System for sorting products, method for sorting product, and computer program product

Abstract

System (1) for sorting products, comprising: a conveyor (11) comprising carrying bodies (113) one after another, extending parallel to each other, the carrying bodies associated with a pusher body (114), an electric motor (117) for moving the pusher body along the carrying body in a sort direction, a central control server (12) arranged for transmitting destination data relating to a sorting locationa plurality of controllers (13), in communication with the central control server and moveable in the transport direction, each to control two or more electrical motors in accordance with destination data received from the central control server, a stationary Access Point, AP (14), communicating with the server, anda pair of stationary radiating cables (15, 16) connected to the AP, one radiating cable extending in the transport direction and the other radiating cable extending against the transport direction, the radiating cables arranged for communication with the controllers.

Claims

1. A system 1 for sorting products, comprising: a conveyor that is moveable in a transport direction over a path along which a number of sorting locations are provided, the conveyor comprising a number of elongated carrying bodies located one after another and extending in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction parallel to each other, the carrying bodies being configured for carrying the products to be sorted, all or a subset of the carrying bodies being associated with a pusher body to form a carrying-pusher body combination; each carrying-pusher body combination being provided with a pusher body displacement device comprising an electric motor, for moving the pusher body along a carrying body of the carrying bodies in a sort direction transverse to the transport direction, for pushing a product carried by the carrying body off of the carrying body; a central control server arranged for transmitting destination data relating to a sorting location where a product to be sorted is to be pushed off of the carrying body; a plurality of controllers, arranged in communication with the central control server and moveable in the transport direction along with a carrying body or a group of carrying bodies, each one of the controllers being arranged to control two or more of the electrical motors of the pusher body displacement devices in accordance with the destination data received from the central control server; at least one stationary Access Point (AP) arranged to communicate with the central control server; a first pair of stationary radiating cables connected to the AP, one radiating cable of the first pair of stationary radiating cables extending in the transport direction with respect to the AP and the other radiating cable of the first pair of stationary radiating cables extending against the transport direction with respect to the AP, the first pair of stationary radiating cables arranged for communication with the plurality of controllers; and a second pair of stationary radiating cables arranged in communication with the AP, the second pair of stationary radiating cables being arranged parallel to the first pair of stationary radiating cables, one radiating cable of the second pair of stationary radiating cables extending in the transport direction with respect to the AP and the other radiating cable of the second pair of stationary radiating cables extending against the transport direction with respect to the AP, the second pair of stationary radiating cables arranged for communication with the plurality of controllers.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein each controller of the plurality of controllers is arranged to control at most 32 of the pusher body displacement devices.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein a total length of the first pair of stationary radiating cables, when measured along the transport direction of the conveyor, exceeds 100 meters.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein a length of a radiating cable of the first pair of stationary radiating cables that extends in the transport direction with respect to the AP is between 50% and 200% of the length of the radiating cable that extends against the transport direction with respect to the AP.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a second stationary Access Point arranged to communicate with the central control server and connected to the first pair of stationary radiating cables.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein a communication frequency band over a first AP differs from a communication frequency band over the second AP.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein a length of a radiating cable is at most 150 meter.

8. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein each controller of the plurality of controllers is arranged for controlling pusher body displacement devices based on at least one sorter parameter, wherein the at least one sorter parameter is at least one of: an outfeed angle () between a transport direction and an outfeed direction, of an outfeed connected to the system; a width of the outfeed; a location of the outfeed; or expected speed of the products to be sorted on the outfeed.

9. The system in accordance with claim 8, wherein each controller of the plurality of the controllers is arranged for determining a sorting profile for a corresponding pusher body based on the at least one sorter parameter, wherein the sorting profile relates to a position of the pusher body with respect to its corresponding elongated carrying body.

10. The system in accordance with claim 9, wherein each controller of the plurality of controllers is arranged for: controlling a corresponding pusher body, via a corresponding pusher body displacement device, to an initial position such that the corresponding pusher body is against, or close to, a product to be sorted; and sorting the product to be sorted by controlling the pusher body displacement device, at a sorting location of the sorting locations, such that the corresponding pusher body follows the sorting profile starting from the initial position.

11. A method of sorting a product to be sorted, using the system according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises the steps of: receiving, by one of the controllers, from the central control server via the at least one stationary AP and a stationary radiating cable, destination data relating to the sorting location where the product to be sorted is to be pushed off of the conveyor; and controlling, by one of the controllers, any of the pusher body displacement devices at the sorting location by driving the corresponding electric motor in accordance with the received destination data.

