CONVEYING METHOD AND CONVEYING APPARATUS FOR GOODS

Abstract

A conveying method for goods comprises the method steps of requesting an order from a goods sink, wherein the order comprises at least one product which is an ordered product, requesting the at least one ordered product from a first endless conveyor to which the goods sink is directly connected in terms of conveying technology, requesting and automatically transferring the at least one ordered product from a consolidation storage unit, which is connected upstream of the first endless conveyor and has a circulating conveyor line, into the first endless conveyor, and conveying and discharging the at least one requested ordered product to the goods sink.

Claims

1. A conveying method for goods, the method comprising: requesting an order from a goods sink, wherein the order comprises at least one product, which is an ordered product; requesting the at least one product from a first endless conveyor, to which the goods sink is directly coupled; requesting the at least one product from a consolidation storage unit upstream of the first endless conveyor, the storage unit including a circulating conveyor line; automatically transferring the at least one product to the first endless conveyor; and conveying the at least one ordered product to the goods sink.

2. The conveying method according to claim 1, wherein the conveying includes conveying the at least one product in a conveyor container.

3. The conveying method according to claim 2, wherein the conveying includes conveying the at least one product individually in the conveyor container.

4. The conveying method according to claim 2, wherein conveying the at least one product includes at least one of unloading the at least one product from the conveyor container and discharging of conveyor containers from the first endless conveyor.

5. The conveying method according to claim 4, wherein the unloading is an automatic unloading.

6. The conveying method according to claim 1, wherein requesting the at least one product includes requesting based on at least one of a criteria of order quantity, customer of the order, and order priority.

7. The conveying method according to claim 6, wherein the criteria are variable for different conveying stages.

8. The conveying method according to claim 1, wherein the requesting the at least one product includes requesting from a second endless conveyor downstream of the consolidation storage unit.

9. The conveying method according to claim 8, wherein the requesting the at least one product includes requesting from the second endless conveyor prior to requesting from the consolidation storage unit.

10. The conveying method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one product is a collection of ordered goods of an order in a conveying stage.

11. The conveying method according to claim 10, wherein the at least one product is a collection of ordered goods of an order in the consolidation storage unit.

12. The conveying method according to claim 1, further including changing an order sequence when requesting goods.

13. The conveying method according to claim 1, wherein conveying the at least one product includes conveying the at least one product into the first endless conveyor.

14. The conveying method according to claim 1, wherein conveying the at least one product includes only conveying the at least one product to a next conveying stage if all ordered goods of this order are arranged in the previous conveying stage.

15. The conveying method according to claim 1, wherein conveying the at least one product includes only conveying the at least one product to the a conveying stage if all ordered goods of this order are arranged in the consolidation storage unit.

16. The conveying method according to claim 1, further comprising filling the consolidation storage unit with goods from at least one loading station.

17. The conveying method according to claim 1, further comprising providing random access to all goods in at least one of the first endless conveyor, the second endless conveyor, and the consolidation storage unit.

18. The conveying method according to claim 1, further comprising providing random access to all goods in each conveying stage.

19. A conveying apparatus for goods, the apparatus comprising: a consolidation storage unit having a circulating conveyor line; a first endless conveyor arranged downstream of the consolidation storage unit; at least one goods sink directly coupled to the first endless conveyor; and a control unit configured to execute conveyance of goods.

20. The conveying apparatus according to claim 19, comprising a second endless conveyor arranged between the consolidation storage unit and the first endless conveyor.

21. The conveying apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the conveying apparatus is an overhead conveying apparatus.

22. The conveying apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the conveying apparatus includes a conveyor rail and entrainers that are conveyable thereon, each of which is couplable to a conveyor container.

23. The conveying apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the first endless conveyor and the consolidation storage unit are configured such that an intake capacity thereof decreases as the conveying stage increases.

24. The conveying apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the second endless conveyor is configured such that an intake capacity thereof decreases as the conveying stage increases.

