An industrial transportation system includes one or more movers and a robot system. The robot system is configured to load one or more items on the surface of respective movers and unload the one or more items from the surface of respective movers. Each of the one or more movers includes a first surface configured to provide reversible adhesion between the mover and an item loaded on the mover. The reversible adhesion of the surface is activated at loading and deactivated at unloading.

The present invention includes conveying and sorting systems utilizing a plurality of continuous rails which support a plurality of sliding pucks that are urged forward using a plurality of sprocket wheels, and which utilize magnetically operated activation components for causing produce to be selectively dropped from cups carried by the pucks into sorting bins. The structures for the conveying and actuating components of the systems have smooth external surfaces reducing potential contamination by bacteria, contaminants and debris, thereby making them easily accessible for cleaning, and allowing for longer continuous operation times and higher efficiency.

An apparatus for unscrambling articles includes a transport system for transporting randomly-arranged articles on a transport plane and a system for extracting articles arranged with a predefined orientation and/or position. Devices for picking and releasing the articles are configured to pick up the articles randomly arranged on the transport system and release them to an extraction system with a predefined orientation and/or position. A detection system is designed to detect position and arrangement of the articles in transit and to provide information for controlling gripping and release devices, while a unit for processing and controlling components and drives of the apparatus is designed to receive the position and/or arrangement information of the articles and to control the gripping and release devices. The pick and release devices include a robot for picking up articles only from the first section, and a robot for picking up articles only from the second section.

An apparatus for unscrambling articles includes a transport system for transporting randomly-arranged articles on a transport plane and a system for extracting articles arranged with a predefined orientation and/or position. Devices for picking and releasing the articles are configured to pick up the articles randomly arranged on the transport system and release them to an extraction system with a predefined orientation and/or position. A detection system is designed to detect position and arrangement of the articles in transit and to provide information for controlling gripping and release devices, while a unit for processing and controlling components and drives of the apparatus is designed to receive the position and/or arrangement information of the articles and to control the gripping and release devices. The pick and release devices include a robot for picking up articles only from the first section, and a robot for picking up articles only from the second section.

An apparatus for conveying articles comprising: a conveying surface comprising a plurality of electrically magnetizable elements; a plurality of units for conveying articles, movable on said conveying surface, each conveying unit being defined by a first transport element and a second transport element configured to be coupled with each other and to define together a seat for housing articles, the first and the second transport element comprising each at least one magnetic element; a control unit, connected to said electrically magnetizable elements of the conveying surface to activate and deactivate them, so as to generate a variable predetermined magnetic field on said conveying surface and to allow consequently the movement of said first transport element and second transport element above said conveying surface.

An apparatus for conveying articles comprising: a conveying surface comprising a plurality of electrically magnetizable elements; a plurality of units for conveying articles, movable on said conveying surface, each conveying unit being defined by a first transport element and a second transport element configured to be coupled with each other and to define together a seat for housing articles, the first and the second transport element comprising each at least one magnetic element; a control unit, connected to said electrically magnetizable elements of the conveying surface to activate and deactivate them, so as to generate a variable predetermined magnetic field on said conveying surface and to allow consequently the movement of said first transport element and second transport element above said conveying surface.

A linear motor conveyor system including: a track comprising a shaped guide rail; a plurality of moving elements, each moving element having: a body; at least two bearings supported by the body and configured to match with the shaped guide rail, wherein the bearings are mounted to the moving element such that the moving elements overlap along the direction of the track providing a reduced tooling pitch between the moving elements. A moving element for moving on a track of a conveyor system, the moving element including: a first set of bearings shaped to match with a first shaped guide rail; a second set of bearings configured to abut against a second guide rail; and a body supporting the first and the second bearing, wherein the body is shaped to allow the first bearing to at least partially overlap the body of an adjacent moving element.

A linear motor conveyor system including: a track comprising a shaped guide rail; a plurality of moving elements, each moving element having: a body; at least two bearings supported by the body and configured to match with the shaped guide rail, wherein the bearings are mounted to the moving element such that the moving elements overlap along the direction of the track providing a reduced tooling pitch between the moving elements. A moving element for moving on a track of a conveyor system, the moving element including: a first set of bearings shaped to match with a first shaped guide rail; a second set of bearings configured to abut against a second guide rail; and a body supporting the first and the second bearing, wherein the body is shaped to allow the first bearing to at least partially overlap the body of an adjacent moving element.

The invention relates to a container conveyor device (10) in a packaging machine having a container carrier (13) with a plurality of container receptacles (15). At least two rotary-driven linear conveyors (11, 28) are provided, and the container carrier (13) has at least one engagement part (14) which can be brought into engagement with the linear conveyors (11, 28). Two curved conveyors (20, 34) each have a curved guide track (21, 35) with which at least one projection of the container carrier (13) can be brought into engagement. A plurality of container carriers (13) can be transported along the upper linear conveyor (11) in a row with a mutual first spacing of less than 30 mm and at an average speed V0. The container carriers can be transported along the lower linear conveyor (28) with a mutual second spacing which is greater than the first spacing and at an average speed Vu, where V.sub.u≥1.5 V.sub.0.

A vertical sorter having a track with at least two straight portions and at least two curved portions is disclosed. A linear motor primary coil is mounted on the at least two straight portions, and two adjacent straight potions are connected by at least one curved portion. Supply tables are disposed at ends of the at least two straight portions respectively and used for providing goods to each straight portion; chutes are disposed along two sides of the at least two straight portions and used for transporting the goods on each straight portion to corresponding areas; a sorting trolley is used for conveying the goods on the supply table to a corresponding chute; and a secondary magnet is mounted on the sorting trolley, wherein the linear motor primary coil and the secondary magnet cooperate to drive the sorting trolley to move along the track.