| CPC B65G 27/32 (2013.01) | 20 Claims |
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1. A digitally adjustable and reversible vibrating conveyor comprising:
a) a shaft having a longitudinal axis;
b) a motor that is mechanically connected to the shaft, and which turns the shaft about its longitudinal axis in an oscillating motion, wherein each oscillation occurs in a cycle that comprises:
i) procession from a first oscillation position to a second oscillation position;
ii) reversal of a spin direction;
iii) procession back to the first oscillation position; and
iv) reversal of the spin direction again;
c) a controller that is in electrical communication with the motor, wherein the controller is capable of receiving input data from a user and conveys to the motor values that it receives for each of:
i) an oscillation speed for a shaft about its longitudinal axis between a first oscillation position and a second oscillation position, wherein oscillating from the first position to the second position and then back to the first position defines an oscillation cycle;
ii) an arc angle representing a difference between the first and second oscillation positions, wherein:
A) bisection of the arc angle defines an oscillation midpoint position; and
B) a midpoint plane is defined proceeding radially from the longitudinal axes of the shaft through a surface of the shaft along that bisection;
iii) a net angle representing a difference between a vertical line and the midpoint plane; and
d) a trough that is in mechanical communication with the shaft, such that:
i) the oscillation speed of the shaft conveys cyclically alternating upward and downward force on the trough in proportion to that speed;
ii) each oscillation through the arc angle conveys lateral force along the trough for a period that is proportional to that angle, wherein:
A) in combination with the oscillation speed the arc angle determines an oscillation's characteristic frequency; and
B) in combination with the oscillation speed the arc angle also determines amplitude for the force applied in each half of an oscillation cycle;
iii) whether the net angle is positive or negative determines whether items placed on the conveyor proceed in a net forward direction or net backward direction along the trough or remain in place there; and
iv) the oscillation speed, arc angle and net angle together determine transfer rates at which items of a particular size and mass that are placed on the conveyor can proceed along the trough.
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