EP0708691B1 - Sorting installation, in particular for mail - Google Patents

Abstract

PCT No. PCT/DE94/00779 Sec. 371 Date Jan. 16, 1996 Sec. 102(e) Date Jan. 16, 1996 PCT Filed Jul. 7, 1994 PCT Pub. No. WO95/02467 PCT Pub. Date Jan. 26, 1995The sorting apparatus includes a plurality of conveyable-article carriers (FT) which circulate on at least one conveying device (FE) and are intended for receiving, for transporting and for discharging, in a controllable manner, the conveyable articles to sorting containers (SB), the conveyable-article carriers (FT) circulating, via at least one vertical deflection of the conveying device (FE), in at least two planes (E1, E2), and the sorting containers (SB) being provided in at least two levels (ET1, ET2) assigned to the planes (E1, E2) of the conveying device (FE). The guidance of the conveying device (FE) in at least two planes (E1, E2), and the provision of sorting containers (SB) in at least two levels (ET1, ET2) assigned to said planes (E1, E2) makes it possible, with the same surface area on which to set up the sorting apparatus, for the number of sorting containers (SB) available for sorting purposes to be doubled or multiplied.

Description

The machine-readable postcodes to be specified on postal items, such as letters, postcards, parcels and the like, as a key figure for a location, a delivery area, a mailbox or a bulk recipient, enable the mail to be distributed quickly and automatically. The incoming mail items are sorted with the aid of controllable conveying goods carriers, which are loaded in special input places, preferably mechanically, with one mail item each and then deliver this mail item to a sorting container assigned to the respective post code. After the mail item has been transferred to the assigned sorting container, the empty conveyed goods carrier can then be loaded again with a mail item when it passes an input location.

From US-A-3 300 026 a sorting device for mail is known, which has pairs of conveying goods carriers rotating in pairs on a conveying device for receiving for transport and for controllable delivery of the mail to sorting containers. The conveying device comprises two endlessly revolving chains at a distance from one another, which are guided in a meandering manner via corresponding rollers and guide the conveyed goods carriers along a row with sorting containers in several superimposed levels. The meandering course of the conveyor in several levels results in a relatively large overall height of the sorting device with a correspondingly poor accessibility of the sorting containers arranged in the upper levels.

From FR-A-24 54 338 a sorting device for mail is known which has a plurality of conveying goods carriers rotating around a conveying device for receiving, transporting and controllably delivering the mail to sorting containers. The Conveyed goods carriers are fastened in pairs opposite to each other on rotating transport nacelles of the conveyor, the transport nacelles, for example driven by an endless chain, being guided with rollers on a vertically oriented rail that extends in the transport direction. The transport gondolas are guided in the area of two adjacent, U-shaped deflections of the conveying device along a total of four parallel double rows with sorting containers into which the mail item can be dropped from the conveying item carriers. Due to the arrangement of the sorting containers in four double rows and the spaces required for the access of operators, a very large area is required for the installation of the entire sorting device.

The invention specified in claim 1 is based on the problem of creating a sorting device in which a large number of sorting containers can be provided in a confined space.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “sorting container” is generally understood to mean a space for receiving the sorted conveyed goods. In addition to containers in the form of a rectangular box, sacks or the compartments of a shelving system can also be used for the sorting tasks.

In addition to sorting and distributing mail in public post offices or the in-house mail centers of large companies, a sorting device according to the invention can also be used, for example, in storage systems or automatic picking machines for comparable tasks in which goods or parts provided with codes are fed to the sorting containers assigned to the respective codes.

