A conveyance apparatus that conveys a plurality of stick-shaped objects, includes: a holding member that includes a holding space, a supply opening section and a release opening section, the supply opening section and the release opening section being connected to the holding space; and a movement driving unit that causes the holding member to move along an endless track including a supply section and a release section, wherein: the holding member receives supply of the plurality of stick-shaped objects via the supply opening section at the supply section and the plurality of stick-shaped objects are held in the holding space, and the holding member releases the plurality of stick-shaped objects from the holding space towards outside via the release opening section, at the release section.

A method for operating an overhead conveyor for successive goods is disclosed, in which the goods are loaded onto the overhead conveyor one by one by means of an inward transfer means and are transferred outward at a predefined point of the overhead conveyor by means of a switch, the distance between successive goods on the overhead conveyor either being minimised if said successive goods are to be transferred outward at the same switch, or the distance between the successive goods on the overhead conveyor being increased in such a way that said distance corresponds to the minimum outward transfer distance if the successive goods are not to be transferred outward at the same switch.

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.

The invention relates to a method establishing distances (d) between a first conveyed-good unit (11) and a second conveyed-good unit during the simultaneous transport of the conveyed-good units in a conveying direction (z), comprising the following steps: Feeding of a plurality of at least the first conveyed-good unit (11) and the second conveyed-good unit in a first arrangement, wherein the first conveyed-good unit (11) and the second conveyed-good unit are fed in sections simultaneously in the conveying direction (z), and wherein the conveyed-good units of the conveyed good are fed orthogonally offset to each other in relation to the conveying direction (z) and have a first distance to one another, typifying detection (S1) of the conveyed-good units (11), determining a target position of the first conveyed-good unit (11a . . . 11d) and the second conveyed-good unit (S2), controlling or regulating a target distance (d) between the first conveyed-good unit (11a . . . 11d) and the second conveyed-good unit on the basis of the said target position (S3), and for this purpose, moving the first conveyed-good units (11a . . . 11d) (S4) and the second conveyed-good unit using conveyor drives (2, 2a . . . 2c), which can move one or a plurality of conveyed-good units individually and in a variable manner in any direction of the conveying plane, in such a way that a target distance (d) between the first conveyed-good units (11a . . . 11d) and the second conveyed-good unit exists at the point of transfer to a subsequent conveyor section (16), wherein the target distance (d) is different from the first distance, the movement is dependent on control signals generated from the typifying detection (S1) of the first conveyed-good unit (11a . . . 11d) and the second conveyed-good unit and generated from the determination of the target positions of the first conveyed-good unit (11a . . . 11d) and the second conveyed-good unit (S2), wherein the first conveyed-good unit and the second conveyed-good unit are transported simultaneously in the conveying direction (z).

The invention relates to a method establishing distances (d) between a first conveyed-good unit (11) and a second conveyed-good unit during the simultaneous transport of the conveyed-good units in a conveying direction (z), comprising the following steps: Feeding of a plurality of at least the first conveyed-good unit (11) and the second conveyed-good unit in a first arrangement, wherein the first conveyed-good unit (11) and the second conveyed-good unit are fed in sections simultaneously in the conveying direction (z), and wherein the conveyed-good units of the conveyed good are fed orthogonally offset to each other in relation to the conveying direction (z) and have a first distance to one another, typifying detection (S1) of the conveyed-good units (11), determining a target position of the first conveyed-good unit (11a . . . 11d) and the second conveyed-good unit (S2), controlling or regulating a target distance (d) between the first conveyed-good unit (11a . . . 11d) and the second conveyed-good unit on the basis of the said target position (S3), and for this purpose, moving the first conveyed-good units (11a . . . 11d) (S4) and the second conveyed-good unit using conveyor drives (2, 2a . . . 2c), which can move one or a plurality of conveyed-good units individually and in a variable manner in any direction of the conveying plane, in such a way that a target distance (d) between the first conveyed-good units (11a . . . 11d) and the second conveyed-good unit exists at the point of transfer to a subsequent conveyor section (16), wherein the target distance (d) is different from the first distance, the movement is dependent on control signals generated from the typifying detection (S1) of the first conveyed-good unit (11a . . . 11d) and the second conveyed-good unit and generated from the determination of the target positions of the first conveyed-good unit (11a . . . 11d) and the second conveyed-good unit (S2), wherein the first conveyed-good unit and the second conveyed-good unit are transported simultaneously in the conveying direction (z).

A method for grouping and/or separating products transported in rows. With the aid of a first conveyor belt, the products to be grouped or separated are conveyed onto a second conveyor belt connected in series with the first conveyor belt until a downstream product of the products to be grouped or separated runs up against a dividing web of a dividing device associated with the second conveyor belt. After or as the downstream product runs up against the dividing web, a conveyance of products into the upstream region of the second conveyor belt effected by means of the first conveyor belt is interrupted. The second conveyor belt is driven continuously in a transport direction specified by the second conveyor belt, and the dividing web runs along with the second conveyor belt in its transport direction over a defined distance and is then removed from the product flow of the second conveyor belt.

A method for grouping and/or separating products transported in rows. With the aid of a first conveyor belt, the products to be grouped or separated are conveyed onto a second conveyor belt connected in series with the first conveyor belt until a downstream product of the products to be grouped or separated runs up against a dividing web of a dividing device associated with the second conveyor belt. After or as the downstream product runs up against the dividing web, a conveyance of products into the upstream region of the second conveyor belt effected by means of the first conveyor belt is interrupted. The second conveyor belt is driven continuously in a transport direction specified by the second conveyor belt, and the dividing web runs along with the second conveyor belt in its transport direction over a defined distance and is then removed from the product flow of the second conveyor belt.

A conveyance apparatus that conveys a plurality of stick-shaped objects, includes: a holding member that includes a holding space, a supply opening section and a release opening section, the supply opening section and the release opening section being connected to the holding space; and a movement driving unit that causes the holding member to move along an endless track including a supply section and a release section, wherein: the holding member receives supply of the plurality of stick-shaped objects via the supply opening section at the supply section and the plurality of stick-shaped objects are held in the holding space, and the holding member releases the plurality of stick-shaped objects from the holding space towards outside via the release opening section, at the release section.

A conveyance apparatus that conveys a plurality of stick-shaped objects, includes: a holding member that includes a holding space, a supply opening section and a release opening section, the supply opening section and the release opening section being connected to the holding space; and a movement driving unit that causes the holding member to move along an endless track including a supply section and a release section, wherein: the holding member receives supply of the plurality of stick-shaped objects via the supply opening section at the supply section and the plurality of stick-shaped objects are held in the holding space, and the holding member releases the plurality of stick-shaped objects from the holding space towards outside via the release opening section, at the release section.