar elements.

[0033] The components shown in the accompanying drawings represent components that may or may not be present in the various embodiments of this disclosure described herein, such that the embodiments may include fewer or more components than those shown in the drawings without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0034] Turning now to the accompanying drawings, the specific embodiments illustrated below, taken in conjunction with the drawings, are intended to describe various configurations and are not intended to represent the only configuration in which the concepts described herein can be practiced. The specific embodiments include detailed descriptions intended to provide a comprehensive understanding of the various concepts, wherein similar figures refer to similar parts throughout several views. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these concepts can be practiced without these specific details.

[0035] In material handling systems, large quantities of items (such as boxes, parcels, packages, cartons, cartons, containers, shipping boxes, handbags, plastic bags, padded packaging, etc.) or items of varying sizes are typically introduced onto conveyors as a disordered flow of items. As items move along the conveyor, it is generally desirable to create spaces or gaps between them to separate individual items from the flow and to perform further operations, such as, but not limited to, sorting. In such systems, it may be important to control the distance or gap between the tail end of a leading item and the head end of a trailing item. Furthermore, it may be desirable to align products with positioning points, such as the leading edge of a pusher, for manipulation by the pusher. For example, in some cases, if the gaps created between items are relatively large, the throughput of items moving on the conveyor may be reduced, while if the gaps are too small, consecutive items may interfere with each other, potentially leading to congestion. To this extent, controlling these gaps can be particularly difficult when packages vary in size, shape, or orientation. Typically, multi-belt conveyors are used in such cases, where multiple conveyor belts are configured to move at varying speeds to create gaps between items as they move along the conveyor bed. Multi-belt conveyors are generally complex in design, and maintaining and repairing them is challenging.

[0036] Typically, occasional maintenance is required to maintain the uptime and lifespan of such multi-belt conveyors, resulting in system downtime, lost productivity, and significant manpower costs. Furthermore, such maintenance often necessitates extensive manual labor by operators, involving the complete disassembly of the multi-belt conveyor. This may include, for example, unpacking numerous components or disassembling or removing parts such as the conveyor belts and conveyor frames. Additionally, in such multi-belt conveyors, maintaining a flat and level conveying surface of the conveyor bed is desirable throughout the entire conveyor. Maintenance involving the installation and disassembly of the complete conveyor frame and associated components, as mentioned earlier, often leads to misalignment of the conveyor belts that define the conveyor bed. Consequently, with frequent such maintenance operations, the level conveying surface of the conveyor bed is disturbed, and bulges are created along the conveying surface. Therefore, in such cases, the material handling system may lose track of items as they travel on the conveyor bed.

[0037] The various exemplary embodiments described herein relate to multi-belt conveyors for conveying articles in a material handling environment. A multi-belt conveyor may include a conveyor bed defined by a plurality of cassettes positioned adjacent to each other. Each cassette of the multi-belt conveyor may include: (a) a roller-slider bed defined by a set of rollers, wherein the roller-slider bed can operate as a roller bed and / or a slider bed; (b) an actuation assembly that may include drive pulleys rotatable about an axis; and (c) a set of conveyor belts mounted around the drive pulleys and the roller-slider bed. The roller-slider bed may include a plurality of rollers positioned so adjacently that the rollers define a roller bed. According to the exemplary embodiments, the roller-slider bed may be positioned slightly below a top height defined by the plurality of rollers, such that each cassette functions as a segment of the roller bed. According to the exemplary embodiments, one of the plurality of cassettes can be removably mounted on a base assembly of the multi-belt conveyor. In other words, the cassette can be removed from the base assembly of the multi-belt conveyor without removing another cassette positioned adjacent to it on the base assembly. According to the exemplary embodiments described, a set of conveyor belts for a cassette can move at a defined speed along the conveying direction of the items on the conveyor bed on a roller-slider bed. In this respect, when the conveyor bed (or conveying surface on which items are conveyed) of a multi-belt conveyor is defined or can be formed by placing multiple cassettes adjacent to each other, the multiple sets of conveyor belts for the respective cassettes can move at varying speeds along the conveying direction. In other words, the set of conveyor belts for each cassette, comprising a conveyor belt along the width of the conveyor bed, can move at the same speed; however, the speed at which this set of conveyor belts moves can differ from the speed at which another set of conveyor belts for another (or adjacent) cassette can move. In another embodiment, the conveyor belts in a set of conveyor belts for a single cassette can also move at different speeds relative to each other. Moreover, in some exemplary embodiments, the multiple sets of conveyor belts can operate at different acceleration and deceleration rates. For example, in one embodiment, when an article is positioned on the container, the conveyor belts of the container can operate at an acceleration ranging from about 0.2g (gravity) to about 0.5g, or more specifically from about 0.3g to about 0.45g, or even more specifically from about 0.4g. However, when the container is empty (i.e., no article passes through the container), the conveyor belts of the container can operate at an acceleration ranging from about 1.5g to about 2.2g, or more specifically from about 1.7g to about 2.1g, or even more specifically from about 1.75g ​​to about 2g.

[0038] Therefore, multiple bins defined along the length of the conveyor bed can operate at varying speeds, accelerations, or decelerations. This can induce programmed gaps between items as they are conveyed on the conveyor bed, or align items at desired positions relative to a target position of an item moving downstream on the conveyor. In other embodiments, the speed can also be varied to reduce the gaps between items on the conveyor bed.

[0039] According to the exemplary embodiments described herein, the cassettes of the multi-belt conveyor are modular and can be mounted on or removed from the base assembly of the multi-belt conveyor. In this respect, cassettes can be mounted or removed from the base assembly without interfering with the mounting of adjacent cassettes on the base assembly. In this respect, according to some exemplary embodiments, mounting a cassette on the base assembly may involve: (a) mating the cassette frame base at a defined location on a portion of the base frame, and (b) engaging the cassette to the base frame using a nut and bolt assembly.

[0040] Furthermore, according to the exemplary embodiment, the actuation assembly of the hopper can be actuated by a timing belt that mechanically connects the drive pulley of the hopper to a drive motor, which can be mounted at the base assembly of a multi-belt conveyor. In this respect, actuation of the drive motor causes the timing belt to move on the sprocket of the actuation assembly, causing rotation of the drive pulley, which further causes a set of conveyor belts to move on a roller-slide bed at a defined speed and / or acceleration. Furthermore, reference is made below. Figures 1 to 7 The details of the assembly and disassembly of the material box and its base frame relative to the multi-belt conveyor are described.

