Patent ID: 6259967
Filing Date: 2001-07-10
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
A system for singulating articles, the system comprising:an input conveyor section having means for supporting and conveying articles in a transport direction of the input conveyor section and having an upstream receiving part and a downstream discharge part,a receiving conveyor section having means for supporting and conveying articles in a transport direction of the receiving conveyor section and having an upstream receiving part and a downstream discharge part,at least one intermediate conveyor section having means for supporting and conveying articles in a transport direction of the intermediate conveyor section and having an upstream receiving part and a downstream discharge part,at least two connecting means for leading articles from one conveyor section to the immediately succeeding conveyor section,a first of the connecting means leading articles from the downstream discharge part of the input conveyor section to the receiving part of a first of the at least one intermediate conveyor sections, the first connecting means leading articles in such a manner that a given article will have a traveling time between passing a reference line perpendicular to the transport direction of the input conveyor section and reaching a reference line perpendicular to the transport direction of the first intermediate conveyor section, which traveling time is dependent on the transverse position of the article at the downstream discharge part of the input conveyor section so that articles having different transverse positions will tend to be spread in the transport direction when passing from the input conveyor section to the first intermediate conveyor section, anda second of the connecting means leading articles from the downstream discharge part of one of the at least one intermediate conveyor sections to the upstream receiving part of the receiving conveyor section, the second connecting means leading articles in such a manner that articles having a mutual spacing in the direction transverse to the transport direction of said intermediate conveyor section will have a significantly reduced mutual spacing in the direction transverse to the transport direction of the receiving conveyor section when they have been lead by the second connecting means to the receiving conveyor section,the conveyor sections and conveying means of the system being arranged so that articles being placed on the article-supporting means of the input conveyor section will be conveyed to the article-supporting means of the receiving conveyor section during operation of the system,wherein at least one of the connecting means comprises a plurality of sensing means each having a sensing area, the sensing areas being arranged near an inlet part of said connecting means in a row substantially transverse to the direction of transport of said connecting means at the position of the sensing means, each sensing means being in an activated state when an article is present in the sensing area of that sensing means and each sensing means being adapted to produce an output accordingly, the system comprising a control system having communication means adapted for detecting said outputs from said sensing means and the control system being enabled to control the operation of at least one of the conveying means according to said outputs.