METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING ARTICLES, PIECE GOODS AND/OR CONTAINERS WITHIN AT LEAST TWO CONVEYING PATH SECTIONS

Abstract

The invention relates to a palletizing apparatus (10) and a method for conveying articles (16), piece goods, and/or bundles (18) and/or palletizable article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20) with at least two conveyor line sections (12, 14), each in a particular conveying direction (28, 29). Each conveyor line sections include consecutive handling stations, grouping stations, and/or transfer stations (32, 33, 40, 44, 48, 50), which lead to a central loading station (24), where the article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20) are stacked on top of each other and/or palletized in a common loading place (25). The loading station (24) is located between at least two vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52). The common loading place (25) is supplied with article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20).

Claims

1. A palletizing apparatus (10) for conveying articles (16), piece goods, and/or bundles (18) and/or palletizable article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20), comprising: at least two conveyor line sections (12, 14) including one or more handling stations, grouping stations, and/or transfer stations (32, 33, 40, 44, 48, 50) located consecutively in a conveying direction (28, 29), and a central loading station (24), wherein the at least two conveyor line sections (12, 14) lead into the central loading station (24) a common loading place (25) for stacking and/or palletizing the article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20) on top of each other, and at least two vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) are associated with the central loading station (24), wherein the at least two vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) form parts of, or are arranged downstream in the conveying direction (28, 29) from, the transfer stations (48, 50) of the at least two conveyor line sections (12, 14), and wherein the central loading station (24) is located between the vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) of the transfer stations (48, 50), which is suppliable alternately by the at least two support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) with article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20) to be palletized.

2. The palletizing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one lifting column (60, 61) associated with the central loading station (24), wherein the at least one lifting column (60, 61) comprises one or more vertically adjustable guiding devices (63), for being able to lift and lower the at least two support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) independently of one another.

3. The palletizing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least two support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52), together with the loading station (24) located therebetween, are approximately aligned with each other in each conveying direction (28, 29).

4. The palletizing apparatus of claim 3, wherein a conveying direction of at least one of the at least two support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) is oriented substantially perpendicular to a removal direction.

5. The palletizing apparatus of claim 3, wherein a conveying direction of at least one of the at least two support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) is oriented substantially parallel to or aligned with a removal direction.

6. The palletizing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the loading station (24) comprises at least one horizontal conveying element (76), which is oscillatingly movable between the at least two vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52).

7. The palletizing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one horizontal conveying element is formed by a circulating modular conveyor belt.

8. The palletizing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one horizontal conveying element is formed by a movable shutter element (76).

9. The palletizing apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a contact element (78) associated with the at least one horizontal conveying element (76).

10. The palletizing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) are suspended by way of traction means from the lifting column (60, 61) and are arranged thereat to be vertically motor-movable.

11. The palletizing apparatus of claim 10, wherein at least one apparatus (64, 68, 70) is associated with the loading place (25) for the purpose of depositing intermediate layers (66) between two article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20).

12. A method for palletizing articles (16), piece goods, and/or bundles (18) comprising: forming article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20) by supplying articles, piece goods, and/or bundles to one or more handling stations, grouping stations, and/or transfer stations (32, 33, 40, 44, 48, 50) located within at least two conveyor line sections (12, 14), alternately supplying article layers, piece good layers, and or bundle layers (20), from each of the at least two conveyor line section (12, 14), to a central loading station (24), wherein at least two vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) are included in or associated with the loading station (24), and wherein the at least two vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) form parts of, or are arranged downstream in a conveying direction (28, 29) from the transfer stations (48, 50) of the at least two conveyor line sections (12, 14), stacking on top of each other and/or palletizing the article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20) at the central loading station (24) and transferring the stacked and/or palletized articles, piece goods, and/or bundles to a common loading place (25), wherein the common loading station (24) is located between the vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) of the transfer stations (48, 50).

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the conveying directions (28, 29) of the least two conveyor line sections (12, 14) are oppositely oriented.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least two conveyor line sections (12, 14) run approximately parallel and meet at the end of the loading station (24) with identically oriented conveying directions (28, 29).

15. The palletizing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the loading station (24) comprises at least one horizontal conveying element (76), which is oscillatingly movable between the at least two vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52).

16. The palletizing apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a contact element (78) associated with the at least one horizontal conveying element (76).

17. The palletizing apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one horizontal conveying element is formed by a circulating modular conveyor belt.

