US20130247523A1

US20130247523A1 - Container with a rotary device, and method of rotation

Info

Publication number: US20130247523A1
Application number: US13/992,883
Authority: US
Inventors: Wolf-Stephan Wilke; Armin Zimmermann
Original assignee: Siemens AG
Current assignee: Siemens AG
Priority date: 2010-12-09
Filing date: 2011-12-08
Publication date: 2013-09-26
Also published as: EP2648989A1; DE102010062688A1; WO2012076645A1

Abstract

A container has a rotary device for rotating an article in the container, in particular a stack of flat items of mail. The container contains a base, a supporting side wall and a further side wall. The rotary device has a first sheet-like retaining element and a second sheet-like retaining element. These two retaining elements are connected mechanically to one another. In a filling position of the rotary device, the first retaining element rests on the supporting side wall, and the second retaining element is located on the base. In a raising position, the first retaining element is located on the base. An article located in the container then rests on the first retaining element. An article can be moved into the container when the rotary device is located in the filling position. The rotary device is then transferred into the raising position, this action rotating the article.

Description

The invention relates to a container with a rotary device for rotating an article in the container, in particular a stack of flat items of mail, and to a method for rotating an article in a container.
A container having the features of the preamble to claim 1 and a method having the features of the preamble to claim 9 are known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,505.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,505, a sorting apparatus having a plurality of containers is described. Each container has one “tray inlet 17”. This “tray inlet 17” is able to hold and rotate flat articles.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,766,171 B2, a “storage tray” is described which is able to receive items of mail from a sorting outlet of a sorting machine. The sorting machine has a carousel 20 with “buckets 18” and a plurality of “storage trays 30” below the “sorting outlets”, cf. FIG. 3. Each container 30 has four side walls 32. A “landing wall 34” and a “jogging wall 36” are arranged on the base 38 of the container 30. The “landing wall 34” is steeply inclined at an acute angle α to the base 38. The “jogging wall 36” is steeply inclined at an obtuse angle γ to the base 38. The “jogging wall 36” has in one embodiment a first segment 36a which is connected to the “landing wall 34”, a second segment 36b and a third segment 36c which rests on the upper end of a side wall 32. The second segment 36b is bent relative to the first segment 36a and the third segment 36c relative to the second segment 36b. During sorting, each bucket 18 containing an item of mail 16 is moved to a position above the container 30. In the container 30, a stack of items of mail is created, the items of mail of the stack resting on the “landing wall 34” and abutting with their bottom edges against the “jogging wall 36”. In one embodiment, notches (“hand holds 42”) are recessed into two side walls 32 in order to transport the container 30.
The object of the invention is to provide a container having the features of the preamble to claim 1 and a method having the features of the preamble to claim 9, which enable use of a container of a mechanically simple design and rotation of an article in the container with minimal expenditure of force.
The object is achieved by a container having the features of claim 1 and in a method having the features of claim 9. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the subclaims.
The container according to the solution has

- a base,
- a rotary device,
- a supporting side wall and
- at least one further side wall, preferably a plurality of further side walls.

The at least two side walls and the base enclose a space for receiving at least one article.
The rotary device comprises

- a first sheet-like retaining element and
- a second sheet-like retaining element.