[0041] Figure 1 A perspective view of a multi-belt conveyor 100 comprising a plurality of cassettes 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n according to some exemplary embodiments described herein is shown. The multi-belt conveyor 100 includes a conveyor bed 104 defined by a plurality of cassettes 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n, which are positioned adjacent to each other and covered on one side of the multi-belt conveyor 100 by corresponding synchronous belt covers 106-1, 106-2...106-a, respectively. As shown, the conveyor bed 104 extends along the length of the multi-belt conveyor 100. The conveyor bed 104 may include a conveying surface defined by a plurality of conveyor belts of the plurality of cassettes 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n, on which a flow of items may be conveyed. In some exemplary embodiments, the conveyor bed 104 may be defined by an assembly of multiple roller-slider beds for each hopper, wherein each hopper may constitute a corresponding roller-slider bed defined by a set of conveyor belts for that hopper. References below Figures 1 to 6Details are described regarding a set of conveyor belts and roller-slider beds defined by each cassette. The multi-belt conveyor 100 may also include two side rails 108-1 and 108-2 at both ends (i.e., the left and right ends) of the multi-belt conveyor 100. Side rails 108-1 and 108-2 may be mounted on roller-slider beds (not shown) of a plurality of cassettes 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n, respectively. Side rails 108-1 and 108-2 may be mounted on a conveyor bed 104 to prevent items from falling off the conveyor bed 104 during transport.

[0042] By way of example, each of the plurality of cassettes 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n includes multiple sets of conveyor belts that can be configured to move in an upstream direction X or a downstream direction Y. According to various exemplary embodiments, the conveyor bed 104 may include a conveying surface defined by the multiple sets of conveyor belts of the plurality of cassettes 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n. The conveying surface can facilitate the conveying of a flow of articles positioned on the conveying surface. In this respect, the conveying surface defined by the multiple sets of conveyor belts is a leveled conveying surface that prevents any collisions, deflections, or misalignments of the articles as they are conveyed on the multi-belt conveyor 100. (See below for further details.) Figures 2 to 7 Further details are described relating to the movement of multiple sets of conveyor belts for each of the multiple material boxes 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n.

[0043] According to various exemplary implementation schemes Figure 1 The multi-belt conveyor 100 shown may correspond to a conveyor in a sorting system (e.g., but not limited to a section or inductive conveyor of a circular sorting machine, a conveyor for positioning items aligned with a target relative to the position of the item moving on the conveyor, etc.).

[0044] According to the exemplary embodiment described, each set of conveyor belts for the respective bins 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n can be configured to move in direction X or Y depending on the direction (upstream or downstream) of the items to be conveyed. In this respect, each set of conveyor belts for the respective bins 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n can be configured to operate at varying speeds, accelerations, or decelerations in response to actuation by a controller, such that gaps or spacing, which can be pre-programmed by the controller, can be created between different items as the item flow is conveyed on the conveyor bed 104. In other words, in an exemplary embodiment, based on: (i) the gap or spacing that may be created between two items as the items move on the conveyor surface of the conveyor bed 104, or (ii) the items may be positioned in a desired location relative to another item on the conveyor bed 104 (i.e., relative to the trailing or leading edge), the conveyor belt of cassette 102-1 may move at a first speed in a defined direction (e.g., upstream direction X or downstream direction Y), which may be different from a second speed at which the conveyor belt of cassette 102-2 may move, or move at a different rate of acceleration or a different rate of deceleration.

[0045] According to some exemplary embodiments, the drive motor of the multi-belt conveyor 100 can be mounted on the left or right end of the multi-belt conveyor, depending on the material handling environment or installation location. For example, in one exemplary embodiment, the drive motor can be mounted on the left side, i.e., towards the side rail 108-1. In this regard, to cause movement of items in the upstream direction X, the drive motor facing the leftmost end (i.e., towards the hopper 102-n) can be actuated first, and subsequent drive motors can be actuated to rotate the shafts of the respective motors clockwise, thereby causing movement of multiple sets of conveyor belts of the hopper in the direction X. Similarly, to cause movement of items in the direction Y, the drive motor facing the rightmost end (i.e., towards the hopper 102-1) can be actuated first, and subsequent drive motors can be actuated to rotate the shafts of the respective motors counterclockwise, thereby causing movement of multiple sets of conveyor belts of the hopper in the direction Y.

[0046] In another exemplary embodiment, the drive motor of the multi-belt conveyor 100 may be mounted on the right end of the multi-belt conveyor 100, i.e., toward the side rail 108-2. In this respect, in order to cause movement of the articles in the X direction, the drive motor at the leftmost end (i.e., toward the hopper 102-n) may be actuated first, and subsequent drive motors may be actuated to rotate the shaft of the respective motor in a counterclockwise direction, thereby causing multiple sets of conveyor belts of the hopper to move in the X direction, etc.

[0047] Figure 2Another perspective view of a multi-belt conveyor 100 is shown, depicting an assembly of a plurality of cassettes 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n along the length of the multi-belt conveyor 100. According to some exemplary embodiments, the multi-belt conveyor 100 may be defined by two sections: (i) a conveyor bed 104 comprising a plurality of cassettes 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n positioned adjacent to each other; and (ii) a base assembly 201 comprising a base frame 202 on which the cassettes 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n may be mounted. As shown in the figure, each hopper (102-1 or 102-2... or 102-n) of the multi-belt conveyor 100 includes multiple sets of conveyor belts 204-1, 204-2...204-n mounted on a roller-slider bed (not shown) and drive pulleys (not shown) of the corresponding hopper. For example, hopper 102-1 of the multi-belt conveyor 100 may include a set of conveyor belts 204-1 (i.e., conveyor belts 204-1-1, 204-1-2, 204-1-3, 204-1-4, 204-1-5, and 204-1-6). Similarly, hopper 102-2 may include a set of conveyor belts 204-2 (i.e., conveyor belts 204-2-1, 204-2-2, 204-2-3, 204-2-4, 204-2-5, 204-2-6), etc. In this regard, multiple sets of conveyor belts 204-1, 204-2, 204-3...204-n corresponding to multiple bins 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n can be configured to operate at varying speeds or acceleration or deceleration rates to transport item flows (along with programming gaps between items or positioning some items at desired positions relative to other items).

[0048] According to the exemplary embodiments described, each of the multiple sets of conveyor belts 204-1, 204-2...204-n can be actuated by a corresponding drive motor 206 mounted on the base assembly 201 of the multi-belt conveyor 100 to move along the conveyor bed 104. In this respect, according to some exemplary embodiments, the multi-belt conveyor 100 may include a plurality of drive motors 206-1, 206-2, 206-3...206-n, which can be mounted on the base assembly 201 of the multi-belt conveyor 100 (i.e., facing the right-hand or left-hand side of the multi-belt conveyor, as previously described). In this respect, in some examples, a set of conveyor belts 204-2 corresponding to the second hopper 102-2 can be moved by actuation of drive motor 206-2, and a set of conveyor belts 204-3 corresponding to the third hopper 102-3 can be moved by actuation of drive motor 206-3, and so on. In other words, according to the exemplary embodiment, the plurality of drive motors mounted on the base assembly 201 may correspond to a plurality of hoppers (or a plurality of conveyor belts 204-1, 204-2...204-n) to be moved by the respective drive motors. Therefore, according to the exemplary embodiment, the drive motors of the multi-belt conveyor 100 may be configured to actuate and cause movement of the respective set of conveyor belts 204-1, 204-2, 204-3...204-n for the plurality of hoppers 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n, the details of which will be referred to later. Figures 3 to 7 Describe it.

