CONVEYOR SYSTEM HAVING A DEVICE FOR STEERING HORIZONALLY CONVEYED MATERIALS

Abstract

A drivable roller having a cylindrical surface for use in a conveyor system for steering conveyed materials conveyed horizontally across the roller, and an arrangement including such a roller. The roller can be connected to a vacuum device and has at least one vacuum opening for generating a vacuum in the region of the cylindrical surface and which opens into the cylindrical surface of the roller.

Claims

1. A drivable roller having a cylindrical surface for use in a conveyor system for steering conveyed materials conveyed horizontally across the roller, wherein the roller can be connected to a vacuum device and the roller comprises at least one vacuum opening for generating a vacuum in the region of the cylindrical surface and which opens into the cylindrical surface of the roller.

2. The roller according to claim 1, wherein the roller having the at least one vacuum opening is implemented for exerting a retaining force on the horizontally conveyed material.

3. The roller according to claim 1, wherein the roller comprises an axle having an inner cavity and an annular roller body rotatably supported about the axle and implementing the cylindrical surface.

4. The roller according to claim 3, wherein the axle comprises at least one pass-through opening leading from the inner cavity outward to the annular roller body, and the at least one pass-through opening, together with the at least one vacuum opening, forming a continuous passage relative to the axle in a defined range of rotary orientation of the roller body.

5. The roller according to claim 4, wherein the pass-through opening can be oriented toward a conveying space for conveyed materials.

6. The roller according to claim 1, wherein the annular roller body comprises a plurality of vacuum openings disposed one after another and spaced apart from each other along the direction of rotation of the roller body.

7. The roller according to claim 4, wherein the annular roller body comprises a plurality of vacuum openings disposed adjacent to each other and spaced apart from each other parallel to the axis of rotation of the roller body.

8. The roller according to claim 4, wherein the pass-through opening has a greater extent than the vacuum opening at the outer surface of the axle as seen along the direction of rotation of the roller body, thus defining a range of rotary orientation in which the pass-through opening and the vacuum opening form a continuous passage.

9. The roller according to claim 1, wherein the roller or the roller body is enlaced at least partially by a flexible force transfer element for producing a force-transmitting frictional contact to a conveyed material supported on the roller.

10. An arrangement for use in a conveyor system for steering conveyed materials conveyed horizontally across the arrangement and having at least one drivable roller according to claim 1, and a drive for driving the at least one roller.

11. The arrangement according to claim 10, further comprising a pivot device for pivoting the at least one drivable roller about a pivot axis disposed perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the at least one roller.

12. The arrangement according to claim 10, further comprising a flat support structure implementing a support surface for the conveyed materials, wherein the support structure comprises at least one recess in which the at least one drivable roller is inset such that a segment of the cylindrical surface of said roller protrudes past the support surface.

13. The arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the force transfer element is implemented as a drive belt and the at least one roller is driven by the drive belt at least partially enlacing the roller.

14. The arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the arrangement comprises at least one roller module having at least one drivable roller roller.

15. The arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the rollers of a roller module can be driven by a common drive.

16. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein a plurality of rollers can be pivoted via a common pivot device.

17. The arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the roller module can be pivoted by a pivot device.

18. The arrangement according to claim 10, further comprising a vacuum device for generating a vacuum at the cylindrical surface of the at least one roller.

19. A conveyor system comprising a conveyor device for horizontally conveying conveyed materials and comprising an arrangement according to claim 10 for steering the horizontally conveyed materials.

20. The use of the drivable roller according to in the arrangement according to claim 10, as a conveyor gate in a conveyor system for horizontally conveying conveyed materials.

21. The use of the drivable roller and the arrangement according to claim 10, in a conveyor system for horizontally conveying conveyed materials as a positioning device for changing the position of conveyed materials in the conveying space of a conveyor device, such as a change of position of the conveyed materials transverse to the conveying direction or parallel to the conveying direction, particularly distancing and/or converging of the conveyed materials or rotating of the conveyed materials.

