GB2367289A - Item handling arrangement - Google Patents

Abstract

A trolley (10) has a plurality of wheels (12) and a frame-like structure (14). The top of the frame (14) is open and receives container (16) which is preferably formed of a flexible material and is provided with a substantially rigid platen (18) at the base of the bag. The trolley (10) is used with a lifting mechanism, Fig 3, which can be fixed to a wall or other support (30) and for this purpose is provided with a wall fixing (32). The fixing (32) houses the control unit and motors. The lifting mechanism has a platen (18) raising platform (34) and a docking unit (38) which includes first and second cantilever arms (40). One of the arms (40) is provided with light sources (42) while the other arm (40) is provided with photosensors substantially aligned with the light beams produced by the light sources (42). Items are placed in the container (16) at a loading location and then transported to another location at which they are to be unloaded. The motor raises the platform 18 to raise items such as parcels to the top of the trolley (10) under the control of the control unit, which uses the light beams (26) to detect then the uppermost parcels are at the top of the trolley (10). The arrangement reduces the risk of back injury. The lifting platform (34) can be solid as shown or two spaced arms (103, 110, Fig 8). Preferably, a double row of photocells and lights are provided so that a constant level is provided as items are either loaded or removed.

Description

ITEM HANDLING ARRANGEMENT

The present invention relates to a parcel handling arrangement and in particular to a trolley used for transporting parcels between two locations.

The present invention seeks to deal with the problem of back strain injuries incurred in mail sorting offices (but can be used in any situation where trolleys are loaded and unloaded). Such trolleys are typically unloaded by hand, the operator having to bend over into the trolley to lift items out. This lifting action can cause injuries arise. This is particularly a problem with postal services, where parcel handling is frequent.

Individual parcels, particularly postal parcels, vary in weight and volume. Various sprung loaded trolley inserts have been tried but they have the disadvantage that they take up valuable space within the trolley. Furthermore, the rating of the spring mechanisms cannot cope with the variation in weight and volume, with the result that it is still necessary to bend into a trolley to unload it.

Another solution has been to put lifting platforms on the trolleys. This solution is currently expensive (requiring one lifting platform per trolley) and has the downside that the lifting gear significantly reduces the available space within the trolley. It also increases the weight of the trolley and does not guarantee that the lift is used (for example when the operator chooses not to adjust the height of the unit for each parcel or should the battery power source be depleted).

The present invention seeks to provide an improved item handling arrangement.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an item handling arrangement for the transportation of items between locations including an item carrier provided with a container into which items can be placed and removed, which container has a movable base portion, and a lifting mechanism operable to lift the movable base, the lifting mechanism being provided with sensing means operable to sense the location of one or more items stored in the container and control means operable to control the

position of the movable base so that the or an uppermost item stored in the container is located substantially at or proximate the top of the container.

This arrangement ensures that items, such as parcels, in the container are always located to the top of the container for ease of unloading, which can substantially reduce the risk of strain injury on the operator.

In the preferred embodiment, the item carrier is in the form of a wheeled trolley.

Advantageously, the lifting mechanism is separate from the item carrier and is positioned at the or a location at which items within the carrier are to be unloaded. In this embodiment, the item carrier can have a relatively simple construction and moreover need not have a restricted carrying capacity for reason of having to accommodate the lifting mechanism.

The preferred container has flexible side walls coupled to the movable base.

Advantageously, the container is in the form of a flexible bag with a substantially rigid base member. In the preferred embodiment, the walls of the bag are sprung so that the bag is always biased upwardly. The strength of the spring is preferably sufficient to raise the movable base when the container is empty and may or may not provide any additional lifting assistance, for example to lift items within the container. Substantially all of the lifting force has had to be provided by the lifting mechanism as this enables the item carrier to carry items of different weight, which is particularly useful in postal implementations.

In an alternative embodiment, the movable base is provided as a rising platform supported on a substantially rigid structure of the item carrier, such as guide rods or the like.

The sensing means preferably includes a plurality of photo-electric sensors and light beams located at the top of the container. In practice, they would be located with the lifting mechanism in a position just above the top of the item carrier.