12. The method in accordance with claim 11, wherein the step of receiving further include: receiving at least one sorter parameter, wherein the sorter parameter is at least one of: an outfeed angle (), between a transport direction and an outfeed direction of an outfeed connected to the system; a width of the outfeed; a location of the outfeed; or expected speed of the product to be sorted on the outfeed; and wherein the step of controlling is further based on the at least one sorter parameter.

13. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a controller, cause the controller to implement a method in accordance with claim 11.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be explained in more detail hereunder on the basis of the description of a number of possible embodiments of the invention, referring to the following figures wherein like parts and features are denominated with like reference numerals:

(2) FIG. 1 schematically shows in a side view a system for sorting products in accordance with the present disclosure;

(3) FIG. 2 schematically shows in a top view a system for sorting products in accordance with the present disclosure;

(4) FIG. 3 schematically shows a side view of a carrying-pusher body combination forming part of a system for sorting products in accordance with the present disclosure;

(5) FIG. 4 schematically shows a high level design of a part of the communication architecture provided as part of the system for sorting products in accordance with the present disclosure; and

(6) FIG. 5 schematically shows a high level design of another part of the communication architecture provided as part of the system for sorting products in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) FIG. 1 shows in a side view a highly schematic overview of a system 1 for sorting products, although no products are shown in FIG. 1. The system 1 comprises a conveyor 11, which is of the endless type. The conveyor 11 is here driven by two conveyor displacement devices 124, although one of them might be a guide while whereas only the other actually drives the conveyor 11. Indeed, typically a conveyor displacement device will only be present at a downstream side of the conveyor, near an end point of the transport path. The conveyor 11 is driven in a transport direction T. In the figure the length of the conveyor 11 seems relatively small (at least compared to the height), but one skilled in the art will understand that in reality the length is in principle unbounded and may e.g. be several hundreds of meters, e.g. more than 100 meter, such as 200 meter, 250 meter, 300 meter or longer. The conveyor 11 has an upper loop portion 122 which movesin operationin the transport direction T from a start point 120 of the path of the conveyor 11 to an end point 121 of the path of the conveyor and carries products. The conveyor 11 also has a return loop portion 123 which moves against the transport direction T, from the end point 121 of the path back to the start point 120 of the path.

(8) In the figure, the path is shown as a rectilinear path, but one of skill in the art will understand that the path may alternatively have all kinds of twists, turns, curves, and other non-linear parts. The conveyor 11 as shown here has two conveyor displacement devices 124, but one of skill in the art will understand that, especially when the conveyor 11 is relatively long, more conveyor displacement devices 124 may be provided and the conveyor 11 may comprises several sections of e.g. endless loops.

(9) Provided near the start point 120 of the path is an infeed 119. Provided along the path are several outfeeds and sorting locations, as will be described in more detail in the below.

(10) Further shown in FIG. 1 are a number of carrying-pusher body combinations 115, although only one is referenced a great number of such combinations 115 may be recognized. The combinations 115, only visible from the side in this view, extend in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction T and are arranged one after another, the different combinations 115 extending parallel to each other. The combinations 115, as discussed in more detail below, comprise a carrying body 113, hereinafter referred to as slat, on which a product is carried and a pusher body 114, hereinafter referred to as shoe, with which a carried product can be pushed off of the slat.

(11) Further visible along the path is an Access Point, AP, 14, a radiating cable 15 extending in the transport direction T with respect to the AP 14 as well as a radiating cable 16 extending opposite to the transport direction T with respect to the AP 14. The function of these radiating cables 15, 16 and the AP 14 is to be discussed in the below.

(12) Turning to FIG. 2, a top view of the system 1 is shown, with only the upper loop of the conveyor 11 shown. Again visible, near the start point of the path defined by the conveyor 11 is an infeed 119. From the infeed 119, products P are placed on the conveyor 11. The conveyor 11, as is now better visible, comprises a number of slats 113, of which only one is indicated but of which a great number are present, as evidenced by e.g. FIG. 1. The slats 113 are located one after another and extend parallel to each other, in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction T. As shown, the slats 113 carry products P of all sizes and shapes. As is typical, but not necessary, one product P is carried by several slats 113. As is also well visible, each slat 113 is associated with a shoe 114. As explained above with reference to FIG. 1, the shoes 114 and slats 113 form a carrying-pusher body combination 115, hereinafter simply referred to as combination. As will be derived from the figure, the position of the shoes 114 on the slats 113 is not static, but the shoes 114 can move with respect to the slats 113, in particular in a sorting direction indicated as S, in a manner known to a person skilled in the art. The sorting direction S is here perpendicular to the transport direction T, and in general will be transverse to the transport direction T although a perpendicular orientation is not required.

