A sorter for sorting out discrete products includes an arrangement of adjacent sorting fingers. The sorting fingers, depending on pivoted positions, open a sorting gap in a conveying path for bad products to be sorted out or else close the sorting gap in order to support the further conveying of good products.

A sorter for sorting out discrete products includes an arrangement of adjacent sorting fingers. The sorting fingers, depending on pivoted positions, open a sorting gap in a conveying path for bad products to be sorted out or else close the sorting gap in order to support the further conveying of good products.

A diverter assembly (25) is provided for guiding articles from a single lane (54) to one of a plurality of lanes (13, 14). The assembly (25) has a pair of spaced apart guides (30) defining a guide channel (49) therebetween. The guides (30) are connected to a rotatably mounted support (24). A first actuator (22, 23) is provided operable to rotate the support (24) to pivot the guides (30), and thereby cause articles to be guided to a selected one of the plurality of lanes.

A diverter assembly (25) is provided for guiding articles from a single lane (54) to one of a plurality of lanes (13, 14). The assembly (25) has a pair of spaced apart guides (30) defining a guide channel (49) therebetween. The guides (30) are connected to a rotatably mounted support (24). A first actuator (22, 23) is provided operable to rotate the support (24) to pivot the guides (30), and thereby cause articles to be guided to a selected one of the plurality of lanes.

This disclosure concerns methods for processing and grading food articles including x-raying the food articles a first time and taking a 3D image of the food articles.

This disclosure concerns methods for processing and grading food articles including x-raying the food articles a first time and taking a 3D image of the food articles.

A logistics center automation system includes a singulator to which a cluster control for simultaneously moving articles unloaded from a plurality of unloading vehicles is applied, a transport robot configured to deliver the articles moved by the singulator to a loading vehicle corresponding to destination information, a mobile multi-recognizer configured to extract destination information of the transport robot, and a controller configured to control the singulator, the transport robot, and the mobile multi-recognizer.

A modular transfer system with a primary flow system and a diverter system. The primary flow system includes a primary flow belt for conveying an article along a primary flow path from an infeed side of the modular transfer system to a pass-through side of the modular transfer system. The diverter system includes one or more diverter belts for diverting an article from the primary flow path towards a divert side of the modular transfer system. The primary flow belt includes multiple movable components contacting the diverter belt. The movable components can have one or more rotational degrees of freedom.

A turnout for use with two transport sections includes a turnout arm rotatably supported with respect to a first axis of rotation, guided linearly movably in the direction of the first axis, and movable between two end positions. The turnout arm has a deflection surface configured such that, when the turnout arm is in a first end position, a transported item can be transferred between the first and second transport sections via the deflection surface, and the turnout arm is located beneath the transport level in a second end position such that the transported item is movable along the first transport section beyond the turnout. The turnout arm is connected for driving, via a transmission, to a single electric motor such that it is movable back and forth between the first and second end positions solely by being driven by the electric motor in two degrees of freedom.

A turnout for use with two transport sections includes a turnout arm rotatably supported with respect to a first axis of rotation, guided linearly movably in the direction of the first axis, and movable between two end positions. The turnout arm has a deflection surface configured such that, when the turnout arm is in a first end position, a transported item can be transferred between the first and second transport sections via the deflection surface, and the turnout arm is located beneath the transport level in a second end position such that the transported item is movable along the first transport section beyond the turnout. The turnout arm is connected for driving, via a transmission, to a single electric motor such that it is movable back and forth between the first and second end positions solely by being driven by the electric motor in two degrees of freedom.