Conveyor Stuttering for Item Singulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional item transfer systems face issues with clogging and incorrect counting due to the inability to effectively singulate and separate non-oriented items of varying shapes and sizes, leading to reduced efficiency and accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a conveyor with a rail and ledge configuration, where items are guided by a rail and those not fitting are recirculated, combined with a conveyor that 'stutters' to separate items, and adjustable rail and detector positioning to accommodate different item sizes and orientations, preventing stacking and ensuring accurate counting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the width between rails is reduced to singulate items, then item singulation is improved, but clogging and jamming occur
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor speed is dynamically varied using stutter cycles - alternating between forward motion and pause/reverse - to prevent items from stacking against the rails while maintaining singulation. This dynamic speed adjustment resolves the contradiction by allowing narrow rail spacing without causing clogging.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor operates in periodic stutter cycles with forward movement phases and pause/reverse phases. This periodic action prevents continuous stacking of items against the rails, enabling reliable singulation without clogging even at high throughput rates.
2Productivity
If conveyor speed is increased to improve productivity, then output is improved, but item separation and counting accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor uses periodic stutter cycles with alternating high-speed forward motion and pause/reverse phases. During forward motion, items are conveyed at high speed for productivity; during pause/reverse, items are separated and positioned for accurate detection. This periodic variation resolves the contradiction between throughput and counting accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
Before items reach the detection zone, the conveyor performs preliminary separation actions during the pause/reverse phase of stutter cycles. This ensures items are properly spaced and positioned before counting, maintaining accuracy even at high overall throughput rates.
3Stability of the object's composition
If rails are positioned closer to orient items, then item orientation is improved, but item separation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor speed dynamically changes during stutter cycles, creating varying forces on items during forward motion and pause/reverse phases. This dynamic speed variation causes items to naturally separate while maintaining orientation, resolving the contradiction between close rail positioning for orientation and sufficient spacing for separation.
Data Source
AI summary
An aspect of the present invention provides a system for transferring a plurality of non-oriented items. The system includes a feeding area, a conveyor and a rail. The feeding area can accept the plurality of non-oriented items. The conveyor has a first end, a second end, a conveyor length disposed between the first end and the second end, a conveyor first side, a conveyor second side, a conveyor width disposed between the conveyor first side and the conveyor second side, and a conveyor ledge along the second side. The rail is disposed above the conveyor and from the conveyor ledge at a distance equal to one of the item height, the item width and the item length. A first portion of the plurality of non-oriented items will convey along the conveyor path. A second portion of the plurality of non-oriented items will fall off the conveyor ledge.