A Conveyor Sorting Device

Abstract

A conveyor sorting device that comprises an input port for receiving objects of different object categories, and a sorting device with a handling unit constituting a holding device for receiving and holding an object input via the input port and a transfer device for transferring said object to a primary storage unit. Said primary storage unit comprises a plurality of n primary storage positions each of said primary storage positions being associated to a carrier for one specific object category. A secondary storage unit comprises a plurality of m secondary storage positions each of said secondary storage positions being associated to a carrier for one specific object category. A conveyor device has been adapted to convey a carrier from said primary storage unit to said secondary storage unit and to convey a carrier from said secondary storage unit to said primary storage unit.

Claims

1. A conveyor sorting device, comprising: an input port (10) for receiving objects of different object categories, a sorting device (20) with a handling unit comprising a holding device (21) for receiving and holding an object input via the input port (10) and a transfer device for transferring said object to a primary storage unit (30), characterized in that said primary storage unit (30) comprises a plurality of n primary storage positions (31, 32, 33, 34) each of said primary storage positions (31, 32, 33, 34) being associated to a carrier (340) for one specific object category, a secondary storage unit (50) comprising a plurality of m secondary storage positions each of said secondary storage positions being associated to a carrier (340) for one specific object category, a conveyor device adapted to convey a carrier (340) from said primary storage unit (30) (30) to said secondary storage unit (50) and to convey a carrier (340) from said secondary storage unit (50) to said primary storage unit (30), a control unit adapted to receive information identifying an input category of an input object transferred to the sorting device (20) via the input port (10), to compare said input category with the said categories associated with said primary storage positions (31, 32, 33, 34), if any of said primary storage positions (31, 32, 33, 34) is associated to said input category: to control said handling unit for receiving said input object and to transfer said input object to a primary storage position associated to said input category, if none of said primary storage positions (31, 32, 33, 34) is associated to said input category to control said conveyor device to convey one of said carriers (340) from one of said primary storage positions (31, 32, 33, 34) to said secondary storage unit (50), to control said secondary storage unit (50) to provide a carrier (340) stored in said secondary storage unit (50) and associated with said input category to said conveyor device, to control said conveyor device to convey said carrier (340) provided by said secondary storage unit (50) to said one of said primary storage positions (31, 32, 33, 34) wherefrom a carrier (340) had been transferred to said secondary storage unit (50), and to control said handling unit for receiving said input object and to transfer said input object to the primary storage position comprising said carrier (340) which had been transferred from said secondary storage unit (50) and which is associated to said input category.

2. The conveyor sorting device according to claim 1, characterized in that said conveyor device comprises a first conveying track (310, 40) for conveying a carrier (340) from said primary storage unit (30) to said secondary storage unit (50) and a second conveying track (320, 40) for conveying a carrier (340) from said second storage unit to said first storage unit.

3. The conveyor sorting device according to claim 1, characterized in that said conveyor device comprises a single conveying track (40) for conveying a carrier (340) from said primary storage unit (30) to said secondary storage unit (50) and vice versa.

4. The conveyor sorting device according to claim 2, characterized in that each of said conveying track (310, 320, 40) comprises a. a rack element (310a-d, 320a-d) extending along a conveying direction, said rack element (310a-d, 320a-d) comprising a movable load carrying surface defined by a movable carrier (340) device, b. a robot unit (42) comprising a traction device for driving said robot unit (42) along said rack element (310a-d, 320a-d) in said conveying direction and a driving device adapted to couple with said movable carrier device and to drive said movable carrier device, wherein said coupling of said driving device to said movable carrier device enables said driving device to move said movable load carrying surface.

5. The conveyor sorting device according to claim 4, characterized in that said movable carrier device comprises a plurality of rollers (41a, b, c, . . . ) each of said rollers (41a, b, c, . . . ) being rotatably mounted to said rack element (310a-d, 320a-d), wherein said plurality of rollers (41a, b, c, . . . ) are arranged side by side to define said movable load carrying surface by an upper part of a circumferential surface of said rollers (41a, b, c, . . . ) and to form a coupling surface for coupling to said driving device of said robot unit (42).

