MXPA06011179A - A slip conveyor assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A slip conveyor assembly ( 10 ) having a plurality of slip conveyors ( 11 to 16 ). Each slip conveyor ( 11 to 16 ) has a tray ( 18 ) providing a conveyor surface ( 20 ) along which product is delivered. The trays ( 18 ) are arrangeable and caused to reciprocate so that product may be conveyed in either longitudinal direction, with at least two of the trays being arrangeable to provide a gap ( 32 ) therebetween to provide for delivery of product from the conveyor assembly ( 10 ).

Description

SLIDING CONVEYOR ASSEMBLY TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to slide conveyors and more particularly but not exclusively to slide conveyors used to transport products to packaging machines.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] In the packaging of snacks as well as in that of other products, it is frequent, in many packing machines and their associated weighing apparatuses, to receive products from a conveyor assembly. One such packaging machine is described in U.S. Pat. No.4663917. Typically, the conveyor assembly will have gates along its length, taking the products from each gate and delivering them to an associated packing machine. These conveyors with their gate assemblies are complex. As a result, they are usually expensive, their maintenance is complicated and, in particular, difficult to clean. These drawbacks are even stronger when the product is a food. A known type of conveyor is a slide conveyor. A slide conveyor includes a tray, which extends longitudinally and has a surface along which the product is transported. The tray is longitudinal and in some instances also alternates (oscillates) vertically to make the product move from the top to the bottom in the tray. It is known that sliding conveyors are used in series. The trays are positioned so that the raised end of a tray is placed below the lower end of an inclined tray, so that the product is transported along them. The product is removed from the conveyor assembly by moving one of the trays so that there is no overlap. As a result, the product immediately falls between the two adjacent trays. Such arrangements do not require floodgates. However, these arrangements have several disadvantages including placing the trays in position when there is a significant number of trays arranged in the assembly. In particular, if a number of trays are activated, there may not be proper spaces between adjacent trays. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 5042643, 5494151, 5777232, 5804733, 5865297, 6044710, 6206180, 6318542, 6374985 and 6457577, as well as US Pat. 2002/0125109 and 2004/0112715 and the application of Australian Patent No. 2005225102.

The conveyors described in the US patents and patent applications. they do not solve the aforementioned problem associated with assemblies that include a variety of trays (conveyors).

OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to overcome or substantially attenuate the aforementioned disadvantage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A conveyor assembly is disclosed herein which includes: at least two conveyors arranged in series so that the product delivered to a first conveyor can be delivered to the second conveyor, each conveyor having: a conveyor surface, which extends longitudinally and longitudinally conducts the product, and an impulse assembly for each conveyor surface and operatively associated with it to cause movement of the surface of the associated conveyor to transport the product, the conveyor assembly further includes: a control operatively associated with the impulse assemblies for coordinating the operation thereof and wherein the conveyor surface includes a first conveyor surface and a second conveyor surface, wherein the first and second conveyor surfaces are adjacent and have adjacent end portions, the impulse assemblies as with the adjacent surfaces provide relative longitudinal and vertical movement between the adjacent end portions; and the control coordinates the operation of the impulse assemblies of the first and second surfaces so that the end portions move relative to each other between a first configuration in which the end portions overlap vertically so that the product is carried in a first longitudinal direction, and a second configuration in which the overlapping end portions are reversed in relation, so that the conveyor assembly carries product in a reverse direction to the first longitudinal direction by the operation of the pulse assemblies. Preferably, the conveyor assembly is a slide conveyor assembly and each conveyor is a slide conveyor. Preferably, each slide conveyor includes: a conveyor tray, which extends longitudinally and provides one of the respective conveyor surfaces along which the product is carried by longitudinal alternation of the tray and therefore of the respective surface, and wherein: each pulse assembly is operatively associated with one of the respective trays to cause the operation of the same in order to carry the product. Preferably, the pulse assemblies are operated to place at least two of the trays with abutting end portions so that the trays are longitudinally aligned, which movement is coordinated by the control. Preferably, the impulse assemblies are operated to place at least two adjacent trays in an operation in which there is a longitudinal space between the adjacent trays to provide product delivery of the conveyor assembly through the space. Preferably, each pulse assembly includes a band attached to one of the respective trays and an electric motor operatively associated with the band to cause alternating of the band and, therefore, of the associated tray.

