Methods and apparatus for picking items. Item picking devices are operably positioned on a rotatable frame portion so that they move in a rotary motion to pick items from a conveyor belt or other area as required. By moving item picking devices in a rotary motion in proximity to a conveyor belt or other area, embodiments of the present invention can more efficiently pick and place items for packaging, processing, shipment, or for further use and without being limited by space constraints.

Disclosed is a pick and place device comprising of a novel mechanism that can be used to pick up and move a payload from one location to another location and descend and release such payload before repeating the cycle. This same device can act as a rotary/linear linkage to provide the horizontal motion of the device and also become a straight-line generator to provide vertical motion and alternate between the two thus generating a rectangular type motion. This novel mechanism provides balanced force distribution through the system as well as appropriate acceleration control of the payload and moving mechanism components during the work cycle to ensure a smooth and efficient overall performance.

A system for part transfer and transport, the system including: a first conveyor system for transporting a plurality of trays containing a two-dimensional grid of parts; a second conveyor system for transporting the parts to a predetermined destination in a linear arrangement; and a selection apparatus for transferring a linear array of parts selected from the grid of the first conveyor system to the linear arrangement of the second conveyor system, the selection apparatus comprising: a pick and place apparatus which may be cam driven for moving the parts; and a feed screw defining a plurality of singulated part spaces separated by a part pitch along the second conveyor to facilitate insertion of the linear array of parts into the linear arrangement.

According to one embodiment, a transfer apparatus includes an arm including a rotation fulcrum portion, and a grip mechanism turnable around the rotation fulcrum portion. The grip mechanism includes a first grip portion which grips a first surface of a grip target object, and a second grip portion which grips a second surface of the grip target object. The first grip portion includes a first pad including a first grip surface, and a first support member. The second grip portion includes a second pad including a second grip surface, and a second support member which moves the second pad in a direction crossing the second grip surface, and is connected to the rotation fulcrum portion together with the first support member.

A vacuum lifter apparatus for lifting sheet material articles, comprises an upper chassis joined to a substantially planar lower suction plate and an airflow suction system for conveying vacuum air pressure to the suction plate. The suction plate comprises a plurality of suction plate modules, each comprising a housing with a substantially hollow interior and each of said housings being located laterally adjacent at least one other of said housings. Each of said housings comprises a lower plate, an upper plate and at least one side plate, each housing being affixed to said laterally adjacent housing along a seam between adjoining pairs of side plates. The upper plates each comprise at least one opening and said lower plates are each perforated with a plurality of orifices through which, in use, air is drawn along airflow paths through said interior and out of said opening by the airflow suction system.

A suspended tire manipulator for use by an operator in lifting a tire having a mounting aperture includes a first handle attached to a first proximal arm. The first proximal arm is connected to a first distal arm at an obtuse angle. The manipulator includes a rotary balancer pivotally mounted to the first distal arm. The rotary balancer provides a pivoting torque to the first distal arm in response to operator movements raising and lowering the manipulator via manual force applied at the handle. A vertical support has a lower end and an upper end. The lower end connects to the rotary balancer. The manipulator includes a pair of gripper shoes. The pair of gripper shoes are slidably mounted on a rail and move in opposite inboard and outboard directions on the rail.

In a component mounter, a gap between adjacent circular plate sections of nozzles is large enough such that a pressing roller is able to pass through in a vertical direction. Therefore, the size of a circular plate section can be made relatively small, and a rotary head can be made small. A horizontal protrusion overlaps with one or both of adjacent ring-shaped protrusions of the nozzle when viewed from above in a case in which the pressing roller is positioned between adjacent circular plate sections of nozzles. In a state with the pressing roller positioned above the gap between adjacent circular plate sections of nozzles, even if power to a Z-axis linear actuator is cut such that the raising and lowering member suddenly loses support and falls, the horizontal protrusion of the raising and lowering member engages with and stops the ring-shaped protrusion of the nozzle.

Disclosed is a pick and place device comprising of a novel mechanism that can be used to pick up and move a payload from one location to another location and descend and release such payload before repeating the cycle. This same device can act as a rotary/linear linkage to provide the horizontal motion of the device and also become a straight-line generator to provide vertical motion and alternate between the two thus generating a rectangular type motion. This novel mechanism provides balanced force distribution through the system as well as appropriate acceleration control of the payload and moving mechanism components during the work cycle to ensure a smooth and efficient overall performance.

The invention includes a method (100) and an apparatus to handle irregularly conveyed and/or irregularly aligned and/or non-upright articles of an article stream under prevention of disturbances. The method (100) comprises the following steps: identifying at least one non-upright article in an article stream as an error; performing a correction step to resolve the error, the correction step comprising removal from the article stream of the at least one irregularly aligned article, or transfer to an upright orientation of the at least one irregularly aligned article, with a defined action being exerted temporally before and/or in temporal overlap with the correction step upon the at least one irregularly aligned article or upon regularly conveyed articles of the article stream.

A device for separating piece goods to be stored in an automated storage facility is provided. The device includes a conveyor for conveying piece goods from a stock to a support surface of a collecting device, a controller for controlling the conveyor, a sensor, to detect the striking of the support surface by piece goods. The detector has an imager, which produces at least one recording of the underside of the support. A handling device is configured to remove a piece good from the support surface for further transport into the storage facility is coupled to the controller, which is further configured to control the handler according to the information.