DE3107466A1 - "METHOD FOR MECHANICAL STACKING OR DEPALETIZING FOR THE PURPOSE OF PICKING BODIES" - Google Patents

Description

Γ PATENT LAWYERS. Π

DR.-ING. R. DÖRING DIPL.-PHYS. DR. J. FRICKE

BRAUNSCHWEIG MUNICH

-H-

Elevator GmbH
Rathausstrasse 1,

CH-6340 Baar, Switzerland

"Method for mechanical stacking or depalletizing for the purpose of picking bodies"

The invention relates to a method for mechanical stacking or depalletizing for the purpose of picking bodies, e.g. from product packages, from a pallet filled in layers according to a regular pattern or the like onto a further conveyor, with the stacking always taking place in full rows or layers.

"Picking" means the gathering of Product-specific packs or bodies kept in stock for customer-specific items. The packs are stacked a partial function of gathering.

We haven't got very far in mechanizing and automating gathering. Unstacking, of all things is the work phase that can be accelerated sufficiently reliable and advantageous way turns out to be difficult-

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has asked. It is well known in every area of industry Appearance that the price rises even more steeply with increasing capacity. However, this is only true if you have a Technology of the previous type retained.

So far, apart from pure manual labor, different types of stacking have been used Destacking vehicles used, with the majority only the walking of the person in charge of the stacker has been replaced by driving. Some of the more advanced types come with mechanized tapping devices equipped. Obviously, these devices cannot be of great capacity.

As a result of the relatively primitive construction of the devices, their automation is impossible or at least extraordinary expensive.

One can also use devices similar to a typical industrial robot design that are able to take the desired number of packages individually, e.g. from a pallet. Have this however, they all share the common disadvantage of a complicated and expensive construction. This occurs especially when stacking a sample pallet in appearance. Furthermore, the Capacity of these robot-like devices only small, due to the complicated movement sequences and the limited Destacking amount per work process.

The object of the invention is the method mentioned in the introduction

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to be trained in such a way that a higher capacity, a higher degree of automation and greater reliability can be achieved at a moderate cost.

The method according to the invention is characterized in that if a number of pieces deviating from a row or layer is required, the respective excess, which is the case in rows or layers Stacking occurs, is pushed to the side and temporarily stored.

The packs are stacked from the pallet or the like per shipping item in at least an amount corresponding to the need, by removing full rows or layers and pushing the excess aside to wait for the next call for the packs. In this way, it is possible to deliver exactly the right number of items for packing. During the next picking process are the packs pushed aside are available extremely quickly when required.

The following advantages are achieved with the process:

- You can always do the order picking or destacking from a full row or layer, with which the destacking organ and its control can be relatively simple.

As a consequence of the above, it is easy and inexpensive to carry out the order picking quickly.

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- The transferring and gathering of the bodies that were pushed aside is done quickly if necessary. Especially the gathering of small numbers is done much faster than just from the pallet.

- The transfer of the body pushed aside can cause the beginning save a new row or layer so that the

• the average piece time is reduced.

The invention also relates to a depalletizing machine for implementation of the procedure. The depalletizing machine is characterized by that the machine has a stacking device, a transfer conveyor, side shelves or storage conveyor with filling and emptying devices for intermediate storage and for conveying the body to the onward conveyor.

The invention is explained below using an example with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Show it:

Fig. 1 the depalletizing machine in side view and

2 shows the depalletizing machine in plan view.

The actual destacking is done by the destacking element. His construction

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becomes wise through the properties of the packs to be stacked and due to the palletizing pattern. In this version the palletizing pattern is 3x3 (Fig. 2). The packs consist of Cardboard, weight about 10 kg, product not sensitive to treatment. Here are then a gripping or clamping organs clamping jaws gripping each row from the side and as an additional safeguard for the row of packs in the middle Suckers have been chosen. The design of the clamping jaws is such that they simultaneously lift the packs during the clamping process.

The stacking element 1 stacks the packs in layers or in rows, in this case 1-3 rows at a time, and moves along its guides 11 to the beginning end of the transfer conveyor 2. Here the stacking element 1 places the stacked items Packs off, one row at a time. The task of the transfer conveyor 2 is not just the packs to convey to the onward conveyor 3, but also to ensure a uniform flow of goods, so that the capacity of the stacker 1 is not reduced by waiting times until the Übergäbeförderer 2 is emptied and thus the stacking element in can work at his own pace. In the case shown here, the transfer conveyor 2 is inclined and provided with belts, which rotate freely under the action of the weight of the packs. You can mount the straps a little apart from each other, so that the packs run apart. The transfer conveyor 2 can also be of a different type.

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The onward conveyor 3 guides the stacked packs to the customer-specific one Packaging. In the example it is designed as an accumulating roller conveyor. Also another kind of sponsor can be used for this.