Preferably, each band is a loop, each band passes around a pair of associated pulleys and one of the pulleys is driven by the motor. Preferably, the pulse assemblies are operated to alternate the trays in phase. Preferably, each pulse assembly is adapted to alternate its associated tray through a longitudinal travel and where the trays have the same trip. Preferably, at least some of the trays are pivotally supported by pivoting movement on a transverse axis of the conveyor surfaces to provide relative vertical movement between adjacent end portions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side elevation of a slide conveyor assembly; Figure 2 is a schematic top plan view of the assembly of Figure 1; Figures 3 to 6 are schematic side elevations of parts of the conveyor assembly of Figures 1 and 2 in various configurations; and Figure 7 is a schematic side elevation of a pulse assembly employed in the assemblies of Figures 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A sliding (vibratory) conveyor assembly (10) is schematically described in the accompanying drawings. The assembly (10) consists of at least three slide conveyors. In the present modality there are six sliding conveyors (11), (12), (13), (14), (15) and (16). Conveyors (11) a (16) are arranged in series and operated so that the product can be carried in any longitudinal direction (17). Each conveyor (11) to (16) includes a tray (18) of cross-section "U" extending longitudinally in the direction (17). Each tray (18) includes an upwardly facing surface (20) that is also longitudinally horizontal that extends and carries the products in the direction (17). Each tray (18) is operated by an impulse assembly (19) alternating (oscillating) the associated tray (18) horizontally to cause the product to advance along the surface (20). Each pulse assembly (19) includes an electric motor (servo motor) (21) that angularly drives a first pulley (22) to drive an endless belt (23). Each band (23) passes around a "crazy" pulley (24). Each motor (21) is operated to alternate the band (23) in order to alternate (oscillate) the associated tray (18). Each conveyor (11) to (16) includes a computer (34) that controls the operation of the associated motor (21), the computers (34) are electronically linked to a control assembly (35) in such a way that the operation of the motors (21) is coordinated. In addition, the pulse assembly (19) includes a base (25) as well as a linear motor (26) and a pivot assembly (27). The pivot assembly (27) provides a pivot shaft (34) which generally extends transverse to the assembly (10), so that the inclination of the surface (20) can be altered. The alteration of the inclination of the surface (20) is affected by the operation of the linear motor (26). With the operation of the linear motor (26) it is achieved that the surface (20) pivots about the pivot axis provided by the pivot assembly (27). Each motor (26) is controlled by the associated computer (34). With the operation of the motor (26), the surfaces (20) are arranged in various configurations such as 52-402 shown in Figures 3 to 6. In the arrangement of Figure 3 the adjacent end portions (28) and (29) of the surfaces (20) overlap vertically, with the surfaces (20) vibrated to make the product pass in the direction of the arrows (30). In the arrangement of Figure 4, the surfaces (20) are aligned longitudinally with the end parts (28) and (29) adjoining so that the product can be carried in any direction (17). In the configuration shown in Figure 5 again the end portions (28) and (29) overlap but in inverse relationship to Figure 3 so that the product is carried in the direction (31). Arranging the surfaces (20) in the configuration shown in Figure 3 or Figure 5 can create a space (32) between adjacent surfaces (20) so that the product can be delivered through space (32) to an associated part of the apparatus such as a baler machine. With the operation of the motors (21), the surfaces (20) are arranged in different starting positions and then alternated longitudinally. Accordingly, the end portions (28) and (29) can be moved longitudinally with respect to each other as well as vertically to provide the various 52-402 configurations as shown in Figures 3 to 6. Preferably the motors (21) are operated so that the surfaces (20) alternate in phase and with the same trip. Preferably each tray (18) ends with a terminal flange (33) abutting when arranged as shown in Figure 4. If required, an elastic bearing can be attached to one of the flanges (33) so that when are arranged in Figure 4, the bearing is placed between adjacent flanges (33). Each computer (34) controls its associated engines (21) and (34) with the central control assembly (35) (computer), then coordinating the computers (34). The preferred embodiment described above has various advantages including the ability to carry products in both directions. For example, in the packaging of snacks, it may be desirable to remove products from a particular packing machine that may be out of operation. An additional advantage is that it has the ability to select a position along the assembly (10) in which product is to be delivered from the assembly (10) through an arranged space (32). 2-402

Claims (2)

1. CLAIMS: 1. A conveyor assembly that includes: at least two conveyors arranged in series so that the product delivered to a first conveyor can be delivered to the next conveyor, each conveyor has: a conveyor surface, which extends longitudinally, which drives the product longitudinally; and an impulse assembly for each conveyor surface and operatively associated with it to produce the movement of the associated conveyor surface to carry the product; the conveyor assembly further includes: a control operatively associated with the impulse assemblies to coordinate the operation thereof, and wherein: the conveyor surfaces include a first conveyor surface and a second conveyor surface which are adjacent and have adjacent end portions , the impulse assemblies associated with the adjacent surfaces provide relative vertical and longitudinal movement between the adjacent end portions; Y 52-402 the control coordinates the operation of the impulse assemblies of the first and second surfaces so that the end portions move relative to each other between a first configuration in which the end portions overlap vertically so that the product is carried in a first longitudinal direction and a second configuration in which the overlapping end portions are reversed in relation so that the conveyor assembly drives the product in a reverse direction to the first longitudinal direction by operation of the impulse assemblies . The conveyor assembly of claim 1, wherein the conveyor assembly is a slide conveyor assembly; and each conveyor is a slide conveyor. The conveyor assembly of claim 2, wherein each slide conveyor includes: a conveyor tray, which extends longitudinally and provides one of the respective conveyor surfaces along which the product is driven by longitudinal alternation of the tray and, therefore, of the respective surface, and where: each impulse assembly is associated 52-402 operatively with one of the respective trays to make the operation of the same drive the product. The conveyor assembly of claim 3, wherein the drive assemblies can be operated to place at least two of the trays with the abutting end portions so that the trays are longitudinally aligned, which is coordinated by the control. The conveyor assembly of claim 3 or 4, wherein the impulse assemblies are operated to place at least two adjacent trays in a position in which there is a longitudinal space between the adjacent trays to perform product delivery of the conveyor assembly through space. The conveyor assembly of claim 4, wherein each pulse assembly includes a band attached to one of the respective trays and an electric motor operatively associated with the band for alternating the band and, therefore, the associated tray. The conveyor assembly of claim 6, wherein each band is a loop, with each band passing around a pair of associated pulleys, one of which is driven by the motor. 8. The conveyor assembly of the 52-402 claim 3, wherein the pulse assemblies can be operated to alternate the trays in phase. The conveyor assembly of claim 8, wherein each pulse assembly is adapted to alternate its associated tray through a longitudinal travel and wherein the trays have the same travel. The conveyor assembly of claim 3 or 4, wherein at least some of the trays are pivotally supported for pivotal movement on a transverse axis of the conveyor surfaces to provide relative vertical movement between the adjacent end portions.
2. 2-402