DEVICE FOR DIVERTING OBJECTS IN CONVEYORS AND METHOD OF

OPERATION

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to conveyors in general and in particular, to a material's handling device associated with conveyors and to the method of operating such a device and in particular to an equipment and its method of operation, which allows the diversion of objects which are being displaced in a conveying surface of a moving conveyor.

Although the invention finds particular application in the deviation of baggage, for example, in airport baggage handling or alike, the invention may find other applications.

It is often necessary to divert objects being transported on a conveyor belt of a moving conveyor, such as baggage at an airport, wherein it is essential to divert an object from the conveyor for inspection purposes.

The apparatus of the present invention aims, primarily, to provide a device which allows to divert objects from a moving conveyor, without damaging the object, blocking the conveyor, or where the object is to be diverted, by fear that the same may contain explosives, without causing its detonation .

Taking into account that the diversion operation takes about 0.5 s, there is no need to decrease the speed of the conveyor and, as there is not the problem of the object being diverted blocking the system, the diversion operation ensures uninterrupted functioning.

Knowing that in some high-traffic airports, 25% of the baggage are diverted for inspection, the speed with which the object is removed from the conveyor line, associated with the fact that there is an equipment and method that prevents the occurrence of jams and sandwiching of baggage, either in the main line or the diverter line or in the equipment which proceeds to the diversion itself, the existence of an equipment and a quick and effective method is of paramount importance.

Background of the Invention

Are known in the art various types of equipment/methods that proceed to the diversion of objects from a moving conveyor:

- A first device/method called "pusher" whose principle of operation can be found in the documents DE3415133 and EP0903309, which proceeds to the diversion of objects by cross push, with drag on the conveyor belt that keeps on moving;

- Another equipment /method called "spoiler" whose principle of operation can be found in the documents EP1702870 and EP1307391, which proceeds to the diversion of objects through a barrier placed across the loop, forcing the objects out of the loop, directing them to another desired line .

- A third equipment /method whose operating principles can be found in document US4619358, consists of two conveyors placed perpendicular to each other, in which the various belts forming the conveyor belts interweave at one point, allowing the objects to be diverted from a conveyor to the other .

- A fourth equipment /method whose operating principles can be found in document US7699158, consists of two conveyors placed in parallel and one above the other, the objects being transferred from one conveyor to another through an elevator; alternatively, a ramp may allow the object to be diverted pass from one conveyor to another.

Either of the first two equipment /methods mentioned above presents problems when the object to be diverted has characteristics out of those for which the diverters were conceived. Thus, in the case of rigid objects such as is the case for example of rigid plastic bags, the shock caused by the deflector or by the obstacle placed in the transport line sometimes causes the breakage thereof. In the case of malleable objects, as is for example the case of the backpacks, the shock made by the diverter or the obstacle placed in the conveying line, does not have the desired effect, because sometimes instead of diverting the subject, this engages the same (for example, the buckles, zippers, pouches, folds, etc.), causing the locking of the conveyor.

If the object to be diverted by suspicion of explosives, any of the impacts caused by the above methods may cause the detonation of explosives that might exist.

In the case of the third equipment/method, the fact that the conveyor belt consist of several straps the problem of buckles, clasps, pouches, folds, etc., worsens since they easily get wedged in the spaces between the belts, causing the locking of the conveyor. Additionally, as a result of interweaved straps, the above problem can easily occur because any of the above items may be trapped between the straps .

In the fourth equipment /method, the possible problem of the afore mentioned objects being trapped is not an issue, but due to the existence of lifts or ramps to divert objects to conveyors placed at different levels, so that the diversion is made in good time, speed that the elevator must move, will easily lead the objects endowed with features, out of those for the diverters were designed to be ejected from the conveyor .

Any of the equipment /methods mentioned above requires that the diversion be performed in a single direction, one that is predetermined, whereas with the device of the present invention, the direction of deviation may be decided at the time .

Advantages of the Invention

The main advantage of the invention is to provide an equipment and method that allow diverting objects from a moving conveyor without damaging the object or block the conveyor. This is achieved by the fact that no obstacles are placed in the circuit, nor any external force be applied to divert the object.

It also has the advantage that, if the object has to be diverted since there is a suspicion of having explosives inside, it does not cause its detonation.

As a direct consequence of the above, direct efficiency gains are allowed because there is no longer reason why the conveyor has to be shut down or have its speed reduced. It also allows the direction of diversion of the objects, and for an observer placed on the line of the main conveyor, to be either to the right or to the left, allowing, if necessary, there is more than one diverter line.

Brief description of the drawings

These and other features can be readily understood by the accompanying drawings, which should be considered as examples and not restrictive in any way the scope of the invention. In the drawings, for illustrative purposes, the measures of some of the elements may be exaggerated and not drawn to scale. The absolute dimensions and the relative dimensions do not match the actual proportion for carrying out the invention.

In a first embodiment:

- figure 1 shows a front view of the equipment, in the position of non-diversion, i.e., when the conveyor of the main line is in operation;

- figure 2 shows a front view of the equipment, in the position of diversion of an object, i.e., when the diverter conveyor is operated;

- in figures are visible its various components: the lifting system (1), the conveyor of the main line (2) and the arms (3) of the conveyor diverter.

