Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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LIVE ROLL SENSOR FOR LIGHTWEIGHT OBJECI S
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is a conrin~ iQn-in-part application of co-pending application Serial
No. 08/608,358, filed February 28, 1996 in the names of John T. Martin and
Timothy L. Lansberry, entitled A SENSOR FOR DETECTING LIGHTWEIGHT
OBJECTS ON A CONVEYOR.
TECHNICAI, FIELD
The invention relates to a mech~ni~l sensor assembly for detecting objects
on a conveyor, and more particularly to such a sensor assembly which enables theconveying of lighter objects at greater speeds than hitherto possible with a
mech~nic~l sensor.
BACKGROUND ART
Conveyors for products, packages and the like have become highly
sophisticated and are used not only for conveying but also for sorting and otheroperations. In recent years there has been an increase in interest in providing a
conveyor with a sensor assembly to detect the presence of a conveyed object at aparticular position or zone of the conveyor and to cause somethin~ to happen when
an object is ~etect~d. The sensor may be used to count objects. The rollers of acurved section of a conveyor may be turned on and off by such a sensor.
Perhaps the most common use of a sensor is to control the progress of
ob~ects along the conveyor. U.S. Patents 4,441,607; 5,191,967; 5,348.139 and
5,358,097 teach exemplary embodiments of conveyors having mech~nir~l sensors
for this purpose. In its simplest forrn~ a conveyor is divided into a series of
~ zones, each provided with a sensor. The sensor of each zone, when acluated by â
product, will cause the rollers of the nex~ preceding zone (or the second preceding
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zone depending upon the speed of the conveyor) to stop until the conveyed objectin the first mentioned zone passes on and releases the sensor. In most of these
systems, the sensor engages and releases the actu~ing plunger or stem of an air
valve. It will be understood by one skilled in the art that the sensor could actuate
and release an electrical switch or any appropriate two-state device suitable for
controlling the rollers of a preceding zone.
A constant goal of prior art workers is to develop a mechanical sensor for
conveyors which is capable of cletecting very lightweight objects being conveyed.
While it is known that electronic photo-eye technology can be used to detect anyobject regardless of its weight, electronic photo-eye sensors generally compriseelaborate and very expensive systems. Present prior art mech~ntcal systems have
been developed to the point where they can detect objects having a weight of about
1 pound.
The present invention is directed to a mechanical sensor system for the
purposes described above, characterized by the use of knife-edge fulcrums for the
sensor arms. The sensor assembly is of lightweight construction and the total
mass of the sensor assembly has been reduced. As a consequence, the sensor of
the present invention is capable of sensing conveyed objects having the weight of
0.38 pound or less.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention there is provided a sensor assembly for
detecting the presence of lightweight objects on a conveyor of the type having
conveyor rollers. Each conveyor roller of the conveyor is rotatively mounted on a
shaft fixed between the side frames of the conveyor. A selected one of the
- conveyor rolls is shorter than the others. The shaft of this shorter conveyor roller
has non-rotatively fixed thereon a pair of knife-edge fulcrum bearings. Each
fulcrum bearing is located between one of the conveyor side frames and the
adjacent end of the short conveyor roller.
A pair of sensor arms are each rockably mounted on one of the knife-edge
bearings. The sensor arms are elongated members having an upper end and a
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lower end. The upper ends of the sensor arms are joined together by a shaft
having a plurality of lightweight sensor rollers mounted thereon.
The sensor arms are rockable on their knife-edge bearings between a
normal position wherein the sensor rollers are elevated above the adjacent
conveyor rollers, and an achl~t~d position. An adjustable balance spring balances
the sensor assembly, including the sensor arms and rollers, at their normal
position.
A two-state device is mounted on one of the conveyor side frames and is
m~int~in~cl in a first state by the adjacent one of the sensor arrns in its normal
position. The switching device is released to its second state by the same sensor
arrn when the sensor arm is 2ct~l~ted. The switching device may be of any
appropriate type including a pn~um:ltic valve.
It is within the scope of the invention to use the sensing device to control
the movement of objects along the conveyor. Furtherrnore, the conveyor may be
divided into zones, each zone being provided with a sensor of the present
invention. Finally, it is within the scope of the invention to provide a single zone
with two sensors mech~nic~lly linked together.
BRIEF DESCRIPrION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross-sectional view of a conveyor
provided with the sensor assembly of the present invention, and showing the
sensor assembly in its normal, lm~ctll~ted position.
