Conveyor device for the conveyance of workpieces, specifically of circuit boards, in the conveyance direction along a conveyance path

A conveyor device for the conveyance of workpieces in a conveyance direction from downstream to upstream along a conveyance path, comprising:

• a primary conveyance provided for conveyance of the workpiece along a first partial path of the conveyance path;
• a secondary conveyance provided for conveyance of the workpiece along a second partial path of the conveyance path, which is placed downstream of the first partial path in the conveyance direction in order to feed workpieces to the first partial path;
• and
• a separator provided that operates along the first partial path, at least in sections, to separate a first workpiece from a downstream trailing workpiece trailing the first workpiece in the conveyance direction;
• and
• the separator includes at least one spacer which can be displaced in the conveyance direction between a downstream starting position and a distant ending position in the conveyance direction and is controllable by control means in such a manner that after the first workpiece passes the starting position the spacer switches into an active mode in which it is placed downstream from and behind the first workpiece in the conveyance direction and tracks the first workpiece in the conveyance direction, it, thereby forming a minimum spacing between the workpiece and the trailing workpiece in the conveyance direction, and upon reaching the ending position, switches into an inactive mode in which the spacer returns in the downstream direction to the starting position.