22. The use of the drivable roller and the arrangement according to claim 10, in a conveyor system for horizontally conveying conveyed materials as a feeding device for feeding conveyed materials to a conveyor device of the conveyor system.

23. The use of the drivable roller and the arrangement according to claim 10, in a conveyor system for horizontally conveying conveyed materials as a dispensing device for dispensing conveyed materials from a conveyor device of the conveyor system.

24. A method for steering horizontally conveyed materials via an arrangement according to claim 10, wherein a vacuum is generated in the region of the at least one vacuum opening at the cylindrical surface of the at least one driven roller for exerting a retaining and entraining force on a conveyed material supported on the at least one driven roller, such that the conveyed material is steered out of the previous conveying direction thereof by pivoting the at least one driven roller about the pivot axis thereof.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0120] The object of the invention is explained in further detail below using preferred embodiment examples shown in the attached drawings. They show, schematically in each case:

[0121] FIG. 1: a perspective view of a roller according to the invention;

[0122] FIG. 2: a side view of the roller according to FIG. 1;

[0123] FIG. 3: a cross-section view of the roller body of the roller according to FIG. 1 lengthwise to the axis of rotation;

[0124] FIG. 4a-e: cross-section views of the roller according to FIG. 1 transverse to the axis of rotation;

[0125] FIG. 5: a cross-section view of the roller according to FIG. 1 lengthwise to the axis of rotation;

[0126] FIG. 6: a side view of a roller arrangement;

[0127] FIG. 7: a combined side and cross-section view of a roller drive;

[0128] FIG. 8: a side view of a further roller drive;

[0129] FIG. 9: a cross-section view of a further roller drive;

[0130] FIG. 10: a cross-section view of a further roller drive;

[0131] FIG. 11: a cross-section view of a further roller drive;

[0132] FIG. 12: a cross-section view of a further roller drive;

[0133] FIG. 13: perspective views of roller modules in various pivot positions;

[0134] FIG. 14a-c: perspective views of a position changing arrangement in a conveyor system having roller modules in various pivot positions;

[0135] FIG. 15a-d: plan views of a position changing arrangement in a conveyor system having roller modules in various pivot positions;

[0136] FIG. 16: a plan view of a conveyor system having a conveyor gate;

[0137] FIG. 17: a plan view of a sorting system having a plurality of dispensing or delivery devices for dispensing or delivering conveyed materials;

[0138] FIG. 18: perspective view of a further conveyor system having a position changing arrangement in the function of a conveyor gate;

[0139] FIG. 19: the conveyor system according to FIG. 18 having an alternative deflection of the conveyed materials.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0140] The roller 1 according to FIGS. 1 through 5 includes an axle 4 and an annular roller body 5 rotatably supported about the axle 4 by means of ball bearings 10. A gap seal 12 is disposed between the roller body 5 and the axle 4. The axle 4 has an inner cavity 6 connected to a vacuum generator 16 by means of a connection interface 11 (see FIG. 5). The connection interface 11 and the vacuum generator 16 are part of a vacuum device. A pass-through opening 7 leads radially outward from the inner cavity 6 of the axle 4.

[0141] The roller body 5 includes a cylindrical surface 2. A plurality of vacuum openings 3 are oriented radially outward toward the cylindrical surface 2, starting from the axle 4, and open into the cylindrical surface 2. The vacuum openings 3 are disposed annularly and uniformly spaced apart from each other about the axle 4. The vacuum openings 3 accordingly lie in a common plane disposed perpendicular to the axis of rotation DA of the roller body 5. A uniform arrangement of the vacuum openings 3 along the cylindrical surface 2 leads to a vacuum acting uniformly on the cylindrical surface 2.

[0142] On both sides of the annularly disposed vacuum openings 3, one force transfer element 9 each implemented as an annular plastic element having a circular cross section enlaces the roller body 5. Each force transfer element 9 runs in an annular outer groove inset into the cylindrical surface 2 of the roller body 5 parallel to the direction of rotation DR of the roller 1.

