A multi-track conveyor for transporting containers includes two transport elements adjacent to one another to form a common transport surface on which the containers stand upright on their container bases. Each transport element has a dedicated electric drive motor. The drive motors are external-rotor motors with an internal stator connected in a torsion-resistant manner to a machine frame and with an external rotor, which forms an offset drive driving the respective transport element. The drive motors of at least two transport elements are coaxial with their motor axles oriented perpendicular to the transport direction. The stators of which are connected via a common support in a rotation-resistant manner to the machine frame.

A product conveying apparatus for feeding food products to a slicing unit of a food slicing machine is disclosed. The product conveying apparatus may comprise a first conveying lane comprising a first deflection roller, a first drive roller, and a first circulating conveying device guided around the first deflection roller and the first drive roller and presenting a first conveying surface. A second conveying lane may comprise a second deflection roller and an additional deflection roller, a second drive roller, and a second circulating conveying device guided around the second deflection roller, the additional deflection roller, and the second drive roller and presenting a second conveying surface.

The invention relates to a storage and order-picking system comprising a shelf arrangement (14) having a plurality of shelves (16) and a plurality of vertical conveyors (20). The system furthermore comprises at least one fleet of autonomously movable, driverless transport vehicles, FTF, (28) and an FTF plane (24) which is substantially barrier-free, in particular free of shelf compartments (R), and which extends under, over or through the shelf arrangement (14). The FTF plane (24) is coupled to the shelf arrangement (14) by means of conveyor technology via the vertical conveyors (20) that vertically extend up to the FTF plane (24). The FTF plane (24) has a travel surface (26) with a topology (40) of travel points and segments along which the FTFs (28) move in a guided manner, each of the segments extending from one of the travel points to another adjacent travel point. A fleet manager (FM) having access to said topology is designed to produce and output travel orders for the FTFs (28), said orders comprising individual navigation information, in order to transport the storage goods, which are not yet transported to the FTF plane (24) by the vertical conveyors (20) in an absolute order, along individual travel paths (40) specifically produced for the FTF away from and to the vertical conveyors (20) and to hand them over in the absolute order. The invention also relates to a method for the operation of such a system.

The invention relates to a storage and order-picking system comprising a shelf arrangement (14) having a plurality of shelves (16) and a plurality of vertical conveyors (20). The system furthermore comprises at least one fleet of autonomously movable, driverless transport vehicles, FTF, (28) and an FTF plane (24) which is substantially barrier-free, in particular free of shelf compartments (R), and which extends under, over or through the shelf arrangement (14). The FTF plane (24) is coupled to the shelf arrangement (14) by means of conveyor technology via the vertical conveyors (20) that vertically extend up to the FTF plane (24). The FTF plane (24) has a travel surface (26) with a topology (40) of travel points and segments along which the FTFs (28) move in a guided manner, each of the segments extending from one of the travel points to another adjacent travel point. A fleet manager (FM) having access to said topology is designed to produce and output travel orders for the FTFs (28), said orders comprising individual navigation information, in order to transport the storage goods, which are not yet transported to the FTF plane (24) by the vertical conveyors (20) in an absolute order, along individual travel paths (40) specifically produced for the FTF away from and to the vertical conveyors (20) and to hand them over in the absolute order. The invention also relates to a method for the operation of such a system.

The invention relates to a storage and order-picking system comprising a shelf arrangement (14) having a plurality of shelves (16) and a plurality of vertical conveyors (20). The system furthermore comprises at least one fleet of autonomously movable, driverless transport vehicles, FTF, (28) and an FTF plane (24) which is substantially barrier-free, in particular free of shelf compartments (R), and which extends under, over or through the shelf arrangement (14). The FTF plane (24) is coupled to the shelf arrangement (14) by means of conveyor technology via the vertical conveyors (20) that vertically extend up to the FTF plane (24). The FTF plane (24) has a travel surface (26) with a topology (40) of travel points and segments along which the FTFs (28) move in a guided manner, each of the segments extending from one of the travel points to another adjacent travel point. A fleet manager (FM) having access to said topology is designed to produce and output travel orders for the FTFs (28), said orders comprising individual navigation information, in order to transport the storage goods, which are not yet transported to the FTF plane (24) by the vertical conveyors (20) in an absolute order, along individual travel paths (40) specifically produced for the FTF away from and to the vertical conveyors (20) and to hand them over in the absolute order. The invention also relates to a method for the operation of such a system.

A conveyor device (10) for the transport of goods, comprising individual modules (12) which form in their entirety a conveyor line (14) and each have a belt (20) circulating between a start section (16) of the module (12) and an end section (18) of the module (12), is configured and modified in regard to a reliable conveyance, including that of small objects in particular, such that the modules (12) are coupled together and able to swivel against each other so that the conveyor line (14) is adjustable in length by swiveling of the modules (12).

A multi-level sorter of a handling system for transporting cases is disclosed. The handling system has conveyors extending between locations of a facility. The multi-level sorter includes a multi-level frame positionable adjacent at least one outlet of at least one of the conveyors, at least one diverter carried by the multi-level frame, and at least one bin supported about at least one of the levels of the multi-level frame. Each of the outlets of the conveyors aligned with a level of the multi-level frame to pass the cases thereto. The diverter has rollers to pass the cases along a main path and crossbands to selectively divert the cases from the main path. Each of the bins is alignable with the diverter to receive the diverted cases therefrom whereby the cases are sorted.

A conveyance device comprises a sorting plate housing a plurality of roller assemblies and a series of narrow conveyor belts for conveying articles towards the sorting plate. In a first mode, the narrow conveyor belts bypass the roller assemblies and convey articles over the sorting plate. In a second mode, the conveyor belts bring an article into contact with the roller assemblies, which then manipulate the trajectory of the article.

A conveyance device comprises a sorting plate housing a plurality of roller assemblies and a series of narrow conveyor belts for conveying articles towards the sorting plate. In a first mode, the narrow conveyor belts bypass the roller assemblies and convey articles over the sorting plate. In a second mode, the conveyor belts bring an article into contact with the roller assemblies, which then manipulate the trajectory of the article.

A transfer device and method are disclosed. The transfer diverts packages about a conveyor. The conveyor has a conveyor path extending between locations of a facility. The transfer includes a frame positionable about the conveyor, rollers rotationally supported on the frame (the rollers non-aligned with the conveyor path to define a transfer path way from the conveyor path), belts rotationally supported on the frame between the rollers with a closed gap therebetween (the belts aligned with the conveyor path), and a tub movably coupled to the frame to selectively lift the rollers above the belts to engage the packages whereby the packages are selectively movable to locations away from the conveyor path.