摘要 |
Apparatus and method for sorting a mass flow of articles without collisions between articles. The apparatus includes a sorting conveyor having a plurality of article-supporting belt rollers selectively rotatable in a direction transverse to the direction of belt travel. The belt rollers are selectively rotated in individual grid cells formed along the conveyor's carryway. A control system creates an image of the incoming mass flow, computes trajectories along the sorting conveyor for each package, and actuates or deactuates the belt rollers passing through each grid cell according to the trajectories to orderly and rapidly divert articles off the side of the sorting conveyor. |