[0143] By rotating the roller body 5 relative to the axle 4, the vacuum openings 3 are displaced past the pass-through opening 7 (see FIGS. 4a through 4e). When a vacuum opening 3 contacts the pass-through opening 7, a continuous passage 8 is formed and conducts a vacuum generated in the inner cavity 6 of the axle 4 to the cylindrical surface 2.

[0144] The pass-through opening 7 has a greater extent or width than the vacuum opening 3 at the outer surface of the axle 4 in the direction of rotation DR of the roller body 5, where the pass-through opening contacts the roller body 5 and the vacuum opening 3 in the roller body. The continuous passage 8 between the pass-through opening 7 and the corresponding vacuum opening 3 is thereby formed not only in a single rotary orientation of the roller body 5, but also across a range of rotary orientation or rotary angle range DB (see FIG. 4a).

[0145] It is evident from FIGS. 4a through 4e how a vacuum opening 3 is displaced past the pass-through opening 7 along a circular arc as the roller body 5 rotates about the axle 4 and temporarily forms a continuous passage 8 together with the pass-through opening. The width of the pass-through opening 7 at the outer surface of the axle 4 in the direction of rotation DR of the roller body 5 is within a range of rotary orientation or rotational angle range DB covering a circular sector by means of the circular arc. The vacuum opening 3 now forms a continuous passage 8 together with the pass-through opening 7 within the range of rotary orientation DB.

[0146] Simultaneous to the exiting of the range of rotary orientation DB, and thus to the eliminating of the continuous passage 8, a subsequent vacuum opening 3 enters the range of rotary orientation DB and again forms a continuous passage 8 together with the stationary pass-through opening 7. It is thus ensured that a continuous passage 8 is always formed in the range of rotary orientation.

[0147] Therefore, a vacuum is always implemented in the region of the cylindrical surface 2 only in the range of rotary orientation by means of at least one vacuum opening 3.

[0148] It is possible that two or even more than two vacuum openings 3 are present in the range of rotary orientation DB and implement a vacuum in the region of the cylindrical surface 2 at the same time.

[0149] The stationary range of rotary orientation DB is oriented toward the conveyor space. The circular arc of the cylindrical surface 2 defined by the range of rotary orientation DB is present above a support surface 44.1 in the conveyor space.

[0150] FIG. 6 shows a position changing arrangement having a plurality of rollers 1 according to FIGS. 1 through 3, the rollers being inset in recesses of a flat support structure 44.1 and a roller segment thereof protruding past the support surface of the support structure 44.1 into the conveyor space.

[0151] FIGS. 7 through 12 show various embodiments for driving the rollers 1 according to the invention, hereafter referred to as steering rollers 1, as described for example using FIGS. 1 through 6.

[0152] The embodiments according to FIGS. 7 through 10 are characterized by a belt drive 42.1, 42.2, 42.3 having a circumferential, that is, endless drive belt 9, 13. The belt drive 42.1, 42.2, 42.3 includes a driven drive roller or drive shaft 14 partially enlaced by the drive belt 9, 13. The drive belt 9, 13 in turn partially enlaces the steering roller 1. The drive force for rotating the steering rollers 1 is transferred from the drive roller or drive shaft 14 via the drive belt 9, 13 to the steering roller 1.

[0153] The embodiments according to FIGS. 7 through 9 also have in common that the drive belt 9 simultaneously corresponds to the force transfer element for exerting an entraining force on a conveyed material 20 supported on the steering roller 1. The drive belt 9 is guided accordingly across the roller segment of the steering roller 1 protruding into the conveyor space.

[0154] According to the embodiment from FIG. 7, the drive belt 9 may be a round belt and enlaces a stationary drive shaft 14. The drive shaft 14 is disposed below the steering roller 1. By pivoting the steering roller 1 about the pivot axis SA, the drive belt 9 is twisted. This has the advantage that the drive shaft 14 itself need not be pivoted as well.

[0155] The arrangement according to FIG. 8 corresponds to the embodiment from FIG. 7, with the difference that two steering rollers 1 are driven by a common drive shaft 14. FIG. 8 also shows the support structure 44.1 out of which the steering rollers 1 protrude into the conveyor space. The drive shaft 14 is disposed, as in FIG. 7, below the steering roller 1 and thus below the support structure 44.1 and the conveyor space.

