TAKE-OVER APPLIANCE FOR A SORTING FACILITY AND A SORTING FACILTY

Abstract

A take-over appliance for a sorting facility for taking over piece goods which at a delivery location are delivered from a sorting conveyor, including a buffer device which forms a storage space, for the intermediate storing or buffering of delivered piece goods, wherein the storage space of the buffer device can be changed during the operation of the sorting facility. The buffer device includes a flexible, two-dimensional rest element which for the intermediate storing of piece goods forms a receiving trough for the piece goods, the receiving trough delimiting the storage space. The buffer device further includes an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the trough depth for the purpose of changing the storage space.

Claims

1. A take-over appliance for a sorting facility for taking over piece goods which at a delivery location are delivered from a sorting conveyor, comprising a buffer device which forms a storage space, for an intermediate storing or buffering of delivered piece goods, wherein a size of the storage space of the buffer device can be adjusted during operation of the sorting facility, wherein the buffer device comprises a flexible, two-dimensional rest element which, for the intermediate storing of piece goods, forms a receiving trough for the piece goods, said receiving trough delimiting the storage space to a bottom, and the buffer device comprises an adjusting mechanism for adjusting a depth of the receiving trough for adjusting the size of the storage space.

2. The take-over appliance according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting mechanism is configured to change a length of the rest element between a trough entry and a trough exit of the receiving trough.

3. The take-over appliance according to claim 2, wherein the adjusting mechanism comprises a storage configuration for storing a length section of the rest element.

4. A take-over appliance according to claim 3, wherein the storage configuration for dynamic intermediate storing of the length section of the rest element comprises one of the following storage devices: a winding-up and unwinding body for winding up and unwinding the length section of the rest element; a loop store; dancer rollers.

5. The take-over appliance according to claim 1, wherein for reducing the depth of the receiving trough, the adjusting mechanism is configured to shorten a length of the rest element between a trough entry and a trough exit, wherein the adjusting mechanism is in a position of exerting a tensile force upon the rest element.

6. The take-over appliance according to claim 3, wherein the storage configuration for enlarging or decreasing the depth of the receiving trough comprises at least one winding-up and unwinding body for winding up and unwinding the length section of the rest element, said rest element being fastened with an end section to the winding-up and unwinding body.

7. The take-over appliance according to claim 1, wherein the receiving trough is formed between a trough entry and a trough exit, and a rest section of the rest element which, in a process direction is subsequent to the trough exit, forms a rest surface for the piece goods which are released from the receiving trough, and a length of the rest element between the trough entry and the trough exit can be shortened by the rest section being pulled forward in the process direction by the adjusting mechanism.

8. The take-over appliance according to claim 7, wherein the rest surface of the rest section is planar.

9. The take-over appliance according to claim 7, wherein by pulling forward the rest section to reduce the size of the storage space, individual piece goods can be moved via the trough exit out of the receiving trough and on the rest section in the process direction.

10. The take-over appliance according to claim 1, wherein the rest element is continuous and is led around deflection elements.

11. The take-over appliance according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting mechanism comprises a lifting element that serves to lift or lower the rest element from below to adjust the size of the storage space or the depth of the receiving trough.

12. The take-over appliance according to claim 7, wherein a support element for supporting the rest section of the rest element to the bottom is arranged below the rest section of the rest element.

13. The take-over appliance according to claim 1, wherein the receiving trough is formed between a trough entry and a trough exit and wherein the trough exit, with respect to a direction of gravity, is below the trough entry.

14. The take-over appliance according to claim 1 further comprising a feed device which, in a process direction, is arranged in front of the buffer device, said feed device comprising a conveying slide via which the piece goods at the delivery location can be fed to the buffer device with assistance of gravity.

15. A sorting facility with a sorting conveyor and with at least one delivery location, and with the take-over appliance according to claim 1, said take-over appliance being arranged at the at least one delivery location.

