System and methods for estimating the number of packages in a measurement zone to gauge package flow. A linear array of distance-measuring sensors measures the height profile of a mass of packages conveyed past. The profile is differentiated, and steps in the differentiated profile are counted to detect package edges and to produce an estimate of the number of packages in the measurement zone. The estimate can be used to adjust the speed of the conveyor to provide a constant package flow.

An egg conveyor for a poultry plant includes a chain of the closed-loop type with bars, for conveying eggs from one or more laying hen sheds to a collection location, assemblies for traction along the chain which are provided with a motor drive component, and a control unit for synchronization of the traction assemblies, the motor drive components each include at least one gearmotor provided at least with a corresponding servomotor.

The method for synchronization of traction assemblies in the conveyor includes the following steps: detecting continuously and instantaneously the angular position and the number of bars at each traction assembly, and calculating continuously and instantaneously the average of all the torques at the traction assemblies and, if the number of bars is different from a set number, correcting the speed of each servomotor to obtain a constant torque on each traction assembly, which corresponds to the average.

The invention relates to a motorized conveyor roller, comprising a roller body mounted so as to be able to rotate about a roller axle, a drive unit arranged inside the roller body and designed to generate a rotational movement about the roller axle between an axle element and the roller body. The invention is characterized by a control unit that is arranged inside the roller body and that is designed to receive a state signal from outside the roller body, to generate a control signal that describes a drive characteristic on the basis of the state signal, to control the drive unit by way of the control signal, to generate a self state signal that describes the state signal and/or the drive characteristic, and to transmit this self state signal outside the roller body.

A conveying method includes first and second pads conveying workpieces with speeds of the first and second pads being varied; circumferential velocities of the first pads and the second pads are accelerated by variable speed mechanisms; the first and second pads move and separate in a state in which a distance between the first pad and the second pad, whose speeds were increased, is increased; the circumferential velocities of the first pads and the second pads are decelerated by the variable speed mechanisms; and a first slider and a second slider, which were subjected to deceleration, overlap each other in a part in a circumferential direction, which causes the first pad and the second pad to approach each other, and the first pad and the second pad move and approach each other in this state in which the first pad and the second pad have approached each other.

The present invention relates to the field of using different sensing and detection methods to determine parcel flow density 1D lineal, 2D area or 3D volumetrically on a selected section of a feed conveyor and receiving conveyor and adjusting conveyor speed ratios proportioned according to ratio of desired density to current density to increase the density or volume of parcels in a selected area of the receiving conveyor.

A proppant metering and loading apparatus for a hydraulic fracturing blender unit is provided. A continuous loop conveyor belt receives proppant from a source location on the blender, such as a hopper, and delivers the proppant to a blender device of the blender. A measurement device (e.g. weigh scale) measures and provides an indication of amount (e.g. weight, volume and/or density) of the proppant delivered to the blender device by the conveyor belt.

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for creating an at least partially desegregated stockpile. In some embodiments the stockpile comprises one or more windrows. In some embodiments an operating speed (e.g., belt speed) of the conveyor is varied to create windrows at various distances from the conveyor.

A motor-driven conveyor-roller controller for conveyor installations for conveying containers. The controller incudes a power inlet, a wired I/O port, and a wired motor roller port. The controller is configured to output motor roller control signals for a motor roller at the motor roller port. The controller is configured to receive motor roller status signals from the motor roller at the motor roller port and to receive motor roller control signals for the motor roller at the I/O port. The wired I/O port is configured to exchange control information with a central control center. The controller includes a wireless configuration port that is configured to wirelessly receive, from a mobile device, at least configuration signals for the motor roller and/or send status signals representing motor roller status information.

A system for distributing a stream of articles includes a belt assembly (210) with a plurality of belt segments (212) carrying a stream of articles (150), a sensor assembly (220) with a plurality of sensors (222), a control system (240) interfacing with the belt assembly (210) and the sensor assembly (220), wherein the sensor assembly (220) determines spacing (230) in the stream of articles (150), and wherein the control system (240) controls a speed of the plurality of belt segments (212) to minimize the spacing (230) in the stream of articles (150) when the spacing (230) is greater than a predefined threshold.

Warehouse automation and methods of automatically sorting and sequencing items can be implemented to streamline and expedite order fulfillment and store replenishment processes in a cost-effective manner. Some embodiments described herein include: (i) picking or retrieving items from an inventory storage area, (ii) decanting individual items and placing them on carriers of a high-speed sorting and conveyance system, and (iii) final sortation as per customer orders. In some embodiments, the high-speed sorting and conveyance system includes multiple shuttles that each carry an individual item to a designated final order sortation system.