[0156] According to the embodiment from FIG. 9, two adjacent steering rollers 1 are driven by a common drive belt 9. The drive belt 9 is driven in turn by a drive roller 14. The drive roller 14 is disposed between the axes of rotation DA of the two steering rollers 1 and below the roller midplane passing through the two axes of rotation DA.

[0157] The drive belt 9 is deflected upward to a first steering roller 1 by means of a first deflecting roller 15 and enlaces the steering roller 1 at least in the region of a range of rotary orientation. That is, the drive belt 9 enlaces the roller segment of the first steering roller 1 protruding above the conveyor surface into the conveyor space, analogous to FIGS. 7 and 8. On the other side of the roller, the drive belt 9 is guided downward again after enlacing more than half of the circumference of the first steering roller 1 and partially enlaces the drive roller 14. After partially enlacing the drive roller 14 around of the circumference of the roller, the drive belt is again deflected upward. The belt now enlaces the second steering roller 1 in at least the range of rotary orientation. That is, the drive belt 9 enlaces the roller segment of the second steering roller 1 protruding above the conveyor surface into the conveyor space, analogous to the first steering roller 1. On the other side of the roller, the drive belt 9 is again deflected downward toward a second deflecting roller 15 after enlacing more than half the circumference of the second steering roller 1. At the second deflecting roller 15, the drive belt 9 is again deflected to the first deflecting roller 15.

[0158] The present embodiment is characterized by a large enlacing angle both at the two steering rollers 1 and at the drive roller 14.

[0159] According to the embodiment from FIG. 10, two adjacent steering rollers 1 are also driven by a common drive belt 13. The drive belt 13 is driven in turn by a drive roller 14. The drive roller 14 is disposed between the axes of rotation DA of the two steering rollers 1 and below the roller midplane passing through the two axes of rotation DA, analogous to the embodiment from FIG. 9.

[0160] Unlike the embodiment from FIG. 9, however, the drive belt 13 is guided below the steering rollers 1 and in particular is not guided through the range of rotary orientation of the steering rollers 1 protruding into the conveyor space and not across the roller segment protruding past the conveyor surface into the conveyor space.

[0161] Rather, the drive belt partially enlaces a deflecting roller 15 or drive roller 14 and a steering roller 1 alternately in a horizontally oriented wave pattern. Thus the drive belt 13 is first guided above a first deflecting roller 15, then below a first steering roller 1, then above the drive roller 14, then again below the second steering roller 1, and subsequently again above a second deflecting roller 15. Each of the steering rollers 1, 14, 15 is partially enlaced by the drive belt 13.

[0162] The present embodiment is characterized in that the belt drive 42.2 is disposed entirely below the support structure 44.1.

[0163] According to the embodiment from FIG. 11, the steering roller 1 is driven directly by a drive roller 14 of a drive 42.4. The drive roller is disposed at a bottom crest of the steering roller 1. In the present case, two adjacent steering rollers 1 are each driven by means of separate drive rollers 14. The two drive rollers 14 may, however, be coupled by technical drive means, for example by means of a belt, a chain, or gears.

[0164] According to the embodiment from FIG. 12, two adjacent steering rollers 1 are driven directly by a common drive roller 14 of a drive 42.4. The drive roller 14 is disposed between the axes of rotation DA of the two steering rollers 1 and below the roller midplane passing through the two axes of rotation DA, analogous to the embodiments from FIGS. 9 and 10. The difference is that the drive roller 14 according to FIG. 12 directly drives the steering rollers 1.

[0165] The drive roller 14 accordingly implements a particularly linear drive contact to each of the steering rollers 1.

[0166] FIG. 13 shows a roller module 46 implemented as a turntable in various pivot positions. The roller module 46 includes a circular or saucer-shaped support body 44.1 having four recesses 45.1 in each of which a roller 1 is inset. A roller segment of the rollers 1 protrudes past the support surface of the support body 44.1 such that a conveyed material 20 supported on the roller module 46 is supported by the rollers 1.

