EP1647338A1 - Procédé et dispositif de tri des produits en accord avec des commandes - Google Patents

Procédé et dispositif de tri des produits en accord avec des commandes Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1647338A1
EP1647338A1 EP05077260A EP05077260A EP1647338A1 EP 1647338 A1 EP1647338 A1 EP 1647338A1 EP 05077260 A EP05077260 A EP 05077260A EP 05077260 A EP05077260 A EP 05077260A EP 1647338 A1 EP1647338 A1 EP 1647338A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
products
sorting device
order
type
deliver
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP05077260A
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German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1647338B1 (fr
Inventor
Leonardus Jacobus Mous Sixtus
Bruno Van Wijngaarden
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Vanderlande Industries BV
Original Assignee
Vanderlande Industries Nederland BV
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Publication date
Application filed by Vanderlande Industries Nederland BV filed Critical Vanderlande Industries Nederland BV
Publication of EP1647338A1 publication Critical patent/EP1647338A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1647338B1 publication Critical patent/EP1647338B1/fr
Not-in-force legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C5/00—Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
    • B07C5/36—Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution
    • B07C5/38—Collecting or arranging articles in groups

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method for operating a system for sorting products in such a manner that individual collections of different products as specified on orders therefore are formed, said system comprising a sorting device for sorting products, at least one supply station for supplying products to be sorted to the sorting device, a number of discharge stations for discharging sorted products from the sorting device, determining means for determining the type of products to be sorted as supplied to the sorting device by said at least one supply station, order processing means for processing orders for collections of different products, and control means for delivering control signals to the sorting device at least partially on the basis of information signals from the determining means and from the order processing means so as to cause the sorting device to deliver products to the discharge stations, said method comprising the steps of
  • a sorting device such as a tilting sorter or a cross belt sorter, which types of sorters are well-known to those skilled in the art and which comprise a conveyor, usually a circular conveyor.
  • Products delivered at the distribution centre by suppliers are placed on the sorting device by low-skilled personnel, in principle in random order, with the type of product being determined in an automated manner, for example by means of a bar code reader.
  • a number of discharge stations branch off the circular conveyor, which discharge stations are usually in the form of a gravity conveyor or a roller conveyor, onto which products are moved from the circular conveyor.
  • the eventual collection of different products takes place at the downstream end of the discharge stations, the products being collected in accordance with orders for such collections.
  • the shops that are supplied from the distribution centre in question communicate such orders to an order processing system associated with the distribution centre, usually in an automated manner.
  • a major practical drawback of the way in which sorting systems at distribution centres are operated is connected with the fact that the sorting device delivers products associated with a specific order in random order to a discharge station. This implies that said products are deposited in random order in a collecting container, such as a cart, which is eventually transported to a shop on a lorry. Because of the random order of the contents of said cart, the subsequent sorting thereof by operators at the shop takes relatively much time, since the same type of products may be located at different positions in the cart, requiring staff to move a great deal within the shop and even return to the same location within the shop more than once with the cart.
  • the other three gravity conveyors are exclusively reserved for those products being ordered in an amount higher than the threshold value, in which connection it is noted that the products in question are collected in groups on one of the three gravity conveyors. This implies that if the number of products of a particular type that have been collected on a particular gravity conveyor is smaller than the total number of products of that type that have been ordered, said gravity conveyor will not be available for discharging other types of products. Consequently, it is indicated in EP 1 265 174 A1 that products are to be placed on the endless conveyor of the sorting device in groups as much as possible so as to have this process proceed in an efficient manner.
  • the present invention aims at sorting products being ordered in such a manner that the sorting of products present in containers in which a collection of products as specified by an order has been collected, which takes place in a shop of the like, can proceed in an efficient manner.
  • a correct operation of the system according to EP 1 265 174 A1 preferably requires that products be supplied to the sorting device in groups, the magnitude of the group preferably not exceeding the total number of products being ordered. This means that an extra intellectual effort is required from the operators engaged in supplying products to the sorting device on the supply side of the sorting device as well.
  • the object of the present invention is on the one hand to collect products in collecting containers in an order such that the eventual unloading of the collecting containers can take place with high level of efficiency. This implies that the aim is to collect products of the same type associated with a specific order in groups as much as possible.
  • the method according to the invention is characterized by the steps of
  • Associating orders with respective discharge stations in accordance with the invention achieves that a second, manual sorting operation is not needed, but that the products can be collected at the downstream end of each of the discharge stations on a collecting container, such as a transfer cart, which is logistically linked one on one with the discharge station in question.
