FR3140783A1 - Parcel sorting installation equipped with a multifunction infeed conveyor - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a sorting installation (1) for packages (2) comprising a loop sorting conveyor (3) on which sorting receptacles (5) moving at a certain conveying speed (V1) are distributed in series . The installation comprises at least one feed conveyor (6) designed to insert the packages one by one into the receptacles of the sorting conveyor, each sorting receptacle being designed to convey and evacuate a package into a sorting outlet (4) appropriate determined from a certain sorting plan. The installation also includes a central unit (7) designed to control the acceleration of the feed conveyor, from zero speed (V0) allowing the reception of a package to a certain insertion speed allowing the injection of said parcels on the sorting conveyor. Figure to be published: Fig. 2

Description

Parcel sorting installation equipped with a multifunction infeed conveyor

The invention is placed in the field of sorting parcels or packages.

The invention relates more particularly to a package sorting installation equipped with a multifunction feed conveyor.

The growing volume of Small International Packages, known as PPI, amplifies the need to equip sorting facilities with sorting conveyors capable of sorting all types of packages efficiently and at high throughput, such as cardboard or polybag packages.

This type of sorting installation, as described in document FR3092016, typically includes a loop sorting conveyor on which sorting buckets are distributed in series into which the packages are injected. The buckets move in a certain conveying direction to then sort the packages in appropriate sorting outlets.

This type of sorting installation also includes a parcel entry line made up of numerous pieces of equipment such as a parcel supply conveyor provided in parallel with the sorting conveyor to insert the parcels one by one into the buckets of the sorting conveyor. sorting transversely to the conveying direction, as well as other conveyors upstream of the supply conveyor in relation to the conveying direction and on which sensors make it possible to dynamically identify the characteristics of the packages to be sorted before inserting them on the feed conveyor.

By package characteristics, we mean any type of characteristics such as the dimensions and positioning of the package on the conveyors, the shape of the package, the weight of the package, the presence of a distribution address and even identification from the delivery address of the sorting outlet into which the package is to be sorted.

However, the time spent conveying packages in the entry line but also on the sorting conveyor is costly, especially when certain “non-sortable” packages take up the conveying time instead of other “sortable” packages.

There is also the need to reduce the footprint of this type of sorting installation without reducing the sorting rate or the efficiency of detecting the characteristics of the packages.

The invention therefore aims to remedy the aforementioned problems by proposing a package sorting installation that is more compact and more efficient in detecting the characteristics of the packages.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a package sorting installation comprising a loop sorting conveyor on which sorting receptacles moving at a certain conveying speed are distributed in series, and at least one supply conveyor designed to insert the packages one by one into the receptacles of the sorting conveyor, each sorting receptacle being designed to convey and evacuate a package into an appropriate sorting outlet determined from a certain sorting plan, characterized in that it comprises a central unit designed to control the acceleration of the feed conveyor, from zero speed allowing the reception of a package to a certain insertion speed allowing the injection of said package onto the sorting conveyor, in that 'it comprises at least one sensor designed to cyclically generate digital data representative of at least a certain real characteristic of said package when the feed conveyor is at zero speed and in that the central unit includes in memory representative digital data of at least one prerequisite characteristic of the package necessary to authorize the injection of said package onto the sorting conveyor and in that the central unit is configured to control the acceleration of the supply conveyor when said at least one real characteristic of said package conforms to said at least one prerequisite characteristic, or, to control the sending of an identification signal in the environment of the supply conveyor when said at least one real characteristic of said package does not does not comply with said at least one prerequisite characteristic.

The idea behind the invention consists of inserting the packages directly onto the sorting conveyor and only when the packages are suitable for sorting.

The advantage here is to prohibit the use of the sorting conveyor for non-sortable packages (such as “oversized” packages, without destination address, etc.) in order to reduce the risk of jamming and rejection and of prioritize conveying time for sortable packages.

For this, the invention proposes to use at least one feed conveyor controlled by a central unit to, on the one hand, carry out static measurements of the packages to be inserted on the sorting conveyor making it possible to increase the performance of the detection and reduce costs compared to dynamic detection, and on the other hand to allow injection of the packages directly into the receptacles of the sorting conveyor which are used to evacuate the packages into the appropriate sorting outlets.

The invention thus makes it possible to reduce the entire package entry line usually used to a single multifunction conveyor.

The supply conveyor according to the invention also uses automated detection and calculation means capable of providing simple and rapid information to an Operator or a robot carrying out the deposit and any manipulation of the package on the supply conveyor.

