Abstract: A system and associated method for palletizing fluid filled flexible packages. The system includes a platform, a distance sensor, a robotic arm palletizer and a controller. The platform is configured and arranged with a support surface for supporting a fluid filled flexible package. The distance sensor is disposed above the support surface of the platform and faces downward towards the support surface for taking distance readings. The robotic arm palletizer is operable for palletizing fluid filled flexible packages according to a preprogrammed stacking protocol that includes a drop-off height dimension. The controller is in electrical communication with the distance sensor and the robotic arm for establishing or adjusting the drop-off height dimension based upon distance readings from the distance sensor.

Abstract: A device for transferring pre-formed layers of objects to the top of a pallet. The device has a guide column (2), a depositing head (4) designed to deposit the layers (11) on top of one another on the pallet (6), and a receiving tray (3) for receiving a pre-formed layer of objects. The receiving tray (3) is movable relative to the depositing head (4). The depositing head (4) and the receiving tray (3) is each slidably mounted in cantilever fashion on the guide column (2).

Abstract: A palletizing device including a lower surface which restingly receives a pallet, and an upper platform which is provided with a variably-configurable first support, cyclically between a closed configuration in which the first support supports a layer of products and an open configuration in which the layer of products is released downwardly; an intermediate platform between the lower surface and the upper platform, which move between a raised position and a lowered position and vice versa, comprising a variably-configurable second support which, maintain the second support in a closed configuration, thus forming a stack, and which release the stack of products towards the underlying lower surface in an open configuration.

Abstract: A device for stacking veneer sheets (1, 2) while substantially horizontal, the device including a supporting element, that escapes in the advancement direction at a release area from beneath the veneer (2) to be stacked, the supporting element being moved by a conveyor (7), and a controlled element for stopping the veneer to be stacked in a corrected position at a release point. An element for stopping the veneer to be stacked is a gripper (10) that grips the trailing edge of the veneer (2) from below and moves up and down, in the advancement direction of the veneer, and transversely to it, the gripper having a gripping point to the veneer at the trailing edge in the veneer's advancement direction, extended at a distance in the advancement direction from the gripper's transverse travel path.

Abstract: A collating conveyor (4, 6) receives products (2) sequentially from a delivery point and collates them into groups (8). A pusher (9) transfers groups (8) of products from the collating conveyor (4, 6) to a receiving trough (10), where they are turned through a predetermined angle B. The collating conveyor (4, 6) is inclined to the horizontal and is provided with lugs (5, 7), each of which supports a stack (8) of products under the effect of gravity. A pick-and-place head (11) picks up a group (8) of products from the trough (10) by gripping and clamping the products (2) together.

Abstract: The invention relates to a consignment system and method for loading a freight carrier (2) with freight units (4) forming a freight stack (3), either manually or on an automated basis. The consignment system comprises a device (1) with a positioning conveyor unit (16) which has conveyor tracks (50a, 50b) which can be adjusted by means of a displacement device (52) to a distance (53) determined on the basis of the conveying property of the freight unit (4) to be stacked and/or from a gap width (81) of a stack gap in a stack position of the freight stack (3).

Abstract: Apparatus and method for stacking objects on a transport carrier. The apparatus is provided with a forming platform, a loading platform on which a transport carrier to be loaded, such as a pallet or a roller container, can be placed, and a gripper which is movable between the forming platform and the loading platform. The gripper comprises a support frame which is provided with at least one row of parallel forks, which forks comprise an upright to which a horizontal beam is attached at a distance beneath the support frame, wherein the beams can be moved backward and forward in their longitudinal direction, wherein each fork is individually adjustable vis-à-vis the support frame. The forks are independently adjustable vis-à-vis the support frame.

Abstract: A process and associated apparatus (1) for picking up, transferring and depositing a whole layer of products to be palletized, the pickup apparatus (1) including a flexible loading surface (5) which is movable between two positions, a wound position for defining a bottom opening, and a deployed position for closing the opening to thereby define the loading surface, the motion being driven by an associated motor unit (17). In the pickup process, the layer of containers is reached by the flexible loading surface (5) in a wound position to be introduced in such configuration in the apparatus. The layer of containers therein introduced is transferred onto the flexible surface by retracting the pickup apparatus. Actuation occurs either after disconnecting the drive between the flexible loading surface (5) and the associated motor unit or by synchronizing the unit with the arms of the corresponding robot (2) associated to the apparatus.

