METHOD FOR COMBINING MATERIALS TO BE PACKAGED, AND DEVICE FOR CONVEYING MATERIALS TO BE PACKAGED

Abstract

A method for combining multiple separate streams of packaged materials into a main stream is provided, in which each of the streams of packaged materials is conveyed on a feed conveyor, is combined with the main stream in the region of a feed opening of the feed conveyor and further transported on a main conveyor in the main stream and in which at least one lateral wall laterally delimits the main stream. In order to combine multiple separate streams of packaged materials into the main stream despite a narrowing of the conveyor width to counteract jamming, packaged materials from the main stream in the region between two feed openings of two feed conveyors are guided towards the lateral wall and then along the lateral wall, as a result of an alignment of the main conveyor relative to the lateral wall. A device for conveying packaged materials is also provided.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A method for combining multiple separate streams of packaged materials into a main stream, the method comprising the following steps: conveying each of the separate streams of packaged materials on a respective feed conveyor; combining each of the separate streams of packaged materials with the main stream in a region of a feed opening of each respective feed conveyor; further transporting each of the separate streams of packaged materials onto a main conveyor in the main stream; using at least one lateral wall to laterally delimit the main stream; and guiding the packaged materials in a region between two feed openings of two feed conveyors from the main stream towards the at least one lateral wall and then along the at least one lateral wall, by aligning the main conveyor relative to the at least one lateral wall.

17. The method according to claim 16, which further comprises: moving the main stream on the main conveyor in a main direction of conveyance at an angle relative to the at least one lateral wall; and guiding the packaged materials from the main stream towards the at least one lateral wall and then along the at least one lateral wall by the movement in the main direction of conveyance.

18. The method according to claim 16, which further comprises: placing the at least one lateral wall between two feed openings of two of the feed conveyors and opposite the feed openings relative to the main stream; and using the at least one lateral wall to push the packaged materials in a direction of a feed opening of a next downstream feed conveyor.

19. The method according to claim 16, which further comprises loading postal or courier consignments as the packaged materials from a truck unloading station onto a telescopic unloader, and using the unloader to convey the consignments onto the feed conveyor feeding the consignments into the main stream.

20. The method according to claim 16, which further comprises spring-mounting the at least one lateral wall and pivoting the at least one lateral wall due to packaged materials striking the at least one lateral wall, for diminishing an angle between the at least one lateral wall and a main direction of conveyance of the main stream on the main conveyor.

21. The method according to claim 20, which further comprises bringing the at least one lateral wall to rest against a stop in a position describing an angle between 1° and 10° relative to the main direction of conveyance.

22. The method according to claim 16, which further comprises: providing at least one of the feed conveyors with a junction aligned obliquely downwards in a direction of the stream of the at least one feed conveyor; and using the force of gravity to aid in sliding the packaged materials upon the junction in a direction of the main conveyor and transversely to a main direction of conveyance on the main conveyor in a direction of the at least one lateral wall.

23. The method according to claim 16, which further comprises: using an occupancy sensor disposed on the main conveyor to measure a stretch of the main conveyor free from packaged materials; and using a control unit to control feeding of a stream of packaged materials from a feed conveyor onto the main conveyor depending on a value derived from the stretch.

24. The method according to claim 16, which further comprises: providing the main conveyor with a conveyor unit having a conveyor element moving in a main direction of conveyance for transporting the packaged materials on the conveyor element; carrying out the alignment of the main conveyor to incline the conveyor element towards the at least one lateral wall at an angle of inclination >3° to the horizontal; and using the force of gravity to slide the packaged materials on the conveyor element towards the at least one lateral wall.

25. A device for conveying packaged materials by combining multiple separate streams of the packaged materials into a main stream, the device comprising: a multiplicity of feed conveyors each having a respective conveyor element for conveying a corresponding stream of packaged materials in a feed direction; and a main conveyor downstream of said feed conveyors, said main conveyor having a conveyor element for transporting the packaged materials in a main direction of conveyance and said main conveyor having at least one lateral wall laterally delimiting said main stream; said main conveyor being aligned relative to said lateral wall to cause the packaged materials from said main stream to be guided towards said lateral wall.

26. The device for conveying packaged materials according to claim 10, wherein: said alignment of said main conveyor places said lateral wall at an angle of between 1° and 20° relative to said main direction of conveyance; and said conveyor element of said main conveyor has a conveyor width narrowing in said main direction of conveyance.