The decision to inject a package onto the sorting conveyor is necessarily made by the central unit, which limits human errors.

The sorting installation according to the invention can also have the following particularities:

- said at least one prerequisite characteristic is chosen from at least one of the following characteristics: a package dimension included in a certain range of values, a certain shape of the package,

a certain positioning of the package on the supply conveyor in relation to the receptacle into which it must be inserted, a weight of the package within a certain range of values and the presence of a distribution address on the package;

- in the presence of a distribution address on the package, the central unit is configured to read the distribution address of the package and to determine in return, using said sorting plan, the sorting output in which the parcel must be sorted;

- said at least one sensor is a scale forming an upstream part of the supply conveyor, and in that the digital data generated are weight data of the package to be inserted;

- said at least one sensor is a camera arranged above the supply conveyor and in that the digital data generated by the camera are digital images;

- said camera has a field of vision including said upstream part of the supply conveyor;

- the identification signal is displayed on a display screen;

- the identification signal is specific to each of said at least one prerequisite characteristic;

- each receptacle is a bucket with a tilting bottom between a raised position in which the horizontal bottom comes flush with the feed conveyor to allow the injection of a package into the bucket by sliding and a lowered position in which the bottom is inclined downwards;

- the supply conveyor comprises a first conveying zone and a second conveying zone which extends the first conveying zone and which feeds the sorting conveyor, said central unit being configured to accelerate the first zone from zero speed to one speed intermediate and to accelerate the second zone from the intermediate speed to the insertion speed, the acceleration of each of the two zones being managed independently of one another by the central unit.

Summary description of the drawings

The present invention will be better understood and other advantages will appear on reading the detailed description of the invention taken by way of non-limiting example and illustrated by the appended drawings, in which:

There is a schematic representation of a sorting installation according to the invention;

There is a schematic representation of a package feed conveyor according to the invention;

There is a diagram representing the stages of the injection of a package onto the sorting conveyor with a feed conveyor according to the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

The sorting installation 1 of packages 2 according to the invention, also called sorter, represented on the is particularly well suited to sorting heterogeneous packages, and in particular PPI (small international packet) type packages typical of e-commerce, at high throughput while having a reduced footprint.

The sorting installation 1 notably includes a sorting conveyor 3 in a loop and sorting outlets 4 distributed under the sorting conveyor 3.

The sorting conveyor 3 is equipped with receptacles 5 for packages 2 designed to convey the packages 2 in a certain conveying direction D1 and according to a certain substantially constant conveying speed V1, but also to sort the packages 2 in the sorting outlets 4 according to a predetermined sorting plan.

The receptacles 5 for packages 2 are for example in the form of buckets equipped with an evacuation hatch allowing the packages 2 to be evacuated under the sorting conveyor 3 by gravity into the sorting outlets 4.

The receptacles 5 for packages 2 may also be in the form of tilting trays or equipped with a motorized belt designed to eject the packages 2 on the side of the sorting conveyor 3 into the sorting outlets 4.

The sorting installation 1 also includes at least one feed conveyor 6 in packages 2, as shown in , designed to allow injection at a longitudinal speed parallel to the conveying direction equal to the conveying speed V1 each package 2 directly into an empty receptacle 5 of the sorting conveyor 3. The conveyor 6 therefore accelerates the packages to the speed V1 /cosαwhere α designates the insertion angle.

Each bucket will for example have a tiltable bottom between a raised position in which the horizontal bottom comes flush with the feed conveyor 6 to allow the injection of a package 2 into the bucket by sliding and a lowered position in which the bottom is inclined downwards allowing the package to be conveyed securely in the conveying direction D1 and its unloading by gravity.

The feed conveyor 6 allows, in the example shown in the , to independently manage two speed-up zones: a zone 6-a where the package is placed at a standstill and inspected then put into speed up to an intermediate speed and a zone 6-b which accelerates the package from speed intermediate at an insertion speed Vi, here equal to V1/cosα and maintains this speed until its complete transfer into the receptacle. The conveyor 6 can operate using two belts in series, several belts in series-parallel or even a ball belt, with rollers or motorized rollers having independent speed-up zones.

By way of non-limiting example, each feed conveyor 6 extends to the sorting conveyor 3 according to the insertion angle α of between 45° and 60°, to allow injection of the packages 2 substantially transversely to the conveying direction D1, by simple sliding or by driving the motorized belts.

The sorting installation 1 according to the invention also comprises a central unit 7 designed to control the acceleration of the feed conveyor 6, from a zero speed V0 allowing the reception of a package, to the insertion speed Vi allowing the injection of said package 2 onto the sorting conveyor 3.

