Transport device and method for controlling and monitoring the elongation of a transport device

An apparatus for transporting objects selected from the group consisting of containers and packs of containers, said apparatus comprising a belt, a drive, a controller, a sensor, a mark, and an angle detector, wherein said belt is an endlessly-circulating belt, said drive drives said belt, and said controller controls said drive, wherein said mark marks a position on said belt, wherein said sensor detects said mark, wherein said drive comprises said angle detector, wherein said controller receives data from said rotation-angle detector and said sensor, and wherein said controller is configured to carry out a task selected from the group consisting of a first task and a second task, wherein said first task is that of calculating, based at least in part on said data, an extent to which said belt has elongated, wherein said second task is that of controlling said drive based at least in part on said data, and wherein said belt is a first belt and said controller is a first controller, wherein said apparatus further comprises a second belt and a second controller that controls said second belt, wherein said first and second controllers cooperate to synchronize speeds of said first and second belts.

An apparatus for transporting objects selected from the group consisting of containers and packs of containers, said apparatus comprising a belt, a drive, a controller, a sensor, a mark, an angle detector, and a cross influence sensor that provides information indicative of a cross influence to said controller, wherein said belt is an endlessly-circulating belt, said drive drives said belt, and said controller controls said drive, wherein said mark marks a position on said belt, wherein said sensor detects said mark, wherein said drive comprises said angle detector, wherein said controller receives data from said rotation-angle detector and said sensor, and wherein said controller is configured to carry out a task selected from the group consisting of a first task and a second task, wherein said first task is that of calculating, based at least in part on said data, an extent to which said belt has elongated, wherein said second task is that of controlling said drive based at least in part on said data.

A method comprising controlling and monitoring a conveyor that comprises an endlessly circulating belt that is driven by a drive and that includes a rotation-angle detector and a stationary sensor for detecting a mark on said belt, wherein controlling and monitoring said conveyor comprises detecting said mark, storing a first reference rotation angle that is associated with detection of said mark, determining a second rotation angle that is associated with said mark's position, determining that said first and second rotation angles differ from each other, and, based at least in part on said difference, executing a task selected from a first task and a second task, wherein said first task comprises determining an extent to which said belt has elongated and wherein said second task comprises regulating said drive's speed, wherein said belt is a first belt and wherein said method further comprises receiving data indicative of a rotation angle of an additional belt and using said data to regulate said first belt so as to adjust said second belt.