DE102019124981A1 - Mobile baggage handling unit and procedures for its operation - Google Patents

Abstract

In order to prevent a piece of luggage (L) of a passenger (P) who is booked on a certain aircraft (100) but has not boarded and does not board the aircraft (100) from entering the hold (101) of the aircraft (100 ) arrives, according to the invention the baggage (L) delivered to the aircraft (100) is automatically identified with regard to its association with the respective passengers and only those pieces of baggage (L) are delivered to the hold (101) whose passengers have already boarded (L) can be identified not only with regard to the association with a certain passenger, but also further, in particular physical, data of this piece of luggage (L) can be determined, on the one hand a prioritization during loading and unloading can be carried out and on the other hand a statistical data collection regarding this Data are carried out, which is helpful for the airline for further flight planning.

Description

field of use

The invention relates to a mobile, in particular mobile, baggage handling unit, for use, for example, on the apron of an airport for loading and unloading aircraft.

In addition, other locations are also conceivable, for example at the loading ramp of a logistics company or the like, where similar problems can occur.

II. Technical background

As a rule, when the aircraft is loaded, the passengers' luggage is driven to the aircraft in luggage trolleys and has to be transported into the cargo hatch, which is usually several meters high, and the cargo hold of the aircraft behind it.

For this purpose, a baggage conveyor, which is mounted on a mobile, mostly self-propelled, chassis, i.e. a so-called conveyor belt car FBW, is driven under the aircraft and the front end of the main conveyor, usually a conveyor belt, of this baggage conveyor is raised to the level of the loading hatch and partially into the loading hatch, while the rear end of the main conveyor remains at a level that allows the luggage to be picked up ergonomically.

Then each individual piece of luggage is manually removed from the luggage cart and placed on the rear end of the main conveyor of the luggage conveyor, which, however, requires a lot of manual labor.

The baggage for an aircraft will not find space in a single baggage car, but several of them have to be unloaded, which are usually coupled one behind the other to form a baggage train and are driven together to the baggage conveyor.

In order to ensure fast loading of the aircraft, it should be possible to unload the several baggage carts of a baggage train one after the other with as little maneuvering work as possible, both on the part of the baggage train and on the part of the baggage conveyor, and with as little manual work and effort as possible.

For this reason, it is already known not to place the luggage directly on the rear end of the main conveyor, but to connect a feeder with a shorter length to the rear end of the main conveyor, which therefore also has to be less stable and less thick in height and over the rear end of the chassis protrudes. The rear end of the main conveyor can therefore also be lowered lower towards the floor than the rear end of the main conveyor, which is usually mounted above the chassis, so that the items of luggage only have to be pulled down from the luggage trolleys onto the rear end of the train conveyor without lifting work.

In addition, it is known to make such a feeder pivotable with respect to the radial stripping direction of its rear end, which is why an intermediate table is arranged between the feeder and the main conveyor, around which the feeder can be pivoted about a mostly vertical axis. As a result, the feed conveyor can be pivoted from a position adjacent to a first lift truck of the baggage train into a position adjacent to a next lift truck of the baggage train without having to move the baggage train.

In this way, however, the items of luggage are fed into the hold in the aircraft train in a completely disordered manner, which can lead to problems.

If it turns out during the loading process for the checked baggage or only after its completion that a passenger booked on this aircraft did not board and thus did not board the aircraft, the baggage belonging to this passenger must be removed from the aircraft again. This means that the entire baggage has to be searched for this specific piece of baggage, and for this in particular the baggage that is already densely stacked in the hold of the aircraft has to be separated and searched again, which entails a considerable delay for the aircraft to take off.

The disordered delivery to the cargo space also has the disadvantage that the personnel can only prioritize items of luggage in a time-uncritical manner by briefly looking at the transport label of the item of luggage, which is subject to errors.

III. Presentation of the invention

Technical task

The object here is to avoid the disadvantages described and to provide a baggage handling unit suitable for this purpose, as well as a method for its operation.

Solution of the task

This object is achieved by the features of claims 1 and 21. Advantageous embodiments emerge from the subclaims.

With regard to the procedure, this object is achieved in that the individual pieces of luggage are automatically identified in or on the handling unit by performing a data comparison between the data of the identification element on the piece of luggage, for example a transport label, and the data of the boarded passengers is, at least with regard to the person of the associated passenger, and only those pieces of luggage are automatically released and issued for onward transport into the hold of the aircraft whose associated passengers have already boarded.

The pieces of luggage from passengers who are not boarded are automatically sorted out and, in particular, held in a buffer store until the associated passenger has boarded and only then automatically output for further transport into the hold of the aircraft.

In this way, it is possible to avoid looking for items of luggage belonging to passengers who ultimately do not board the aircraft from the luggage compartment of the aircraft.

