Abstract:
A flat article handling system diverter gate includes a wear attachment. The wear attachment is easily replaceable without having to remove the diverter gate from the flat article handling system, or without having to shut down the system for extended periods of time. The wear attachment may be provided as an add-on to a conventional diverter gate, or as a replaceable diverter panel of the diverter gate.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Technical Field  
           [0002]    The present invention relates generally to flat article handling systems, and more particularly, to a flat article handling system diverter gate with a wear attachment.  
           [0003]    2. Related Art  
           [0004]    Flat article handling systems such as those used to sort mail use diverter gate assemblies for directing flat articles during sorting. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated one example of a prior art diverter gate assembly  10  positioned within a flat article handling system  12 . Flat article handling system  12  is configured to direct and sort a large number of flat articles  14 . One illustrative application is mail such as envelopes and flats. Diverter gate assembly  10  includes a diverter gate  20  positionable between an inoperative position (FIG. 1) in which flat article  14  moves along a first flow path  22 , and an operative position (FIG. 2) in which flat article  14  is directed to move along a second flow path  24 . Diverter gate  20  may be positioned via, for example, a solenoid  26  between the operative and inoperative position.  
           [0005]    Diverter gate  20  is usually made from a mold that is tooled and/or shaped to correspond to a size necessary for proper functioning of the handling system. For instance, relative to a mail processing system, the body is sized to function with a delivery bar code sorter (DBCS) or other mail processing equipment. The materials used to make the body of a diverter gate are usually a form of polyurethane, polyethylene or the like, which makes the body light and strong.  
           [0006]    In current handling systems, each diverter gate  20  is subject to wear from the contact of flat articles  14  thereon. Wear may take a variety of forms such as nicks, cuts, burrs, or other abrasions due to passing flat articles&#39; contact. Wear eventually hinders or prevents proper operation of diverter gate assembly  10 , e.g., snags on a worn diverter gate member may tear flat articles contacting the diverter gate causing jams. Accordingly, each diverter gate  20  must be replaced periodically to insure proper operation. Current diverter gate assemblies, however, are constructed such that removal of a worn diverter gate requires closing the portion of handling system  12  that the assembly is in for an extended period of time. In terms of mail processing systems, for example, delays for extended amounts of time for servicing may cost millions of dollars each year.  
           [0007]    In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a diverter gate assembly that is more easily repaired.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    In a first aspect of the invention is provided a diverter gate for a flat article handling system, the diverter gate comprising: a diverter gate member; and a wear attachment coupled to the diverter gate member.  
           [0009]    In a second aspect of the invention is provided a diverter gate for a flat article handling system, the diverter gate comprising: means for selectively diverting a flat article; and means for preventing wear of the means for selectively diverting.  
           [0010]    In a third aspect of the invention is provided a diverter gate for a flat article handling system including: a diverter gate member; a replaceable wear attachment for the diverter gate member; and a coupling device for coupling the wear attachment to the diverter gate member.  
           [0011]    The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of the preferred embodiments of the invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    The embodiments of this invention will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like elements, and wherein:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art diverter gate assembly in a flat article handling machine in an inoperative position.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a prior art diverter gate assembly in a flat article handling machine in an operative position.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a diverter gate member.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a wear attachment for the diverter gate member of FIG. 3 in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of a wear attachment in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is a back perspective view of a wear attachment in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a diverter gate member including the wear attachment of FIG. 4.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a diverter gate member including a wear attachment according to a fourth embodiment of the invention.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a top portion of a diverter gate member with a wear attachment according to the fourth embodiment of the invention.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a top portion of a diverter gate member with a wear attachment according to a fifth embodiment of the invention.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a top portion of a diverter gate member with a wear attachment according to a sixth embodiment of the invention.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a diverter gate member including a wear attachment according to a seventh embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0025]    With reference to the drawings, a diverter gate for a flat article handling system including a diverter gate member, and a wear attachment coupled to the diverter gate member will now be described. Referring to FIG. 3, there is illustrated a diverter gate  120  similar to those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 but adapted for use according to the invention. Diverter gate  120  includes a diverter gate member  122  including at least one diverter panel support  130 . Each diverter panel support  130  includes a first diverter panel  136  which contacts a flat article (not shown) as diverter gate  120  directs the flat article. Each diverter panel support  130  may also include a second diverter panel  140  where diverter gate  120  functioning requires, i.e., diverter gate  120  re-directs flat articles in two directions. In the example shown, diverter gate member  122  includes two diverter panel supports  130 , each with a second diverter panel  140 . Where two diverter panel supports are provided, the supports may be coupled together by a support member  134 . It should be recognized that the particular diverter gate member  122  shown is merely illustrative and that the invention is applicable to any now known or later developed diverter gate member. Diverter gate  120  may be positioned via, for example, a gate mover (not shown) such as an electric motor or solenoid  26  (FIGS. 1 and 2) or any other now known or later developed mechanism for positioning gate  120  between an operative and inoperative position. The gate mover may be coupled to diverter gate  120  in any known or later developed fashion. With continuing reference to FIG. 3, diverter gate member  122  may also include one or more openings  142 ,  144 , the use of which will be described below.  
