According to embodiments of the present invention, a material transfer station provides a base frame equipped with a table member, a container tipper, an operator interface, and a connection to a power source. In operation, a destination container is positioned beneath the table member, and the container tipper holds a supply container. Solid matter may be conveyed from the supply container into the destination container through an opening in the table member. Modules may be attached to provide additional functionality, such as a receiving module, a containment module, a vibratory screener, a flexible film isolator, and a nitrogen purge system.

A floor-bound continuous conveyor for intralogistics includes at least one frame and at least one load-carrying means which has a conveying plane for piece goods and which is configured to transport the piece goods in a conveying direction. A stop means is configured to stop an item of piece goods transported on the conveying plane in the conveying direction at a predetermined position on the load-carrying means. A movement apparatus is designed to move the item of piece goods resting against the stop means on the conveying plane from the starting position and orientation thereof standing on the conveying plane of the load handling device into an end position and orientation deviating from the starting position and orientation on the load-carrying means out of the conveying plane of the load-carrying means into the end position and orientation.

A magazine (200) is described for portion-wise receiving individualized bulk electronic components (298). The magazine (200) comprises (a) a receiving structure (110) which comprises multiple closable receiving cavities (112, 112a), which are arranged along a longitudinal axis (100a) of the receiving structure (110); (b) a cover structure (120) which is arranged at an upper side of the receiving structure (110), displaceable along the longitudinal axis (100a), so that in a closed position of the cover structure (120) all receiving cavities (112, 112a) are covered and in one opening position of multiple opening positions at least one receiving cavity (112) is free; and (c) a closure foil (225) which encompasses the cover structure (120) along the longitudinal axis (100a) in the form of a closed tape, wherein at least a part of the closure foil (225) is releasably connected to the receiving structure (110). Further, a device (430) is described for portion-wise transferring components (298) from one such magazine (200) into a reservoir (490) for a component supply device. Further, a method is described for portion-wise transferring components from one such magazine (200) into the one such reservoir (490).

A magazine (200) is described for portion-wise receiving individualized bulk electronic components (298). The magazine (200) comprises (a) a receiving structure (110) which comprises multiple closable receiving cavities (112, 112a), which are arranged along a longitudinal axis (100a) of the receiving structure (110); (b) a cover structure (120) which is arranged at an upper side of the receiving structure (110), displaceable along the longitudinal axis (100a), so that in a closed position of the cover structure (120) all receiving cavities (112, 112a) are covered and in one opening position of multiple opening positions at least one receiving cavity (112) is free; and (c) a closure foil (225) which encompasses the cover structure (120) along the longitudinal axis (100a) in the form of a closed tape, wherein at least a part of the closure foil (225) is releasably connected to the receiving structure (110). Further, a device (430) is described for portion-wise transferring components (298) from one such magazine (200) into a reservoir (490) for a component supply device. Further, a method is described for portion-wise transferring components from one such magazine (200) into the one such reservoir (490).

An apparatus for manipulating a bulk seed box having a lower box and an upper box, the upper box defining a cavity and opposing upper and lower edges, the apparatus including a base assembly; a lift assembly mounted to the base assembly for selective raising and lowering of a clamp assembly between lower and upper positions; a clamp assembly having a gripping assembly that has at least one upper clamp tab and at least one lower clamp tab and defines clamping and released positions, the clamping position including the at least one upper and lower clamp tabs being for clamping a seed box therebetween; a swivel assembly defining a horizontal axis and being mounted to and between the lift assembly and the clamp assembly for allowing the clamp enabling to be rotated at least 180 degrees about a horizontal axis relative to the lift assembly; and a height locator assembly operable to locate the clamp assembly at a home position with the at least one upper and lower clamp tabs being horizontally aligned with respective the upper and lower edges of the upper seed box of a bulk seed box positioned proximal thereto.

A storage system for storing objects of plastic material processed in a bottling line (45) comprises: a plurality of drawers (4) configured to contain groups of objects (5); a frame (2) which defines a plurality of compartments (3) configured to house the drawers (4); a conveyor (8) movable in the storage system (1) itself and configured to access the compartments (3) in such a way as to withdraw and place drawers (4) from and into the compartments (4); a loading bay (11) having one or more loading compartments for receiving corresponding drawers (4) and having a loading manipulator (28) configured to place in the drawers (4) the loose objects (5) received from an infeed conveyor (29); an unloading bay (12) having at least one unloading compartment for receiving a corresponding drawer (4) and having an unloading manipulator (41) configured to place onto an outfeed conveyor (43, 44) the loose objects (5) stored in the drawer (4).