[0049] According to some exemplary embodiments, the movement of multiple sets of conveyor belts 204-1, 204-2...204-n can be achieved via the mechanical connection between pairs of multiple sets of conveyor belts and drive motors (204-1, 206-1), (204-2, 206-2)...(204-n, 206-n), respectively, through the actuation components of each of the multiple material boxes 102-1, 102-2...102-n.

[0050] According to some exemplary embodiments, the multi-belt conveyor 100 may include a plurality of synchronous belts 208-1, 208-2, 208-3...208-n that mechanically connect the sprocket teeth 210-1, 210-2...210-n of each of a plurality of cassettes 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n to a plurality of drive motors 206-1, 206-2, 206-3...206-n that may be respectively mounted on a base assembly 201. Thus, in exemplary operation, the plurality of drive motors 206-1, 206-2, 206-3...206-n can be actuated to cause rotation of their respective shafts, which drive the plurality of synchronous belts 208-1, 208-2, 208-3...208-n to move the sprockets 210-1, 210-2...210-n in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. The rotation of sprockets 210-1, 210-2...210-n causes the rotation of the drive pulleys of the material boxes, which in turn causes the movement of multiple sets of conveyor belts 204-1, 204-2...204-n corresponding to the material boxes. (Reference) Figures 4 to 7 Further details are described below: (i) mechanical connection is made between drive motors 206-1, 206-2...206-n and multiple sets of conveyor belts 204-1, 204-2...204-n via actuation components, and (ii) the drive motors are actuated to cause movement of the multiple sets of conveyor belts 204-1, 204-2...204-n.

[0051] By way of example, the multi-belt conveyor 100 also includes an end cover 212 which can be installed between the top 304 and the bottom cover 213 of the two cassette frames of each cassette to prevent access components when assembling the multiple cassettes 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n of the multi-belt conveyor 100.

[0052] Figure 3 A side view 300 of a multi-belt conveyor 100 comprising multiple hoppers 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n according to various exemplary embodiments described herein is shown. Although Figure 3The section of the multi-belt conveyor 100 depicted in the side view 300 includes 20 cassettes positioned adjacent to each other. However, without limiting the scope of this disclosure, according to various exemplary embodiments, the multi-belt conveyor 100 may include any number of cassettes capable of being removably positioned adjacent to each other, which may define a conveyor bed 104 for conveying a flow of articles. As shown, the multi-belt conveyor 100 may also include a plurality of T-bolts 302-1, 302-2...302-n. The T-bolts 302-1, 302-2...302-n may be configured to engage the tops 304 of the cassette frames of two adjacently positioned cassettes. For example, T-bolt 302-1 may engage the tops of the cassette frames of cassettes 102-1 and 102-2, respectively. In this regard, according to the exemplary embodiment, a T-bolt 302-1 can be inserted into a slot formed by the top 304 of the box frame of two adjacent positioned boxes 102-1 and 102-2, thereby contacting the two adjacent boxes 102-1 and 102-2. Furthermore, when the T-bolt 302-1 is inserted between the two adjacent positioned boxes 102-1 and 102-2, a nut and washer can be externally fastened to the end of the T-bolt 302-1. Therefore, the top 304 of the box frame of the two adjacent positioned boxes 102-1 and 102-2 can be pulled to be flush with each other and collinearly arranged, thereby allowing seamless integration of boxes 102-1 and 102-2 on the horizontal plane defined by the top flange 410 of the channel of the top flange 410 of the base frame 202. Therefore, in order to detach or remove the cassette from the base frame 202, the corresponding T-bolts that engage the cassette with the adjacent cassette can be removed, and the cassette frame base 408 can then be detached from the base frame 202.

[0053] refer to Figure 3Enlarged views 300a, 300b, and 300c depict the assembly of T-bolts 302-n between adjacent positioned cartridges 102-1, 102-2...102-n, thereby engaging the cartridge frame tops 304 of the respective cartridges. Illustratively, each cartridge frame top 304 of the respective cartridges 102-1, 102-2...102-n includes a hole defining half of a slot 308 (defined when assembling adjacent cartridges), into which the corresponding T-bolt 302-n can be inserted. For example, referring to view 300a, cartridge frame tops 304-1 and 304-2 of adjacent positioned cartridges define a slot 308 into which a T-bolt 302-a can be inserted. The T-bolt 302-a may include a first end 310-1, a second end 310-2, and a third end 310-3. Furthermore, in some exemplary embodiments, a pre-assembled T-bolt assembly including a T-bolt 302-a, a nut 312, and a washer 314 can be used to engage the top 304 of the cassette frame of adjacent positioned cassettes. Referring to view 300b, the T-bolt 302-a can be inserted into a slot 308 like a key, and the bolt assembly rotates up to 90° and a cam stop 311 defined on the bottom of the T-bolt, facing the first end 310-1, strikes the edge of the slot 308. In this respect, referring to view 300c, the nut 312 can be tightened on the third end 310-3 of the T-bolt 302-a to clamp each top 304 of the cassette frame of adjacent positioned cassettes between the T-shaped head defined by the first end 310-1 and the second end 310-2 of the T-bolt 302-a and the washer face of the washer 314, thereby aligning the top 304 of the cassette frame of adjacent positioned cassettes (e.g., 304-1 and 304-2). Furthermore, according to the exemplary embodiment, in order to remove the T-bolt 302-a, the nut 312 can be loosened, and when the nut 312 is loosened, the T-bolt 302-a can be rotated 90° so that the bolt assembly can be removed together from the slot 308.

[0054] Furthermore, according to the exemplary embodiment described, the multi-belt conveyor 100 may include timing belt covers 106-1, 106-2...106-p to cover a plurality of hoppers 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n mounted on the base frame 202. The timing belt covers 106-1, 106-2...106-p prevent dust or unwanted dirt from accumulating on the hoppers and provide additional safety to the multi-belt conveyor 100 by preventing access to components of the conveyor during operation.

