DD283341A5 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SORTING OBJECTS IN A SYSTEM WITH A CHANGED ROUTE GUIDANCE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a system for sorting of articles in a system with veraenderlicher Streckenfuehrung, the items coming from loading points and go to unloading, which are not yet determined at the time of delivery of these items in the system. The method provides for the conveyance of the objects in ways determined in each case on the basis of a specific coding assigned to the object at the time of loading. The objects are transported by means of vehicles equipped with equipment which can receive and store information and exchange information with control units with actuators arranged along the routes near the points. Fig. 1 {object; variable route guidance; unloading; encoding; Information; Control devices; Betaetigungsgeraete; Guideways, switches}

Description

For this 4 pages drawings

Field of application of the invention

The invention relates to a method and a system for the sorting of objects that come from a loading point and are transported to an unloading, the unloading at the time of delivery of the items in the system is not fixed, as for example in the baggage sorting on Airfields is the case where it often happens that at the time of baggage take-off the sorting point to which the baggage is to be sent has not yet been established.

Characteristic of the known state of the art

Transporting and sorting systems are known in which a plurality of carriages move along a predetermined path and unload the baggage at predetermined points of the path corresponding to as many different final destination locations.

In systems of this type, the bag is given a code corresponding to its destination at the time of loading; suitable devices, which are spaced along the path or centrally from each other, are used to control the car as it travels along its path and to operate the devices which cause unloading when the car arrives in front of the collection point concerned.

In general, in these systems, the supply points for the baggage are relatively small in number, whereas the number of destinations can be very large and therefore many unloading points are present, typical of this type are postal sorting or order sorting systems of the mail order companies.

In other cases, such as baggage handling at the aerodromes, the feeders are numerous, whereas the unloading sites or areas are small in number and yet unclear at the time of baggage acceptance.

Therefore, it is not possible to establish a fixed and direct route between the feeding point and sorting point, and accordingly it is not possible to associate a different code of the unloading point with the baggage item.

Furthermore, the supply of luggage in the system can take place a long time before departure; this requires that the baggage be stored in parking zones before being transported in the direction of the sorting points concerned.

There are known methods for automating baggage handling from pickup to unloading areas; These are processes that do not completely solve the problem.

For example, US Pat. No. 4,058,217 relates to a method of attaching a bill issued by a particular machine on the bag to which is written automatically readable information regarding the destination to which the baggage is to be directed by a central computer.

However, the system does not sufficiently take into account the fact that often at the time of acceptance there is no free sorting location or it has not yet been established; in the mass storage or storage, all cars share, that is, it is not distinguished by destination; retrieving the baggage for a destination (when released) requires a lot of effort because of the random storage conditions.

It is therefore necessary to resort to manual sorting, which reduces the effectiveness of the entire system.

US Pat. No. 4,239,434 describes a method based on the detection of the weight of the baggage, which disregards the fact that the paths that the baggage must go to reach the sorting points are not determinable in advance; in fact, such a procedure can only be used in the case of unchangeable routes.

US Pat. No. 3,260,349 addresses the problem of baggage storage prior to transporting the baggage to the unloading points, a problem which is only solved unsatisfactorily by the circulation of the baggage; however, such a non-selective storage system leads to many inconveniences.

These patents have been referenced as evidence of the current interest in air baggage handling, but the solutions provided by these patents are unsatisfactory.

It is clear from the above that baggage sorting in open road systems is a very complicated problem.

Object of the invention

The invention has for its object to largely avoid the aforementioned disadvantages.

-3- 283 Presentation of the Essence of the Invention

The invention has for its object to provide a method and a system for sorting objects in a system with variable routing available.

According to the invention, the object is achieved by a method in which the luggage is transported by wagons which, after being fed into the system, are each given a code which contains all the information necessary for the identification of the baggage; More specifically, the code or tag may consist of a plurality of fields in which coded form data relevant to a number of different pieces of information, such as the name of the airline, the flight number, the name of the passenger and the like, are inserted become.