The invention is based on the finding that the conveyed goods carriers can rotate in two or more levels by at least one vertical deflection of the conveying device and thus the sorting containers can also be provided in at least two levels assigned to these levels. The conveyed goods carriers are guided in each level along two rows of sorting containers arranged at a distance from one another on the assigned floor. With a small footprint of the sorting device, a very large number of the sorting containers provided for sorting purposes is thus made possible. The extension of the conveyor over two or more levels required to increase the sorting capacity requires a relatively small additional effort, especially since the vertical deflections are easy to implement and a single drive system can be maintained. The compact and clear arrangement of the sorting containers on two or more floors also makes the work of the personnel required to replace full sorting containers easier. Since the two rows of sorting containers on one floor are each accessible from different locations, a high level of operating comfort is guaranteed.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

The preferred embodiment of the conveyed goods carrier according to claim 2 is based on the knowledge that, in the closed position, conveyed goods carriers consisting of a fixedly arranged wall part and a movable wall part can reliably accommodate conveyed goods that are difficult to handle, such as thin letters, and a reliably controllable one in the delivery position Allow transfer of the conveyed goods to an assigned sorting container. Stopping or braking the It is not necessary to have a carrier for the delivery of the conveyor.

The embodiment according to claim 3 enables a particularly simple pivoting of the movable wall part between the closed position and the delivery position of the conveyed goods carrier.

The development according to claim 4 ensures a particularly safe transport of the material to be conveyed through the secured closed position. On the other hand, only a minimum of effort is required to reliably take the delivery position.

The development according to claim 5 enables a reliable absorption of different types and sizes of the material to be conveyed, with the bulges at the same time achieving considerable stiffening of the wall parts.

The embodiment according to claim 6 ensures a particularly safe transport of the conveyed material, since the interlocking gearing prevents thin letters or the like from falling out even in the case of an incomplete closed position.

The embodiment according to claim 7 enables a further stiffening of the wall parts, the wave-shaped design at the same time also preventing undesired adhesion of thin letters or the like to the wall parts of the conveyed goods carrier.

The development according to claim 8 enables a particularly safe control of the sorting container assigned to the respective material to be conveyed. The inclination of the discharge chute and the speed of the conveyed goods can be coordinated so that even a vertical drop of thin letters can be reached. According to claim 9, the discharge chute is preferably formed by the movable wall part. The center of gravity of the movable wall part is shifted downwards, which enables an automatic swiveling from the closed position into the delivery position without additional actuation means.

The embodiment according to claim 10 simplifies the transport of the conveyed goods. If the conveyed goods carriers are laterally cantilevered on a rotating transport carriage, the conveyed goods carriers can also be passed between two rows of sorting containers arranged at a relatively small vertical distance from one another. According to claim 12, two or more conveyed goods carriers are preferably fastened to the transport carriage, which results in a further reduction in the structural outlay for the entire conveying device.

The embodiment according to claim 13 enables safe guiding of the transport trolleys with minimal construction effort, wherein according to claim 14 a transport rope is preferably used as an endlessly rotating means of transport, and the profiles according to claim 15 are preferably tubular.

The development according to claim 16 enables a robust and reliable arrangement of the two profiles in the rectilinear sections of the conveyor, so that additional fastening means for profiles can be dispensed with in the curves and deflection regions of the conveyor.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawing and will be described in more detail below.

thin letters can be reached. According to claim 9, the discharge chute is preferably formed by the movable wall part. The center of gravity of the movable wall part is shifted downwards, which enables an automatic swiveling from the closed position into the delivery position without additional actuation means.

The embodiment according to claim 10 simplifies the transport of the conveyed goods. If the conveyed goods carriers are laterally cantilevered on a rotating transport carriage, the conveyed goods carriers can also be passed between two rows of sorting containers arranged at a relatively small vertical distance from one another. According to claim 12, two or more conveyed goods carriers are preferably fastened to the transport carriage, which results in a further reduction in the structural outlay for the entire conveying device.

The embodiment according to claim 13 enables safe guiding of the transport trolleys with minimal construction effort, wherein according to claim 14 a transport rope is preferably used as an endlessly rotating means of transport, and the profiles according to claim 15 are preferably tubular.

The development according to claim 16 enables a robust and reliable arrangement of the two profiles in the rectilinear sections of the conveyor, so that additional fastening means for profiles can be dispensed with in the curves and deflection regions of the conveyor.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawing and will be described in more detail below.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawing and will be described in more detail below.