25. A conveying method for goods, the method comprising: requesting an order from a goods sink, wherein the order comprises at least one product, which is an ordered product; requesting the at least one product from a consolidation storage unit upstream of an endless conveyor, the storage unit including a circulating conveyor line; automatically transferring the at least one product to the first endless conveyor; and conveying the at least one ordered product to the goods sink.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a highly schematized illustration of a conveying apparatus according to the invention,

[0045] FIG. 2 shows an illustration of the conveying apparatus corresponding to FIG. 1, showing a more detailed view of the first endless conveyor,

[0046] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged, partially cut-out side view of a first conveyor strand of the first endless conveyor in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] A conveying apparatus marked 1 as a whole in FIG. 1 comprises multiple conveying stages, namely a consolidation storage unit 2 as the first conveying stage and a first endless conveyor 3 as the last conveying stage. Furthermore, a second endless conveyor 4 is arranged between the consolidation storage unit 2 and the first endless conveyor 3. The second endless conveyor 4 is optional, whereby further conveying stages, which can be designed in particular as endless conveyors, can also be arranged in addition to the second endless conveyor 4, in particular between the consolidation storage unit 2 and the first endless conveyor 3.

[0048] The conveying stages 2, 3, 4 are each coupled in terms of conveying technology to the next higher conveying stage by means of a conveyor line 5 in order to convey goods from an upstream conveying stage to a downstream conveying stage.

[0049] The conveying apparatus 1 is an overhead conveyor.

[0050] The various conveying stages 2, 3, 4 are each designed as endless circulating conveyors. The various conveying stages 2, 3, 4 each have a goods intake capacity which decreases as the conveying stage increases. This also applies accordingly to the respective turnaround time of the various conveying stages.

[0051] A plurality of loading stations 6 are located upstream of the consolidation storage unit 2. At the loading stations 6, conveyor containers are loaded with, in particular exactly one, product each. The loaded conveyor containers are conveyed from the loading stations 6 into the consolidation storage unit 2.

[0052] The first endless conveyor 3 and the second endless conveyor 4 can, in particular, be functionally and/or structurally identical and, in particular, differ only in terms of size and capacity. It is also possible that the endless conveyors 3, 4 differ from each other functionally and/or structurally. The first endless conveyor has, in particular, a main conveyor strand with a fixed entrainment. The fixed entrainment enables a controlled discharge of an ordered product from a conveyor container and/or of the conveyor container from the first endless conveyor 3. In particular, the second endless conveyor 4 is designed as a so-called pack-wall buffer. The pack-wall buffer is a storage element, in particular without fixed entrainment. In the pack-wall buffer, comparatively denser storage and, in particular, recompaction of the goods in the flow of goods is possible, in particular at any point. In terms of its mechanical structure, the pack-wall buffer is similar to the consolidation storage unit, but is designed to be smaller in terms of quantity structure and geometry.

[0053] Multiple goods sinks 7 are directly connected to the first endless conveyor 3 in terms of conveying technology. The goods sinks 7 are designed in particular as packing places where orders are packed.

[0054] The conveying apparatus 1 has a control unit 8 which is in signal connection with the various conveying stages, i.e., in particular with the consolidation storage unit 2, the first endless conveyor 3 and the second endless conveyor 4 as well as with the loading stations 6 and the goods sinks 7. The signal connection can be established in a wired or wireless manner.

[0055] A plurality of reading units 9 are arranged along the conveying apparatus 1, which are indicated purely symbolically in FIG. 1. The reading units 9 are arranged in particular within the respective conveying stages 2, 3, 4 and/or along the conveyor lines 5. It is understood that more or less than the reading units 9 shown in FIG. 1 may be present in the conveying apparatus 1. In particular, the respective position of the reading units 9 in the conveying apparatus 1, in particular along the goods conveying direction, can be variably fixed. The reading units 9 serve to detect the goods, in particular by reading and detecting each individual product, in particular each individual conveyor container in which in particular exactly one product is conveyed in each case. The reading units 9 are each in signal connection with the control unit 8. The detection of the goods is a prerequisite for logical decisions and/or actions based thereon, in particular a targeted discharge of the goods from one conveying stage into the subsequent conveying stage and/or an, in particular automatic, opening of a conveyor container. Correspondingly, the reading units 9 are each arranged upstream of a respective discharge unit of a conveying stage 2, 3, 4.

[0056] According to the embodiment example shown, the goods are conveyed in counterclockwise direction in the circulating conveyors 2, 3, 4. The respective goods conveying direction 10 is symbolized by direction arrows. The goods conveying direction 10 is drawn purely symbolically. It is understood that the goods conveying direction could also be oriented clockwise.

