There are disclosed method and system (10) for picking of articles (12), in particular flat-pack articles (12), in accordance with picking orders, wherein the system (10) comprises: a rack (24) extending substantially along longitudinal and height directions (X, Y) of the system (10) and comprising a plurality of storage locations (30) configured to store source pallets (30); a gantry robot (36) including a manipulation unit (37) configured to transfer the articles (16); a packing position (62) configured to buffer a target pallet (34); a plurality of conveyors (38); and a control (74), which is preferably configured to determine, for each of the orders, an order-specific packing pattern for automatically packing, by the gantry robot (36), several of the articles (12) in accordance with the respective order from one or more of the source pallets (30) on a target pallet (34) in the packing position (62); wherein each of the conveyors (38) comprises a receiving position (66), which is positioned within the rack (24) and configured to receive the source pallets (30), as well as a delivering position (58), which is positioned within an action space of the gantry robot (36) and configured to provide, preferably dynamically, the source pallets (30); wherein the gantry robot (36) defines the action space, within which the manipulation unit (37) is movable and which contains the packing position (62) and the delivering positions (58) the conveyor (38); and wherein the control (74) is further configured to cause that such of the source pallets (30) are transported from the storage locations (32) via the receiving positions (66) to the delivering positions (58), which include the articles (12) required for the packing in accordance with the respective packing pattern.

The invention provides a container comprising a base for storing and displaying one or more items, and a cover, wherein the container is configurable between a closed position in which the base is covered by the cover and an open position in which at least one item is visible and removable from the base, in use, and wherein at least one of the cover and the base comprises an attachment point or area on a surface thereof, for connecting a base or cover of a second container to the cover or base, in use.

A taco stacking apparatus comprises a conveyor assembly for moving taco shells along a predefined pathway. A stacking receptacle defines a channel for receiving taco shells transferred from the conveyor assembly. A stacking receptacle actuator lowers the stacking receptacle as additional taco shells are added to a stack of taco shells. A plunger assembly transfers a taco shell from the conveyor assembly to the stacking receptacle. A dispensing assembly removes the stack of taco shells from the stacking receptacle.

The invention provides a container (2) comprising a base (4) for storing and displaying one or more items (42), and a cover (22), wherein the container (2) is configurable between a closed position in which the base (4) is covered by the cover (22) and an open position in which at least one item is (42) visible and removable from the base (4), in use, and wherein at least one of the cover (22) and the base (4) comprises an attachment point or area on a surface thereof, for connecting a base (4) or cover (22) of a second container (2) to the cover (22) or base (4), in use.

A control unit performs a first loading control and a second loading control. The first loading control is performed to control a loading operation unit to load a plurality of target articles onto a first supporting member according to arrangement information. The second loading control is performed to execute a second determination process based on at least one of; the arrangement information; detection information obtained by the detection unit; and information regarding a loading area, to determine whether or not the remaining articles are loadable onto the first supporting member, and to control the loading operation unit to load the remaining articles onto the first supporting member if the remaining articles are determined as being loadable in the second determination process. While performing the first loading control, if the control unit does not determine in the first determination process that the target articles are in a different state, the control unit continues performing the first loading control, and while performing the first loading control, if the control unit determines in the first determination process that the target articles are in the different state, the control unit performs the second loading control instead of the first loading control.

An article loading facility includes: a transport unit; a loading unit; a setting unit; a first control unit; and a second control unit. The transport unit transports second supporting members from storage units to a transfer position. The loading unit loads target articles that are supported by the second supporting members, onto the first supporting member. The setting unit performs an arrangement setting process to set arrangement information for each of the plurality of target articles that are to be loaded onto the first supporting member, the arrangement information indicating the orientation and the position of the corresponding target article relative to the first supporting member, and performs an arrangement order setting process to set a type arrangement order that, when target articles of a plurality of types are to be loaded according to the arrangement information, indicates the order in which the plurality of types are to be arranged. The second control unit controls the transport unit to transport the second supporting members to the transfer position according to the type arrangement order. The first control unit controls the loading unit to load the target articles onto the first supporting member according to the arrangement information that has been set in the arrangement setting process.

A parcel processing system and method. A method includes receiving a plurality of items to be sorted. The method includes receiving a plurality of parcels by a parcel processing apparatus and producing parcel data corresponding to each of the parcels, the parcel data including physical dimensions and a weight for each parcel. The method includes designing a virtual stack of the plurality of parcels to occupy a working volume according to the parcel data by a volumetric modeling engine. The method includes building a physical stack of the parcels that corresponds to the virtual stack by a working volume builder, wherein the physical stack is thereafter transferred into the working volume in a container.

The invention relates to denester for use with a tray sealer. The denester includes a magazine for accommodating at least one stack of trays. The magazine includes a first vertical guide and a second guide, the second guide capable of being inclined at an inclination relative to the first guide. The inclination of the second guide is adjustable to accommodate destacking of the trays in the stack of trays.

A lumber assembly and finishing system for use in assembling constructs includes a lumber table configured to support arranged pieces of lumber. A press station presses nailing plates into the pieces of lumber to join the pieces of lumber together to form the lumber construct. A lumber construct transporter moves the arranged pieces of lumber from the lumber table to the press station while keeping the pieces of lumber in their arranged configuration.

A lumber assembly and finishing system for use in assembling constructs includes a lumber table configured to support arranged pieces of lumber. A press station presses nailing plates into the pieces of lumber to join the pieces of lumber together to form the lumber construct. A lumber construct transporter moves the arranged pieces of lumber from the lumber table to the press station while keeping the pieces of lumber in their arranged configuration.