[0055] According to various exemplary embodiments, multiple cassettes 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n can be mounted on the base assembly 201 of the multi-belt conveyor 100, such that the conveying surface 306 formed by assembling multiple sets of conveyor belts 204-1, 204-2...204-n has consistent leveling along the entire length of the multi-belt conveyor 100. The leveled conveying surface 306 can be achieved by controlling the distance from the cassette frame base 408 to the conveying surface 306. In this respect, the leveling conveyor surface 306 can be formed due to various factors, such as, but not limited to: (a) the fixed engagement of the top of the cassette frame (with tight tolerances) of the cassette based on spring pins and nut and bolt assemblies with the cassette frame base, (b) the engagement of the cassette frame base on the top flange defined by the channel of the base frame, (c) the positioning of the rollers of each cassette's roller-slider bed on the machined transverse member, and (d) the engagement of the machined transverse member with the top of the cassette frame, details of which are referred to in the various cases below. Figures 4 to 6 The description is as follows. It should be understood that a leveled and uniform conveying surface prevents the formation of any raised or uneven surfaces on the conveyor bed 104. In this regard, according to the various exemplary embodiments described herein, when multiple cassettes 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n are mounted on the base frame 202, a set of conveyor belts for each cassette is coplanar with a set of conveyor belts for the adjacent positioned cassettes. For example, according to the example described, when cassettes 102-1 and 102-2 are mounted on the base frame 202, a set of conveyor belts 204-1 of cassette 102-1 defines a portion of a conveying surface 306 that is coplanar with another portion of a conveying surface 306 defined by a set of conveyor belts 204-2 of cassette 102-2.

[0056] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view 400 of a multi-belt conveyor 100 according to some exemplary embodiments described herein is shown, depicting one of a plurality of cartridges 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n detached from the base assembly 201 of the multi-belt conveyor 100. As shown, cartridge 102-1 is detachable from the base frame 202 of the multi-belt conveyor 100. In this respect, according to the various exemplary embodiments described herein, cartridge 102-1 can be detached from the base frame 202 without removing adjacent cartridges 102-2 from the plurality of cartridges 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n of the multi-belt conveyor 100.

[0057] According to various exemplary embodiments described herein, the material box 102 includes a set of conveyor belts 204 (including conveyor belts 204-1-1, 204-1-2, 204-1-3, 204-1-4, 204-1-5, etc.), which can be mounted on the roller-slider bed and drive pulleys of the material box 102-1. Reference Figure 6 Details related to the installation of components of a set of conveyor belts 204 and a roller-slider bed are described.

[0058] Re-reference Figure 4 Each of the plurality of cassettes 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n may include a cassette frame top 304 and a cassette frame base 408. The cassette frame base 408 may be defined at an angle relative to the cassette frame top 304. For example, in some examples, the cassette frame base 408 of cassette 102-1 may engage with the cassette frame top 304 such that the cassette frame base 408 defines an angle substantially perpendicular to the cassette frame top 304. In this respect, according to the various exemplary embodiments described herein, the cassette base frame 408 may be securely engaged to the cassette frame top 304 by means of a spring pin and a nut and bolt assembly, thereby preventing pivoting or relative movement between the cassette frame top 304 and the cassette frame base 408. According to the exemplary embodiment, the spring pin can be positioned at a base angle relative to the top flange 410 of the cartridge frame 304 defined between the top 304 of the cartridge frame, the cartridge frame base 408, and the base frame 202, such that all features are positioned and arranged with minimal tolerance variation to maximize component repeatability, thereby allowing a flat top conveying surface and eliminating planar variations between sections of the conveying surface defined by adjacent positioned cartridges. References below Figure 5 and Figure 6 Further details describe the engagement of the top 304 of the cartridge frame and the base 408 of the cartridge frame.

[0059] According to the various exemplary embodiments described herein, a plurality of cartridges 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n can be mounted or detached from the base frame 202 based on the engagement or disengagement of the cartridge frame base 408 (of the respective cartridge) with the top flange 410 defined on the base frame 202. In this regard, in some examples, the shape of the cartridge frame base 408 of the plurality of cartridges 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n is such that it is complementary to the shape of the top flange 410 of the base frame 202. In other words, in order to mount cartridge 102-1 to the base frame 202, cartridge 102-1 can be positioned on the base assembly 201 such that the cartridge frame base 408 is positioned on a portion of the top flange 410 of the base frame 202 in a desired orientation. For example, in some embodiments, to mount the cassette 102 onto the base frame 202, the cassette frame base 408 may be positioned on the top flange 410 of the base frame 202 such that a hole defined in the cassette frame base 408 overlaps with another hole defined in the top flange 410 of the base frame 202. In this regard, when aligning the holes, a connecting pin or bolt may pass through both the corresponding holes on the cassette frame top 304 and the cassette frame base 408, and be bolted to engage the cassette 102-1 on the base frame 202. By fitting the cassette frame base 408 onto the top flange 410 of the base frame 202 in the manner described, a precision-fit connection between the cassette frame base 408 and the base frame 202 can be achieved via a nut and bolt assembly. This prevents any lateral or transverse movement of the cassette frame base 408 about the base frame 202 during conveying operations of the multi-belt conveyor 100. Therefore, based on the precise fit connection, the material box 102-1 can be fixedly mounted on the base assembly 201. Furthermore, since each of the multiple material boxes 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n can be mounted on the base frame 202 through the engagement of the material box frame base 408 and the top flange 410, the conveying surface 306 formed by the multiple material boxes 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n is always at a defined height relative to the base frame 202 (and without any unevenness). In other words, when the multiple material boxes 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n are mounted on the base frame 202, a set of conveyor belts 204-1, 204-2...204-n (in the multi-belt conveyor 100 assembly type) are always coplanar with each other. Therefore, according to the exemplary embodiments described herein, based on the precision-fit connection and cartridge assembly tolerances and positioning that can be achieved by using spring pins as placement and constraint entities, a horizontal conveying surface for conveying items can be achieved even when different cartridges are repeatedly disassembled and subsequently installed on the base frame 202.

[0060] Figure 5 A front cross-sectional view 500 of a multi-belt conveyor 100 comprising a plurality of cartridges 102-1, 102-2...102-n according to some exemplary embodiments described herein is shown, and cartridge 102-4 is depicted detached from the base assembly 201 of the multi-belt conveyor 100. Inventively, cartridges 102-1, 102-2, 102-3, 102-5, 102-6, and 102-7 of the multi-belt conveyor 100 are mounted on the base frame 202 of the base assembly 201, and cartridge 102-4 is detached from the base assembly 201. According to the various exemplary embodiments described herein, each of the cassettes 102-1, 102-2, 102-3, 102-5, 102-6, and 102-7 can be mounted on the base frame 202 via a respective nut and bolt assembly through engagement of the cassette frame base 408 with a top flange 410 defined by the base frame 202. Illustratively, cassette 102-1 can be mounted on the base frame 202 via two nut and bolt assemblies 502 and 504.