         [0026]    Referring to FIGS.  4 - 6 , various wear attachments for diverter gate  120  are illustrated that can be added to a conventional diverter gate. With reference to FIG. 4, a first embodiment of a wear attachment  160  includes a base  162  including a coupling device  164  and a wear panel  168  coupled thereto. A locating member  170  may also be included for positioning wear attachment  160  on diverter gate member  122 . As an alternative, locating member  170  may be extended to provide a second wear panel to protect second diverter panel  140  when the second diverter panel is provided. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, coupling device  164  is provided in the form of a lock arm extension  165 . A portion  166  of lock arm extension  165  engages an opening  142  of diverter panel support  130  to hold wear attachment  160  in place on diverter gate member  122 . Wear panel(s)  168 ,  170  are sized to adequately cover a respective diverter panel  136 ,  140  and to assure proper operation of system  12  (FIGS. 1 and 2).  
         [0027]    In operation, wear panel  168  is positioned to cover a diverter panel  136  of diverter gate member  122  to direct a flat article and prevent wear to diverter panel  136 . When a wear panel(s)  168 ,  170  wears or is damaged, wear attachment  160  may be easily replaced using common tools, e.g., a screw driver, pliers, etc., thus making it easy for maintenance personnel to repair a diverter gate assembly without removing a diverter gate.  
         [0028]    Wear attachment  160  may be made of any material capable of adequately preventing wear of diverter panels  136 ,  140 . For example, wear attachment  160  may be made of a metal or hard plastic. In one embodiment, wear attachment  160  is made as a single piece, e.g., by injection molding. However, wear attachment  160  may be made in parts and coupled together to form an integral piece by, for example, gluing, welding, etc.  
         [0029]    Turning to FIG. 5, a second embodiment of a wear attachment  260  is shown. In this embodiment, wear attachment  260  includes a base  262  supporting a first wear panel  268  and a second wear panel  270 . A coupling device  264  is provided as a set of positioning members  290 ,  292 ,  294  for engaging diverter gate member  122 . In operation, wear attachment  260  is positioned to cover diverter panel(s)  136 ,  140  (FIG. 3) of diverter gate member  122  to direct a flat article and prevent wear to diverter panel(s)  136 ,  140 . Wear attachment  260  is held in position by positioning members  290 ,  292 ,  294  and by the impact of flat articles thereon.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment of a wear attachment  360  that includes a base  362 , a first wear panel  368  and a second wear panel  370 . In this embodiment, a connecting device includes a ledge locating member  390  for engaging a lead edge  392  (FIG. 3) of diverter gate member  122  and a fastener  394  for insertion into a mating opening  144  (FIG. 3) of diverter gate member  122  for coupling member  122  and attachment  360  together. In one embodiment, fastener  394  is a threaded fastener threadable into mating opening  144 . Other types of fasteners are also possible such as snap-on fasteners, etc.  
         [0031]    The embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6 are advantageous because they can be adapted to couple to any wear panel (top or bottom) of the illustrated diverter gate member  122  (FIG. 3).  
         [0032]    Turning to FIGS.  8 - 12 , additional embodiments of a diverter gate are shown. In these embodiments, a diverter gate member does not include a diverter panel(s) or diverter panel support(s). Rather, wear attachments are provided as diverter panel(s) onto a diverter gate member.  
         [0033]    In FIGS.  8 - 11 , a diverter gate  420  includes a diverter gate member  422  having at least one wear support  430  (two shown only in FIG. 8), and a wear attachment  460 . A coupling device  464  for positioning wear attachment  460  to form a diverter panel is also provided. In the examples shown, coupling device  464  includes a first part of a male-female coupling on wear attachment  460  and a second part of the male-female coupling on the diverter gate member  422 . In FIGS. 8 and 9, coupling device  464  is provided as vertically oriented, mating female and male dovetail connectors  480 ,  482 , respectively. In FIG. 10, horizontally oriented, mating female and male dovetail connectors  580 ,  582  are provided, respectively. In FIG. 11, mating opening and pin connectors  680 ,  682  are provided, respectively. It should be recognized that while particular connecting devices are shown in FIGS.  8 - 11 , a variety of other devices are also possible and considered within the scope of the invention.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 12 illustrates another embodiment of a diverter gate  720  including a diverter gate member  722  and a wear attachment  760 . In this case, wear attachment  760  includes at least one wear panel support  730  each including at least one wear panel(s)  768 ,  770 . Where two wear panel supports  730  are used (as shown), a support member  734  may be provided to position the supports. Wear attachment  760  is replaceably attached to diverter gate member  722  by a connecting device  764 . Diverter gate member  722  is coupled to the gate mover (not shown) in a known fashion. As illustrated, connecting device  764  includes a female part  780  on wear attachment  760  and a mating male part  782  on diverter gate member  722 . Male part  782  may include a stop  792  for precisely positioning wear attachment  760 . While a particular connecting device has been illustrated, it should be recognized that the connecting device may take a variety of forms other than that shown.  
         [0035]    In operation, the invention provide a diverter gate that is capable of very quick and easy repair by removal and replacement of the wear attachment without disconnection of the diverter gate member from the gate mover.  
         [0036]    While this invention has been described in conjunction with the specific embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the embodiments of the invention as set forth above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. For example, while particular coupling devices have been illustrated, one with skill in the art should recognize that a variety of other coupling devices are possible, and should be considered within the scope of this invention.