Patent ID: 9475648
Filing Date: 2016-10-25
CPC Classification: B65G

Claim Text:
1. A method of monitoring and adjusting a location of an article in longitudinal motion on a transport apparatus, comprising: providing an article; providing a transport apparatus, the transport apparatus adapted to receive the article on a layer of a gas from a gas flow source, the gas flow source providing a flowing gas from a plenum cavity which transports the articles at least in longitudinal motion, and the transport apparatus including at one support structure, the support structure including a first side and a second side, and a surface disposed between the first and second sides, the surface being configured to receive the article, the support structure having at least one sensor aperture disposed through the surface to the plenum cavity; providing at least one sensor assembly, the sensor assembly configured to transmit and receive an energy emission at least through the at least one sensor aperture to sense a location of the article; providing at least one control unit, the control unit being in communication with the at least one sensor assembly and the gas flow source; projecting the energy emission from the sensor assembly onto a surface of the article; reflecting the energy emission from the surface of the article; receiving the reflected emission by the sensor assembly; calculating the location data by the sensor assembly using the reflected emission; transmitting the location data from the sensor assembly to the control unit; comparing the location data by the control unit to a predetermined range of location data values; transmitting an instruction signal from the control unit to the gas flow source in response to the comparison of the data to the predetermined range of location data values; and increasing or decreasing the volume of flowing gas to the transport apparatus from the gas flow source in response to the instruction signal from the control unit.