Patent ID: 6056106
Filing Date: 2000-05-02
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A conveyor system for clinical test apparatus comprising,a) a main transport conveyor defining a closed circuit path of travel in a generally horizontal plane, the closed circuit path of travel permitting objects on the main transport conveyor to repeat the path of travel when the main transport conveyor is moving in one direction, the closed circuit path of travel including a straight line path and a curved path,b) an auxiliary conveyor defining a straight line path of travel in a generally horizontal plane, the straight line path of travel permitting objects on the auxiliary conveyor to move from one point to another without retracing any point of travel when the auxiliary conveyor is moving in said one direction, said auxiliary conveyor having an upstream end and a downstream end relative to said one direction of movement,c) said auxiliary conveyor being positioned alongside the straight line path of travel of said main transport conveyor to run in the same direction as said main transport conveyor,d) segregation means between the straight line path of said main transport conveyor and said auxiliary conveyor for normally preventing objects from said main transport conveyor from moving onto said auxiliary conveyor and vice versa,e) said segregation means including first and second openings spaced a predetermined linear distance from each other along said straight line path,f) a divert gate device provided at one of said openings proximate an upstream end of said auxiliary conveyor, said divert gate device having diversion means, said diversion means having a stationary position for diverting movement of objects on said main transport conveyor through said one of said openings in said segregation means directly onto said auxiliary conveyor,g) an interface gate provided downstream of said one opening and upstream of said other opening in said segregation means, andh) said other opening providing a flow path that leads directly from said auxiliary conveyor to said main transport conveyor.