Abstract: A workpiece transfer mechanism 76 transfers workpieces W to a workpiece boat 40 having ringlike tables 86. The transfer mechanism 76 includes a fork main body 78 being movable forward and rearward with the workpiece W placed thereon; stopper members 94 provided at the end portion of the fork main body 78; clamp means 96 provided on the proximal end side of the fork main body 78 and having a pressing portion 102 coming into contact with the circumferential edge of the workpiece W and pressing the workpiece W toward the stopper member 94 for clamping; and fork elevating means 80 for lifting and lowering the fork main body 78. When the workpieces W are transferred to a workpiece boat 40, the pressing portion 102 of the clamp means 96 is controlled so as not to be inserted into a gap between tables 86. Thus, although the pitch between the tables 86 is small, the pressing portion 102 of the clamp means 96 does not interfere with the workpiece boat 40.

Abstract: A system and method for stacking and storing a plurality of trays includes a stacker system and a buffer system. The stacker system includes a component, e.g., a platform, which moves a tray between a raised position and a lowered position. The buffer system includes a plurality of opposing projections for capturing the tray when the component is in the raised position.

Abstract: A device for forming stacks of sheet products, in particular of paper products, may include the paper products being supplied in an input stream by a feed conveyor to a transfer section. The device may also include at least two set-down tables each including a set-down surface for receiving stacks of the supplied paper products. The set-down tables may move along a circuit-like table-circulating path and may be flexible at least in some segments to conform to shapes of curvatures located in at least some parts and subregions of the table-circulating path. As a result, it is possible for the set-down tables to be guided into the curvatures with a leading front side edge of each of the set-down tables being a leading edge in a circulating direction of the set-down tables. The stacks of stacked paper products may then be transported away from a delivery section by a removal conveyor.

Abstract: A workpiece transfer mechanism 76 transfers workpieces W to a workpiece boat 40 having ringlike tables 86. The transfer mechanism 76 includes a fork main body 78 being movable forward and rearward with the workpiece W placed thereon; stopper members 94 provided at the end portion of the fork main body 78; clamp means 96 provided on the proximal end side of the fork main body 78 and having a pressing portion 102 coming into contact with the circumferential edge of the workpiece W and pressing the workpiece W toward the stopper member 94 for clamping; and fork elevating means 80 for lifting and lowering the fork main body 78. When the workpieces W are transferred to a workpiece boat 40, the pressing portion 102 of the clamp means 96 is controlled so as not to be inserted into a gap between tables 86. Thus, although the pitch between the tables 86 is small, the pressing portion 102 of the clamp means 96 does not interfere with the workpiece boat 40.

Abstract: A handling unit (1) for palletizing, comprising: a support (2) for coupling to manipulator means; a framework (3) associated with said support (2) and defining an aperture; a pair of parallel opposing slide rails (5) fixed to said framework (3); at least one flexible sliding panel (5) slidable along said rails (5) between an extended position in which it completely closes said aperture to enable it to support articles to be palletized, and a retracted position in which it opens said aperture to enable said articles to fall through said aperture; drive means (18, 19) for sliding said panel (7) along said rails (5).

Abstract: The present invention provides a conveying system that performs efficient conveyance by using trays each accommodating one workpiece, as basic conveying means, and fully utilizing this advantage of the trays to allow its conveyance form to be changed as required. The conveying system includes a single-pod conveying means 10 for conveying pods 5 one by one, a pod stacking means 50 for stacking a plurality of pods 5, a stacked pod conveying means 60 for conveying the stacked pods 5, and a pod destacking means 50 for destacking the stacked pods.

Abstract: A method of stacking a veneer sheet carried by a conveyer onto a pile of similar veneer sheets is disclosed. Veneer sheet is separated from the conveyer thereby to allow the sheet to drop from the conveyer toward the pile. The veneer sheet being dropped is restrained by an elongated flexible member which is lowered substantially simultaneously with the above separation and at such a speed that the flexible member is brought into frictional engagement with the veneer sheet at at least one side thereof which extends in substantially perpendicular relation to the length of the elongated flexible member. The flexible member is lowered until it is bent in pressing engagement with the veneer sheet then dropped onto the pile at the above side thereof. An apparatus for performing the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method, system, and storage medium for facilitating a transport scheme in an automated material handling system environment are provided. The method includes detecting an occurrence of a trigger event while monitoring production operations in an automated material handling system environment, identifying a materials candidate to purge from a production line in response to the trigger event, production data captured relating to the materials candidate, and user-defined criteria for purging materials from the production line. The method also includes selecting a disposition plan for handling the materials candidate, generating a transport process job for the materials candidate for instructing the automated material handling system on executing the disposition plan, and transmitting the transport process job to the automated material handling system for execution.

