CONVEYOR INSTALLATION WITH A RADIO SYSTEM

Abstract

A conveyor installation (100) includes conveyor sections (111), at least one switch (1111) for switching between the conveyor sections (111), a multiplicity of transportation units (110), which extend along the conveyor sections (111), a radio system (101) for spatially tracking the transportation units (110), and a control unit for controlling the conveyor system. (100), the radio system (101) including radio modules (1013) each assigned to a transportation unit (110) and at least one stationary radio device (1011), which are configured for exchanging radio signals, and a processing unit (109), wherein the processing unit (109) is configured to process the radio signals from the radio signals, and the current position of the transportation units (110) along the conveyor sections (111).

Claims

1. A conveyor installation (100, 200) comprising: conveyor sections (2, 111, 111, 111, 211), at least one switch (1111, 1111, 2111) for switching between the conveyor sections (2, 111, 111, 111, 211), a multiplicity of transportation units (1, 1, 110, 110a, 110b, 210a, 210b, 210c) which can be conveyed along the conveyor sections (2, 111, 111, 111, 211), a control unit (1091, 1091a, 1091b) for controlling the conveyor installation (100, 200), and a radio system (101, 201) for spatially tracking the transportation units (1, 1, 110, 110a, 110b, 210a, 210b, 210c), wherein the radio system (101, 201) includes radio modules (13, 13, 1013, 2013a, 2013b, 2013c), which are each assigned to a transportation unit (1, 1, 110, 110a, 110b, 210a, 210b, 210c), and at least one stationary radio device (1011, 2011) which are configured to exchange radio signals, and a processing unit (109), wherein the processing unit (109) is configured to process the radio signals and to determine a current position of the transportation units (1, 1, 110, 110a, 110b, 210a, 210b, 210c) along the conveyor sections (2, 111, 111, 111, 211) from the radio signals.

2. The conveyor installation (100, 200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit (1091) is configured to store a path of the conveyor sections (2, 111, 111, 111, 211) in the processing unit (109), and the processing unit (109) is configured to determine the current position of the transportation units (1, 1, 110, 110a, 110b, 210a, 210b, 210c) along the conveyor sections (2, 111, 111, 111, 211) from the radio signals and on the basis of the stored path.

3. The conveyor installation (100, 200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit (1091) is configured to store a defined trajectory dependent on the respective position of the at least one switch (1111, 1111, 2111) in the processing unit (109), wherein the processing unit (109) is configured to compare, preferably downstream of a switch (1111, 1111, 2111), the current position of the transportation units (1, 1, 110, 110a, 110b, 210a, 210b, 210c) along the conveyor sections (2, 111, 111, 111, 211) with the stored defined trajectory.

4. The conveyor installation (100, 200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit (1091, 1091b) is configured to control the position of the at least one switch (1111, 1111, 2111).

5. The conveyor installation (100, 200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radio modules (13, 13, 13, 1013, 2013a, 2013b, 2013c) each comprise a transmitter and the stationary radio device (1011, 2011) comprises at least one receiver (1012, 2012), wherein the processing unit (109) is connected to the stationary radio device (1011, 2011).

6. The conveyor installation (100, 200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radio modules (13, 13, 13, 1013, 2013a, 2013b, 2013c) are configured to send a radio signal with an identification of the respective transportation unit (1, 1, 110, 110a, 110b, 210a, 210b, 210c).

7. The conveyor installation (100, 200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radio modules (13, 13, 13, 1013, 2013a, 2013b, 2013c) each comprise a receiver, wherein the processing unit is wirelessly connected to the radio modules (13, 13, 13, 1013, 2013a, 2013b, 2013c).

8. The conveyor installation (100, 200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit (1091, 1091a ) is configured to selectively enable and/or disable radio modules (13, 13, 13, 1013, 2013a, 2013b, 2013c).

9. The conveyor installation (100, 200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein in order to determine the current position of a transportation unit (1, 1, 110, 110a, 110b, 210a, 210b, 210c), the processing unit (109) is configured to selectively process radio signals from radio modules (13, 13, 13, 1013, 2013a, 2013b, 2013c) of the transportation units (1, 1, 110, 110a, 110b, 210a, 210b, 210c).

10. The conveyor installation (100, 200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stationary radio device (1011, 2011) comprises at least one transmitter.

11. The conveyor installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radio modules (13, 13) each include an energy store for supplying power to the radio module (13, 13).

