AU2003204232A1 - Carton handling method & apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

(ORIGINAL)

Name of Applicant: WILLIAM LAURENCE PEARCE Actual Inventor(s): WILLIAM LAURENCE PEARCE Address for Service: SANDERCOCK COWIE ASSOCIATES 69 ROBINSON STREET DANDENONG VIC 3175 Invention Title: CARTON HANDLING METHOD APPARATUS Details of Associated Provisional Application(s): No(s): Australian Provisional Application No. PS2500 Filed: 17 th May, 2002 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 1- 2003-05-16,A:\446parcc.file.wpd. I la- TITLE: CARTON HANDLING METHOD APPARATUS FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention concerns a method and apparatus for handling cartoned goods.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Cartoned goods leave the factory on pallets and reside in a warehouse until purchased by a supermarket. They are taken from a warehouse rack by a robot selector or a forklift and are loaded onto a truck for transport to the retail premises. Thus the goods remain on 2003-05-16.A446pearce.capwpd, I -2pallets from the factory, through the warehouse, on the truck and into the supermarket.

The pallets are standard size 1200 x 1200mm and a pallet load may consist of several superimposed layers of cartons. Supermarkets commonly order in multiples of pallet layers. Conventionally a pallet carries only one type of good, for example, a full load of butter.

If an order from a supermarket is for two pallet layers of margarine, the margarine pallet will leave the warehouse with only two layers. The loader who supervises the composition of the road truck must use the road truck volume as best he may, but presently as much as 6t of the 35t load represents the timber of the pallets. This is uneconomic, the consequence of the carton by carton assembly of a customers order at the warehouse. Systems designers in the distribution business have sought savings in records, ordering programs and software, but the physical handling of the cartons which compose the individual orders has remained unchanged for a period of years.

International pallets used in air freight do not correspond to the standard pallet in Australia and all goods must be transferred from one to the other. This is all done manually and the volume of work at airports and warehouses causes a correspondingly large number of injuries, such as RSI.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The method aspect of the invention provides a method of assembling a warehouse order comprising transferring a pallet layer of cartons or part thereof as a group to or from a pallet.

Preferably the pallet size is 1200 x 1200mm. One layer may correspond to 1-24 cartons.

The transfer may be from a warehouse rack to a pallet. The transfer may be powered by a forklift truck equipped with a vacuum generator.

One apparatus aspect of the invention provides a pickup assembly for cartoned goods comprising:- 2003-05-I 6,A:446pec .cap.wpd.2 gang lifting means capable of overlying a layer of cartoned goods; and means to apply a partial vacuum between the gang lifting means and the cartons for the purpose of lifting an entire layer and means capable of mounting the assembly on a forklift.

The lifting means may be a horizontal head of substantially the same area as a pallet with an array of suction devices projecting downwardly from the mount having ends which lie substantially in a common plane so as to contact the upper surface of the group of cartons on a pallet.

The mount may contain a vacuum chamber common to the array and the chamber may be connectable to a vacuum pump on the forklift truck.

The tubes may terminate in a resilient bellows so as to seal against the carton surface.

The devices may be normally closed until the whole assembly is lowered by the forks to displace the tubes causing connection to vacuum. The tubes may ride telescopically on projections extending from the mount, the rise and fall being used to open and close a ball valve situated between the individual tube and the common chamber. This is a convenient arrangement of parts, but clearly any arrangement which will offer cost motion will be useful.

Preferably the vacuum pump is driven by its own motor so that the pump and motor may be accommodated as a unit in a box offering sound proofing.

The box may be mountable on the forklift, for example on the roof above the driver. The pump and the gang lifting means may be connected by a vacuum hose fed from a reel.

The reel may take up the rise and fall motion of the fork. Thus the pick up assembly may be supplied with its own vacuum generator unit as retro fittable equipment for a standard forklift truck. As the forklifts are at a standard spacing, the flat rectangular gang lifting part is preferably provided with a pair of parallel shoes into which the forks may slide.

The pick up assembly is capable of lifting cartons made of waxed paperboard, plastic 2003-05-16.A: M6peame.cap.wpd3 -4film wrapped articles and cellophane wrapped boxes. The aim is to provide a conversion kit which will offer the warehouse staff a q.d. accessory for a standard forklift. The suction devices will lift goods such as cartons of slightly differing heights because the or so of lost motion in the telescoping action copes with minor irregularities.

While a pallet size of 1200 x 1200mm is a convenient size for the head, a larger size is used for airport operations. A still larger size is useful for flat articles such as glass mdf, plywood, plasterboard and other building panels, sheet metal and the like. The suction devices for larger heads are not so densely packed.

When the assembly is used on a forklift which travels up and down the aisles of a warehouse with racks on one or both sides, the assembly may be modified to allow the head to project into a rack and pick up or put down goods.

A further apparatus aspect provides a forklift truck with a pick up assembly carried in the fork position and a vacuum generator being part of the truck equipment. This may all be original equipment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Certain embodiments of the invention are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a side view of the forklift truck with the lifting assembly in position.

Figure 2 is a plan of the apparatus of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan of the pick up assembly.

Figure 4 is an end view of the part in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a side view of the part in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a side section of a single vacuum tube in the pick up assembly.

2003. -05-16,A:\446pearce. ap.wpd.4 Figure 7 is a plan of the head mounted on a sub assembly which permits the head to move to one side of the forklift.

Figure 8 is a plan of the head of Figure 7 extended to the pick up/put down position.

