William M Faber

20080082206, Apr 3, 2008

Sep 27, 2007

11/904935

Kengo Egami - Iruma City, JP
Kevin Hull - Gurnee IL, US
Shuji Matsumoto - Gurnee IL, US
William Faber - Gurnee IL, US

G06F 7/00

700230000

An automated control system is described for a conveying system including an input conveyor supplying a product, a segmented output conveyor delivering a product in a pattern, and one or more synchronizing conveyors disposed between the input conveyor and the output conveyor. The control system comprises a plurality of product position sensors for sensing position of product on each synchronizing conveyor. A conveyor sensor senses segment position of the output conveyor. A plurality of drives, one for each respective conveyor, control the respective conveyors. A database stores a plurality of template pattern algorithms each defining a control algorithm for a distinct product pattern to be delivered from the segmented output conveyor. A controller is operatively connected to the product position sensors, the conveyor sensor and the drives for controlling the conveyors responsive to sensed product position and segment position. The controller includes a programmable processor operable to download a select one of the template pattern algorithms. The controller selectively advances or retards product position relative to the segment position of the output conveyor to release the products onto the output conveyor according to the distinct product pattern defined by the downloaded template pattern algorithm.