[0057] The structure and operating principle of the first endless conveyor 3 are explained in more detail below with reference to FIG. 2.

[0058] FIG. 2 shows the conveying apparatus 1 with a goods source 12 and a plurality of goods sinks 7. The conveying apparatus 1 can comprise a plurality of goods sources 12 which are arranged in particular parallel to one another. Each goods sink 7 has in particular a plurality of goods discharge points 13 which are in particular mechanically separated from one another, in particular in the form of partition walls. The goods discharge points 13 at a goods sink 7 can also be designed as separate throw-in shafts having a funnel-shaped goods receptacle which opens upwards in particular.

[0059] The goods sinks 7 are in particular packing places at which goods of an order can be packed and in particular handed over to an outgoing goods zone of the conveying apparatus 1 for dispatch.

[0060] The goods source 12 and the goods sinks 7 are connected in terms of conveying technology by means of a first endless conveyor 3. The first endless conveyor 3 has an endlessly circulating conveyor line and enables goods to be conveyed along the goods conveying direction 10, which is symbolized by an arrow in FIG. 1 and is oriented in the counterclockwise direction.

[0061] The first endless conveyor 3 has a first conveyor strand 14 and a second conveyor strand 15. At the goods source 12, the goods are provided in conveyor containers and conveyed to the goods sinks 7 by means of the conveyor containers. The goods sinks 7 are in particular directly connected to the at least one goods source 12 via the first conveyor strand 14. In particular, exactly one product is arranged in each conveyor container.

[0062] The first conveyor strand 14 has a conveyor drive means, not shown in more detail, which enables a fixed conveyor container to be entrained. The conveyor drive means comprises in particular a drive motor and a drive chain 16 that is mechanically coupled thereto. The drive chain 16 is in particular arranged to be guided within a conveyor rail 17 of the first conveyor strand 14, in particular within a guide profile which is in particular made of plastic, and in particular arranged between the second conveyor strand 15 and the first conveyor strand 14.

[0063] The first conveyor strand 14 and the second conveyor strand 15 are coupled to each other in terms of conveying technology at two transfer points 18, 19. The first transfer point 18 is arranged in the goods conveying direction 10 between the end of the first conveyor strand 14 and the beginning of the second conveyor strand 15. At the first transfer point 18, the conveyor containers are transferred from the fixed conveyor container entrainment in the first conveyor strand 14 to the second conveyor strand 15 without fixed conveyor container entrainment. At the second transfer point 19, which is arranged in the goods conveying direction 10 between the end of the second conveyor strand 15 and the beginning of the first conveyor strand 14, the goods are transferred from the second conveyor strand 15 to the fixed conveyor container entrainment in the first conveyor strand 14.

[0064] The goods source 12 is coupled to the endless conveyor 3 in terms of conveying technology via at least one feed conveyor strand 20, in particular downstream of the second conveyor strand 15 and in particular downstream of the conveyor drive means.

[0065] The second conveyor strand 15 is designed in particular as an accumulation conveyor and in particular as a gravity conveyor. It is particularly uncomplicated to design it as a gravity conveyor, which is in particular inclined downwards with respect to the horizontal. The inclination is in particular directed towards the first conveyor strand 14, in particular towards the conveyor drive means. The second conveyor strand 15 has a buffer function.

[0066] The conveying apparatus 1 comprises a plurality of goods sinks 7, in particular of different design. The goods sinks 7 can also be of identical design. The goods sinks 7 are spaced apart along the goods conveying direction 10, i.e., one behind the other. A first goods sink 7, shown on the left in FIG. 1, comprises an unloading unit, not shown in more detail, which enables the goods to be unloaded from the conveyor containers, in particular automatically. The first goods sink 7, and in particular the discharge compartments 4, are arranged spatially adjacent to the first conveyor strand 14. The automatic unloading unit can, for example, enable automatic opening or tilting of conveyor bags and/or automatic swivelling or tilting of horizontal conveyor containers, wherein the discharge compartments of the first goods sinks 7 are arranged in the discharge direction of the goods. The first goods sink 7 is thus arranged directly adjacent to the first conveyor strand 14.

