Method for the sorting of objects and sorting installation

Abstract

A method to sort objects in a sorting installation. The objects are conveyed on a sorter of the sorting installation. In a first distribution pass a few of the objects conveyed on the sorter are brought by the sorter into retrieval end stations of the sorting installation and others of the objects conveyed on the sorter are brought by the sorter into a collection end station of the sorting installation and, with a transport facility of the sorting installation, objects are automatically transported away from the collection end station and automatically brought back to the sorter. The objects brought back from the collection end station to the sorter by the transport facility are brought by the sorter into one of the end stations in a second distribution pass.

Claims

1. A method for sorting objects in a sorting installation, which comprises the steps of: conveying the objects on a sorter of the sorting installation, wherein in a first distribution pass a few of the objects conveyed on the sorter are brought from the sorter into retrieval end stations of the sorting installation and other objects of the objects conveyed on the sorter are brought from the sorter into a collection end station of the sorting installation, the collection end station having at least one storage area for accepting the objects, the storage area having a base that can be raised and lowered; and automatically transporting, by means of a transport facility of the sorting installation, the objects away from the collection end station and automatically brought back to the sorter, wherein the objects brought back by means of the transport facility from the collection end station to the sorter are respectively brought into one of the retrieval end stations by the sorter in a second distribution pass; conveying the objects to the transport facility with a conveyor unit of the base that can be raised and lowered.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the retrieval end stations are assigned predetermined destination regions in the first distribution pass and a few or all of the retrieval end stations are assigned different predetermined destination regions than in the first distribution pass in the second distribution pass.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a few or all of the objects brought back by means of the transport facility to the sorter by the sorter in the second distribution pass are brought into the retrieval end stations.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a few or all of the retrieval end stations are unloaded before the objects brought back from the collection end station to the sorter are brought by the sorter into the retrieval end stations in the second distribution pass.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the objects transported away from the collection end station are brought back by the transport facility directly to the sorter.

6. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises reading sorting information of the objects transported away from the collection end station using a read facility of the sorting installation, before the objects are brought by the sorter into one of the end stations in the second distribution pass.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the sorting information of a respective one of the objects transported away from the collection end station is read when the respective object is located on the sorter.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the objects, which are transported away from the collection end station by means of the transport facility, are initially transported away as a mass flow from the collection end station and the mass flow is converted by means of a singulator into a separated flow of the objects.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the objects brought into the collection end station are stored temporarily in a storage area of the collection end station and subsequently automatically conveyed to the transport facility for the second distribution pass by the conveyor unit.

10. A sorting installation for sorting objects, the sorting installation comprising: end stations including a plurality of retrieval end stations and a collection end station; a sorter for conveying the objects and configured to respectively bring the objects conveyed on said sorter into one of said end stations; and a transport facility for automatically transporting the objects away from said collection end station as well as for automatically bringing the objects back to said sorter, wherein the objects are able to be respectively brought from said collection end station by means of said transport facility to a section of said sorter from which the objects are able to be brought by said sorter into one of said end stations, said transport facility having an object entry section and an object exit section, said object exit section being disposed at a higher level than that of said object entry section; and said transport facility having a vertically running conveyor with a conveyor drive.

11. The sorting installation according to claim 10, wherein said transport facility has a singulator for separation of the objects.

12. The sorting installation according to claim 10, wherein said sorter has a read facility for reading sorting information of an object.

13. The sorting installation according to claim 10, wherein said transport facility is configured to bring the objects from said collection end station directly back to said sorter.