Figur 1

einen aus fest angeordnetem Wandteil und beweglich angeordnetem Wandteil bestehenden Fördergutträger in perspektivischer Darstellung,

Figur 2

die Verzahnung der beiden in Figur 1 dargestellten Wandteile in der Schließstellung des Fördergutträgers,

Figur 3

eine perspektivische Darstellung von zwei aneinandergereihten Modulen einer mit Fördergutträgern gemäß Figur 1 ausgerüsteten Sortiereinrichtung, bei welcher die Fördergutträger in zwei Ebenen,umlaufen und die Sortierbehälter in zwei Etagen angeordnet sind,

Figur 4

das Funktionsprinzip der in der Sortiereinrichtung gemäß Figur 3 eingesetzten Fördereinrichtung,

Figur 5

eine Studie über den Bewegungsablauf des Förderguts beim Abwurf aus einem Fördergutträger gemäß Figur 1,

Figur 6

eine Seitenansicht einer aus Modulen gemäß Figur 3 aufgebauten Sortiereinrichtung,

Figur 7

eine Draufsicht auf die Sortiereinrichtung gemäß Figur 6 und

Figur 8

eine perspektivische Darstellung über die Führung der Fördereinrichtung der in den Figuren 6 und 7 dargestellten Sortiereinrichtung über zwei Ebenen.

Show it

Figure 1

a perspective view of a conveying goods carrier consisting of a fixed wall part and a movably arranged wall part,

Figure 2

the teeth of the two wall parts shown in Figure 1 in the closed position of the conveyed goods carrier,

Figure 3

2 shows a perspective illustration of two modules of a sorting device equipped with conveying goods carriers according to FIG. 1, in which the conveying goods carriers rotate in two levels and the sorting containers are arranged in two levels,

Figure 4

the functional principle of the conveyor device used in the sorting device according to FIG. 3,

Figure 5

1 a study of the sequence of movements of the conveyed material when it is ejected from a conveyed material carrier according to FIG.

Figure 6

3 shows a side view of a sorting device constructed from modules according to FIG. 3,

Figure 7

a plan view of the sorting device according to Figure 6 and

Figure 8

a perspective view of the guidance of the conveyor of the sorting device shown in Figures 6 and 7 over two levels.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a generally designated FT conveyor, which comprises a fixed wall part FW and a movable wall part BW. The movable wall part BW can be pivoted about an axis of rotation DA oriented transversely to the transport direction TR of the conveyed goods carrier FT.

FIG. 1 shows the closed position of the conveyed goods carrier FT, in which the fixedly arranged wall part FW and the movably arranged wall part BW, both of which are curved outwards, have an approximately V-shaped receiving pocket for a cross section form the material to be conveyed. According to Figure 2, the two wall parts FW and BW are each curved in a wave shape, wherein in the closed position SS shown in a plan view from above, both wall parts FW and BW interlock with a toothing VZ. The locking position SS is secured according to FIG. 1 by a lock SP designed as a pawl, which can be rotated about an axis denoted by A and can be released by actuating a lifting magnet HM. If the lock SP is released, the movable wall part BW is pivoted about the axis of rotation DA in such a way that a discharge slot of the conveyed goods carrier FT which is open at the bottom is formed. The lower extension of the movably arranged wall part BW forms a discharge chute AR which adjoins this discharge slot and which is inclined against the transport direction TR.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of two modules M1 and M2 of a sorting device equipped with conveyed goods carriers FT according to FIG. 1. In each case, a total of five conveyed goods carriers FT are attached to a transport carriage TW, which is part of a conveying device FE and rotates in two levels E1 and E2. In each level E1 and E2, each module M1 and M2 has two levels ET1 and ET2, formed by support plates AB, in which sorting containers SB can be placed in close proximity. In FIG. 3, only the sorting containers SB provided on the right upper floor ET2 are shown. It can be seen that the conveyed goods carriers FT run around the sorting containers SB in such a way that the conveyed goods (not shown in FIG. 3) can be thrown into a sorting container SB assigned to the respective coding when the pawl SP is actuated (see FIG. 1) .

