Package sorting machine

Abstract

A device for sorting an item into containers on the side or sides of the device that includes several interconnected bogie assemblies movable in a direction, each bogie assembly includes a base, a right arm rotatable mounted on the base, a left arm rotatable mounted on the base, a right release that holds the right arm in a transport position, and a left release that holds the left arm in a transport position such that when both the right and left arms are in the transport position, the bogie assemblies move the item in the direction along the path and actuating the right release dumps the item into a right side container located on a right side of the device and actuating the left release dumps the item into a left side container located on a left side of the device.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A device for sorting an item into a plurality of right side containers and a plurality of left side containers, the device comprising:
 a plurality of interconnected bogie assemblies movable in a direction along a path, each of the bogie assemblies comprising:
 a base movable along the path; 
 a right arm rotatable mounted on the base and pivotally movable between a transport position and a discharge position, wherein the right arm defines a right transport side that is positioned on an opposite side from said base and wherein the right arm does not include any containment walls such that the item being sorted can span a plurality of the right arms; 
 a left arm rotatable mounted on the base and pivotally movable between the transport position and the discharge position, wherein the left arm defines a left transport side that is positioned on the opposite side from said base and wherein the left arm does not include any containment walls such that the item being sorted can span a plurality of the left arms; 
 a right release, wherein actuation of the right release causes the right arm to move from the transport position to the discharge position; and 
 a left release, wherein actuation of the left release causes the right arm to move from the transport position to the discharge position; 
   wherein, when both the right and left arms are in the transport position, the bogie assemblies move the item in the direction along the path.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the right and left arms share an axis of rotation. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the right and left arms are paired so as to substantially overlap along the direction. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein sequential pairs of right and left arms are separated by a gap of at least 0.5 inches (1.3 cm). 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the right and left arms are identical and are interchangeable. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the right and left arms each have a transport length that extends perpendicular to the direction and a transport width that extends parallel to the direction, wherein the transport length of each arm is at least 3 times the transport width of each arm. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the right and left arms has a ridge that protrudes away from and extends along the length of each of the right or left arms, and wherein each of the ridges has a width that is less than one tenth the transport width of each of the arms. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of interconnected bogie assemblies are arranged in a vertical loop with a number of the interconnected bogie assemblies oriented upside-down and moving in an opposite direction. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , further comprising a right reset rail and a left reset rail positioned to interface with the upside-down bogie assemblies to urge left and right arms into the transport position. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the bogie assemblies do not comprise a powered actuator. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the right and left arms are identical and are interchangeable. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the right arm defines a right dump shoulder that abuts a left dump shoulder on the left arm when either the right or left arm is in the discharge position. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the right and left dump shoulders block the right arm from moving more than approximately 180 degrees relative to the left arm. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the right arm defines a right transport shoulder that abuts a left transport shoulder on the left arm when the right and left arms are in the transport position. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein said right and left transport shoulders block the right arm from moving closer than approximately 120 degrees relative to the left arm. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of right side actuators and a plurality of left side actuators, wherein each of the right side actuators are positioned to selectively actuate the right release to dump the item into a particular one of the right side containers and wherein each of the left side actuators are positioned to selectively actuate the left release to dump the item into a particular one of the left side containers. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , further comprising a first sensor that detects the passage of each of the bogie assemblies as they pass the first sensor while moving in the direction. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , further comprising a second sensor adapted to detect the item when the item is positioned in the gap between sequential pairs of the right and left arms. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 19 , further comprising a plurality of right side actuators and a plurality of left side actuators, wherein each of the right side actuators is positioned to selectively actuate the right release to dump the item into a particular one of the right side containers and wherein each of the left side actuators is positioned to selectively actuate the left release to dump the item into a particular one of the left side containers. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein, in the absence of the right release holding the right arm in the transport position, the right arm moves to the discharge position.