The present invention provides a method and apparatus for transporting a discrete element. A preferably rotatably driven vacuum commutation zone (or internal vacuum manifold), preferably internal to a preferably independently driven porous vacuum roll or drum is disclosed. The vacuum manifold applies vacuum through pores in the driven porous vacuum roll or puck in order to hold material against an external surface of the vacuum roll or puck. By independently controlling the vacuum commutation zone and the driven porous surface, unique motion profiles of the vacuum commutation zone relative to the driven porous surface can be provided. Micro vacuum commutation port structures are also disclosed.

The present invention includes a transfer system for flipping and checking electronic devices. A first rotary device has a plurality of transfer heads configured to pick electronic devices from a wafer table and place the electronic devices on a transfer head of a second rotary device. Check stations can be positioned around the first and second rotary devices and configured to inspect or check the electronic devices during the flipping process. The transfer system can further include an imaging device to inspect the accuracy of picking and placing of the electronic devices during the flipping process. The wafer table and the first rotary device are inclined to increase the operation space. The system accurately picks, flips and transfers chips at a high operation speed.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for transporting a discrete element. A preferably rotatably driven vacuum commutation zone (or internal vacuum manifold), preferably internal to a preferably independently driven porous vacuum roll or drum is disclosed. The vacuum manifold applies vacuum through pores in the driven porous vacuum roll or puck in order to hold material against an external surface of the vacuum roll or puck. By independently controlling the vacuum commutation zone and the driven porous surface, unique motion profiles of the vacuum commutation zone relative to the driven porous surface can be provided. Micro vacuum commutation port structures are also disclosed.

Provided is a conveyance device capable of reducing the speed of conveyed objects, with the interval therebetween being narrowed substantially, while arranging the conveyed objects, which have been carried in one row, in a plurality of rows. The present invention includes a conveyance turret (110) that holds and conveys conveyed objects (K) and a carrying-out turret (120) that holds the conveyed objects (K) and transfers the same to a carrying-out conveyor (130), wherein the carrying-out conveyor (130) is configured to hold the conveyed objects (K) in a plurality of rows and carry out the same, the carrying-out turret (120) is provided in plurality so as to correspond to the plurality of rows of the carrying-out conveyor (130), and the conveyance turret (110) and the carrying-out turret (120) have an interval adjustment mechanism that changes radial positions of the held conveyed objects (K) according to rotation angles thereof.

Articles are transferred from an article supply conveyor to an article receiving conveyor while the transferring articles are selectively reoriented. When the conveyors are in parallel, a travelling article reorienting turret seeks articles following an article absence or hole on the supply conveyor and transfers the following article to a next-in-line position on the receiving conveyor to cure or avoid holes of articles on the receiving conveyor.

Method and apparatus for automatically preparing seeds with an additive to be deployed together with the seeds, wherein the seeds are opened and a predefined amount of additive is introduced into the seeds through the opening.

A transfer unit for transferring articles having a first orientation from a first line, to a perpendicular second line along which the articles advance with a second orientation, rotated in the horizontal plane relative to the first orientation, includes a carousel having a set of pickup devices carried by rotatably supported arms driven in counter-rotation and phase relationship with the rotation direction of the carousel. Counter-rotation is obtained by idler gears meshing with a crown wheel coaxial with and fixed to the carousel and with gears acting on the arms. The gripping devices are driven in counter-rotation relative to rotation of the arms to keep their orientation constant in the horizontal plane while free ends of the arms rotate. Counter-rotation of the pickup devices is obtained by a first pinion connected by a belt to a second, smaller pinion fixed on the axis of rotation of the arm.

A conveyor for can blanks, having a machine frame, on which at least one conveyor drum is supported so that it can rotate about an axis of rotation, wherein the conveyor drum on an external circumferential surface is provided with a plurality of can holders in each case supported parallel to the axis of rotation so that they can move linearly, and having at least one actuator system associated with the conveyor drum, configured to impart a linear movement to at least one can holder. It is provided that the at least one actuator system is configured to provide the linear movement of the at least one can holder as a predefinable function of a rotational position of the conveyor drum in relation to the machine frame.

A method and apparatus for depositing discrete elements on a support element. The discrete elements may be separated from each other or joined to form a continuous web. The discrete elements are fed into a pick-up station defined at a rotor which includes circumferentially adjacent pick-up members. Each discrete element is associated with a respective pick-up member having a first orientation with respect to a respective second axis of rotation. Each pick-up member is moved along the rotation direction towards a release position downstream with an at least partially accelerated or decelerated motion. Each pick-up member is rotated about the respective second axis of rotation until it takes, at the release position, a second orientation. Each discrete element is released on a support element at the release position. Each pick-up member is subsequently moved towards the pick-up station with an at least partially decelerated or accelerated motion.

A conveyor device for advancing articles adapted to contain a pourable product and having an input station, at which the articles are fed to the conveyor device; an output station, at which the articles exit the conveyor device; a fixed endless track defining an endless path passing through the input station and the output station; and at least one article-holding device movably coupled to the track and configured to receive and support one article at a time and to advance the article along the endless path from the input station to the output station. The endless path comprises a rotation branch arranged downstream of the input station and upstream of the output station, relative to the direction of advancement of the articles along the endless path. Each article is rotatable about its longitudinal axis along the rotation branch by magnetic-inductive interaction between the article-holding device and the track.