In a second embodiment:

- figure 3 shows a front view of the equipment in the position of non-diversion, i.e., when the conveyor of the main line is in operation;

- figure 4 shows a front view of the equipment in the situation of deviation of an object, i.e., when the diverter conveyor is in operation;

- in figures are visible its various components: the lifting system (1), the conveyor of the main line (2) and arm (4) of the conveyor diverter.

For all embodiments:

- figure 5 shows a view of the possible directions of displacement, being visible the lifting system (1), the conveyor belt of the main line (6), conveyor belt of the diverter line (7), detecting cell (8) and rollers (9).

Detailed Description of the Invention

The present invention describes an apparatus and method that allow divert objects that are being moved in a load conveyor belt of a main line of a moving conveyor.

Transportation main line represents the line of the conveyor that take the objects to be displaced from its point of departure to the point of arrival. For example, in the case of an airport baggage from the point at which the passenger delivers his or her baggage, for example, at the "check- in" until the same enters the circuit of conveyors that will lead the baggage to the container that is placed on the plane .

For conveyor diverter line is represented the conveyor line which can transport articles that have been diverted from the main line, and the conveyor diverter line is placed in a substantially perpendicular position in relation to the main line.

The device of the invention is placed at any point in a main transportation line, provided that at that point there is at least a line where it is possible to move the diverted objects. It may be driven manually or through a device that decodes an instruction coming from, for example, an X-ray equipment for scanning objects.

The lifting system (1) which allows the change of the non- diversion position to the diversion position and from the diversion position to the non-diversion position, is any already known mechanical, hydraulic, electrical system, etc., provided that it is adapted to the requirements of the facility where the equipment is to be assembled.

The conveyor belts fitted to the main line (6), the conveyor of the diverter line (7) and the conveyor of the main line

(2) are manufactured in any suitable material for this purpose, and that is usually already used in such facilities. The conveyor belt that is used in the arms (3) or in the arm (4) of the conveyor diverter is an embossed conveyor belt that allows greater traction, making it easier to grip objects that are to be transferred.

In a first embodiment, the device comprises the lifting system (1), the conveyor of the main line (2) and two arms

(3) of the diverter conveyor.

According to figure 1, the lifting system (1) is in its non- diversion position, i.e., lifted, allowing the conveyor belt of the conveyor of the main line (2) to be in a substantially horizontal position and coplanar with the conveyor belt of the main line (6) and the conveyor belt of the diverter line (7), allowing objects that are circulating on the conveyor of the main line (2), pass through the equipment of diversion of objects without any interruption. The arms (3) of the conveyor diverter located one on each side of the conveyor of the main line (2) are in the non-diversion position, i.e., placed in a substantially vertical and substantially perpendicular position relative to the conveyor of the main line (2) .

According to figure 2, when the device receives an activation instruction, the lifting system (1) is driven downwards, the conveyor of the main line (2) is turned off and the conveyor diverter is activated by changing the arms (3) from the substantially vertical position to the horizontal position becoming substantially coplanar with each other, causing the belts of the arms (3) to be substantially coplanar with the conveyor belt of the main line (6) and the conveyor belt of the diverter line (7) .

In a second embodiment, the device comprises the lifting system (1), the conveyor of the main line (2) and arm (4) of the diverter conveyor.

According to figure 3, the lifting system (1) is in its position of non-diversion, i.e., elevated, allowing the conveyor belt of the conveyor of the main line (2) to be in a substantially horizontal position and coplanar with the conveyor belt of the main line (6) and the conveyor belt of the diverter line (7), allowing objects that are circulating on the conveyor of the main (2) pass through the equipment without any interruption. The arm (4) of the conveyor diverter located on one side of the conveyor of the main line (2), which can be both on the left and the right side, is in the non-diversion position, i.e., placed simultaneously in a substantially vertical position and in a substantially perpendicular position in relation to the conveyor of the main line (2) .

According to figure 4, when the equipment receives an activation instruction the lifting system (1) is driven downwards, the conveyor of the main line (2) is turned off and the conveyor diverter is activated and the conveyor arm (4) changes from the substantially vertical position to the substantially horizontal position, causing the conveyor belt to be substantially coplanar with the conveyor belt of the main line (6) and the conveyor belt of the diverter line (7) .

According to figure 5, the detecting cell (8) upon detecting that the object that will then enter into the device to divert objects is an object for which there is an instruction to divert, sends an instruction to the management system of the lifting system (1) of entry into operation of the diverter conveyor. The arms (3) or arm (4) which are in the non-diversion position, i.e. in a substantially vertical position, move to the deviation position, namely, to a substantially horizontal position, causing the conveyor belt to be substantially coplanar with the conveyor belt of the main line (6) and the conveyor belt of the diverter line (7) . As these belts have a direction of displacement substantially perpendicular to the direction of displacement of the conveyor belt of the main line (6) cause the passing object to be diverted to the conveyor belt of the diverter line (7), and this deviation action is aided by the rollers (9), which help the object to move from one line to another.