18. The palletizing apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one horizontal conveying element is formed by a movable shutter element (76).

19. The palletizing apparatus of claim 16, wherein the support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) are suspended by way of traction means from the lifting column (60, 61) and are arranged thereat to be vertically motor-movable.

20. The palletizing apparatus of claim 19, wherein at least one apparatus (64, 68, 70) is associated with the loading place (25) for the purpose of depositing intermediate layers (66) between two article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0023] In the following passages, the attached figures further illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and their advantages. The size ratios of the individual elements in the figures do not necessarily reflect the real size ratios. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged in relation to other elements to facilitate an understanding of the invention.

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a schematic top view onto a first embodiment variant of a palletizing apparatus according to the invention, consisting of at least two parallel-running conveyor line sections, which each serve for conveying articles, piece goods, and/or bundles, as well as for combining and assembling them to form palletizable layers.

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a schematic top view onto a second embodiment variant of the palletizing apparatus according to the invention provided with a device for the feeding of intermediate layers.

[0026] FIG. 3 shows a schematic top view onto a third embodiment variant of the palletizing apparatus according to the invention provided with an alternative device for the linear feeding of intermediate layers.

[0027] FIG. 4 shows a schematic front view of a palletizing station, which forms a part of the palletizing apparatus according to the invention as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and/or 3.

[0028] FIG. 5 shows a schematic top view onto a fourth embodiment variant of the palletizing apparatus according to the invention, consisting of two conveyor line sections running in an aligned arrangement and meeting in a common palletizing station.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] The same or equivalent elements of the invention are designated by identical reference characters. Furthermore and for the sake of clarity, only the reference characters relevant for describing each of the figures are provided. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples of the embodiments of the apparatus or of the method according to the invention are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0030] The schematic top view of FIG. 1 illustrates a possible configuration of a first embodiment variant of a conveying apparatus, grouping apparatus, and/or palletizing apparatus 10 according to the invention and comprising as central components two parallel-running conveyor line sections 12 and 14, which each serve for conveying articles 16, piece goods, and/or bundles 18, as well as for combining and assembling them to form palletizable layers 20, and which lead into a common palletizing unit 22, which is illustrated in the shown exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 framed by a broken line on the right side of the palletizing apparatus 10. An important component of the palletizing unit 22 or of this common palletizing station is a central loading station 24, which provides for stacking and palletizing the particular article layers or bundle layers 20 onto one single common loading place 25 to form a common stack 26 of layers 20 layered on top of each other. The stack 26 can take different heights, according to requirements.

[0031] As is exemplarily discernible in FIG. 1, each of the two conveyor line sections 12 and 14 present has handling stations, grouping stations, transfer stations, and/or loading stations consecutively following each other in each particular conveying direction 28, with the conveying directions 28 being parallel to each other, which handling stations, grouping stations, transfer stations, and/or loading stations lead into the integrated and/or common palletizing station 22 with its loading station 24. In each case two parallel transport belts or feeder belts 30 for horizontally conveying the articles 16, piece goods, and/or bundles 18 in conveying direction 28 in each of the two conveyor line sections 12 and 14 lead into a first handling station 32, by which the articles 16, piece goods, and/or bundles 18 are shifted and/or rotated on a support surface 34, this being potentially carried out, for example, by means of a gantry gripper system 36, which allows fast gripping, shifting, and rotating movements in all directions within the outline of the support surface 34 of the first handling station 32, in order to be able to rotate and/or shift the articles 16, piece goods, and/or bundles 18, which are being conveyed by the feeder belts 30 in a regular or irregular manner, spaced apart from each other or without gaps in between them, in the desired manner such that groupings 38 result in the area of a first pre-grouping station 40, which in each case follows the first handling station 32, so that the groupings 38 can be pushed together and compacted to article layers or bundle layers 20 there or in a consecutively following second pre-grouping station 44. Instead of the gantry gripper systems 36 indicated in each case in the area of the first handling stations 32, which gantry gripper systems 36 can be provided with vertically liftable and lowerable grippers, which are shiftable within the support surfaces 34 and thus movable parallel to the conveying direction 28 and transversely thereto, it is optionally possible to use robot grippers or the like as handling systems, which can stand, for example, at the sides of the support surfaces 34 and can be formed, in particular, by multi-axis robots.

