Merging conveyor

摘要

A conveyor system has a plurality of infeed staging conveyors configured to selectively feed batches of article arranged in a side by side configuration to a downstream merging conveyor. The merging conveyor is configured to merge batches of articles arranged in a side-by-side configuration and to singulate the individual articles of each batch while merging the batches as the articles are singulated while being advanced downstream as a flow of in-line separated articles. The merging conveyor includes a plurality of laterally spaced lanes of conveying surfaces which having a respective speed and each imparting an inward lateral force on the articles. A descrambling conveyor is disposed downstream of the merging conveyor.

主权项

1. A conveyor configured to advance articles m a longitudinal downstream direction, said conveyor comprising:
a. a first lane extending in said longitudinal downstream direction, said first lane comprising a first upper conveying surface moving at a first speed; b. a second lane extending in said longitudinal downstream direction, said second lane being spaced apart laterally from said first lane, said second lane comprising a second upper conveying surface moving at a second speed; c. a third lane extending in said longitudinal downstream direction and interposed between said first and second lanes, said third lane comprising a third upper conveying surface moving at a third speed; d. a fourth lane extending in said longitudinal downstream direction and interposed between said second and third lanes, said fourth. lane comprising a fourth upper conveying surface moving at a fourth speed; e. said first upper conveying surface configured to impart a force at at least a first angle relative to the longitudinal downstream direction toward said third lane to articles traveling on said first upper conveying surface; f. said second upper conveying surface configured to impart a force at a second angle relative to the longitudinal downstream direction toward said fourth lane to articles traveling on said second upper conveying surface; g. said third conveying surface configured to impart a force at a third angle relative to the longitudinal downstream direction toward said second lane to articles traveling on said third upper conveying surface; and h. said fourth conveying surface configured to impart a force at a fourth angle relative to the longitudinal downstream direction toward said third lane to articles traveling on said fourth upper conveying surface, the fourth angle being greater than the second angle.