A singulating system within a conveyor system for the purpose of singulating and orienting jumbled, randomly oriented packages into packages that are conveyed in a single file line wherein each package is oriented such that the long axis of each package is oriented along the direction of flow of the conveyor system that consists of a plurality of conveyor sets that together rotate, reorient, space, and align packages, as well as a method of singulating packages.

A singulating system within a conveyor system for the purpose of singulating and orienting jumbled, randomly oriented packages into packages that are conveyed in a single file line wherein each package is oriented such that the long axis of each package is oriented along the direction of flow of the conveyor system that consists of a plurality of conveyor sets that together rotate, reorient, space, and align packages, as well as a method of singulating packages.

A system, and associated method, for launching and delivering separated food product in organized groups to a robotized packaging station for the product. The system initiates the delivery via a metered hopper of food product delivering the product to a launch V-belt that aligns the product end to end. A successive singulator belt, positioned adjacent to and receiving product from the launch belt, further organizes the product into a single file alignment. An optional separator belt may follow the singulator belt to create gaps between successive product units. The product is then delivered to a pick belt for product to be provided to the packaging robot. The system product information is from a single (per product delivery line) sensor, enabling integrated end-to-end control from hopper to robot, and a nearly continuous motion of said pick belt.

A method and device for sorting articles, including at least one station for automatically loading articles allowing transfer of the articles to one or several transport units, the station equipped with at least one device for transporting the articles and a system able to determine the position, the shape and the size of the articles, with a set of cross belt transport units, each unit provided with a supporting plate between two adjacent units. The device includes a system allowing detection of a possible change in position of an article on a transport device during the acceleration phase. Maintaining the article in position on its unit(s) is ensured during its movement on the sorter, by supporting plates permanently ensuring supporting surface continuity between two units over a width substantially equal to the supporting surface of the belts and by the presence of vertical profiles on the belts.

A method and device for sorting articles, including at least one station for automatically loading articles allowing transfer of the articles to one or several transport units, the station equipped with at least one device for transporting the articles and a system able to determine the position, the shape and the size of the articles, with a set of cross belt transport units, each unit provided with a supporting plate between two adjacent units. The device includes a system allowing detection of a possible change in position of an article on a transport device during the acceleration phase. Maintaining the article in position on its unit(s) is ensured during its movement on the sorter, by supporting plates permanently ensuring supporting surface continuity between two units over a width substantially equal to the supporting surface of the belts and by the presence of vertical profiles on the belts.

A singulating conveyor having a herringbone pattern includes transporting rollers extending from the entry end to the exit end. The rollers are divided into four longitudinal zones, and each longitudinal zone is divided into a pair of side-by-side complementary outside and inside lateral zones. The rollers of each of the eight lateral zones are driven by a separate motor and V-Belt drive system that can be operated at differing speeds. The speed of the transporting rollers in the four longitudinal zones increases successively from the longitudinal zone adjacent the conveyor entry end towards the longitudinal zone having the discharge rollers, and the speed of the rollers of the outside lateral zones operate at higher speeds than the rollers of the adjacent inside lateral zones. Some of the rollers in the outside lateral zones preferably have higher coefficients of friction than the rollers of adjacent inside lateral zones.

A singulating conveyor having a herringbone pattern includes transporting rollers extending from the entry end to the exit end. The rollers are divided into four longitudinal zones, and each longitudinal zone is divided into a pair of side-by-side complementary outside and inside lateral zones. The rollers of each of the eight lateral zones are driven by a separate motor and V-Belt drive system that can be operated at differing speeds. The speed of the transporting rollers in the four longitudinal zones increases successively from the longitudinal zone adjacent the conveyor entry end towards the longitudinal zone having the discharge rollers, and the speed of the rollers of the outside lateral zones operate at higher speeds than the rollers of the adjacent inside lateral zones. Some of the rollers in the outside lateral zones preferably have higher coefficients of friction than the rollers of adjacent inside lateral zones.

A typing tunnel off-loading and sorting system includes an off-loading conveyor, cameras and photoelectric eye. The overhead cameras detect the item size and whether it is cubic in nature and type and size of its footprint. An in-line slide sorter having alternating conveyor rollers and pop-up belts pass through to, or divert articles from, a downstream conveyor. The vision based system may also be used to detect space between articles and insert articles in the unoccupied space.

Method for synchronized channelling of piece goods onto a respective receptacle of a sorting conveyor, wherein the sorting conveyor has conveying units with in each case at least one receptacle for piece goods, which at a pre-determined conveying speed run past a synchronization conveyor system, and wherein the synchronization conveyor system has a synchronization conveyor and a channelling conveyor adjoining the synchronization conveyor, whereby, whenever a fault condition of a piece good on the synchronization conveyor system is recognized, the conveyor, synchronization or channelling conveyor, on which the piece good is located, is stopped and then the conveyor transporting the piece good is reversed, until the piece good is located in a pre-determined start position, and the synchronization conveyor and the channelling conveyor are moved forward, and sorting device to carry out the method.

Method for synchronized channelling of piece goods onto a respective receptacle of a sorting conveyor, wherein the sorting conveyor has conveying units with in each case at least one receptacle for piece goods, which at a pre-determined conveying speed run past a synchronization conveyor system, and wherein the synchronization conveyor system has a synchronization conveyor and a channelling conveyor adjoining the synchronization conveyor, whereby, whenever a fault condition of a piece good on the synchronization conveyor system is recognized, the conveyor, synchronization or channelling conveyor, on which the piece good is located, is stopped and then the conveyor transporting the piece good is reversed, until the piece good is located in a pre-determined start position, and the synchronization conveyor and the channelling conveyor are moved forward, and sorting device to carry out the method.