Method for operating a conveyor for successive goods, and corresponding conveyor system

Abstract

A method for operating an overhead conveyor for successive goods is disclosed, in which the goods are loaded onto the overhead conveyor one by one by means of an inward transfer means and are transferred outward at a predefined point of the overhead conveyor by means of a switch, the distance between successive goods on the overhead conveyor either being minimised if said successive goods are to be transferred outward at the same switch, or the distance between the successive goods on the overhead conveyor being increased in such a way that said distance corresponds to the minimum outward transfer distance if the successive goods are not to be transferred outward at the same switch.

Claims

1. A method for operating a conveyor, wherein the conveyor is an overhead conveyor having a chain and a chain drive, the chain defining fixed divisions and the distance between the goods is fixed by the goods cooperation with the chain, the method comprising the steps of: feeding the goods onto the conveyor one after another; discharging the goods at a predetermined location of the conveyor via a switch point; and minimizing a distance between successive goods on the conveyor when successive goods are to be discharged at the same switch point or enlarging the distance between the successive goods on the conveyor such that it corresponds to a minimum discharge distance when the successive goods are not to be discharged at the same switch point, wherein the goods having the same destination are introduced within a small distance of each other as a batch, whereas goods having a different destination are spaced apart from each other such that they can be discharged in a targeted manner and then together as a batch.

2. The method for operating a conveyor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said minimizing the distance between the successive goods on the conveyor when the successive goods are to be discharged at the same switch point is further based on the successive goods belonging to a shared order and/or destination.

3. The method for operating a conveyor as claimed claim 1, further comprising adjusting the distance between the successive goods on the conveyor for further optimisation using a thickness measuring device.

4. The method for operating a conveyor as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing a conveyor with gathering path having a plurality of introduction means and a plurality of switch points.

5. The method for operating a conveyor as claimed in claim 1, further comprising identifying the goods and/or the properties thereof when the goods are feed to the conveyor are determined.

6. The method for operating a conveyor as claimed in claim 1, further comprising determining thickness of the goods in the conveying direction, when the goods are feed to the conveyor.

7. A method for operating a conveyor, wherein the conveyor is an overhead conveyor having a chain and a chain drive, the chain drive defining fixed divisions and the distance between the goods is fixed by the goods cooperation with the chain, the method comprising the steps of: feeding the goods onto the conveyor one after another; discharging the goods at a predetermined location of the conveyor via a switch point; minimizing a distance between successive goods on the conveyor when the successive goods are to be discharged at the same switch point or enlarging the distance between the successive goods on the conveyor such that it corresponds to a minimum discharge distance when the successive goods are not to be discharged at the same switch point, wherein the goods having the same destination are introduced within a small distance of each other as a batch, whereas goods having a different destination are spaced apart from each other such that they can be discharged in a targeted manner and then together as a batch; and determining the minimum discharge distance based on the distance between the successive switch points in the conveying direction.

8. A method for operating a conveyor, wherein the conveyor is an overhead conveyor having a chain and a chain drive, the chain drive defining fixed divisions and the distance between the goods is fixed by the goods cooperation with the chain, the method comprising the steps of: feeding the goods onto the conveyor one after another; discharging the goods at a predetermined location of the conveyor via a switch point; minimizing a distance between successive goods on the conveyor when the successive goods are to be discharged at the same switch point or enlarging the distance between the successive goods on the conveyor such that it corresponds to a minimum discharge distance when the successive goods are not to be discharged at the same switch point, wherein the goods having the same destination are introduced within a small distance of each other as a batch, whereas goods having a different destination are spaced apart from each other such that they can be discharged in a targeted manner and then together as a batch; and wherein said feeding includes fixing the distance between the successive goods upon introduction of the goods onto the conveyor.

9. A conveying system comprising: an overhead chain conveyor for goods following one behind the other; at least one feed unit to feed the goods onto the overhead chain conveyor one after another; the overhead chain conveyor having at least one switch point in order to discharge goods at a predetermined location of the overhead chain conveyor via the switch point; a controller which is configured to minimise the distance between successive goods on the overhead chain conveyor when said goods are to be discharged at the same switch point, or to enlarge the distance between the successive goods on the overhead chain conveyor such that it corresponds to a minimum discharge distance when said goods are not to be discharged at the same switch point.

10. The conveyor system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the overhead conveyor includes a chain and a chain drive, the chain defining fixed divisions, and the distance between the goods is fixed by the goods cooperation with the chain.

11. The conveyor system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to introduce goods having the same destination within a small distance of each other as a batch, whereas goods having a different destination are spaced apart from each other such that they can be discharged in a targeted manner and then together as a batch.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic unifilar diagram of an overhead conveyor system during introduction;

(2) FIG. 2 is a the schematic unifilar diagram of the overhead conveyor system of FIG. 1 after introduction; and

(3) FIG. 3 is a schematic unifilar diagram of the overhead conveyor system of FIG. 1 during discharge.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(4) Referring to the figures, an overhead conveyor system is designated as a whole by 100. It comprises a main conveying path 1 which is fed with goods 5, 6 via introduction means 3A, B and has discharge means 4A, B for conveying the goods in the system.

(5) The overhead conveyor system 100 is monitored and controlled by means of a central controller 2. The controller 2 regulates the drive and also the introduction means 3 and the discharge means 4.

(6) In addition, the controller 2 is connected to a thickness measuring device 9 in the introduction means 3 in order to determine the respective thickness of the goods in the conveying direction optically by means of light grids and then to adjust the mutual distance during introduction and thus on the conveying path 1.

(7) The introduction means 3A, B have feed units 7A, B which are configured for the singulated feeding of the overhead conveyor goods 5, 6 on the conveying path 1. By way of corresponding actuation, a transport distance T between the goods from the respective introduction means can thus be adjusted on the path 1 in dependence upon their respective thickness D1, D2 and destination (discharge means).

(8) The discharge means 4A, B can be coupled to the conveying path 1 via controllable switch points 8A, B or can be loaded with goods in a targeted manner. The discharge means 4 lead to packing stations (not shown).

(9) The distance X in the conveying direction between the switch points 8A, B or the discharge means 4A, B corresponds to a minimum discharge distance which is selected such that despite the high conveying speed, there remains sufficient time to actuate the switch point 8A for the first discharge means 4A, to discharge the item of goods 6 and then to close the switch point 8A, before the next item of goods 5 is conveyed past the switch point 8A in order to arrive at the switch point 8B.

(10) The goods 5, 6 in the respective introduction means 3A, B have been sorted in the inlet so that said goods in the present example are as determined by the order.

(11) Therefore, the goods 5 all have a common destination, namely discharge means 4B, and the goods 6 have a different common destination, namely discharge means 4A. The further goods 10 serve for illustrating that they have other destinations, distances etc.

(12) The goods 5 have a thickness D1 and the goods 6 have a thickness D2. As illustrated, the thickness D1 is greater than the thickness D2, and so the distance T1 between the goods 5 is greater than the distance T2 between the goods 6.

(13) The distance T1 and also the distance T2 are thus minimised in the conveying direction with respect to the thickness D1, 2.

(14) At the same time, the transport distance between the group of goods 5 and the group of goods 6 is equal to the minimum discharge distance X because these have different destinations.

(15) The minimum absolute distance between two items of goods is fixed by virtue of the fact that the conveyor is an overhead conveyor which is configured having a chain drive and the chain drive defines a fixed division and the distance between the goods is fixed by the variable distance of the engagement in the chain.

(16) In the present case, the goods 5, 6 are accommodated in hanging bags which are entrained (moved) from the drive chain via adapters in a known manner (cf. EP 3 480 142 A1).