[0167] The roller module 46 is pivotably supported about a pivot axis SA in the pivot direction SR by means of a pivot device 43 (see also FIG. 14a-14e). The pivoting of the rollers 1 thus takes place by means of pivoting the roller module 46.

[0168] FIGS. 14a to 14c show an embodiment of a position changing arrangement 41 according to the invention having a flat support structure 44.2 in which a plurality of roller modules 46 having circular support bodies 44.1, as previously described in conjunction with FIG. 13, are inset by means of recesses 45.2 in columns and rows and uniformly spaced apart from each other.

[0169] The support surfaces of the support body 44.1 are disposed flush with the support surface of the support structure 44.2. The support surfaces of the support body 44.1 and of the support structure 44.2 are therefore in a common support plane.

[0170] The roller modules 46 are pivotably supported about the pivot axis SA relative to the support structure 44.2.

[0171] In FIG. 14a, the tangential direction of rotation DR of the rollers 1 runs parallel to the main conveying direction F. The conveyed materials 20 are conveyed accordingly by the rollers 1 or the roller modules 46 of the position changing arrangement 41 in the main conveying direction F.

[0172] The position changing arrangement 41 and accordingly the pivot position of the roller modules 46 is controlled by means of a control device 60. Furthermore, the rotary velocity or rotary speed of the individual rollers 1 or the rollers 1 of a roller module 46 and the direction of rotation thereof may be controlled by means of the control device 60.

[0173] In FIG. 14b, the rollers 1 or the roller modules 46 are pivoted to the right and the tangential direction of rotation DR of the rollers 1 runs at an angle to the main conveying direction F and faces toward the right as seen in the main conveying direction F.

[0174] In FIG. 14c, the rollers 1 or the roller modules 46 are pivoted to the left and the tangential direction of rotation DR of the rollers 1 also runs at an angle to the main conveying direction F, but faces toward the left as seen in the main conveying direction F.

[0175] An infeed conveyor 31.1 having a flat conveyor structure 32, such as a conveyor belt, and having a conveyor surface 22 on which the conveyed materials 20 are conveyed in the main conveying direction F of the position changing arrangement 41 is disposed upstream of the position changing arrangement 41. An onward conveyor 31.1 having a flat conveyor structure 32, such as a conveyor belt, and having a conveyor surface 22 on which conveyed materials 20 transferred from the position changing arrangement 41 are conveyed onward in the main conveying direction F is disposed downstream, subsequently to the position changing arrangement 41.

[0176] The conveyor surfaces 22 of the infeed and onward conveyors 31.1 are particularly flush with the support surface of the support structure 44.2 of the position changing arrangement 41, that is, the surfaces lie in one plane.

[0177] The position changing arrangement 41 according to FIGS. 14a through 14c can be used, for example, for discharging or dispensing conveyed materials 20 at a discharge or dispensing station, respectively.

[0178] According to the embodiment of FIGS. 15a through 15d, the position changing arrangement, such as is shown in FIGS. 14a through 14c, is a positioning device 51 for positioning the conveyed materials 20 in the conveyor space of a conveyor 31.1 for horizontally conveying conveyed materials 20, such as a belt conveyor.

[0179] The positioning may be a change in position of the conveyed materials 20 transverse to the main conveying direction F by pivoting the roller modules 46 (see FIGS. 15a and 15b).

[0180] The positioning may also be a change in position of the conveyed materials 20 relative to a different conveyed material 20 along the main conveying direction F by accelerating or decelerating the conveyed materials 20 by means of the roller modules 46 (see FIG. 15c).

[0181] The positioning may also be a rotating of the conveyed materials 20 by individually pivoting the roller modules 46 (see FIG. 15d).

[0182] Furthermore, rotating of the conveyed material 20 may also take place by means of different rotary speeds of the individual rollers 1 or the rollers 1 of a roller module 46, and by a different direction of rotation of the rollers on which the conveyed material 20 is supported.

