Article distribution and sorting system
View Patent ↗A radial distribution system includes a base member for receiving product for distribution to a plurality of conveyors, a plurality of gate members radially-spaced around the base member and configured to move between an open position and a closed position, and a vibration member configured to vibrate the base member. The vibration causes product received on the base member to move on the base member in a substantially circular manner.
1. A radial distribution system for distributing product, the system comprising:
a base member comprising a downwardly sloped floor terminating at an upwardly sloped sidewall at a periphery of the base member to form an annular trough for facilitating product accumulation and circular product flow;
a plurality of gate members radially-spaced around the annular trough of the base member; and
a vibration member configured to vibrate the base member.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a product directing member, the product directing member being configured to receive product from above the base member and direct the product onto the base member.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the product directing member is substantially cone-shaped.
4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the product directing member has a plurality of segmented portions.
5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a feed member configured to deliver product onto the product directing member.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the feed member comprises one opening for delivering product onto the product directing member.
7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the feed member comprises more than one opening for delivering product onto the product directing member.
8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the feed member is movable.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the base member is substantially circular.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the base member comprises a plurality of facets.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein each gate member is independently operable between an open and closed position, irrespective of the position of the other gate members.
12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of conveyors, wherein the plurality of conveyors are linear conveyors configured to transport product from the base member to a downstream packaging station, wherein each linear conveyor is adjacent a gate member.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the gate members are coupled to the annular trough of the base member.
14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the base member is sloped radially outward.
15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the product comprises potatoes.
16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the product comprises French fries.
17. A method of distributing product comprising:
providing a substantially circular base member having an annular trough, the annual trough defining a sidewall disposed about an entire periphery of the substantially circular base member, a plurality of conveyors, and a plurality of gate members positioned between the annular trough of the base member and the conveyors;
delivering product onto the base member;
vibrating the base member to cause the product to move in a substantially circular manner around the annular trough of the base member; and
opening one or more gate members to allow product to move from the base member to the one or more conveyor.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the act of delivering product onto the base member comprises:
providing a feed member with one or more openings; and
causing the product to move through the one or more openings to fall onto the base member.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the act of delivering product onto the base member comprises:
providing a product directing member that is substantially cone shaped; and
dropping product onto the product directing member.
20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
vibrating one or more of the linear conveyors to transport product from the base member to a downstream packaging station.
21. A radial distribution system for distributing product, the system comprising:
a base member comprising a downwardly sloped floor terminating at an upwardly sloped sidewall at a periphery of the base member to form an annular trough for facilitating product accumulation;
a plurality of gate members radially-spaced around the annular trough of the base member and configured to move between an open position and a closed position; and
an advancement member configured to move product in a substantially circular manner toward the gate members.
22. The system of claim 21 wherein the advancement member rotates the base member about a center axis to move product with the base member toward the gate members.