14. A sorting installation for sorting objects, the sorting installation comprising: end stations including a plurality of retrieval end stations and a collection end station, said collection end station having at least one storage area for accepting the objects, said storage area having a base that can be raised and lowered; a sorter for conveying the objects and configured to respectively bring the objects conveyed on said sorter into one of said end stations; and a transport facility for automatically transporting the objects away from said collection end station as well as for automatically bringing the objects back to said sorter, wherein the objects are able to be respectively brought from said collection end station by means of said transport facility to a section of said sorter from which the objects are able to be brought by said sorter into one of said end stations; said base that can be raised and lowered having a conveyor unit for conveying the objects to said transport facility.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, top plan view of a first exemplary embodiment of an inventive sorting installation;

(2) FIG. 2 is a side view of the sorting installation from FIG. 1 in a first state;

(3) FIG. 3 is a side view of the sorting installation from FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 in a second state; and

(4) FIG. 4 is a side view of a second exemplary embodiment of an inventive sorting installation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a schematic of a part of a first sorting installation 2a for the sorting of objects 4, in particular parcels, in a view from above.

(6) The sorting installation 2a contains a sorter 6, a number of retrieval end stations 8 as well as a collection end station 10. In FIG. 1 the end stations 8, 10 are depicted at a distance from one another for the purpose of improved clarity. Basically the end stations 8, 10 can be arranged without any distance between them, that is to say adjoining one another.

(7) The sorter 6 is configured to transport the objects 4 to be sorted in a direction of conveyance 12 and to bring the objects 4 in each case into one of the end stations 8, 10. In the present exemplary embodiment the sorter 6 is embodied as a tilt tray sorter. The sorter 6 thus contains a plurality of tilt trays 14 for conveying the objects 4, wherein the tilt trays 14 also serve to bring the objects 4 in each case (by a tilting movement) into one of the end stations 8, 10. As an alternative the sorter 6 can be embodied as a transverse belt sorter for example.

(8) The sorter 6 is furthermore equipped with a read facility 16. When the sorting installation 2a is operating, the sorter 6 conveys the objects 4 to be sorted in a direction of conveyance 12, wherein the objects 4 conveyed on the sorter 6 pass the read facility 16. The read facility 16 reads sorting information from each object 4 that passes the read facility 16, such as for example a destination address, and transfers the respective sorting information (for example via a connecting line 18) to a control unit 20 of the sorting installation 2a. Depending on the respective sorting information, the control unit 20 controls the end station 8, 10 into which the sorter 6 brings the respective object 4.

(9) The end stations 8, 10 each have a chute 22, down which the objects 4 can slip or slide, as well as two side walls 24 delimiting the chute 22, which are intended to prevent the objects 4 being able to fall downwards from sides of the chute 22.

(10) The retrieval end stations 8 also have a retrieval table 26, on which the objects 4 brought into the respective retrieval end station 8 can be stored. These objects 4 can be loaded by hand into roller containers from the retrieval tables 26 of the retrieval end stations 8 and transported away.

(11) The collection end station 10 has an entry-side storage area 28 and also an exit-side storage area 30 for accepting objects 4, wherein the two storage areas 28, 30 each have a base 32 that can be raised or lowered (cf. FIG. 2 and FIG. 3). Basically the retrieval end stations 8 can also have one or more of such storage areas. Any such storage areas of the retrieval end stations 8 are not shown in FIG. 1 for the sake of improved clarity.

(12) The sorting installation 2a further has a transport facility 34, which is configured to automatically transport objects 4 brought into the collection end station 10 away from the collection end station 10 and to automatically bring these objects 4 back to the sorter 6.

(13) The transport facility 34 has an object entry section 36, which is arranged on the collection end station 10, and also an object exit section 38, which—related to the direction of conveyance 12 of the sorter 6—is arranged on a section of the sorter 6 arranged before the read facility 16 and is arranged at a higher level than the object entry section 36. Moreover the transport facility 34 has a vertically running conveyor 40 with a conveyor drive 42, in particular an electric motor, as well as side walls 24 delimiting the conveyor 40. The conveyor 40 of the transport facility 34 can be embodied as a roller conveyor for example, wherein basically other embodiments of the conveyor 40 are also possible. Moreover the transport facility 34 has a singulator 44 for the separation of objects 4.