[0061] According to the exemplary embodiment, each of the cassettes 102-1, 102-2, 102-3, 102-4, 102-5, 102-6, and 102-7 may include a cassette frame top 304 and a cassette frame base 408, wherein the cassette frame base 408 may be fixedly engaged to the cassette frame top 304 via an engagement unit 506. The engagement unit 506 may include a spring pin and a nut and bolt assembly. In this regard, to engage the cassette frame top 304 to the cassette frame base 408, a spring pin may pass through one end of the cassette frame top 304 into a hole in the cassette frame base 408, thereby aligning the cassette frame top 304 with the cassette frame base 408, and subsequently the cassette frame top 304 may be engaged to the cassette frame base 408 via the tightening of the nut and bolt assembly, as previously referenced. Figure 4 As stated above.

[0062] According to the exemplary embodiment, the material box 102-4 can be removed from the base frame 202 by removing the T-bolts between material boxes 102-3 and 102-4 and between material boxes 102-4 and 102-5, and further by disengaging the material box frame base 408 of the material box 102-4 from the top flange 410 of the base frame 202 via nut and bolt assemblies (similar to nut and bolt assemblies 502 and 504). In this regard, upon disengagement, the sprocket teeth 210-4 connecting the material box 102-4 and the timing belt 208-1 including the bushing sprocket teeth 404-2 at the base assembly 201 can be removed, and the material box 102-4 can then be lifted upward in direction P. According to the various exemplary embodiments described herein, cartridge 102-4 can be removed or detached from the base assembly 201 of the multi-belt conveyor 100 without removing adjacent cartridges of the multi-belt conveyor 100 (i.e., cartridges 102-3 and 102-5). Reference Figure 7 Further details are described, including steps for installing and removing one of the multiple cassettes 102-1, 102-2...102-n from the base assembly 201 of the multi-belt conveyor 100.

[0063] refer to Figure 5 Each of the plurality of hoppers 102-1, 102-2...102-n includes a conveyor belt tensioning unit 508, which can be configured to manipulate the tension of a set of conveyor belts 204-1, 204-2...204-n mounted around the roller-slider bed and drive pulley of each hopper to a desired value. Furthermore, the base assembly 201 of the multi-belt conveyor 100 includes a plurality of synchronous belt tensioning units 510, which can be configured to manipulate the tension of each of the corresponding synchronous belts 208-1, 208-2...208-n mounted around the sprockets 210-1, 210-2...210-n of the hoppers and around the bushed sprocket teeth (i.e., sprocket teeth 404-1, 404-2...404-n) on the base assembly 201. Examplely, the base assembly 201 may include a plurality of drive motors 206-1, 206-2...206-n, which may be configured to drive the movement of a set of conveyor belts 204-1, 204-2...204-n for the respective hoppers.

[0064] According to the exemplary embodiment, each drive motor can be mounted from the rear surface (not shown) of the tension plate 512, which is then bolted to the front surface of the base frame 202 using four attached front face bolts 514-1, 514-2, 514-3, and 514-4 and corresponding connecting nuts. In this respect, the base frame 202 may define an opening such that the drive motors 206-1, 206-2...206-n can be located within the base frame 202 but remain externally adjustable. For example, enlarged view 500a depicts the assembly of drive motor 206-5 on the base assembly 201. Exemplarily, drive motor 206-5 is mounted on the rear surface of the tension plate 512 to form an assembly (i.e., a drive motor mounted on the tension plate), such that drive motor 206-5 can move along the assembly through a hole defined in the base frame 202. According to the exemplary embodiment, the component (i.e., the drive motor 206-1 mounted on the tension plate 512) can be mounted on the base frame 202 via joint nut washers (i.e., front face bolts 514-1, 514-2, 514-3 and 514-4 and corresponding nuts), the nuts being fastened to the corresponding bolts to engage the component on the base frame 202.

[0065] According to the exemplary embodiment, each drive motor may include a corresponding shaft that extends from the rear surface to the front surface of the base frame 202 together with the drive motor assembly mounted on the tension plate. The shafts of drive motors 206-1, 206-2...206-n are mechanically coupled to corresponding sprocket teeth with bushings, namely sprocket teeth 404-1, 404-2...404-n. According to the exemplary embodiment, to tighten the tension of the timing belt 208-1, the front face bolts 514-1, 514-2, 514-3, and 514-4 of the tension plate 512 can be tightened when the drive motor 206-1 and the tension plate 512 assembly are mounted on the base frame 202, such that the drive motor 206-1 can be pushed downwards to a desired position on the base frame 202, thereby stretching the timing belt 208-1 until the correct and desired tension is achieved.

[0066] In some exemplary embodiments, to ensure that the tension of the timing belts 208-1, 208-2...208-n is at the desired value and that the drive pulleys 602 are properly leveled on both the left and right ends of the multi-belt conveyor 100, the hoppers 102-1, 102-2...102-n and / or the base frame 202 may include a feature (e.g., a hole or opening or defined shape) that allows a gap gauge to measure the position of the drive pulleys 602 relative to the top flange 410 of the base frame 202.

[0067] Figure 6Perspective view 600a and exploded view 600b of one of a plurality of cassettes 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n of a multi-belt conveyor 100 according to some exemplary embodiments described herein are shown. The cassette 102-1 includes: a drive pulley 602 rotatable about axis Q, a roller-slider bed 604 (which may include a plurality of rollers 604-1, 604-2, 604-3...604-n), and a set of conveyor belts 204-1 (i.e., conveyor belts 204-1-1, 204-1-2... and 204-1-6). As shown in perspective view 600a, the set of conveyor belts 204-1 may be mounted around the drive pulley 602, a portion 304-3 of the cassette frame top 304, and the roller-slider bed 604. Examplely, the cassette 102-1 may include a cassette frame top 304 and a cassette frame base 408, thereby enclosing the drive pulley 602 and roller-slide bed 604 of the cassette 102-1. In some exemplary embodiments, the cassette frame base 408 may have a bracket shape including two surfaces that meet at a defined angle (e.g., 90 degrees), wherein a first surface 408-1 of the cassette frame base 408 may fit onto the rear portion of the cassette frame top 304, and a second surface 408-2 of the cassette frame base 408 may engage with the base frame 202 via a hole defined in the second surface 408-2 of the cassette frame base 408. In this respect, as previously described, the cassette frame base 408 may be securely engaged with the cassette frame top 304 by an engagement unit 506. In some examples, the engagement unit 506 may include a spring pin 606 and a nut and bolt assembly including a bolt 608 and a nut 610. According to the various exemplary embodiments described herein, in order to engage the top 304 of the cartridge frame with the base 408 of the cartridge frame, a first surface 408-1 of the base 408 may be aligned on the rear portion of the top 304 of the cartridge frame such that a spring pin 606 may pass through holes defined on the respective surfaces of the top 304 and the base 408 of the cartridge frame, thereby aligning the two frames. Furthermore, during alignment, a bolt 608 may pass through the holes in the top 304 and the base 408 of the cartridge frame, and a nut 610 may be fastened to the bolt 608 to securely engage the top 304 of the cartridge frame with the base 408 of the cartridge frame.