  • a collecting container such as a transfer cart
  • this requires less intelligence from the operator in question than from the operator at the corresponding position in EP 1 265 174 A1
  • the distance to be covered by products between the discharge chutes and the collecting containers is considerably smaller.
  • the transfer to a collecting container can take place in an automated manner.
  • the control signals specific to the invention ensure that the sorting device will not deliver products associated with a specific order to the associated discharge station in random order but rather in groups. This achieves that said products will also be collected in groups on the collecting container and eventually can be unloaded in groups at the eventual destination, so that this will take relatively little time.
  • control means deliver control signals to the sorting device such that the sorting device will alternately deliver products of the type in question to various discharge stations.
  • control means determine the magnitude of the group of orders for which one product or a number of products of the type in question are to be collected at a particular point in time on the basis of the information signals from the order processing means, after which, if the magnitude of the group exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the control means will select a subgroup from said group, the magnitude of which subgroup equals said threshold value, after which the control means will deliver control signals such that the sorting device will alternately deliver the products of the type in question only to the discharge stations that are associated with the orders of the subgroup.
  • the threshold value might be determined in dependence on the total demand for the product in question, for example. If a large number of orders include an order for a particular product, the threshold value may be relatively high, whilst a lower threshold value will preferably be selected in the case of a relatively low number of products being ordered, and in an extreme case the threshold value will be 1.
  • the control means remove the order in question from the subgroup and add a new order, for which products of the type in question must be collected as well, to the subgroup. In this way the magnitude of the subgroup is maintained at a constant level, unless the number of outstanding orders ordering one product or a number of products of a particular type falls below the threshold value or if the discharge stations associated with orders for which products of the type in question need to be collected yet are still engaged in receiving products of another type.
  • Yet another improvement of the sorting process as regards the ease with which a collected order can be sorted at the final destination again can be achieved if the order processing means determine the order in which products of different types are to be collected for a specific order and the control means deliver control signals such that the sorting device will deliver the products to the associated discharge station in the order in question.
  • the present invention furthermore relates to a system for sorting products in such a manner that individual collections of different products as specified on orders therefore are formed, said system comprising a sorting device for sorting products, at least one supply station for supplying products to be sorted to the sorting device, a number of discharge stations for discharging sorted products from the sorting device, determining means for determining the type of products to be sorted as supplied to the sorting device by said at least one supply station, order processing means for processing orders for collections of different products, and control means for delivering control signals to the sorting device at least partially on the basis of information signals from the determining means and from the order processing means so as to cause the sorting device to deliver products to the discharge stations.
  • a sorting device for sorting products at least one supply station for supplying products to be sorted to the sorting device, a number of discharge stations for discharging sorted products from the sorting device, determining means for determining the type of products to be sorted as supplied to the sorting device by said at least one supply station,
  • the sorting system according to the invention is characterized in that the control means are adapted to associate orders for collections of different products with respective discharge stations, so as to have the sorting device deliver products associated with an order only to the associated discharge station, and to deliver control signals to the sorting device such that the sorting device will not deliver products of a particular type for a specific order to the associated discharge station until the sorting device has delivered all products of another type for the order in question to the associated discharge station.
  • the distribution centre 1 comprises a hall 2 with exterior walls 3.
  • a sorting device 4 is disposed in said hall.
  • the sorting device 4 comprises an endless conveyor 5, on which products can be transported in a circular path in the direction indicated by the arrow 6.
  • a number of parallel supply conveyors are provided for supplying products to the conveyor 5, onto which supply conveyors operators can place products to be sorted, after which supply conveyors 7 supply said products to the endless conveyor in 5 in an automated manner.
  • the products that are placed on the supply conveyors 7 originate from buffer locations 8 located at a supply side 9 of the hall 2. To fill the buffer locations 8, unloading locations are provided at the outer side of the supply side 9 of the hall 2, where trucks 10 from suppliers can unload products, which are collected at the buffer locations 8.
  • Discharge conveyors embodied as parallel gravity conveyors 11 are provided for discharging products from the conveyor 5, which gravity conveyors branch off the endless conveyor 5 at right angles on the side opposite the side to which the supply conveyors 7 connect to the conveyor 5.
  • Collecting carts 12 are positioned at the downstream end of the gravity conveyors 11.