Since the identification of the individual pieces of luggage with regard to the assignment to a specific passenger takes place in that, by means of a reading device, data is read from a piece of luggage label attached to the piece of luggage, preferably optically as already known, possibly according to the invention by means of RFID - So tags emitting electromagnetic waves in the vicinity of a few meters, especially in the radio range - this label will usually contain further information that can be read by the reading device, for example the ticket class that this passenger has purchased for this flight or others Prioritization data, for example health impairments of the passenger etc., which are suitable for prioritizing the pieces of luggage for the loading and unloading process of the aircraft.

For example, the pieces of luggage of passengers who have purchased a high-quality prioritization, for example a high-priced ticket such as first class or business class, can be loaded when loading the aircraft in such a way that these pieces of luggage are unloaded first when the aircraft is unloaded and thus Be the first to be available to these passengers again at the return baggage carousel in the terminal in front of the baggage items with lower priority passengers or lower priority tickets.

With regard to the prioritization, on the one hand passengers and on the other hand the tickets purchased by them are spoken of, which is to be equated for the purposes of the present application except for personal restrictions of the passenger.

Since the first-in-last-out principle generally applies in the hold of an aircraft for passenger luggage, as explained, the luggage with the highest priority is usually loaded last and thus unloaded first.

For this, it is of course a prerequisite that when unloading the baggage items that are unloaded first are also transported to the return baggage belts first, i.e. usually first loaded onto baggage trolleys and these baggage trolleys are unloaded first onto the return belts.

In addition to further data relating to the passenger and his ticket, further data, preferably physical parameters relating to the respective item of luggage, can also be used. Are recorded, preferably with regard to the weight and / or the size of the item of luggage.

On the one hand, the loading process in the cargo hold of the aircraft can be designed more efficiently: by means of appropriate display devices. For example, at the front, upper end of the main conveyor, such information can be displayed to the packer in the loading space, for example specifically or only symbolically, so that the packer can think about its stowage position in the loading space before the next piece of luggage physically arrives, for example To achieve even weight distribution in the cargo area, or to avoid having to lift particularly heavy items of luggage to high stowage positions.

Ideally, the best traffic jam position is determined automatically by means of the control of the handling unit, which for this purpose must preferably have data on the hold of the aircraft, in particular in the form of the corresponding aircraft type.

Then the packer in the hold can be shown the ideal stowage position of the next item of luggage arriving in the hold using an optical display device such as a laser pointer, and in the case of a main conveyor whose front end protrudes into the hold and in terms of height or direction is variable, this front end of the main conveyor can also be adjusted accordingly automatically.

Another aspect is that with the physical data determined on the handling unit with regard to the baggage on the one hand and the passenger data and ticket data on the other hand, statistical evaluations can be carried out for the airline when planning its future flights, for example with regard to the required luggage volume, the required amount of fuel, etc. can be helpful.

For example, the number of pieces of luggage, their average weight and volume and the like can be determined depending on the ticket class of the associated ticket, the age of the associated passenger and / or the number of passengers traveling with this passenger and / or the travel date and / or the duration of the journey and / or the departure and destination airports and / or the travel time and / or other parameters.

With regard to the baggage handling unit, this object is achieved in that the handling unit - apart from the physically necessary chassis, which carries all components of the handling unit and a corresponding controller, which controls at least all moving parts of the handling unit - initially once there is a baggage store in which a considerable number of baggage items, at least such a number of baggage items as can be found in a conventional baggage cart on the apron of an airport, includes.

Furthermore, the handling unit has an identification sensor which enables the item of luggage to be identified at least in the sense of the assignment to a passenger or ticket booked on this flight, whereby in this sense passenger is to be equated with ticket.

This identification is generally carried out by reading out the data of an identification element attached to the item of baggage when the baggage is checked in in the terminal.

Since the controller also has a comparison device to compare the information determined by the identification sensor with the information relating to the passengers who have already boarded, the controller is able to issue a warning signal by means of a signal transmitter when a piece of luggage is output from the luggage storage in the direction of the aircraft to hand over and / or not to transport this piece of luggage further in the direction of the aircraft.

The chassis of the handling unit preferably comprises a running gear, in particular also a travel drive, and is thus equipped to be self-propelled.

Since the baggage items of passengers who have already been boarded are delivered directly to the aircraft, usually on the loading conveyor, usually a so-called conveyor belt car (FBW), the handling unit can preferably include such a loading conveyor and thus replace a conventional conveyor belt car because it includes him.

In this case, too, the front free end of the main conveyor can then be raised up to the level of the loading hatch of the aircraft and the rear end can then be brought into operative connection with the luggage storage so that items of luggage in the luggage storage are delivered to or onto the rear end of the main conveyor when the aircraft is loaded, or remain in the baggage storage area and are later transported back to the terminal if the owner of the baggage does not enter the aircraft.

When the aircraft is unloaded, the items of luggage transported down on the main conveyor do not necessarily have to pass through the luggage storage, but can also be delivered directly to a transport vehicle such as the luggage cart.