The car is provided with its own fixed code, z. B. with a strip code that identifies him and is arranged by readers of the known type along the way in the vicinity of the switches.

The codo to be assigned is provided in the memory of a central computer which controls the entire system with the above-mentioned information, so that the system can carry out the further operations.

Each car is thus characterized by two distinct and independent codes, by the mark associated with the task to be performed and the designated bar code which is indicative of the particular car.

The marking is read by equipment which, by acting on the switches, steers the wagon to the correct destination; The strip code, which is also detected along the way, provides the central computer with information from which it recognizes the specified task of each car.

A cross-checking system is used to prevent baggage sorting errors.

If the mark for the steering of the carriage in the direction of the predetermined collection point, then the strip code triggers an additional check to determine whether each car has done its job properly by z. B.

It is checked whether all of the tasks assigned to a given task - and only those - have arrived at the predetermined unloading area.

The cited information may itself be introduced into the central computer together with other data such as the consecutive baggage check number, the control counter number and so forth.

The system for sorting articles in a variable route system is characterized in that a sorting system consisting of a plurality of paths interconnected by switches and a plurality of cars traveling along these paths, all characterized by a fixed code, follow comprising:

- a device which assigns to the fixed code of each car a temporary code identifying the final destination of the goods carried;

a device arranged along the path for the continuous detection of the code of the individual carriages and for the corresponding operation of the switches;

- a device suitable for unloading the transported object when the wagon passes by the collection areas.

It is advantageous that the individual cars are equipped with a separate motor, the motor being supplied with power via busbars arranged along the path.

According to another feature, a modulated carrier is fed into the busbars in correspondence with the various path sections, there being on each cart electronic devices which detect that carrier and, accordingly, the various functions of the carriage in accordance with the path section in which the cart is mounted self-located, can control.

The system comprises path sections along which the carriages move asynchronously, as well as predetermined path sections along which the carriages, driven by external devices, move synchronously.

According to a further feature, it is advantageous that the carriageway storage areas for empty cars, areas for coding and loading the car with luggage, recirculation areas for empty cars in which the latter are sent back to storage, collection areas for the loaded cars, luggage unloading areas and areas) in which the empty cars are returned to the storage areas.

According to another feature, there are microcomputers on each carriage which store the information sent by the sensors arranged on board the carriages so that the carriage can be stopped or advanced at an appropriate speed. Proximity sensors and contact sensors are used as sensors.

Another feature is that the information system uses different levels of speech according to the complexity of the functions it controls.

In this way, the system is provided with all useful data about the identification of the carried luggage and the means of transport.

Ausführungsbefspiele

The invention will now be described by way of non-limitative example with particular reference to the accompanying drawings

 In the drawing show:

1 is a schematic, perspective view of a plant for the sorting of the air baggage to describe the

inventive method;

Fig. 2 is a block diagram for the logical sorting of the baggage;

Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the electronic components installed on each carriage; Fig. 4

and Fig. 5: show a switch that can be used in the system according to Fig. 1;

Fig. 6: schematically the mechanical device for the operation of the switch.

The plant according to FIG. 1 essentially consists of a plurality of road sections, namely:

a wagon-collecting area 1, each wagon being marked with a code which reveals whether it is present or not;

a plurality of baggage acceptance points 2;

a main circulation loop 3;

- a storage area 4 for baggage intended for flights still in the loading phase;

a discharge zone 5;

a loading zone 6 for the incoming and the transit luggage; and from

- Leadership 8,9 and 10 for the movement of the car, z. B. from the way to the collection area, to the way to the checkpoint and back to the path (which leads to the collection area).

Each car is preferably equipped with its own engine, this in the open, d. H. however, the carriages on the fixed sections, such as in the collection areas and loading zones near the baggage claim, or the ascending and descending routes (if the installation extends over several levels) instead preferably by means of a chain be moved so that the car move synchronously on all these sections.

