Product orientor

A product orientor comprising:

• a vision system including i) a vision system conveyor ia) for receiving a product thereon and ib) defining a conveying direction, and ii) at least one sensor having a view on the vision system conveyor for determining an initial orientation of the product relative to the conveying direction;
• a turner conveyor adjacent the vision sensor conveyor, downstream thereof, that defines a conveying plan and that is rotatable about a rotation axis that is perpendicular to the conveying plan;
• the conveyor rotating about the rotation axis between a conveying orientation, wherein the product received thereon from the vision system conveyor is in the initial orientation relative, and a rectifying orientation, wherein the product is in a predetermined orientation relative to the conveying orientation;
• and
• an immobilizing device including two lateral plates movable between a retracted configuration relative to the product and a holding configuration wherein the product is maintained in the predetermined orientation while the turner conveyor is moved from the rectifying orientation to the initial conveying orientation.

A method for orienting a product comprising:

• receiving a least one product on a conveying surface that defines a conveying direction;
• the at least one product having an initial orientation relative to the conveying direction;
• rotating in unison the conveying surface and the at least one product thereon from the initial orientation of the product to a predetermined rectified orientation relative to the conveying direction;
• and
• immobilizing the at least one product in the rectified orientation while the conveying surface is rotating back the conveying direction.