The identification sensor is accordingly arranged at the outlet of the luggage storage, and if the handling unit also includes one, arranged between the luggage storage and the free, upper end of the main conveyor, in particular between the luggage storage and the beginning of the main conveyor, in order to prevent unwanted luggage from reaching the main conveyor at all, or at least not to have it transported far along the main conveyor until the signal transmitter emits a signal.

The signal transmitter can only emit an optical or acoustic signal for the operator, who then has to grasp and separate the unwanted baggage, but preferably the signal transmitter or the identification sensor sends a signal to the controller that prevents the unwanted, predetermined baggage being diverted causes.

The switch is therefore preferably controlled in such a way that the predetermined, undesired item of luggage is branched off, that is, removed, from its path in the direction of the front end of the main conveyor.

As a result, only those pieces of luggage that belong to already boarded passengers can get to the front free end of the main conveyor, in particular can get out of the outlet of the luggage storage at all.

• Zunächst einen Hauptspeicher, der primär als Durchlaufstation für die Gepäckstücke dient, um diese am Identifikations-Sensor vorbei zu führen, sodass ein solcher Hauptspeicher für die Veränderung des Ladens ungeboardeter Gepäckstücke gar kein Speichervolumen aufweisen müsste.

The luggage storage can include different storage facilities:

• First, a main memory, which primarily serves as a pass-through station for the pieces of luggage, in order to guide them past the identification sensor, so that such a main memory would not have to have any storage volume to change the loading of unboarded pieces of luggage.

However, it preferably even has a relatively large usable volume of 2m ³ , 3m ³ or more, preferably with a usable volume greater than the usable volume of a baggage cart, in order to be able to unload a whole baggage cart into the main storage unit, be it by tipping or manually emptying a baggage cart by means of a lifting device or a feed conveyor, the end of which is retracted in front of or under the luggage trolley and which transfers the items of luggage located therein to the main storage unit.

The main memory is preferably a chaotic memory in which the pieces of luggage do not have to be arranged in a specific orientation and / or in a specific position, because the identification by means of the identification sensor usually takes place at the earliest at the outlet of the main memory can be a pass-through position in the handling unit.

The main store preferably has a first loading device for exchanging items of luggage with the main conveyor, if one exists, and / or a second loading device for exchanging items of luggage with a delivering vehicle, preferably a luggage trolley.

This second loading device can, as explained above, be a corresponding feed conveyor from the luggage trolley to the main storage or also a simple tilting device, access ramp and / or slide in order to let the items of luggage get from the luggage trolleys into the main storage.

• So kann der Pufferspeicher beispielsweise die als noch ungeboardet identifizierten Gepäckstücke aufnehmen, indem die Weiche die Gepäckstücke in den Pufferspeicher umleitet, und sie von dort aus erst wieder freigegeben werden aufgrund einer entsprechenden Ansteuerung durch die Steuerung, nach dem der zugehörige Passagier geboardet hat.

In addition and / or instead, the baggage storage unit can include a buffer memory which is intended to buffer specific pieces of baggage, which are usually predetermined by the control and which have already been identified, that is to say to store them for a limited time:

• For example, the buffer store can accommodate the items of luggage identified as not yet boarded by diverting the baggage items into the buffer store, and from there they are only released again due to a corresponding activation by the controller after the associated passenger boarded.

If the baggage items are prioritized, the buffer store can also be used to buffer certain prioritization classes, for example to accommodate the highest priority class, so that the Luggage items from the buffer store are also transported to the loading space, in particular by means of the main conveyor comprised by the handling unit.

For this purpose, the handling unit can also comprise several different buffer stores.

Accordingly, the buffer store is designed in such a way that it can output a defined piece of luggage, in particular feed it to the main conveyor and / or the main store and / or the outlet of the handling unit.

For this purpose, the pieces of luggage do not necessarily have to be stored in a defined manner in the buffer store.

For example, the items of luggage located therein can be held in a - defined or any - order and, while maintaining or also changing their order, can be moved in an endless revolving manner therein, in particular can be moved past the buffer store outlet.

In order to be able to accommodate such prioritized baggage, the buffer memory comprises a volume which is at least 1 times, better 1.2, better 1.3 times the number of prioritized tickets and prioritized baggage estimated on this basis, in particular Business class seats and first class seats multiplied by the average size and / or number of checked baggage in order to be able to buffer all prioritized baggage in it.

In absolute terms, the buffer store has a volume of at least 1 m ³ , better 1.5 m ³ , better 2.0 m ³ , but preferably not more than 3.0 m ³ .

The buffer store preferably has a volume of at least 50%, better at least 70%, and / or at most 120%, better at most 200% of the volume of the main store.

If there is another identification sensor at the buffer storage outlet, the position that the item of luggage previously occupied in the buffer storage does not have to be known.

If there is no identification sensor at the outlet of the buffer store, the position of the desired item of luggage within the buffer store must at least be known to the extent that it is known when it is at the buffer store outlet during a cycle.

