An assembly machine includes a plurality of track modules, each track module including a section of track, the plurality of track modules connectable to form a continuous circuitous track, the continuous circuitous track configured to receive a dispensing head, the dispensing head configured to rotate about the continuous circuitous track and at least partially assemble an unfinished product. The machine includes a first feeder module attached to a first length of the continuous circuitous track configured to feed a component to the dispensing head, and a first placement module attached to a second length of the continuous circuitous track configured to receive the unfinished product. The dispensing head is configured to place the component on the unfinished product. The assembly machine is reconfigurable by attaching or removing one or more of the plurality of track modules, the first feeder module and the first placement module.

A production method and system performing the production method, the method includes detecting integrity of a hermetic seal of a container that is being transported by a conveyor, the container including an elastically deformable cup containing a product and a fluid, and having an open mouth and a deformable lid attached around the open mouth of the cup, the detecting including squeezing the cup to pressurize the fluid contained in the container; and determining with a detector whether the squeezing caused the lid to deform; and when it is determined that the squeezing failed to deform the lid, removing the container from the conveyor.

A production method and system performing the production method, the method includes detecting integrity of a hermetic seal of a container that is being transported by a conveyor, the container including an elastically deformable cup containing a product and a fluid, and having an open mouth and a deformable lid attached around the open mouth of the cup, the detecting including squeezing the cup to pressurize the fluid contained in the container; and determining with a detector whether the squeezing caused the lid to deform; and when it is determined that the squeezing failed to deform the lid, removing the container from the conveyor.

A contactless drive through facility includes a set of parking bays aligned substantially in parallel, wherein each parking bay is dimensioned to accommodate a customer vehicle therein. The drive through facility further includes first and second overhead wires traversing the set of parking bays, wherein the first and second overhead wires are spaced apart from each other. The drive through facility further includes a set of order processing units moveably suspended from the first overhead wire and a carrier member moveably suspended from the second overhead wire. The drive through facility further includes an order management system to operate each order processing unit for facilitating an order placing process and a payment process by corresponding customer vehicle. The order management system also operates the carrier member for moving a set of delivery containers fulfilling corresponding ones of one or more orders placed using the set of order processing units.

A contactless drive through facility includes a set of parking bays aligned substantially in parallel, wherein each parking bay is dimensioned to accommodate a customer vehicle therein. The drive through facility further includes first and second overhead wires traversing the set of parking bays, wherein the first and second overhead wires are spaced apart from each other. The drive through facility further includes a set of order processing units moveably suspended from the first overhead wire and a carrier member moveably suspended from the second overhead wire. The drive through facility further includes an order management system to operate each order processing unit for facilitating an order placing process and a payment process by corresponding customer vehicle. The order management system also operates the carrier member for moving a set of delivery containers fulfilling corresponding ones of one or more orders placed using the set of order processing units.

A non-contact transporting apparatus (10) includes: a negative pressure assembly (100) configured to generate a negative pressure airflow within the non-contact transporting apparatus; and an ultrasonic assembly (200) connected to the negative pressure assembly (100). The ultrasonic assembly (200) includes: an ultrasonic transducer (210) configured to convert a high-frequency ultrasonic electrical signal into a high-frequency mechanical vibration, one end of the ultrasonic transducer (210) is connected to the negative pressure assembly (100); an ultrasonic horn (230) configured to amplify the high-frequency mechanical vibration, one end of the ultrasonic horn (230) is connected to one end of the ultrasonic transducer (210) away from the negative pressure assembly (100); and an ultrasonic chuck (250) configured to amplify and convert the high-frequency mechanical vibration, the ultrasonic chuck (250) is connected to one end of the ultrasonic horn (230) away from the ultrasonic transducer (210).

An apparatus for processing food products comprises a product conveyor having a frame and a conveyor unit for conveying products along a conveying direction, wherein the conveyor unit is arranged laterally projecting at the frame with respect to the conveying direction and comprises a work unit which is associated with the processing of the conveyed products and which is arranged at least partly beneath the projecting conveyor unit of the product conveyor.

Provision is made that the frame of the product conveyor is supported or held at the work unit via a mechanical connection or extends into a free space defined by the work unit.

An apparatus for processing food products comprises a product conveyor having a frame and a conveyor unit for conveying products along a conveying direction, wherein the conveyor unit is arranged laterally projecting at the frame with respect to the conveying direction and comprises a work unit which is associated with the processing of the conveyed products and which is arranged at least partly beneath the projecting conveyor unit of the product conveyor.

Provision is made that the frame of the product conveyor is supported or held at the work unit via a mechanical connection or extends into a free space defined by the work unit.

A reeling shaft transfer rail system has two parallel substantially horizontal or slightly sloped rails for supporting the ends (25) of a reeling shaft (20). Hoses are arranged on each of the transfer rails (15) and filled or drained to move and hold the reeling shaft (20). In a method of transferring reeling shafts on transfer rails, the reeling shafts (20) are transferred on two parallel, substantially horizontal or slightly downstream of a main transfer direction inclined transfer rails (15) for supporting each of the supporting ends (25) of a reeling shaft (20). The reeling shafts (20) are transferred or positioned in the reeling shaft transfer rail system (10) by pressurizing hoses (17) arranged on each of the transfer rails. The hoses are arranged so fluid added to or withdrawn from the hoses pushes or holds the reeling shaft (20) on the transfer rails (15).

A magnetic energy system including a pathway having inclined portions of the pathway contiguous with declined portions of the pathway and an object adapted to move on the pathway by descending a declined portion of the pathway under the influence of gravity and ascending the contiguous inclined portion of the pathway under the combined influence of kinetic energy and a magnetic flux field interaction with release of the object from the magnetic flux field interaction at a pathway height equal to or greater than the initial height of the object on the preceding declined portion of the pathway.