Unscrambling conveyor
A conveyor for unscrambling articles into single file has three lanes with the rollers of the outer lanes skewed toward the middle lane. The middle lane runs at a different speed than the outer lanes, and may have skewed rollers. The unscrambling conveyor may include several modules sequentially arranged, with a speed change within the lanes between the modules.
1 . A conveyor comprising:
a. a first lane extending in an longitudinal direction, said first lane comprising a first plurality of rollers which define a first upper conveying surface moving at a first speed;
b. a second lane extending in said longitudinal direction, said second lane being spaced apart laterally from said first lane, said second lane comprising a second plurality of rollers defining a second upper conveying surface moving at a second speed;
c. a third lane extending in said longitudinal direction and interposed between said first and second lanes, said third lane comprising a third plurality of rollers defining a third upper conveying surface moving at a third speed;
d. said first plurality of rollers being skewed toward said third lane; and
e. said second plurality of rollers being skewed toward said third lane.
2 . The conveyor of claim 1 , wherein said first lane includes at least one roller adjacent said first plurality of rollers which is not skewed.
3 . The conveyor of claim 1 , wherein said third plurality of rollers are skewed toward said first lane.
4 . The conveyor of claim 1 , wherein said first, second and third conveying surfaces are substantially coplanar with each other.
5 . The conveyor of claim 1 , wherein said rollers are wheels.
6 . The conveyor of claim 1 , wherein said rollers are tapered.
7 . The conveyor of claim 1 , wherein said rollers are cylindrical.
8 . The conveyor of claim 1 , wherein said rollers are driven.
9 . The conveyor of claim 1 , wherein said third speed is greater than said first speed.
10 . The conveyor of claim 9 , wherein said third speed is greater than said second speed.
11 . The conveyor of claim 1 , wherein said first and second speeds are approximately equal.
12 . The conveyor of claim 11 , wherein said third speed is greater than said first and second speeds.
13 . A conveyor comprising:
a. at least a first and second sequentially arranged conveyor module, each conveyor module comprising:
i. a first lane extending in an longitudinal direction, said first lane comprising a first plurality of rollers which define a first upper conveying surface moving at a first speed;
ii. a second lane extending in said longitudinal direction, said second lane being spaced apart laterally from said first lane, said second lane comprising a second plurality of rollers defining a second upper conveying surface moving at a second speed;
iii. a third lane extending in said longitudinal direction and interposed between said first and second lanes, said third lane comprising a third plurality of rollers defining a third upper conveying surface moving at a third speed;
iv. said first plurality of rollers being skewed toward said third lane; and
v. said second plurality of rollers being skewed toward said third lane;
b. said first lanes of each module being longitudinally aligned with each other;
c. said second lanes of each module being longitudinally aligned with each other; and
d. said third lanes of each module being longitudinally aligned with each other.
14 . The conveyor of claim 13 , wherein said first, second and third speeds of said second module are respectively different from the first, second and third speeds of said first module.
15 . The conveyor of claim 14 , wherein said first, second and third speeds of said second module are respectively greater than the first, second and third speeds of said first module.
16 . The conveyor of claim 13 , wherein said at least a first and second sequentially arranged conveyor module comprises a third sequentially arranged module.
17 . The conveyor of claim 16 , wherein said first, second and third speeds of said third module are respectively greater than the first, second and third speeds of said second module.
18 . The conveyor of claim 13 , wherein said third plurality of rollers are skewed toward said first lane.