FIG. 4 shows further details of the conveying device FE shown in FIG. 3. In the cross section shown here it can be seen that the trolley TW over with R designated rollers is guided on two tubular profiles P extending in the transport direction TR (see FIG. 1). The profiles P, which are aligned parallel to one another at a vertical spacing, are connected to one another in rectilinear regions of the conveying device FE via webs ST which also extend in the transport direction TR, while these webs ST are dispensed with in the curved regions. A transport trolley TW is driven by an endlessly rotating transport cable TS, to which the transport trolley TW is fastened with the aid of a driver MN. Instead of the transport rope TS, other endlessly rotating means of transport, such as a transport chain, could also be used. On the side opposite the transport cable TS, the transport trolley TW has a support plate TB to which the individual conveyed goods carriers FT are fastened on the end face and which also carries the pawls SK and the associated lifting magnets HM. The support plate TB acts as a holder for the axes of rotation DA of the movable wall parts BW, while the fixed wall parts FW of the individual conveyed goods carriers FT are firmly connected to the support plate TB via end flanges F (see FIG. 1).

FIG. 5 shows a study of the time-independent movement sequence when the conveyed goods are ejected from the conveyed goods carriers FT according to the invention. On the left side of the illustration shown here, a conveyed goods carrier FT can be seen in its closed position SS. The conveyed goods FG shown in dashed lines should be a thin letter.

The second conveyed goods carrier FT seen from the left is already shown in its delivery position AS, in which the movable wall part BW forms a discharge slot for the conveyed goods FG by rotating about the axis of rotation DA together with the fixedly arranged wall part FW. From the following positions of the material to be conveyed FG it can be seen that it slides down over the discharge chute AR and besides the downward vertical movement component receives a horizontal movement component opposite to the transport direction TR. The transport speed in the transport direction TR and the inclination of the discharge chute AR can be coordinated with one another in such a way that the conveyed goods FG can at least largely fall vertically downwards into an assigned sorting container SB (cf. FIG. 3).

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a sorting device composed of individual modules M in side view and in top view. The individual modules M correspond to the modules M1 and M2 shown in FIG. 3, but in FIG. 6 there is also shown an additional feed belt ZB arranged below the lower level E1 for the provision of empty sorting containers SB. When a full sorting container SB is removed from the lower level ET1 or the upper level ET2, it can then be replaced by an empty sorting container SB provided on the feed belt ZB.

In the illustration according to FIGS. 6 and 7, there is a vertical deflection HU on the left-hand side in front of the first module M, while an end-side input module EM is connected to the last module M on the right-hand side. In the area of the input module EM, the U-shaped circulation of the conveyed goods carrier FT in the upper level E2 is set back compared to the U-shaped circulation of the conveyed goods carriers FT in the lower level E1. As a result, in the area of the input module EM, the conveyed goods carriers FT circulating in the lower level E1 can be loaded from the front, from the front or from the rear, from above, the loading being carried out manually or by machine. A loading zone BZ on the rear is indicated in FIG. 7, in which the loading of conveyed goods carriers FT takes place with the aid of a transfer device (not shown in more detail). Details of a suitable transfer device can be found in the patent application P 43 44 347.8. The transfer device described therein comprises a rotating impeller, the wings of which form cells which receive the material to be conveyed arriving on a conveying device and deliver it to the rotating material carrier FT.

FIG. 8 shows in a highly simplified schematic representation the guidance of the conveying device FE (compare FIGS. 3 and 4) over the two levels E1 and E2. Line L shows the spatial course of the transport rope TS (see FIG. 4), the direction of transport being indicated by arrows TR. The guidance of the transport rope TS in the area of the vertical deflection HU and in the area of the input module EM is indicated by pulleys U. The corresponding spatial profile of the profiles P (see FIG. 4), which runs parallel to the line L, cannot be seen in FIG.

The conveyed goods carriers FT loaded in the rear loading zone BZ of the lower level E1 (cf. FIG. 7) with conveyed goods FG are deflected forward at the same height in the front area of the input module EM and then on the sorting containers SB arranged on the front side in the lower level ET1 transported past. In the area of the vertical deflection HU, the conveyed goods carriers FT are then guided diagonally upwards into the upper level E2 and transported there past the sorting containers SB arranged on the rear side in the upper level ET2. In the area of the input module EM, the conveyed goods carriers FT are then deflected forward at the same height and then transported past the sorting containers SB arranged on the front side in the upper floor ET2. In the area of the vertical deflection HU, the conveyed goods carriers FT are then guided diagonally downward into the lower level E1 and transported there past the sorting containers SB arranged on the rear side in the lower level ET1. On the transport route described above, the individual FT carriers convey the carried items Conveyed goods FG to an assigned sorting container SB, so that they can be loaded again with conveyed goods FG when they pass through the rear loading zone BZ.

