US 11,702,291 B2
Conveyor system with automated carriers
Chad Martin Andreae, Sturgeon Bay, WI (US); Bradley M. Andreae, Sturgeon Bay, WI (US); Stephen C. Mann, Sturgeon Bay, WI (US); and Anthony C. Scoville, Sturgeon Bay, WI (US)
Assigned to SST SYSTEMS, INC., Sturgeon Bay, WI (US)
Filed by SST Systems, Inc., Sturgeon Bay, WI (US)
Filed on Mar. 9, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/196,232.
Application 17/196,232 is a continuation of application No. 16/376,142, filed on Apr. 5, 2019, granted, now 10,947,049.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/653,836, filed on Apr. 6, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0188558 A1, Jun. 24, 2021
Int. Cl. B65G 17/48 (2006.01); B65G 19/02 (2006.01); B65G 19/18 (2006.01); B65G 43/00 (2006.01); B65G 9/00 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 17/485 (2013.01) [B65G 19/025 (2013.01); B65G 19/185 (2013.01); B65G 43/00 (2013.01); B65G 9/002 (2013.01); B65G 9/006 (2013.01); B65G 9/008 (2013.01); B65G 2203/0291 (2013.01); B65G 2811/0673 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of operating a conveyor system, the method comprising:
providing a fixed, non-powered rail defining a conveyor path, the rail supporting first and second consecutive automated conveyor carriers (ACC), each of which includes a motor-powered self-driving trolley;
suspending a first load from the first ACC;
suspending a second load from the second ACC;
independently driving the first and second ACCs along the rail, wherein a first spacing between the first and second ACCs is maintained through a first section of the rail; and
accelerating the first ACC away from the second ACC to increase the spacing from the first spacing to a second spacing for navigating a second section of the rail, the second section being a curved section.
 
8. A method of operating a conveyor system, the method comprising:
providing a fixed, non-powered rail defining a conveyor path, the rail supporting a plurality of automated conveyor carriers (ACC), each of which includes a motor-powered self-driving trolley;
suspending respective loads from the plurality of ACCs;
independently driving the plurality of ACCs along a first straight section of the rail at a first line density, where line density is defined as the number of loads per unit length; and
independently accelerating each of the plurality of ACCs at or leading up to a second curved section of the rail to locally decrease the line density for navigating the second curved section.
 
15. A method of operating a conveyor system, the method comprising:
providing a fixed, non-powered rail defining a conveyor path, the rail supporting a plurality of automated conveyor carriers (ACC), each of which includes a motor-powered self-driving trolley;
suspending respective loads from the plurality of ACCs;
independently driving the plurality of ACCs along a first straight section of the rail at a first line density, where line density is defined as the number of loads per unit length, wherein the plurality of ACCs are driven by executing instructions from respective independent on-board controllers; and
independently accelerating each of the plurality of ACCs at or leading up to a second curved section of the rail to locally decrease the line density for navigating the second curved section,
wherein the first line density is one that, in combination with a radius of the second curved section, would result in contact within the second section between adjacent loads carried by the plurality of ACCs.