6. The conveyor sorting device according to claim 5, characterized in that said control unit is adapted to control said robot unit (42) such that c. in a conveying mode said traction device moves said robot unit (42) along said conveying track (40) in said conveying direction with a traction speed and said driving device is driven in opposite direction to said conveying direction with a conveying speed which is twice as high as the traction speed.

7. The conveyor sorting device according to claim 5, characterized in that said control unit is adapted to control said robot unit (42) such that d. in an expelling/grabbing mode said traction device is stationary such that said robot unit (42) device is stationary at an expelling/grabbing position at said rack element (310a-d, 320a-d) and said driving device is driven with an expelling/grabbing speed.

8. The conveyor sorting device according to claims 6, characterized in that said expelling/grabbing speed is equal to said traction speed.

9. The conveyor sorting device according to claim 1, characterized in that n>m and wherein said control unit is adapted to identify m+n different categories.

10. The conveyor sorting device according to claim 4, characterized by a cross traverse rack element (350) adapted to take up said robot unit (42), wherein said cross traverse rack element (350) comprises a traverse movable load carrying device having an upper traverse load surface adapted to take up an object and a traverse coupling interface, wherein said cross traverse rack element (350) is adapted to move in a lateral direction with respect to a conveying direction from said primary storage unit (30) to said secondary storage unit (50) and vice versa, wherein said cross traverse rack element (350) is further adapted to couple to any of said primary storage positions (31, 32, 33, 34) and to transfer an object positioned on said traverse load surface to any of said primary storage positions (31, 32, 33, 34), wherein by said lateral movement said cross traverse rack element (350) moves along a number of m positions, each of said m positions corresponding to a position where said cross traverse rack element (350) is positioned to transfer an object to one of said m primary storage positions (31, 32, 33, 34).

11. The conveyor sorting device according to claim 10, characterized in that said cross traverse rack element (350) comprises a traverse traction device with a traverse traction coupling interface adapted to couple to said traction device or said driving device of said robot unit (42) when said robot unit (42) taken up by said cross traverse rack element (350) such that a driving force transmitted via said traverse traction coupling interface from said robot unit (42) to said traverse traction device drives the lateral movement of the cross traverse rack element (350) with said robot unit (42) taken up.

12. The conveyor sorting device according to claim 10, characterized in that said traverse coupling interface is adapted to couple to said driving device of said robot unit (42) and wherein a force transferred via said traverse coupling interface from said driving device to said traverse movable carrier device conveys an object positioned on said traverse load carrying surface.