These two retaining elements are connected mechanically to one another. Each sheet-like retaining element extents in one retaining plane and is designed such that an article to be retained cannot penetrate the sheet-like retaining element.
The rotary device can be moved into a filling position. The container is then in a filling state. The two retaining elements delimit an area of the enclosed space. If the rotary device is located in the filling position and consequently the container in the filling status, then an article can be placed or otherwise moved into the delimited area of the enclosed space.
The rotary device can be moved from the filling position into a raising position while the article is located fully or at least partially in the enclosed space. Movement into the raising position moves the container from the filling state into a raising state. The base and the side walls enclose both in the filling state and in the raising state a space in which the article is located fully or at least partially and in which the article is retained.
Prior to rotation, the rotary device is located in the filling position and as a result the container is in the filling state, and the article lies on the second retaining element. The first retaining element leans on the supporting side wall or is otherwise held by the supporting side wall. The second retaining element lies on the base or is otherwise supported by the base.
The container according to the solution can be transferred from the filling state into the raising state by pulling on the second retaining element. Pulling on the second retaining element causes the second retaining element to be pulled away from the supporting side wall. The first retaining element is connected mechanically to the second retaining element and is therefore pulled with it. The weight of the article presses the first retaining element downward, and does so for a period that overlaps with the pulling on the second retaining element. The two edges of the two retaining elements in which the two retaining elements are connected to one another slide during transfer into the raising state over the base of the container. The second retaining element is moved by the pulling from a horizontal position into a vertical or inclined position. The first retaining element reaches a position in which the first retaining element lies on the base. These changes in position of the two retaining elements contribute toward transferring the container from the filling state into the raising state and by this means rotating the article in the container.
The container according to the solution and the rotary device according to the solution make it possible, with less expenditure of force than in known containers and methods, to rotate an article which is located in the space which is enclosed by the at least two side walls and the base.
For rotation, it is not necessary to grip the first retaining element or the article itself. The rotation can be effected exclusively by pulling on the second retaining element. It is not necessary for a worker or an automatic handling machine to intervene in the enclosed space in order to move the rotary device from the filling position into the raising position. The article can instead be rotated by an actuation which intervenes exclusively outside the enclosed space.
In this way, even an article that is difficult to grip, e.g. a stack of flat objects or a deformable article or an article with a smooth surface, can be rotated in the container. An article can be rotated in the container even in confined spaces.
During rotation, the center of gravity of the article is often located close to the rotational axis about which the article is being rotated. In this case, in particular, the invention means that only a small torque has to be applied in order to move the rotary device according to the solution from the filling position into the raising position. The weight of the article to be rotated assists the rotational movement rather than opposing it. The rotation can be carried out quickly.
During rotation in the container, the article is held constantly by at least one retaining element, normally by both retaining elements simultaneously. This reduces the risk of the article falling over or breaking up into its component parts, which might otherwise occur particularly where the article is a stack of flat objects.
The invention spares the need for a worker or an automatic handling machine to grip an article in the container according to the solution directly in order to rotate it. This can often be difficult, e.g. because the article is fragile, is a stack of flat objects or leans directly on a side wall of the container and there is little or no space between the article and this side wall. It is not necessary to reach between the article and this side wall. Thanks to the invention, the article can instead be rotated by exerting a pulling force on the second retaining element, preferably approximately parallel to the retaining plane of the second retaining element. This pulling force is small in comparison with the weight of the article in the container, in particular because the force due to the weight of the article makes the rotation easier and not harder. In order for this pulling force to be exerted, neither a worker nor an automatic handling machine needs to reach into the container.
The invention spares the need for ripples or grooves to be recessed into the supporting side wall in order to create notches so as to create an intermediate space between a side wall and the article and thereby to grip the article to be rotated. This avoids creating an unusable space on a side wall.
Furthermore, thanks to the invention, it is not necessary to recess notches into the base or into a side wall. In this way, the container can be produced in a mechanically simpler fashion.
The device according to the solution avoids the need to compress an article in the container according to the solution for the purposes of rotation in order to hold the article by means of increased friction. This compression would make it necessary for a large force to be exerted, which could result in damage to the article.
Thanks to the invention, it is not necessary to recess openings into the base of the container through which an actuating element is pushed, e.g. with pins, which actuating element then grips an article in the enclosed space through the base and rotates it.
Thanks to the invention, existing containers without rotary devices can continue to be used. The rotary device according to the solution can be placed or inserted into an existing container. An existing container needs to be modified only slightly or not at all in order to be able to effect the rotation according to the solution. This advantage is particularly of benefit where a multiplicity of containers have already been procured and are to continue to be used. This is often the case e.g. with postal service providers or logistics service providers or other carriers because the carriers do not wish to modify tried and tested transport processes.
