A conveying device for conveying bulk material, comprising products and product breakage thereof, in a conveying direction has a first conveying element and a second conveying element which is arranged downstream of the first conveying element, with the result that a gap is formed between the first and the second conveying element. A covering element is arranged above the gap. The gap has a first width according to a predefined separating criterion in such a way that the passage of product breakage through the gap is allowed and the passage of products through the gap is prevented.

A method to sort objects in a sorting installation. The objects are conveyed on a sorter of the sorting installation. In a first distribution pass a few of the objects conveyed on the sorter are brought by the sorter into retrieval end stations of the sorting installation and others of the objects conveyed on the sorter are brought by the sorter into a collection end station of the sorting installation and, with a transport facility of the sorting installation, objects are automatically transported away from the collection end station and automatically brought back to the sorter. The objects brought back from the collection end station to the sorter by the transport facility are brought by the sorter into one of the end stations in a second distribution pass.

A method to sort objects in a sorting installation. The objects are conveyed on a sorter of the sorting installation. In a first distribution pass a few of the objects conveyed on the sorter are brought by the sorter into retrieval end stations of the sorting installation and others of the objects conveyed on the sorter are brought by the sorter into a collection end station of the sorting installation and, with a transport facility of the sorting installation, objects are automatically transported away from the collection end station and automatically brought back to the sorter. The objects brought back from the collection end station to the sorter by the transport facility are brought by the sorter into one of the end stations in a second distribution pass.

The present invention discloses a material integrating device, which comprises a material transferring mechanism, an integrating mechanism and a conveying mechanism that are linked to a control system signal, wherein the material transferring mechanism is used to place the material to be integrated on the integrating mechanism and transfer the integrated material to the conveying mechanism, a vacuum adsorption platform is installed on a manipulator and is used to adsorb materials; the integrating mechanism comprises a vacuum negative pressure worktable, an angle adjusting platform and an electric push rod, the angle adjusting platform is slidably provided on the top surface of the vacuum negative pressure worktable and is located on the side of the material to be integrated, and the electric push rod is used to push the material to be integrated to be level; and the conveying mechanism comprises a conveyor belt for placing the integrated material.

The present invention discloses a material integrating device, which comprises a material transferring mechanism, an integrating mechanism and a conveying mechanism that are linked to a control system signal, wherein the material transferring mechanism is used to place the material to be integrated on the integrating mechanism and transfer the integrated material to the conveying mechanism, a vacuum adsorption platform is installed on a manipulator and is used to adsorb materials; the integrating mechanism comprises a vacuum negative pressure worktable, an angle adjusting platform and an electric push rod, the angle adjusting platform is slidably provided on the top surface of the vacuum negative pressure worktable and is located on the side of the material to be integrated, and the electric push rod is used to push the material to be integrated to be level; and the conveying mechanism comprises a conveyor belt for placing the integrated material.

The invention concerns a method for transporting objects belonging to the group of fruits and vegetables with a stalk, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: conveying a plurality of objects (18) on a conveyor line (12) in a longitudinal forward direction (14), each conveyed object being carried by a support (16) that is moved by the conveyor line (12) according to its longitudinal forward movement, rotating at least one support (16) supporting an object (18) in such a way as to cause the object to rotate about a non-horizontal axis and give its stalk (18a) a predetermined geometric orientation.

A parcel processing system (100, 200) includes a merge and align conveyor (102, 202) to transport parcels (108, 208) received at an input end to a discharge end thereof, along a conveying direction (116, 216). The merge and align conveyor (102, 202) includes a link conveyor, wherein the link elements (110, 210) extend longitudinally transverse to the conveying direction (116, 216). A plurality of shoes (112, 212) are provided, each shoe (112, 212) mounted individually on a respective link element (110, 210) and configured to be moved longitudinally along the respective link element (110, 210) while being moved in the conveying direction (116, 216) together with the respective link element (110, 210). The shoes (112, 212) are independently controllable to divert at least a subset of the parcels (108, 208) received at the input end transversely to the conveying direction (116, 216) and stop at a fixed line (122, 222) between opposite edges (130-132, 230-232) of the merge and align conveyor (102, 202). Thereby, a a substantially single file parcel flow exiting the discharge end of the merge and align conveyor (102,202) is obtained along the fixed line (122,222).

A parcel processing system (100, 200) includes a merge and align conveyor (102, 202) to transport parcels (108, 208) received at an input end to a discharge end thereof, along a conveying direction (116, 216). The merge and align conveyor (102, 202) includes a link conveyor, wherein the link elements (110, 210) extend longitudinally transverse to the conveying direction (116, 216). A plurality of shoes (112, 212) are provided, each shoe (112, 212) mounted individually on a respective link element (110, 210) and configured to be moved longitudinally along the respective link element (110, 210) while being moved in the conveying direction (116, 216) together with the respective link element (110, 210). The shoes (112, 212) are independently controllable to divert at least a subset of the parcels (108, 208) received at the input end transversely to the conveying direction (116, 216) and stop at a fixed line (122, 222) between opposite edges (130-132, 230-232) of the merge and align conveyor (102, 202). Thereby, a a substantially single file parcel flow exiting the discharge end of the merge and align conveyor (102,202) is obtained along the fixed line (122,222).

A method for performing operations on items (A) transported along a manufacturing line including feeding a sequence of items (A) with respective resting portions along a first feed path onto a first transport surface, arranging a gripping assembly having a first gripping head and a second gripping head, picking up a first item (A) from the first feed path using the first gripping head, rotating the first item (A) around a first rotation axis (R1), performing at least one operation on the item (A) during the rotation thereof around the first rotation axis (R1), swapping the positions of the first gripping head and the second gripping head, resting the first item (A) on a second transport surface and releasing the first item (A), and picking up a further item (A) from the first feed path using the second gripping head.

A method for performing operations on items (A) transported along a manufacturing line including feeding a sequence of items (A) with respective resting portions along a first feed path onto a first transport surface, arranging a gripping assembly having a first gripping head and a second gripping head, picking up a first item (A) from the first feed path using the first gripping head, rotating the first item (A) around a first rotation axis (R1), performing at least one operation on the item (A) during the rotation thereof around the first rotation axis (R1), swapping the positions of the first gripping head and the second gripping head, resting the first item (A) on a second transport surface and releasing the first item (A), and picking up a further item (A) from the first feed path using the second gripping head.