The baggage item in question is then preferably output from the buffer store outlet to a position that is located when a

Aircraft is located upstream of the existing on the movement path for the luggage identification sensor.

The buffer store preferably comprises storage areas on which the items of luggage lie, for example roller conveyors with driven or non-driven rollers and / or driven conveyors, in particular belt conveyors.

These storage surfaces are preferably adjustable in height in order to be able to bring them into an aligned position with the inlet and / or outlet of the buffer store.

Above all, in order to be able to carry out the desired prioritization of items of luggage and / or statistical evaluations, the identification sensor initially comprises a reading device which is able to read the items on or in the item of luggage, preferably on or in its transport label To be able to read out information.

The information can also be present digitally in the transport label, for example in the form of an electronic chip such as an RFID tag, the reading device then comprising an RFID antenna which is capable of up to a maximum distance depending on the design read the information from the RFID tag.

In contrast to an optical reading device and information optically present in the transport label, when using RFID technology it does not matter in which orientation the item of luggage is guided past the reading device in the form of the RFID antenna.

• Beispielsweise
  • - eine Waage als Gewichts-Sensor, über die die Gepäckstücke einzeln geführt werden,
  und / oder
  • - einen Volumen-Sensor, der das Volumen, insbesondere die Abmessungen, jedes einzelnen Gepäckstückes ermitteln kann, was vorzugsweise durch berührungsloses, optisches Abtastens beispielsweise nach dem Lichtschnitt-Triangulations-Verfahren möglich ist.

The handling unit preferably comprises further sensors, which in particular are intended to detect physical parameters of the item of luggage:

• For example
  • - a scale as a weight sensor, via which the pieces of luggage are guided individually,
  and or
  • a volume sensor which can determine the volume, in particular the dimensions, of each individual piece of luggage, which is preferably possible by contactless, optical scanning, for example using the light section triangulation method.

For the evaluations to be carried out with this data, the control of the handling unit preferably includes an evaluation unit which relates the data determined from the piece of luggage to the data known from the associated tickets sold or the associated passenger.

Of course, such an evaluation unit can also be arranged outside the handling unit, in which case the data determined by the handling unit, in particular with regard to the pieces of luggage, must then be transferred to this external evaluation unit by means of the control.

Figure list

• 1a, b: eine erste Bauform der Gepäck-Handling-Einheit im Einsatz am Flugzeug in der Seitenansicht und in der Aufsicht,
• 2a, b: eine zweite Bauform der Gepäck-Handling-Einheit im Einsatz am Flugzeug in der Seitenansicht und in der Aufsicht,
• 3: eine aufgeschnittene Seitenansicht eines Speichers, insbesondere eines Pufferspeichers für Gepäckstücke

Embodiments according to the invention are described in more detail below by way of example. Show it:

• 1a, b : a first design of the baggage handling unit in use on the aircraft in a side view and in a top view,
• 2a, b : a second design of the baggage handling unit in use on the aircraft in a side view and in a top view,
• 3 : a cut-away side view of a store, in particular a buffer store for items of luggage

In the illustrated embodiments, the baggage handling unit initially comprises the components of a conventional conveyor belt vehicle, which has a chassis 2 with a landing gear 4th and two front edges 4a, b and two rear wheels 4c, d and a driver's cab 24 involves getting an airplane on the apron of an airport 100 to load. On this chassis 2 is like 1b and 2 B - a main conveyor along its longitudinal center, for example 6th arranged in the form of a conveyor belt that runs over both the front and rear ends of the chassis 2 protrudes and in its height and inclination to Horizontal can be adjusted as desired between a horizontal and as deep as possible in the smallest possible distance on the chassis 2 resting transport position and a raised, sloping upward sloping working position, as in the 1a , 2a is shown in which the main conveyor 6th in or near the loading hatch 101 a of the hold 101 of an airplane 100 is positioned.

The main sponsor 6th is opposite the chassis 2 by means of a front and a rear support 8a , b movably attached, each with their upper ends on the main conveyor 6th and with their lower ends on the chassis 2 are articulated at points at a distance from each other.

In the present case, this is the front support 8a as a variable-length hydraulic cylinder 9 running while the rear prop 8b has a fixed length, but in its pivot position about its lower pivot axis with respect to the chassis 2 by means of a length-adjustable, also as a hydraulic cylinder 9 trained, additional support 8c is changeable.

All moving parts and thus also these supports 8a , b and auxiliary support 8c are using a controller 1* controlled, preferably protected in the driver's cab 24 is housed.

Usually protrudes over the rear end 6b of the main sponsor 6th another loading table 13th to the rear, which is the placement of a piece of luggage L. when loading the aircraft is used, with the luggage L. in luggage trolleys 50 be transported.

According to the invention, such a conveyor belt vehicle also has at least one baggage storage unit as a baggage handling unit 3 on.

In the first embodiment of the 1a, b is a main memory with solid lines 3.1 shown directly on the chassis 2 and next to the main conveyor 6th on one side, in this case on the left, behind the driver's cab 24 rises upwards.