[0068] According to various exemplary embodiments described herein, each of a plurality of cassettes 102-1, 102-2, 102-3...102-n may include an actuation assembly 612 configured to actuate a set of conveyor belts 204-1 on the roller-slider bed 604 of the respective cassette by rotation of the rollers 604-1, 604-2...604-n of the drive pulley 602 and the roller-slider bed 604. Exemplarily, the actuation assembly 612 may include a sprocket 210-1 mechanically received on a flange mount ball bearing 614. According to the exemplary embodiments, the shaft of the drive pulley 602 may pass through the top 304 of the cassette frame and may be mechanically coupled to the flange mount ball bearing 614. In this regard, the sprocket 210-1 may define a circular surface 615 on which a timing belt 208-1 may be positioned and mounted at a first end around the sprocket 210-1. Furthermore, at the second end, a timing belt 208-1 may be mounted around the sprocket teeth 404-1 of the base assembly 201. In this respect, movement of the timing belt 208-1 on the sprocket 210-1 causes the sprocket 210-1 to rotate in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. As the sprocket 210-1 rotates, the shafts of the flange mount ball bearing 614 and the drive pulley 602 follow the rotation of the sprocket 210-1, thereby causing a set of conveyor belts 204-1 to move on the roller-slider bed 604.

[0069] Examplely, the cassette 102-1 also includes a conveyor belt tensioning unit 508, which includes a tensioning bolt 624, a tensioning bracket 626, and a tensioning plate 628. In the assembly configuration of the cassette 102-1 (as shown in perspective view 600A), the position of the tensioning plate 628, which can be mounted on the top 304 of the cassette frame, can be adjusted by tightening or loosening the tensioning bolt 624, which also adjusts the position of the actuation assembly 612 of the cassette 102-1 mounted on the top 304 of the cassette frame. Therefore, by manipulating the position of the actuation assembly 612 mounted on the top 304 of the cassette frame, the tension of a set of conveyor belts 204-1 of the cassette 102-1 can be adjusted.

[0070] According to the exemplary embodiment described, each of the plurality of cassettes 102-1, 102-2...102-n may further include a machined transverse member 616, which includes a groove 616-1 that supports a precision-fit engagement of some components of the cassette (such as rollers 604-1, 604-2...604-n) to control the position of the cassette's conveying surface relative to the cassette base frame 408. Referring to an enlarged view 600c of the machined transverse member 616, the machined transverse member may be configured to engage with the cassette frame top 304 based on a spring pin and an arrangement based on a nut and bolt connection 620 (in a similar manner as previously described for the spring pin 606 for engagement between the cassette frame top 304 and the cassette frame base 408, and the nut and bolt assembly including bolts 608 and nuts 610), thereby achieving a precision-fit engagement between the machined transverse member 616 and the cassette frame top 304. In some exemplary embodiments, a nut and bolt assembly may be used to engage the top 304 of the cassette frame with the machined transverse member 616 without the use of a spring pin. In this regard, the top 304 of the cassette frame may include one or more holes 618 through which the nut and spring pin of the spring pin, and the nut and bolt coupling 620 pass to engage with holes 616-2 on the machined transverse member 616. Furthermore, according to the exemplary embodiments, the groove 616-1 of the machined transverse member 616 may also be configured to support the positioning of rollers 604-1, 604-2, 604-3...604-n at various locations relative to the top plate 622 of the top 304 of the cassette frame, around which a set of conveyor belts 204-1, 204-2...204-n may be mounted. For example, referring to view 600d, the machined transverse member 616 includes a groove 616-1, which can be configured to support a roller support plane 622, which supports the positioning of rollers 604-1, 604-2, 604-3...604-n. According to the exemplary embodiment, rollers 604-1, 604-2...604-n can be supported on the machined transverse member 616 to (i) adjust the positioning of the conveyor surface relative to the cassette frame base 408, and (ii) position the tight-tolerance roller support plane and the top plate 622 around which a set of conveyor belts 204-1, 204-2...204-n are mounted, thereby defining the roller-slider bed 604. Therefore, the machined transverse member 616 supports control of the horizontal conveying surface of the roller-slider bed 604 based at least on (a) the positioning of the support rollers 604-1, 604-2...604-n at various locations and (b) the fixed engagement of components (such as the top of the hopper frame 304, the top plate 622, etc.) together, thereby preventing any loose connection.

[0071] Figure 7A flowchart illustrating a method 700 for mounting a cartridge 102-1 onto a base assembly 201 of a multi-belt conveyor 100, according to some exemplary embodiments described herein. At step 702, the method includes positioning the cartridge 102-1 onto the base frame 202 of the multi-belt conveyor 100. Figure 6 As shown, the cassette 102-1 includes: a roller-slider bed 604 comprising a plurality of rollers 604-1, 604-2...604-n, a drive pulley 602 configured to rotate about axis Q, and a set of conveyor belts 204-1 mounted around the roller-slider bed 604 and the drive pulley 602. The set of conveyor belts 204-1 mentioned herein is configured to move on the roller-slider bed 604 in response to rotation of the drive pulley 602 and the plurality of rollers 604-1, 604-2...604-n. In some exemplary embodiments, the cassette 102-1 may be positioned on the base assembly 201 in such a manner that the cassette frame base 408 is positioned on the top flange 410 of the base frame 202 in a defined orientation. For example, in some examples, the cartridge 102-1 may be positioned on the base assembly 201 such that a hole defined on the cartridge frame base 408 mates with a hole defined on the top flange 410 of the base frame 202.

[0072] Moving to step 704, the cassette 102-1 is mounted on the base frame 202 of the multi-belt conveyor 100 by engaging a section (e.g., the top flange 410) of the cassette frame base 408 with the base frame 202. In this respect, as described at step 702, bolts can pass through the holes defined in the cassette frame base 408 and the top flange 410, and nuts can be tightened into the threads of the bolts to align the cassette frame base 408 with the base frame 202. Figures 4 to 6 The same manner of engagement is described above. Furthermore, in some exemplary embodiments, when mounting the cassette 10-2-1 onto the base frame 202, the T-bolt 302-1 can be keyed into the slot 308, such as... Figure 3 The purpose is to engage the top 304-1 of the material box frame of the material box 102-1 with the top 304-2 of the material box frame of the material box 102-2, which may have been mounted on the base frame 202.

