EP2065325A2 - Method and device for combining two flows of objects - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves passing precursory and adjacent postal items (Ps-1, Ps-2), which are transported on a discharging transport path, in a read transport path. The postal items are positioned over each other before reaching intersection such that the postal items partially overlap in a transport direction (T). The postal items are transported up to the intersection in the overlapped condition, and are introduced between a postal item (Ps-3) and a small stack (St-1) in the read transport path. The postal items are redirected on the read transport path. An independent claim is also included for a device for transporting two flows of objects.

Description

The invention relates to a method and a device for transporting and merging two streams of articles, in particular flat mail items.
A method with the features of the preamble of claim 1 is known from WO 2006/110486 A2. There a sorting plant with at least two different material inputs ("feeder") is described. These material inputs are connected via a matrix arrangement via a plurality of transport paths with two different processing devices, so that each substance input can feed each processing unit. It is therefore necessary to mix a stream of flat mail items from one substance input with another stream of flat mailpieces from another substance input.
In the case of the method known from WO 2006/110486 A2, it will be more frequent for articles to be stopped on the entering transport path or on the other transport path in order to enable collision-free sluice-in.
US 6,793,063 B1 describes a method and apparatus for mixing two streams of articles. Here, stacks of items are singulated, and each item is classified by automatic reading.
It is an object of the invention to provide a method having the features of the preamble of claim 1 and an apparatus having the features of the preamble of claim 7, wherein during the insertion there is only a slight delay of an object being transported in the other transport path. occurs.
The object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1 and a device having the features of claim 7. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the subclaims.

• zunächst der vorauslaufende der beiden Gegenstände, die schon vor dem Einschleusen auf dem anderen Transportpfad transportiert wurden,
• dann die beiden übereindergeschobenen Gegenstände und
• dann der nachfolgende der beiden Gegenstände, die schon vor dem Einschleusen auf dem anderen Transportpfad transportiert wurden,
• auf dem anderen Transportpfad weitertransportiert.

According to the invention, two streams of articles are transported. Each of the two subject streams each comprises at least two items. These two objects are each transported consecutively in a respective transport path. The one transport path opens into the other transport path.
The two objects that are transported on the merging transport path are pushed over each other before reaching the junction so that they - as seen in the transport direction - at least partially overlap. In this overlapping state, the two objects are transported to the junction, introduced between the two transported on the other transport path objects in the other transport path and transported on the other transport path. After the infiltration, so

• First, the leading of the two objects that were transported before the slipping on the other transport path,
• then the two over-pushed objects and
• then the subsequent one of the two objects, which were already transported on the other transport path before being introduced,
• transported on the other transport path.

Fig. 1

schematisch die Verarbeitungseinrichtungen und Transportpfade des Ausführungsbeispiels;

Fig. 2

einen einmündenden Transportpfad und den Lese Transportpfad.

By the two objects are pushed together from the merging transport path, a high packing density is achieved. In the superimposed state these two objects take a - seen in the transport direction - a smaller extent than before pushing together. As a result, the subsequent object on the other transport path must be delayed less or shorter in order to inject the two objects pushed over one another.
Instead of delaying the subsequent object, the injection can instead be carried out by: the leading object is accelerated on the other transport path. In this case, this acceleration needs to be less strong or shorter thanks to the invention. In one embodiment, the superimposing after the transfer is reversed again by the two overlapping introduced objects are separated again and then transported with a gap between them. This embodiment allows processing of the items that is not possible with overlapping items, such as reading addresses or other information attached to the items. In the following, the invention will be shown with reference to an embodiment. Showing:

Fig. 1

schematically the processing means and transport paths of the embodiment;

Fig. 2

an opening transport path and the read transport path.

In the exemplary embodiment, the flat objects are flat mailings, z. B. letters and / or postcards. These mail items are processed by a sorting system. In the exemplary embodiment, the sorting system has a reading device and a plurality of output transport paths, which lead to a respective output container.

Fig. 1 schematically shows the processing means and transport paths of the embodiment.
The reading device reads the respective destination address with which a mailpiece is provided. Depending on the respective destination address, each item of mail is transported to one of the output containers and ejected into them.

