Patent ID: 7165918

Claim:
A method of using a conveyance system to convey articles from one or more input streams into at least two output streams comprising the steps: a. providing a diverting apparatus having an input side adjacent to one or more input streams, an output side adjacent to at least two output streams, and a top plate, where the top plate comprises an upper surface, where air is provided through the top plate to the upper surface where said air impinges on the bottom surfaces of articles to support and convey such articles over said upper surface in a conveyance direction, generally from the input side toward the output side, b. conveying articles to the input side of the diverting apparatus, c. detecting articles conveyed to the input side of the diverting apparatus, d. supporting and conveying the articles through a first conveyance zone of the diverting apparatus with the air provided through the top plate to the upper surface of the diverting apparatus, where the articles are conveyed through the first conveyance zone toward the output side, e. determining whether to divert the detected article, f. diverting the article, if desired based on the determining of step e, to a second conveyance zone of the diverting apparatus with intermittent air provided through the top plate to the upper surface, and then supporting and conveying the article through the second conveyance zone with air supplied through the top plate to the upper surface, where the articles are conveyed through the second conveyance zone toward the output side, and where the second conveyance zone is adjacent to the first conveyance zone, g. conveying articles from the output side of the diverting apparatus.