[0032] The articles 16 or bundles 18 of the groupings 38 arranged in this manner, which articles 16 or bundles 18 are as yet still irregularly spaced apart from each other, are moved further in conveying direction 28 and are banked up by means of a retention bar 42 or the like suitable device at least by a short distance in a handling station 32, which is arranged in each case downstream from the first pre-grouping station 40, such that the spaces in conveying direction 28 between the articles 16 or bundles 18 of the particular groupings 38 are reduced or eliminated. In the second pre-grouping station 44 arranged in each case downstream in conveying direction 28 from the first pre-grouping station 40, laterally contacting push bars 46, each movable transversely to the conveying direction 28, act onto the groupings 38 from both sides such that the spaces that are transverse to the conveying direction 28 are also reduced or eliminated, whereby regular article layers or bundle layers 20 are formed with gaplessly adjacent articles 16 or bundles 18, which article layers or bundle layers 20 can have a rectangular or square outline, according to size and contours of the articles 16 or bundles 18 and according to groupings 38.

[0033] Since the support surfaces 34 in the consecutive stations 32, 40, and 44 are usually formed as movable conveying surfaces, for example as endlessly circulating modular conveyor belts or the like, a bar being lowerable in front of the grouping 38 or emerging and being lowerable between the stations 40 and 44 from below the support surface 34 normally suffices as retention bar 42 in the first pre-grouping station 40.

[0034] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the palletizing station 22 comprises a total of four transfer stations 48 and 50 with in each case two transfer stations 48 and 50 arranged consecutively in conveying direction 28 and forming a part of each of the two conveyor line sections 12 or 14, as the case may be. It should be pointed out, however, that the two first transfer stations 48 arranged downstream from the second pre-grouping stations 44 on both sides of the palletizing station 22 are each movable independently of one another in a vertical direction. In contrast, the second transfer stations 50 arranged in conveying direction 28 downstream from the first transfer stations 48, are, although likewise vertically movable, only so together, and not independently of one another. Since they are mechanically connected to the central loading station 24 arranged centrally between the two second transfer stations 50, they are also only height-adjustable together with this loading station 24. They thus each form back-up surfaces for the loading station 24.

[0035] Each of the total of four first or, as the case may be, second transfer stations 48 and 50 has a vertically adjustable support surface and/or conveying surface 52 for conveying the layers 20 on different and adjustable levels of height. The in each case first transfer stations 48 each follow downstream from the particular second pre-grouping stations 44 of the two conveyor line sections 12 or 14, as the case may be. Following downstream from the first transfer stations 48 are the particular second transfer stations 50, which at the same time form the back-up surfaces for the central loading station 24. It is moreover provided that the loading station 24, which is variably height-adjustable together with the support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces 52 is located between the jointly vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces 52, with the loading station 24 being alternately suppliable from the at least two support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces 52 of the second transfer stations 50 with article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers 20 to be palletized. On the support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces 52 of the second transfer stations 50 serving as back-up surfaces for the loading station 24, the conveying direction or, as the case may be, the transfer direction 31a or, as the case may be, 31b for the bundle layers or article layers 20 located thereon thus in each case changes toward the central loading station 24, with the conveying directions 31a and 31b being in each case oriented perpendicular to the original conveying direction 28 and directed toward each other.

[0036] A loading place 25 consecutively follows the loading station 24 in a direction perpendicular to the transfer directions 31a or, as the case may be, 31b and parallel to the conveying direction 28. Located on the loading place 25, there can be an exchangeable pallet 54, for example, whereupon in each case a stack 26 with a plurality of layers 20 stacked on top of each other can be deposited. As soon as a stack 26 has reached a specified height, the pallet 54 together with the stack 26 located thereon can be removed and replaced by a further empty pallet 56, which can be conveyed to this location, for example, by a further feeder belt 58, which can run between the two conveyor line sections 12 and 14 and parallel to them in a conveying direction.

