Patent ID: 7178659

Claim:
A method for using an apparatus to induct articles onto a conveyor comprising at least one conveyor belt, the method comprising steps of: (a) with the at least one conveyor belt, moving articles along a first path that extends in a first direction from a first location to a second location; (b) with the apparatus, moving a first article along a second path that extends in a second direction, which is transverse to the first direction, to a position above but not in contact with the at least one conveyor belt at a third location that is between the first and second locations; and (c) after the first article has been moved to the position above but not in contact with the at least one conveyor belt, with the apparatus, moving the first article onto the at least one conveyor belt at the third location and downstream of a second article on the conveyor while the conveyor is moving the second article in the first direction and closer to the first article.