13. A method for sorting objects in a conveyor sorting device, characterized by the steps of: receiving objects of different object categories at an input port (10), transferring said object to a primary storage unit (30) by a sorting device (20) with a handling unit, wherein said primary storage unit (30) comprises a plurality of n primary storage positions (31, 32, 33, 34) each of said primary storage positions (31, 32, 33, 34) being associated to a carrier (340) for one specific object category, receiving information identifying an input category of an input object transferred to the sorting device (20) via the input port (10) in a control unit, comparing said input category with the said categories associated with said primary storage positions (31, 32, 33, 34) in said control unit, f any of said primary storage positions (31, 32, 33, 34) is associated to said input category: controlling said handling unit for receiving said input object and to transfer said input object to a primary storage position (31, 32, 33, 34) associated to said input category, if none of said primary storage positions (31, 32, 33, 34) is associated to said input category to control said conveyor device to convey one of said carriers (340) from one of said primary storage positions (31, 32, 33, 34) along to a secondary storage unit (50), wherein said secondary storage unit (50) comprises a plurality of m secondary storage positions each of said secondary storage positions being associated to a carrier (340) for one specific object category, controlling said secondary storage unit (50) to provide a carrier stored in said secondary storage unit (50) and associated with said input category to said conveyor device, controlling said conveyor device to convey said carrier (340) provided by said secondary storage unit (50) to said one of said primary storage positions (31, 32, 33, 34) wherefrom a carrier (340) had been transferred to said secondary storage unit (50), and controlling said handling unit for receiving said input object and to transfer said input object to the primary storage position comprising said carrier which had been transferred from said secondary storage unit (50) and which is associated to said input category.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that said carrier (340) is conveyed along a first conveying track (310, 40) from said primary storage unit (30) to said secondary storage unit (50) and wherein said carrier (340) is conveyed along a second conveying track (320, 40) for conveying a carrier (340) from said second storage unit to said first storage unit, or wherein said carrier (340) is conveyed along a single conveying track (40) from said primary storage unit (30) to said secondary storage unit (50) and vice versa, wherein preferably said carrier (340) is conveyed on top of a movable load carrying surface of a movable carrier device along said conveying track (40) comprises a. And said conveying along said conveyor track is effected by a robot unit (42) comprising a traction device, wherein said robot unit (42) is driven along said rack element in said conveying direction by said traction device and wherein said robot unit (42) further comprises a driving device, wherein said driving device couples with said movable carrier device and drives said movable carrier device, wherein said coupling of said driving device to said movable carrier device enables said driving device to move said carrier on top of said movable load carrying surface, wherein further preferably b. in a conveying mode said control unit controls said robot unit (42) such that said traction device moves said robot unit (42) along said conveying track (40) in said conveying direction with a traction speed and said driving device is driven in opposite direction to said conveying direction with a conveying speed which is twice as high as the traction speed and/or c. in an expelling/grabbing mode said control unit controls said robot unit (42) such that said traction device is stationary such that said robot unit device (42) is stationary at an expelling/grabbing position at said rack element and said driving device is driven with an expelling/grabbing speed wherein preferably said expelling/grabbing speed is equal to said traction speed.

15. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that said conveyor device comprises a cross traverse rack element (350) adapted to take up said robot unit (42), wherein said cross traverse rack element (350) comprises a traverse movable load carrying device having an upper traverse load surface adapted to take up an object and a traverse coupling interface, wherein said cross traverse rack element (350) moves in a lateral direction with respect to a conveying direction from said primary storage unit (30) to said secondary storage unit (50) and vice versa, wherein said cross traverse rack element (350) couples to any of said primary storage positions (31, 32, 33, 34) and transfers an object positioned on said traverse load surface to said any of said primary storage positions (31, 32, 33, 34), wherein said cross traverse rack element (350) moves laterally along a number of m positions, each of said m positions corresponding to a position where said cross traverse rack element (350) is positioned to transfer an object to one of said m primary storage positions (31, 32, 33, 34), wherein further preferably said cross traverse rack element (350) comprises a traverse traction device with a traverse traction coupling interface coupling to said traction device or said driving device of said robot unit (42) when said robot unit (42) taken up by said cross traverse rack element (350), wherein a driving force is transmitted via said traverse traction coupling interface from said robot unit (42) to said traverse traction device said driving force driving the cross traverse rack element (350) laterally with said robot unit (42) taken up, and or, wherein preferably said traverse coupling interface couples to said driving device of said robot unit (42) and wherein a force is transferred via said traverse coupling interface from said driving device to said traverse movable carrier device and said force conveys an object positioned on said traverse load carrying surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0089] Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained with reference to the figures.

[0090] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a sorting device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0091] FIG. 2 shows a perspective cutout view of a part of the sorting device with a traverse rack element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0092] As can be seen in FIG. 1, the sorting of objects by the sorting device starts with an object being delivered to the sorting device via an input port 10 on the left side of the sorting device, shown in the figure. The input port 10 may be a virtual position, where objects are conveyed or delivered or wherein objects are positioned in any other manner. In the embodiment shown in the figure, a belt drive conveys an object to the input port.

[0093] A multi-axes robot unit 20 is provided to pick up objects delivered via the input part and to sort these objects to one of in a primary storage 30 having one of more, in particular four primary storage positions 31, 32, 33, 34. The robot unit 20 comprises a gripping unit 21 to grip, hold and release objects delivered via the input port and a handling unit comprising rotating joints and telescopic legs to position the object in one of the primary storage positions. The primary storage positions 31-34 are formed by a pallet placed in the respective primary storage position. The four primary storage positions form the primary storage unit. It is understood that less or more than four primary storage positions may be present in such primary storage unit according to the invention.