[0037] In the shown palletizing apparatus 10, the loading station 24, which forms a central component of the palletizing station 22, is provided with the total of four vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces 52 with a lifting column 60 with vertically adjustable guiding devices 62 for being able to perform the lifting and lowering of the transfer stations 48 and 50 with their support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces 52 independently of one another. Although other configurations for ensuring the vertical movability of the support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces 52 of the first and second transfer stations 48 and 50 are possible, the lifting column 60 shown here nevertheless provides a particularly compact and efficient possibility for lifting and/or conveying the article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers 20 to be palletized. When using such a lifting column 60, it is provided that the support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces 52 are suspended by way of traction means, such as straps, from the lifting column 60 and are arranged thereat to be vertically motor-movable, in particular by way of suitable vertical carriage guidances or the like. For this purpose, electric motors can be arranged, for example, at the upper side of the lifting column 60 to serve as drives for the liftable and lowerable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces 52.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of lifting columns 60 for lifting and lowering the support surfaces of the palletizing station 22 can optionally be provided. All in all, three vertical movements performable independently of one another are possible in the exemplary embodiment shown, more specifically, the two independently performable lifting and lowering movements of the two first transfer stations 48 of the first or, as the case may be, of the second conveyor line sections 12 or 14, as the case may be, as well as, again performable independently thereof, the lifting and lowering movements of the two second transfer stations 50 together with the support surface 63 of the loading station 24 arranged therebetween. This total of three support surfaces 52 and 63 of the second transfer stations 50 or, as the case may be, of the loading station 24 arranged therebetween, in each case remain at the same height level in their lifting and lowering movements, as will be illustrated in more detail by means of the schematic top view of FIG. 4.

[0039] In order to enable problem-free shifting of complete article layers or bundle layers 20 by means of the movable support surfaces 52 in the transfer directions 31a or, as the case may be, 31b from the second transfer stations 50, and the transfer of the layer from the loading station 24 onto the loading place 25, the vertical movements of the two second transfer stations 50 are carried out synchronously with each other such that one single drive at the lifting column 60 suffices for this purpose. The support surfaces 52, which are horizontally movable and/or provided with transfer devices for the alternating transfer of layers 20 onto the support area 63 of the loading station 24, serve for transferring complete article layers or bundle layers 20 from in each one of the two left or right support surfaces 52 of the particular second transfer stations 50 of the two conveyor line sections 12 or 14. After the layer 20 has been placed centrally between the two second transfer stations 50 by means of the correspondingly movable support surfaces 52 or by means of the transfer elements, which are not illustrated here, the layer 20 can be transferred parallel to the conveying direction 28 by means of suitable transfer devices (not illustrated here), such as a slide, onto the pallet 54 standing on the loading place 25, and specifically topmost of an already previously deposited layer 20.

[0040] Push bar systems, for example, can serve as horizontal drives for the layers 20 located on the transfer stations 48 and/or 50, which are to be moved in conveying direction 28 and to be transferred to the in each case following stations. Driven modular conveyor belts with layers 20 standing thereon are alternatively suited.

[0041] The FIG. 2 shows a further schematic top view onto a second embodiment variant of the conveying apparatus, grouping apparatus, and/or palletizing apparatus 10 according to the invention, which is provided with additional devices 64 for feeding intermediate layers to the loading place 25. The intermediate layers 66 are in each case removed from intermediate layer stacks by means of rotatably movable handling devices 68, such as grippers or the like, and deposited on each individual, deposited layer 20 on the stack 26, or optionally on every other or every third layer 20, whereby the stack 26 is mechanically stabilized and the individual articles 16 or bundles 18 are prevented from shifting or tilting. In the remaining conveying process, the palletizing apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 2 largely corresponds to the palletizing apparatus shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, if in the following description of FIG. 2 individual details or elements that are designated with reference characters are not explicitly mentioned, then there are no relevant differences with regard to the variant according to FIG. 1, and in such instances the above description for FIG. 1 should be referred to.

[0042] Just like there (cf. FIG. 1), each of the two conveyor line sections 12 and 14 present has handling stations, grouping stations, transfer stations, and/or loading stations consecutively following each other in conveying direction 28 and leading into the integrated and/or common palletizing station 22. In each case two parallel transport belts or feeder belts 30 for horizontally conveying the articles 16, piece goods, and/or bundles 18 in conveying direction 28 in each of the two conveyor line sections 12 and 14 lead into a first handling station 32, by which the articles 16, piece goods, and/or bundles 18 are shifted and/or rotated on a support surface 34, for example by means of a gantry gripper system 36, which allows fast gripping, shifting, and rotating movements in all directions within the outline of the support surface 34, in order to be able to rotate and/or shift the articles 16, piece goods, and/or bundles 18, which are being conveyed by the feeder belts 30 in a regular or irregular manner, spaced apart from each other or without gaps in between them, in the desired manner such that in each case groupings 38 result, which can subsequently be pushed together and compacted to article layers or bundle layers 20. Arranged immediately downstream from the first handling station 32 is a second handling station 33, which is in turn followed downstream by the first and second pre-grouping stations 40 and 44. The further structure and the remaining configuration do not differ from the configuration of the palletizing apparatus 10 as shown in FIG. 1.

