The present invention relates to the field of using different sensing and detection methods to determine parcel flow density 1D lineal, 2D area or 3D volumetrically on a selected section of a feed conveyor and receiving conveyor and adjusting conveyor speed ratios proportioned according to ratio of desired density to current density to increase the density or volume of parcels in a selected area of the receiving conveyor.

A method and device for grouping packages into specified package groups in an interference-free and fault-free manner with a conveyor having multiple individually actuatable conveyors arranged one behind the other with an inlet-side and a discharge-side end. The packages are supplied to the conveyor device at the inlet-side end one after the other, and a control algorithm is carried out to interpolate and/or detect the position and/or the speed of each individual package. A target speed is determined for each individual package based on the detected and/or interpolated position and/or speed of the package. A target speed is determined for the individual conveyors to achieve the target speed for each package to set a specified distance to the leading and/or following package at the discharge-side end. The speed of the individual conveyors is controlled to the respective determined target speed for the conveyor.

A method and device for grouping packages into specified package groups in an interference-free and fault-free manner with a conveyor having multiple individually actuatable conveyors arranged one behind the other with an inlet-side and a discharge-side end. The packages are supplied to the conveyor device at the inlet-side end one after the other, and a control algorithm is carried out to interpolate and/or detect the position and/or the speed of each individual package. A target speed is determined for each individual package based on the detected and/or interpolated position and/or speed of the package. A target speed is determined for the individual conveyors to achieve the target speed for each package to set a specified distance to the leading and/or following package at the discharge-side end. The speed of the individual conveyors is controlled to the respective determined target speed for the conveyor.

The device includes a first conveyor 1 and a second conveyor 12. The first conveyor transports the book blocks B to the bookbinding apparatus and can accumulate the book blocks on a transport surface 4. A first stopper 23 is arranged at an entrance of the second conveyor and a second stopper 28 is arranged in the middle of a path of book block on the transport surface of the first conveyor. The first and second stoppers can take a block position and a retracted position. The second conveyor and the first stopper operate in synchronization with an operation of the bookbinding apparatus. The second stopper takes the block position when the number of book blocks accumulated on upstream side of the first stopper exceeds a predetermined limit value, or when a thickness difference between the book blocks transported side by side exceeds a predetermined reference value.

A sorting/handling system for sorting/handling parcels or packets comprises a primary conveyor for conveying the packets in series around a looped path, at least one platform secondary conveyor fed by the primary conveyor and having a throughput rate lower than that of the primary conveyor, and a transfer unit for transfer between the primary conveyor and the secondary conveyor, which transfer unit comprises n chutes into which the packets coming from the primary conveyor fall by gravity so as to be received at the outlets on n parallel channels of an accumulation zone having movable barriers. Downstream from the accumulation zone, the system further comprises mechanical members for putting the packets into series by spacing them apart at a constant pitch, and then for transferring them to free platforms of the secondary conveyor at a rate of one packet per platform.

A post compression carton rejection system for receiving cartons in-line from a carton assembly system having a compression conveying section for compressing folded and glued cartons for delivery to a packing system. The post compression carton rejection system comprise a frame adapted to be supported between the compression conveying section and the packing system. An infeed conveyor is mounted to the frame and has an infeed belt for transporting folded and glued cartons from the compression conveying section and an infeed drive for driving the infeed belt. An outfeed conveyor is mounted to the frame between the infeed conveyor and a conveyor exit proximate the packer, in use, and comprises a nose extension conveyor having an outfeed belt including a dump gate controllably retractable at the conveyor exit to selectively dump folded and glued cartons, an outfeed drive for driving the outfeed belt and a dump gate actuator for opening and returning the dump gate. A controller operatively controls the infeed drive, the outfeed drive and the dump gate actuator to selectively create gaps before and after a stream of defective folded and glued cartons and dump the defective folded and glued cartons at the dump gate.

A post compression carton rejection system for receiving cartons in-line from a carton assembly system having a compression conveying section for compressing folded and glued cartons for delivery to a packing system. The post compression carton rejection system comprise a frame adapted to be supported between the compression conveying section and the packing system. An infeed conveyor is mounted to the frame and has an infeed belt for transporting folded and glued cartons from the compression conveying section and an infeed drive for driving the infeed belt. An outfeed conveyor is mounted to the frame between the infeed conveyor and a conveyor exit proximate the packer, in use, and comprises a nose extension conveyor having an outfeed belt including a dump gate controllably retractable at the conveyor exit to selectively dump folded and glued cartons, an outfeed drive for driving the outfeed belt and a dump gate actuator for opening and returning the dump gate. A controller operatively controls the infeed drive, the outfeed drive and the dump gate actuator to selectively create gaps before and after a stream of defective folded and glued cartons and dump the defective folded and glued cartons at the dump gate.

A multi-belt conveyor is described. The multi-belt conveyor comprises a base assembly comprising a base frame that extends along a length of the multi-belt conveyor. Further, the multi-belt conveyor comprises a conveyor bed having a plurality of cartridges positioned adjacently to each other and mounted to the base frame. In this regard, each cartridge of the plurality of cartridges comprises a set of conveyor belts configured to move in a direction along the conveyor bed at a defined speed. Further, in accordance with example embodiments, a cartridge of the plurality of cartridges is configured to be removed from the conveyor bed without removing an adjacent cartridge from the plurality of cartridges. Further, each cartridge of the multi-belt conveyor comprises an actuation assembly comprising: a drive pulley, a roller-slider bed comprising a plurality of rollers, and the set of conveyor belts mounted around the roller-slider bed and the drive pulley.

A multi-belt conveyor is described. The multi-belt conveyor comprises a base assembly comprising a base frame that extends along a length of the multi-belt conveyor. Further, the multi-belt conveyor comprises a conveyor bed having a plurality of cartridges positioned adjacently to each other and mounted to the base frame. In this regard, each cartridge of the plurality of cartridges comprises a set of conveyor belts configured to move in a direction along the conveyor bed at a defined speed. Further, in accordance with example embodiments, a cartridge of the plurality of cartridges is configured to be removed from the conveyor bed without removing an adjacent cartridge from the plurality of cartridges. Further, each cartridge of the multi-belt conveyor comprises an actuation assembly comprising: a drive pulley, a roller-slider bed comprising a plurality of rollers, and the set of conveyor belts mounted around the roller-slider bed and the drive pulley.

A system for managing parcel flow includes: an upstream conveyor for receiving and conveying a bulk flow of parcels; and a damming conveyor positioned to receive parcels offloaded from the upstream conveyor. The system may also include: a destacking conveyor positioned to receive parcels offloaded from the damming conveyor and configured to separate vertically stacked parcels; and a downstream conveyor positioned to receive parcels offloaded from the destacking conveyor. The damming conveyor can be selectively activated and deactivated to offload parcels in discrete batches, instead of a continuous flow. Selective activation and deactivation of the damming conveyor and/or destacking conveyor can be based on instructions communicated from a control subsystem in accordance in a prearranged sequence or based on data from one or more sensors configured to acquire data corresponding to the positioning of parcels within the system.