The invention does not specify any dimensions for the container which is used. Rather, the rotary device according to the solution can be adapted to articles to be rotated and/or to existing containers. The device according to the solution can therefore be adapted e.g. to existing sorting machines and transport vehicles without a machine or a vehicle having to be modified.
Throughout rotation, the article—or at least a considerable part of the article—is located in the enclosed space. This prevents the article from falling out of the container during rotation.
The invention renders it superfluous to remove the article from the container and to tip it into another container or otherwise move it to this other container for the purposes of rotation. Rather, the article remains in the same container during rotation and is also in the same container thereafter. This reduces the risk that the article will be damaged during rotation. Thanks to the invention, it also becomes superfluous to use for transporting an article a succession of different types of containers in which the article lies in different positions. The invention consequently saves on containers and storage space for unused containers and on a reloading step.
The invention can be used for rotating a stack of flat articles, e.g. flat items of mail. These articles may have different dimensions and different flexural rigidities and be connected mechanically to one another either by friction alone or not at all. Because the two retaining elements support the stack during rotation, the risk that the stack will fall apart during rotation is reduced.
The first sheet-like retaining element extends in a first retaining plane, the second sheet-like retaining element in a second retaining plane. An angle always occurs between these two retaining planes. In one embodiment, this angle is greater than or equal to 90 degrees when the rotary device is located in the filling position. The angle is preferably equal to the angle between the base and the supporting side wall. When the rotary device is located in the raising position, then the angle between the two retaining elements is preferably also greater than or equal to 90 degrees.
The two sheet-like retaining elements are preferably connected to one another in an articulated manner. The distance between the supporting side wall and the opposite side wall is less than the extension of the two retaining elements when the two retaining elements are in a position in which the two sheet-like retaining elements lie in the same plane. The two retaining elements cannot therefore assume this position in the container, because the side walls prevent this.
Because of the articulated connection, the first retaining element can be rotated or otherwise pivoted relative to the second retaining element. Also, the first retaining element touches the supporting side wall during transfer of the rotary device into the raising position because the force of gravity pushes the first retaining element downward and thus against the supporting side wall. This embodiment reduces the risk that a retaining element will jam in the interior of the container. Furthermore, the embodiment reduces the risk that the first retaining element will be moved away from the supporting side wall and a gap between an article in the container and a side wall will be formed which extends between the first retaining element and the supporting side wall and through which an article in the container may fall downward, instead of being rotated.
The articulated connection also reduces the mechanical loading between the two retaining elements significantly in comparison to a rigid connection. A rigid connection could be damaged during rotation due to the weight of an article in the container.
It is, however, also possible to connect the two retaining elements rigidly to one another, e.g. in such a way that the two retaining elements—viewed in a direction parallel to the base—form a V. The angle between the arms of this V is preferably greater than 90 degrees. This embodiment enables a particularly simple mechanical design. The two retaining elements can be manufactured together in one piece. It is possible additionally to connect the two rigidly connected retaining elements stably to one another by means of a connecting element.
Each retaining element is preferably embodied as a rigid element.
In one embodiment, the two retaining elements are connected mechanically to one another but not to the container. More precisely, the two retaining elements are connected mechanically neither to a side wall nor to the base. The two retaining elements can therefore be removed from the empty container and inserted into an empty container. This embodiment makes it possible without any further mechanical modification to make an existing empty container with base and side walls into a container according to the solution by placing the two retaining elements into the empty container such that the rotary device produced thereby is located in the filling position.
Seen in a viewing direction parallel to the base and facing the supporting side wall, the first retaining element and/or the second retaining element may be nearly as wide as the base or significantly narrower than the base such that a gap is formed between another side wall and the retaining element. This gap is preferably so narrow that an article to be rotated cannot fall from the retaining element down on to the base. The two retaining elements may be of equal width and length or of differing width or of differing length.
In one embodiment, a spacer element is fastened to the first retaining element. If the rotary device is located in the raising position, then the spacer element causes a gap to be formed between the base and the first retaining element. The spacer element is preferably arranged such that the first retaining element is steeply inclined such that an article on the first retaining element slides toward the second retaining element.
In one embodiment, the container also has a guide device. This guide device connects the first retaining element to the supporting side wall and prevents it from being possible for the first retaining element to be moved away from the supporting side wall. In particular, this guide device prevents a pulling force on the second retaining element from causing the first retaining element to be pulled away from the supporting side wall. This prevents a gap from forming between the supporting side wall and the first retaining element. An article in the container could fall down through such a gap without being rotated.
The guide device preferably guides an end of the first retaining element such that this end can be moved back and forth along a linear path only, e.g. only up and down. The guide device has at least one end stop which limits and preferably dampens the movement of the retaining element end at one end of the path.