[0043] If the articles 16 or bundles 18 are being fed on the feeder belts or transport belts 30 in rapid succession and at a great density, the first and second handling stations 32 and 33 shown in FIG. 2, which handling stations 32 and 33 immediately follow each other, can provide for a faster grouping of articles 16, piece goods, or bundles 18, because some of the articles 16, piece goods or bundles 18 to be rotated and/or shifted, which pass the first handling station 32 without being influenced, can be immediately seized and shifted and/or rotated by the gantry gripper system 37 of the second handling station 33. In this way, an increased processing speed and throughput of the entire palletizing apparatus can be effected at unvarying conveying speed of the feeder belts 30.

[0044] In the variant shown in FIG. 2 it is again possible that instead of the indicated gantry gripper systems 36 and 37, which are each provided with a liftable and lowerable gripper, which is in each case movable parallel to the conveying direction 28 and transversely thereto, it is optionally possible to use robot grippers or the like as handling systems, which can stand, for example, at the sides of the support surfaces 34 and can be formed, for example, by multi-axis robots.

[0045] For the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned that in the variant according to FIG. 1 it is also possible that two, three, or more consecutive handling stations 32 and 33 are provided, even if this is not explicitly mentioned in the above description for FIG. 1.

[0046] The FIG. 3 shows a schematic top view onto a third embodiment variant of the palletizing apparatus 10 according to the invention provided with an alternative handling device 70 for the linear feeding of intermediate layers 66 to the loading place 25. In this context, the intermediate layers 66 are preferably removed from at least one intermediate layer stack 72 and individually fed to the stack 26 standing on the loading place 25 such that in each case an intermediate layer 66 is placed onto each layer 20 or onto every other or every third layer 20. In the remaining conveying process, the palletizing apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 3 largely corresponds to the palletizing apparatus 10 as shown in FIG. 2. Intermediate layers 66 can optionally be fed from both sides by handling devices 70 operating in each case in a linear manner, for example when the grouped article layers or bundle layers 20 located on the second transfer stations 50 are already to be provided with individual intermediate layers 66 there, before they are deposited on the common stack 26.

[0047] It should be mentioned here again that not all details or elements that are designated with reference characters are in each case explicitly mentioned in the above description of FIG. 3; in this respect there are no differences then with regard to the variant according to FIG. 1 or with regard to the variant according to FIG. 2, and in such instances the above descriptions for FIG. 1 or, as the case may be, FIG. 2 should be referred to. For the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned that in the variant according to FIG. 3 it is also possible that two, three, or more consecutive handling stations 32 and 33 are provided.

[0048] FIG. 4 shows a schematic front view of a palletizing unit or palletizing station 22, which forms a part of the palletizing apparatus according to the invention as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and/or FIG. 3. According to these embodiment variants, the articles 16, piece goods, and/or bundles 18 to be palletized are in each case transported on the parallel-running conveyor line sections 12 and 14 and reach the particular support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces 52 of the first transfer stations 48 in the loading station 22 (cf. FIG. 1) as palletizable article layers or bundle layers 20. As already described, the transfer stations 48 are in each case movable in a vertical direction independently of one another and also independently of the second transfer stations 50 (illustrated in FIG. 4) arranged in each case downstream, this being ensured by way of the motor-operated suspensions and guiding devices 62 at the lifting column 60. The first transfer stations 48 are therefore brought into an appropriate vertical position in coordination with the second transfer stations 50 arranged downstream, before the layers 20 are in each case transferred onto the second transfer stations 50. The conveying movement of the layers 20 on the particular support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces 52 of the first and second transfer stations 48 and 50 can be carried out, for example, by way of suitable horizontal conveying devices, such as modular conveyor belts, link chains, or also by way of lowerable push bars, which are movable parallel to the conveying surface 52.