27. The device for conveying packaged materials according to claim 25, wherein said main conveyor has at least two conveyor units (58b, 58c, 58d) being mutually offset transversely to said main direction of conveyance.

28. The device for conveying packaged materials according to claim 25, wherein said main conveyor has at least two conveyor units including a conveyor unit disposed downstream and a conveyor unit disposed upstream in said main direction of conveyance, said conveyor unit disposed downstream being wider than said conveyor unit disposed upstream.

29. The device for conveying packaged materials according to claim 25, wherein said lateral wall is disposed at least partially over said conveyor element of said main conveyor forming a gap between said lateral wall and said conveyor element, said gap becoming vertically larger downstream in said main direction of conveyance.

30. The device for conveying packaged materials according to claim 25, which further comprises an occupancy sensor disposed at said main conveyor for measuring a stretch of said main conveyor being free of packaged materials.

Description

[0035] The above-described properties, features and advantages of this invention, and the manner in which they are achieved, will be more clearly and plainly comprehensible in conjunction with the following description of the exemplary embodiments, which will be explained in greater detail in conjunction with the drawings. The exemplary embodiments serve to explain the invention and do not limit the invention, either to the combination of features specified therein, or with respect to functional features. In addition, suitable features of any exemplary embodiment can also be explicitly viewed in isolation, removed from an exemplary embodiment, integrated into another exemplary embodiment for its augmentation and/or combined with any one of the claims, in which:

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a device for conveying packaged materials from above, with three feed conveyors and a main conveyor arranged transversely to these,

[0037] FIG. 2 shows the device for conveying packaged materials from FIG. 1 with a multi-part lateral wall, whose sections are in each case offset relative to each other,

[0038] FIG. 3 shows a further device for conveying packaged materials with a main conveyor, which has three conveyor units in each case arranged offset relative to each other,

[0039] FIG. 4 shows a further device for conveying packaged materials with a main conveyor with conveyor units arranged offset relative to each other, whose side walls have zones which are not at an angle to the main direction of conveyance and

[0040] FIG. 5 shows a lateral section through the central feed conveyor and the main conveyor from FIG. 1 with a conveyor element of the main conveyor inclined towards the lateral wall.

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a device for conveying packaged materials 2a with a main conveyor 4a with a conveyor element 60a in the form of a conveyor belt and three feed conveyors 6, 8a, 10a. Immediately downstream of the main conveyor 4a is connected a discharge conveyor 12. The main conveyor 4a is equipped with a sensor 14, which is a laser distance measurer for measuring the distance from a sensor output in the direction of measurement, represented in FIG. 1 by a dashed line, to a next object which the measuring beam of the sensor 14 encounters in the direction of measurement.

[0042] On the three feed conveyors 6, 8a, 10a a stream of packaged materials 16, 18, 20 is in each case transported in the direction of the main conveyor 4a and onto the latter. The streams of packaged materials 16, 18, 20 comprise in each case a multiplicity of packaged materials 22, which are postal or courier parcels in a parcel center. The individual packaged materials 22 lie in an inhomogeneous or uneven manner in the streams of packaged materials 16, 18, 20 or on the feed conveyors 6, 8a, 10a, specifically both in terms of their alignment within the space and in their distance from each other, as well as their lateral position on the feed conveyors 6, 8a, 10a. In addition, individual items of packaged materials 22 lie one on top of the other. In their size, character, shape, weight and material too, the items of packaged materials 22 are inhomogeneous or different to each other, wherein external packaging made of cardboard and foil alike are present, wherein depending on the embodiment of the packaged materials 22 the foil packaging encloses hard objects, so that the packaged materials are of fixed shape and essentially unchangeable, with soft packaged materials 22 in foil packaging also present, so that the entire packaged materials are soft, flexible and deformable, such as for example clothing or other items shrink-wrapped in foil.

