Material-flow control for collision avoidance in a conveyor system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a conveyor system and a method for merging or crossing of at least two conveyor lines () on which transport units (), particularly containers, are conveyed in an upstream direction (), wherein the conveyor lines () meet each other in an intersection point (), wherein each of the conveyor lines () respectively comprises, upstream relative to the intersection point (), one group () of conveyor-line segments (), wherein the conveyor-line segments are respectively operable with a variable conveying velocity, the method comprising the following steps: conveying transport units () towards the intersection point (); detecting and determining a traffic density of the transport units () on the conveyor lines (), particularly at the conveyor-line segments (--) which are located upstream; determining conveying velocities for the conveyor-line segments () so that transport units () which are conveyed on one of the conveyor lines () do not collide at the intersection point () with other transport units () which are conveyed on the other conveyor lines (), and without the need to stop the transport units () in a region of the conveyor-line segments (); adapting the conveying velocities of the conveyor-line segments () to the conveying velocities determined in this way, wherein the conveyor-line segments () respectively can be operated at a different conveying velocity.