[0049] Up to the second transfer station 50, the movement of the articles 16, piece goods, and/or bundles 18, as well as of the groupings 38 and the layers 20 that have been pushed together, is carried out on the corresponding conveyor line sections 12 and 14 in each case in linear conveying direction 28. As is discernible in FIGS. 1 to 3, the further movement of the layers 20 from the second transfer stations 50 to the centrally arranged support surface 63 of the loading station 24 then has to be carried out in perpendicular thereto, that is, in the transfer directions 31a or 31b, as the case may be (cf. FIG. 1). According to FIG. 4, the two support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces 52 of the second transfer stations 50 are suspended together from the lifting column 60 and are movable together in a vertical direction for this purpose. In addition, each of the two second transfer stations 50 can have an endlessly circulating conveying surface 74 or a push bar or the like, which is movable transversely to the conveying direction 28 and which contacts the layers 20 from the back and can push them in each transfer direction 31a or, as the case may be, 31b to the support surface 63 of the loading station 24. Preferably, in this instance, a counterholder bar and/or braking bar 78 contacting the layers 20 from the front side can be present for being able to prevent shifting or tilting of the articles 16 or bundles 18 of the particular layer 20 during their shifting movements. The endlessly circulating conveying surfaces 74 can be formed by driven modular conveyor belts, for example.

[0050] Furthermore discernible from FIG. 4 is an embodiment variant of the movable support area 63, which connects the two second transfer stations 50 to each other. A two-part shutter 76 can thus be arranged in such a manner as to remain below the particular second transfer stations 50, which in each case serve as layer buffers or, as the case may be, as back-up surfaces for the loading station 24 arranged therebetween. While a layer 20 is being deposited, the shutter 76 is thus arranged in a position below the particular second transfer stations 50 or, as the case may be, below the layer buffer (left and right). As mentioned, the transfer stations 50 themselves can consist of a panel or of a driven modular conveyor belt as circulating conveying surfaces 74. These are also each driveable independently of one another. When designed as a panel, a pusher and counterholder system are necessary for transferring the layer 20 from the layer buffer or, as the case may be, from the transfer stations 50 onto the movable support area 63 of the loading station 24, from where the layer 20 can be transferred onto the loading place 25 or the pallet 54, as the case may be, and onto the stack 26. An optional braking bar 78 for stabilizing the layers 20 in their transfer movement can be arranged in the center to act alternately on both sides.

[0051] The schematic top view of FIG. 5 shows a fourth embodiment variant of the conveying apparatus, grouping apparatus, and/or palletizing apparatus 10 according to the invention, consisting of two conveyor line sections 12 and 14 running in aligned arrangement, which conveyor line sections 12 and 14 meet centrally at a common palletizing station 22 or, as the case may be, a loading station 24. As in the variants according to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, each of the two converging conveyor line sections 12 and 14 has handling stations, grouping stations, transfer stations, and/or loading stations consecutively following each other in conveying direction 28 or 29, as the case may be, and leading into the integrated and/or central loading station 24 or palletizing station 22, as the case may be. In each case two parallel transport belts or feeder belts 30 for horizontally conveying the articles 16, piece goods, and/or bundles 18 in conveying direction 28 or 29, as the case may be, in each of the two conveyor line sections 12 and 14 lead into the first handling station 32, by which the articles 16, piece goods, and/or bundles 18 are shifted and/or rotated on a support surface 34, for example by means of a gantry gripper system 36, which allows fast gripping, shifting, and rotating movements in all directions within the outline of the support surface 34, in order to be able to rotate and/or shift the articles 16, piece goods, and/or bundles 18, which are being conveyed by the feeder belts 30 in a regular or irregular manner, spaced apart from each other or without gaps in between them, in the desired manner such that in each case groupings 38 result, which can subsequently be pushed together and compacted to article layers or bundle layers 20. Arranged in each case immediately downstream from the first handling station 32 is a second handling station 33, which is in turn followed downstream by the first and second pre-grouping stations 40 and 44. The structure and configuration of each of the conveyor line sections 12 and 14 does not differ in this respect from the configurations of the palletizing apparatus 10 as shown in the FIGS. 2 and 3. For the purpose of better illustrating the area of the palletizing station 22, it is designated by a broken-line box.

[0052] If the articles 16 or bundles 18 are being fed on the feeder belts or transport belts 30 in rapid succession and at a great density, the first and second handling stations 32 and 33 shown in FIG. 5, which handling stations 32 and 33 immediately follow each other, can provide for a faster grouping of articles 16, piece goods, or bundles 18, because some of the articles 16, piece goods or bundles 18 to be rotated and/or shifted, which pass the first handling station 32 without being influenced, can be immediately seized and shifted and/or rotated by the gantry gripper system 37 of the second handling station 33. In this way, the processing speed and the throughput of the entire palletizing apparatus can be increased without varying the conveying speed of the feeder belts 30. In the variant shown in FIG. 5, it is again possible that instead of the indicated gantry gripper systems 36 and 37, which are each provided with liftable and lowerable grippers, which are in each case movable parallel to the conveying direction 28 and transversely thereto, it is optionally possible to use robot grippers or the like as handling systems, which can stand, for example, at the sides of the support surfaces 34 and can be formed, for example, by multi-axis robots.

