Palletizing system and method

A palletizing system for products, comprising:

• a lower layer collection unit including a first set of rollers and a second set of rollers, wherein the first set of rollers and the second set of rollers are movable between respective product load positions and product unload positions, wherein, in the product load positions the first set of rollers and the second set of rollers align in a product layer collection plane to define a product layer collecting surface, wherein, in the product unload positions the first set of rollers and the second set of rollers are moved out of the product layer collection plane;
• an overhead layer picking unit including a third set of rollers and a fourth set of rollers, wherein the third set of rollers and the fourth set of rollers are movable between respective product lift positions and product window defining positions, wherein, in the product lift positions, the third set of rollers and the fourth set of rollers align in a product layer lift plane to define a product layer lift surface, wherein, in the product window defining positions, the third set of rollers and the fourth set of rollers are moved out of the product layer lift plane, wherein the overhead layer picking unit is movable between a lowered position and a raised position relative to the lower layer collection unit;
• a roller drive system comprising at least one movable drive belt, wherein the first set of rollers and second set of rollers are movable between a lowered drive belt engaging position and a raised belt non-engaging position spaced away from the at least one drive belt.
• a control system configured for controlling operation of the lower layer collection unit, the overhead layer picking unit, and the roller drive system;
• wherein the control system is configured such that:
• with the overhead layer picking unit in its raised position and the first set of rollers and the second set of rollers in the product load positions and in the lowered drive belt engaging position, products are moved onto the layer collecting surface while the roller drive system rotates the first set of rollers and the second set of rollers in a direction to move the products away from the staging conveyor to a stop position on the layer collecting surface;
• after the products reach the stop position, the first set of rollers and the second set of rollers are moved to the raised belt non-engaging position to move the first set of rollers and the second set of rollers out of contact with the at least one belt.

A method of moving a layer of product in a palletizing operation, the method comprising:

• moving product from a staging conveyor onto a lower layer collection unit including a first set of rollers and a second set of rollers, wherein the first set of rollers and the second set of rollers are located in product load positions in which the first set of rollers and the second set of rollers are aligned in a product layer collection plane to define a product layer collecting surface onto which the product is moved;
• shifting the product layer collection plane upward;
• moving an overhead layer picking unit down over the product layer collection plane, wherein the overhead layer picking unit includes a third set of rollers and a fourth set of rollers in product window defining positions;
• transferring the product from support by the first set of rollers and the second set of rollers to support by the third set of rollers and the fourth set of rollers by simultaneously (i) shifting the first set of rollers and the second set of rollers from the product load positions to product unload positions and (ii) shifting the third set of rollers and the fourth set of rollers from the product window defining positions to product lift positions in which the third set of rollers and the fourth set of rollers align in a product layer lift plane to define a product layer lift surface beneath and supporting the products.