The particular apparatus and devices that make up the equipment are not described in detail because they are of generally known type or are illustrated in other patents, such as in the prior art and referenced patents.

Programmable logic controllers - also referred to hereinafter as PLC devices - are located near the turnouts of the road network; they are supplied with information concerning the outgoing aircraft to be loaded.

These devices, which perform the function of programmable local control devices, control the operation of routing devices, such as switches or the like, so that the carriage moving past the control device, according to the code with which it is marked, its specific destination on the optimal guide reached.

It is envisaged that an information exchange will take place between the car and the fixed programmable logic PLCs in accordance with the code of identification, In the case of coincidence between the stored and the stored code, the controllers will ensure that the car arrives at the predetermined sorting point; the car along the way and, if necessary, forwarded to the storage area of the flight in question.

The messages transmitted by the wagons may themselves contain availability or failure information.

In this case PLC programmable logic controllers will direct the cars to the collection areas or to the repair zones, if any.

As already mentioned, the transport carriages each preferably have their own drive. The power supply to the engine is controlled by equipment of known type: by means of a microcomputer mounted on board the wagon, to the sensors attached to the wheels, information regarding the conditions of use, i. H. both via the path (eg, over the permeability of long routes, the collection areas, the normal transit areas, etc.) as well as over the traffic (lines, obstacles, etc.), so that the logical devices can control the speed of travel of the car Operating conditions with regard to achieving the maximum allowable speed can be set.

Other sensors signal to other logical devices the presence of fixed obstacles and / or the contact of the car with objects external to it, such as other cars. In this case, the logic building blocks the speed of the motor to a minimum in order to possibly remove the obstacle. If there is a fixed obstacle on the way, the power supply will be cut off and the controllers will make repeated attempts at certain intervals to restart the circulation.

In the storage areas where the carriages are usually in contact with each other, a special sound or modulated carriers are input to the bus bars, whereby the microcomputer informed of this sound that it is in the storage area temporary attempts of the programmable logic controller PLC to re-establish the circulation. When the sound disappears, handling can be resumed.

The method may therefore be referred to as an asynchronous scoring method based on variable routing wherein a master control computer (MCC) communicates with the controlled devices by detecting information and issuing commands, the different degrees of responsibility of the different devices being different Correspond to language levels. At the first level, the main computers MCC are linked by a network to the airport information system (AIS) or the logistic information system (LIS) and to a control room.

The diverting or ancillary systems of the plant operate at a different level of speech appropriate to the type of information and commands exchanged between the main computer and the route control units (PCUs), the latter having the task of controlling the traffic in the various Sections, such as in the collection and storage area, etc., leading to separate paths.

An even easier language level is used for the dialogue between the route control units (PCU) and the programmable local stowage devices PLC, which read the message marked on the car, control the turnouts and detect the data coming from the sensors that detect the position of the turnouts ,

The programmable local control units receive commands as to how to behave in the presence of cars provided with given codes: each car continuously transmits the information given to it (eg, a combination of airline, flight and Destination, if he has to fulfill a transport mission, or a code that reveals that he is free for a new mission, or a failure code, so that he can be blocked by a test station).

A receiver mounted near the turnouts receives the code transmitted by the car and in turn sends it to the programmable local controller PLC which, depending on whether the code belongs to a car to be locked or not, the electromagnetic control of the turnout pressed or not.

For a better understanding of the process of the invention, the various sorting operations required in the various zones into which the plant is subdivided will be described in detail.

Loading at the receiving or control points

A stationary receiver 11 determines the code of the arriving cars, the code indicating whether the cars are empty and can be loaded. A transmitter 12 marks an invented code, and a receiver 13 checks if this invented code is accurately reproduced to the car. If this is the case, then the car is steered via switch 14 in the upward guide 8, where it arrives in the car collection area 1.

