Diverter system

Abstract

A diverter system includes a conveying surface with a conveying direction for conveying an article at a conveying speed, a first diverter assembly at a first side of the conveying surface, and a second diverter assembly at the second side of the conveying surface. In addition, each of the diverter assemblies includes an arm mounted for pivotal movement between a non-diverting position and a diverting position. When actuated the arm of the actuated diverter assembly is pivoted across at least a portion of the conveying surface. The system further includes a first driver for selectively moving the arm of the first diverter assembly between its diverting position and its non-diverting position and a second driver for selectively moving the arm of the second diverter assembly between its diverting position and its non-diverting position. The first driver and the second driver are independently actuatable wherein the arms may be sequentially or each arm may be individually moved to their respective diverting positions and wherein an article conveyed on the conveying surface is diverted in a diverting direction when the article contacts one of the arms when the one arm is in said diverting position.

1 . A diverter system comprising: 
 a conveying surface having a conveying direction and for conveying an article at a conveying speed in said conveying direction, said conveying surface having parallel spaced first and second sides;    a first diverter assembly at said first side of said conveying surface;    a second diverter assembly at said second side of said conveying surface;    each of said diverter assemblies comprising an arm mounted for pivotal movement between a non-diverting position and a diverting position, when actuated said arm of the actuated diverter assembly being pivoted across at least a portion of said conveying surface;    a first driver for selectively moving said arm of said first diverter assembly between its diverting position and its non-diverting position; and    a second driver for selectively moving said arm of said second diverter assembly between its diverting position and its non-diverting position, said first driver and said second driver being independently actuatable wherein said arms may be sequentially or each arm may be individually moved to their respective diverting positions and wherein an article conveyed on said conveying surface is diverted in a diverting direction when the article contacts one of said arms when said one arm is in said diverting position.    
     
     
         2 . The diverter system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said drivers permits one arm of said arms to move away from its diverting position when impacting an article to thereby reduce the impact on the article being diverted and moves said one arm back to said non-diverting position after the article is diverted by said one arm.  
     
     
         3 . The diverter system in  claim 1 , further comprising a controller, said controller selectively and independently actuating said drivers.  
     
     
         4 . The diverter system in  claim 3 , wherein said controller comprises a servo controller.  
     
     
         5 . The diverter system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said arms includes a driven diverting surface.  
     
     
         6 . The diverter system according to  claim 5 , wherein at least one of said driven diverting surfaces comprises a drive belt.  
     
     
         7 . The diverter system according to  claim 6 , wherein said drive belt is driven by a driven roller.  
     
     
         8 . The diverter system according to  claim 7 , wherein said driven roller includes a driven axis about which said driven roller is driven, and said arm with said drive belt pivoting about a respective pivot axis when pivoting between its non-diverting position and its diverting position.  
     
     
         9 . The diverter system according to  claim 8 , wherein said driven axis and said respective pivot axis are generally collinear.  
     
     
         10 . The diverter system according to  claim 8 , further comprising a drive system, said drive system includes said first and second drivers and said driven roller, said drive system being configured to de-couple movement of said drive belt about said driven axis from movement of said arm about said respective pivot axis.  
     
     
         11 . The diverter system according to  claim 10 , wherein said drive system includes a motor for driving said drive belt, said motor and said first and second drivers independently actuated by said drive system.  
     
     
         12 . The diverter system according to  claim 11 , wherein at least one driver of said drivers is configured to permit said arm associated with said one driver to move away from the diverting position upon impact with an object to be diverted to thereby absorb at least some of the impact between the arm and the object being diverted.  
     
     
         13 . The diverter system according to  claim 12 , wherein said driver is configured to return said arm associated with said one driver to said diverting position by an electromagnetic field.  
     
     
         14 . The diverter system according to  claim 1 , wherein said drivers extend downwardly from said arms no more than 12 inches.  
     
     
         15 . The diverter system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said drivers comprise a motor and a servo controller selectively powering said motor, said motors permitting said arms to move away from their diverting positions upon impact with an object to thereby form an electric spring.  
     
     
         16 . A diverter system comprising: 
 a conveying surface having a conveying direction for conveying an article at a conveying speed;    a pair of diverter assemblies at opposite sides of said conveying surface, each of said diverter assemblies comprising an arm mounted for pivotable movement between a non-diverting position and a diverting position wherein said arm is pivoted across at least a portion of said conveying surface, and each of said arms including a driven diverting surface;    a driver for each arm, said drivers being independently actuated to move said arms for moving said arms between said diverting positions and said non-diverting positions; and    a controller, said controller selectively and independently actuating said drivers and said driven diverting surfaces of each of said arms, wherein said arms may be sequentially or each arm may be individually moved to their respective diverting positions and when an article conveyed on said conveying surface is diverted in a diverting direction when the article contacts one of said arms when said one said one arm is in said diverting position.    
     
     
         17 . The diverter system according to  claim 16 , wherein each of said arms includes a horizontal extent and a drive belt extending around said horizontal extent, said belts being driven around their respective horizontal extents and providing said driven diverting surfaces for each of said arms.  
     
     
         18 . The diverter system according to  claim 17 , wherein each of said drive belts is driven by a driven roller.  
     
     
         19 . The diverter system according to  claim 18 , wherein said drivers are decoupled from said drive rollers wherein movement of said drive belts about their respective driven axis is decoupled from movement of said arm about said pivot axes.  
     
     
         20 . The diverter system according to  claim 19 , further comprising a motor for driving each of said drive belts, said drivers of said arms being independently actuated from said motors.  
     
     
         21 . A method of selectively diverting an object on a conveyor with a conveying surface, said method comprising: 
 providing a conveyor with a conveying surface having a conveying direction and two opposed sides;    providing a first paddle arm at or adjacent one side of the conveying surface;    providing a second paddle arm at or adjacent the other side of the conveyor;    selectively moving the first paddle arm with a first driver to a diverting position; and    selectively and independently moving the second paddle arm with a second driver to a diverting position wherein the arms may be synchronously moved or asynchronously moved to their diverting positions.    
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein moving comprises pivoting the respective arms to their diverting positions.  
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein said moving the first paddle with a first driver comprises moving the first paddle arm with a servo-controlled motor.  
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein said moving the second paddle arm with a second driver includes moving the second paddle arm with a second servo-controlled motor.  
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , further comprising providing a controller and selectively actuating the first driver and the second driver with the controller.  
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein said selectively actuating includes independently actuating the first driver and the second driver.