[0067] Downstream of the goods sinks 7, a discharge line 21 is connected to the endless conveyor 3. The discharge line 21 serves to discharge, in particular automatically, emptied conveyor containers from the endless conveyor 3. The discharge line 21 leads in particular to a loading station that is not shown, at which the conveyor containers can be loaded with goods. The discharge line 21 can in particular also be connected to a buffer storage unit in order to temporarily store empty conveyor containers.

[0068] The discharge line 21 can be omitted, in particular if automatic emptying of the conveyor containers by means of an unloading unit does not take place.

[0069] A second goods sink 7 shown on the right in FIG. 1 is connected to the endless conveyor 3, in particular to the first conveyor strand 14, by means of a discharge unit 22. The second goods sink 7 can be arranged at a spatial distance from the first conveyor strand 14, wherein a connection in terms of conveying technology to the first conveyor strand 14 is ensured by means of the discharge unit 22. The discharge unit 22 is in particular designed to be identical to the discharge line 21. The discharge unit 22 enables the targeted discharge of conveyor containers from the endless conveyor 3 into the discharge unit 22. In the region of the second goods sink 7, the conveyor containers are stopped by means of a stopper, which is not shown in more detail, and then unloaded, in particular manually. It is conceivable that the discharge unit 22 leads to a loading station analogously to the discharge line 21. It is also conceivable that the discharge unit 22 merges with the discharge line 21 or that the discharge unit 22 opens into the discharge line 21. In particular, a plurality of discharge units 22 can be connected to the endless conveyor 3. It is advantageous if either a discharge unit 22 or an unloading unit is provided for every second goods sink 7.

[0070] In the following, the first conveyor strand 14 is explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 3.

[0071] The first conveyor strand 14 is designed as a conveyor rail 17, which is also referred to as a transport rail. Accordingly, the conveying apparatus 1 is an overhead conveyor. The transport rail 17 can be moved in a room by means of suitable carrying devices. The transport rail 17 is designed as a hollow box profile in which a drive chain 16 is arranged and can be driven in the goods conveying direction 10 by means of the drive that is not shown purely schematically in FIG. 3.

[0072] Holding members 23 can be moved along the transport rail 17 by means of the drive chain 16. The drive chain 16 and the drive, not shown, form a conveyor drive means for the first conveyor strand 14. The drive is in particular an electric motor drive which is mechanically coupled to the drive chain 16, i.e., for power transmission, by means of a power transmission member, in particular a drive gearwheel.

[0073] The drive chain 16 is a so-called roller chain with rollers 24, which are connected to each other at a small distance from one another by means of connection pieces 25. Bolts 26 have downwardly projecting bolt-shaped extensions serving as entrainers 27. The bolts 26 with the entrainers 27 extend normally to the transport rail 17 in a vertical plane that is spanned by the goods conveying direction 10.

[0074] The drive chain 16 is guided and held in the transport rail 17 in the direction of the bolts 26, i.e., perpendicularly and transversely to the goods conveying direction 10 by means of guides 28 engaging under the connection pieces 17.

[0075] A centre-to-centre distance a between adjacent entrainers 27 in the transport rail 17 in the goods conveying direction 10 corresponds exactly to the pitch of the drive chain 16 and is therefore invariable and constant. The entrainers 27 define the fixed conveyor container entrainment.

[0076] On an underside of the transport rail 17, two guiding webs 29 are formed facing each other, between which a slot 30 extending in the longitudinal direction of the transport rail 17, i.e., in the goods conveying direction 10, is formed or defined. A flat supporting part 31 of each holding member 23 projects downwards out of the transport rail 17 through said slot 30. In its upper region, the holding member 23 has a caster 32 on each side of the supporting part 31, each of which is supported on one of the two guiding webs 29 and can be displaced thereon in the goods conveying direction 10. There is therefore only one pair of casters 32 which can rotate around a common axis 33 so that the entire holding member 23 can oscillate about the axis 33 in the transport rail 17.

[0077] The supporting part 31 has a receiving opening 34 at its lower end into which a conveyor container in the form of a conveyor bag 35 can be suspended. The conveyor bag 35 is shown purely schematically in FIG. 2. The holding member 23, which is conveyed to roll in the transport rail 17 by means of the casters 32 and which is suitable for receiving the conveyor bag 35 by means of the receiving opening 34, is also referred to as a roller adapter.