(14) When the sorting installation 2a is operating the objects 4 being conveyed on the sorter 6 are brought by the sorter 6 into the end stations 8, 10 in a first distribution pass. During the first distribution pass the retrieval end stations 8 are assigned predetermined destination regions. Those objects 4 of which the destination address does not lie within one of these destination regions are brought into the collection end station 10. The other objects 4 are brought into the associated retrieval end station 8 in accordance with their destination addresses in each case.

(15) The objects 4 brought into the collection end station 10 are stored temporarily in at least one of the two storage areas 28, 30 of the collection end station 10 while the retrieval end stations 8 are being unloaded.

(16) For a second distribution pass, in which predetermined destination regions other than those assigned during the first distribution pass are assigned to the retrieval end stations 8, the objects 4 brought into the collection end station 10 are then brought back directly to the sorter 6 by the transport facility 34. Here the transport facility 34, at its object entry section 36, takes the objects 4 out of the collection end station 10 and conveys these objects 4 by its conveyor 40 in a direction of conveyance 46 to its object exit section 38, from where the transport facility 34 transfers these objects 4 to the sorter 6.

(17) Those objects 4 that are transported by means of the transport facility 34 away from the collection end station 10 are initially transported away from the collection end station 10 as a mass flow 48. With the aid of a singulator 44 of the transport facility 34 the mass flow 48 is converted into a separated flow 50 of objects 4. In this way it is insured that at most one object 4 in each case gets onto the tilt trays 14 of the sorter 6.

(18) The read facility 16 reads from each object 4 brought back to the sorter 6 its sorting information. Depending on the sorting information of the respective object 4 brought back to the sorter 6, the sorter 6 brings the respective object 4 into one of the end stations 8, 10 in the second distribution pass. Depending on the number of retrieval end stations 8 needed for the desired fine distribution of the objects 4, the objects 4 brought back to the sorter in the second distribution pass are distributed by the sorter 6 either just to the retrieval end stations 8 (that have become free in the meantime) or both to the retrieval end stations 8 and also to the collection end station 10.

(19) Objects 4 that are brought into the collection end station 10 by the sorter 6 in the second distribution pass can if necessary be transported away automatically from the collection end station 10 and brought back to the sorter 6 for a third distribution pass by the transport facility 34. Depending on the need for end stations 8, 10 for the desired fine distribution of the objects 4, the sorting/distribution process described above can be repeated one or more further times where necessary.

(20) FIG. 2 shows a schematic of the first sorting installation 2a in a view from the side. Depicted in FIG. 2 are the collection end station 10, the sorter 6 and also the transport facility 34 of the first sorting installation 2a. The side walls 24 of the collection end station 10 previously mentioned are not shown in FIG. 2 for the sake of improved clarity.

(21) As mentioned previously, the collection end station 10 contains an entry-side storage area 28 as well as an exit-side storage area 30, which each have a base 32 that can be raised and lowered. Each of the two storage areas 28, 30 is delimited by a rear retaining wall 52.

(22) In the present exemplary embodiment, the base 32 of the entry-side storage area 28 that can be raised and lowered as well as the base 32 of the exit-side storage area 30 that can be raised and lowered are each supported pivotably about a pivot axis 54, wherein the respective pivot axis 54 is at right angles to the plane of the drawing shown in FIG. 2.

(23) For each of the two storage areas 28, 30, the collection end station 10 has separate pivot mechanisms 56 for pivoting the respective base 32 that can be raised and lowered. The respective pivot mechanism 56 contains a pivot bearing not shown in the figure, to which the respective base 32 that can be raised and lowered is fastened, as well as a pivotably supported lifting cylinder 58, on which the respective base 32 that can be raised and lowered is supported and which has a piston rod 60 that can be extended and retracted.