16. The sorting facility according to claim 15, further comprising a plurality of delivery locations which are arranged along the conveying track of the sorting conveyor, and at which, in each case, a take-over appliance is each arranged, said take-over appliance comprising a buffer device which forms a storage space, for an intermediate storing or buffering of delivered piece goods, wherein a size of the storage space of the buffer device can be adjusted during operation of the sorting facility, wherein the buffer device comprises a flexible, two-dimensional rest element which, for the intermediate storing of piece goods, forms a receiving trough for the piece goods, said receiving trough delimiting the storage space to a bottom, and the buffer device comprises an adjusting mechanism for adjusting a depth of the receiving trough for adjusting the size of the storage space.

17. The sorting facility according to claim 15, wherein the receiving trough of the buffer device is directly laterally adjacent to the sorting conveyor, whereby the piece goods which are delivered from the sorting conveyor fall directly onto the rest element or into the receiving trough of the buffer device with assistance of gravity.

18. A method for taking over piece goods by way of the take-over appliance according to claim 1, said piece goods being delivered at a delivery location of a sorting facility by way of a sorting conveyor, comprising the steps of: delivering a piece good at the delivery location; taking over the delivered piece good by the take-over appliance; wherein the piece good moves into the receiving trough of the buffer device and is intermediately stored in the receiving trough.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein for the intermediate storage of several piece goods, the depth of the receiving trough and the storage space is enlarged by the adjusting mechanism and for the further conveying of at least one piece good, the depth of the receiving trough and the storage space is reduced in size by the adjusting mechanism and the piece good is consequently moved out of the receiving trough in the process direction.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the rest section of the rest element is pulled forward to reduce the depth of the receiving trough and the size of the storage space and the piece good is consequently moved out of the receiving trough via the trough exit and on the pulled-forward rest section in the process direction.

21. The take-over appliance according to claim 5, wherein the adjusting mechanism exerts tensile force upon an end section of the rest element.

22. The take-over appliance according to claim 8, wherein the rest surface of the rest section is inclined or horizontal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0104] The subject-matter of the invention is hereinafter explained by way of embodiment examples which are represented in the accompanying figures. Shown in each case schematically are:

[0105] FIG. 1 a plan view of a sorting facility;

[0106] FIG. 2a, 2b lateral views of a first embodiment of a take-over appliance;

[0107] FIG. 3 a lateral view of a further embodiment of a take-over appliance;

[0108] FIG. 4 a lateral view of a further embodiment of a take-over appliance;

[0109] FIG. 5 a lateral view of a further embodiment of a take-over appliance;

[0110] FIG. 6 a lateral view of a further embodiment of a take-over appliance;

[0111] FIG. 7 a lateral view of a further embodiment of a take-over appliance;

[0112] FIG. 8 a lateral view of a further embodiment of a take-over appliance.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0113] The sorting facility 1 according to FIG. 1 includes a sorting conveyor 3 which is driven via a drive 7, the sorting conveyor being in the embodiment of a tilt-tray conveyor 3 with a plurality of tilt trays 5 which can be moved along a conveying track B. The tilt trays 5 which are linked to one another are driven by a conveying chain which is led in a conveying channel.

[0114] A feed conveyor 6 conveys the piece goods 2 which are to be sorted, to the tilt tray conveyor 3 and transfers the piece goods 2 into the tilt trays 5 of the tilt tray conveyor 3. The tilt trays 5 with the piece goods 2 which are conveyed therein are moved in the conveying direction F through a delivery zone 8 along delivery locations 4 which are arranged laterally at both sides.

[0115] The piece goods 2, as is shown in FIGS. 2 to 8, are delivered at the envisaged delivery location 4 by way of lateral tilting of the tilt trays 5 of the tilt tray conveyor 3 and are transferred to a take-over appliance 21. For this, the piece good 2 with the assistance of gravity slides away from the laterally tilted conveying tray 5 over a pivoted-down side wall 9 of the conveying tray 5 in the direction of the take-over appliance 21.