[0094] As can be seen, different objects are placed in the primary storage unit, wherein each pallet in a single primary storage position carries objects of one single category only. Thus, four specific categories can be directly sorted by the sorting device 20 to a position in the primary storage unit.

[0095] The pallets placed in the primary storage positions can be transferred via a conveying track 40 to a secondary storage unit 50. The conveying track 40 serves for a moving of pallets out of the primary storage unit to the secondary storage unit and vice versa. To this extent, the conveying track comprises a plurality of idle rollers 41a, b, c, upon which a pallet can be moved in a rolling condition of the idle rollers 41a, b, c, . . . . The idle rollers 41a, b, c are adapted for a rotating movement, but are not equipped with an integral drive for rotating the idle rollers. A robot unit 42 is positioned underneath the idle rollers 41a, b, c. The robot 42 comprises a driving device with a friction chain or belt adapted to frictionally engage the idle rollers 41a, b, c from underneath. The driven rollers of the robot unit 42 are arranged for a crawling movement such that the driven rollers and the robot unit can horizontally move along the idle rollers 41a, b, c with and maintain the frictional engagement of the driven rollers to the idle rollers 41a, b, c. The robot 42 further comprises four wheels contacting the ground surface including two traction wheels and being driven for moving the robot unit 42 along the conveying direction of the conveying track formed by the robot unit and the idle rollers 41a, b, c. The robot unit 42 thus may move forward and backward along the conveying direction defined by the conveying track and thus may convey pallets from the primary storage unit to the secondary storage unit and vice versa. Further, the robot unit 42 may be kept stationary at one end of the conveying track to grab a pallet out of the primary or the secondary storage unit by driving the driven rollers only and keeping the traction wheels stationary. This stationary driving of the driven rollers may further be used to expel a pallet into the primary storage unit or the secondary storage unit.

[0096] The secondary storage unit 50 comprises a plurality of pallet positions 51, 52, 53, . . . which are occupied by a corresponding number of pallets. The pallet positions are arranged in a carousel-like arrangement and the secondary storage unit may move the secondary storage positions by a rotating upward/downward movement to position a distinct secondary storage position with a specific pallet at an expelling/grabbing position to allow the robot unit 42 to grab that specific pallet out of the secondary storage unit.

[0097] The four pallets positioned in the primary storage unit 30 are envisaged to store objects of four specific categories, wherein these four categories are those which are currently mainly delivered via the input board into the sorting device. As long as only objects of any of these categories are delivered via the input board, the conveying track needs not to transport any pallets back or forth between the primary and the secondary storage unit. Rather, the sorting device may place such objects of any of these four categories directly onto the corresponding pallet associated with said category.

[0098] As soon as an object is delivered to the sorting device which does not belong to any of the four categories associated with the pallets based in the four primary storage positions, the robot unit 42 will pull out one of the pallets out of a primary storage position 31-34 and convey this pallet into a free pallet position 51, 52, 53, . . . in the secondary storage unit 50. This conveying action will move the robot unit 42 from the left position close to the primary storage unit 30 to the right position at the secondary storage unit 50 in a synchronous movement with the pallet to be transported. After the pallet has been positioned in the pallet position 51, 52, 53, . . . , the carousel of the secondary storage unit 50 will move and will position the specific pallet for carrying objects associated with the category of the particular object delivered to the input port 10 at a grabbing position wherein the robot unit 42 may grab the pallet out of the secondary storage unit 50. The robot unit 42 then moves back to the left, synchronously with that particular pallet grabbed out of the secondary storage unit 50. The pallet is expelled by the robot unit 40 to a free storage position 31-34 of the primary storage 30, which was occupied by the pallet delivered to the secondary storage unit 50 beforehand. The sorting device may then sort the object of the respective category on this pallet. This process may be repeated as soon as a further object of a sixth category is delivered to the sorting device via the input port.