(13) Shown along the path are two sorting locations 111, 112. At the sorting locations 111, 112 outfeeds 118 are provided, which outfeeds 118 may collect the products P in a way that is known in the art. As described in more detail below, a central control server controls operation of the shoes 114 so that the products P are pushed off of the conveyor 11 at the correct or desired sorting location 111, 112.

(14) More specifically, operation of the shoes 114 may be based on so-called sorting parameters, which may be any of an outfeed angle , i.e. an angle between a sorting transport direction T and an outfeed direction D, of the outfeed 118 and/or a width W of the outfeed 118 and/or a sorting location 111, 112 of the outfeed 118 and/or an expected speed of the product to be sorted on the outfeed 118.

(15) In particular, one or more controllers may be provided as a part of the system (to be described in the below), each of the controllers being arranged for determining a sorting profile for a corresponding shoe 114 controlled by the controller based on any of the above-mentioned sorter parameters, wherein the sorting profile in particular relates to a position of the shoe 114 with respect to its corresponding slat 113 of combination 115.

(16) One particular advantage of the presented system is that, in this way, each shoe 114 may be controlled separately, individually and independently such that the sorting process can be tailored to each individual product.

(17) Turning now to FIG. 3, one of many ways in which the shoe 114 may be moved with respect to the slat 113 is shown. It is noted that, besides the particular embodiment shown here, many other, non-shown, ways to move shoe 114 with respect to slat 113 are known to the person skilled in the art and the present disclosure is in no way limited to a particular manner of operating shoe 114. Examples of such non-shown methods include a belt transmission and a direct transmission by a servomotor provided in or on shoe 114.

(18) FIG. 3 then shows a combination 115 of a slat 113 and a shoe 114 moveable relative to slat 113 in two opposite sorting directions S. For said movement, combination 115 is provided on the underside of slat 112 with a pusher body displacement device 116, in this particular example a spindle transmission. The spindle transmission 116 includes a threaded spindle 126 and a nut 127 that surrounds threaded spindle 126 and engages therewith. Nut 127 is connected to pusher shoe 114, on the underside thereof. The pusher body displacement device 116 further comprises a servomotor 117, which is an electric motor, which, via right-angled transmission 125, rigidly connects with slat 113 to one end thereof, and is coupled to one end of threaded spindle 126.

(19) At the opposite end, threaded spindle 126 is mounted rotatably in bearing body 128, which is connected rigidly to slat 113. Excitation of electric motor 117 results in threaded spindle 126 rotating about the non-numbered centre line in one of the two directions shown by the rotating and double-headed arrow. Nut 127 is moved thereby in a sorting direction S. On account of the coupling between nut 127 and pusher shoe 114, shoe 114 will therefore also move in one of the two oppositely directed sorting directions 4, parallel to the longitudinal direction of the slat 113.

(20) The servomotor 117 may e.g. be powered by a battery, which is not shown here. Charging of such a battery may for example be inductive, and thus contactless, or by means of sliding contacts.

(21) Turning now to FIG. 4, the basic principle underlying the present invention is schematically shown. Although the basic principle of the present invention is defined in the claim 1, a more advantageous embodiment, comprising more features than required by the claims, is shown in FIG. 4. Shown in FIG. 4 are two Access Points 14, 19, each connected, via combiner 20, at both sides to two radiating cables 15, 16, 17, 18, hereinafter to be referred to as leaky coax cables 15, 16, 17, 18. Not shown in FIG. 4 is that the leaky coax cables 15, 16, 17, 18 in practice will be arranged parallel to the conveyor (indicated by the general reference T, referring to the transport direction of the conveyor). The leaky coax cables 15, 16, 17, 18 are arranged in pairs. A first pair is formed by upper leaky coax cables 17, 18 and a second pair is formed by lower leaky coax cables 15, 16. The pairs are arranged in parallel to each other. Each pair has one leaky coax cable 15, 17 that extends in the direction of transportation T with respect to the APs 14, 19 and another leaky coax cable 16, 18 that extends in the opposite direction of the transport direction T with respect to the APs 14, 19.

(22) A total length of one leaky coax cable 15, 16, 17, 18, measured from where it is connected to combiner 20 to the opposite end thereof, may be up to 150 meter, e.g. about at most 125 meter. A total length of one pair of leaky coax cables, measured from the outer end away from combiner 20 of the cable 16, 18 extending against the transport direction T to the outer end away from combiner 20 of the cable 15, 17 extending in the transport direction T, may be up to 300 meter and may e.g. be longer than 100 meter.

