A conveyor system includes a conveyor frame having a frame base and a pair of parallel frame sidewalls. Each sidewall extend from a top side of the base to a distal end defining a plurality of sockets. The sockets include a socket bearing configured to support a corresponding roller shaft and a lip element extending across the opening at the distal end. In some examples, the conveyor frame includes at least one end coupler attached at an end of the conveyor frame. In some configurations, the conveyor frame includes a plurality of frame segments each defining a portion of a length of the conveyor frame.

A capping plant (10) for capping containers (100) made of thermoplastic material, comprising: a capping unit (11) of a rotating carousel type comprising a plurality of capping stations (111) and first guide means (14) arranged so as to contact a part of a tubular body (100a) of the containers (100) which is exposed towards an outside of the rotating carousel of the capping unit (11); a star-wheel (12) located downstream of the capping unit (11); an outfeed conveyor (13) located downstream of the star-wheel (12); a connection cross-member (17) between said first guide means (14) and the outfeed conveyor (13), the outfeed conveyor (13) being integrally constrained to a first portion (17a) of the connection cross-member (17) and the first guide means (14) being integrally constrained to a second portion (17b) of the connection cross-member (17); an actuating device (18) configured to adjust the height of said connection cross-member (17).

An apparatus for unscrambling articles includes a transport system for transporting randomly-arranged articles on a transport plane and a system for extracting articles arranged with a predefined orientation and/or position. Devices for picking and releasing the articles are configured to pick up the articles randomly arranged on the transport system and release them to an extraction system with a predefined orientation and/or position. A detection system is designed to detect position and arrangement of the articles in transit and to provide information for controlling gripping and release devices, while a unit for processing and controlling components and drives of the apparatus is designed to receive the position and/or arrangement information of the articles and to control the gripping and release devices. The pick and release devices include a robot for picking up articles only from the first section, and a robot for picking up articles only from the second section.

An apparatus for guiding products along a conveyor in a conveying direction. The apparatus includes a first guiderail for at least partially forming a conveying path for articles on the conveyor. A guiderail adjuster includes a flexible or collapsible support, which make take the form of a linkage, and which provides support for the first guiderail along the conveyor. The flexible or collapsible support is adapted for being extended and retracted along a support rail extending in the conveying direction to selectively position the first guiderail relative to the conveyor, and thereby alter (increase or decrease) the width of the conveying path. Related methods are also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a switch device for a transfer point (C) between a first and a second rotatable star wheel (20, 30), at which transfer point objects (B1-B8) can be transferred selectively from the first star wheel (20) to the second star wheel (30), characterized in that the switch device comprises: a base (12) at least in the region of the transfer point (C) for supporting the objects (B1-B8) transported by the star wheels; a first and a second wall portion (40, 50) which extend in the region of the transfer point (C), so as to substantially follow the outer periphery of the first and second star wheels (20, 30), respectively, and are movable in the vertical direction between a first position, in which they extend beyond the base (12), and a second position, in which they do not extend beyond the base (12); at least one drive mechanism for driving the movement of the wall portions (40, 50); and a control means for actuating the at least one drive mechanism. The first and the second wall portions (40, 50) are individually vertically movable by the at least one drive mechanism.

A product order fulfillment system including a multi-level transport system and a lifting transport system. Each level of the multi-level transport system having a corresponding independent asynchronous level transport system separate and distinct from the asynchronous level transport system corresponding to each other level of the multi-level transport system. Each independent lift axis of the lifting transport system being configured to independently hold at least one case and being communicably coupled to each asynchronous level transport system so as to provide for exchange of the at least one case between each asynchronous level transport system and each independent lift axis. Each independent lift axis is communicably coupled to each other independent lift axis of the more than one lift axis and forms a common output of mixed cases so as to create an ordered sequence of mixed cases in accordance to a predetermined case out ordered sequence.

An upstream-side guidance part 400 is provided with plural upstream-side guidance members 410 guiding disc-shaped members 300. A downstream-side guidance part 500 is provided with plural downstream-side guidance members 510 guiding the disc-shaped members 300. The positions of the upstream-side guidance members 410 in the circumferential direction of the disc-shaped member 300 are different from the positions of the downstream-side guidance members 510 in the circumferential direction of the disc-shaped member 300, and at least one of the upstream-side guidance part 400 and the downstream-side guidance part 500 is able to move forward and backward with respect to the other.

An apparatus guides at least one article traveling along a conveyor in a conveying direction, the at least one article having a shape. A plurality of guides of the apparatus guide the at least one article, such that positive control may be maintained during conveyance. The plurality of guides are dynamically adjustable in the transverse direction. At least one actuator adjusts a position of one or more of the plurality of guides based on the shape of the at least one article. Related methods are also disclosed.

A product order fulfillment system including a multi-level transport system and a lifting transport system. Each level of the multi-level transport system having a corresponding independent asynchronous level transport system separate and distinct from the asynchronous level transport system corresponding to each other level of the multi-level transport system. Each independent lift axis of the lifting transport system being configured to independently hold at least one case and being communicably coupled to each asynchronous level transport system so as to provide for exchange of the at least one case between each asynchronous level transport system and each independent lift axis. Each independent lift axis is communicably coupled to each other independent lift axis of the more than one lift axis and forms a common output of mixed cases so as to create an ordered sequence of mixed cases in accordance to a predetermined case out ordered sequence.

A packaging machine for packaging and/or processing objects, having a transport section (1) for conveying products, containers, and/or packaging units in a transport direction (2), wherein the transport section (1) has a conveying device (3), in the form of a conveyor belt, having preferably at least one drive means. For routing the transport section (1), at least in certain regions or portions an effective width of the conveying device (3), as viewed perpendicularly to the transport direction (2), for conveying the products, containers, and/or packaging units is preferably variably settable, at least over a predetermined or predeterminable region.