A subsystem for orienting articles, the subsystem comprising a tool assembly comprising a carriage. A tool head has a first and a second article gripper rotationally coupled thereto. A first drive mechanism is coupled to the first article gripper. A second drive mechanism is coupled to the second article gripper. A sensor is configured to observe two adjacent articles. A controller is provided in communication with the first and second drive mechanisms and the sensor. The controller is configured to determine the orientation of each of the two adjacent articles and to control the first and second drive mechanisms to rotate each of the two adjacent articles to a predefined orientation.

A transfer system in the form of a robot line used in one embodiment to transfer products, such as slices of meat or other fresh food, while complying with the hygienic requirements. The robot line may transfer the products, simply and with little constructive and financial effort. The robots used for this purpose may be very simply constructed with only one swivel arm and the robot base may be guided below the working plane, and only the swivel arm and the gripper may be disposed above the working plane.

Disclosed is an object transfer device for a conveying installation, the device including a main object conveying path and a plurality of rotary drive elements, the rotary elements being configured to adopt a lowered position in which the element is situated below the main path a raised position in which the element projects above the main path in order to drive an object, the rotary drive element including drive surfaces with external diameters that vary over the length of the element, wherein the drive surfaces of the rotary drive elements have an external diameter that varies according to the angular position of the rotary element along the transfer path. Also disclosed is a conveying installation including such transfer device.

Disclosed is an object transfer device for a conveying installation, the device including a main object conveying path and a plurality of rotary drive elements, the rotary elements being configured to adopt a lowered position in which the element is situated below the main path a raised position in which the element projects above the main path in order to drive an object, the rotary drive element including drive surfaces with external diameters that vary over the length of the element, wherein the drive surfaces of the rotary drive elements have an external diameter that varies according to the angular position of the rotary element along the transfer path. Also disclosed is a conveying installation including such transfer device.

A transfer device for transferring eggs from a conveyor belt to egg packaging, the transfer device includes a frame with at least one mounting plate of a mounting element, on which mounting plate a plurality of suction lifting elements that can be connected to a suction apparatus are mounted. The suction lifting elements are mounted on the mounting plate so as to be movable in the plane of the mounting plate by motorized or hydraulic means between a suction position and a release position.

Disclosed herein is a robotic product unscrambler apparatus which is capable of operating with ultra high efficiency and with minimum environmental impact. Efficiency and energy saving are achieved thanks to the possibility of processing products regardless of their preliminary orientation, so to remit sorting of the products to a subsequent unscrambling device of the product unscrambler. This results in the substantial absence of non-processed products due to preliminary orientation reasons, and accordingly very little—if at all—energy input to recirculate non processed products.

A centering device (1) for centering flat workpieces (700-706) comprises a centering station (100) having at least a first and a second gripping device (300, 301) for gripping the workpiece (700-706), and conveying means for conveying workpieces (700-706) in a conveying direction to the centering station (100). The first and the second gripping device (300, 301) can each be moved horizontally by a first and a second guiding device (200, 201), respectively, and the first and the second gripping device (300, 301) can rotate freely about an axis.

A centering device (1) for centering flat workpieces (700-706) comprises a centering station (100) having at least a first and a second gripping device (300, 301) for gripping the workpiece (700-706), and conveying means for conveying workpieces (700-706) in a conveying direction to the centering station (100). The first and the second gripping device (300, 301) can each be moved horizontally by a first and a second guiding device (200, 201), respectively, and the first and the second gripping device (300, 301) can rotate freely about an axis.

A linear-motor type transport device for transporting material for an absorbent article includes: a shaft portion that has an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction; a pair of guide portions that is disposed on the shaft portion with a predetermined axial-direction space between the guide portions and that forms an orbital transport path that extends along the circumferential direction; a mobile unit that moves on the transport path along the guide portions while supporting a transport head rotatably about a rotation axis; a cam mechanism that rotates the transport head about the rotation axis through a predetermined angle when the mobile unit is moved on the transport path; and a controller that moves the mobile unit by supplying currents to conductors and generating a propulsive force between one of the conductors and a magnet that is disposed on the mobile unit.

An orientation module including a base configured to support at least one container, a camera positioned to scan the at least one container, a processor operatively connected to the camera configured to analyze an initial orientation of the container and determine a secondary orientation of the container, and a turning member positioned above the base configured to turn the corresponding container according to a command from the processor to rotate the container to the secondary orientation.