Conveyor Roller Singulation for Abutting Articles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional conveyors struggle to separate laterally abutting articles, such as boxes, due to frictional contact, which prevents effective singulation and can lead to jamming.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor system with alternating sections of in-line and oblique rollers, where the in-line rollers rotate faster than oblique rollers, creating a diverging effect that separates articles by directing them away from each other, and subsequent centering and registration conveyors further increase separation and alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional centering conveyors with rollers rotating in converging directions are used to singulate articles, then articles can be directed toward a lateral position, but laterally abutting articles cannot be effectively separated due to frictional contact
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using rollers that rotate in converging directions to direct articles toward a center line, the invention uses rollers that rotate in diverging directions to direct articles away from the center line. This inversion of the conventional approach allows laterally abutting articles to be pushed apart by frictional contact with the rollers, effectively separating articles that conventional conveyors cannot singulate
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the direction parameter of roller rotation from converging to diverging. By rotating rollers in diverging directions, the frictional force exerted on laterally abutting articles pushes them apart rather than keeping them together, enabling effective separation and singulation of articles that were previously difficult to handle
2Productivity
If articles are conveyed in lateral contact, then they can be transported efficiently, but frictional contact prevents effective singulation and can lead to jamming
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful frictional contact between laterally abutting articles into a beneficial force. By using rollers that rotate in diverging directions, the frictional force that would normally keep articles stuck together is instead used to push them apart, enabling effective separation while maintaining conveying efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The invention inverts the conventional approach by using diverging roller rotation to push articles apart rather than converging rotation to keep them together. This allows the system to eliminate jamming and achieve reliable singulation while maintaining efficient conveying
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 separates and singulates laterally abutting articles, reducing frictional contact and preventing jamming, allowing for efficient processing of individual items.
Implementation Method 1
Some articles, such as boxes, have a tendency to remain in frictional contact with each other, especially if they are laterally abutting along long sides.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods for singulating laterally abutting conveyed articles in a conveyor (60). The method includes separating laterally abutting articles by means of a first conveyor section (62) having in-line rollers (64) or oblique rollers rotating at a first speed in a conveying direction (70) and a second laterally adjacent conveyor section (63) having oblique rollers (65) rotating at a second speed in a direction causing articles atop the oblique rollers (65) in the second section (63) to diverge from articles atop the rollers in the first section. Differing the roller speeds helps the abutting articles to increase their separation in the conveying direction.