In this embodiment, a comes onto the loading table 23 placed baggage L. after being detected by the rear end 6b of the main sponsor 6th into the detection range of an identification sensor 13th , which also has a volume sensor and / or dimension sensor 15th may include.

The identification sensor 13th identifies the bag L. using a transport label attached to it LL , which is preferably not scanned optically but by radio with regard to its data content, so that there is no clear line of sight between the identification sensor 13th and transport label LL must exist.

The control 1* , which is connected to the identification sensor and also to all other sensors, provides a comparison device 16 determines whether the owner of this detected piece of luggage L. , i.e. the corresponding passenger, has already gone through the boarding process.

This is understood to mean the process after the passenger can no longer refuse to board the aircraft without this being noticed.

When boarding in the terminal, this passenger is then in the boom that ends in the aircraft or in a bus that goes to the aircraft, and cannot leave both without attracting attention. When the passengers approach the aircraft in a different way, for example on foot across the tarmac, the concrete stepping of the passenger can be checked directly at the gangway as part of boarding.

Will the corresponding piece of luggage L. In this comparison process, this piece of luggage is assigned to a passenger who has not yet boarded L. in the transport direction of the main conveyor 6th after the identification sensor 13th via a combined inlet / outlet opening in this case 3.1a , b into main memory 3.1 and only removed from there when the corresponding passenger has boarded. For this purpose, this store can also have a separate outlet opening in the transport direction of the main conveyor 6th upstream of the identification sensor 13th own that all at it on the main conveyor 6th passing, in this case underneath passing, transport labels LL detected.

Additionally and / or optionally it can be attached to the baggage handling unit 1 another luggage storage 3.2 be present, which can preferably be used as a buffer store, and for example on the main conveyor 6th , especially on the side, in this case on the other, right-hand side of the main conveyor 6th , can be attached, i.e. with the main conveyor 6th raises and lowers.

This memory too 3.2 in this case has a common inlet / outlet opening 3.2a , b for pieces of luggage through which, in turn, a piece of luggage L. either from the main sponsor 6th can be moved into memory or vice versa.

Moving one out within the store 3.1 , 3.2 moved piece of luggage L. , for example, along a conveyor, a switch in the form of a switching flap 18th internally of the memory, which are carried out in the path of the baggage L. can be adjusted that this from the memory 3.1 , 3.2 out and onto the main conveyor 6th is diverted.

Also above the main conveyor 6th such switching flaps 18, 18.2 are available as switches to one on the main conveyor 6th transported to and from the identification sensor 13th recognized as unboarded baggage through the corresponding inlet opening 3.1b and / or 3.2b into the corresponding memory 3.1 , 3.2 divert and only after boarding the corresponding passenger from this memory 3.1 , 3.2 via the corresponding outlet opening 3.1a , 3.2a back to the main conveyor 6th towards the hold 101 to give.

• - entweder beide die Funktion eines Pufferspeichers 3.2 für bisher ungeboardete Gepäckstücke, also Gepäckstücke, deren Besitzer noch nicht geboardet haben, besitzen
• - oder zumindest einer davon auch die Funktion eines Hauptspeichers, wie in 2b dargestellt:

If there are two stores on the baggage handling unit, they can

• - Either both have the function of a buffer memory 3.2 for items of luggage that have not yet been boarded, i.e. items of luggage whose owners have not yet boarded
• - Or at least one of them also the function of a main memory, as in 2 B shown:

In this design, the main memory 3.1 not from the main sponsor 6th from which individually selected pieces of luggage are fed into this main store 3.1 are diverted, but the delivered luggage L. are used by those in the 2a not shown delivering luggage trolleys 50 all in main memory 3.1 entered, in this case with the help of a feeder 7th , in this case a vertically upwardly conveying vertical conveyor on which the pieces of luggage L. be placed in the middle or lower height area and this in an opening in the top or in the upper area of the main memory 3.1 throws off.

The feed conveyor is used for this purpose 7th in this case designed as an endless conveyor revolving in a vertical plane, of whose endless revolving element support surfaces 21 are attached in such a way that they protrude approximately horizontally in the transverse direction on the run that is currently moving upwards and, when moving further into the run that is running down, preferably fold up to this run in a space-saving manner.

With this design, the operator places the pieces of luggage L. from the baggage cart 50 in the feeder 7th on one of its supporting surfaces 21 on and usually not on the loading table 23 of the main sponsor 6th as best in 2 B to recognize.

The luggage L. can from the luggage cart 50 also in other ways in the main memory 3.1 reach, for example by lifting and emptying an entire baggage cart 50 into the open top of the main storage 3.1 into it.

With this design, all pieces of luggage hold together L. in main memory for a while 3.1 and only then become the main conveyor 6th handed in if the corresponding passenger has already boarded.