Figure 2 is a fr~m~rlt~ry, longihl(lin~l cross-sectional view, similar to
Figure 1, and illustrating the sensor assembly in its actuated position caused by an
object passing thereover.
Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the structure of Figure 1, as seen
along line 3-3 of Figure 2, and with the object being conveyed shown in broken
lines.
Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along section line 4-4
of Figure 1.
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Figure S is a longi~ in~l cross-sectional view, similar to Figures 1 and 2,
illustrating the use of a pair of interconnected sensor assemblies of the present
- invention.
Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating the end of a
S conveyor roller shaft mounted in a vertical slot formed in one of the conveyor side
frames.
Figure 7 is a fragmentary view illustrating a fulcrum bearing attached to a
sensor arm by a "living hinge".
DETAILED DESCRIPIION OF THE INVENTION
In all of the Figures, like parts have been given like index numerals.
Reference is first made to Figures 1 and 3. In these Figures a conveyor is
generally indicated at 1. The conveyor 1 comprises side frames 2 and 3. The
side frames 2 and 3 may be mounted on conventional vertical supports or legs (not
shown) and will have appropriate transverse bracing (not shown) therebetween, all
as is well known in the art.
Conveyor side frames 2 and 3 support a plurality of evenly spaced shafts 4
(including shaft 4a). The shafts 4 and 4a are non-rotatively affixed to side frames
2 and 3 in any appropriate way. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, the
shat'ts 4 and 4a are of hexagonal cross-section and extend through hexagonal
openings in the side frames 2 and 3. As is shown in Figure 6, the shafts 4 and 5a
could be mounted at each end in vertical slots 4b for both convenience and safety.
The shaft 4 or 4a can simply be lifted from its respective slots. Each of the shafts
4 has a conveyor roller 5 rotatively mounted thereon with suitable bearings (notshown). It will be noted that conveyor roller shaft 4a carries a conveyor roller(designated 5a) which is identical to conveyor rollers S, with the exception that it
is shorter to make room for the sensor assembly of the present invention, as will
be apparent hereinafter.
As in~ic~ed heretofore, the conveyor 1 may be divided into a series of
zones, each cont~ining a predetermined number of conveyor rollers S. Each zone
may also have a short conveyor roller Sa and a sensor assembly of the present
invention which is generally indicated in the Figures at 6. The conveyor rollers S
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and Sa of each zone are capable of being driven so as to convey objects
therealong.
- Prior art workers have devised a number of ways of powering the conveyor
rollers of each zone independently of the conveyor rollers of ~dj~c-ent zones. The
manner in which this is accomplished does not constitute a limitation of the present
invention. One of the ways to drive the conveyor rollers of a zone most
frequently encountered is to provide a unit beneath the zone comprising a
continuous driven belt or padded chain shiftable between an upper position and alower position. In the lower position, the chain or belt is out of contact with and
does not drive the conveyor rollers. In the upper position, the belt or padded
chain frictionally engages the conveyor rollers 5 and Sa of its particular conveyor
zone, driving the rollers in the desired direction as inl1ic~ted by arrow A in
Figures 1 and 3.
Referring to Figure 3, the sensor 6 comprises a pair of sensor arms 7 and
lS 8. As will be described hereinafter, the sensor arms 7 and 8 are pivotally
associated with shaft 4a bearing conveyor roll 5a. The sensor arms are
interconnected at their upper ends by a shaft 9 which supports a plurality of sensor
rollers 10. The reason shaft 9 preferably bears a plurality of sensor rollers 10,
rather than a single sensor roller, will be apparent hereinafter. The sensor rollers
are made as lightweight as possible to reduce the overall weight of sensor
assembly 6. The sensor rollers may, for example, be hollow plastic rollers. The
ends of shaft 9 are non-rotatively affixed to sensor arms 7 and 8 by pins shown at
11 and 12, or by any other appropriate means.
While the shaft 9 can be made of any appropriate material such as steel or
al~lmin~lm rod or tubing, it has been found preferable that shaft 9 constitute a- lightweight carbon fiber shaft. Excellent results have been achieved with a
pultruded rod of unidirectionally oriented carbon fibers in a vinyl ester resin
manufactured by DFI Pultruded Composts, Inc. of Erlanger, Kentucky. Shaft 9
does not rotate and is subject to bending forces each time a package passes overthe sensor rollers. Furthermore, kraft cartons, handled on conveyor systems,
often become distorted and catch the sensor rollers 10 imparting considerable force
to the rollers 10 and shaft 9. A carbon fiber shaft demonstrates flexing -
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characteristics which allow a carton to make the transition over the sensor rollers
when a part of the carton sags below the top carrying surfaces of the conveyor
- rollers. A carbon fiber shaft 9 is characterized by greater yield strength, so that
when deflected, it returns to its original rectilin~r condition. Steel or al~-mimlm
tube or rod shafts ultimately take on a permanent bend. As the sensitivity of the
sensor is increased, the ruggedness of the sensor must be retained. The use of acarbon fiber shaft is a key factor to sensor longevity.