[0053] Due to the different spatial arrangement of the first transfer stations 48 following downstream from the first and/or second pre-grouping stations 40 or 44, as the case may be, these transfer stations 48 in each case have a separate first lifting column 60 whereby they are vertically movable independently of one another. The loading station 24 located therebetween likewise has a separate second lifting column 61 whereby the transfer stations 48 and the loading station 24 are in each case separately adjustable in a vertical direction. The construction of the loading station 24 can nevertheless largely correspond to the variant shown in FIG. 4, and it can be provided with a two-part shutter 76 as shown there, whereby the layers 20, in each case coming in conveying direction 28 or, as the case may be, 29 from the transfer stations 48, can be transferred. The layer 20 located on the shutter 76 or, as the case may be, on its movable support area 63, can subsequently be deposited in an appropriate vertical position on the outlet of the loading place 25 or, as the case may be, on the stack 26 standing on the pallet 54.

[0054] The palletizing apparatus 10 according to FIG. 5 can optionally be provided with additional devices for feeding intermediate layers to the loading place 25 according to FIG. 2 or according to FIG. 3. Likewise, a feeder belt for empty pallets (cf. FIGS. 1 to 3) can be optionally provided at a suitable location, by means of which feeder belt a plurality of empty pallets can be conveyed to the loading place 25 as soon as a pallet 54 with a layer stack 26 located thereon has been removed.

[0055] All variants of the palletizing apparatus 10 explained in the FIG. 1 to FIG. 5 are in each case to be understood such that all stations of the apparatus can optionally be provided with transport means (for example with modular conveyor belts) or also with sliding surfaces (tables). The groupings 38 or layers 20 can thus be shifted either actively by means of a manipulator, or by means of the conveying means itself, or by a combination of both conveying elements. For the purpose of clarity, not all required centering means are illustrated in the drawing. As the case may be, there may additionally be a variant in which the intermediate layers are fastened in a suitable manner to the layer 20 at the layer buffer in the form of an adhesive point.

[0056] The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous changes and modifications can be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention and that such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is, therefore, intended that the appended claims cover all such equivalent variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0057] 10 Apparatus, conveying apparatus, grouping apparatus, palletizing apparatus [0058] 12 First conveyor line section [0059] 14 Second conveyor line section [0060] 16 Articles [0061] 18 Bundles [0062] 20 Layer, article layer, bundle layer, piece goods layer [0063] 22 Palletizing unit, palletizing station [0064] 24 Loading station [0065] 25 Loading place [0066] 26 Stack, layer stack [0067] 28 Conveying direction (of the first and second conveyor line sections) [0068] 29 Conveying direction (of the second conveyor line section) [0069] 30 Conveyor belt, feeder belt [0070] 31a First transfer direction [0071] 31b Second transfer direction [0072] 32 Handling station, first handling station [0073] 33 Second handling station [0074] 34 Support surface (of the handling station) [0075] 36 Gantry gripper system (of the first handling station) [0076] 37 Gantry gripper system (of the second handling station) [0077] 38 Grouping, article grouping, bundle grouping [0078] 40 First pre-grouping station [0079] 42 Retention bar [0080] 44 Second pre-grouping station [0081] 46 Push bar [0082] 48 First transfer station [0083] 50 Second transfer station [0084] 52 Support surface, conveying surface [0085] 54 Pallet [0086] 56 Empty pallet [0087] 58 Further feeder belt [0088] 60 Lifting column, first lifting column [0089] 61 Lifting column, second lifting column [0090] 62 Guiding devices [0091] 63 Support area, support surface (of the loading station) [0092] 64 Device for supplying intermediate layers [0093] 66 Intermediate layer [0094] 68 Handling device [0095] 70 Handling device [0096] 72 Intermediate layer stack [0097] 74 Conveying surface, circulating conveying surface [0098] 76 Shutter, two-part shutter [0099] 78 Braking bars, circulating braking bars, contact bars