Laterally Movable Diverter for High-Speed Conveyor Sorting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing conveying systems face challenges in efficiently diverting objects from one path to multiple paths at high speeds without requiring a large footprint, especially when objects have irregular patterns, spacings, or orientations, and need to be sorted dynamically based on identity or final destination.
Innovation Solution
A conveying system with a laterally movable diverter section above the conveyor, utilizing telescoping wall assemblies and a drive system located beneath the conveyor to achieve lateral movement and extension/collapse of the outfeed section, allowing objects to be diverted to multiple paths without increasing the system's footprint.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a traditional diverter design is used to divert objects at high speed, then the diversion speed is limited, but the footprint becomes excessively large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the diverter section laterally movable rather than stationary. The diverter section can shift position to intercept objects at different locations along the conveyor, enabling high-speed diversion without requiring a large fixed footprint. The movable architecture allows the system to adapt its position dynamically based on object location and diversion destination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the lateral dimension by allowing the diverter section to move perpendicular to the conveyor's primary direction. This lateral mobility enables the diverter to reach objects across the conveyor width without extending the system's footprint in the forward direction, effectively using spatial reconfiguration to resolve the speed-footprint contradiction.
2Area of stationary object
If the diverter section is made laterally movable to achieve compact footprint, then the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The laterally movable diverter section serves multiple functions: it can intercept objects at various positions, divert to different output paths, and maintain a compact footprint. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by consolidating what would otherwise require multiple separate diverter units into a single versatile mechanism.
3Productivity
If the diverter operates at high speed to handle irregular object patterns, then the precision of object interception decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic positioning capability of the laterally movable diverter section enables the system to adapt to irregular object patterns in real-time. By continuously adjusting its lateral position, the diverter can maintain precise interception accuracy even when objects are spaced irregularly or oriented differently, while operating at high speeds to handle varied throughput requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A conveying system includes a conveyor and a diverter, the diverter including a shifting section above the conveyor. The shifting section is laterally movable across a width of the conveyor for selectively shifting objects across the width of the conveyor as the objects move along the conveyor. A drive system for effecting lateral movement of the shifting section may include at least one prime mover located beneath the conveyor. The shifting section may include spaced apart walls, each of which is a telescoping wall. A drive system for controlling telescoping of the walls may include at least one prime mover located beneath the conveyor.