Sensor arm 7 and sensor arm 8 are identical. For this reason, a description
of sensor arm 7 in conjunction with Figures 1, 3 and 4 can be considered as a
description of arrn 8 as well. Arrn 7 is preferably made of plastic and lends itself
well to be molded as an integral, one-piece structure.
Arm 7 comprises a central web 13 having an upper portion 13a, and
interrnedi~te portion 13b and a lower portion 13c. Along its rearward edge, arm 7
is provided with a transverse flange 14 ex~P,n~ling from the lower end of arm 7 to
the upper end of arm 7 and transversely to either side of web 13. At the upper
end of arm 7 the flange 14 terminates in a circular flange 15 which extends to
either side of web 13 and surrounds the opening 16 which receives shaft 9. From
circular flange 15 a transverse flange 17 extends along the front of arrn 7 on both
sides of web 13, merging with flange 14 as at 18, surrounding a hole 19 in arm 7,
the purpose of which will be apparent hereinafter. The flange 17 is also joined to
flange 14 by a transverse flange 20, located on either side of web 13b. Finally,arm 7 is provided with a downwardly exten~ing branch of flange 17 shown at 17a.
The flange 17 and the flange 17a lie along two sides of a subst~nti~lly triangular
web 21 which is co-planar with web 13.
Sensor arm 7 has an opening 22 formed in web portion 13b. The opening
22 is defined by rear flange 14, transverse flange 20 and an arcuate opening edge
22a extending therebetween. It will be noted that transverse flange 20 and rear
flange 14 meet at substantially a right angle so that opening 22 has a substantially
90 degree corner 22b, the purpose of which will be apparent hereinafter.
A knife-edge bearing 23 is fixedly and non-rotatively mounted on
hexagonal shaft 4a. Knife-edge bearing 23 provides an edge bearing surface 23a
which engages sensor arln 7 at the corner 22b of opening 22 therein. This
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arrangement enables sensor arm 7 to pivotally shift between a normal position
shown in Figure 1 and a fully depressed position illustrated in Figure 2. The
- knife-edge bearing 23 is also shown in Figure 3. A similar knife-edge bearing 24
is mounted adjacent the other end of shaft 4a and provides a knife-edge bearing
S surface 24a. Thus, sensor arms 7 and 8 are mounted on knife-edge bearings 23
and 24, respectively. It will now be apparent, particularly from Figure 3, that
conveyor roller 5a is shorter than the other conveyor rollers 5 to make room forknife-edge bearings 23 and 24 on shaft 4a.
When the sensor assembly 6 is in its normal, lln~cnl~ted position, the
sensor rollers 10 will be located slightly above the adjacent conveyor rollers 4a
and 4. Sensor arm 7 will be in the position shown in Figure 1. It will be
understood that sensor arm 8 will assume the same position shown in Figure 1 by
virtue of the fact that it is operatively attached to sensor arm 7 by shaft 9.
When an object such as empty carrier tray 25 passes over sensor rollers 10,
sensor arm 7 may assume its fully depressed position shown in Figures 2 and 3.
In this position, the uppermost surface portions of sensor rollers 10 will be co-
planar with the uppermost surface portions of conveyor rollers 5 and 5a. Once
again, sensor arrn 8 will assume the same rotative position by virtue of the fact
that it is connected to sensor arm 7 by shaft 9. The movement of sensor arm 7
between the unactuated position of Figure 1 and fully depressed position of Figure
2, and the similar movement of sensor arm 8, is a rocking or pivoting movement
about knife-edge fulcrum bearings 23 and 24.
In order to return the sensor assembly 6 from its depressed position shown
in Figure 2 to its un~ct~ ed position shown in Figure 1, a lightweight balance or
tension spring 25 is provided. The rearward end 25a of balance spring 25 is
- hooked through a perforation 26 in the lowermost end portion of sensor arrn 7.
The forward end 25b of return spring 25 is hooked through an opening 27 in a
tension adjustment bracket 28. Adjustment bracket 28 has a longitudinal slot 29
formed therein through which a shoulder bolt 30 passes. The shoulder bolt 30
extends through a spacer 31 and is threadedly engaged in conveyor side frame 2.