[0043] Each of the feed conveyors 6, 8a, 10a has one or multiple conveyor units 26a, 26b, 28a, 28b, 30a, 30b, which convey the respective stream of packaged materials 16, 18, 20 in a feed direction 32. The feed direction 32 is aligned at an angle of 87° to a main direction of conveyance 34, in which packaged materials 22 are transported on the main conveyor 4a. The conveyor units 26a, 26b, 28a, 30a in each case have at least one conveyor element 36a, 36b, 38a, 40a. The conveyor elements 36a, 36b, 38a, 40a can be belt elements, roller conveyors, chutes or a combination thereof. In the exemplary embodiment shown they in each case have a circulating element, for example a conveyor belt, a multiplicity of belt conveyors or the like, which moves in the corresponding direction of conveyance on the upper surface, on which the packaged materials 22 lie on the conveyor element 36a, 36b, 38a, 40a. The conveyor units 28b and 30b are chutes inclined towards the main conveyor 4a, upon which the packaged materials 22 slide downwards onto the main conveyor 4a. With the aid of the force of gravity they thus arrive on the conveyor element 60a of the main conveyor 4a and slide upon this some distance further in the direction of a lateral wall 42a, which laterally delimits the main stream 44 of the packaged materials 22 on the main conveyor 4a.

[0044] The feed direction 32 is determined by the movement of the conveyor elements 36a, 36b, 38a, 40a, e.g. conveyor belts, of the conveyor units 26a, 26b, 28a, 30a, which move in the feed direction 32. The main direction of conveyance 34 is determined by the conveyor element 60a, which moves in the main direction of conveyance 34. Packaged materials 22 on the conveyor elements 5, 36a, 36b, 38a, 40a are moved by means of their movement in the corresponding direction of conveyance.

[0045] Each of the feed conveyors 6, 8a, 10a is connected to a truck unloading station 50 via unloading apparatus 52, for example a telescopic unloader. The connection can be a direct connection or a connection via further conveyors, as indicated in each case by the three dots in FIG. 1. During operation the packaged materials 22 are unloaded from the truck, for example manually, placed on the unloading apparatus 52, which expediently reaches into the load-space of the truck. From the unloading apparatus 52 the packaged materials 22 are conveyed onto the corresponding feed conveyor 6, 8a, 10a.

[0046] The representations of the arrangements of the individual conveyor units 26a-30b are shown in FIG. 1 merely by way of example. The feed conveyors 6, 8a, 10a can also of course have a single conveyor unit only, or more than two conveyor units, which are arranged at different horizontal and/or vertical angles to each other. It is likewise possible that upstream of the first feed conveyor 10a a further feeder, for example for manual input or return feed of packaged materials to the main conveyor 4a is present, as indicated in FIG. 1 by means of a thick arrow on the right-hand side.

[0047] The conveyor widths of the feed conveyors 6, 8a, 10a amount in each case to 100 cm. The conveyor width of the main conveyor 4a diminishes in the direction of conveyance, that is downstream, and starts at around 200 cm and at the narrowest point is 150 cm. The narrowest point is at the junction with the discharge conveyor 12, which likewise has this conveyor width. The conveyor width of the main conveyor 4a is to be regarded as running from the lateral wall 42a to the oppositely located belt end of the conveyor element 60a.

[0048] The lateral wall 42a is arranged obliquely to the main direction of conveyance 34, specifically at an angle of 3°. The lateral wall 42a thus projects from the side lying opposite to the outlets of the feed conveyors 6, 8a, 10a into the main stream 44. As a result of its angled alignment, lateral wall 42a pushes outlying items of packaged materials 22—relative to the main direction of conveyance 34—in the direction of the outlets of the downstream feed conveyor 6, 8a, so that they slide in this direction over the conveyor element 60a. The conveyor element 60a of the main conveyor 4a thus runs under the lateral wall 42a, wherein the portion of the conveyor element 60a on the sides of the lateral wall 42a facing away from the main stream 44 increases downstream, in the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 1 continuously, in particular over the entire length of the main conveyor 4a.

[0049] The main conveyor 4a extends in length over all outlets of the feed conveyors 6, 8a, 10a, which convey their stream of packaged materials 16, 18, 20 onto the main conveyor 4a. In general terms, a main conveyor can be defined as a conveyor system which runs alongside the outlets of at least three, in particular of all feed conveyors, which convey their stream of packaged materials onto the main conveyor. Downstream of the last feed conveyor or the furthest downstream, the main conveyor can merge into a discharge conveyor, as represented by way of example in FIG. 1 on the basis of the main conveyor 4a and discharge conveyor 12. The direction of conveyance of the discharge conveyor 12 is in each case expediently at an angle to the main direction of conveyance 34, and is in particular parallel to the lateral wall 42, and if this is to be divided into multiple sections, parallel to the last section, that is the section located furthest downstream, of the lateral wall 42. Upstream, the main conveyor 4a starts upstream of the feed conveyor lying farthest upstream 10a. The upstream-located start and downstream-located end of the main conveyor 4a lie expediently at a distance of less than 3 meters upstream of the topmost feed conveyor 10a or downstream of the lowest feed conveyor 6.