Claims (16)

1. Sorting apparatus, in particular for mail, having a plurality of conveyable-article carriers (FT) which circulate on at least one conveying device (FE) and are intended for receiving, for transporting and for discharging, in a controllable manner, the conveyable articles (FG) to sorting containers (SB),

   - the conveyable-article carriers (FT) circulating, via at least one vertical deflection (HU) of the conveying device (FE), in at least two planes (E1, E2),

   - the sorting containers (SB) being provided in at least two levels (ET1, ET2) assigned to the planes (E1, E2) of the conveying device (FE), characterized in that the conveyable-article carriers (FT), in each plane (E1, E2) are guided along in each case two rows, spaced apart from one another in the assigned level (ET1, ET2), with sorting containers (SB).
2. Sorting apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that

   - each conveyable-article carrier (FT) comprises a fixedly arranged wall part (FW) and a movably arranged wall part (BW),

   - the movably arranged wall part (BW) forming, in a closed position (SS), together with the fixedly arranged wall part (FW), a cross-sectionally U-shaped or V-shaped receiving pocket for the conveyable articles (FG), and

   - the movably arranged wall part (BW) forming, in a discharging position (AS), together with the fixedly arranged wall part (FW), an ejection slit which is open at the bottom and is intended for the conveyable articles (FG).
3. Sorting apparatus according to Claim 2, characterized in that the movably arranged wall part (BW) is arranged such that it can be pivoted about a pivot pin (DA) aligned transversely with respect to the transporting direction (TR).
4. Sorting apparatus according to Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the movably arranged wall part (BW) is retained in the closed position (SS) by a releasable lock (SP) and, after the lock (SP) has been released, pivots automatically into the discharging position (AS).
5. Sorting apparatus according to one of Claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the fixedly arranged wall part (FW) and the movably arranged wall part (BW) are each curved outwards.
6. Sorting apparatus according to one of Claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the fixedly arranged wall part (FW) and the movably arranged wall part (BW) exhibit a toothing arrangement (VZ) which interlocks in the closed position (SS).
7. Sorting apparatus according to one of Claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the fixedly arranged wall part (FW) and the movably arranged wall part (BW) are bent in undulating fashion.
8. Sorting apparatus according to one of Claims 2 to 7, characterized in that one of the two wall parts (FW, BW) forms an ejection chute (AR) which adjoins the ejection slit at the bottom and is inclined counter to the transporting direction (TR).
9. Sorting apparatus according to Claim 8, characterized in that the ejection chute (AR) is formed by the movable wall part (BW).
10. Sorting apparatus according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the conveyable-article carriers (FT) are fastened on circulating transporting carriages (TW) of the conveying device (FE).
11. Sorting apparatus according to one of Claims 2 to 9, in conjunction with claim 10, characterized in that the conveyable-article carriers (FT) are fastened on a transporting carriage (TW) in the region of an end side of the fixedly arranged wall part (FW) and of the movably arranged wall part (BW).
12. Sorting apparatus according to Claim 10 or 11, characterized in that at least two conveyable-article carriers (FT) are fastened on a transporting carriage (TW).
13. Sorting apparatus according to one of Claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the transporting carriages (TW) are guided, by rollers (R), on two profiles (P), aligned at a vertical spacing with respect to one another and extending in the transporting direction (TR), and are driven by endlessly circulating transporting means.
14. Sorting apparatus according to Claim 13, characterized in that the endlessly circulating transporting means are formed by a transporting cable (TS).
15. Sorting apparatus according to Claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the profiles (P) are of a tubular design.
16. Sorting apparatus according to one of Claims 13 to 15, characterized in that the two profiles (P) are connected to one another, in the region of rectilinear sections of the conveying device (FE), by webs (S) extending in the transporting direction (TR).

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