Disclosed is an object transporting device for objects such as fruits or vegetables including a receptacle suitable for receiving at least one object, a support and a connecting mechanism for connecting the receptacle to the support in order to interlock them in longitudinal translation, permit a lateral tilting of the receptacle for the purpose of laterally discharging each object carried by the receptacle, and allow a displacement of the receptacle in vertical translation for the weighing of the receptacle and of the object which it carries. The connecting mechanism includes at least one ball interposed and imprisoned between at least one vertical bearing surface of the receptacle and at least one vertical bearing surface of the support in order to be able to roll without sliding on at least one of these vertical bearing surfaces. Also disclosed is a conveying and weighing device equipped with such transporting devices.

An automated guided vehicle, a system for sorting cargo, and a method of sorting cargo using the same are provided. The system for sorting cargo according to an embodiment includes an automated guided vehicle, a cargo supply unit, a plurality of cargo sorting units, a supply control unit configured to load the plurality of pieces of cargo supplied from the cargo supply unit into the plurality of cargo loading units of the automated guided vehicle, a transport control unit configured to transport the pieces of cargo to each cargo sorting unit while controlling a movement path of the automated guided vehicle into which the plurality of pieces of cargo are loaded; and a discharge control unit configured to discharge at least one piece of cargo transported through the automated guided vehicle to each cargo sorting unit to sort the at least one piece of cargo.

A space efficient automated processing system for processing objects is disclosed. The processing system includes an input conveyance system for moving objects from an input area in at least an input conveyance vector that includes an input conveyance horizontal direction component and an input conveyance vertical direction component, a perception system for receiving objects from the input conveyance system and for providing perception data regarding an object, a primary transport system for receiving the object from the perception system and for providing transport of the object along at least a primary transport vector including an primary transport horizontal component and a primary transport vertical component that is generally opposite the input conveyance horizontal direction component, and at least two secondary transport systems, each of which receives the object from the primary transport system and moves the object in either of reciprocal directions.

An article transport facility of the present invention includes a transport device that is arranged below a traveling surface and transports articles below the traveling surface, door members that are provided in correspondence with openings and change in orientation between an open orientation in which the openings are open and a closed orientation in which the opening are closed, and a door control section that controls the door members. The transport device is configured to transport multiple articles synchronously and simultaneously in an article group, and the door control section opens all of the door members provided in a receiving section group synchronously and simultaneously.

A transportable system for packaging items in a container is mounted to and enclosed by a truck. The system includes an item tote having a base and at least one sidewall extending from the base. The system also includes a conveyor configured to transport the item tote within the truck. The conveyor has an actuatable portion that is configured to tilt the item tote. The system also has dispensing carts located above the conveyor and removable from the truck for loading items into the dispensing carts while the dispensing carts are outside of the truck. The system also has a container chute. In operation, items are dispensed from the dispensing carts into the item tote and transported by the conveyor to a container disposed in the container chute.

The invention relates to a sorting system of the support structure type, which includes known sorting systems such as tray type sorting systems. They include a track along which carts and support structures are conveyed. Cover plates are arranged to close gaps between the support structures, also when the support structures are conveyed through curved sections, so that conveyed items are prevented from falling through the gaps. The invention further involves a gap closing kit for a support structure sorting system. The invention also involves a method of providing a support structure sorting system having a gap substantially closed between at least two support structures. The cover plates are connected to the support structures by leading systems as well as connected to guiding systems, which guiding systems have one part fixated to an adjacent cart. The support structures, the guiding systems and the leading systems are configured to control movement of the cover plates relative to the support structures in order to close a gap between adjacent support structures, when conveyed in sections of a track, which track may have only horizontal straight and curved sections, or include inclined or declined straight or curved sections.

A multi-level product sortation system includes sortation apparatuses interconnected on a conveyor and a station controlling loading and unloading thereof. Each apparatus includes a rack formed by a bottom wall, spaced-apart opposite side walls extending upright therefrom and a compartment above the bottom wall, between the side walls and being open at top and opposite ends. Each apparatus includes at least two carriers disposed in the compartment at different levels therein, and a product discharge control mechanism operable to selectively retain a product on and release a product from the respective carrier. One carrier is disposed above the other carrier and both extend longitudinally between open opposite ends of the compartment and laterally between opposite side walls of the rack. Each carrier is tiltable relative to the rack between a product support position and a product discharge position angularly displaced therefrom.

The invention provides a sorting mechanism arranged to empty or discharge a container for carrying a load, e.g. totes in a luggage handling system. The sorting mechanism has a plurality of tilting elements T1-T11 for receiving and transporting the container in a transport direction. The tilting elements T1-T11 are arranged neighboring each other, and they are individually tiltable by controllable tilting actuators, e.g. servo motors. The tilting elements T1-T11 are controlled in response to at least one position signal such that a group of at least two tilting elements T1-T11 perform a coordinated tilting motion, when the container passes the sorting mechanism. Each tilting element T1-T11 has a length of 30-50% of the container. The tilting elements T1-T11 are stationary, and the container is driven forward by belts on each of the tilting elements T1-T11.

Sorting device for piece goods, with several sorting trolleys which are moved to run around a first track, and which are each equipped with a controlled load-receiving element for accepting and delivering piece goods, with at least one infeed station situated adjacent to the first track, at which station piece goods can be supplied to a load-receiving element of a sorting trolley located in the area of the infeed station, and with several uptake trolleys that are moved on a second track, wherein one part of the second track within a handover area for the handover of a piece goods item from a sorting trolley to an uptake trolley is arranged adjacent to a part of the first track, and with a central control unit which receives the positional information for the sorting trolleys on the first track and the uptake trolleys on the second track, and through which a load-receiving element of a selected moving sorting trolley can be controlled for the handover of a piece goods item located on it to a selected moving uptake trolley, at a point in time at which the selected sorting trolley is located within the handover area adjacent to the selected uptake trolley, and a method for sorting using the device.

An induction system is disclosed for filtering the induction of objects to a plurality of object processing systems. The induction system includes an evaluation means for evaluating at least one characteristic of an object, and routing means for routing the object in one of a plurality of directions responsive to the evaluated characteristic, at least one of the plurality of directions leading to a selected one of the plurality of object processing systems.