A spacer element is preferably attached to the first retaining element. When the rotary device is in the raising position, this spacer element causes a gap to form between the base and the first retaining element and the first retaining element not to lie flat on the base because of the spacer element. As a result, the first retaining element can be gripped more easily in order, by pulling on the first retaining element, to move the rotary device back to the filling position after removal of the rotated article. This makes it easier to move the container back to the filling position after removal of the article by pulling vertically or obliquely upwards on the first retaining element. The spacer element is in one embodiment additionally designed as a damping element and is arranged such that the first retaining element is located between the article and the spacer element. As a result, the spacer element dampens the impact of the first retaining element on the base during rotation.
At least one spacer element, which creates a gap between the second retaining element and the base when the rotary device is located in the filling position, can also be arranged on the second retaining element.
The container preferably has an arresting element. This arresting element connects the first retaining element to the supporting side wall and prevents the rotary device from being transferred unintentionally from the filling position to the raising position, including when the second retaining element is being pulled. Only after this arresting device has specifically been released can the rotary device be transferred to the raising position. An arresting body of this arresting element can be fastened to the supporting side wall or to the first retaining element and engages in a corresponding notch on the first retaining element or the supporting side wall.
In one embodiment, the second retaining element is connected in an articulated manner to a handle. In order to transfer the rotary device from the filling position to the raising position, it suffices to pull on the handle, preferably approximately parallel to the retaining plane of the second retaining element. It is not necessary to touch a retaining element itself. This embodiment makes it possible to embody the second retaining element with a smooth surface and without a notch. The handle is preferably arranged such that the handle is constantly located outside the enclosed space.
In one embodiment, the first retaining element is correspondingly equipped with a further handle. Pulling on this further handle causes, after removal of an article from the container, the rotary device to be moved back from the raising position into the filling position without the first retaining element having to be touched for this purpose.
In one embodiment, the container is open at the top, and an article can be moved into the enclosed space from above when the container is located in the filling state and the rotary device is located in the filling position. In one embodiment, the container has a lateral opening, e.g. in that one side wall is omitted. The article can be moved into the enclosed space by means of a horizontal movement.
The side walls may stand vertically on the base or else obliquely such that the container standing on the base tapers toward the bottom.
In one embodiment, two containers according to the solution may be stacked one above the other such that the one container, as the upper container, is placed from above into the other container. As a result, the two containers take up little space. However, this works in one embodiment only when the lower container is empty, i.e. no article is located in the enclosed area, and its rotary device is located in the filling position and the first retaining element is then leaning on the supporting side wall. The upper container is placed on the rotary device and then stands on the second retaining element. If on the other hand the rotary device is located in the raising position, then the upper container cannot be placed into the lower container. This embodiment enables a rapid check to be made of whether a container is in the filling state or not. It is also possible to place another container on to a container according to the solution.
The container can be used e.g. for a sorting machine to move a plurality of flat objects into the container consecutively while the container is located in the filling state. The article planes of the flat objects are arranged in this case parallel to the base, and the flat objects form a stack in the container, the stack lying on the base and growing away from the base when further articles are moved into the container. This stack is rotated by means of the rotary device according to the solution. After rotation, the rotary device is located in the raising position, and the container is located in the raising state. The flat objects lean on the first retaining element and/or a side wall of the container and stand on the base of the container. It is possible to search for, grip and remove from the container an individual object in the stack rotated in this manner or else to insert a further flat object into the stack at a defined point.
It is also possible conversely to create in the container a stack of flat objects standing upright, while the container is located in the filling state, e.g. by pushing these objects horizontally onto the base of the container and between the supporting side wall and the opposite side wall. The container is then moved into the raising state, as a result of which the flat objects are transferred into a lying position.
In one embodiment, at least one container according to the solution belongs to an arrangement which further comprises an image recording device and an image evaluation unit. The image recording device produces at least one image of the container which can be computer-evaluated, the imaging direction preferably running approximately parallel to the plane of the container base. The image evaluation unit evaluates automatically the image of the container which can be computer-evaluated and decides automatically whether the container is currently located in the filling state or in the raising state. In order to reach this decision, a check is made of whether a sufficiently large part of the container projects upward above a side wall or a lateral silhouette of the container—the container is not then in the filling state—or whether such a part does not project—the container is then in the filling state. It is possible in addition to produce a recording from above in an imaging direction that is perpendicular to the base.
The decision is used e.g. in order to fill only those containers which are currently located in the filling state and in order to eject other containers. This prevents an article from being moved into a container which is not currently located in the filling state.