From the cart collection area 1, the carriages on the downhill guide path 10 reach the checkpoints where the baggage is weighed and its size is automatically checked.

At this point, the operator uses a keyboard to print the code of the airline, the flight and the destination on the luggage, this code being stored in the programmable local controller PLC. The programmable local controller PLC, controlling the control zone, then reserves one of the free arriving cars and causes the baggage to be conveyed from the loading station by means of a feed belt 16 to the cart.

When the carriage has passed the downward guide path 9, it moves past a transmitter 17 from which it is marked; he adds to the fixed code of the car information concerning the task to be completed.

This information is checked by the subsequent receiver 18, which in the case of a positive result, the association of fixed car code (which is checked by the stripe code reader 19) and the relevant data for the mission (name of the passenger, airline, flight and destination) in the Database of the main computer system activated.

The car then enters the Hauotsortierschleife and begins to move independently by means of the onboard engine, while he continues, it'n the luggage, the plane, the passenger and the destination, etc.

to send identifying code.

Each time a car approaches a turnout, suitable equipment detects its code and operates

Switch in accordance with the commands given by the main computer: when the aircraft is to be loaded, the switches are operated so that the car can be sent to the relevant area, whereas if the aircraft is not ready, the cars, which carry such a code, are directed towards the storage areas.

The empty carriages are stopped and returned to the up-facing path 8 opposite zone.

storage areas

The carriages intended for the storage areas are sent along the circle 20. When a stationary receiver 21 scans the code of a car to be stored in an area within its district, such as in area 22, it operates the timely Switch 23.

If an area is reserved for the storage of wagons marked with a particular code, then a mechanical blocking device 24 is brought into locked position, which accomplishes the maintenance of the first of the wagons to be stored. If an area is not prepared to store the carriage identified by a particular code, then the mechanical locking device is held in a non-locking position, which converts that area into an ordinary path that can be used when other struts are required.

Once an unloading area for the car marked with a particular code is declared available, the mechanical locking device in the storage areas where the cars marked with that code are placed in a non-locking position and the logic controllers inserted into those by those Code are different car installed, will be informed of this new state and cause the car move forward and get on the way that leads to the unloading areas.

Carriage of the luggage to the unloading stations

The carriages coming from the main circulation loop 3 and from the accumulation areas are identified by a receiver 25 and a stripe code reader 26.

When the cars arrive at the unloading areas 27, they automatically unload the luggage via devices such as a revolving belt mounted on the carriage or the like.

As soon as the wagons have passed through the unloading area, further control devices check whether the baggage has actually been unloaded and provide the wagon with an availability code according to the methods already mentioned.

Then the car begins to move across the plant or it can be driven according to the requirements in a storage area, which is designed specifically for empty car.

Sorting of incoming baggage

The baggage unloaded by an arriving aircraft is loaded on wagons in the loading zone 6, each wagon being marked according to the circumstances, either by a code of the destination referring to one of the delivery carousels or by a code indicating that the car must be transported to andor aircraft.

When the receiver 27 receives a code indicating that the destination for the incoming car z. B.

Carousel 7, he would put the switch 28.

The stripe code reader associated with the receiver 27 checks the wagon code to determine if the wagon was actually loaded with a piece of luggage having that destination, whereupon the wagon unloads onto a conveyor 29 which carries the baggage to the delivery carousel.

After unloading, the carriage is marked by the sensor 30 with an availability code, and the receiver 31 checks, before the car is released on the main path, whether this code is correct.

Conversely, if the baggage loaded on the wagon in accordance with the loading zone 6 were sent to another aircraft, that wagon would be sent to the main sorting loop and subsequently handled as if it came from the pickup point.

Selective picking up of a piece of luggage

For selective accommodation of a piece of luggage from a storage area, the identification number of the respective trolley is used.

