Disclosed is a conveying device including an upstream conveying unit for receiving products from at least one upstream station, an accumulation surface along which the upstream conveying unit circulates, a loading unit for moving the products from the upstream conveying unit to the accumulation surface, a downstream conveying unit for clearing the products, and an unloading unit for moving the products from the accumulation surface to the downstream conveying unit. The downstream conveying unit includes a plurality of independent moving unit receiving the products in receiving zones which are successively distributed from the edge of the accumulation surface opposite the edge along which the upstream conveying unit extends. Also disclosed is a corresponding method.

In a belt buffer including a plurality of buffer belts arranged one above the other, receiving edges of the buffer belts at entry and delivery edges of the buffer belts at an exit of the belt buffer are height-adjustable. The buffer belts can include a plurality of belt modules arranged one after the other.

A camera based vision system that recognizes and maximizes belt area utilization. A plurality of cameras are positioned at flow entry points of feed conveyors and at the singulator. The control algorithm recognizes individual items area, the rate at which individual objects are passing, and the area utilization of the collector belt. The video camera and computer based conveyor package management system monitor and control the number and size of the packages present on the infeed conveyors, collector conveyor, singulator conveyor and sorting conveyor in a package handling system wherein the camera data is used to measure the available area or space on the conveyors to maintain a desired density of packages on selected conveyor(s). The conveyor speed is controlled as a function of occupancy on a collector or just prior to a singulator or receiver.

A physical distribution system includes first and second conveyance paths, first and second sensors, and a processor. The first sensor detects a package passing along the first conveyance path. The second conveyance path merges with the first conveyance path at a junction. The second sensor detects a package passing along the second conveyance path. The processor counts a first number of packages present in a first convergence monitoring section determined in the first conveyance path upstream the junction, and counts a second number of packages present in a second convergence monitoring section determined in the second conveyance path upstream the junction, determines an order in which packages in the first and second convergence monitoring sections pass the junction, based on the first number and the second number, and control the first and second conveyance paths, such that the packages pass the junction in the determined order.

An adjustable capacity reservoir for processing rod-like elements for tobacco industry, having partitioned multiple chambers.

An apparatus is provided for separating bulk material, in particular in the form of packages, from a bulk material container. The apparatus has a first belt conveyor for conveying the bulk material from a bulk material container, and a downstream second belt conveyor, oriented at an angle about a vertical axis, relative to the conveying direction of the first belt conveyor, for conveying away the bulk material. The first belt conveyor has a plurality of separately actuatable discharging conveyor belts arranged parallel to one another. The apparatus has an electronic control device which is configured to drive the discharging conveyor belts in each case intermittently such that units of the bulk material are each transferred to the second belt conveyor at discrete time intervals and/or distances.

Device for merging at least two piece goods streams arranged at different heights, with an upper feed channel for receiving packages from an upper piece goods stream, and a lower feed channel for receiving packages from a lower piece goods stream, the feed channels extending between a first vertical plane and a parallel second vertical plane, whose distance from each other corresponds to a total channel width, the upper feed channel having a first conveying surface between a first side panel running in the first vertical plane, and a second side panel, the second side panel running in the second vertical plane at least on an upstream-side final section, and a second conveying surface, which downstream joins the first conveying surface adjacent to a third side panel running in the first vertical plane and has a width, which is less than half the total channel width, wherein the second conveying surface loosely ends on a side panel running parallel to the first vertical plane at a vertical distance above the lower feed channel, the lower feed channel having a third conveying surface, which is bordered by a fourth side panel running in the second vertical plane and by a fifth side panel, wherein a width of the third conveying surface at a downstream-side end of the lower feed channel corresponds to the total channel width less the width of the second conveying surface.

Puck handling device for a conveyor system, comprising a puck handling disc and a drive means for rotating the puck handling disc, where the puck handling disc comprises a first semi-circular disc comprising a first cut-out and a second semi-circular disc comprising a second cut-out, where the first semi-circular disc and the second semi-circular disc are individually rotatable by the drive means, and where the first cut-out and the second cut-out forms a recess adapted to hold a puck when the puck handling disc is arranged in a first holding state. The advantage of the invention is that a puck handling device adapted to direct a puck from any of two infeed conveyors to any of two outfeed conveyors is provided. This allows for a flexible and quick handling of pucks.

Conveying device to bring together individual packages from at least one transfer conveyor onto a discharge conveyor, comprising an aligning conveyor having a receiving end, which a feeding end or feeding ends arranged next to each other of the transfer conveyor or transfer conveyors join, and a feeding end arranged parallel to the receiving end, which a receiving end of the discharge conveyor joins, wherein a guide element having a guide surface, arranged vertically to and directly over a conveying surface of the aligning conveyor, is located between a first external side edge of the transfer conveyor or a first transfer conveyor and an opposite first side edge of the discharge conveyor, a conveying direction of the aligning conveyor having a longitudinal component, which is directed from the transfer conveyor or first transfer conveyor to the discharge conveyor and with the conveying direction forms an angle, and having a transverse component directed against the guide element.

Device for merging at least two piece goods streams arranged at different heights, with an upper feed channel for receiving packages from an upper piece goods stream, and a lower feed channel for receiving packages from a lower piece goods stream, the feed channels extending between a first vertical plane and a parallel second vertical plane, whose distance from each other corresponds to a total channel width, the upper feed channel having a first conveying surface between a first side panel running in the first vertical plane, and a second side panel, the second side panel running in the second vertical plane at least on an upstream-side final section, and a second conveying surface, which downstream joins the first conveying surface adjacent to a third side panel running in the first vertical plane and has a width, which is less than half the total channel width, wherein the second conveying surface loosely ends on a side panel running parallel to the first vertical plane at a vertical distance above the lower feed channel, the lower feed channel having a third conveying surface, which is bordered by a fourth side panel running in the second vertical plane and by a fifth side panel, wherein a width of the third conveying surface at a downstream-side end of the lower feed channel corresponds to the total channel width less the width of the second conveying surface.