(23) A length of the leaky coax cable 15, 17 that extends in the transport direction T may be approximately equal to the length of the leaky coax cable 16, 18 that extends in the opposite direction. Alternatively, one of the cables may be up to three times, e.g. up to two times, longer than the other cable.

(24) A communication frequency band of the first AP 14 may differ from a communication frequency band of the second AP 19.

(25) Turning now to FIG. 5, a number of slats 113 is shown again (although only two are referenced). Each of the slats 113, or only some of them, are associated with a shoe 114, of which again only two are shown in this figure. The slats 113, as explained, form the conveyor and move in the transport direction T. The shoes 114, as explained are moveable with respect to the slats 113 in the sort direction S transverse to the transport direction T. Products are transported on the conveyor, although none are shown in FIG. 5.

(26) Shown schematically at the bottom of the figure, but not necessarily present in the same room or building as the conveyor, is a central control server 12. The central control server 12 is the master of the communication architecture, the element that ultimately determines in which way the shoes 114 should be operated by transmitting destination data relating to a sorting location where a product to be sorted is to be pushed off of the carrying body 113 on which it lies. The central control server 12 is communicatively connected to a first AP 14 and a second AP 19. Each of the APs 14, 19 is connected to a pair of leaky coax cables 15, 16, 17, 18. The first AP 14 is connected to a first pair of leaky coax cables 15, 16 via combiners 20 and the second AP 19 is connected to a second pair of leaky coax cables 17, 18 via combiners 20. Of each pair, one leaky coax cable 15, 17 extends in the transport direction T and one leaky coax cable 16, 18 extends opposite to the transport direction T.

(27) Whereas the APs 14, 19 and the leaky coax cables 15, 16, 17, 18 are stationary with respect to the fixed world, the elements associated with the conveyor, among them the combinations 115, the shoes 114, the slats 113, the electric motors 117, the controllers 13, and the controller antennas 131, move with respect to the fixed world. The leaky coax cables 15, 16, 17, 18 provide communication between this fixed world and these moving components, by communicating with the controllers 13, e.g. with the antennas 131 thereof. For example, the antenna may be a built-in antenna.

(28) The controllers 13, this way arranged in communication with the central control server 12, picks up the destination data transmitted by the central control server 12 and, in response to said destination data controls an operation of two or more of the electrical motor 117 associated with the shoes 114.

(29) As can be seen in the figure, each controller 13 controls a number of electric motors, e.g. up to 32 of them. Advantageously, the group of electric motors 117 controlled with one controller 13 are coupled to each other in a daisy chain configuration.

(30) As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, each of the controllers 13 in this way is arranged for: controlling a shoe 114, via the pusher body displacement device and the electric motor associated therewith, to an initial position such that the corresponding shoe is against, or close to, a product to be sorted; and sorting the product to be sorted by controlling the pusher body displacement device, in particular the electric motor 117 thereof, at the sorting location, such that the corresponding shoe follows an established sorting profile starting from the initial position.

(31) The controllers 13 may e.g. comprise a microprocessor or a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The controllers 13 are configured for at least receiving data, for example directly from the central control server, relating to the sorting location 111, 112 where a product to be sorted should be pushed from the associated slat 113 and relating to the position of the combination 115 viewed in the direction of transportation T at least in the sorting path, and for controlling the associated servomotor 117.

(32) The controller 13 may further be configured with a ROM and/or RAM memory for storing data relating to the aforementioned sorting location and for determining the longitudinal position of the shoe relative to the associated slat.

(33) As for power transmission, power rails may be fitted on one of the side frames of the sorter. Current collectors may be fitted on the moving carriers and connected to power pickup units fixed on the carriers.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(34) 1 System for sorting products 11 conveyor 111 sorting location 112 sorting location 113 carrying body 114 pusher body 115 carrying-pusher body combination 116 pusher body displacement device 117 electric motor 118 outfeed 119 infeed 120 start point of path 121 end point of path 122 upper loop 123 return loop 124 conveyor displacement device 125 transmission pusher body displacement device 126 threaded spindle 127 nut 128 bearing body 12 central control server 13 controller 131 antenna 14 Access Point 15 radiating cable 16 radiating cable 17 radiating cable 18 radiating cable 19 Access Point 20 combiner angle between outfeed direction and transport direction D outfeed direction P product S sorting direction T transport direction W outfeed width