[0099] FIG. 2 shows a schematic setup of a conveyor device. The conveyor device comprises a first conveying track 310 and a second conveying track 320. The conveying tracks 310, 320 are arranged in a parallel arrangement to each other such that pallets 340 may be conveyed in a first conveying direction on the first conveyor track 310 and a second conveying direction which is parallel, but in a lateral distance to the first conveying direction on the second conveyor track.

[0100] The two conveyor tracks thus are in a lateral distance to each other. Each conveyor track is composed of a plurality of rack elements 310b-d and 320b-d. The first conveyor track may serve to transport a pallet from a first storage unit to a second storage unit and the second conveyor track may serve to transport a pallet from the second storage unit to the first storage unit. Alternatively, a single conveyor track for transporting pallets in both directions may be present. Further, rack elements 310a and 320b are present which may be understood to each represent a primary storage position or to each represent a secondary storage position. It is understood, that in lateral distance to the rack elements, i.e. in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction along the conveyor tracks, further rack elements may be positioned which constitute further primary or secondary storage positions. It is further understood, that the secondary or primary storage unit is positioned at the opposed, left end of the conveyor track and is not depicted in FIG. 2. This storage unit at the other end may be configured by a plurality of single rack elements in lateral distance to each other, like the rack elements 310a, 320a.

[0101] Each conveyor track 310, 320 comprises a movable carrier device formed by a plurality of idle rollers and being capable of carrying a pallet and allowing such pallet to move in the conveying direction along the conveyor tracks. Underneath this movable carrier device formed by the idle rollers, a free space is present below the idle rollers. In this free space, a robot unit can move along the conveyor track and hereby drive the idle rollers with a driving device. By this, the pallet can be conveyed by the driving force transmitted by such robot unit along the conveyor track.

[0102] A cross traverse rack module 350 is arranged for transferring objects like a pallet from the first conveyor track to the second conveyor track and vice versa. The cross traverse rack element comprises a traction device which is adapted to move said cross traverse rack element in a traverse direction with respect to the conveying direction.

[0103] A gap is present between the rack elements 310a and 310b and between the rack elements 320a and 320b. This gap is dimensioned such that the cross traverse rack element 350 fits into this gap and fills this gap. If the cross traverse rack element is positioned in any such gap, the movable carrier device formed by the rack elements and the cross traverse rack element defines an upper continuous load carrying surface allowing an object like a pallet 340 to move over the whole length of the conveyor track.

[0104] The cross traverse rack element, to this extent, comprises a movable carrier device similar to those of the rack elements. Further, a space below this movable carrier device is present at the cross traverse rack element adapted for taking up a robot unit. The cross traverse rack element may transfer such robot unit simultaneously with a pallet or independently from such pallet from the gap in the first conveyor track to the gap in the second conveyor track and vice versa. By this, pallet and robot unit can be transferred between the two conveyor tracks. The cross traverse rack element may comprise a drive unit to drive the lateral movement between the two gaps of the conveyor tracks or may comprise a coupling interface adapted to couple to the traction device or the driving device of the robot unit such that the traction device or the driving device, respectively, may drive the traverse movement of the cross traverse rack element.

[0105] The cross traverse rack element may thus couple to any of the rack elements 310a, 320a or further rack elements constituting primary or secondary storage positions. A carrier like a pallet may be drawn from such rack element onto the cross traverse rack element or expelled to such rack element from the cross traverse rack element. The cross traverse rack element may convey a carrier like a pallet along the conveyor tracks to transport said carrier to the primary or secondary storage unit at the other end of the conveyor track, respectively.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0106] 10 input port

[0107] 20 robot unit

[0108] 21 gripping unit

[0109] 30 primary storage

[0110] 31, 32, 33, 34 storage position

[0111] 40 conveying track

[0112] 41a,b,c idle roller

[0113] 42 robot unit

[0114] 50 secondary storage unit

[0115] 51, 52, 53 . . . pallet position

[0116] 310 first conveying track

[0117] 310a-d first rack element

[0118] 320 second conveying track

[0119] 320a-c second rack element

[0120] 340 pallet

[0121] 350 cross traverse rack module