Abstract: A module for temporarily storing a succession of flat printed products includes a first carrier element train on a first transport element assigned to a first side wall, and a second carrier element train on a second transport element assigned to a second side wall located opposite the first side wall. The transport elements are movable relative to the side walls and correlated with one another, for a form-locking, at least partial support of a printing product loaded into the module. Support for an underside of the loaded printing product is provided by upper sides of first and second carrier elements. Third and fourth carrier elements have respective undersides making form-locking contact with the upper side of the loaded printed product for holding down the underside of the loaded printed product on the upper sides of the first and second carrier elements. A further processing device includes the module.

Abstract: A sheet stacking device, comprised of a sheet support bed having a plurality of side-by-side rollers that are freely rotatable about an associated roller axis. A drive assembly moves the sheet support bed in a predetermined direction along a closed path. The path has a horizontal upper run and a horizontal lower run, and is dimensioned such that a space exists between the first end and the second end of the sheet support bed as the sheet support bed moves along the path.

Abstract: A synchronized palletizer includes a row conveyor and a layer head, each vertically reciprocating within a frame. An infeed conveyor delivers in series items row-by-row onto the row conveyor. The row conveyor moves to vertically coincide with the layer head and laterally transfer a row items onto the layer head. Once a complete item layer has been constructed on the layer head, the layer head collapses the layer together and drops the layer through its floor onto a pallet or stack of item layers therebelow. Generally, the layer head vertical position follows the top of stack of item layers and the row conveyor travels reciprocally between the infeed conveyor and the layer head to deliver items row-by-row to the layer head. A variety of alternative relative positioning schemes, however, may be implemented.

Abstract: In a station for forming stacks of layers of articles, a horizontal supporting surface has a window for allowing a layer to pass freely therethrough. First pushing bars drive the layers along the support surface. A stationary descending ramp starts from the initial part of the window and extends downstream. A horizontal lower surface is situated after the ramp and under a horizontal upper surface, and forms a part of the support surface situated downstream of the window. An additional conveyor is associated to the window to restore cyclically a continuity in the support surface in the region of the window for the odd layers, and consequently to direct each odd layer toward the upper surface, and to allow the even layers to pass cyclically through the window. The even layers are consequently directed, due to gravity, onto the ramp. Second pushing bars move each even layer to the ramp and convey the even layer to the lower surface.

Abstract: A sheet stacking device, comprised of a sheet support bed having a plurality of side-by-side rollers that are freely rotatable about an associated roller axis. A drive assembly moves the sheet support bed in a predetermined direction along a closed path. The path has a horizontal upper run and a horizontal lower run, and is dimensioned such that a space exists between the first end and the second end of the sheet support bed as the sheet support bed moves along the path.

Abstract: A stack grasper, in particular for unbound printed products comprises a stack receiving space (22) which is open towards the bottom, a guide (14, 16, 18, 20) at all four sides of the stack receiving space, and a stack support (24, 26) on which the stack lies flat and substantially with its full length and/or width. It has the special feature that the stack support (24, 26) is arranged in the region of the lower end of the guide (14, 16, 18, 20) and is movable into and out of and into the stack receiving space (22) by a horizontal movement. This type of grasper ensures good guidance of the stack and a compact design suitable for a stack grasper attached to the arm of a robot.

Abstract: A sheet stacking device comprised of a sheet support bed having a first end and a second end. The sheet support bed is comprised of a plurality of side-by-side rollers, each of the rollers being freely rotatable about an associated roller axis. A drive assembly moves the sheet support bed in a predetermined direction along a closed path, the path having a horizontal upper run and a horizontal lower run, and is dimensioned such that a space exists between the first end and the second end of the sheet support bed as the sheet support bed moves along the path. A roller control assembly for selectively and sequentially controlling rotation of select ones of the rollers at select intervals during a stacking operation.