[0050] Depending on the embodiment of the feed conveyors 6, 8a, 10a these can have a transitional conveyor with a direction of conveyance which is at variance to the feed direction 32. This is shown in FIG. 1 by way of example based on the feed conveyor 8a, whose conveyor unit 28b already deflects the direction of conveyance of the stream of packaged materials 18 some distance further in the direction of the main stream 44, or in the main direction of conveyance 34. As a result of this the packages sliding in do not meet the existing stream of packaged materials at an obtuse angle. Aside from the fact that the direction of conveyance of the conveyor unit 28b in FIG. 1 too is still to be viewed as transverse to the main direction of conveyance 34, a larger deflection too is possible within the framework of the invention, if this does not exceed a length of for example 3 meters. The aim of the transverse arrangement of the main direction of conveyance 34 and feed direction 32 is the compact arrangement of the device for conveying packaged materials 2a, so that the streams of packaged materials 16, 18, 20 are not brought together in a parallel manner such as for example in the case of a highway entrance ramp.

[0051] During operation of the device for conveying packaged materials 2a the packaged materials 22 in the main stream 44 are moved in the main direction of conveyance 34 and thus moved towards the lateral wall 42a at an acute angle, which is the angle α between the lateral wall 42a and the main direction of conveyance 34. A portion of the packaged materials 22 strikes the lateral wall 42a and by means of its lateral alignment relative to the main direction of conveyance 34 is moved towards other packaged materials 22 moved in the main direction of conveyance 34. The main stream 44 is hereby compressed, so that gaps between the packaged materials 22 in the region of the lateral wall 42a are closed. Additionally, packaged materials 22 located obliquely to the main direction of conveyance 34 are turned during the course of its transport on the main conveyor 4a by the lateral wall 42a as a result of the friction with the lateral wall 42a, until they are aligned parallel to the lateral wall 42a and slide along with a flat face on the lateral wall 42a. Also by these means utilization, that is the filling level, of the conveyor surface of the conveyor element 60a of the main conveyor 4a is increased. By means of the compression and evening-out of the alignment of the packaged materials 22 in the main stream 44 parallel to the lateral wall 42a, space is created for next feeding-in of the subsequent stream of packaged materials from the next feed conveyor 6, 8a downstream.

[0052] During guidance of the packaged materials 22 along the lateral wall 42a, they slide with a component of movement transverse to the main direction of conveyance 34 over the main conveyor 4a or its conveyor element 60a. Here, a severe mechanical stress on the underside of the packaged materials 22 should be avoided, in particular tipping of the packaged materials 22 away from the lateral wall 42a into the main stream 44. In order to achieve this, the conveyor element 60a of the main conveyor 4a, which by way of example is a band conveyor, is provided with a conveyor belt with a low coefficient of friction, so that packaged materials 22 located thereupon can be easily shifted and turned parallel to the conveyor surface of the main conveyor 4a, without the danger of damage to the packaged materials 22. As a result of the low coefficient of friction, a transverse sliding of the packaged materials 22 from the sloping surfaces of the conveyor units 28b, 30b onto the main conveyor 4a towards the lateral wall 42a is facilitated, so that the packaged materials 22 slide to the lateral wall 42a under their own speed, if no other packaged materials 22 blocks the path thereto.

[0053] The speeds of conveyance of the feed conveyors 6, 8a, 10a and of the main conveyor 4a are regulated by a control unit 46 and can vary, wherein a discharge rate of the main conveyor 4a should be greater than the feed-in rate of all feed conveyors 6, 8a, 10a together. It is likewise possible that the speeds of conveyance of the feed conveyor 6, 8a, 10a have a fixed relationship to each other—independently of a higher-level regulation by a control unit 46, in particular the speeds of conveyance are identical, likewise the speed of discharge of the discharge conveyor 12, which can be identical to or higher than the speed of conveyance of the main conveyor 4a and of the feed conveyors 6, 8a, 10a.

