There is provided a conveyor system including: a track comprising a first magnetic element; and a moving element comprising a second magnetic element for interacting with the track to provide a magnetic force that retains the moving element on the track; wherein absent the magnetic force, the moving element is released from the track. In another aspect, there is provided a conveyor system that includes: a track having at least one guide rail; and a moving element; wherein a magnetic force controls movement of the moving element in a direction of travel and the magnetic force supports the moving element in a second direction perpendicular to the direction of travel; and wherein the at least one guide rail supports the moving element in a third direction perpendicular to both the direction of travel and the second direction.

The technology described herein is directed to a food assembly and packaging robot for automating aspects of food assembly and packaging. The food assembly and packaging robot system may include a robot system include a conveyance system, a bowl dispenser, one or more food dispensers, one or more condiment dispensers, a lidder, and a bagger, and in some instances, other components. The bowl dispenser may be configured to deposit bowls onto the conveyance system. The one or more food dispensers may be configured to deposit one or more ingredients into the bowls and the one or more condiment dispensers may be configured to deposit one or more condiments into the bowls. The lidder may be configured to position lids atop the bowls and the bagger may be configured to place the bowls into bags.

A magnetic lifting device for bodies (Z) comprises an input transport device (10) for transporting lying bodies (4), a transport device (12) for transporting lifted bodies (9) hanging at the transport device (12) and arranged above the input transport device (10) and a control device (13). A first magnet arrangement (1) which is activated and deactivated by the control device (13) is arranged below the input transport device (10) in such a way that a body (4) lying on the input transport device (10) is magnetically held in a releasable way on the input transport device (10). A second magnet arrangement (2) is arranged above an area of the input transport device (10), in which the bodies are transported, and is formed in such a way that a body lying on the input transport device (10) is lifted by the magnetic field of the second magnet arrangement (10) when the magnetic field of the first magnet arrangement (1) is deactivated. A third magnet arrangement (3) is provided above the transport device (12) and is formed and arranged in such a way that a partially lifted body (4a) is lifted more and is lifted off the input transport device (10) and is transported in an upright position hanging magnetically at the transport device (12). The control device (13) is adapted to activate the first magnet arrangement (1) when a front edge of a body (4) lying on the input transport device (10) has passed the second magnet arrangement (2) and to deactivate the first magnet arrangement (1) when a trailing edge of this body (4) comes to lie below the second magnet arrangement (2).

A housing element (1) for the magnets (12, 14) of a support and guide magnetic structure (100) for conveyors (102) with articulated links is described. The housing element comprises a box-shaped body (10) comprising two seats (24, 26) for the magnets, openings (28, 30) for inserting the magnets in the seats, a housing portion (32) for a ferromagnetic plate (34), which is designed to come into contact with the magnets, and at least one retaining portion (36) to retain the magnets to the box-shaped body. The retaining portion is shaped and sized in such a way that it can retain the magnets by friction, while the plate is held in the respective housing portion by the magnetic force of the magnets. On the external surface of the box-shaped body at least one notch (38), which is designed to house and retain at least one corresponding sealing element (40), is obtained. This sealing element is arranged to prevent the access of unwanted substances inside the seats of the magnets and the housing portion when the housing element is mounted onto the support and guide magnetic structure.