The central unit 7 can also control the acceleration of the two zones 6-a and 6-b separately to allow, for example, progressive injection of the packages from zero speed V0 to intermediate speed and from intermediate speed to insertion speed Vi.

The central unit 7 can also command the early return to V0 of zone 6-a while zone 6-b maintains the insertion speed Vi, so that zone 6-a allows the deposit of a package and the acquisition of the characteristics at a standstill while zone 6-b injects the package onto the sorting conveyor 3.

The sorting installation 1 also comprises at least one sensor 8, 9 designed to cyclically generate digital data representative of at least a certain real characteristic of said package 2 when the feed conveyor 6 is at zero speed V0, and more particularly zone 6-a of the feed conveyor.

The real characteristics correspond for example to a dimension of the package 2, a certain positioning of the package 2 on the feed conveyor 6 relative to the receptacle 5 in which it must be inserted, a certain shape of the package, a weight of the package 2 or again to the presence of a distribution address on package 2.

The sorting installation 1 can thus include, in association with each feed conveyor 6, a balance type sensor 8 forming an upstream part of the feed conveyor 6. The scale 8 is then designed to generate, statically, data numerical representative of the weight of the package 2 to be inserted.

The sorting installation 1 can also include a camera type sensor 9 arranged above the feed conveyor. Camera 9 will then be designed to generate digital data, statically, in the form of digital images.

The field of vision of the camera 9 will preferably extend, but not necessarily, over the upstream part of the feed conveyor 6 formed by the scale 8.

Also, to be able to make a decision as to the acceleration of the feed conveyor 6 for the injection of a package 2, the central unit 7 includes in memory digital data representative of at least a certain prerequisite characteristic of packages necessary to authorize the injection of package 2 onto sorting conveyor 3.

In the example presented, the prerequisite characteristics correspond to a package dimension included in a certain range of values, a positioning of the package 2 on the feed conveyor 6 relative to the receptacle 5 in which it must be inserted, a certain shape of the package, a weight of the package 2 included in a certain value range, for example between 5g and 5kg, the presence of a distribution address on the package.

The central unit according to the invention is therefore configured to control the acceleration of the feed conveyor 6 when said at least one real characteristic of said package 2 conforms to said at least one prerequisite characteristic.

In addition, the central unit 7 can also be configured to, in the presence of a distribution address identified on the package 2 to be inserted, read the distribution address of the package and to determine in return, using said plan sorting, sorting output 4 in which package 2 must be sorted.

The central unit 7 will also be configured to control the sending of a digital identification signal 10 representative of a package that cannot be injected onto the sorting conveyor when said at least one real characteristic of said package 2 is not conforming to said at least one prerequisite characteristic.

Without restricting the scope of the invention, the identification signal 10 could for example be specific to each of said at least one prerequisite characteristic.

The digital identification signal 10 can be transformed into a visual, audible or any other type of signal so as to be identifiable by an Operator 11.

The identification signal 10 can also be sent to a package handling robot for completely autonomous management of the injection of packages 2 on the sorting conveyor 3.

The identification signal 10 could for example be displayed on a display screen 12 installed in the direct environment of the feed conveyor 6 to be seen by an Operator 11 or in the form of an LED placed directly on the feed conveyor 6.

The signal will indicate for example a package 2 that is too heavy, incorrectly oriented, too large or the absence of a distribution address or an invalid distribution address.

By way of non-limiting example, the progress of the injection of a package 2 on the sorting conveyor 3 as shown in the is the next :

During a step 100, the sensors 8, 9 cyclically carry out measurements on the feed conveyor 6 which is stopped, and more particularly on zone 6-a of the feed conveyor 6.

An Operator 11 recovers a package 2 from a bulk 13 of packages 2 to place it on the upstream part of the feed conveyor 6.

The central unit 7 recovers the digital data from all the sensors 8, 9 of the feed conveyor 6 and compares the actual characteristics of the package 2 with the pre-required characteristics at a step 200.

If all the actual characteristics measured conform to the prerequisite characteristics, the central unit 7 determines the available target receptacle and controls the acceleration of zone 6-b of the feed conveyor 6 during a step 300, to allow injecting the package into a receptacle 5 of the sorting conveyor 3, while controlling the stopping of zone 6-a of the supply conveyor 6.

The Operator then recovers another package 2 from the bulk 13 of packages 2 and places it in turn on zone 6-a of the feed conveyor 6 for new detection by the sensors and new processing by the central unit 7 .

