An order fulfillment system is disclosed in which objects to be collected into orders are provided in output totes. The system includes a primary sortation system that includes a loop conveyance system that moves objects around a closed loop that includes a plurality of primary sortation exits, each of which leads to a location inside the closed loop, and a secondary sortation system that includes a plurality of secondary conveyances, each of which receives an object at one of the plurality of primary sortation exits, and conveys the object to one of a plurality of totes, the plurality of totes being within the closed loop of the primary sortation system.

A sorting device for piece goods includes a plurality of sorting cart elements each having at least one sorting element for receiving and dispensing the piece goods. In order to reduce the costs for the sorting device, the sorting device has at least one connecting cart element, which is free of sorting elements. The sorting cart elements and the at least one connecting cart element form a closed chain.

A conveying system for intended use in sorting articles and related methods of conveying and sorting articles are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises a first conveyor extending in a first direction and a second conveyor extending in a second direction, with the directions intersecting. A transfer conveyor, such as a transpositor conveyor, may be provided for transferring articles from one of the first conveyors to one of the second conveyors. The system may be used to sort articles delivered from one or more storage locations for distribution, or may instead be used to sort articles for delivery to one or more storage locations. Related aspects and methods are also described.

A sorting method, cross-belt system, and computer-storage media are provided for conveying and sorting items. The cross-belt system includes a plurality of interlocking palettes that form a conveyor belt. Each palette may be engaged by a series of rollers that are triggered to discharge items on the palettes to appropriate loading areas. The rollers are configured to move a belt of the palettes in one of at least two directions to a selected loading area that is positioned on either side of the cross-belt system.

To develop a transfer device which has a lower overall height than that of a conventional technology. A transfer device 1 includes a main conveying unit 3 equipped with main conveying bodies 82, a sub conveying unit 2 equipped with sub conveying bodies 14, a lifting and lowering mechanism 4 which lifts and lowers the main conveying unit 3 and the sub conveying unit 2 such that the respective units 3 and 2 are located at different positions in the up-down direction, and a motor 5 which operates the lifting and lowering mechanism 4. A planar position of the motor 5 resides in a planar area overlapping with the main conveying bodies 82 and the sub conveying bodies 14. A position of the motor 5 in the height direction is set such that a part or the whole of the motor 5 is located above a height of a lower end of a rotational track or a traveling track of any one of the conveying bodies 82 and 14 in a lowered state of any one of the conveying units 3 and 2. This structure can reduce the overall height of the transfer device 1 in a state that the motor 5 is disposed within the transfer device 1.