[0078] The holding member 23 has an identification member 36 that is designed as a transponder, in particular an RFID chip, or as a machine-readable code, in particular a barcode or QR code. The identification member 36 is arranged in particular between the receiving opening 34 and the underside of the transport rail 17 and can thus be read by a reading device, in particular in an automated manner. The identification member 36 extends in accordance with the arrangement of the plate-like supporting part 31 in the goods conveying direction 10, i.e., its main surface lies open transversely to the goods conveying direction 10, i.e., towards the side.

[0079] After being mechanically coupled to the holding member 23, the conveyor bag 35 with goods to be conveyed remains attached to the holding member 23 during the entire conveying process, i.e., it is “married” to the latter. The goods to be conveyed are therefore controlled via the identification member 36 and thus the holding member 23. Since again the entire transport is performed from the drive chain, it is very important that a holding member 23 assumes an absolutely unambiguous position relative to the drive chain 16 during transport.

[0080] The transport rail 17 has horizontal boundary webs 37 facing each other directly above the casters 32, which delimit a slot 38 in between. A stalk-like projection 39 of the holding member 23 extends through this slot 38 and is formed integrally with the supporting part 31 at the upper end thereof.

[0081] At the upper end of the stalk-like projection 39, a stop 40 is formed in the manner of a transverse bar, the extension of which horizontally transverse to the goods conveying direction 10 is greater than the width of the slot 38, so that when the holding member 23 is inclined relative to the transport rail 17, this stop 40 comes to rest on the boundary webs 37 and thus prevents further inclination of the holding member 23. The projection 39 and the stop 40 have the basic shape of a hammer, i.e., they are T-shaped.

[0082] The entrainers 27 of the drive chain 16 extend to immediately above the boundary webs 37, so that a holding member 23 located between two entrainers 27 is always reliably entrained, i.e., does not become disengaged from the entrainer 27.

[0083] The control unit 8 is in signal connection in particular with the at least one goods source 12, the goods sinks 7, the first endless conveyor 3 and/or the conveyor strands 14 and 15. In particular, the control unit 8 is in signal connection with the conveyor drive means in order to enable a targeted introduction of the conveyor bags 35 from the at least one goods source 12 or a return of the conveyor bags 35 from the second conveyor strand 15.

[0084] A reading unit 9 is arranged in particular at the entrance of the endless conveyor 3, i.e., where the feed conveyor strand 20 opens into the endless conveyor 3. A further reading unit 9 can be arranged in particular at the exit of the endless conveyor 3, i.e., where the discharge line 21 opens out from the endless conveyor 4. The reading units 9 serve to read the endless conveyor 4, so that direct conclusions can be drawn about the respective position of the conveyor bags 35 in the conveying apparatus 1 and in particular within the endless conveyor 3.

[0085] In particular, the control unit 8 is in signal connection with the unloading unit and/or with the discharge unit 22 in order to ensure automatic unloading and/or discharge of the conveyor bags 35.

[0086] A conveying method for goods in the conveying apparatus 1 is explained in more detail below. In the conveying apparatus 1, goods are loaded into conveyor containers 35 at the loading stations 6 and transferred to the consolidation storage unit 2. The goods are conveyed in circulation in the consolidation storage unit 2 and, if necessary, discharged and conveyed via the conveyor line 5 first to the second endless conveyor 4 and, if necessary, via the further conveyor line 5 to the first endless conveyor 3. From the first endless conveyor 3, the goods of an order are conveyed as ordered goods to one of the goods sinks 7, where they are packed and prepared for dispatch and, in particular, delivered to an outgoing goods zone not shown.

[0087] It is now essential that, counter to the conveying direction 10 of the goods, there is a demand direction of the goods starting from the goods sinks 7.

[0088] An order containing at least one ordered product is allocated to each of the goods sinks 7, thereby triggering a request for ordered goods at this goods sink 7. This request for goods is triggered as a goods request notification from the goods sink 7 to the first endless conveyor 3 by means of the control unit 8. The goods request notification 11 is in particular a control signal that is output by the control unit 8 and transmitted to the first endless conveyor 3. Accordingly, further goods requirement notifications are issued to the respective next upstream conveying stage. The goods request notifications 11 are symbolized by the direction arrows in FIG. 1.

[0089] In particular, the various requests can be quantity-based, priority-based and/or customer-based.