Title: Conveyor

The present invention relates to a conveyor for feeding products to, and gradually transferring the products onto a sorting conveyor, for instance for gradually transferring each successive product onto a corresponding successive conveying location (of the sorting conveyor). In particular, the invention relates to a conveyor according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such a conveyor is known from EP1538114. In this publication, a so-called V-channel for conveying products such as fruit is described. This V-channel is provided with two endless belts which jointly constitute a V, which proceed in a substantially horizontal conveying direction, which convey products lying between them in this direction, and which at some point transfer the products onto a sorting conveyor. More particularly, it is described in this document how the products are transferred at the location where the belts diverge, while different possibilities of diverging are mentioned in detail.

In EP 1538114 it is further mentioned how the belts of such a V-channel are suitably guided over rollers, whereby also upon diverging of such belts, continuous paths without interruptions are obtained. However, to those skilled in the art it will be clear that for a stable and reliable guidance of such belts, the relative positioning of the rollers is subject to technical limitations. The result of this is that the transitions or bends at the point of diversion are not sufficiently gradual and smooth to always ensure a proper transfer of the products. As the rollers at the bends are slightly oblique relative to the vertical, the top plan views in this document represent diverging belts, while the belts bend substantially downwards.

To further improve the transfer of such a conveyor, the conveyor according to the invention is characterized in that the at least one diverging flat conveyor belt is guided over a diverging path which gradually diverges substantially sideways.

In a further exemplary embodiment, the conveyor is characterized in that the diverging path also diverges downwards.

With great advantage, the products, when following such a diverging path, appear to be transferred onto the sorting conveyor in a smooth movement precisely because a very gradual substantially sideward, and sometimes also downward, guidance is enabled. What is thereby achieved, more particularly, is that an initial and continued rolling movement of a product is prevented. As a result of this, products ending up wide of the sorting conveyor, in other words, slipping between the fiat belt and the sorting conveyor to fall to the ground, is virtually completely prevented, nor is it possible anymore for two products to roll over and against each other, possibly ending up on the sorting conveyor as 'doubles', i.e., two products in one conveying location.

A further exemplary embodiment of the conveyor according to the invention is characterized in that the at least one conveyor belt is provided at the underside with an at least rail-shaped (and, for instance, a row forming) strip part, which is guided in a matching groove. The groove is provided in particular in a piece of material which, for instance, gradually diverges and which defines the diverging path. With great advantage, this can provide a very gradual and reliable transfer of products onto successive conveying locations of the sorting conveyor.

In a suitable and advantageous manner, this exemplary embodiment provides an inexpensive and easy to construct apparatus. Here, it is of advantage that such belts are very well known in the field of technology of conveyor belts, as can be read in, for instance, product catalogues of businesses that manufacture such flat belts, such as the catalogue according to © 2008 - Narviflex. Further, driving such belts can be carried out in a known manner with a pulley system with pulley wheels.

Further embodiments of the conveyor according to the invention have one or more of the following features:

the one or more rail-shaped strip parts each form an endless, continuous rail; the conveyor belt and the rail-shaped strip part form one whole of plastic material;

the at least one endless conveyor belt is guided by one or more at least rail- shaped strip parts over circumferential grooves in return wheels;

the sorting conveyor comprises an endless roller belt, with at least one row of successive rollers with a fixed intermediate distance or pitch, with conveying locations between each successive pair of rollers; and

the rollers are hour-glass shaped. It is further noted that sorting conveyors of the above-mentioned type, with rollers, more particularly hour-glass shaped rollers, are generally known in this field of technology, as shown, for instance, in EP 1689536.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the subclaims.

In the following, the invention will be described in detail with reference to a drawing.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a part of a conveyor according to the invention, FIG. 2 is a first perspective view of the conveyor according to FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a second perspective view of the conveyor according to FIG. 1.

In the different Figures, the same numerals and indications represent the same parts and details. FIGS. 1— 3 show a non-limiting example of a conveying apparatus provided with a feed conveyor 1 and a sorting conveyor 2, while the feed conveyor 1, in a conveying direction T located in a substantially horizontal plane and, seen in this conveying direction T, in particular before the sorting conveyor 2, is provided with two flat endless conveying belts 4a, 4b, positioned obliquely relative to a vertical plane, proceeding in conveying direction, functioning as a V-channel, while at least one of these flat conveyor belts 4a, 4b, diverges from the conveying direction T at the location of transfer of the products in a transfer section S.

In the above-mentioned FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, products (not shown per se) are conveyed in the conveying direction T, with a feed portion by the (feed) conveyor 1 and a sorting portion by a sorting conveyor 2. In this example, the conveyor 1 for feeding comprises two flat belts 4a, 4b, which jointly, in cross section, constitute a V, also called V-channel. At the location where the sorting conveyor 2 under this V-channel 1 starts its movement in the same conveying direction T, there is a transfer section S. More particularly, the flat belts 4a, 4b substantially diverge there, and further down the path, they gradually bend downward so that, especially when diverging, a very gradual transfer of products onto the sorting conveyor 2 is obtained. The sorting conveyor 2 shown is of the type as described in detail in EP 1689536, with conveying locations 3 situated between two pairs of successive rollers.

In order to guide the flat belts 4a, 4b along the desired path, according to the exemplary embodiment shown here, they are both provided with an endless, continuous rail-shaped strip 5a, 5b by which they are guided through grooves 7a, 7b, which are provided in the material segments 6a, 6b. Such rail-shaped strips 5a, 5b are also called "tracking strips" in this field of technology. In FIG. 3, in the view direction, only the right half is represented, i.e. the groove 7 a and the material segment 6a. In the represented elaboration, the rail- shaped strips 5a, 5b are endless, as is the flat belt.

It is noted that the material segments 6a, 6b are located at the location of the transfer section S because precisely there, the belts 4a, 4b have to be guided. Precisely there, the belts will have to be guided along the intended path while the further guidance and drive is carried out with wheels of a pulley system.

As is represented in FIG. 3, the cross sectional profile of the strips 5a, 5b is finely tuned to that of the grooves 7a, 7b. It will, for that matter, be clear to those skilled in the art that when suitable materials are selected, frictional coefficients and additional wear phenomena will be taken into account.

It will further be possible to design the material segments such that optional adjustment of the path is possible, for instance by designing the material segments as mutually adjustable links or plate pieces.

As can be derived especially from FIG. 3, the belts 4a, 4b and the strips 5a, 5b are formed from the same material. In a suitable manner, suitable plastics can be selected to that purpose, with advantageous properties such as bendability, durability and roughness.

It will be clear to the skilled person that the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described. Various modifications are possible within the framework of the invention as set forth in the claims.

In the example shown, a profile with one rail-shaped strip for such a flat belt is shown. It will be clear to those skilled in the art that there are many variants and possibilities, for instance strips provided one behind the other in line with one another, two strips next to each other, two strips next to each other and also provided with interruptions, or also, strips at the edges of the flat belts. Here, in each case, matching and suitable return wheels or pulleys will be selected, while in a suitable manner, driving forces and friction are taken into account.

Also, for the grooves 7a, 7b, it holds that they can be reahsed in many different manners. For instance, plastic castings can be manufactured, or also, on flat plate pieces, for instance of metal, strips of plastic or metal can be provided with a recess or groove therebetween.

It will be clear to those skilled in the art that other guiding systems are possible, for instance of the curtain rail type, where rail and guide can even be provided with rollers. Consequently, also, the pulley system will have to be adjusted thereto so that there is sufficient friction for circulating the endless flat belts.

Variants with a comparable function, action and result are understood to fall within the scope of protection of the appended claims.