Method and Apparatus for Jogging and Feeding Sortable Articles

Abstract

An apparatus includes a vibrating jogging tray with rotatable rods having longitudinal edges. The apparatus can further include a transfer assembly comprising a transfer belt and a first vacuum system positioned opposite to a separation assembly comprising a separation belt and, optionally, a second vacuum system. In operation, the rods rotate a plurality of articles toward the transfer assembly. The first vacuum system can draw a first article onto the transfer belt and transports it to a processing station. If a second article overlaps the first article on the transfer belt, the second vacuum system can draw the second article off of the first article and onto the separation belt. If the first article traveling on the transfer assembly is thicker than a distance between the transfer belt and the separation belt, a retractable roller can retract the separation belt and/or the transfer belt to increase the distance therebetween.

1 . An apparatus for jogging and feeding sortable articles, the apparatus comprising:
 a first motor;   a jogging tray coupled to the first motor; and   a plurality of rods rotatably coupled within the jogging tray, the plurality of rods being adapted to rotate at a synchronized rate with one another and comprising a spiral thread and a longitudinal edge.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a pulley belt coupled to a second motor adapted to rotate the plurality of rods at the synchronized rate. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the cross section of each of the plurality of rods is rectangular. 
     
     
         4 . A system comprising the apparatus of  claim 1 , the system further comprising a processing station configured to receive a sortable article from the apparatus. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a transfer assembly positioned adjacent to the jogging tray, the transfer assembly comprising a transfer belt and a first vacuum system, the transfer belt defining a plurality of first openings and the first vacuum system being adapted to suction air through the plurality of first openings. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 5  wherein the plurality of first openings in the transfer belt comprises a plurality of openings having a first size and a plurality of openings having a second size. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 5  further comprising a separation assembly positioned opposite to the transfer assembly, the separation assembly comprising a separation belt and a second vacuum system, the separation belt defining a plurality of second openings and the second vacuum system being adapted to suction air through the plurality of second openings. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for jogging and feeding sortable articles, the apparatus comprising:
 a transfer assembly comprising a transfer belt, a plurality of first rollers and a first vacuum system, the transfer belt defining a plurality of first openings and the first vacuum system being adapted to suction air through the plurality of first openings;   a separation assembly comprising a separation belt, a plurality of second rollers and a second vacuum system, the separation belt defining a plurality of second openings and the second vacuum system being adapted to suction air through the plurality of second openings;   wherein a portion the transfer belt is positioned opposite to a portion of the separation belt; and   wherein the transfer belt is adapted to rotate around the plurality of first rollers in a first direction and the separation belt is adapted to rotate around the plurality of second rollers in the first direction.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8  wherein the portion of the transfer belt and the portion of the separation belt are separated by a distance and at least one of the plurality of first rollers in the transfer assembly is adapted to vary the distance between the transfer belt and the separation belt. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9  further comprising a spring adapted to bias the at least one of the plurality of first rollers in the transfer assembly in a first position. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 8  wherein the portion of the transfer belt and the portion of the separation belt are separated by a distance and at least one of the plurality of second rollers in the separation assembly is adapted to vary the distance between the transfer belt and the separation belt. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 11  further comprising a spring adapted to bias the at least one of the plurality of second rollers in the separation assembly in a first position. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 8  wherein the plurality of first openings in the transfer belt comprises a plurality of openings having a first size and a plurality of openings having a second size. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein the first size is selected to yield a first suction force and the second size is selected to yield a second suction force when the first vacuum system suctions air through the plurality of openings in the transfer belt. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 14  wherein the amount of the first suction force is greater than the amount of the second suction force. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 14  wherein the plurality of second openings in the separation belt have a third size and the third size is selected to yield a third suction force when the second vacuum system suctions air through the plurality of second openings. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 16  wherein the amount of the first suction force is greater than the amount of the third suction force and the amount of the second suction force is greater than the amount of the third suction force. 
     
     
         18 . A system comprising the apparatus of  claim 8 , the system further comprising a processing station configured to receive a sortable article from the apparatus. 
     
     
         19 . A method of making an apparatus for jogging and feeding sortable articles, the method comprising:
 securing a first portion of a transfer assembly opposite to a second portion of the transfer assembly;   adapting a first belt in the transfer assembly to rotate in a first direction and adapting a second belt in the separation assembly to rotate in the first direction; and   disposing a first suction fan within the transfer assembly to suction air from a plurality of holes in the first belt and disposing a second suction fan within the separation assembly to suction air from a plurality of holes in the second belt.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18  further comprising:
 securing a forward end of a jogging tray adjacent to a second portion of the transfer assembly;   rotatably coupling a plurality of rods within the jogging tray; and   adapting the plurality of rods to rotate at a synchronized rate.