The invention will be described below with reference to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 1 shows the container according to the solution of the exemplary embodiment with the rotary device in the filling position, further items of mail being moved from above into the container

FIG. 2 shows the completely filled container with the rotary device in the filling position, the handle on the second retaining element having already been rotated and the arresting element about to be released,

FIG. 3 shows the container with the rotary device during transition from the filling position to the raising position, the arresting element being released and a pulling movement being exerted on the handle,

FIG. 4 shows the container at a later point during transition of the rotary device to the raising position,

FIG. 5 shows the container with the rotary device in the raising position, the items of mail of the stack in the container being raised and the first retaining element lying on the base and the second element resting on the opposite side wall.

In the exemplary embodiment, a plurality of containers according to the solution are used in order to transport flat items of mail (standard letters, large letters, postcards, catalogs, etc.). The items of mail are sorted by a sorting machine according to a predefined sort characteristic and distributed among the containers. This sort characteristic is normally the delivery address to which an item of mail is to be transported, or a delivery region to which this delivery address belongs.
The sorting machine has a plurality of sorting outlets. For each item of mail, it is measured or otherwise determined what value the sort characteristic assumes for this item of mail. Depending on the sort-characteristic value determined, a sorting outlet is selected for the item of mail. The item of mail is ejected into the selected sorting outlet. In the selected sorting outlet, the item of mail slides from above or else in a vertical movement into a container according to the solution. A container which is filled up to a predefined limit with items of mail to be sorted is replaced by an empty container.
A plurality of containers, which are in a filling state described below, i.e. the respective rotary device is in a filling position, are fed to the sorting machine. A measuring device checks whether each fed container is actually in the filling state and is empty. For example, an image recording device creates at least one computer-accessible image of the container from the side. An image evaluation unit evaluates this image and checks whether a retaining element projects above the top edge of a side wall of the container or not. If it is discovered that a retaining element projects above the top edge, then it is decided that the container is not in the filling state, and it is moved to a processing station, e.g. by a conveyor belt transporting the container there. In the processing station, the rotary device of this container is moved manually or automatically to the filling position. In order to check whether a container is actually empty, in one embodiment an image of the container which can be computer-evaluated is generated from above, and it is checked automatically whether in the image an object can be seen on the base.
The sorting machine moves into each container which is in the filling state a plurality of items of mail such that, after being moved, the items of mail lie horizontally in the container. The article plane of each flat item of mail thus extends horizontally and therefore parallel to the base of the container in each case.
After filling, the side walls of the container limit any movement of the flat items of mail in their respective article planes. The stack lies at the bottom of the container such that the center of gravity of the container is low. This makes the filled container secure when it is being transported e.g. in a transport vehicle, and it cannot tip over.
At a later point in time, a processor, e.g. a mail delivery person, should be able to search for individual items of mail in this container and to remove each item of mail found, for example all items of mail for a certain recipient, from the container. In order for this to be possible, it is necessary for the items of mail to be located in a vertical or obliquely inclined position in the container, i.e. no longer in the lying position. The stack can then be “fingered through” quickly. The items of mail must thus be rotated and moved into this vertical or inclined position. This rotation of the stacked items of mail should be carried out in such a way that the items of mail are not damaged or bent during the rotation. Furthermore, the same container should be used both during the sorting and during the subsequent processing by the processor, i.e. saving a step in which stacked items of mail are reloaded from one container into another container and are rotated during reloading. It should not be necessary to have to use an automatic handling machine to raise the items of mail. Thanks to this invention, these three aims are achieved.
In the exemplary embodiment, the container according to the solution has

- a rectangular base,
- at least three, preferably four, side walls which are rigidly connected to the base, and
- an opening at the top.

