Conveying apparatus

Abstract

A rotation detection device is provided in a motor roller of a conveying apparatus to detect changes in the rotation speed of the motor roller. When an object is moved from an upstream location of a conveyance path to the motor roller having the rotation detection device, the rotation detection device detects the presence of the object by measuring the slight variation in rotation speed of the motor roller. A control unit is provided to monitor the output signals from a plurality of rotation detection devices, arranged along the conveyance path. The control device independently adjusts the conveyance speeds of a plurality of independent conveyance portions along the conveyance path based upon these output signals. This system allows conveyance of a plurality of objects along the conveyance while avoiding one object from running into another object due to, for example, a delay at a particular point along the conveyance path.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.