[0054] While as a result of the structure and the arrangement the feed conveyors 8a, 10a in the arrangement according to FIG. 1 continuously feed their stream of packaged materials 18, 20 onto the main conveyor 4a, a feed controller is present, which is embodied by the control unit 46 to feed in the stream of packaged materials 16 from the feed conveyor 6 located further downstream. This reads the data from the sensor 14, which determines a free stretch of the main conveyor 4a opposite the lateral wall 42a on the basis of a repeated measurement of the stretch to the next packaged materials 22 encountered by the measuring beam of the sensor 14. The control unit 46 determines a free area on the conveyor element 60a, on the side opposite the lateral wall 42a from the free stretches.

[0055] As can be seen from FIG. 1, just on one half of the available width of the main stream 44 or of the conveyor surface of the main conveyor 4a in the region of the sensor 14 opposite the lateral wall 42a is free. This conveyor surface is sufficient for feeding in of the stream of packaged materials 16 from the feed conveyor 6, so that the latter feeds its stream of packaged materials 16 into the main stream 44. If the free conveyor surface is too limited, the control unit 14 reduces the speed of conveyance of the feed conveyor 6, in the most extreme case to a standstill, so that the feeding of the stream of packaged materials 16 into the main stream 44 is reduced. Overfilling and a resultant disruption of the flow of the main stream 44 and possible damage to the packaged materials 22 can hereby be avoided. The monitoring sensor 14 is a distance sensor, in particular a laser distance sensor, which measures the currently available free space at the outlet of the feed conveyor 6.

[0056] It can occur that insufficient free space is available for the feeding-in of a stream of packaged materials 16 from a feed conveyor 6, for which reason the feed-in must be reduced or even halted. On the other hand it can happen that the stream of packaged materials 16 on the feed conveyor 6 comes to a halt, for example because a truck connected to the feed conveyor 6 has been emptied. In this case interruption or deceleration of the speed of conveyance of the feed conveyor 6 is not necessary. In particular if only the downstream portion of the feed conveyor 6 is unoccupied or little occupied by packaged materials 22 and an upstream section is heavily occupied, reducing the speed of conveyance has the result that an operative cannot unload his truck due to the overfilling of the feed conveyor 6, or can continue to do so only slowly. A restriction of the feeding speed of the feed conveyor 6 is not necessary due to the low occupancy level of the feed conveyor 6 downstream before outlet in the main conveyor 4a.

[0057] In order in such a situation not to disrupt the emptying of a truck or the like, the device for conveying packaged materials 2a comprises an occupancy sensor 48, which is attached over the feed conveyor 6 or its conveyor element 60a. This supplies its data to the control unit 46, which determines the occupancy of the conveyor surface of the feed conveyor 6 under the occupancy sensor 48 from the data. From this, the distance to the outlet of the feed conveyor 6 and the current speed of conveyance of the feed conveyor 6, the feed-in area is calculated which is occupied by packaged materials 22 from the stream of packaged materials 16 from the feed conveyor 6 during feeding-in. This occupied area is compared with the free surface area measured with the sensor 14 or determined by the control unit 46 and the speed of conveyance of the feed conveyor 6 controlled on the basis of this comparison.

[0058] The arrangement and the number of sensors 14, 48 present depend on the number of feed conveyors present, their widths, the minimum conveyor width of the main conveyor 4a, in particular at their transition to the discharge conveyor 12 and the speeds of conveyance of the feed conveyor 6, 8a, 10a and of the main conveyor 4a. A single sensor 14 or one sensor in each case can be arranged upstream of such feed conveyors 6, 8a, further upstream of which a further feed conveyor 10a is arranged.

[0059] FIG. 2 shows a device for conveying packaged materials 2b, which is largely constructed in the same way as that from FIG. 1. The description that follows is limited essentially to the differences to the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 1, to which reference is made regarding features and functions which remain the same. In order not to have to reiterate on multiple occasions what has already been described, all features of preceding exemplary embodiments are generally incorporated in a respective following exemplary embodiment, without being described anew, unless features are described as differences from the preceding exemplary embodiments. In addition, components remaining essentially the same are identified with the same reference characters. In addition for the purposes of simpler comprehension the same components in different exemplary embodiments are additionally designated with the same reference numerals and different reference letters, wherein they can be identical to each other or with minor differences, for example in dimensions, position and/or function.

[0060] In the exemplary embodiment represented in FIG. 2 the lateral wall 42b is divided into multiple sections 54a, 54b, 54c. These are all at least predominantly arranged over the main conveyor 4a, and arranged in succession in the main direction of conveyance 34 and transversely thereto. The angle α.sub.1 of the section 54a to the main direction of conveyance 34 is 5°, the angle α.sub.2 of the section 54b is 7° and the angle α.sub.3 of the section 54c to the main direction of conveyance 34 is again 5°.