Preferably, several possible destination addresses are combined to form a destination area. All mail items for the same destination area are rejected in the same output bin. The output container may be a transportable container in which the mail items are transported away, or an output compartment from which the rejected mailpieces are removed. Preferably, the mailpieces are discharged into a dispensing container so that they are stacked into a stack so that they lie flat one above the other or edgewise in the dispensing container. One embodiment of such a method is out EP 915051 B1 known.
So that the reading device can read the respective destination address, the mailpieces must be guided past at least one camera K of the reading device individually. This camera K generates a digital image of the surface of each mail item on which the destination address of the mailpiece is printed.
However, the mail items are fed in stacks of the sorting system. Therefore, in the exemplary embodiment, the sorting system has a plurality of material inputs ("feeder"). Each substance entry includes a separator. Each separator is tailored in the embodiment of a certain type of mail, z. One on the separation of large letters and one on the separation of standard letters and postcards. Previously, a mechanical separator has divided the mailpieces depending on their size.
In the example of Fig. 1 two singler Ve-1, Ve-2 are shown.
From each material input leads in each case an inflowing transport path to a read transport path LT. On this reading transport path LT, the mail items are guided past the at least one camera K of the reading device. It is possible that each mail item is passed past several cameras in succession, z. B. to read the mail item from different pages or from different angles.

• eine erste Fördervorrichtung FV-1 mit den beiden angetriebenen Endlos-Förderbändern F7 und F8,
• eine zweite Fördervorrichtung FV-2 mit den beiden angetriebenen Endlos-Förderbändern F5 und F6,
• eine dritte Fördervorrichtung FV-3 mit den beiden angetriebenen Endlos-Förderbändern F1 und F4 und
• eine vierte Fördervorrichtung FV-4 mit den beiden angetriebenen Endlos-Förderbändern F2 und F3.

Because the mailings come from multiple material inputs, several transport paths open into the read transport path LT.
In the example of Fig. 1 it is shown that a merging transport path eT-1 from the separator Ve-1 emanates and opens into the read transport path LT and another einmündender transport path eT-2 of separator Ve-2 leads in the read transport path LT. The first opening transport path eT-1 opens into a first stacking device SV-1, the second opening transport path eT-2 into a second stacking device SV-2.
In the read transport path LT there is a separator Ve-L, which again separates a plurality of mailpieces when they have been pushed together for the purpose of introduction into a small stack. In Fig. 1 Furthermore, it is shown in which transport direction T the mail items are transported in the read transport path LT.
The read transport path LT in turn branches the output transport paths. All mail items for an output bin are ejected from the read transport path LT into the output transport path to that output bin.
In the example of Fig. 1 Four dispensers AB-1, AB-2, AB-3 and AB-4 are shown. From the read transport path LT, four output transport paths AT-1, AT-2, AT-3, and AT-4 branch to the four output bins AB-1, AB-2, AB-3, and AB-4. An ejection device AS-1 discharges those mailpieces to be sent to the output bin AB-1 from the read transport path LT into the output transport path AT-1. The corresponding lead the other three shown discharge devices AS-2, AS-3, AS-4 Each mail item is preferably transported by the transport paths that it is taken at any time by at least one conveyor. Such a conveyor device comprises an endless conveyor belt and a counter-conveying element, between which the mail item is clamped and thereby captured. The counter-conveying element is for example a rotatably mounted roller or another endless conveyor belt. The endless conveyor belt and the counter-conveying element rotate at the same speed and thereby transport the mail item which is located between them.
Preferably, each flat mail item is transported upright. The lower edge may lie on another endless conveyor belt. Or the mail item is not on a support during transport, but is held by the conveyor belts in the air.
According to the invention, a stacking device is located in each opening transport path. At least two consecutive and separated mail items arrive in this stacking device. The stacking device pushes the at least two mail items over one another such that they overlap at least partially. The at least two overlapping mail pieces leave the stacking device as a first small stack and are transported to the point at which this merging transport path opens into the read transport path. Fig. 2 shows an example of an embodiment of such a stacking device. In this example, the following conveyors are shown:

• a first conveyor FV-1 with the two driven endless conveyor belts F7 and F8,
• a second conveyor FV-2 with the two driven endless conveyor belts F5 and F6,
• a third conveyor FV-3 with the two driven endless conveyor belts F1 and F4 and
• a fourth conveyor FV-4 with the two driven endless conveyor belts F2 and F3.

The first conveying device FV-1 belongs to the opening transport path eT-1 of Fig. 1 , The second conveying device FV-2 is a component of the first stacking device SV-1.