Embodiments of the present invention are described below, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which : Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of container of a first embodiment of item carrier; Figure 2 is a perspective view of an item carrier in the form of a trolley and including the container of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a perspective view of an embodiment of lifting mechanism attached to a brick wall; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the item carrier engaged in the lifting mechanism of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a perspective view part cut away of a second embodiment of item carrier; Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the carrier of Figure 5 and a second embodiment of lifting mechanism; Figure 7 is a side elevational view of the item carrier of Figure 5 coupled to the lifting mechanism of Figure 6; and Figure 8 is a perspective view showing further details of the lifting mechanism of Figures 6 and 7.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the embodiment of item carrier 10 shown is in the form of a trolley having a plurality of wheels or castors 12 (only two of which are shown) and a frame-like structure 14. The top of the frame 14 is open and receives the container 16.

The container 16 is formed of a flexible material, for example canvas, and is provided with a substantially rigid platen 18 which is secured at the base of the bag, preferably being secured to the underside of the bag. The top of the container 16 is attached to substantially horizontal members 20 of the frame 14 by four straps 22 which may be fixed to the horizontal members 20, for example by screws, rivets, gluing or the like, or fixed to themselves to form loops around the frame members 20.

In the preferred embodiment, the container 16 is provided with a plurality of sprung members (in an embodiment within the flexible walls of the container 16) which bias the rigid platen 18 upwardly such that when no items are in the container 16 the rigid platen 18 is at an uppermost position at or near the top of the frame 14.

As can be seen in Figure 2, the trolley 10 is provided with a brake mechanism 24 (of any suitable design) which can be arranged to brake one or more of the wheels 12 (or to make contact with the ground to achieve the same result).

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the embodiment of lifting mechanism shown is intended to be fixed to a wall or other support 30 and for this purpose is provided with a wall fixing 32. The wall fixing 32 also houses the electrical components of the lifting mechanism, that is the control unit and motors (not shown).

The lifting mechanism of this embodiment is provided with two mechanical components.

The first is a raising platform 34 which extends from the wall fixing 32 in cantilever manner. The platform 34 is preferably pivotable into an upright position (as shown by the arrow 36) so that it can be stored away when not in use.

At the top of the lifting mechanism, there is provided a docking unit 38 which includes first and second cantilever arms 40 extending substantially horizontally relative to the wall fixing 32 and substantially parallel to one another. One of the arms 40 is provided with a plurality of light sources 42 while the other of the arms 40 is provided with a plurality of photosensors (not visible in Figure 3) which are substantially aligned with the light beams produced by the light sources 42. Located on the first arm 40 are first and second push-buttons 44,46 while on the other arm 40 there is provided an emergency stop push-button 48.

As with the platform 34, the docking unit 38 is preferably pivotably connected so that it can be stored in a vertical position when not in use. In the example shown, it can be pivoted about the wall fixing 32 in the direction of the arrow 60 of Figure 3.

The lifting mechanism is also provided with a control unit (not shown) which may for example be microprocessor controlled and which is intended to control the movement of a motor (not shown) coupled to the platform 34 for raising and lowering the platform 34.

The control unit is also coupled to the light sensors and the arms 40 and also to the control buttons 44,48.

In use, items are placed in the container 16 of the trolley 10 at a loading location and then transported to another location at which they are to be unloaded. With reference to Figures 1 and 2 and the embodiment in which the container 16 is sprung so as to bias the platen 18 upwardly, as items (in this example parcels) are placed in the container, the platen 18 is moved downwardly, progressively if the weight of the items is relatively small but faster should one or more heavy items be placed in the trolley. The trolley 10 is then taken to its unloading position at the lifting mechanism 38. The trolley 10 slides within the lifting mechanism 10 so as to occupy the position shown in dotted outline in Figure 3 and in full outline in Figure 4. As can be seen, the upper frame members 20 sit just below the light beams generated by the light sources 42. The platform 32 sits just below the platen 18.

In order to avoid inadvertent operation of the lifting mechanism 38, two sensors 50 are located so as to be tripped by the same 14 of the trolley 10. Typically, the sensors may be push-button switches or other proximity sensors. As long as the sensors do not detect a trolley, the platform 34 is kept in its lowermost position.

For safety reasons the brake 34 should be applied when the trolley 10 is in the docking unit 38.

The system may be designed to start up immediately upon sensing of a trolley 10 within the lifting mechanism 38. Alternatively, it may require manual control, such as by depression of one of the push-buttons 44,46.