The side shelf 4 is provided for the intermediate storage of the packs remaining from the stacking of the rows or layers. Here, with a simple palletizing pattern 10 and when using the Row stackers, a simple shelf is enough. If the pallet is sample palletized or a full layer destacking takes place, it is recommended to use instead of the side shelf 4 collection point-specific parking conveyors, each can accommodate at least one layer of the packs. The use of storage conveyors is also appropriate, if the destacking quantities for each type vary greatly and there are plenty of small consignments. You then get the small items directly from the storage conveyors without having to unstack them from the pallet.

In the illustrated embodiment, where the side shelf 4 for at most a row of packs is designed, the conveyance for storage on the side shelf 4 by means of push members 5, which for example work with compressed air. The packs are transported from the side shelf 4 to the onward conveyor 3 by means of the Push elements 6. Push elements 5 and 6 must be provided in a number of at least one per row of packaging on the pallet be. When stacking full layers, i.e. when instead of the side

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^{regals 1} J uses a parking conveyor, it is appropriate that the parking conveyor can convey in two directions. Then, of course, the thrust members 6 can be omitted.

In the embodiment shown, the capacity and the depalletizing machine itself have given in for cost reasons Equipped with a lifting device that lifts the pallet and includes the forks 7, which move in vertical guides 12. The task of the forks 7 is to bring the top layer of packaging on the pallet within reach of the stacking organ bring to. Furthermore, the forks 7 lift the emptied pallet to the level of the stacking organ 1, which puts it on the track 9 transported for empty pallets. In this embodiment, the forks 7 are also provided with pulling claws 8, which are used to to use the next pallet for the AbstapeisteHe. A higher one Capacity could be achieved if each product point was equipped with its own lifting device. The difference has however with regard to the entirety no meaning. The capacity of the depalletizing machine is in itself sufficient with regard to the entire collection system.

The packs for destacking can also be grasped in a different way, e.g. by doing one for the destacking element 1 itself provides a lifting movement. This makes the stacking element heavier and more complicated. In addition, there is one to deal with of the height difference in question, the time required in series with the other partial times of the destacking and not parallel to it,

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as is the case in the example. However, this above construction is advantageous if the goods to be stacked are only in one above open pack is packed.

It is understood that if the embodiment of the depalletizing machine even differs considerably from the above, it is nevertheless suitable for a method according to the invention.

If the stacking takes place from a pallet, on which, according to the palletizing pattern 10, ten layers with about 12 cm high packs are palletized, i.e. 90 pieces per pallet, then the mean value of the destacking and transfer times for items is obtained from 1 to 90 pieces about 2.9 seconds per piece. If the number of pieces per item is limited to the range from 10 to 81 pieces, then the average of the times mentioned results in about 2.2 seconds. In the special case presented here, the size varies the item on both sides of the number 40 and extremely rarely goes beyond the limit of 10 or 8l. The times indicated close also driving the depalletizing machine from one type to another a. This results in a capacity of around 1,600 pieces per hour.

With this capacity you can easily handle 2 to 4 standard packaging machines Food.

The destacking process and the destape can be most advantageous ! device according to this application, however, in context

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with a collection method and a collection apparatus according to apply Finnish patent application no. 800633.

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Claims (8)

I -J I PATENTANWÄLTE DR.-ING. R. DÖRING DIPL.-PHYS. DR. J. FRICKE BRAUNSCHWEIG MUNICH claims 1. Method for mechanical destacking or depalletizing for Purposes of picking bodies, such as product packages, from one according to a regular pattern Pallet filled in layers or the like. And transferred to a further conveyor, the destacking always in full rows or layers is made thereby characterized in that if necessary a number of pieces deviating from a row or layer of the respective Excess that arises when stacking in rows or in layers is pushed to the side and temporarily stored. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized that in addition to the stacking from a pallet or the like. Or instead of that to the side pushed body can be transferred to the intermediate conveyor to deliver the desired number. 3. The method according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the controlling and monitoring of the destacking and intermediate layer ms as well as transferring the body with a computer in real time ("on-line") is made. 130061/0537 3107A66 4. Depalletizing machine for performing the method according to a of claims 1 to 3 »characterized in that the machine has a stacking element (1), a transfer conveyor (2), side shelves (4) or storage conveyor with filling and emptying devices for the Has intermediate storage and for conveying the body to the onward conveyor (3). 5. Depalletizing machine according to claim 4, characterized by a lifting device with which the pallet to be stacked is within reach of the stacker is lifted. 6. Depalletizing machine according to claim 4 or 5 with a Stacking member (1) provided with clamping jaws or grippers, characterized in that the Clamping mechanism when clamping also lifts the body at the same time with the same active device and its control. 7. Depalletizing machine according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the transfer conveyor (2) is dimensioned so that the time program of the stacking organ (1) from the time program of the onward conveyor (3) is independent. 8. Depalletizing machine according to one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the 130061/0537 Lifting device for the pallets with pulling claws (8) for pulling the next pallet to the destacking point is provided. 130061/0537