The elongated slot 29 in tension adjustment bracket 28 has a series of angular
notches 29a through 29f and the shoulder bolt 30 can be engaged in any one of the
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notches 29a through 29f to adjust the tension of spring 25. The tension of spring
25 must be enough to return and m~int~in the sensor rollers 10 in their normal,
n~ctl~a~ed position shown in Figure 1 and to overcome the spring of the plunger
actuator of a three-way valve to be described hereinafter. It will be understood by
one skilled in the art, for example, that the wider the conveyor 1, the longer will
be shaft 9 and the greater will be the number of sensor rollers 10. This, in turn,
increases the weight of sensor assembly 6 which can be accommodated by the
tension adjustment bracket 28. Tension spring 25 and tension adjustment bracket
28 will be sufficient for the entire sensor assembly 6 and there is no need for a
spring equivalent to spring 25 or a tension bracket equivalent to bracket 28 forsensor arm 8.
Affixed to the inside surface of conveyor side frame 2, adjacent sensor arm
7, there is a plate-like bracket 32. At its rearward end, bracket 32 has an integral
in-turned lug 33 surrounded by a tubular segment 34 of resilient material such as
plastic or rubber. The lug 33 and the resilient tube 34 thereabout serve as a stop
for sensor arm 7 to prevent sensor arm 7 from going beyond its fully depressed
position shown in Figure 2.
The bracket 32 also has an in-turned portion 35 (see also Figure 4) which
slopes upwardly and forwardly as illustrated. Along its lowermost edge, in-turned
portion 35 has an integral downwardly depending portion 36. Portions 35 and 36
are provided with perforations 35a and 36a (again see Figure 4), either one of
which may receive the body of a three-way pneumatic valve. In Figures 1 and 2,
such a pn~llm~tic valve is shown in solid lines at 37 extending through perforation
35a of bracket portion 35. A similar pn~um~tic valve is shown in broken lines inan alternate position extending through the perforation 36a in bracket portion 36,
and is indicated at 37a. When the three-way valve is mounted in perforation 35a
of bracket portion 35, as shown at 37 in Figures 1 and 2, it will be noted that the
actuating valve stem 38 thereof will be depressed by flange portion 17 of sensorarrn 7 when in its normal, unactuated position. When the three-way valve is
alternatively mounted in the perforation 36a of bracket portion 36, as shown at 37a
in Figure 1, the actuator valve 38a thereof will be depressed by flange portion 17a
of sensor arm 7 when in its norrnal, lln~et~ ed position. It will be noted from
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Figure 2, however, that when sensor arm 7 is in its fully depressed position, the
actuating plunger of the three-way pn~llm~ic valve will be released, whether the- pneumatic valve is mounted in perforation 35a of flange portion 35 (as at 37) or in
perforation 36a of flange portion 36 (as at 37a). It is preferred to configure sensor
arm 7 to release the actuating plunger when sensor arm has traveled only about
1/3 or 1/2 the distance from its normal unactuated position to its fully depressed
position. Thus a lightweight conveyed object can be sensed even if it does not
fully depress the sensor assembly.
It will be understood that there will be only one bracket 32 and one
pnPllrn~ic valve 37 for each individual sensor assembly 6 used on a conveyor.
In the embodiment illustrated, bracket 32 and balance spring 25 are both
shown adjacent conveyor side frame 2. It will be understood by one skilled in the
art, that since sensor arrns 7 and 8 are identical, a mirror image of bracket 32 and
the three-way valve 37 could be mounted on the other side frame 3 of conveyor 1,and the same is true of spring 25 and tension adjust bracket 28. While not
required, it is preferable to have these elements mounted on the same side frameof conveyor 1.
~ The invention having been described in detail, its operation may now be set
forth. As indicated above, the sensor assembly 6 for lightweight objects of the
present invention can be used for a number of purposes. For an exemplary
showing only, it will be assumed that the sensor assembly 6 is located in a
conveyor zone and is intended to activate and deactivate the rollers of an upstream
zone, such as the next adjacent upstream zone, for exarnple. When the sensor
assembly 6 detects the presence of an object in its zone, it will release the valve
actuator 38 of three-way valve 37 or the valve actuator 38a of three-way valve 37a
to disconnect the conveyor rollers of the next preceding zone from their respective
drive means. When no object is detected by sensor assembly 6, it will depress the
actuating plunger 38 of three-way valve 37 or the ac~ inE plunger 38a of three-
way valve 37a causing the rollers of the adjacent preceding upstream zone to be
engaged by their drive means and to be driven thereby.
