A system for interfacing between different types of conveyor systems that comprise a first serial conveyor system using a sequence of object carriers configured to transport a continuous serial stream of objects, and a parallel conveyor system configured to simultaneously transport one or more arrays of objects. A first accumulator unit can be used to accumulate a batch of the object carriers of the first serial conveyor system. Each of the object carriers can carry an object of the continuous serial stream of objects for accumulating a batch of the objects therein. Two or more first movable trays, each configured to receive an array of the objects from the batch of objects accumulated in the first accumulator unit, can be used to transfer the received array of objects to the parallel conveyor system, and load the objects thereby carried onto grippers of the parallel conveyor system.

The invention is based on a device for aligning products (14), more particularly products moved by means of a transport device (12), more particularly to form rows and/or groups of the products (14) running transverse to a main transport direction (16) of the transport device (12), having at least one aligning unit (18) having at least one alignment element (20, 22, 24) that can be introduced into a gap that exists, more particularly along the main transport direction (16), between at least two of the products (14) in order to align the products (14), and having at least one straightening drive unit (26), more particularly a linear drive unit, at least to drive the at least one alignment element (20, 22, 24), said straightening drive unit having at least one movement element (28, 30, 32) that can be driven in an individually speed- and/or position-controlled manner, on which movement element the at least one alignment element (20, 22, 24; 20, 22, 24) is arranged. The invention proposes that the at least one alignment unit (20, 22, 24) can be actively moved relative to the at least one movement element (28, 30, 32) by means of an interaction with an activation unit (40) of the alignment unit (18), said activation unit more particularly having a different design from a further movement element (34, 36, 38) of the alignment drive unit (26), or that the alignment unit is arranged in an at least substantially non-movable manner on the at least one movement element (28, 30, 32).

A method of accumulating packages and an accumulation module including a base cabinet, a rotatable accumulation dial, a hopper and picker assembly, the picker assembly extendable radially outward from a home position to a position outside of the hopper to retrieve a package and place the package on the accumulation module. The package is acted on by a first plunger from above and a stabilizing plunger from below to hold the package in place and then the package is treated by a heat stake anvil from below.

A method of accumulating packages and an accumulation module including a base cabinet, a rotatable accumulation dial, a hopper and picker assembly, the picker assembly extendable radially outward from a home position to a position outside of the hopper to retrieve a package and place the package on the accumulation module. The package is acted on by a first plunger from above and a stabilizing plunger from below to hold the package in place and then the package is treated by a heat stake anvil from below.

Apparatus and methods for automatically conforming a bottom support surface in a pick and place palletizer to the width of items such as cases that are supported on the surface are described. The invention defines an improved apparatus and method for automatically adjusting the width of a row support surface to conform to undersized items or items having a width when an item side is against the apron backstop that is less than the apron depth relative to the backstop.

The present invention relates to a method for transferring products (1) between a main conveyor (2) which is configured to convey products in a longitudinal direction and an accumulation surface (3) using an intermediate conveyor (4) and a pushing means (5). The method comprises acceleration of the intermediate conveyor (4) and transfer of products (1) between the intermediate conveyor (4) and the main conveyor (2) via the action of the pushing means (5), and deceleration of the intermediate conveyor (4) and transfer of products (1) between the intermediate conveyor (4) and the accumulation surface (3). The present invention also relates to a device for transferring products (1) between a main conveyor (2) which is configured to convey products in a longitudinal direction and an accumulation surface (3), enabling in particular the method according to the invention to be carried out.

The present invention relates a device (1) for producing batches (2) of products (3) from a plurality of products (3), said batches having a predefined configuration for palletizing in layers carried out downstream, said device comprising an upstream conveyor (4) which extends in a first conveying direction (6) and on which the products (3) are aligned in a row (5), a downstream receiving surface (7) intended to receive said batches, and a moving means (8) intended to transfer the products (3) brought by the upstream conveyor (4) to the downstream receiving surface (7). The moving means (8) comprises a main rail (9) and a plurality of shuttles (10) that are movable independently of one another and travel on said rail (9), each shuttle being intended to receive at least one product (3) on its upper surface. The present invention also relates an installation comprising this device and a corresponding method.

The invention relates to a device for the flexible distribution of packages, comprising at least one conveyor belt for transporting the packages along a transport direction, and at least one distributing device for moving the packages relative to the conveyor belt, wherein the distributing device has a plurality of sliding elements which are mounted movably on the distributing device, and wherein the sliding elements can be driven independently of each other. In order to achieve a reliable movement of individual packages of different sizes at individual speeds, it is proposed that the sliding elements respectively have two contact surfaces which are arranged at an angle to each other.

A method for building an article array comprised of (n) rows of articles, as disclosed herein.

A method for grouping elongated products (4). The products (4) are delivered by a delivering conveyor device (5) and are deposited onto a conveyor belt (3) such that there are no gaps between the lateral surfaces, and the products are conveyed along a conveyor direction (F) at a conveyor speed. Of the products (4) being conveyed without gaps, multiple products (4) which form a product group and adjoin one another without gaps are removed from the conveyor belt (3) simultaneously using transfer means (7), wherein during the removal process, the transfer means (7) are moved along the conveyor section (S) from a starting position (24) to a removal position in the conveyor direction (F) in a synchronized manner with the conveyor belt (3) and the product group which is to be removed and which is being conveyed on the conveyor belt, and the products (4) of the product group are then aligned perpendicularly to the conveyor direction (F) simultaneously by means of a pivoting movement after the removal process and are deposited on a shelf in the aligned state as a row extending along the conveyor direction (F) without gaps.