An article conveying device having a temporary placement section and capable of conveying articles. The article conveying device has: a supplying section configured to sequentially convey or supply plural articles; a discharging section configured to sequentially convey plural containers for containing the articles; a temporary placement section on which at least one article can be temporarily placed; a first detecting section configured to detect a position/posture of the article on the supplying section and successively detect an amount of movement of the supplying section; a second detecting section configured to detect a position/posture of the container on the discharging section and successively detect an amount of movement of the discharging section; a working machine configured to convey the article between the supplying section, the temporary placement section and the discharging section; and a controlling section configured to control the working machine based on a predetermined condition.

An article induction system for preparing a stream of articles, such as mail parcels, for processing employs a series of conveyors operating under control of a controller for feeding articles to an operator at a cull belt at an optimal paced rate. The article induction system includes a destacking section, a separation and alignment section, a buffer section and a culling section manned by an operator. A controller controls the speed of each component based on measurements provided by sensors so as to feed articles to the operator at a desired paced rate.

An article induction system for preparing a stream of articles, such as mail parcels, for processing employs a series of conveyors operating under control of a controller for feeding articles to an operator at a cull belt at an optimal paced rate. The article induction system includes a destacking section, a separation and alignment section, a buffer section and a culling section manned by an operator. A controller controls the speed of each component based on measurements provided by sensors so as to feed articles to the operator at a desired paced rate.

In an embodiment, a package conveyance apparatus includes first, second, and third side-alignment conveyors each receiving packages conveyed in an irregularly arranged state in a conveyance direction and a direction intersecting the conveyance direction. The first, second, and third side-alignment conveyors convey the packages in first, second, and third conveyance directions while side-aligning the packages in first, second, and third directions, respectively. The package conveyance apparatus includes first, second, and third auxiliary conveyance belts provided on respective side-alignment direction sides of the first, second, and third side-alignment conveyors, applying conveyance force to the packages in the first, second, and third directions, respectively, and differing in conveyance speeds from the first, second, and third side-alignment conveyors, respectively.

A transport device for transporting trays. The transport device including a first conveyor belt and a second conveyor belt that is downstream and follows the first conveyor belt. The first and second conveyor belts may have either a single- or multi-track design. The second conveyor belt may include a parallelization device configured to slowing down and/or accelerate one or more trays being conveyed on the second conveyor. The parallelization device may comprises at least one carrier with at least one acceleration finger and may be selectively moveable to prevent, slow down, allow, or accelerate a movement of a tray.

A transport device for transporting trays. The transport device including a first conveyor belt and a second conveyor belt that is downstream and follows the first conveyor belt. The first and second conveyor belts may have either a single- or multi-track design. The second conveyor belt may include a parallelization device configured to slowing down and/or accelerate one or more trays being conveyed on the second conveyor. The parallelization device may comprises at least one carrier with at least one acceleration finger and may be selectively moveable to prevent, slow down, allow, or accelerate a movement of a tray.

A divider system for diverting objects from an infeed lane into one or more discharge lanes includes a dividing screw set, a discharge screw set, and a diverting mechanism. The dividing screw set conveys a sequence of objects to an output end of the screw set where the objects are divided by rotation of the dividing screw set and outputted alternately to first and second discharge screws of the discharge screw set to form a first series of objects conveyed by the first discharge screw and a second series of objects conveyed by the second discharge screw. The divider system includes a diverting mechanism which can be selectively actuated to divert objects from one discharge screw to the other discharge screw to form a diverted group.

A singulator conveyor system having conveyors arranged in adjacent parallel configuration for separating and orienting side-by-side packages having unequal loading, different sized packages (e.g., boxes, flats and softpacks), partially filled bags, long and slender articles, and packages having an offset center of gravity. Two of more small items abreast of one another are separated while permitting large items to pass thorough the singulator even when the item is a large bag of small items. A first conveyor lane includes a high friction surface for conveying articles forward along a vertical side wall. A second conveyor adjacent thereto has a low friction surface including both forward and lateral conveying forces urging parcels forward and away from the first conveyor and side wall toward a third conveyor having a high friction conveying surface wherein the longitudinal edge of the second conveyor is below the first conveyor and above the third conveyor.

An apparatus for transforming a bulk flow of produce into a flow of produce aligned in one or more lines, to allow inspection for grading purposes at high speed, in particular by camera technology. The apparatus has a hopper which has differently configured opposing end portions arranged to allow the flow of produce from one end portion to the other, and wherein the exit end portion has at least one channel for guiding the produce therealong, wherein the at least one channel has a v-shaped cross-section defined by a pair of walls inclined upwardly away from each other so as to form a valley in which the produce is transportable by mechanical agitation into and along the valley such that the produce exits the hopper in one or more lines, one line from each of the at least one channel.

An apparatus for transforming a bulk flow of produce into a flow of produce aligned in one or more lines, to allow inspection for grading purposes at high speed, in particular by camera technology. The apparatus has a hopper which has differently configured opposing end portions arranged to allow the flow of produce from one end portion to the other, and wherein the exit end portion has at least one channel for guiding the produce therealong, wherein the at least one channel has a v-shaped cross-section defined by a pair of walls inclined upwardly away from each other so as to form a valley in which the produce is transportable by mechanical agitation into and along the valley such that the produce exits the hopper in one or more lines, one line from each of the at least one channel.