In the case where at least one of the actual characteristics does not comply with the prerequisite characteristics, the central unit 7 does not control the acceleration of the feed conveyor 6 but sends an identification signal 10 when a step 400, which is displayed on a display screen 12 located in the direct environment of the supply conveyor 6 intended for the Operator 11.

• Evacuer le colis 2, dans un conteneur de rejet 14 si le colis 2 est trop lourd ou trop léger ;
• Evacuer le colis 2, si le colis 2 est trop grand ou trop petit ;
• Repositionner le colis 2, si le colis 2 n’est pas positionné de manière à permettre son injection dans le réceptacle 5 dans lequel il doit être trié ;
• Retourner le colis 2, si l’adresse de destination n’est pas visible sur la face du dessus du colis 2.

The identification signal 10 therefore allows the Operator 11 to carry out the following tasks during a step 410:

• Dispose of package 2 in a rejection container 14 if package 2 is too heavy or too light;
• Dispose of package 2, if package 2 is too large or too small;
• Reposition package 2, if package 2 is not positioned so as to allow its injection into receptacle 5 into which it must be sorted;
• Return package 2, if the destination address is not visible on the top side of package 2.

Once the Operator 11 has carried out one of these four tasks, the central unit 7 recovers, during a step 420, new digital data measured cyclically by the sensors 8, 9 to control or not the acceleration of the feed conveyor 6.

The operation is then repeated until package 2 is injected into a receptacle 5 or evacuated by the Operator 11 into the rejection container 14.

A new package 2 recovered from the bulk package 13 is then placed by the Operator 11 in zone 6-a of the supply conveyor 6 when stopped for its injection on the sorting conveyor 3 and so on.

Claims (10)

Sorting installation (1) for packages (2) comprising a loop sorting conveyor (3) on which sorting receptacles (5) moving at a certain conveying speed (V1) are distributed in series, and at least one feed conveyor (6) designed to insert packages one by one into the receptacles of the sorting conveyor, each sorting receptacle being designed to convey and evacuate a package into an appropriate sorting outlet (4) determined from a certain sorting plan, characterized in that it comprises a central unit (7) designed to control the acceleration of the supply conveyor, from zero speed (V0) allowing the reception of a package at a certain speed of insertion allowing the injection of said package onto the sorting conveyor, in that it comprises at least one sensor (8, 9) designed to cyclically generate digital data representative of at least a certain real characteristic of said package when the conveyor the supply is at zero speed and in that the central unit includes in memory digital data representative of at least a certain prerequisite characteristic of the package necessary to authorize the injection of said package onto the sorting conveyor and in that the central unit is configured to control the acceleration of the supply conveyor when said at least one real characteristic of said package conforms to said at least one prerequisite characteristic, or, to control the sending of a signal digital identification (10) representative of a package that cannot be injected onto the sorting conveyor when said at least one real characteristic of said package does not conform to said at least one prerequisite characteristic. Sorting installation according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one prerequisite characteristic is chosen from at least one of the following characteristics:
- a package size within a certain range of values,
- a certain shape of the package,
- a certain positioning of the package on the supply conveyor in relation to the receptacle into which it must be inserted,
- a weight of the package within a certain range of values,
- the presence of a distribution address on the package. Sorting installation according to claim 2, characterized in that, in the presence of a distribution address on the package, the central unit is configured to read the distribution address of the package and to determine in return, using of said sorting plan, the sorting exit in which the package must be sorted. Sorting installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one sensor is a scale (8) forming an upstream part of the supply conveyor, and in that the digital data generated are weight data of the package to be inserted. Sorting installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one sensor is a camera (9) arranged above the feed conveyor and in that the digital data generated by the camera are digital images . Sorting installation according to claims 4 and 5, characterized in that said camera has a field of vision including said upstream part of the supply conveyor. Sorting installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the identification signal is displayed on a display screen (12). Sorting installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the identification signal is specific to each of said at least one prerequisite characteristic. Sorting installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each receptacle is a bucket with a tilting bottom between a raised position in which the horizontal bottom comes flush with the feed conveyor to allow the injection of 'a package in the bucket by sliding and a lowered position in which the bottom of the bucket is tilted downward. Sorting installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the feed conveyor comprises a first conveying zone (6-a) and a second conveying zone (6-b) which extends the first conveying zone and which feeds the sorting conveyor, said central unit being configured to accelerate the first zone from zero speed to an intermediate speed and to accelerate the second zone from the intermediate speed to the insertion speed, the acceleration of each of the two zones being managed independently of each other by the central unit.