LIVE SIDE GUIDE ASSEMBLY FOR A SKEW ROLLER CONVEYOR

1 . A live side guide assembly for a skew roller conveyor, the live side guide assembly comprising:

a plurality of retractable rolling elements configured to be positioned along at least one side of the skew roller conveyor, wherein each of the plurality of retractable rolling elements comprise:

a shaft defining a shaft axis;

a bearing assembly positioned around the shaft; and

a rolling member that is positioned around the bearing assembly and is configured to rotate on the shaft axis,

wherein:

each of the plurality of retractable rolling elements are configured to be positioned such that the shaft axis extends vertically, and

each of the plurality of retractable rolling elements are configured to move between a deployed position for guiding one or more packages and a retracted position for diverting the one or more packages.

2 . The live side guide assembly of claim 1 , wherein the live side guide assembly comprises a stationary component that defines a plurality of orifices, wherein the shaft of each of the plurality of retractable rolling elements extend through a respective orifice of the plurality of orifices, and wherein each of the plurality of retractable rolling elements comprise:

a pin coupled to the shaft; and

a spring encased around the shaft and secured between the stationary component and the pin, wherein the spring is configured to bias each of the plurality of retractable rolling elements to move to the retracted position.

3 . The live side guide assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bearing assembly comprises a ball bearing or a needle bearing.

4 . The live side guide assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of retractable rolling elements are segmented into a plurality of zones.

5 . The live side guide assembly of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of retractable rolling elements of each of the plurality of zones are configured to move independently between the deployed position and the retracted position based at least on a size of the one or more packages.

6 . The live side guide assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of retractable rolling elements are coupled with an actuator that is configured to move the plurality of retractable rolling elements from the retracted position to the deployed position.

7 . The live side guide assembly of claim 6 , wherein the actuator comprises a motorized driven roller (MDR) or a servomotor with one or more cams.

8 . The live side guide assembly of claim 6 , wherein the actuator comprises a motorized linear actuator.

9 . The live side guide assembly of claim 6 , wherein the actuator comprises a pneumatic linear actuator.

10 . The live side guide assembly of claim 1 , wherein the skew roller conveyor is configured to push the one or more packages towards the plurality of retractable rolling elements to guide the one or more packages along the skew roller conveyor or divert the one or more packages to another roller conveyor.

11 . The live side guide assembly of claim 10 , wherein the skew roller conveyor defines a rotating speed S1 and each of the plurality of retractable rolling elements defines a moving speed S2, wherein S2 is higher than S1.

12 . A method comprising:

positioning a plurality of retractable rolling elements along at least one side of a skew roller conveyor;

coupling a bearing assembly of each of the plurality of retractable rolling elements, around a shaft defining a shaft axis;

positioning a rolling member of each of the plurality of retractable rolling elements, around the around the bearing assembly, wherein the rolling member rotates on the shaft axis;

positioning each of the plurality of retractable rolling elements such that the shaft axis extends vertically; and

moving the plurality of retractable rolling elements between a deployed position for guiding one or more packages and a retracted position for diverting the one or more packages.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the skew roller conveyor comprises a stationary component that defines a plurality of orifices, and further comprising extending the shaft of each of the plurality of retractable rolling elements through a respective orifice of the plurality of orifices and wherein each of the plurality of retractable rolling elements comprise:

a pin coupled to the shaft; and

a spring encased around the shaft and secured between the stationary component and the pin, and further biasing via the spring each of the plurality of retractable rolling elements to move to the retracted position.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the bearing assembly comprises a ball bearing or a needle bearing.

15 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising, segmenting the plurality of retractable rolling elements into a plurality of zones, and further comprising moving the plurality of retractable rolling elements of each of the plurality of zones independently between the deployed position and the retracted position based at least on a size of the one or more packages.

16 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising coupling an actuator with each of the plurality of retractable rolling elements to move the retractable rolling element from the retracted position to the deployed position.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the actuator comprises a motorized driven roller (MDR) or a servomotor with one or more cams.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the actuator comprises a motorized linear actuator.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the actuator comprises a pneumatic linear actuator.

20 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprising pushing, via the skew roller conveyor, the one or more packages towards the plurality of retractable rolling elements to guide the one or more packages along the skew roller conveyor or divert the one or more packages to another roller conveyor, wherein the skew roller conveyor defines a rotating speed S1 and each of the plurality of retractable rolling elements defines a moving speed S2, wherein S2 is higher than S1.