Patent ID: 7770889
Filing Date: 2010-08-10
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
1. A bin module for conveying and diverting sheet material along a feed path, comprising: a conveyor module having a conveyor surface for transporting sheet material along the feed path, and a means for developing a pressure differential across the conveyor surface to hold the sheet material on the conveyor surface during transport, a diverter module having a diverter surface for sorting sheet material from the conveyor surface and operative to divert sheet material from the feed path, the diverter module, furthermore, having a means for developing a pressure differential across the diverter surface to hold the sheet material on the diverter surface during sortation; the conveyor and diverter surfaces being arranged such that the surfaces oppose each other and define a transfer interface; a sortation bin operative to receive the sheet material from the diverter module, and a processor operative to independently control the pressure differential means of the conveyor and diverter modules such that sheet material is held against the respective conveyor and diverter surfaces by a negative pressure differential developed across the surfaces, and transferred from the conveyor surface to the diverter surface by controlling the pressure differential of the modules when the sheet material is interposed at the transfer interface.