When the sensor assembly 6 is in its no~nal position, as illustrated in
Figure 1, it is m~in~ained in this position by balance spring 25. As indicated
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above, spring 25 must be of sufficient strength to overcome the weight of the
rollers 10 and shaft 9 and the slight force of spring biased valve actuator 38 or
- 38a. Proper tension of spring 25 is achieved through the use of tension adjustbracket 28. The use of spring 25 is preferred over the use of a threaded
S counterbalance because the spring 25 does not add weight or inertia to the sensor
assemb}y 6.
The use of multiple sensor rollers results in the fact that the object being
conveyed need rotate only those rollers it contacts. This further reduces the
inertia of the system.
Of primary importance are the knife-edge fulcrum bearings 23 and 24. In
prior art practice, the sensor arms rotate about a shaft having a diameter of 0.38
inch or more. The sensor arms 7 and 8 of the present invention rock about knife-edge fulcrum bearings presenting a radius of about 0.03 inch. Under these
circumstances, the friction goes subst~n~i~lly to zero.
Reference is now made to Figure 5. This Figure illustrates a dual sensor
assembly made up of a first sensor assembly generally in(lic~t~d at 6 and a second
sensor assembly generally indicated at 6a.
There are instances where, by virtue of the shape of the objects being
conveyed, one or more objects could occupy a zone without actuating the sensor.
An example of such a situation is illustrated in Figure 5 wherein the objects being
conveyed are tray-like objects having ends which slope downwardly and inwardly
and having an upper peripheral flange. As a result of this, the length dimension of
each tray is greater at its top than at its bottom. Thus, when the upper flanges of
a pair of adjacent trays are abutting, their bottom surfaces are spaced from each
other. In addition, the forwardmost end of the first tray may overlie the rollers of
sensor assembly 6, but the bottom of the tray may not contact these rollers.
To avoid this problem, it is within the scope of the invention to provide
two substantially identical sensor assemblies 6 and 6a having their rollers 10 and
10a spaced apart such that one or the other set of rollers 10 and lOa will be
depressed by the tray. As indicated above, the sensor assemblies 6 and 6a are
substantially identical. The sensor arrns 7 and 7a are joined together by a link 39.
At one end, the link 39 is pivoted as at 40 to the opening 19 (see Figure 1) in
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sensor arm 7. At the other end, the link 39 is pivoted as at 41 to the same hole(not shown) in arm 7a. It will be understood that while link 39 is illustrated
- connPcting sensor arms 7 and 7a, the link 39 could connect the arms on the other
side of the conveyor. There will be only one bracket 32 with its stop 34 and valve
mounting portions 35 and 36. Both arrns 7 and 7a may be provided with
balancing springs 25 and 25a, tension adjustment brackets 28 and 28a, and
shoulder bolts 30 and 30a, respectively. Alternatively, the spring 25a, the
adjustment bracket 28a and the shoulder bolt 30a can be eliminated if spring 25 is
replaced with a spring appropriately selected with a greater spring rate and a
higher initial tension.
The sensor assembly 6-6a of Figure S operates in exactly the same manner
as the sensor of Figures 1, 2 and 3. The only difference lies in the fact that if
sensor rollers 10a of the system are depressed by a tray being conveyed, the
rollers 10 will similarly be depressed by link 39, even though they are not
contacted by the tray being conveyed.
From the above it will be apparent that the sensor system of the present
invention is characterized by a low sensing force due to the knife-edge fulcrum
bearings, very light construction and a low total mass. As a result, lighter weight
objects can be conveyed at a greater speed and the sensor assembly can sense
Iighter weight objects than hitherto possible by prior art mechanical sensing
devices.
Modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the
spirit of it. For example, it would be within the scope of the invention to makeeach fulcrum bearing an integral, one-piece part of its respective sensor arm. As
an example, Figure 7 shows a sensor arm 42 similar to sensor arms 7 and 8, but
extruded as an open frame structure without intermediate web portions 13a, 13b,
13c and 21. A fulcrum balance 43, similar to fulcrum balances 23 and 24,
constitutes an integral, one-piece part of arm 42. Instead of a knife-edge (as
provided by fulcrum bearings 23 and 24) the fulcrum 43 is connected to arm 42 bya thin web 44 constituting a hinge frequently referred to in the plastic art as a
"living hinge". A living hinge may be defined as a thin plastic web connecting,
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and integral with, two parts, one of which is swingable with respect to the other
by virtue of the web.