When the lifting mechanism 38 is activated, the control unit operates the motor to raise the platform 34 in the direction of the up arrow 52 until one or more of the light beams 54 (see in particular Figure 4) is broken by the interference of a parcel. When this occurs, the control unit stops the motor until that parcel or those parcels are removed and the light beams 54 are complete again. The control unit then operates the motor another time to move the platen 18 upwardly so as to move the removing items in the trolley 10 upwardly until one or more of the light beams 54 is again interrupted by a parcel. In this manner, the parcels to be unloaded are always at the top of the lifting mechanism 38 and in a position which facilitates their handling by an operator.

If necessary, the operator can override the automatic control by the pressure of one of the up/down buttons 44,46 or by depression of the emergency push-button 48.

Referring to Figures 5 to 8, another embodiment of parcel or item handling arrangement is shown. In this embodiment, trolley 100 is provided with a movable platform 102 which can move in a substantially vertical position on full guide 104. The docking station 106 of this embodiment is a stand alone unit and includes, as can be seen in Figure 8, first and second platforms support on 108,110 which engage the platform 102 to raise and lower the platform as required. For this purpose, the support arms 108,110 may be provided with locating lugs 112 which locate into appropriate recesses at the bottom of the platform 102. The docking station 106 is also provided with first and second retaining clamps 114 which close onto the trolley 100 with a pincer-type action.

This avoids the need of having a brake on the trolley 100.

As with the first-described embodiment, the docking station 106 is also provided with a sensor 116 for sensing the presence of a trolley 100 in the docking station 106 and with an arrangement of light beams and photo detectors 118.

The operation of this embodiment is the same as the operation of the first-described embodiment.

It is preferred with both described embodiments that the platen 18/base 102 be movable both upwardly and downwardly by the motor provided at the loading/unloading station.

With this arrangement, there can be both controlled unloading of parcels as well as controlled loading thereof. For this purpose, the light sources 42 of Figure 3 and those of Figure 8 are double sources rather than the single sources shown. Each double source provides two light beams, one above the other and spaced from one another by a small distance. When both beams of a set are unbroken the platen 42 or base 102 is raised.

When the upper beams is unbroken but the lower beam is broken, the platen 42 or base 102 is halted (on the basis that a parcel or other item has a upper surface between the two beams and thus in a position for unloading). On the other hand, when both beams are broken, the platen 42 or base 102 is lowered (this is useful for controlled loading, such that when a new item is placed in the trolley, it will be lowered in a controlled manner into the trolley until its upper surface breaks only the lower beam). Of course, it is envisaged that there would be provided a series of such double light sources/beams.

It will be apparent that by the described systems, staff can unload (and load) trolleys with substantially reduced risk of injury and damage to the items. The automatic operation of the lifting mechanism ensures that the item to be unloaded will always be at the correct height thereby reducing risks caused by incorrect use of equipment.

The system is also suitable for loading of delicate items, particularly with the double beam alternative described. In particular, for loading of such items, the control unit would control the docking station and in particular the platform or raising arms to move the platen 18 or platform 102 of the trolley so as to be slightly below the top of the trolley, thereby providing loading capacity for the next item to be loaded. When the beam (s) is/are broken the platen 18 or platform 102 is then lowered in a controlled manner. Where just a single beam is provided (rather than the double beam described), the motor can be made to move the platen 42 or base 102 by a predetermined amount each time the beam is broken by a new item loaded onto the trolley. Although the docking stations shown are fixed, for some implementations they may be provided in a form so as to be movable, for example on a wheeled base.

Claims (9)

1. An item handling arrangement for the transportation of items between locations including an item carrier provided with a container into which items can be placed and removed, which container has a movable base portion, and a lifting mechanism operable to lift the movable base, the lifting mechanism being provided with sensing means operable to sense the location of one or more items stored in the container and control means operable to control the position of the movable base so that the or an uppermost item stored in the container is located substantially at or proximate the top of the container.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the item carrier is in the form of a wheeled trolley.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lifting mechanism is separate from the item carrier and is positioned at the or a location at which items within the carrier are to be unloaded.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the preferred container has flexible side walls coupled to the movable base.

5. An arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the container is in the form of a flexible bag with a substantially rigid base member.

6. An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the walls of the bag are sprung so that the bag is biased upwardly.

7. An arrangement according to claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the movable base is provided as a rising platform supported on a substantially rigid structure of the item carrier.

8. An arrangement according to any preceding claim, wherein the sensing means includes a plurality of photo-electric sensors and light beams located so as in use to be at the top of the container.

9. An item handling arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.