Multi-Directional Roller Assembly

摘要

A multi-directional roller assembly for directing articles in a conveying system. The multi-directional roller assembly has a rotatable roller frame housing at least one set of mutually-actuating rollers. The multi-directional roller assembly directs an article supported by the assembly along a trajectory determined by the orientation of the multi-directional roller assembly relative to an input force. The orientation of the multi-directional roller assembly may be changed to change the trajectory. A conveyor system may include an array of multi-directional roller assemblies. An actuator controls the orientation of the multi-directional roller assemblies individually and may also control an array of multi-directional roller assemblies as a group.

主权项

1. A conveyor system, comprising:
a roller plate having an upper surface and a bottom surface; a roller assembly mounted in the roller plate, the roller assembly comprising a frame, a first roller rotatably mounted to the frame and protruding below the bottom surface and a second roller rotatably mounted to the frame and protruding above the upper surface, wherein the first roller and the second roller are mutually-actuating with each other; and a conveyor belt extending below the roller plate for contacting a portion of the roller assembly protruding below the bottom surface to actuate the roller assembly.