12. The conveyor installation as claimed in claim 11, wherein the energy store can be inductively charged and the conveyor installation comprises an inductive charging device.

13. The conveyor installation as claimed in claim 11 wherein the conveyor installation comprises a discharge station for actively discharging transportation units with radio modules with an empty or defective energy store.

14. The conveyor installation (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conveyor installation (100, 200) comprises at least one conveyor device (102, 103, 103, 103, 104, 105, 106, 106), and the radio modules (13, 13, 13, 1013, 2013a, 2013b, 2013c) are configured to adjust the respective radio signal to the conveyor device (102, 103, 103, 103, 104, 105, 106, 106) in such a way that the spatial resolution of the radio system (101, 201) in the area of the conveyor device (102, 103, 103, 103, 104, 105, 106, 106) is modified.

15. The conveyor installation (100) as claimed in claim 14, wherein the conveyor device is a filling device (102), a sorting device (104, 105), a buffer device, a storage device (103, 103, 103), an order-picking device or an extraction device (106, 106).

16. The conveyor installation (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conveyor installation (100) is an overhead conveyor installation.

17. The conveyor installation (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transportation units (1, 1, 110, 110a, 110b each comprise a bag (12, 12, 1101, 1101a, 1101b for receiving transported goods.

18. The conveyor installation (100) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the radio modules (13, 1013) are each arranged on the bags (12, 1101, 1101a, 1101b) or held by the bags.

19. The conveyor installation (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conveyor section includes a track (2, 2, 111, 111, 111) and the transportation units (1, 1, 110, 110a, 110b) each comprise moveable carriages (11, 11, 1102) with variable distance relative to each other on the track (2, 2, 111, 111, 111).

20. The conveyor installation (100) as claimed in claim 19, wherein the radio modules (13) are each arranged on the carriage (11) or on a transported good being conveyed with the carriage.

21. A radio system (101, 201) for spatially tracking transportation units (1, 1, 110, 110a, 110b, 210a, 210b, 210c) of a conveyor installation (100, 200) as claimed in claim 1, the radio system (101, 201) comprises radio modules (13, 13, 1013, 2013a, 2013b, 2013c), which are each assigned to a transportation unit (1, 1 110, 110a, 110b, 210a, 210b, 210c), and at least one stationary radio device (1011, 2011), which are configured to exchange radio signals, and a processing unit (109), wherein the processing unit (109) is configured to process the radio signals and to determine the current position of the transportation units (1, 1, 110, 110a, 110b, 210a, 210b, 210c) along conveyor sections (2, 111, 111, 111, 211) of the conveyor installation (100, 200) from the radio signals.

22. The radio system (101, 201) as claimed in claim 21, wherein a path of the conveyor sections (2, 111, 111, 111, 211) is storable in the processing unit (109), and the processing unit (109) is configured to determine the current position of the transportation units (1, 1, 110, 110a, 110b, 210a, 210b, 210c) along the conveyor sections (2, 111, 111, 111, 211) from the radio signals and on the basis of the stored path.

23. A method for the spatial tracking of transportation units (1, 1, 110, 110a, 110b, 210a, 210b, 210c) of a conveyor installation (100, 200) as claimed in claim 1, comprising: i) providing a radio system (101, 201) comprising radio modules (13, 13, 1013, 2013a, 2013b, 2013c), which are each assigned to a transportation unit (1, 1, 110, 110a, 110b, 210a, 210b, 210c), and at least one stationary radio device (1011, 2011), ii) providing a control unit (1091, 1091a, 1091b) for controlling the conveyor installation (100, 200), (iii) exchanging radio signals between the radio modules (13, 13, 1013, 2013a, 2013b, 2013c) and the stationary radio device (1011, 2011), iv) providing a processing unit (109), v) processing the radio signals by means of the processing unit (109), and (vi) determining the current position of the transportation units (1, 1, 110, 110a, 110b, 210a, 210b, 210c) along the conveyor sections (2, 111, 111, 111, 211) from the radio signals.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, further comprising the steps of: a) storing a path of the conveyor sections (2, 111, 111, 111, 211) in the processing unit (109) by means of the control unit (1091, 1091a, 1091b), b) determining the current position of the transportation units (1, 1, 110, 110a, 110b, 210a, 210b, 210c) along the conveyor sections (2, 111, 111, 111, 211) from the radio signals and on the basis of the stored path.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0067] Embodiments of the invention will be described in more detail by reference to the following schematic drawings and the associated description. Shown are:

[0068] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a transportation unit and a radio module arranged on the transportation unit;

[0069] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a transportation unit and a radio module arranged on a product;

[0070] FIG. 3 shows a schematic drawing of an embodiment of a conveyor installation;

[0071] FIG. 4 shows a block diagram with the processing unit of FIG. 3;

[0072] FIG. 5 shows a side view of an embodiment of a storage device;

[0073] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of an extraction device;

[0074] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of a storage device;

[0075] FIG. 8 shows a side view of a detail of another embodiment of a conveyor installation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0076] In order to illustrate the invention, preferred embodiments will be described in more detail with reference to the figures.

[0077] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a transportation unit 1 with a carriage 11 and a bag 12. The carriage 11 can be conveyed in a track 2 of a conveyor device. On one wall of the bag 12 a radio module 13 is arranged. The radio module 13 comprises a transmitter and emits radio signals. The radio signals are preferably in the GHz range. For illustration purposes FIG. 1 shows a radio module 13 which is arranged on the carriage 11. In general, however, the transportation unit 1 has a single radio module, which is arranged either on the bag 12 or on the carriage 11. The radio module 13 or 13 has a rechargeable battery, which can be recharged and supplies the radio module 13 or 13 with energy. FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a transportation unit 1 with a carriage 11 and a bag 12. The carriage 11 can be conveyed in a rail 2 of a conveyor device. A product 4 is also shown, on which a radio module 13 is arranged. Once the product 4 has been collected in the bag 12 the radio module 13 is assigned to the transportation unit 1, so that the transportation unit 1 can be spatially tracked by means of the radio module 13. The product 4 can also be spatially tracked before collection in the bag 12 and after removal from the bag 12, so that a spatial tracking of the product 4 is enabled across the entire supply chain.

[0078] FIG. 3 shows a schematic drawing of an embodiment of a conveyor installation configured as an overhead conveyor installation 100 with a plurality of transportation units 110 which are bound to conveyor sections configured as tracks 111 and can be conveyed along the tracks 111. The transportation units 110 comprise carriages which can be moved on the tracks 111 with variable distance relative to each other, and bags for holding transported goods. The overhead conveyor installation 100 comprises a radio system 101 for spatially tracking the transportation units 110.

[0079] The radio system comprises a stationary radio device 1011 with four antennas 1012, which receive radio signals from radio modules 1013 which are arranged on the transportation units 110. The radio modules 1013 have active transmitters which generate and emit radio signals. The radio signals emitted by the radio modules 1013 contain an identification, which allows a differentiation between the transportation units 110. In FIG. 3, for the sake of clarity the radio signals are only shown symbolically on some representative transportation units and on the antennas 1012.

[0080] The overhead conveyor installation 100 comprises the following conveyor devices: a filling device 102, in which the bags of the transportation units 110 are filled with transported goods, a storage device 103, a sorting device 104, a supplying device 105, in which a pre-sorted supply is performed, and an extraction device 106, from which the goods are removed for dispatch. The transportation units with empty bags issued from the extraction device 106 are stored in an empty storage device (not shown in FIG. 3), before they can be fed back to the filling device 102. In an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system 107, an order is raised and fed to a goods flow computer 108, which calculates the course of the transported goods conveyed in the overhead conveyor installation 100. The goods flow computer 108 is connected to a processing unit 109, which receives and processes radio signals from the antennas 1012. The path of the conveyor sections 111 is stored in the processing unit 109. The processing unit 109 determines the current position of the transportation units 110 along the conveyor sections 111 from the received radio signals of the antennas 1012 and on the basis of the stored path of the conveyor sections 111. The overhead conveyor installation 100 has switches 1111 for switching between the conveyor sections 111, wherein a defined trajectory which depends on the respective switch position is stored in the processing unit 109. The processing unit 109 compares the current position of a transportation unit 110 which has passed a switch 1111 with the defined trajectory and determines whether the transportation unit 110 has taken the branch provided in the defined trajectory, corresponding to the switch position, at the corresponding switch 1111.