Nevertheless, an additional second memory can also be used with this design 3.2 be available, which can either be used in the same way as main memory, or as described above as a buffer memory 3.2 Only some pieces of luggage pass through an inlet opening 3.2b into the buffer tank 3.2 entered and via its outlet opening 3.2a be issued again.

In 1bist the respective inlet and outlet opening shown as a separate opening for each storage tank.

Such an additional buffer storage 3.2 can be used, for example, that in the main memory 3.1 already due to the boarding process that has taken place on the main conveyor 6th dispensed baggage downstream of its outlet opening 3.1a again the buffer tank 3.2 in order to adhere to a certain loading sequence of the boarded baggage, for example when loading an aircraft, the baggage of passengers with expensive tickets such as business class and first class can be loaded last and in a certain order so that they are unloaded first when unloading and are made available to passengers in the terminal at the baggage carousel.

The 1a , 2a also show a weight sensor 14th , which is preferably in the main conveyor 6th is arranged that each individual piece of luggage running over it L. weighed. One with the controller 1* connected or integrated in this evaluation unit 20th can thereby statistically evaluate the data available with regard to the individual pieces of luggage and the associated passengers or tickets.

1b also shows a loading aid in the form of a display device 19th that at the front end 6a of the main sponsor 6th , preferably on both sides, is arranged, which when loading an aircraft 100 in its hold 101 protrudes into it.

This can be a laser light source 19th act that a laser beam 19 'into the hold 101 into it, so that it is the ideal place to deposit the next one on the main conveyor 6th in the hold 101 arriving piece of luggage L. the Packer in the hold 101 displays depending on the controller 1* known weight and / or volume and / or size and / or prioritization of this piece of luggage, the controller 1* of course also controls the direction of the emitted laser beam 19 '.

Inside can store 3.1 , 3.2 be organized and structured in completely different ways.

So can the main memory 3.1 can definitely be a chaotic store, in which the position of the individual pieces of luggage is not known, but this is usually a problem with regard to inlet and outlet downstream of the main store 3.1 additional buffer storage 3.2 Requires to order the luggage you want L. on arrival in the hold 101 to achieve what by means of a chaotic main memory 3.1 difficult to achieve.

• Der Speicher 3 besteht im Wesentlichen aus in mehreren Ebenen übereinander angeordneten Bandfördern 22, die als Puffer-Förderer benutzt werden. Diese Bandförderer 22 besitzen in ihrer Reihenfolge von oben nach unten jeweils umgekehrte Laufrichtungen ihres Obertrums, auf denen die Gepäckstücke L liegen.

3 shows in the side view in the cut-open state a non-chaotic, for example, buffer storage 3.2 , where within the store 3 As a rule, the order of the items of luggage circulating in it is retained or is at least known:

• The memory 3 essentially consists of belt conveyors arranged one above the other in several levels 22nd used as buffer conveyors. This belt conveyor 22nd in their order from top to bottom each have reversed running directions of their upper run on which the pieces of luggage L. lie.

Every belt conveyor is at a standstill 22nd with its beginning 22a in the horizontal over the front end 3b , the discharge end, of the belt conveyor above 22nd so that one is on the top belt conveyor 22nd placed baggage L. runs through the individual belt conveyors from top to bottom and at the end of the lowest belt conveyor in the conveying direction 22nd is automatically returned to a vertical conveyor, which is like the feed conveyor 7th according to 2a , 2 B can be formed and his luggage at the upper end L. to the beginning of the top belt conveyor 22nd throws off.

An attempt is made to remove the pieces of luggage L. with the smallest possible distance behind one another on the - preferably individually controllable - buffer conveyors 22nd to discard.

It is at least known which piece of luggage is currently at the outlet opening 3a of memory 3 is located, so that there is a switch 18th for example in the form of a switching flap 18th this piece of luggage L. onto the main conveyor passing outside the outlet opening 6th can redirect.

This can be done within the store 3 an identification sensor 13th , e.g. at every outlet opening 3a and / or each inlet port 3b be present, or the position of each via an inlet port 3b - in this case with the outlet opening 3a is identical - the piece of baggage entered will continue to be calculated on the basis of that of the controller 1* known movement data of the individual belt conveyors 22nd as well as the vertical conveyor 7 ' .

About the waiting time for the desired item of luggage to be handed over L. at the outlet opening 3a to shorten in case the piece of luggage is L. just far from it in store 3 is located, the belt conveyor can 22nd also consist of two successive partial conveyors, one of which is a partial conveyor 22a - as on the second highest belt conveyor 22nd shown - can be folded away, so that a belt conveyor arranged above it 22nd and its front dropping end falling baggage L. Can fall down over more than one conveyor level and thus the throughput time through the store 3 is shortened.