  • Collecting locations 14 are provided at the discharge side 13 of the hall 2 opposite the supply side 9 thereof, at which collecting locations collecting carts 12 filled with products can be collected in groups so as to be carried off in groups by trucks 15 for distributing the sorted products to customers, such as shops.
  • sorting device 4 is not relevant. It may conceivably, but not exclusively, be configured as a cross-belt sorter or a tilting sorter, for example, as known to those skilled in the art. Alternatively it would be possible to use pusher elements that push products off the conveyor 5 at the location of the individual gravity conveyors 11. It is of importance however that the sorting device 4 is capable of automatically delivering products to the gravity conveyors 11.
  • the distribution centre more specifically the sorting device 4 thereof, is provided with a control system 16 for controlling the same, which control system delivers control signals 17 to the conveyor 5.
  • the sorting device 4 furthermore comprises a detection station 19, such as a bar code reader, which is capable of acquiring information regarding the type of products that passes the detection station 19 on the conveyor 5 and of passing on information signals 18 comprising such information to the control system 16.
  • a detection system might be provided beside every supply conveyor 7.
  • an order processing system 20 which processes information 22 about orders, more specifically information as regards the type and the number of products as specified by the respective orders that are to be collected for a specific customer, and thus in a specific collecting container 12.
  • the control system 16 provides the coordination that is required for moving products that have been supplied to the conveyor 5 via the supply conveyors 7 onto the correct gravity conveyor 11, so that collections of products as specified by corresponding orders therefore are formed at the ends of the gravity conveyors 11, which collections will eventually be transported to a customer in a collecting container 12 on a truck 15.
  • control system 16 receives information 21 regarding the six orders I - VI from the order processing system 20 on the basis of order signals 22 from outside.
  • the orders are as shown in table 1.
  • Table 1 Product ⁇ A B C Order ⁇ I 2 3 2 II 2 2 0 III 1 3 2 IV 0 0 2 V 0 2 2 VI 2 2 0
  • the control system 16 associates each order I - VI with a gravity conveyor 11, which gravity conveyors will be indicated 11-I - 11-VI.
  • a gravity conveyor 11 which gravity conveyors will be indicated 11-I - 11-VI.
  • said gravity conveyors 11-I - 11-VI may be distributed at random over the total number of gravity conveyors 11.
  • the products A, B, C are placed on the various supply conveyors 7 from the buffer locations 8 in random order and land on the endless conveyor 5 in random order.
  • the detection system 19 determines whether said product is product A, B or C and delivers this information to the control system 16 in the form of an information signal 18.
  • the order in which the products A, B, C pass the detection system is shown by way of illustrative example in the second column of table 2.
  • control system is also adapted to ensure that the sorting device 4 be used in such a manner that the sorting device 4 will not deliver products of a particular type A, B or C for a specific order to the associated discharge station until the sorting device has delivered all products of another type A, B or C for the same order to the associated discharge station.
  • control system 16 uses a threshold value for the number of gravity conveyors 11 to which products of a particular type are simultaneously supplied. Said threshold value is 2 in the present example.
  • a gravity conveyor 11 has been provided with the total number of products of a particular type A, B or C as specified by the order associated with the gravity conveyor in question, another gravity conveyor can be added to the subgroup of gravity conveyors 11 to which the product A, B or C in question is supplied, whilst the gravity conveyor that is sufficiently filled with the product A, B or C in question becomes available for receiving another product type A, B or C.
  • the control system will replace the gravity conveyor 11-I from the subgroup for product C by the gravity conveyor 11-III the moment a next product C arrives at serial number 11. Theoretically, said replacement might take place sooner after serial number 9, but in that case there will be less opportunity for the control system 16 to respond to the current supply of products.
  • Gravity conveyor 11-III receives its first product C at serial number 14, whilst gravity conveyor 11-I is assigned to the subgroup of gravity conveyors 11 that receive product B (serial number 13).
  • the gravity conveyors 11-I and 11-II belong to the subgroup that is to receive products B, since the gravity conveyors 11-III, 11-V and 11-VI have already been provided with the full number of products B according to the orders III, V and VI, respectively, for serial number 13.
  • the products are alternately distributed over the various gravity conveyors 11 that belong to the subgroup, so that the supply of products A, B, C to the various gravity conveyors 11 will be distributed over the gravity conveyors 11 as evenly as possible.
  • Table 3 shows the final result of the sorting process by indicating in the second column the order in which the gravity conveyors 11-I - 11-VI mentioned in the first column have received the products A, B and C.
  • a comparison between the second column of table 3 and the content of table 1 shows that the correct products have been collected on the gravity conveyors.
  • the products A, B and C have only been unloaded on the gravity conveyors in groups by the sorting device 4.
  • Table 3 Gravity conveyor 11-I C C B B B A A 11-II A A B B 11-III B B B C C A 11-IV C C 11-V B B C C 11-VI B B A A A
  • the orders I - VI were to comprise information regarding the order of collecting the products A, B and C as well, this information, too, could be processed by the order processing means 20 and be passed on to the control system 16 in the form of an information signal 21, whereupon the control system 16 could also use this information for driving the conveyor 5 with control signals 17 in such a manner that the collection of products A, B and C will take place via the gravity conveyors 11 in the order as specified by the respective orders I - VI.