[0081] From FIG. 3 it can be seen that the four antennas 1012 of the stationary radio device 1011 are arranged peripherally at four corner points of the overhead conveyor installation 100 and thus enable a continuous spatial tracking of the transportation units 110 in the overhead conveyor installation 100. The differentiation of the transportation units 110 by means of the identification in the radio signals allows a simultaneous spatial tracking of the transportation units 110 that are moving in the overhead conveyor installation 100. The processing unit 109 is connected to a GUI 120, on which the current positions of the transportation units 110 can be displayed. A plant operator can monitor the overhead conveyor installation 100 and the transportation units 110 via the GUI 120 and intervene as required in the event of faults.

[0082] FIG. 4 shows a block diagram with the processing unit 109, the ERP system 107, the goods flow computer 108 and the GUI 120 of FIG. 3. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 a control unit 1091 is integrated into the processing unit 109. The control unit 1091 comprises a radio control system 1091a for controlling the radio system, and an installation control system 1091b for controlling the switches. The processing unit 109 also comprises a memory 1092, in which the control unit 1091 can store the path of the conveyor sections and/or the defined trajectories. The processing unit 109 also comprises a processor 1093, which can calculate the current position of the transportation units from the radio signals and on the basis of the path of the conveyor sections, which is stored in the memory 1092. The processor 1093 compares the current position of the transportation units with a stored, defined trajectory and if the position of a transportation unit deviates from the defined trajectory, outputs an error message to the GUI 120. The processor 1093 can also receive inputs from an installation operator via the GUI 120 and transfer them to the control unit 1091.

[0083] FIG. 5 shows a side view of an embodiment of a storage device 103 with transportation units 110, 110a, 110b. The diagram shows four antennas 1012 of a radio system of the overhead conveyor installation and radio modules 1013, which are arranged on the bags 1101, 1101a, 1101b of the transportation units 110, 110a, 110b and comprise transmitters. The antennas 1012, as shown in FIG. 3, can be common antennas for the entire overhead conveyor installation, or antennas which are arranged specifically for the storage device 103 and customized to the spatial resolution requirements of the storage device 103. The transportation units 110, 110a, 110b comprise carriages 1102 which can be conveyed in a track 111 with variable distance relative to each other. Due to the substantially isotropic radiation of the transmitters of the radio modules 1013, the influence of the orientation of the bags 1101, 1101a, 1101b on the accuracy of the determination of the current position of the radio modules 1013 or of the transportation units 110, 110a, 110b is minimal and typically negligible. FIG. 5 shows for illustration purposes two bags 1101a, 1101b, which are oriented at 9020 relative to each other.

[0084] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of an extraction device 106. Four peripherally positioned antennas 1012 of a stationary radio device are shown schematically. Radio modules 1013 are arranged on the transportation units 110, which exchange radio signals with the antennas 1012. The transportation units 110 comprise bags 1101 in which transported goods are conveyed, which are removed by people 3 in the extraction device 106 for dispatch, for example.

[0085] FIG. 7 shows a further embodiment of a storage device 103 of an overhead conveyor installation. Transportation units 110 with radio modules are conveyed in the storage device 103 in a track 111. The storage device 103 comprises switches 1111 by means of which the transportation units 110 can branch off depending on the switch position. The radio system with the antennas 1012 and the radio modules of the transportation units 110 determine whether the transportation units 110 have taken the intended branch.

[0086] FIG. 8 shows a detail of another embodiment of a conveyor installation, which is configured as a belt conveyor installation. In the detail in FIG. 6 a belt conveyor 200 of the belt conveyor installation is shown. The belt conveyer 200 comprises a conveyor belt 211, on which transportation units 210a, 210b, 210c are conveyed. The transportation units 210a, 210b, 210c comprise containers 2101, in which transportation goods 2104 are carried. On each of the containers 2101 radio modules 2013a, 2013b, 2013c are arranged, which comprise transmitters and receivers. The belt conveyor installation comprises a radio system 201, which comprises the radio modules 2013a, 2013b, 2013c and a stationary radio device 2011 with four antennas 2012. The antennas 2012 comprise receivers which receive radio signals of the transmitters of the radio modules 2013a, 2013b, 2013c. The belt conveyor 200 comprises a switch 2111, by means of which the transportation units 210a, 210b, 210c can be branched off. In the configuration shown, the radio module 2013a of the transportation unit 210a, which is located before the switch 2111, can be used as an additional receiver in order to determine, together with the receivers of the stationary radio device 2011, the current position of the transportation units 210b, 210c behind the switch with higher accuracy.