A compaction material feeding device for a vertical baling press, the compaction material feeding device having a compaction material compartment and a conveyor for feeding compaction material from the compaction material compartment to a loading opening of the associated baling press. In the compaction material feeding device the compaction material compartment is limited by a web-shaped carrier element having side wall segments and having a floor segment, as well as at least two fixed second side walls situated opposite one another. The carrier element can be lifted by a lifter device. In a maximally lifted end position of the carrier element, this element is drawn tight, and a compaction material transfer region of the compaction material feeding device is covered and closed by one of the side wall segments of the carrier element. In addition, a baling press is provided having a compaction material feeding device as described.

A container accessing station for accessing a storage container of an automated storage and retrieval grid. The container accessing station comprising: an access opening through which a human and/or robot may access contents of the storage container; a base opening; and a lifting device arranged to retrieve the storage container from a first level beneath the base opening and lift it up through the base opening to a second level so that the storage container may be accessed through the access opening.

The invention is also directed to a container accessing system and a method thereof.

The present invention provides a storage system (1) comprising a storage grid structure (104) and multiple container handling vehicles (200,300), the storage grid structure comprises vertical column profiles (102) defining multiple storage columns (105), in which storage containers (106) can be stored one on top of another in vertical stacks (107), and at least one transfer column (119,120), the column profiles are interconnected at their upper ends by top rails (110,111) forming a horizontal top rail grid (108) upon which the container handling vehicles (200,300) may move in two perpendicular directions, the container handling vehicles are able to retrieve storage containers (106) from, and store storage containers in, the storage columns (105), and transport the storage containers on the storage grid structure, wherein the storage grid structure (104) comprises at least one horizontal transfer section (2); and the storage system comprises multiple container transfer vehicles (6) and transfer rails (110′,111) forming a transfer rail grid (5) upon which the container transfer vehicles (6) may move in at least one horizontal direction, and the transfer section (2) is arranged at a level below the top rail grid (108) and extends from an external side (12) of the storage grid structure (104) to a position below the at least one transfer column (119,120) and comprises at least a section of the transfer rail grid (5) upon which section the container transfer vehicles (6) may pass each other and move in two perpendicular horizontal directions; and each of the container transfer vehicles comprises a container carrier (38) for carrying a storage container (106) and a wheel arrangement (32a,32b) for moving the container transfer vehicle (6) in two perpendicular directions upon the transfer rail grid (5); and wherein the at least one transfer column (119,120) extends from the top rail grid (108) to the transfer section (2), such that a storage container (106) may be transferred between the top rail grid (108) and the container carrier of one of the container transfer vehicles (6).

The present invention provides a storage system (1) comprising a storage grid structure (104) and multiple container handling vehicles (200,300), the storage grid structure comprises vertical column profiles (102) defining multiple storage columns (105), in which storage containers (106) can be stored one on top of another in vertical stacks (107), and at least one transfer column (119,120), the column profiles are interconnected at their upper ends by top rails (110,111) forming a horizontal top rail grid (108) upon which the container handling vehicles (200,300) may move in two perpendicular directions, the container handling vehicles are able to retrieve storage containers (106) from, and store storage containers in, the storage columns (105), and transport the storage containers on the storage grid structure, wherein the storage grid structure (104) comprises at least one horizontal transfer section (2); and the storage system comprises multiple container transfer vehicles (6) and transfer rails (110′,111) forming a transfer rail grid (5) upon which the container transfer vehicles (6) may move in at least one horizontal direction, and the transfer section (2) is arranged at a level below the top rail grid (108) and extends from an external side (12) of the storage grid structure (104) to a position below the at least one transfer column (119,120) and comprises at least a section of the transfer rail grid (5) upon which section the container transfer vehicles (6) may pass each other and move in two perpendicular horizontal directions; and each of the container transfer vehicles comprises a container carrier (38) for carrying a storage container (106) and a wheel arrangement (32a,32b) for moving the container transfer vehicle (6) in two perpendicular directions upon the transfer rail grid (5); and wherein the at least one transfer column (119,120) extends from the top rail grid (108) to the transfer section (2), such that a storage container (106) may be transferred between the top rail grid (108) and the container carrier of one of the container transfer vehicles (6).