IRRADIATION SYSTEM UTILIZING CONVEYOR-TRANSPORTED ARTICLE CARRIERS

摘要

An article irradiation system includes a radiation source (10) disposed along a horizontal axis; a plurality of article carriers (17); a process conveyor (14) for supporting and transporting the article carriers past the radiation source at a first speed; an overhead power and free transport conveyor (12) for transporting the article carriers from a loading area (34) at a second speed that differs from the first speed; and a load conveyor (13) adapted for engaging the article carriers and for transporting the engaged article carriers from the transport conveyor to the process conveyor at a speed that is varied during transport by the load conveyor in such a manner that the article carriers are so positioned on the process conveyor that there is a predetermined separation distance between adjacent positioned article carriers. Article carriers carrying articles that have received radiation impinging upon only the first side of the articles are rerouted, reoriented about a vertical axis by 180 degrees and then retransported past the radiation source so that a second side of the carried articles opposite to the first side receives impinging radiation from the radiation source.