In fact, in the system database, the association of baggage identification code, name of the passenger and identification number of the truck is stored, the latter being identified by the strip code.

For picking up a single piece of baggage, the wagons of the storage areas concerned are handled as follows:

If the wanted wagon passes in front of the wipe reader, the code or tag assigned at the time of the check is replaced with another destination code and the wagon is carried along the main path and then to the desired zone.

An analogous method can be introduced to block a piece of baggage already in the vicinity of the unloading areas.

To round off the patent devices are now described, which are used for the inventive method, although they are not the subject of the claims and some of them are already known, as in previous patents or patent applications by the same assignee, such as in Italian Patent no. 1140188 or in Italian patent applications 22264A / 84.23110A / 84.20779B / 85 and 24227B / 85.

The most important devices for carrying out the above mentioned operations are: the cars, the lanes, the programmable controllers and the pushers.

Each car is provided with a discharge unit that can be handled both by separate motors installed on board the car or by external devices such as chains, elevators and so on.

On each carriage unloaders of known type, such as a revolving belt, which forms the transport plane, are placed on the objects to be sorted, unloaders, which in a known manner by both a separate motor, with the drive rollers of the circulating belt can be operated as well as by engine-based drive devices associated with the unloading points and adapted to be engaged on board the carriages by connecting devices and associated with the drive roller of the belt.

The carriage is equipped with a microcomputer, a transmitter, receivers, some scanners, such as a proximity transmitter, an anti-collision sensor and a mechanical blocking sensor.

Fig. 3 shows the connection diagram, wherein:

31 is the microcomputer which processes the various received information and controls the carriage functions;

32 is a zone decoder which identifies the sound present on the bus bar and sends a corresponding signal to the microcomputer;

FIG. 33 is a mechanical blocking sensor, such as a magnetic sensor, which detects all mechanical blockages actuated by the control system, such as a mechanical sensor. B. the blocking of the storage areas;

34 is a sensor which detects movement of a carriage wheel and sends a signal to the microprocessor to inform it as to whether the wheel is actually rotating;

35 is a proximity and contact sensor that detects obstacles on the way and sends a signal to the microcomputer so that the latter lowers the car speed to avoid collisions;

36 is the carriage motor, which is controlled by the microcomputer 1 and fed via the bus bars 37, the latter not only take over the power supply, but are also traversed by electrical signals that are decoded at the right moment and inform the microcomputer of the position of the car ;

38 is the input line of the imprinted marker signal of the carriage containing the characteristic data of the mission to be executed;

39 is the output line of the marker signal that identifies the car and is output continuously to be received by the programmable local controllers PLC, which make the proper steps to correct the destination of the car itself.

The lanes or switches shown in Figs. 4 to 6 are provided with branches which allow the individual cars to follow the path defined by the program.

In these switches engage corresponding guide wheels which run in the track 40, wherein the points control, which can be both electric and pneumatic, is carried out by the programmable local control units PLC.

As the carriage advances, it rests with its (idle wheels) on the rails 41, which serve as sliding paths.

The programmable controllers are electronic devices located near the lanes of the lane system and equipped with transceivers and programmable logic devices.

In accordance with the program, the programmable local controllers control the switches, e.g. B. by means of an electric auxiliary motor.

Fig. 2 shows the block diagram of the PLC logic, wherein:

42 is the main compuier of the airport;

43 is the node that processes the information coming from the main computer 42 (it receives the information about the time of flight and the beginning of the loading operations, it receives from the checkpoints the data concerning the baggage, it brings the indication of the place of destination which it informs the other piece of equipment and equipment of the destination, determines the optimum route for each piece of baggage, informs the other control units of the route assigned to each piece of baggage, checks it, whether the luggage in the system was sorted correctly);

44 is the subsystem that controls the plant topology, notifies node 43 of the operating conditions of the system, and provides, via a video terminal, the information necessary to control the system;

45 is the PLC network, which operates the sorting of the carriages by operating the switches, and consists of a number of PLC units linked to the subsystem 44 via a local network;

46 is the microcomputer aboard the individual car exchanging information with the system and

47 is a bar code device which proves the number of each car.