List of reference symbols

1

Baggage handling unit

1*

control

2

chassis

3

Luggage storage

3a

Outlet, outlet opening

3b

Inlet, inlet port

3.1

Main memory

3.1a

Outlet, outlet opening

3.1b

Inlet, inlet port

3.2

Buffer storage

3.2a

Outlet, outlet opening

3.2b

Inlet, inlet port

4th

landing gear

4a-d

wheel

5

traction drive

6th

Main sponsor

6a

front end

6b

rear end

7th

Feeder

7 '

Vertical conveyor

7a

front end

7b

rear end

8a

front support

8b

rear support

8c

Additional support

9

Hydraulic cylinder

10

Longitudinal direction, straight-ahead direction of travel

11

horizontal transverse direction

12th

vertical

13th

Identification sensor

14th

Weight sensor

15th

Volume sensor

16

Comparison device

17th

Signaling device

18th

Soft, switching flap

19th

Display device

20th

Evaluation unit

21

Support plate

22nd

Buffer conveyor, belt conveyor

23

Loading table

24

Driver's cab

50

Baggage cart

100

plane

101

Hold

101a

Loading hatch

L.

Piece of luggage

LL

Transport label. Luggage label

Claims (27)

Mobile baggage handling unit (1) for the handling of baggage on the apron of an airport, with - a chassis (2) on which all elements of the handling unit (1) are mounted, - a control (1 *) which controls all moving parts of the handling unit (1), characterized by - a baggage storage (3) (define: beyond the conveyor), - an identification sensor (13) connected to the controller (1 *) for identification purposes an item of luggage (L), in particular an identification element (LL) present on the item of luggage, - the controller (1 *) comprising a comparison device (16) to match the information read out with information available in the controller (1 *) relating to the boarded To compare tickets, - a signal transmitter (17) which is connected to the controller (1 *) in terms of data technology and, in particular, can emit a signal when an undesired item of luggage (L) is detected. Baggage handling unit after Claim 1 , characterized in that the luggage handling unit (1) - is designed to be mobile and the chassis (2) comprises a running gear (4), - is in particular designed to be self-propelled and comprises a travel drive (5). (with loading conveyor FBW) Baggage handling unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a main conveyor (6), - whose front end (6a) can be raised, in particular up to the level of the loading hatch of the aircraft to be loaded, and - its rear end (6b) in operative connection can be brought with the luggage storage (3). Baggage handling unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the identification sensor (13) at the outlet (3a) of the baggage storage (3), in particular between the baggage storage (3) and the main conveyor (6), in particular is arranged between the luggage storage (3) and the free, upper end (6a) of the main conveyor (6). Baggage handling unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a switch (18) as signal transmitter (17) for branching off a piece of baggage (L) specified by the control (1 *) at the outlet (3a) of the baggage storage (3) , in particular between the luggage store (3) and the main conveyor (6), in particular between the luggage store (3) and the free, upper end (6a) of the main conveyor (6). Baggage handling unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the controller (1 *) is able to control at least the switch (18), in particular also the buffer store (3.2), in such a way that only pieces of baggage (L ) by passengers who have already boarded that the upper free end (6a) of the main conveyor (6) reach, - in particular all others are kept in the baggage storage (3) until the corresponding passenger has boarded. (Main memory) Baggage handling unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the baggage storage (3) comprises a main storage (3.1) for luggage (L), - which in particular has a useful volume of at least 2 m ³ , better at least 3 m ³ , and / or has at least one useful volume which is greater than that Usable volume of a luggage trolley delivering the pieces of luggage (L) to the luggage unit. Baggage handling unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the main memory (3.1) is a chaotic memory. Baggage handling unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the main store (3.1) comprises - a 1st loading device for exchanging items of luggage (L) with the main conveyor (6), and / or - a 2nd drawer -A device for exchanging luggage with a luggage trolley, in particular - in the form of an openable top, into which the contents of a loaded luggage trolley (50) can be tipped, and / or - in the form of a slide and / or tilting device and / or an access ramp for the luggage trolley (50) and / or - in the form of a feed conveyor (7). (Buffer storage) Baggage handling unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the baggage store comprises at least one buffer store (3.2) for luggage (L), - which is designed in particular so that it contains a defined piece of luggage ( L) can output, - in particular can automatically feed from the buffer store (3.2) to the main conveyor (6) and / or the main store (3.1). Baggage handling unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the switch (18) is designed in such a way that it branches off the baggage item (L) from the path of movement to the free, upper end (6a) of the main conveyor (6) the buffer tank (3.2). Baggage handling unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the buffer store (3.2) is designed so that - the baggage items (L) located therein can be held in a defined order and are continuously moved around while maintaining their order can, in particular be moved past the buffer store outlet (3. 