[0061] With this arrangement the wedging of soft packages, for example foil packages, in a gap between the conveyor element 60a of the main conveyor 4a and the sections 54a-c can be counteracted. While in the case of the lateral wall 42a in FIG. 1 the danger exists that a wedged package is dragged along under it over the entire length of the lateral wall 42a and thus the corresponding packaged materials 22 are drawn ever deeper into the gap, the length of the sections 54a-c is less, so that a stretch over which such dragging takes place is shorter. At the end of the corresponding section 54a-c the wedged packaged materials are released and can now freely contact the next section 54a,b downstream.

[0062] In order further to reduce the danger of wedging, a vertically widening gap 56a, 56b, 56c is in each case additionally created downstream between the sections 54a-c and the conveyor element 60a. This is represented in schematic form in the top section of the illustration from FIG. 2. Between itself and the conveyor element 60a each of the sections 54a-c has a gap 56a-c, the vertical height of which increases downstream. In the case of a movement downstream in the main direction of conveyance 34 or in the direction of the corresponding section 54a-c of the lateral wall 42b, packaged materials 22 wedged in this gap 56a-c are thus released again, or the wedging remains so loose that damage to the packaged materials 22 is avoided. The enlargement is for example at least double, in particular at least three times the minimum height of a gap 56a-c.

[0063] The different angularities of the sections 54a-c to the main direction of conveyance 34 are on one hand attributable to their length. The longer a section 54a-c is, the smaller is its angle to the main direction of conveyance 34. The different angle is further attributable to the mean pressure of the packaged materials against the corresponding section 54a-c. The greater the pressure of the packaged materials, the smaller is the angle to the main direction of conveyance 34. Thus while the uppermost section 54c is relatively long and therefore relatively shallowly angled, the middle section 54b is shorter and correspondingly steeply angled. Although by contrast the lowest section 54a is once again short, it is subject to a high pressure of packaged materials, for which reason its angle is smaller than in the case of the section 54b located upstream.

[0064] In the case of the exemplary embodiment of a device for conveying packaged materials 2c shown in FIG. 3 its main conveyor 4b is divided into three sections with in each case one conveyor unit 58b, 58c, 58d. Thus while the main conveyor 4a has just a single conveyor unit 58a, the main conveyor 4b from FIG. 3 comprises three conveyor units 58b-58d. With reference to the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 1 the remaining components are the same, wherein however the uppermost feed conveyor 10b has a conveyor unit 30c in the form of a 90° curved conveyor. This is directly connected to the uppermost conveyor unit 58d of the main conveyor 4b.

[0065] In the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 3, the lateral wall 42a is once again continuously aligned and at an angle α=3° to the main direction of conveyance 34. It is however likewise readily possible to embody the lateral wall 42a as for example in FIG. 2.

[0066] The conveyor units 58b-d are arranged laterally offset relative to each other, wherein a conveyor unit 58c,d located upstream surmounts an immediately adjacent and downstream conveyor unit 58b,c on the side on which the lateral wall 42a is arranged on the main conveyor 4b. On the opposite side the reverse situation applies: here the respective downstream conveyor unit 58b,c laterally surmounts the upstream conveyor unit 58c,d.

[0067] In addition the conveyor width of a downstream conveyor unit 58b,c is greater than the conveyor width of the respective upstream conveyor unit 58c,d. In this way the overall width of the conveyor elements 60b-d increases downstream from conveyor unit to conveyor unit 58b-d. However as a result of the angled lateral wall 42a, the usable conveyor width on each of the conveyor units 58b-c or conveyor elements 60b-d within the corresponding unit or of the corresponding element diminishes in the downstream direction. Good compression of the packaged materials 22 in the direction of the lateral wall 42a and an alignment of the packaged materials 22a in the direction of the lateral wall 42a can hereby be achieved.

[0068] FIG. 4 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a device for conveying packaged materials 2d with a main conveyor 4d, which are of the same structure as in the case of the device for conveying packaged materials 2c from FIG. 3, except for the feed conveyor 8b, which instead of the chute 28b has a conveyor unit 28c with a band conveyor, in a similar manner to conveyor unit 26b. Additionally, the lateral offset of the conveyor units 58b-d is greater than in the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 3, and the lateral wall 42c too is no longer embodied in continuous form. It comprises two sections 54d, 54e arranged at an acute angle to the main direction of conveyance 34, which upstream and/or downstream abut a lateral wall section, which is aligned parallel to the main direction of conveyance 34. The two sections 54d,e are at an angle α.sub.4=8° and α.sub.5=8° to the main direction of conveyance 34, wherein the two angles α.sub.4, α.sub.s can also be different.