(24) In the present example the lifting cylinder 58 of the respective pivot mechanism 56 is embodied as a fluid cylinder. This means that the position of the piston rod 60 of the respective lifting cylinder 58 is able to be controlled by a (control) fluid. To set the fluid pressure in its lifting cylinder 58 the respective pivot mechanism 56 has a fluid pump 62, which is connected by a fluid line 64 to the lifting cylinder 58 of the respective pivot mechanism 56.

(25) The base 32 of the exit-side storage area 30 that can be raised and lowered and also the base 32 of the entry-side storage area 28 that can be raised and lowered are equipped with a conveyor unit 66 in each case. In the present example the respective conveyor unit 66 is embodied as a belt conveyor equipped with an electric conveyor drive 68. Basically other embodiments of the two conveyor units 66 are also possible.

(26) The collection end station 10 further contains a control device 70 for controlling the fluid pumps 62 as well as for controlling the conveyor units 66. The control device 70 is preferably connected to the conveyor units 66 and also to the fluid pumps 62 via control lines 72. As an alternative there can be provision for the control device 70 to control the conveyor units 66 and/or the fluid pumps 62 via radio signals.

(27) The collection end station 10 is depicted in FIG. 2 in a state in which the base 32 of exit-side storage area 30 that can be raised and lowered and also the base 32 of the entry-side storage area 28 that can be raised and lowered are each in a lowered position. Also there are a number of objects 4 located on the base 32 of exit-side storage area 30 in each case that can be raised and lowered and also the base 32 of the entry-side storage area 28 that can be raised and lowered. This means that the respective base 32 that can be raised or lowered is serving as storage for objects 4.

(28) In order to empty the two storage areas 28, 30, first of all the conveyor unit 66 of the base 32 of the exit-side storage area 30 that can be raised or lowered is controlled by the control device 70 of the collection end station 10 in such a way that the objects 4 are conveyed from the exit-side storage area 30 by this conveyor unit 66 to the transport facility 34.

(29) The base 32 of the exit-side storage area 30 that can be raised and lowered is further raised with the aid of the associated pivot mechanism 56 (thus pivoted upwards in the present example), in order to be able to convey the objects 4 to the transport facility 34 from the entry-side storage area 28 via the base 32 of the exit-side storage area 30 that can be raised or lowered without these objects 4 falling downwards from the chute 22 of the collection end station 10 (into the exit-side storage area 30). Here the control device 70 of the collection end station 10 controls the corresponding fluid pump 62 in such a way that the fluid pump 62 changes the fluid pressure in the corresponding lifting cylinder 58 so that its piston rod 60 is extended.

(30) When the base 32 of the exit-side storage area 30 that can be raised and lowered is located in its highest position (cf. FIG. 3), the conveyor unit 66 of the base 32 of the entry-side storage area 28 that can be raised or lowered is controlled by the control device 70 of the collection end station 10 in such a way that the objects 4 are conveyed from the entry-side storage area 70 from this conveyor unit 66 to the transport facility 34.

(31) FIG. 3 shows a schematic of the first sorting installation 2a in the same view as that shown in FIG. 2. However the sorting installation 2a, or to put in more precisely, its collection end station 10, is in a different state from its state in FIG. 2.

(32) In FIG. 3, the exit-side storage area 30 of the collection end station 10 is emptied (i.e. there are no objects located in the exit-side storage area 30) and the base 32 of the exit-side storage area 30 that can be raised and lowered is located in its highest position. In this state, objects 4 can be conveyed from the entry-side storage area 28 via the base 32 of the exit-side storage area 30 that can be raised and lowered without these objects 4 falling downwards from the chute 22 of the collection end station 10 (into the exit-side storage area 30).

(33) The description of the exemplary embodiment given below is primarily restricted to the differences from the previous exemplary embodiment, to which the reader is referred in relation to features and functions that are the same. The same elements and/or those that correspond to one another, where this serves a useful purpose, are identified with the same reference characters. Features of the previous exemplary embodiment are included in the exemplary embodiment below without them being described once again.