[0116] Of course, instead of a tilt tray conveyor 3 one can also provide a different conveyor such as e.g. a gripper conveyor, a pocket conveyor, a transverse belt conveyor or a belt conveyor (not shown).

[0117] According to the embodiments according to FIGS. 2 to 4 and 6 to 8, the piece goods 2 after leaving the tilt tray 5 slide away in the process direction P over a conveying slide 36 of a feed conveying device 35 towards a buffer device 22 of the take-over appliance 21 with the assistance of gravity. The buffer device 22 connects directly to the conveying slide 36.

[0118] According to the embodiment according to FIG. 5, the piece goods 2 assisted by gravity slide away from the conveying tray 5 over the downwardly pivoted side wall 9 towards the buffer device 22 of the take-over appliance 21 in a direct manner in the process direction P.

[0119] The process direction P represents the movement of the piece goods 2 through the take-over appliance 21.

[0120] The buffer device 22 includes a two-dimensional, flexible rest element 23.1, 23.2 e.g. in the form of a belt. The rest element 23.1, 23.2 is designed for shaping out a receiving trough 24, wherein the receiving trough 24 forms a storage space V for the intermediate storage of delivered piece goods 2. The receiving trough 24 is formed in a section between a trough entry 25 and a trough exit 26, in which section the rest element 23.1, 23.2 is freely suspended. The storage space V which is formed by the receiving trough 34 is laterally delimited by retaining elements 31 (see FIG. 2b). The lateral retaining elements 31 can be e.g. side walls.

[0121] The buffer device 22 moreover includes an adjusting mechanism, 41.1-41.3 by way of which the rest element 23.1, 23.2 can be adjusted between a storage position, in which the rest element 23.1, 23.2 forms a receiving trough 24 with an adjustable storage space V for the intermediate storage of at least one piece good 2 and an empty position, in which the rest element 23.1, 23.2 forms no storage space V for the intermediate storage of piece goods 2. In particular, the depth T of the receiving trough 24 and thus the size of the storage space V can be set via the adjusting mechanism 41.1-41.3.

[0122] The adjusting of the size of the storage space V, which also includes the assumption of the empty position, is effected dynamically via a control device 10 in dependence on the number of delivered piece goods 2 in a time period and on the further processing capacity in the take-over region. If for example the number of delivered piece goods 2 exceeds the further processing capacity in the take-over region in a time period, then the excess piece goods 2 are intermediately stored or buffered in the buffer device 22. As soon as the further processing capacity in the take-over region is greater than the number of piece goods 2 which is delivered in the same time period, then the piece goods 2 are released out of the buffer device 22 by way of reducing the size of the storage space V and are conveyed into the take-over region.

[0123] The piece goods 2 are therefore conveyed further or moved further in the process direction P from the conveying trays 5 either via an intermediate storing in the buffer device 22 or directly without an intermediate storing, into the take-over region of the take-over appliance 21. The take-over region can be e.g. a collecting region with a collecting device 37, in which the delivered piece goods 2 are collected for further processing. In the embodiments according to FIGS. 2 to 3 and 8, the collecting device is designed as an obliquely set collecting table 37. In the embodiments according to FIGS. 6 and 7, the collecting device is a collecting container 37.

[0124] The piece goods 2 can be removed from the collecting device 37 and fed to the further processing by operating personal by hand. Alternatively, the piece goods 2 can also be fed from the take-over region of a further processing in an automated process.

[0125] According to the embodiment according to FIGS. 2a and 2b, the adjusting mechanism 41.1 includes a lifting configuration with a lifting element 52 and with a mechanism 51 for lifting and lowering the lifting element 52. The mechanism 51 for lifting and lowering the lifting element 52 is designed as a pneumatic cylinder whose piston on extending lifts the lifting element 52 and on retracting lowers the lifting element 52. The pneumatic cylinder is controlled via the control device 10.

[0126] The lifting element 52 is designed as a lifting plate which is arranged below the rest element 23.1. By way of lifting the lifting element 52, the rest element 23.2 is also lifted, in an extensive manner, wherein the depth T of the receiving trough 24 and thus the storage space V is reduced in size.