All views are diagrammatic.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH RESPECT TO THE DRAWINGS Referring now to the drawings, the forklift truck 2 is the type which has a mast 4 pivoted to the chassis enabling it to turn at 90' to the longitudinal axis of the truck. Bars 6 create a roof platform 8. The mast has conventional rise and fall forks 10. The top of the mast has a vacuum hose reel 12.

The 1273 x 1273mm pickup assembly 14 is suspended from the forks and is connected by a self-sealing coupling 16 to the hose 18 paid out by the reel. The opposite end of the hose is connected to a vacuum generator 20 housed in a sound proof box 22 mounted on the roof platform. The vacuum pump 24 is proprietary equipment and is belt driven by a standard 24hp LPG engine. Vacuum exhaust 26 and engine exhaust 28 discharge into the warehouse.

Pick Up Assembly Referring now to Figures 2-6, a alloy top plate 30 and an alloy bottom plate 32 are bolted together at their perimeters but separated by a gasket 34. The plate 30 has a pair of longitudinal shoes 36 of top hat section. These allow the assembly to be lifted by the forks or parked when not required. The space between the plates 30, 32 is the vacuum chamber. Apertures 38 in the top plate discharge into a pair of plenums 40 alongside the shoes. The plenums 40 are emptied by ducts 42 which join and meet self-sealing coupling 16.

The bottom plate has a 23 x 23 array of downwardly projecting sleeves 44. The sleeve has a seat closed by a spring loaded ball 46. Each sleeve mounts a slidable tube 48. The 2003-05.16,A:446pearc -6lower end of tube 48 carries a rubber bellows 50 intended to contact the top of carton 52.

The upper end of the tube lifts the ball off its seat and imposes vacuum in the bellows.

The pump operates continuously. The driver controls vacuum to the lifting assembly by a switch in his cab. This operates an electric dump valve.

In use the operator starts with an empty pallet. From his Order list he visits the rack holding cartons of fruit and transfers two layers of cartons to the waiting pallet. He next visits the racks holding cartons of laundry powder and transfers two layers to the same pallet. The pallet is full and a standard forklift removes the full pallet to a waiting road truck.

Sub Assembly Referring now to Figures 6 and 7, the shoes 36 support a pair of cross slides 54 which have rail extensions 56. The head is moved at 900 to the drive axis of the truck by a central ram 58. The hose pays out from a tubular guide 60 which takes it to the reel as in Figure 1. Counterweight 62 balances the head.

In a non-illustrated version, the sub assembly has a radius arm instead of cross slides.

We have found the advantages of the above embodiment to be:- 1. Human handling of cartons is unnecessary with consequent savings in injury claims.

2. The proportion of partially filled pallets on road trucks can be reduced.

It is to be understood that the word "comprising" as used throughout the specification is to be interpreted in its inclusive form, ie. use of the word "comprising" does not exclude the addition of other elements.

It is to be understood that various modifications of and/or additions to the invention can be made without departing from the basic nature of the invention. These modifications and/or additions are therefore considered to fall within the scope of the invention.

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Claims (16)

1. A pick up assembly for carriage by a forklift comprising gang lifting means capable of loading and unloading goods, means to apply a partial vacuum between the gang lifting means and the goods and means capable of mounting the assembly on a forklift.

2. A pick up assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the gang lifting means is a horizontal head with an array of suction devices projecting downwardly from the mount, having ends which lie substantially in a common plane so as to contact the upper surface of the goods.

3. A pick up assembly as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the head has a vacuum chamber common to the array and the chamber is connectable to a vacuum source on the forklift.

4. A pick up assembly as claimed in Claim 2 or 3, wherein the devices each terminate in a resilient bellows so as to seal against the goods.

5. A pick up assembly as claimed in Claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein the devices are in use normally closed until the assembly is lowered by the forklift to displace the devices causing connection to vacuum.

6. A pick up assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 2-5, wherein the devices each have a tube which rides telescopically on a hollow projection extending from the head, the rise and fall being used to open and close a check valve situated between each individual device and the vacuum chamber.

7. A pick up assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 2-6, wherein the head has means which is engageable and disengageable by the forks of the forklift.

8. A pick up assembly as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the means is a pair of shoes into which the forks are slidable.

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9. A pick up assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 1-6, wherein the means mounting the assembly is one or more connectors capable of fixing the assembly to the mast of the forklift.

10. A pick up assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 1-9, wherein the head is substantially the same area as a forklift pallet.

11. A pick up assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 1-10, wherein the means capable of mounting the assembly on the forklift includes a sub assembly capable of moving the head transversely of the fork direction in order to reach into racks lining an aisle.

12. A pick up assembly as claimed in Claim 11, wherein extendable support means allow the head to move parallel to the ground between a retracted carrying position and an extended pick up/put down position and a ram moves the head between the two positions.

13. A pick up assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 1-10, wherein the head has a connector for a radius arm mounted on the forklift to enable the assembly to swing through a vertical axis.

14. A pick up assembly substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1-6 and as modified by Figures 7-9.

15. A forklift as claimed in any one of Claims 1-10, wherein the head is connected by a hose to a self-rewinding hose reel for carriage by the forklift.

16. A forklift bearing a pick up assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 1-10, wherein the mount is connected by a hose to a vacuum source via a self- rewinding hose reel. Dated this 16t day of May, 2003. 2003-05-16,A:\446pearcc.cap.wpd,8 -9- SANDERCOCK COWIE PATENT ATTORNEYS FOR WILLIAM LAURENCE PEARCE 2003-OS- 16,AA446pcv=c.cap.wpd,9