Unit and method for transferring articles

A transfer unit for transferring articles comprising:

• a first transfer element provided with at least a first support structure intended to receive at least one of said articles, and
• a conveyor adapted to receive said at least one article from said first transfer element, the conveyor being positioned at a vertical height lower than said first support structure and movable along a transport direction at a transport speed,
• wherein said first transfer element is movable between a receiving station in which said first transfer element is arranged to receive said at least one article and a storage station in which said first transfer element is arranged to release said at least one article on said conveyor,
• wherein said transfer unit further comprises, an actuation device configured to move said first transfer element between said receiving station and said storage station along a chasing trajectory with a chasing speed wherein said chasing speed in the storage station has a component with the same direction as the transport speed and
• wherein said transfer unit further comprises a rotation unit configured to rotate said first support structure about a first rotation axis from a support configuration to a discharge configuration, wherein said at least one article in said support configuration is supported by the first support structure and wherein said at least one article in said discharge configuration is free to fall from said first transfer element onto said conveyor.