[0127] In an empty position of the lifting element 52, the rest element 23.1 lies on the plate-like lifting element 52 over a large surface and forms a plane sliding surface for the piece goods 2, the sliding surface being downwardly inclined in the process direction P. The rest element 23.1 in the empty position of the lifting element 52 therefore forms no receiving trough 24 and accordingly no storage space V for the lifted piece goods 2. The piece goods 2 which slide away from the conveying tray 5 in contrast slide directly over the sliding surface which is formed by the rest element 23.1, to the collecting table 37 in the collecting region.

[0128] The rest element 23.1 is designed in an elastic manner. For forming a storage space V for the purpose of intermediately storing piece goods 2, the lifting element 52 is lowered, by which means the rest element 23.1 extends elastically downwards amid the formation of a receiving trough 24 due to the load of the piece goods 2 which are conveyed onto this element. The lifting element 52 is lifted for releasing the piece goods 2 out of the storage space V, wherein the elastic rest element 23.1 contracts amid the size reduction of the storage space V. By way of this, the uppermost piece goods 2 are expelled from the storage space V and are conveyed to the collecting device 37 in the process direction P.

[0129] FIG. 8 shows a modification of a lifting element 52. This towards the rest element 23.1 includes a convex prominence, so that the rest element 23.1 is arched upwards in the empty position of the lifting element 52. By way of this, a reliable emptying of the storage space V is ensured by way of the piece goods 2 which are lifted out of the receiving trough 24 sliding from the convex surface of the rest element 23.1 in the direction of the collecting device 37 in the empty position.

[0130] The convex prominence can moreover also exert a braking effect upon the piece goods 2 which slide away from the conveying tray 5 and which would otherwise slide through towards the collecting device 37 in a direct and non-braked manner as in the embodiment according to FIG. 2b.

[0131] According to the embodiment according to FIGS. 3 to 6, the size or depth T of the receiving trough 24 and thus the size of the storage space Vis controlled via the change of the length of the rest element 24 between the trough entry 25 and the trough exit 26. The shorter this length, the lower is also the depth T of the receiving trough 24 and therefore the receiving trough 24 and thus the storage space V are accordingly also smaller. In an empty position, the rest element 23.1 between the trough entry 25 and the trough exit 25 forms a plane resting surface or sliding surface and thus no longer forms a receiving trough 24.

[0132] The adjusting mechanism 4.1 includes a storage configuration 42 for the intermediate storage of a length section of the rest element 23.1 for the purpose of shortening the length of the rest element 24 between the trough entry 25 and the trough exit 26.

[0133] For this, the storage configuration 42 includes a storage means in the design of a winding-up and unwinding body 43. According to FIG. 3, an end section 27 of the rest element 23.1 which is arranged in front of the through entry 25 is connected to the winding-up and unwinding body 43. For this, the rest element 23.1 is deflected towards the winding-up and unwinding body 43 at the trough entry 25 via a defection roller 46. The winding-up and unwinding body 43 is driven via a drive 44.

[0134] According to FIG. 6, an end-section 27 of the rest element 23.1 which is arranged subsequently to the trough exit 26 is connected to the winding-up and unwinding body 43. For this, the rest element 23.1 at the trough exit 26 is deflected towards the winding-up and unwinding body 43 via a deflection roller 46. The functioning manner of the storage configuration according to FIG. 6 however corresponds to that according to FIG. 3.

[0135] According to FIGS. 4 and 5, an end section 27.1 of the rest element 23.1 which is arranged in front of the trough entry 25 as well as an end section 27.2 of the rest element 23.1 which is arranged after the trough exit 26 is connected in each case to a winding-up and unwinding body 43.1, 43.2. The application of two winding-up and unwinding bodies 43, 43.2 permits a more rapid shortening or lengthening of the length of the rest element 23.1 between the trough entry 25 and the trough exit 26. Moreover, the delivery of individual piece goods 2 out of the storage space V or out of the receiving trough 24 can be controlled to an improved extent by way of an individual drive of the two winding-up and unwinding bodies 43.1, 43.1. Apart from that, the manner of functioning of the storage configuration according to FIGS. 4 and 5 corresponds to that according to FIGS. 3 and 6.