(34) FIG. 4 shows a schematic of a part of a second sorting installation 2b for the sorting of objects 4, in a view from the side.

(35) The sorter 6, the collection end station 10 and also the transport facility 34, which is configured for automatically transporting the objects 4 away from the collection end station 10 and for automatically bringing these objects 4 back to the sorter 6 of the second sorting installation 2b are depicted in FIG. 4. In addition to these elements the second sorting installation 2b contains a number of retrieval end stations not shown in FIG. 4.

(36) The second sorting installation 2b essentially corresponds to the first sorting installation 2a (cf. FIG. 1 to FIG. 3). However the sorter 6 of the second sorting installation 2b is not embodied as a tilt tray sorter but as a transverse belt sorter. Instead of tilt trays the sorter 6 of the second sorting installation 2b has a number transverse belts 74 for bringing objects 4 into the end stations 8, 10, wherein only one of the transverse belts 74 is visible in FIG. 4. As an alternative an embodiment of the second sorter 6 as a tilt tray sorter is (also) possible for the second sorting installation 2b.

(37) The collection end station 10 of the second sorting installation 2b further differs from the collection end station 10 of the first sorting installation 2a (cf. in particular FIG. 2 and FIG. 3) in that, with the collection end station 10 of the second sorting installation 2b, the base 32 of the exit-side storage area 30 that can be raised and lowered is not supported pivotably but is supported translationally height-adjustably.

(38) For the exit-side storage area 30 the collection end station 10 of the second sorting installation 2b has a lifting mechanism 76 instead of a pivot mechanism, by means of which the base 32 of the exit-side storage area 30 that can be raised and lowered is able to be raised and lowered translationally. In FIG. 4 the base 32 of the exit-side storage area 30 that can be raised and lowered is in its highest position.

(39) The lifting mechanism 76 for the exit-side storage area 30 contains a number of (not pivotably supported) lifting cylinders 58, which are able to be controlled by a (control) fluid, as well as the fluid pump 62 controlled by the control device 70 of the collection end station 10, which is connected via the fluid lines 64 to these lifting cylinders 58.

(40) Basically it is possible, instead of the base 32 of the exit-side storage area 30 that can be raised or lowered or in addition to the base 32 of the exit-side storage area 30 that can be raised or lowered, (also) for the base 32 of the entry-side storage area 28 that can be raised and lowered to be supported translationally height-adjustably and for the collection end station 10 for the entry-side storage area 28 to have a lifting mechanism (instead of the pivot mechanism 56).

(41) The bringing of objects 4 from sorter 6 into the collection end station 10 (as well as into the retrieval end stations not shown in the figure) of the second sorting installation 2b is done in the same way as it is in first sorting installation 2a. Also the transporting away of objects 4 from the collection end station 10 and the bringing back of these objects 4 to the sorter 6 by means of the transport facility 34 is done in the same way as it is in first sorting installation 2a.

(42) Although the invention has been illustrated and described in greater detail by the preferred exemplary embodiment, the invention is not restricted by the examples disclosed and other variations can be derived herefrom without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

(43) The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention: 2a Sorting system 2b Sorting system 4 Object 6 Sorter 8 Retrieval end station 10 Collection end station 12 Direction of conveyance 14 Tilt tray 16 Read facility 18 Connecting line 20 Control unit 22 Chute 24 Side wall 26 Retrieval table 28 Storage area 30 Storage area 32 Base 34 Transport facility 36 Object entry section 38 Object exit section 40 Conveyor 42 Conveyor drive 44 Singulator 46 Direction of conveyance 48 Mass flow 50 Separated flow 52 Rear retaining wall 54 Pivot axis 56 Pivot mechanism 58 Lifting cylinder 60 Piston rod 62 Fluid pump 64 Fluid line 66 Conveyor unit 68 Conveyor drive 70 Control device 72 Control device 74 Transverse belt 76 Lifting mechanism