A gripper including a receiving end and a locking end and an absorber coupled to at least one of the ends configured to dampen contact forces imparted on the gripper, wherein the receiving end is shaped to marry a container body.

A gripper including a receiving end and a locking end and an absorber coupled to at least one of the ends configured to dampen contact forces imparted on the gripper, wherein the receiving end is shaped to marry a container body.

A turnout for use with two transport sections includes a turnout arm rotatably supported with respect to a first axis of rotation, guided linearly movably in the direction of the first axis, and movable between two end positions. The turnout arm has a deflection surface configured such that, when the turnout arm is in a first end position, a transported item can be transferred between the first and second transport sections via the deflection surface, and the turnout arm is located beneath the transport level in a second end position such that the transported item is movable along the first transport section beyond the turnout. The turnout arm is connected for driving, via a transmission, to a single electric motor such that it is movable back and forth between the first and second end positions solely by being driven by the electric motor in two degrees of freedom.

A sorting module including two groups of transportation rollers, the two groups of transportation rollers include at least one group of irregular rollers, the other group of transportation rollers are regular rollers or irregular rollers, each group of transportation rollers include at least one row of transportation rollers, each row of transportation rollers include at least one transportation roller; the rotation center lines of each row of transportation rollers are on one straight line, and the rotation center lines of the two groups of transportation rollers are generally perpendicular to each other. A conveying device including the sorting module is simple in structure and low cost.

A sorting module including two groups of transportation rollers, the two groups of transportation rollers include at least one group of irregular rollers, the other group of transportation rollers are regular rollers or irregular rollers, each group of transportation rollers include at least one row of transportation rollers, each row of transportation rollers include at least one transportation roller; the rotation center lines of each row of transportation rollers are on one straight line, and the rotation center lines of the two groups of transportation rollers are generally perpendicular to each other. A conveying device including the sorting module is simple in structure and low cost.

A sorting system for a conveying apparatus is disclosed. A conveying platform of the conveying apparatus includes turning driving devices disposed side by side at a branching position on the article conveying path, and each turning driving device includes a directional motor, and a wheel hub motor module and a driving device disposed above and below the directional motor, respectively. When the article conveyed by the conveying platform enters the branching position, a control module outputs and transmits control signals to the directional motors and the wheel hub motor modules, and a rotation shaft drives a fixing frame of the wheel hub motor module to horizontally turn to a preset angular position, and the wheel hub motor module drives a roller to vertically rotate to drive the article to convey to a predetermined position along a preset path, so that a sorting operation can be completed quickly.

An article sorting facility includes a plurality of storage members each configured to store one or more articles, a plurality of article transport vehicles each capable of traveling in at least a portion of a preset travel lane with one or more support members on board, each support member being configured to support one or more articles; a plurality of work areas each configured to allow work to be performed to transfer articles between one or more storage members and at least one of the one or more support members on board an article transport vehicle in the travel lane, wherein each of the work areas is located adjacent to one or more storage members and to the travel lane, wherein the plurality of work areas are arranged one adjacent to another along the travel lane, and wherein two or more article transport vehicles are in the travel lane simultaneously to travel in a line.

An article sorting facility includes a plurality of storage members each configured to store one or more articles, a plurality of article transport vehicles each capable of traveling in at least a portion of a preset travel lane with one or more support members on board, each support member being configured to support one or more articles; a plurality of work areas each configured to allow work to be performed to transfer articles between one or more storage members and at least one of the one or more support members on board an article transport vehicle in the travel lane, wherein each of the work areas is located adjacent to one or more storage members and to the travel lane, wherein the plurality of work areas are arranged one adjacent to another along the travel lane, and wherein two or more article transport vehicles are in the travel lane simultaneously to travel in a line.

A buffering system is disclosed for use between an upper processing area and a lower processing area, said buffering system comprising a belt and at least one roller around at least a portion of which the belt extends, wherein the belt is anchored at a first anchor location to a frame, and an actuation system for moving the at least one roller with respect to the first anchor location to cause the belt to move such that a portion of the buffering system becomes open thereby providing a retractable belt door.

A switch arrangement for the selection of joining elements, which comprises a switch that comprises at least three supply points in which joining elements can be supplied to the switch in a position-oriented manner. Furthermore, an output point is provided where joining elements can be output in a position-oriented manner, the switch comprising a conveying element which has at least three receiving compartments each being adapted to receive a supplied joining element each at the supply point. A conveying element can convey the joining elements from a receiving position to an output position from the supply point to an output point, which is fixed relative to the supply points, and output.