[0073] Moving to step 706, when mounting the cassette 102-1 onto the base frame 202, the method includes mounting a timing belt 208-1 between the cassette 102-1 and the base assembly 201 of the multi-belt conveyor 100. The timing belt 208-1 mechanically connects the drive pulley 602 of the cassette 102-1 to the shaft of the drive motor 206-1. In this respect, according to the exemplary embodiment, the timing belt 208-1 may be mounted around the sprocket 210-1 of the cassette 102-1 and the sprocket teeth 404-1 of the base assembly 201, as referenced... Figures 4 to 6 As stated above.

[0074] In an exemplary embodiment, a method for disassembling a cassette 102-1 mounted on a base frame 202 of a multi-belt conveyor 100 may include: (a) removing T-bolts engaged between the top of the cassette frame and another cassette positioned adjacent to it. The method may further include: (b) loosening front face bolts 514-1, 514-2, 514-3, and 514-4 to allow the tension plate 512 to slide freely, thereby changing the height at which the drive motor 206-1 is positioned on the base frame 202. The method may further include: (c) releasing the tension of a timing belt 208-1 mounted on a sprocket 210-1 of the cassette 102-1 and around a sprocket tooth 404-1 including a bushing mechanically coupled to the drive motor 206-1 via a timing belt tensioning unit 510. The method may further include: (d) disengaging the nut and bolt assemblies 502 and 504 that engage the cassette frame base 408 with the top flange 410 of the base frame 202. Additionally, the method may include: (e) removing the cassette 102-1 by lifting it upward from the base frame 202 of the multi-belt conveyor 100 along direction P.

[0075] According to some exemplary embodiments, removing the T-bolt may include: unfastening or loosening the nut 312 of the T-bolt 302-1 to rotate the T-bolt 302-a counterclockwise by 90 degrees and pulling the T-bolt 302-1 out of the slot 308, thereby disengaging the tops 304-1 and 304-2 of the box frame of the adjacent positioned boxes 102-1 and 102-2.

[0076] By implementing the various exemplary embodiments described herein, the conventionally cumbersome process of installing conveyor systems (particularly, multi-belt conveyors 100 used to create gaps between items positioned on the conveyor) in material handling environments can be simplified. For example, for maintenance purposes, sections of the conveyor can be disassembled by a single belt loosening action and the removal of a few bolts. Furthermore, since the multi-belt conveyor 100 includes multiple cassettes 102-1, 102-2...102-n, any cassette can be easily unloaded from the base frame without removing adjacent cassettes, the effort required by the operator to manufacture, repair, install, and maintain such a conveyor system can be significantly reduced without compromising the operational performance of the conveyor system. Moreover, the modular structure of the multi-belt conveyor 100, based on multiple cassettes with a set of conveyor belts that can be mounted on the base frame, allows multiple cassettes to be interchanged according to maintenance requirements while maintaining a flat and smooth conveying surface along the length of the conveyor. Furthermore, this also allows for quick and easy maintenance of the multi-belt conveyor 100 without compromising conveyor operation or gap performance. Furthermore, since the hopper can be removed independently of the single motor drive present in a conventional conveyor, the implementation of the various exemplary embodiments described herein allows for the mechanical replacement of conveyor components with minimal service disruption.

[0077] It should be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural indicators, unless otherwise expressly stated.

[0078] References to “one embodiment,” “implementation,” “multiple embodiments,” or “one or more embodiments” in this specification are intended to indicate that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of this disclosure. The appearance of such phrases in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a single or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. Furthermore, various features that may be presented by some embodiments but not by others are described.

[0079] It should be noted that, when used in this disclosure, the terms “comprising,” “including,” and other derivatives of the root term “comprising” are intended to be open-ended terms that specify the presence of any of the said features, elements, integers, steps, or components, and are not intended to exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, integers, steps, components, or groups thereof.

[0080] This document discloses detailed implementation schemes; however, it should be understood that the disclosed implementation schemes are merely exemplary and can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be construed as restrictive, but merely form the basis of the claims.

[0081] While it will be apparent that the exemplary embodiments described herein achieve the aforementioned objectives, it should be understood that many modifications and other embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art. Therefore, it should be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and embodiments that fall within the substance and scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A conveyor, characterized in that, The conveyor includes: A conveyor bed including a hopper, wherein the hopper has a set of conveyor belts and a set of rollers, wherein each of the conveyor belts is mounted on an associated roller in the set of rollers, wherein each of the conveyor belts is configured to move on the associated roller in the set of rollers at a corresponding and defined speed in a direction along the conveyor bed, and wherein the hopper is configured to be removably mounted on a base assembly of the conveyor; and Multiple T-bolts, wherein each T-bolt is configured to engage the top of the hopper frame of two adjacent positioned hoppers.

2. The conveyor according to claim 1, wherein, Each container includes: An actuation assembly, the actuation assembly including a drive pulley configured to rotate about an axis; A roller-slider bed, the roller-slider bed comprising a plurality of rollers configured to be rotated by the actuation assembly; and The set of conveyor belts, mounted around the roller-slider bed and the drive pulley, are configured to move on the roller-slider bed in response to rotation of the drive pulley and the plurality of rollers.

3. The conveyor according to claim 2, wherein, The actuation assembly further includes a sprocket mechanically connected to the shaft of the ball bearing and the drive pulley, wherein the sprocket is configured to rotate by actuation of the actuation assembly, the actuation of the actuation assembly comprising: movement of a timing belt mounted around the sprocket to cause rotation of the shaft of the sprocket, the ball bearing and the drive pulley.

4. The conveyor according to claim 3, wherein, The actuation assembly is actuated by a drive motor mounted to a base frame of the base assembly, and wherein the timing belt is mounted around the sprocket of the hopper and the sprocket teeth including bushings, the bushings being mechanically coupled to the shaft of the drive motor.

5. The conveyor according to claim 1, wherein, The material box includes: A first material box, removably mounted to the base frame of the base assembly, the first material box comprising: A first actuating component, the first actuating component including at least a first drive pulley; A first roller-slider bed, the first roller-slider bed including a first set of rollers configured to rotate by the first actuation assembly; and A first set of conveyor belts is mounted around the first roller-slider bed and the first drive pulley, wherein the first set of conveyor belts moves in response to rotation of the first set of rollers and the first drive pulley of the first actuation assembly; and A second material box, removably mounted to the base frame, the second material box comprising: The second actuation component includes at least a second drive pulley; The second roller-slider bed includes a second set of rollers configured to rotate by the second actuation assembly; and A second set of conveyor belts is mounted around the second roller-slider bed and the second drive pulley, and wherein the second set of conveyor belts moves in response to rotation of the second set of rollers and the second drive pulley of the second actuation assembly; and The first set of conveyor belts is configured to move on the first set of rollers at a first speed, and the second set of conveyor belts is configured to move on the second set of rollers at a second speed different from the first speed, so as to create gaps between the articles on the conveyor bed of the conveyor.

