A method and a device for buffering containers in a container treatment system are disclosed. The containers enter into storage on an infeed conveyor belt in the infeed direction, are moved in a single row onto a transversely adjoining buffer area by rail-guided and individually driven shuttles with row pushers in a buffering direction running transverse to the infeed direction, and are removed from storage on an outfeed conveyor belt transversely adjoining in the buffering direction. The shuttles and the infeed/outfeed conveyor belts are controlled in dependence of target positions, target speeds and/or target accelerations stored specifically for the container type, and/or the shuttles are controlled in dependence of target positions, target distances and/or target speeds stored specifically for modes of operation for initializing and reading out the shuttles, for following preceding shuttles, and for moving to route positions.

The invention relates to a method and a device for buffering containers in a container treatment plant. According thereto, containers are put into storage in a grouped manner in single file on at least one input conveyor belt, are moved in single file on a transversely adjoining buffering surface of shuttles, guided and driven individually on rails, having row pushers, in a buffering direction extending transversely to the input direction, and are taken out of storage on at least one output conveyor belt. Since, furthermore, containers are taken out of storage from the buffering surface by means of branching conveyor belts integrated in the buffering surface, transversely to the buffering direction and independently of the input conveyor belt and output conveyor belt, and/or are put into storage on the buffering surface, it is possible for container flows to be distributed flexibly and combined on the buffering surface.

The present invention provides a device for grouping containers, comprising a plurality of transfer pallets for conveying containers upright on a pallet surface and a first transfer device comprising a first transfer platform and an infeed manipulator, wherein the pallet surface of each transfer pallet has a plurality of ridge-like elevations forming a support surface for the containers, and wherein the first transfer platform has a comb-shaped outlet area configured for allowing the ridge-like elevations of the pallet surface to pass through the intermediate spaces of the comb-shaped outlet area for taking over the at least one container.

The invention relates to a machine for handling waste material, the machine comprising an upper conveyor member with a conveying portion of a first width, a downstream lower conveyor member with a receiving portion of equal or greater width and an apparatus for distributing material from the upper conveyor member to the downstream lower conveyor member, wherein the apparatus comprises oscillating means, a drive mechanism connected to the oscillating means; and a protruding element attached to the oscillating means for oscillatory movement thereof, wherein the protruding element is a reciprocating attachment adapted to oscillate in a direction transverse to the direction in which it extends, wherein the apparatus is mountable between the conveying portion of the upper conveyor member and the receiving portion of the downstream lower conveyor member such that the protruding element extends substantially in the direction of conveyance of the downstream conveyor member; and wherein in use the osciallating protruding element agitates material being transferred from the upper conveyor member to the downstream lower conveyor member.

An apparatus (10) and method for distributing and/or grouping containers in a container treatment system. The device (10) includes a supply conveyor (12), a discharge conveyor (16) and a transfer conveyor (14). The transfer conveyor (14) uses a guide path (28) and several movement devices (30) that can be driven individually, preferably by a long stator linear motor (32) and which are guided along the guide path (28). The several movement devices (30) include a conveyor device (34) that is designed to transfer several containers from the supply conveyor (12) to the discharge conveyor (16). The device (10) can preferably be used to reduce the risk of the containers tipping over when being transferred, to reduce the number of movement devices (30) and/or to enable the containers to be pre-grouped.

A configurable assembly is provided for conveying products along a longitudinal direction; the assembly has a supporting structure and at least two conveyor units; at least one of said units is provided with at least two tracks which receive, in use, respective products and diverge from or converge towards each other along a lateral direction, proceeding longitudinally from an inlet to an outlet; the units are movable with respect to the supporting structure by the action of an actuator device between a working area and at least one storage area, so as to selectively arrange one of said units in the working area.

The invention relates to a machine for handling waste material, the machine comprising an upper conveyor member with a conveying portion of a first width, a downstream lower conveyor member with a receiving portion of equal or greater width and an apparatus for distributing material from the upper conveyor member to the downstream lower conveyor member, wherein the apparatus comprises oscillating means, a drive mechanism connected to the oscillating means; and a protruding element attached to the oscillating means for oscillatory movement thereof, wherein the protruding element is a reciprocating attachment adapted to oscillate in a direction transverse to the direction in which it extends, wherein the apparatus is mountable between the conveying portion of the upper conveyor member and the receiving portion of the downstream lower conveyor member such that the protruding element extends substantially in the direction of conveyance of the downstream conveyor member; and wherein in use the oscillating protruding element agitates material being transferred from the upper conveyor member to the downstream lower conveyor member.

Some embodiments are directed to a system and method for interfacing between conveyors. The system utilizes at least one detachment system to detach a batch of objects from a respective at least one serial feed conveyor, and at least one loading tray to receive a batch of the objects from a respective at least one detachment system, move towards a movable support assembly and discharge the batch of objects thereby carried onto a respective array of grippers of said movable support assembly.

The invention relates to a method and a device (10) for distributing and/or grouping containers in a container treatment system. The device (10) comprises a supply conveyor (12), a discharge conveyor (16) and a transfer conveyor (14). The transfer conveyor (14) comprises a guide path (28) and several movement devices (30) that can be driven individually, preferably by means of a long stator linear motor (32) and which are guided along the guide path (28). The several movement devices (30) comprise a conveyor device (34) that is designed to transfer several containers from the supply conveyor (12) to the discharge conveyor (16). Said device (10) can preferably be used to reduce the risk of the containers tipping over when being transferred, to reduce the number of movement devices (30) and/or to enable the containers to be pre-grouped.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for grouping containers, comprising: a first conveyor belt for transporting the containers in a first transport direction; a second conveyor belt; a container receiving device; a transfer device, which is designed to transfer at least some of the containers from the first conveyor belt to the second conveyor belt transversely to the first transport direction and to transfer at least some of the containers transferred to the second conveyor belt to the container receiving device transversely to the first transport direction; and a motor device, in particular a long stator motor device, which is designed to move the transfer device for transferring a container.