Patent ID: 6808058
Filing Date: 2004-10-26
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
An article joining control method for joining articles conveyed and stored in a plurality of auxiliary conveyance paths for storing therein a plurality of articles, from said plurality of auxiliary conveyance paths to a main conveyance path conveying articles, in which when a spacing equal to or greater than a predetermined length is detected between articles or between groups of articles being conveyed on the main conveyance path, the stored articles corresponding to the length of the spacing are cut out from the auxiliary conveyance paths to the main conveyance path, characterized in that:when it is confirmed that articles are stored at a position in close proximity to a junction with the main conveyance path and a time-up period lapses, each auxiliary conveyance path reserves a detected spacing in the main conveyance path, subsequently when this reserved spacing approaches the junction, the articles corresponding to the spacing in size are cut out from one of the auxiliary conveyance paths and joined to the spacing; and when it is impossible to cut out all of the articles stored in said one auxiliary conveyance path to the reserved spacing, said one auxiliary conveyance path cancels a spacing reserved by another of the auxiliary conveyance paths on an upstream side of said one auxiliary conveyance path, and reserves for said one auxiliary conveyance path the canceled spacing in the main conveyance path.