6. The conveyor according to claim 2, wherein, Each container includes: A cassette frame, defined by a cassette frame top and a cassette frame base, wherein the cassette frame base is defined at an angle relative to the cassette frame top and is mechanically connected to the cassette frame top by a spring pin, nut, and bolt assembly; and A machined transverse member, the machined transverse member including a groove, and wherein the machined transverse member is configured to support the positioning of the plurality of rollers of the roller-slider bed of the cassette, wherein the machined transverse member is configured to engage with the top of the cassette frame.

7. The conveyor according to claim 6, wherein, The cartridge is configured to be removably mounted on the base assembly in the following manner: Position the cassette on the base assembly such that the cassette frame base fits onto the portion defined by the base frame of the base assembly; The hopper frame base is joined to the base frame by the nut and bolt assembly; and T-bolts are used to connect the hopper to another hopper located adjacent to it.

8. The conveyor according to claim 1, wherein, The base assembly includes: A drive motor, the drive motor being mounted to a base frame of the base assembly, the drive motor including a shaft passing through at least a portion of the base frame; Sprocket teeth, the sprocket teeth including bushings mechanically coupled to the shaft of the drive motor; and A tension plate, positioned between the sprocket teeth including the bushing and the base frame, wherein the tension plate includes a plurality of slots configured to receive a plurality of end-face bolts to engage the tension plate on the base frame.

9. The conveyor according to claim 6, wherein, The hopper is configured to control the positioning of the hopper frame base relative to the transfer surface defined by the transfer bed based on the engagement of the top of the hopper frame with the hopper frame base, the engagement of the hopper frame base with the base frame of the base assembly, and the engagement of the top of the hopper frame with the machining transverse member.

10. The conveyor according to claim 4, wherein, The hopper includes a conveyor belt tensioning assembly comprising a first tensioning plate and a first tensioning bolt, the conveyor belt tensioning assembly being configured to adjust the tension of the set of conveyor belts mounted around the drive pulley and the roller-slider bed, and wherein the base assembly includes a timing belt tensioning assembly comprising a second tensioning plate and a second tensioning bolt, the timing belt tensioning assembly being configured to adjust the tension of the timing belt mounted around the sprocket mounted in the hopper and the sprocket teeth having bushings at the base assembly.

11. A material box for a multi-belt conveyor, characterized in that, The material box includes: An actuation assembly, the actuation assembly including at least a drive pulley configured to rotate about an axis; A roller-slider bed, the roller-slider bed comprising a plurality of rollers configured to be rotated by the actuation assembly; A set of conveyor belts, wherein each conveyor belt in the set is respectively mounted on an associated roller and a drive pulley of the roller-slider bed, and wherein each conveyor belt in the set is configured to move on the roller-slider bed at a corresponding and each defined speed in response to rotation of the drive pulley and the plurality of rollers; and A cassette frame, comprising a cassette frame base configured to be removably mounted within a section of a conveyor bed defined by the multi-belt conveyor. The material box frame further includes a material box frame top, and the material box is configured to be removably mounted to the base assembly of the multi-belt conveyor in such a way that: The cassette is positioned on the base frame of the base assembly such that the cassette frame base is positioned on a portion of the base frame in a defined orientation. The hopper frame base is joined to the base frame using a nut and bolt assembly; and T-bolts are connected between the top of the cassette frame of the cassette and the top of the cassette frame of another cassette positioned adjacent to the cassette on the multi-belt conveyor.

12. The material box according to claim 11, wherein, The hopper is configured to be removably mounted to a base frame of the multi-belt conveyor, the base frame including a conveyor bed defined by a plurality of conveyor belts, wherein each of the plurality of conveyor belts is configured to operate in the direction along the conveyor bed at one of the following: at the same speed, at different speeds, at the same acceleration, or at different accelerations, with the remaining conveyor belts of the respective hopper operating at such speeds or accelerations.

13. The material box according to claim 11, wherein, The actuation assembly further includes a sprocket mechanically connected to the shaft of the ball bearing and the drive pulley, wherein the sprocket is configured to rotate by actuation of the actuation assembly, the actuation of the actuation assembly comprising: movement of a timing belt mounted around the sprocket to cause rotation of the shaft of the sprocket, the ball bearing and the drive pulley.

14. The material box according to claim 11, wherein, Based on the engagement of the cassette frame base and the base frame, the cassette is configured to be removably mounted in the section of the multi-belt conveyor, such that the roller-slider bed defined by the plurality of rollers of the cassette is aligned with the conveying surface defined by the conveying bed of the multi-belt conveyor.

15. The hopper of claim 11, further comprising a conveyor belt tensioning assembly including a tensioning plate and tensioning bolts configured to adjust the tension of the set of conveyor belts mounted around the drive pulley and the roller-slider bed.

16. A method, characterized in that, The method includes: A hopper is positioned on the base frame of a multi-belt conveyor, the hopper comprising: a roller-slider bed including a plurality of rollers; at least one drive pulley configured to rotate about an axis; and a set of conveyor belts, wherein each conveyor belt in the set is mounted on an associated roller of the roller-slider bed and the drive pulley, and wherein each conveyor belt in the set is configured to move on the roller-slider bed at a corresponding and defined speed in response to rotation of the drive pulley and the plurality of rollers, wherein the multi-belt conveyor includes a plurality of T-bolts, wherein each T-bolt is configured to engage the top of the hopper frame of two adjacent positioned hoppers; The cassette is mounted on the base frame of the multi-belt conveyor by joining the cassette frame base to a section of the base frame. A timing belt is installed between the material box and the base frame to mechanically connect the drive pulley of the material box to the shaft of the drive motor of the multi-belt conveyor.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein, The material box includes: A top of a cassette frame defined at an angle to the cassette frame base, wherein the cassette frame base is configured to engage and join with the section of the base frame via a nut and bolt assembly. A machined transverse member, the machined transverse member including a groove configured to support the positioning of the plurality of rollers of the roller-slider bed on the machined transverse member, wherein the machined transverse member is configured to engage with the top of the hopper frame.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising removing the hopper mounted to the base frame of the multi-belt conveyor by: Remove the T-bolts that connect the top of the material box frame to another material box positioned adjacent to the material box; Loosen the front end bolts to allow the tension plate to slide freely relative to the base frame, and the drive motor of the multi-belt conveyor is mounted on the tension plate; Release the tension of the timing belt around the sprocket mounted on the hopper and the sprocket teeth, including the bushing mechanically connected to the drive motor; Disengage the nut and bolt assembly that engages the material box frame base with the section of the base frame; The material box is removed from the base frame of the multi-belt conveyor.

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