[0069] Arranged in the area of the junction of the conveyor unit 28c is a lateral wall section not at an angle to the main direction of conveyance 34, so that a compression of the main stream 44 can there be dispensed with. Jamming of the packaged materials 22 in the case of a heavy stream of packaged materials 18 from the conveyor unit 28c can hereby be prevented. The same also applies to the outlet of the feed conveyor 6, wherein in the region of the conveyor unit 58b an angled lateral wall section has been completely dispensed with, so that a compression of the main stream 44 does not thereby take place. This can be compensated for by the marked lateral offsetting of the conveyor unit 58b-d relative to each other and by the great angle α.sub.4 of the lateral wall 42c, by means of which the main stream 44 is already sufficiently compressed before the junction of the feed conveyor 6.

[0070] A further section 54f of the lateral wall 42c is represented by way of example on the conveyor unit 58d. This has an angle α.sub.6=18° to the main direction of conveyance 34. In addition this section 54f is spring-mounted in a pivotable manner, so that it is pressed against the section 54e by heavy packaged materials 22 and thus assumes its angle α.sub.5. The exerting of a greater pressure on the packaged materials 22 can hereby be reciprocally avoided in the event of a jam forming, as in the case of such pressure the section 54f pivots outwards and frees up a greater conveyor width.

[0071] The additional section 54f has the advantage that the main stream 44 in its area can be strongly compressed and the risk of jamming is reduced by means of the pivoting capability and secondly the wedging of soft packages under the lateral wall 42c is counteracted. This is because the section 54f can be kept short by means of the large angle α.sub.5, so that a stretch within which the packaging is wedged in the gap remains short. Additionally, in the case of firm wedging the section 54f additionally springs outwards, so that a further drawing-in of the packaged materials 22 or their packaging into the gap is prevented. In addition the gap increases in size vertically, as explained with reference to the gaps 56a-c in FIG. 2. Jamming can hereby be counteracted and packaged materials which nevertheless find their way under the section 54f can rapidly be released again.

[0072] Based on the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 5 there follows a description of another possibility for compression of the main stream 44 towards the lateral wall 42a, which can be used in addition to the lateral wall 42a angled towards the main direction of conveyance 34 or also without an angled lateral wall 42a.

[0073] FIG. 5 shows in a schematic manner a section through the device for conveying packaged materials 2a from FIG. 1 along the dashed line V-V from FIG. 1. Shown in schematic form is the conveyor element 38a of the feed conveyor 8a and its conveyor unit 28b embodied as a chute, which discharges onto the conveyor element 60a of the main conveyor 4a. It can be seen that the conveyor element 60a is inclined at an angle β=10° to the horizontal, specifically towards the lateral wall 42a, which is represented as solid lines in FIG. 5. By means of this inclined alignment of the main conveyor 4a relative to the lateral wall 42a the packaged materials 22 from the main stream 44 are guided by the force of gravity in the direction of the lateral wall 42a. They slide over the smooth surface of the conveyor element 60a towards the lateral wall 42a. A compression of the main stream 44 against the lateral wall 42a and an alignment of the packaged materials 22 in the direction the lateral wall 42a can be achieved hereby too.

[0074] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 5 the lateral wall 42a is aligned perpendicularly to the alignment of the conveyor element 60a, in order to provide the generally rectangular packaged materials 22 with a good contact surface. It is of course also possible to align the lateral wall 42a perpendicularly to the horizontal, as represented in FIG. 5 by the dashed line. Independently of the tilting or alignment of the lateral wall 42a, the alignment of the main conveyor 4a relative to the lateral wall 42a embodied as an inclination at an angle β relative to the horizontal can bring about the compression of the main stream 44 on its own or in conjunction with the lateral wall 42a angled to the main direction of conveyance 34. This inclination can be realized in the case of all previously described exemplary embodiments.

[0075] Although the invention has been illustrated and described in greater detail by means of the preferred exemplary embodiments, the invention is not limited by the example disclosed, and other variations can be derived by the person skilled in the art, without departing from the protective scope of the invention.