[0183] FIG. 16 shows a conveyor system 21.1 having a position changing arrangement, such as is shown in FIGS. 14a through 14c, here implementing a conveyor gate 50 for steering the conveyed materials 20 from an infeed conveyor 31.1 to in each case one onward conveyor 31.2, 31.3, 31.4 of the infeed conveyor 31.1 branching in the region of the conveyor gate 50. Depending on the pivot position of the rollers 1 or the roller modules 46, the conveyed materials 20 are steered to the left onto a first branching onward conveyor 31.2, straight ahead onto a second branching onward conveyor 31.3, or to the right onto a third branching conveyor 31.4.

[0184] The three onward conveyors 31.2, 31.3, 31.4 convey the conveyed materials 20 in the present example to each dispensing or delivering zone having a plurality of dispensing or delivery stations 54 at which the conveyed materials 20 may be dispensed or delivered. Of course, the conveyor gate 50 may also be used for any other arbitrary applications in the field of horizontal conveying.

[0185] The conveyor gate 50 is controlled accordingly by means of a control device 60.

[0186] FIG. 17 shows a conveyor system 21.2 implemented as a sorter. The conveyor system 21.2 includes an infeed conveyor 31.1 having a flat conveyor structure 32 for horizontally conveying the conveyed materials 20. The infeed conveyor 31.1 conveys the conveyed materials 20 into a dispensing or delivering zone including a plurality of dispensing or delivery stations 54 disposed one after another. The conveyed materials 20 may be dispensed or delivered laterally to the left or right at the dispensing or delivery stations 54 or may be conveyed onward straight ahead. A position changing arrangement having the function of a dispensing or delivering device 53 is disposed at each dispensing or delivery station. The conveyed materials 20 are dispensed or delivered to the left or right or conveyed onward straight ahead by a corresponding pivot position of the rollers 1 or roller modules 46.

[0187] The dispensing devices 53 are controlled accordingly by means of a control device 60.

[0188] FIGS. 18 and 19 show a conveyor system 21.3 having a position changing arrangement 41, such as is shown in FIGS. 14a through 14c, here implementing a conveyor gate for steering the conveyed materials 20 from an infeed conveyor 31.1 to in each case one onward conveyor 31.2, 31.3 of the infeed conveyor 31.1 branching in the region of the conveyor gate. The infeed conveyor 31.1 and the two onward conveyors 31.2, 31.3 each include a flat conveyor structure, such as a conveyor belt.

[0189] The conveyor devices F, F of the two onward conveyors 31.2, 31.3 are at right angles to each other, wherein the conveying direction F of a first onward conveyor 31.2 corresponds to the main conveying direction F of the infeed conveyor 31.1. The conveyed material 20 is accordingly deflected at a right angle from the infeed conveyor 31.1 onto the second onward conveyor 31.3.

[0190] The conveyed materials 20 are letters in the present example. As indicated above, other materials may also be conveyed.

[0191] According to FIG. 18, the conveyed material 20 is rotated simultaneously in the conveying direction F of the second onward conveyor 31.3 when deflecting by 90 (angle degrees), so that the longitudinal axis of the conveyed material 20 always runs parallel to the current conveying direction. The change in position of the conveyed material 20 therefore corresponds to a combination of a change in the conveying direction by 90 (angle degrees) and a rotating of the conveyed material 20 also by 90.

[0192] The deflecting of the conveyed material 20 while simultaneously rotating the same takes place both by pivoting the rollers 1 or roller modules 46 about a pivot axis and by different rotary speeds of the rollers 1 or the rollers 1 of the individual roller modules 46 on which the conveyed material 20 is supported. The rollers 1 may optionally also have a different direction of rotation.

[0193] According to FIG. 19, when deflecting the conveyed material 20, only a change in the conveying direction F of the conveyed material 20 by 90 (angle degrees) takes place, without changing the orientation thereof. The deflecting takes place here, for example, exclusively by pivoting about the pivot axis the corresponding rollers 1 or roller modules 46 on which the conveyed material 20 is supported.