Patent ID: 7121399

Claim:
A product handling system for sorting a plurality of articles, comprising: a moving conveyor configured to transport said articles, said moving conveyor operatively mounted on a support structure; an inspection means along said conveyor for inspecting said plurality of articles on said conveyor, said inspection means in operative communication with a computer system for reviewing an article of said plurality of articles; and a diverter in communication with said computer system for selectively off-loading the article from said conveyor, said diverter having an air valve in pneumatic communication with a source of compressed air and a nozzle in pneumatic communication with said air valve, said nozzle having a nozzle body with a first end, an opposing second end and a plurality of spaced apart discharge ports at said second end, said plurality of discharge ports includes at least an upper discharge port, a lower discharge port and one or more middle discharge ports disposed between said upper discharge port and said lower discharge port, said first end of said nozzle body connected to said air valve, said nozzle body configured to allow compressed air to flow from said air valve to said plurality of discharge ports, each of said plurality of discharge ports in a vertical relationship relative to said plurality of articles on said moving conveyor, so as to discharge a plurality of generally horizontal air streams toward the article to selectively off-load the article from said moving conveyor said upper discharge port configured to discharge compressed air across the top of the article, said one or more middle discharge ports configured to discharge compressed air at the side of the article.