The third conveyor FV-3 and the fourth conveyor FV-4 are located in the read transport path LT.
A sequence of mailpieces is already being transported in the read transport path LT, preferably in the form of further small stacks, between each of which a gap occurs. These small stacks originate z. B. from other opening transport paths. The first small stack is to be introduced into a gap between mail items in the read transport path. In the read transport path LT and individual mail items are transported, z. B. because they are too thick to be summarized into a small pile.
In the example of Fig. 2 In the read transport path LT, a small stack St-1 and a single mail item Ps-3 are transported in the transport direction T. The two mail items Ps-1 and Ps-2 are combined to form a small stack and to be transported between the small stack St-1 and the further mail item Ps-3. After the transfer, the mail items are to be transported in such a way that a distance occurs between the mail item Ps-3 and the small stack with the mail items Ps-1 and Ps-2 as well as between the small stack and the further small stack St-1.
With the help of a light barrier in the incoming transport path, the length of the first small stack to be inserted is determined. By means of a further light barrier, which is arranged in the read transport path, it is determined how large a gap between two successive mail items or other small stacks in the read transport path.
The first small stack is then introduced into the gap when its length plus a minimum distance to the last leading and the first subsequent mail is smaller than the gap. Otherwise, the subsequent mail items or further small packs are preferably transported slowed down or even temporarily stopped, while the leading mail items or further small packs are transported at the same or even temporarily increased speed. This will fill the gap extended, so that the first small pile can be inserted.
In the following, the work of the stacker in the entering transport path will be described in more detail with reference to FIG Fig. 2 described.
The stacking device used in Fig. 2 is shown, the conveyor belts F5 and F6 and the rollers to which these two conveyor belts F5 and F6 are guided. The opening transport path is formed, inter alia, by the conveyor belts F7 and F8. This transport path leads to a further transport path, namely the read transport path LT, which comprises the conveyor belts F1, F2, F3 and F4 and into which a small stack St-1 is transported.
In one embodiment, the mailpieces are deflected as they pass through the stacker. The transport direction in which they are transported, so is changed by an angle α, which is preferably between 30 degrees and 60 degrees, z. B. it is equal to 45 degrees.
A leading mail item Ps-1 is transported by a first conveying device (endless conveyor belt and counter-conveying element) in the old transport direction, namely until the mail item Ps-1 is picked up by a second conveying device FV-2. This first conveyor FV-1 comprises in the example of Fig. 2 the conveyor belts F7 and F8. A second conveyor FV-2 comprises the conveyor belts F7 and F8. The second conveying device FV-2 deflects the mail item Ps-1 by the angle α in the new conveying direction and still transports the mail item Ps-1 so that it is no longer caught by the first conveying device FV-1 (with F7 and F8) becomes. Subsequently, the first conveying device FV-1 stops or slows down the further transport of the preceding mail item Ps-1. For this it is necessary that the mail item Ps-1 is no longer taken from the first conveyor FV-1, because otherwise they would be upset by the two conveyors FV-1 and FV-2.

The first conveying device FV-1 transports a subsequent mail item Ps-2 until it obliquely meets the stopped leading mail item Ps-1. The leading mail item Ps-1 lies during the stop - seen in the old transport direction - in front of an endless conveyor belt F6 of the second conveyor FV-6. As a result, the impinging subsequent mail item Ps-2 can not bend the stopped leading mail item Ps-1 when impacted, but is deflected because the first conveying apparatus continues to transport the subsequent mail item in the old transport direction until the second conveying apparatus has grasped the subsequent mail item.
The second conveying device holds the leading and the subsequent mail item. These overlap now at least partially. As a result, a small stack consisting of the preceding mail item Ps-1 and the subsequent mail item Ps-2 is formed. The stacking device transports this small stack away in the new transport direction, wherein the second conveyor FV-2 further transports the small stack with Ps-1 and Ps-2.
The mail items are generally rectangular and therefore each have a - seen in the transport direction - front edge. By means of a light barrier Li in the incoming transport path is measured at what time the leading edge of the leading mail piece and at what time the subsequent mailing the photocell passes. The transport speeds of the two conveyors FV-1, FV-2 are controlled and are therefore also known. The second conveying device FV-2 transports the leading mail item into the new transport direction so far that the leading edge is in a defined position when the trailing edge is no longer caught by the first conveying device. The point at which the front edge of the subsequent mail item strikes the stopped leading mail item therefore has a known and adjustable minimum distance from the leading edge of the leading mail item. This distance is preferably so small as possible, so that the total length of the small pile is as small as possible.
Preferably, the light barrier Li measures in the inflowing transport path and the times at which the trailing edges of the two mailings pass the light barrier Li. From this information and the transport speed of the first conveyor Fv-1 and the above-mentioned distance between the front edge of the leading mail item Ps-1 of the point of impact, the total length of the now formed small stack is calculated.
The conveying devices of the sorting system are able to transport only mail items up to a certain thickness. This maximum thickness is determined by the distance between the endless conveyor belt and the counter-conveying element and the extent to which this distance can be extended. Also, the space available for changing the transport direction of small stacks limits the maximum thickness. Therefore, in this embodiment, a maximum thickness is predetermined for small stack. Each small pile may be at most as thick as the maximum thickness.
In one embodiment, the thickness of each mail item is measured after it has passed through the respective substance input with the separator and before it has reached the stacking device. If two consecutive mail items have two thicknesses whose thickness sum is less than or equal to the maximum thickness, then these mail items are combined in a small stack. It is possible that more than two postal items are combined if the sum of their thicknesses is smaller than the maximum thickness. If the sum of the thicknesses of two successive mail items is greater than the maximum thickness, then these items of mail are introduced one after another and not as a small stack into the read transport path LT. As mentioned above, the endless conveyor belts operate in a controlled manner. Therefore, their transport speeds are known. Therefore, and because the photoelectric switch Li the position of each Measure mail, it is known when a small stack, which is transported in the read transport path LT reaches the separator Ve-L in the read transport path LT. This separator Ve-L isolates small stacks again so that the camera can produce a digital image of each piece of mail. Since it is known at which point in time a small stack reaches the separator Ve-L, it is not necessary to determine whether items of mail overlap or individually reach this separator Ve-L. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS reference numeral importance AB-1, AB-2, ... output tray AS-1, AS-2, ... Ausschleusungsvorrichtungen AS-1, AS-2, ... Output transport paths eT-1, eT-2 opening transport routes F1, F2, ... Powered endless conveyor belts FV-1 first conveyor with the endless Conveyors F7 and F8 FV-2 second conveyor with the endless Conveyors F5 and F6 FV-3 third conveyor with the endless Conveyors F1 and F4 FV-4 fourth conveyor with the endless Conveyors F2 and F3 K Camera of the reading device Li photocell LT Read transport path Ps-1 leading mailing Ps-2 subsequent mailing Ps-3 Mail item in the read transport path LT St-1 Small pile in the read transport path LT SV-1, SV-2 stacker T Direction of transport in which the postal items in Read transport path LT are transported Ve-1, Ve-2 Separator of the substance inputs Ve-L Separator in the read transport path LT