After feeding the baggage into the sorting system and assigning the baggage to the respective cars, the PLC unit receives the tag code at the beginning of the sorting cycle and transfers it to the cart when the latter passes by the PLC unit.

The thrusters are z. B. pneumatic devices, which are controlled by electromagnets or by cams, which are either electrically or mechanically operated by the car itself, and are at the transitions from one transport system to another, and more precisely at those locations where the car the one Guideway along which they moved by the drive of their motor, leave and go in another way, on which they are driven by chains, as for example in the up and down guide ways 8; 9 and 10 or in the car collection area 1 is the case.

The actuation of the pushers is synchronized with the elevator either during the upward or downward movement, so that the carriages are pushed onto the conveyor at certain time intervals determined by the operating cycle of the conveyor itself.

Claims (12)

A method of sorting articles in a variable route system in which each article to be sorted is loaded on a carriage controlled by electronic systems connected to the main computer and moving along guideways interconnected by switches, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT each car - which is continuously identified by a designated code - is assigned, from time to time t during loading, a recognition code of various data concerning the final destination of the carried item, that code of logical components being used to: To steer points and steer the car in the direction of the respective destination. 2. A method for sorting articles, in which the piece of luggage is loaded onto a carriage, which moves on guide paths, which are interconnected by switches, and is marked by a permanent code, characterized in that: - the permanent code of the individual wagons is assigned temporary code for the identification of the destination of the baggage; - these two codes are stored in an electronic system that controls the entire system until the luggage has been unloaded; - the car is assigned a specific route; - the information about the way the individual cars are transmitted as the code number of the car itself to the point controllers; - the associated codes of the individual moving carriages are detected by equipment located near the points; and the switches are controlled on the basis of information received from the general control unit according to the proven code association. 3. Process according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the individual cars can not begin their journey until the exact association between the permanent code and the temporary code of the car has been tested and determined to be correct. 4. Process according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the logical components are informed on board the individual car of the exact position of the car itself on its way by means of a modulated carrier in the feed lines of the car engine. 5. A system for sorting articles in a variable route system, characterized in that a sorting system consisting of a plurality of paths interconnected by switches and a plurality of cars traveling along said paths, all characterized by a fixed code, includes; - a device which assigns to the fixed code of each car a temporary code identifying the final destination of the goods carried; a device arranged along the carriage for the continuous detection of the codes of the individual carriages and for the corresponding actuation of the switches; - a device suitable for unloading the transported object when the wagon passes by the collection areas. 6. Installation according to claim 5, characterized in that the individual cars are equipped with a separate motor, wherein the motor is supplied via arranged along the carriage busbars with power. 7. Installation according to claim 6, characterized in that in accordance with the various path sections in the bus bars, a modulated carrier is fed, wherein on each car electronic devices are present, which detect this carrier and accordingly the various functions of the carriage in accordance with the Path section in which the car is itself, can control. 8. Installation according to the preceding claims, characterized by path sections along which the car move asynchronously and by predetermined path sections, along which the cars, driven by external devices, move synchronously. 9. Plant according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the roadway storage areas for empty cars, areas for coding and loading the car with luggage, recirculation areas for empty cars in which the latter are sent back to storage, collection areas for the loaded Trolleys, baggage unloading areas and areas where the empty carriages are returned to the storage areas. 10. Installation according to the preceding claims, characterized in that on each cart microcomputer are present, which store the information sent by the arranged on board the car sensors information so that the car can be stopped or advanced at a convenient speed. 11. Plant according to claim 10, characterized in that the sensors are proximity sensors and contact sensors. 12. Installation according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the information system according to the complexity of the functions controlled by it uses different language levels.