Abstract: The present invention provides a medicine checking assembly line. The present invention solves a problem of low automation degree of the existing medicine checking assembly line. The medicine checking assembly line includes a conveying device, a turnover device, a separation device, a medicine bottle recycling device, a medicine bag stacking device and a medicine basket stacking device, which are connected sequentially. The conveying device is used for transferring medicine baskets between medicine dissolving personnel and medicine checking personnel; the turnover device is used for turning over the medicine baskets; the separation device is used for separating the medicine baskets, medicine bottles and medicine bags; the medicine bottle recycling device is used for recycling the used medicine bottles; the medicine bag stacking device is used for stacking and collecting the medicine bags; and the medicine basket stacking device is used for stacking and recycling the medicine baskets.

Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a fastener is provided for securing to an end of a conveyor belt having cables. The fastener comprises a crimp configured to be fixed to a conveyor belt cable and a connector. The connector has a unitary, one-piece fastener body with an upper portion for being disposed adjacent an upper surface of the conveyor belt end and a lower portion for being disposed adjacent a lower surface of the conveyor belt end. The upper and lower portions are spaced apart to receive the crimp therebetween and permit the conveyor belt cable to extend in an outboard direction between the upper and lower portions. The connector includes a stop arranged to block inboard movement of the crimp and the conveyor belt cable fixed thereto.

Abstract: A conveying system is disclosed. The conveying system may have a first conveying apparatus that conveys a first article to a first location. The conveying system may also have a second conveying apparatus that conveys a second article to a second location. The conveying system may have a frame, a chute connected to the frame, and a third conveying apparatus. The chute may convey the first article received from the first conveying apparatus to a discharge location. The third conveying apparatus, disposed below the chute, may convey the second article received from the second conveying apparatus to the discharge location. The chute may be movable relative to the to the third conveying apparatus, such that the first or second article may be selectively conveyed to the discharge location via the chute or third conveying apparatus, depending on the position of the chute relative to the third conveying apparatus.

Abstract: Methods and systems for automated detection of carton damage are disclosed. One method includes capturing one or more images of a carton via a camera system at a routing location within a warehouse of a retail supply chain, and applying a machine learning model to determine a likelihood of damage of the carton. The method can include, based on the likelihood of damage being above a particular threshold, identifying the carton as damaged. A carton assessment record can be stored in a carton damage tracking database, including the one or more images of the carton alongside the likelihood of damage and the routing location.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for controlling a steep conveyor, comprising a control unit (15), a conveyor drive system (5) for driving a conveyor belt (2), and a sensor unit for determining a weight G1-n of the material to be conveyed (4) assigned to a predetermined section T1-n of the conveyor belt (2), wherein the sensor unit is adapted to transmit information about the weight to the control unit (15), wherein the control unit (15) is adapted to determine from the information about the weight G1-n a length L1-n assigned to the predetermined section T1-n in a steep conveyor region S of the conveyor belt (2) and to adjust a strain of a drive belt (2) of the conveyor drive system (5) based on the determined lengths L1-n assigned to the predetermined sections T1-n.

Abstract: A conveyor system includes a rail having one or more channels therein and one or more sleds operatively associated with the rail. A sled can include a body and one or more wheels mounted on the body and configured to move through the one or more channels in the rail. A sled can also include a holding device connected to the body. The holding device can be configured to engage a packaging container to move the packaging container along the rail. Multiple sleds can be used to secure a packaging container therebetween and move the packaging container along the rail. The conveyor system may also include a queue system that dynamically moves packaging containers to packaging stations.

Abstract: Disclosed is an escalator system having: escalator steps; and a plurality of state sensors including a master sensor and slave sensors, wherein the slave sensors are secured to different ones of the escalator steps, wherein the master sensor is configured to: receive slave sensor data from the slave sensors; and transmit data to an escalator call center upon detecting an occurrence of a fault condition from the slave sensor data.

Abstract: System and methods for estimating the number of packages in a measurement zone to gauge package flow. A linear array of distance-measuring sensors measures the height profile of a mass of packages conveyed past. The profile is differentiated, and steps in the differentiated profile are counted to detect package edges and to produce an estimate of the number of packages in the measurement zone. The estimate can be used to adjust the speed of the conveyor to provide a constant package flow.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the position determination of an object (6, 6a . . . 6d), which is conveyed on a conveying device (1a . . . 1c). In this process, a deviation (?P) between a position (Psig) of the object (6, 6a . . . 6d), which is calculated with the aid of rotation signals from the drives (M) for conveyor elements (2, 2M, 2L) of the conveying device (1a . . . 1c), and a position (P1 . . . P5) of a detection area (E1,E2) of a sensor (L1 . . . L5) fixedly installed on the conveying device (6, 6a . . . 6d) is determined and used for calculating a corrected position (Pkorr) of the object (6, 6a . . . 6d) during a movement of the object (6, 6a . . . 6d) away from this detection area (E1,E2). Furthermore, a conveying device (1a . . . 1c) for performing the presented method is indicated.

Abstract: A preform orienting apparatus for a preform having an integral handle is disclosed. The preform orienting apparatus has a stationary outer guide comprising a friction strip configured to contact a portion of the preform and pick up the preform by the portion of the preform, and configured to rotate the preform, and a moving starwheel assembly comprising a plurality of lugs disposed on an underneath side of the moving starwheel, wherein at least one lug of the plurality of lugs is configured to stop rotation of the preform at a predisposed position of the integral handle.