Landscapes

  • Sorting Of Articles (AREA)
  • Warehouses Or Storage Devices (AREA)
  • Branching, Merging, And Special Transfer Between Conveyors (AREA)
  • Discharge Of Articles From Conveyors (AREA)
EP05077260A 2004-10-12 2005-10-06 Procédé et dispositif de tri des produits en accord avec des commandes Not-in-force EP1647338B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL1027227A NL1027227C2 (nl) 2004-10-12 2004-10-12 Werkwijze en systeem voor het sorteren van producten overeenkomstig orders daarvoor.

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1647338A1 true EP1647338A1 (fr) 2006-04-19
EP1647338B1 EP1647338B1 (fr) 2007-12-19

Family

ID=34974170

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP05077260A Not-in-force EP1647338B1 (fr) 2004-10-12 2005-10-06 Procédé et dispositif de tri des produits en accord avec des commandes

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1647338B1 (fr)
AT (1) ATE381390T1 (fr)
DE (1) DE602005003894T2 (fr)
ES (1) ES2298929T3 (fr)
NL (1) NL1027227C2 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2384825A1 (fr) * 2010-05-06 2011-11-09 Eurosort B.V. Dispositif de tri et procédé de commande du dispositif de tri
WO2013182620A1 (fr) * 2012-06-06 2013-12-12 Savoye Procédé de préparation de commandes listant des charges unitaires

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102017117713A1 (de) * 2017-08-04 2019-02-07 Vanderlande Industries B.V. Matrixsorter

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4413967A1 (de) * 1993-04-28 1994-11-03 Tgw Transportgeraete Gmbh Sortiereinrichtung
WO2001010574A1 (fr) * 1999-08-05 2001-02-15 United Parcel Service Of America, Inc. Machine a trier a plateaux basculants
EP1265174A1 (fr) * 2001-06-07 2002-12-11 Cleco Systems Limited Machine de tri dans un entrepôt
FR2840283A1 (fr) * 2002-05-30 2003-12-05 Alstef Automation Procede et dispositif de preparation d'au moins un ensemble de produits surgeles et ensemble de produits surgeles obtenu par le procede

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4413967A1 (de) * 1993-04-28 1994-11-03 Tgw Transportgeraete Gmbh Sortiereinrichtung
WO2001010574A1 (fr) * 1999-08-05 2001-02-15 United Parcel Service Of America, Inc. Machine a trier a plateaux basculants
EP1265174A1 (fr) * 2001-06-07 2002-12-11 Cleco Systems Limited Machine de tri dans un entrepôt
FR2840283A1 (fr) * 2002-05-30 2003-12-05 Alstef Automation Procede et dispositif de preparation d'au moins un ensemble de produits surgeles et ensemble de produits surgeles obtenu par le procede

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2384825A1 (fr) * 2010-05-06 2011-11-09 Eurosort B.V. Dispositif de tri et procédé de commande du dispositif de tri
US9186706B2 (en) 2010-05-06 2015-11-17 Eurosort B.V. Sorting device and method of operating the sorting device
US9511954B2 (en) 2010-05-06 2016-12-06 Eurosort B.V. Sorting device and a method of operating the sorting device
US10384234B2 (en) 2010-05-06 2019-08-20 Eurosort B.V. Sorting device and method of operating the sorting device
WO2013182620A1 (fr) * 2012-06-06 2013-12-12 Savoye Procédé de préparation de commandes listant des charges unitaires
FR2991603A1 (fr) * 2012-06-06 2013-12-13 Savoye Procede de preparation de commande listant des charges unitaires
US20150134490A1 (en) * 2012-06-06 2015-05-14 Savoye Method for Preparing Orders Listing Unit Loads
EP2858764B1 (fr) 2012-06-06 2017-10-18 Savoye Procédé de préparation de commandes listant des charges unitaires
US10668509B2 (en) * 2012-06-06 2020-06-02 Savoye Method for preparing orders listing unit loads

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE602005003894T2 (de) 2009-02-05
EP1647338B1 (fr) 2007-12-19
DE602005003894D1 (de) 2008-01-31
NL1027227C2 (nl) 2006-04-13
ES2298929T3 (es) 2008-05-16
ATE381390T1 (de) 2008-01-15

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