Abstract: A belt drive assembly for driving at least one tread roller of a belt-driven live roller conveyor and associated methods are provided that uses an electrically actuated assembly to raise and lower a belt into and out of engagement with tread rollers to selectively transport or accumulate product. The assembly includes a stationary frame having a magnet and a movable frame having an attractant plate, or vice versa. The magnet may be an electromagnet or a solenoid. The movable frame is movable with respect to the stationary frame, such that when an electric current is applied to the magnet, the magnet and the attractant plate are magnetically drawn to each other and cause the movable frame to move towards a respective portion of the stationary frame to place the belt drive assembly in a driving configuration in which at least one tread roller of the conveyor in engaged.

Abstract: A decentralized tracking system is discussed herein. The decentralized tracking system can be comprised of two or more tracking elements and be used to track packages moving on a conveyor system. Each tracking element can operate independently, despite being highly sophisticated and dynamically coordinated with one or more other tracking elements. The conveyor system can be a modular and/or accumulation conveyor system that has sorting functionality. The decentralized tracking system can be used to divert packages for sortation by, for example, embedding a destination zone into the package's tracking data and/or preprogramming conveyor zones to sort specific packages based on a package identifier.

Abstract: A decentralized tracking system is discussed herein. The decentralized tracking system can be comprised of two or more tracking elements and be used to track packages moving on a conveyor system. Each tracking element can operate independently, despite being highly sophisticated and dynamically coordinated with one or more other tracking elements. The conveyor system can be a modular and/or accumulation conveyor system that has sorting functionality. The decentralized tracking system can be used to divert packages for sortation by, for example, embedding a destination zone into the package's tracking data and/or preprogramming conveyor zones to sort specific packages based on a package identifier.