Claims (8)

Method for transporting two streams of articles (Ps-1, Ps-2, Ps-3, St-1),
each item stream each comprising at least two items, each transported consecutively in a respective transport path,
wherein the one transport path opens into the other transport path and the objects (Ps-1, Ps-2) transported on the entering transport path are transported into the other transport path and transported there further,
characterized in that the two articles (Ps-1, Ps-2), which are transported on the entering transport path, - be pushed over each other before reaching the junction so that they - as seen in the transport direction - at least partially overlap, and - transported in this overlapping state to the junction between the two transported on the other transport path objects (Ps-3, St-1) are introduced into the other transport path and transported on the other transport path. Method according to claim 1,
characterized in that the two transported on the merging transport path objects (Ps-1, Ps-2) each have a - seen in the transport direction - front edge and be superimposed so that between their leading edges - seen in the transport direction - a predetermined distance occurs. Method according to claim 2,
characterized in that the leading edges of the two objects (Ps-1, Ps-2) after the sliding over each other - as seen perpendicular to the transport direction - are superimposed. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3,
characterized in that the two transported in the overlapping state objects (Ps-1, Ps-2) are separated again after the introduction, so that there is a gap between them - seen in the transport direction. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4,
characterized in that the step of sliding the two articles (Ps-1, Ps-2) one above the other comprises the substeps of - the leading object (Ps-1) is deflected from an old in a new direction of transport and then stopped, - the subsequent object (Ps-2) is transported further until it hits the stopped leading object (Ps-1), - The subsequent object (Ps-2) is also deflected in the new direction of transport and - The two deflected objects (Ps-1, Ps-2) are transported in the overlapping position in the new transport direction. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5,
characterized in that the respective thickness of the two objects (Ps-1, Ps-2), which are transported on the entering transport path, is measured and the two objects (Ps-1, Ps-2) are only pushed over one another, if the sum of their two thicknesses is less than or equal to a predetermined thickness barrier, and otherwise be introduced into the other transport path in such a way that a gap occurs between them. Apparatus for transporting two streams of articles, the apparatus comprising a plurality of conveyors (FV-1, FV-2, FV-3, FV-4) forming an in-going transport path and another transport path into which the one transport path terminates in that (FV-1, FV-2, FV-3, FV-4) conveying devices are designed to transport on each transport path in each case an article stream with at least two objects in such a way that the conveying devices transported the on the merging transport path Spend items (Ps-1, Ps-2) in the other transport path and transport them there,
characterized in that the device further comprises at least one stacking device (SV-1, SV-2) designed to - To push the two objects (Ps-1, Ps-2), which are transported on the inflowing transport path before reaching the junction so that the objects (Ps-1, Ps-2) - seen in the transport direction - at least partially overlap and - to transport in this overlapping state and the device is designed to the two objects (Ps-1, Ps-2) - To transport in this overlapping state to the junction of the transport path in the other transport path, between the two transported on the other transport path items (Ps-3, St-1) in the other transport path and weiterzutransportieren on the other transport path. Transport device according to claim 7,
characterized in that the device additionally comprises a separator (Ve-L) which is arranged in the other transport path and is designed to separate the at least two overlapping transported objects (Ps-1, Ps-2) again.

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