Abstract: A position detection system includes: two magnet rows including a plurality of magnets arrayed cyclically and repeatedly with an array pattern as one cycle in a detection direction, a magnet in the magnet row and a magnet in the magnet row facing each other at surfaces having different polarities at a specific position in the detection direction; a magnetic sensor disposed between the two magnet rows, a relative position of the magnetic sensor relative to the two magnet rows in the X-axis direction being variable; and a determiner that determines a position of the magnetic sensor in an predetermined direction relative to the two magnet rows based on a detection value of the magnetic sensor.

Abstract: A method of controlling an article conveyance apparatus (1) includes steps of: (A) generating, with, as learning data, information regarding an amount of charge indicating a weight value of articles that a conveyer (20) conveys to a member disposed on a downstream side, information indicating a state of the articles on the conveyer, and a control parameter for the conveyer, a learning model that estimates the control parameter to be set for conveyance of the articles having a targeted weight; (B) performing conveyance control of the articles, based on the learning model; (C) performing selective switching between a production mode involved in actual production and a non-production mode not involved in the actual production, and causing the article conveyance apparatus to operate; and (D) collecting and storing, when the article conveyance apparatus operates in the non-production mode, as the learning data, the information regarding the amount of charge actually acquired and the control parameter.

Abstract: A roller brake comprising: (a) a roller shaft that supports one or more ends of the roller brake; (b) a roller tube extending over all or a portion of the roller shaft; (c) a magnet; (d) a conductor located opposite the magnet and the conductor being in communication with the roller shaft when the magnet is in communication with the roller tube and the conductor being in communication with the roller tube when the magnet is in communication with the roller shaft; and (e) an air gap separating the magnet and the conductor; and wherein the conductor includes one or more recesses that are an absence of material in the conductor.

Abstract: A workpiece diverter station is disclosed. The workpiece diverter station includes: a base frame; an X-direction workpiece transporter subassembly; a Z-direction lift assembly; and a Y-direction workpiece transporter subassembly. The X-direction workpiece transporter subassembly is axially fixedly supported with respect to the base frame in a Z-direction. The Z-direction lift assembly is supported by the base frame. The Y-direction workpiece transporter subassembly is connected to the Z-direction lift assembly and is axially movably supported with respect to the base frame in the Z-direction. A portion of a workpiece diverter station is also disclosed. A method for operating a workpiece diverter station is also disclosed. A method for servicing a portion of a workpiece diverter station is also disclosed.

Abstract: An adjustable pitch unscrambler that can adjust the pitch to accommodate boards having different widths, and method of using the adjustable pitch unscrambler to singulate boards in a lumber processing facility.

Abstract: An automated material handling system includes: at least one state detecting sensor disposed inside or outside the carrier to detect an internal state of the carrier including a degree of pollution in the carrier; a carrier interface to transmit a carrier state value; a carrier controller including a controller interface disposed on the plate to obtain a carrier state value by communicating with the carrier interface, and a carrier control unit configured to generate carrier management information including the carrier state value obtained through the controller interface and current location information of the carrier and output the carrier management information to a server; and a server configured to analyze an internal pollution state of the carrier based on the carrier management information provided by the carrier controller.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for transferring articles from a pick-up area to a delivery area, wherein there is provided a guide element having a guide surface which moves along a closed path at a base speed, and wherein there are provided a plurality of transfer elements, each of which is provided with a gripping surface for holding an article and is movable with respect to the guide surface with a relative speed, so that, with respect to a stationary reference system, each of the transfer elements moves along the closed path with a compound speed given by an algebraic sum of the base speed and the respective relative speed.

Abstract: A grid sorter for discharging articles received from many inputs to selected discharge destinations. The grid sorter comprises a rectangular grid of parallel conveyor lines. Each line has a series of bidirectional conveyors fed articles by infeed conveyors at each end of the line. Omnidirectional-roller sorters, at the intersections of the conveyor lines, can pass articles received from one line in multiple directions: along that same line; in either direction to an intersecting line; or obliquely to a selected discharge between lines. Omnidirectional rollers in the omnidirectional-roller sorters are controlled by a controller to push articles in selected directions to predetermined discharge destinations.

Abstract: A measurement system and a method for measuring a coefficient of friction on a slidable conveyor belt in a direction of movement are provided. The system includes a disk floatingly placed on the conveyor belt and having a bottom surface, wherefrom projects at least one rounded element that rests on the conveyor belt, having a shape that, regardless of the relative orientation of the disk and the conveyor belt, at least one rounded element extends along a direction not parallel to the direction of movement, a pair of abutment elements maintaining the disk fixed with respect to the direction of movement of the conveyor belt, and a pair of load cells operatively associated with the abutment elements and with the disk, to measure a thrust force exerted by the disk on each load cell by effect of the relative sliding of the conveyor belt with respect to the disk.

Abstract: An automatic electromechanical braking roller system includes a power drive unit (PDU) comprising a sensor configured to detect a speed of a unit load device (ULD), a controller configured to receive a speed signal corresponding to a speed of the ULD from the sensor, and an electromechanical braking roller (EBR) spaced apart from the PDU and configured to receive a braking signal from the controller in response to the speed of the ULD being greater than a threshold value. In response to the speed of the ULD being less than the threshold value, the EBR is configured to rotate freely about an axis in a first state. In response to the speed of the ULD being greater than the threshold value, the EBR is configured to reduce the speed of the ULD in a second state.