Apparatus for varying a pitch between moving articles includes a phaser conveyor having a closed-loop central belt and two closed-loop side belts including respective rows of stop elements configured to engage side portions of articles projecting laterally outside the central belt. As compared to rotary repitching devices, the apparatus according to the invention is much simpler and more energy-efficient, which has a positive impact on sustainability.

An electrode sheet turning mechanism includes a housing, a conveyor belt, a driver, and a stripper. The housing has a suction cavity, and forms an arc-shaped guide surface. A material feeding region and a material discharging region are formed on the arc-shaped guide surface, which is further provided with first suction holes. Second suction holes run through the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt is wound on the arc-shaped guide surface, and seals the first suction holes. The driver is for driving the conveyor belt to move. The stripper is for extending to the position between the conveyor belt and the electrode sheet. In the present utility model, the electrode sheet can be automatically turned.

In one example, a media support with a continuous belt rotatable and suction cups lengthwise along the belt and in lines laterally across the belt to hold down a sheet of print media as the sheet is moved through a hold down area, a vacuum pump to supply vacuum to the suction cups. The vacuum control system is configured to close a supply of vacuum to all of the suction cups in the hold down area and then open the supply of vacuum sequentially to each of multiple lines of suction cups as each line enters the hold down area and then close the supply of vacuum sequentially to each of the multiple lines of suction cups as each line leaves the hold down area until all of the suction cups in the hold down area are closed.

A vacuum holder for articles, a combination of a vacuum holder and an article, a system for holding and conveying articles, and a method for holding and conveying articles are disclosed. The vacuum holder includes a main body having a surface and an air passageway leading to the surface, and a valve joined to the main body and in fluid communication with the air passageway. The vacuum holder includes an extensible skirt gasket with an opening therein. An article can be placed adjacent to the surface of the main body, and a vacuum can be drawn through the air passageway to hold the article to the vacuum holder. The valve maintains the vacuum between the article and the vacuum holder without being connected to a vacuum source, until it is desired to release the article from the vacuum holder.

In one example, a media support includes a continuous loop belt and multiple suction cups arranged along the outer perimeter of the belt. Each suction cup has a port aligned with a hole in the belt so that air may be evacuated from the suction cup when connected to a vacuum source.

A transfer system for removing articles from trays includes a supply conveyor and a discharge conveyor A separation and transfer arrangement, including an article transport member, is interposed between a downstream end of the supply conveyor and an upstream end of the article discharge conveyor. The article transport member. Which may be a vacuum conveyor, acts on an upper end defined by each article to suspend the articles therebelow, and advances the articles from the downstream end of the supply conveyor to the upstream end of the discharge conveyor, which are at generally the same elevation. A tray transport member extends from the downstream end of the supply conveyor, and advances the trays downwardly in an upstream-to-downstream direction so that the trays are positioned below the upstream end of the discharge conveyor as the articles are deposited on the upstream end of the discharge conveyor by the article transport member.

An enclosure includes a furnace 1 and plates 7A to 7D arranged in the furnace 1 and used for placement of articles 5. Each of the plates 7A to 7D is movable vertically in the furnace 1. The enclosure further includes guide members 60A and 60B, each of which is disposed adjacent to a side of one plate of the plates 7A to 7D that is disposed at a loading/unloading position where the articles 5 are allowed to be loaded into or unloaded from the furnace 1. The guide members 60A and 60B guide the articles 5 and are rotatable with vertical movement of the plate.

A distribution system for use in an induction system with an object processing system. The distribution system provides dissimilar objects into one of a plurality of receiving units. The distribution system includes an air intake system with an opening that is a fixed distance from a conveyor section, said air intake system aiding in moving an object on the conveyor section from the conveyor section to one of a plurality of adjacent transport units.

A distribution system for use in an induction system with an object processing system. The distribution system provides dissimilar objects into one of a plurality of receiving units. The distribution system includes an air intake system with an opening that is a fixed distance from a conveyor section, said air intake system aiding in moving an object on the conveyor section from the conveyor section to one of a plurality of adjacent transport units.

In an induction system for use with an object processing system, a distribution system is disclosed for providing dissimilar objects into one of a plurality of receiving units. The distribution system includes a conveyor section that travels over a vacuum roller, and the plurality of receiving units arranged generally below the vacuum roller such that an object with a mass will fall toward one of the plurality of receiving units based on both the object's mass and a vacuum force applied to the object through the conveyor section.