Active Discharge Conveyor Aligning Flexible Bags
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automated material-handling systems struggle to efficiently sort and handle flexible bags and long articles without causing damage or jams, as existing discharge conveyors are not well-suited for these items, leading to inefficiencies and increased equipment costs due to required spacing.
Innovation Solution
An article sortation system with active discharge conveyors featuring a driven surface with high- and low-friction conveying lanes, allowing for reorientation and alignment of articles to prevent jams, enabling closer spacing of discharge conveyors and reducing equipment footprint.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional gravity chutes or diagonal take-away conveyors are used to discharge articles, then the discharge process is simple, but flexible bags are damaged or jams occur with long articles
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge conveyor uses a driven surface that moves dynamically to actively propel articles forward, replacing static gravity-based discharge. This active discharge mechanism adjusts to handle flexible bags and long articles without damage or jams by providing controlled motion throughout the discharge process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces gravity-based passive discharge with an actively driven mechanical discharge system. The driven surface on the discharge conveyor provides mechanical propulsion to move articles, eliminating reliance on gravity and diagonal orientations that cause handling problems.
2Productivity
If diagonal orientation take-away conveyors are used, then discharge is achieved, but the spacing between conveyors must be large (10 foot centers)
Solution Approach 1:
The actively driven discharge conveyor can operate effectively in a perpendicular orientation to the article support surface, unlike diagonal conveyors. This allows for closer spacing between discharge conveyors, reducing the facility footprint while maintaining discharge productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the orientation parameter of the discharge conveyor from diagonal to perpendicular relative to the article support surface. This parameter change enables closer spacing between conveyors while maintaining effective discharge capability.
3Ease of operation
If turned sections are included in take-away conveyors to direct them perpendicular to sorter, then discharge path is optimized, but long articles get jammed at turns
Solution Approach 1:
The driven surface actively propels long articles through the discharge path without requiring turned sections. The active discharge mechanism maintains controlled motion through straight paths, eliminating jam points associated with turns while maintaining discharge efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively handles flexible bags and long articles without damage, aligning them correctly to prevent jams and allowing for closer spacing of discharge conveyors, reducing equipment costs and facility space requirements.
Implementation Method 1
The driven surface may be made up of a plurality of generally parallel conveying lanes. At least one of the lanes has a high-friction conveying surface and at least one of the lanes has a low-friction conveying surface.
Data Source
AI summary
An article sortation system and method of sorting articles includes an article sorter having an article support surface moving in a longitudinal direction and a plurality of discharge conveyors extending from the article support surface. The sorter is adapted to discharge articles from the article support surface to said discharge conveyors. One or more of the discharge conveyors includes an active aligner having a driven surface that is adapted to reorient at least some of the diverted articles.