B65G11/081

GRAVITY FEED INVENTORY MANAGEMENT

Described are systems, methods, and apparatus for managing the movement of inventory items within a materials handling facility using rollable containers and a gravity feed conveyance system. Inventory items are placed in the rollable containers and are routed to different locations within the materials handling facility along the gravity feed conveyance system, through use of gravitational forces that cause the rollable containers to roll. By using gravity to route inventory items within the materials handling facility, the energy and power requirements for the materials handling facility are reduced, which reduces overhead costs and which is better for the environment.

SORTING CONVEYOR SYSTEM

A conveyor system comprising a sorting conveyor sorting articles off one or both sides to a chute system that includes an upper chute and a lower slide. Articles slide down the chute system to a discharge conveyor. The upper chute and the lower slide are separated by a gap. And the upper chute has a topography that prevents articles from tipping over onto another side. The chute system provides a large drop in elevation in a small footprint to conserve floor space.

ELECTRONIC COMPONENT CONVEYANCE DEVICE

An electronic component conveyance device in which an electronic component is unlikely to jam in a conveyance path. A first magnetic force generation unit is provided lateral to a first sidewall in a midstream part. An interval between the first sidewall and a second sidewall in the midstream part is larger than an interval between the first sidewall and the second sidewall in an upstream part and an interval between the first sidewall and the second sidewall in a downstream part. The first sidewall is flat across the upstream part, the midstream part, and the downstream part.