Object sensing and handling system and associated methods

A vehicle for conveying objects along a conveying path in a material handling system, comprising:

• a pair of shafts comprising a first shaft and a second shaft extending in a direction transverse to an object transfer direction;
• a conveyor belt supported by the pair of shafts, the conveyor belt defining an object support surface;
• an electric motor for driving at least one of the shafts and causing movement of the conveyor belt and any object disposed on the object support surface following movement of the vehicle along the conveying path to an object transfer location;
• and
• a sensing arrangement for sensing an intersection between an object and a
• detection plane transverse to a plane defined by the object support surface, the sensing arrangement including:
• a plurality of photodetector elements disposed in a linear array;
• a laser light source;
• and
• a lens system dimensioned and arranged to receive optical energy from the laser light source and to collimate the received optical energy into a line aligned with the plurality of photodetector elements, wherein optical energy of the line is received by each photodetector element of the plurality of photodetector elements unless an amount of optical energy above a sensitivity threshold is absorbed, reflected or refracted by an object disposed on the object support surface.

A system for conveying objects along a conveying path, comprising:

• an object support surface;
• an object transfer mechanism operative to move an object, supported by the object support surface, in at least one object transfer direction;
• and a sensing arrangement for sensing an intersection between an object and a detection plane, the sensing arrangement including:
• a plurality of photodetector elements disposed in a linear array;
• a laser light source;
• and
• a lens system dimensioned and arranged to receive optical energy from the laser light source and to collimate the received optical energy into a line aligned with the plurality of photodetector elements, wherein optical energy of the line is received by each photodetector
• element of the plurality of photodetector elements unless an amount of optical energy above a sensitivity threshold is absorbed, reflected or refracted by an object disposed on the object support surface.