Methods, systems, and apparatus are disclosed herein for a pneumatic conveyance jet diverter that uses air jets to divert pneumatically conveyed objects to one of various selectable outlets. The example methods, systems, and apparatus are configured direct objects from an inlet to a desired outlet without the use of mechanical components such as an internal flap or gate. Rather, the pneumatic conveyance jet diverter uses an air jet to push or blow objects to a selected outlet.

A conveyor system, comprising a first conveyor assembly having: an input end; an output end; and a conveyor belt arranged to convey an object from the input end toward the output end in a direction of travel. The conveyor system comprises a fluid projection mechanism, the fluid projection mechanism being arranged to provide a fluid suitable for providing a lifting force to a conveyed object as the conveyed object passes over the fluid projection mechanism.

Hollow bodies which are closed on one side and which are cylindrical are sorted by a sorting device. The hollow bodies have an end-side opening, a base surface situated opposite the opening and a shell surface extending between the base surface and the opening. The sorting device includes first nozzles arranged on an upper guide for conducting a first fluid flow in the direction of a lateral guide, and second nozzles arranged on a lower guide for conducting a second fluid flow in the direction of an outlet. Since the force of the fluid flow is several times greater if the fluid flow strikes a part of the shell surface of the hollow body through the end-side opening of the hollow body than if the fluid flow strikes the base surface of the hollow body from the outside, sorting of the hollow bodies is made possible.

A container feeding device includes a casing and first and second latch members. The casing defines a lower retaining space for receiving a plurality of containers that are stacked on one another. The first latch member is operable to enter the lower retaining space for supporting a bottommost container, or leave the lower retaining space to release the bottommost container. The second latch member enters the lower retaining space to support a second bottommost container when the bottommost container is released by the first latch member.

A tablet inspection apparatus includes a supply unit including a rotary plate inclinedly disposed, and a transfer plate having a downwardly inclined surface, inclined outwardly on the same level as top dead center of the rotary plate while rotating with the rotary plate around the rotary plate, a first rotary unit inclinedly disposed with respect to the supply unit, and formed such that suction force is applied in a certain section in a circumferential direction, and a second rotary unit installed on one side of the first rotary unit, and formed such that suction force is applied in a certain section in a circumferential direction.

An apparatus for transporting objects, such as smoking articles or their components includes a plurality of transport members configured to each transport the objects along a working line from an initial position to a final position. A first guide parallel to the working line is configured to sequentially guide the transport members from the initial position to the final position, while a second guide, parallel to the first guide, is configured to sequentially guide the transport members from the final position to the initial position. Rotating displacement members are configured to selectively displace the transport members from one to the other of the two guides.

A sorting conveyor system (46) comprising a main conveyor line (48) intersected by cross conveyors (18) having roller-top conveyor belts (20). The roller-top conveyor belts, which can be driven bidirectionally perpendicular to the conveying direction of the main conveyor line, have article-supporting belt rollers (22) that can rotate freely in the main conveying direction (14). Articles (38) fed from the main conveying line onto the cross conveyor can be sorted to the left or the right by the conveyor belt. Articles destined for sorting downstream pass over the stopped roller-top conveyor belt atop the freely rotatable belt rollers and back onto the main conveyor line. A booster (40), such as a motorized roller (40), between the main conveyor line and the cross conveyor applies a force in the main conveying direction against articles destined to cross the cross conveyor.

Time-varying control of a controllable air stream is disclosed, including: a set of image sensors configured to capture image data showing a target object being conveyed by a conveyor device along a Y-direction; an array of air jets located along an X-direction, wherein the X-direction crosses the Y-direction; and a processor configured to: receive the image data from the set of image sensors; determine a classification of the target object within the image data; and modify a two-dimensional firing polygon of air to be directed by the array of air jets on the target object based at least in part on the classification of the target object; and wherein the array of air jets is configured to perform a sorting operation on the target object as the target object is translated across the array of air jets based at least in part on the modified two-dimensional firing polygon.

Apparatus and method for transferring a substrate are disclosed. The substrate transfer apparatus includes: a substrate conveyance assembly disposed between a mechanical arm and a wafer stage, the substrate conveyance assembly including a substrate loading conveyor and a substrate unloading conveyor parallelly arranged in a first direction, each of the substrate loading conveyor and the substrate unloading conveyor configured for transferring a substrate between the wafer stage and the mechanical arm along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; an integral frame; and a transition air suspension assembly fixed to the integral frame at the end thereof proximal to the wafer stage, the transition air suspension assembly being able to engage with either of the substrate loading conveyor and the substrate unloading conveyor for producing an air film to levitate the substrate during the conveyance of the substrate by the substrate loading conveyor or the substrate unloading conveyor.

The invention provides a device for sorting products. The facility includes sorting units that each are provided with a support surface and transport means for endless movement transport route transporting the sorting units. The sorting units include sorting means for the sideways at a desired sorting location of the supporting surface of the relevant one moving the sorting unit away from a product, and control means for controlling the sorting device. The device further comprises stationary removing means wherein the control means are further adapted to supply control signals to the removing means for, due to the effectiveness of the removal means, at a removal location of an associated one sorting unit removes any products that cannot pass through the associated sorting equipment sorting unit have been moved off and have been unintentionally left on a sorting unit. The invention provides further removing means for use in such a device as well as a method for use of such a device.