2a), and / or - each specified piece of luggage (L) can be removed from the buffer store (3.2) in a targeted manner. Baggage handling unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the buffer store (3.2) is at least 1.0 times, better at least 1.2 times, better at least 1.5 times the number of businesses -Class seats and first-class seats multiplied by the average size of a checked baggage item (L) and / or - the buffer storage (3.2) comprises at least a volume of 1 m ³ , better at least 1.5 m ³ , better 2, 0 m ³ and / or at most 3.0 m ³ , and / or - it comprises at least 50%, better at least 70% and / or at most 120%, better at most 100% of the volume of the main memory (3.1). Baggage handling unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the buffer store (3.2) comprises roller tracks and / or driven conveyors, in particular belt conveyors (22), - which are in particular adjustable in height. (further sensors) Baggage handling unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the identification sensor (13) has a reading device for reading out the information contained on or in a baggage item (L), in particular its transport label (LL) , includes, Baggage handling unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handling unit (1) - at least one weight sensor (14) for determining the weight of each item of luggage (L) and / or - at least one volume sensor ( 15), better a dimension sensor (15), for determining the volume, better the dimensions, of the item of luggage (L). Baggage handling unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the controller (1 *) of the baggage unit (1) comprises an evaluation unit (20) for statistical evaluation of the data determined by the sensors (13-15) Assignment to the passenger data of the respective pieces of luggage (L), - the evaluation unit (20) is able to determine the average number and / or size and / or weight of the pieces of luggage (L) per passenger (P) depending on the passenger -Data, in particular ticket class, age, number of passengers, travel date, travel duration, location of the holiday destination of the associated passenger. (Loading help) Baggage handling unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a display device (19), in particular a laser pointer (19), is arranged at the upper, front end (6a) of the main conveyor (6) for the optical display of the ideal Loading position of the next item of luggage (L) arriving on the main conveyor (6) in the hold (101) of the aircraft (100). Baggage handling unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the controller (1 *) is able to determine the ideal storage position, taking into account - a uniform or a predetermined weight distribution of the pieces of luggage in the hold (101) of the aircraft (100), and / or - an arrangement of the items of luggage in the hold (101) of the aircraft (100) with as little space as possible and / or - the ticket class of the owner of the item of luggage. Baggage handling unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the case of a movable front, upper free end of the main conveyor (6) this can be automatically adjusted by the control (1 *) so that the upper free end (6a ) of the main conveyor (6) ends as close as possible to the ideal loading position of the next item of luggage (L) delivered by means of the main conveyor (6) in the loading space (101). Method for operating a baggage handling unit (1), in particular according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that when loading an aircraft (100) - the individual pieces of baggage (L) in or on the baggage handling unit (1) are automatically identified based on their transport label (LL) at least with regard to the associated passenger, - only those pieces of luggage (L) are automatically released, in particular transported to the upper, free end (6a) of the main conveyor (6) whose associated passengers are already boarded the so-called boarded baggage items (L), - a non-boarded baggage item (L) is automatically sorted out. Procedure according to Claim 21 , characterized in that - a piece of luggage (L) of a non-boarded passenger is automatically held in a buffer memory until the associated passenger has boarded and - only then is this piece of luggage (L) automatically released, in particular automatically to the upper, free end ( 6a) of the main conveyor (6) is transported. (Prioritization) Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized in that when loading an aircraft (100) - the individual pieces of luggage (L) are automatically identified in or on the luggage handling unit (1), at least with regard to their association with a prioritization class, in particular the ticket class of the passenger, - first only those pieces of luggage (L) are automatically transported to the upper, free end (6a) of the main conveyor (6) whose associated passengers have a piece of luggage (L) of the lowest priority class, in particular a ticket the cheapest ticket class, - then the pieces of luggage (L) are automatically transported to the upper, free end (6a) of the main conveyor (6), whose passengers have a piece of luggage (L) of the next higher priority class, in particular a ticket of the next most expensive Own ticket class - The latter is repeated automatically until all pieces of luggage (L), especially luggage pieces of all boarded passengers are transported into the hold (101) of the aircraft (100). Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized in that when an aircraft (100) is unloaded, the pieces of luggage (L) - are removed from the cargo hold (101) in the reverse order of their loading, - are loaded in this order, in particular in luggage trolleys (50) are grouped, in particular according to prioritization classes, and - the baggage trolleys (50) are transported in the order in which they are loaded to the baggage return belts in the terminal and unloaded there. (Loading aid) Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized in that when loading an aircraft (100) - the packer in the cargo space (101) automatically finds the ideal loading position for the next item of luggage (L) arriving at the upper, free end (6a) of the main conveyor (6) ) is displayed, - in particular this piece of luggage (L) is automatically transported as close as possible to this ideal loading position by means of the main conveyor (6). Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized in that of the individual pieces of luggage (L)) in or on the luggage handling unit (1) automatically - their weight is determined, and / or - their volume, in particular their dimensions, is determined become and - this data is assigned to the individual item of luggage (L) and, via this, in particular to the associated passenger of the item of luggage (L). Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized in that the data determined from each individual piece of luggage (L) are automatically evaluated, in particular with regard to - ticket class of the associated passenger, and / or - age of the associated passenger, and / or - Number of passengers traveling with the passenger, and / or - travel date, and / or - duration of travel, and / or - departure airport, and / or - destination airport.

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