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.

Methods and apparatuses for performing article singulation are provided. An article singulator can include an intake conveyor, an out-take conveyor, and multiple intermediate conveyors. The intake conveyor can receive multiple articles and convey the articles to the multiple intermediate conveyors. Further, the out-take conveyor may convey singulated articles from amongst the multiple articles (e.g. to an outfeed). Further, the multiple intermediate conveyors may include successive conveyors to convey the articles and provide the singulated articles to the out-take conveyor. In some examples, each successive conveyor of the multiple intermediate conveyors may be positioned at a lower level than a preceding conveyor. Further, each successive conveyor can convey the articles in a different direction and at a different speed than a preceding conveyor such that the articles are singulated upon conveyance by the article singulator.

Methods and apparatuses for performing article singulation are provided. An article singulator can include an intake conveyor, an out-take conveyor, and multiple intermediate conveyors. The intake conveyor can receive multiple articles and convey the articles to the multiple intermediate conveyors. Further, the out-take conveyor may convey singulated articles from amongst the multiple articles (e.g. to an outfeed). Further, the multiple intermediate conveyors may include successive conveyors to convey the articles and provide the singulated articles to the out-take conveyor. In some examples, each successive conveyor of the multiple intermediate conveyors may be positioned at a lower level than a preceding conveyor. Further, each successive conveyor can convey the articles in a different direction and at a different speed than a preceding conveyor such that the articles are singulated upon conveyance by the article singulator.

An automated system for singulating items is provided. The automated system includes a singulation apparatus. The singulation apparatus includes multiple conveyor modules and a vertical frame structure. Each of the multiple conveyor modules has an identical physical structure. The vertical frame structure provides multiple horizontal mounting locations, each at a different height along the vertical frame structure. Each of the conveyor modules is mounted to a different one of the multiple horizontal mounting locations.

An automated system for singulating items is provided. The automated system includes a singulation apparatus. The singulation apparatus includes multiple conveyor modules and a vertical frame structure. Each of the multiple conveyor modules has an identical physical structure. The vertical frame structure provides multiple horizontal mounting locations, each at a different height along the vertical frame structure. Each of the conveyor modules is mounted to a different one of the multiple horizontal mounting locations.

A conveyor system for processing items, such as manufacturers' products or boxes, from a three-dimensional arrangement to a two-dimensional arrangement includes inclined and declined conveyors. The inclined conveyor may include vacuum through perforations in the belt. A collimating conveyor includes parallel belts that operate at different speeds to space the items longitudinally apart and then align the items against sidewalls.

A method of using a conveyor device is provided for conveying food products in stacks or interleaved units made of a plurality of slices of cheese or meat products. The method formats the food products in a specific product format on a plurality of parallel conveyor tracks, and fills a product gap on one of the plurality of parallel conveyor tracks incoming on the input side with a food product so that on the output side all parallel conveyor tracks are supplied with the food products.

A method of using a conveyor device is provided for conveying food products in stacks or interleaved units made of a plurality of slices of cheese or meat products. The method formats the food products in a specific product format on a plurality of parallel conveyor tracks, and fills a product gap on one of the plurality of parallel conveyor tracks incoming on the input side with a food product so that on the output side all parallel conveyor tracks are supplied with the food products.

The present concepts comprise various methods and apparatuses for the sorting of packages and other articles or objects in a cost- and time-efficient manner such that the life of the apparatuses for sorting and transporting said objects is extended. Likewise, the integrity of the conveyed articles is likewise maintained, such that the articles are not damaged or altered. This is done by detecting and rectifying Jamming, Overload, and Overflow. Another purpose of the concept is to eliminate the subjectivity of the human operator; stoppage due to the jamming or overload excepted.

The present concepts comprise various methods and apparatuses for the sorting of packages and other articles or objects in a cost- and time-efficient manner such that the life of the apparatuses for sorting and transporting said objects is extended. Likewise, the integrity of the conveyed articles is likewise maintained, such that the articles are not damaged or altered. This is done by detecting and rectifying Jamming, Overload, and Overflow. Another purpose of the concept is to eliminate the subjectivity of the human operator; stoppage due to the jamming or overload excepted.