A transport apparatus for transporting containers in a container-processing installation. The transport apparatus includes a transport track, a plurality of transport elements for transporting one or more containers, wherein the plurality of transport elements is movably arranged on the transport track, at least one special element, which is movably arranged on the transport track and is different from the plurality of transport elements, and an open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit. The transport track, the plurality of transport elements, and the special element are designed in such a way that the plurality of transport elements and the special element can be guided along the transport track in such a way that the plurality of transport elements and the special element are individually controllable by the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit.

A work machine including a conveyor belt is rotated such that a protruding section is positioned on the upstream side of an end face on the opposite side to a conveyance direction of a circuit board while the circuit board is clamped by a clamping device. Thereby, it is possible to prevent interference between the projecting portion and the circuit board, and reliably push out the circuit board toward the downstream side using the protruding section. In multiple work machines, the circuit boards are simultaneously conveyed after a clamp of the circuit board is released. Thereby, there is no need for the work machine on the upstream side to be on standby for conveyance of the circuit board using the work machine on the downstream side and it is possible to prevent a reduction of throughput.

Embodiments are directed to conveyor systems and methods for controlling induction of items within the conveyor systems. In one scenario, a conveyor control system implements a hardware sensor in a conveyor system to generate sensor readings regarding an operational status of a first zone in an operational environment, where the first zone is an area where orders are fulfilled. The conveyor control system receives sensor data from the hardware sensor of the conveyor system. The sensor data includes feedback information for controlling the conveyor system. The conveyor control system then evaluates the received sensor data to determine which conveyable items are currently in the first zone and, based on the evaluation, induces the conveyable items onto the conveyor for the first zone.

A transport vehicle controller causes a travel speed of the corresponding one of the plurality of article transport vehicles to which the transport vehicle controller is provided to be reduced based on position information of corresponding one of the plurality of article transport vehicles to which the transport vehicle controller is provided and the position information on another of the plurality of article transport vehicles if a separation distance between the corresponding one of the plurality of article transport vehicles to which the transport vehicle controller is provided and the another of the plurality of article transport vehicles is less than, or equal to, a set separation distance.

The present invention aims to develop a dedicated control device for a transfer apparatus and a transfer apparatus controller that enables labor-saving wiring work, and to provide a conveying apparatus that switches a destination to which a conveyed object is to be conveyed by way of the transfer apparatus controller. A transfer apparatus includes a main conveying passage 101 that conveys a conveyed object 125 in one direction, an auxiliary conveying passage 102 for conveying a conveyed object 125 in a direction crossing the main conveying passage 101, and a lifting and lowering unit 115 that generates a height difference between both conveying passages 101 and 102 by lifting or lowering at least one of the conveying passages 101 and 102. A transfer apparatus controller 50 is provided with a main conveying power transmission terminal 55, an auxiliary conveying power transmission terminal 56, a lifting and lowering power transmission terminal 57, a power feed terminal 76 to which power is fed, a signal input unit 70, and one or more drive power generation circuits 52. A discharge direction of the conveyed object 125 can be designated based on a signal input to the signal input unit 70, and when the discharge direction instruction signal is input, the conveying passage 101 or 102 located on top is driven.

Embodiments of a system and method for sorting and delivering articles in a processing facility based on image data are described. Image processing results such as rotation notation information may be included in or with an image to facilitate downstream processing such as when the routing information cannot be extracted from the image using an unattended system and the image is passed to an attended image processing system. The rotation notation information may be used to dynamically adjust the image before presenting the image via the attended image processing system.

Systems and methods are disclosed for seamless disengagement of shuttles powered by electromagnets. An example system may include a frame coupled to a track, a first conveyor disposed along the first side of the track, a second conveyor disposed along the second side of the track, and an actuator configured to drive the first conveyor and the second conveyor, where the first conveyor and the second conveyor are configured to engage a first bar disposed on a lower surface of the shuttle. The system may be configured to (i) move the shuttle from a first location along the track to a second location along the track, and (ii) pause movement of the shuttle between the first location and the second location.

A method of operating a conveyor system having a fixed, non-powered rail defining a conveyor path and a plurality of automated conveyor carriers (ACC). The ACCs are supported on the rail such that an interface is formed between the rail and at least one wheel of each of the ACCs. The ACCs are independently driven along the conveyor path through a plurality of work stations defining a forward direction by an on-board motor and an on-board power source selectively powering the on-board motor. A first ACC of the plurality drives itself to oscillate back and forth with respect to the forward direction at a selected one of the plurality of work stations. During the oscillating of the first ACC, a second ACC of the plurality of ACCs is stopped or moves only in a single direction.

A conveyor system including a fixed, non-powered rail defining a conveyor path, and a plurality of automated conveyor carriers supported on the rail. Each carrier includes an on-board motor, at least one wheel forming an interface with the rail, and an on-board power source selectively powering the on-board motor to drive the ACC along the rail. Each of the plurality of carriers operates to power the on-board motor from the on-board power source under the direction of instructions programmed to a local controller.

A conveyor system including a fixed, non-powered rail defining a conveyor path, and a plurality of automated conveyor carriers supported on the rail. Each carrier includes an on-board motor, at least one wheel forming an interface with the rail, and an on-board power source selectively powering the on-board motor to drive the ACC along the rail. Each of the plurality of carriers operates to power the on-board motor from the on-board power source under the direction of instructions programmed to a local controller.