[0136] The embodiment according to FIG. 5 shows yet a further significant aspect of the present invention, whose basic principle is also implemented in the embodiment according to FIG. 7.

[0137] The rest element 23.1, 23.2 therefore forms a rest section 28 which is subsequent to the trough exit 26 in the process direction P and which is with a rest surface 29 for the piece goods 2 which are released from the receiving trough 24. The rest surface 29 is designed in a plane manner and runs obliquely downwards in the process direction P. The rest section 28 is supported from below by an extensive support element 30, such as e.g. a support plate. Herewith, a sagging of the rest element 23.1, 23.2 in the case of a weight loading by piece goods 2 is prevented. In particular, this is of significance if the rest element 23.1, 23.2 is designed elastically in the manner described above.

[0138] The rest element 23.1, 23.2 at the trough exit 26 is deflected out of the receiving trough 24 into the rest section 28 via a deflection roller 28.

[0139] The adjusting mechanism 41.2, 41.3 with the storage configuration is then designed such that the length of the rest element 23.1, 23.2 between the trough entry 25 and the trough exit 26 can be shortened by way of the rest section 28 of the rest element 23.1, 23.2 being pulled forwards via the adjusting mechanism 41.2, 41.3, i.e. being moved in the process direction P.

[0140] This is effected according to FIG. 5 by way of an end section 27 of the rest element 23.1 which is arranged after the rest section 28 in the process direction P being arranged on the winding-up and unwinding body 43. A tensile force is exerted upon the rest section 28 in the process direction P due to the winding-up procedure, by which means the rest section 28 is pulled forwards amid the reduction in size of the receiving trough 24.

[0141] On account of the pulling-forward of the rest section 28 and the reduction in size of the storage space V which this entails, individual piece goods 2 are moved out of the receiving trough 24 via the trough exit 26 and on the rest section 28 which is co-moved by way of the pulling-forward, are moved in the process direction P, i.e. in the direction of the take-over region. The pulling-forward of the rest section 28 also effects a conveying-active movement of the piece goods 2 which lie on the rest section 28.

[0142] According to the embodiment according to FIG. 7, the rest element is designed in a continuous manner. Accordingly, the rest element amongst other thing is led around deflection rollers 46.

[0143] Here too, the rest section 28 is pulled forward by way of a suitable drive of the circulating rest element 23.2, so that the piece goods 2 which are released from the storage space V are co-moved on the rest section 28 in the process direction P as described above.

[0144] According to this embodiment, the storage means however is formed by a loop store 47. For this, the rest element 23.2 is led outside the length section which is arranged between the trough entry 25 and the trough exit 26 in a loop-like manner about deflection rollers 49, 50. The loop store 47 includes a first set of stationary deflection rollers 49 as well as a second set with displaceable deflection rollers 50 which are each arranged in an offset manner with respect to the stationary deflection rollers 49. By way of displacing the second set of deflection rollers 50 with respect to the first set of deflection rollers 49, the loops of the rest element 23.2 which is led around the deflection rollers 49, 40 can be enlarged or reduced in size. Accordingly, the length of the rest element 23.2 between the trough entry 25 and the trough exit 26 is shortened or reduced in size.

[0145] For changing its length between the trough entry 25 and the trough exit 26, the rest element 23.2 is driven via a drive arrangement 48. The drive arrangement 48 for this includes a pair of clamping rollers through which the two-dimensional rest element 23.2 is led with a friction fit. The clamping roller pair is driven by a drive 44. The drive arrangement 48 also serves for braking the rest element 23.2 or clamping the rest element 23.2 in an idle position or on enlarging the storage space V. The drive arrangement 48 is controlled via a control device 10.