The base and the side walls enclose a space for receiving a stack of items of mail.
FIG. 1 shows a container according to the solution with the rotary device in the filling position. Shown in the drawing is the container Beh standing on the level support Aufl. This container Beh has the following integral components:

- a base Bo, which is perpendicular to the drawing plane of FIG. 1 to FIG. 5,
- a supporting side wall Abs-Sw with top edge OK-Abs,
- a side wall Sw-geg, located opposite the supporting side wall Abs-Sw, with top edge OK-geg,
- two further side walls, which lie in the drawing planes of FIG. 1 to FIG. 5 and of which only the top edge OK of one side wall is indicated,
- a first retaining element HE.1, which in FIG. 1 leans flat against the supporting side wall Abs-Sw,
- a second retaining element HE.2, which in FIG. 1 lies flat on the base Bo,
- a mechanical articulated connection Gel between the first retaining element HE.1 and the second retaining element HE.2,
- an actuating element BE with a handle Gri and a connecting element Verb,
- a further mechanical articulated connection Gel.1 between the second retaining element HE.2 and the connecting element Verb,
- a spacer element Abs and
- an arresting element Arr.

The side walls Abs-Sw, Sw-geg shown and each further side wall stand approximately vertically on the base Bo. It is possible for the container Beh to expand upwardly, that is, away from the base Bo, i.e. for the side walls Abs-Sw, Sw-geg to be inclined slightly outwardly. In the exemplary embodiment, the two further side walls are longer than the supporting side wall Abs-Sw and the opposite side wall Sw-geg, such that pulling in the longitudinal direction of the container causes the container to be transferred into the raising state.
The base Bo and the side walls Abs-Sw, Sw-geg enclose an approximately cuboidal space into which an article, i.e. in the exemplary embodiment a stack of flat items of mail in each case, can be moved. The items of mail are moved by the sorting machine either from above through the opening into the container Beh, the items of mail sliding into the container Beh due to the force of gravity, or a side wall is omitted, and the items of mail are moved into the container Beh through the omitted side wall and in this case transported horizontally.
The three or four side walls of the container Beh all extend to the height of the top edge OK. A hook Hak is attached to the handle Gri. This hook Hak prevents the actuating element BE from falling into the container Beh when the container Beh is in the filling state. In fact, the hook Hak holds the handle Gri firmly to the opposite side wall Sw-geg.
In the exemplary embodiment, each retaining element HE.1, HE.2 has the shape of a rigid rectangle. Each rigid rectangle preferably has rounded edges and/or rounded corners in order to reduce the risk of injury or of jamming.
In the container Beh there is already a stack St.1 of items of mail lying horizontally. These items of mail are approximately aligned with the first retaining element HE.1. Three further items of mail which form a stack St.2 are moved, in the situation shown in FIG. 1, into the container Beh from above in a stacking direction SR. The items of mail of the stack St.2 which also lie horizontally slide vertically down into the stacking direction SR toward the stack St.1 already located in the container Beh. The container Beh stands on the support Aufl. The two stacks St.1 and St.2 together form a single stack in the container Beh.
The base BO is approximately rectangular, and it may have rounded corners. As a result, two shorter side walls and two longer side walls are formed. The one shorter side wall is connected to the rotary device described below and is therefore referred to below as the supporting side wall Abs-Sw, because it supports the first retaining element HE.1.
In one embodiment, a guide device is recessed into this supporting side wall Abs-Sw, this guide device comprising in the exemplary embodiment a rail and an upper and a lower end stop. The two end stops limit the rail and therewith the movement of an object in the rail. The lower end stop is located close to the base Bo, the upper end stop close to the top edge OK-Abs of the supporting side wall Abs-Sw.
The container Beh according to the solution has a rotary device. This rotary device comprises:

- the first sheet-like retaining element HE.1,
- the second sheet-like retaining element HE.2,
- the articulated connection Gel between the two retaining elements HE.1 and HE.2,
- the further articulated connection Gel.1 between the second retaining element HE.2 and the connecting element Verb and
- the actuating element BE with the handle Gri and the connecting element Verb.

The connecting element Verb connects the handle Gri in an articulated manner to the second retaining element He.2. The sum of the extensions of the two retaining elements He.1, HE.2 in the drawing planes of FIG. 1 to FIG. 5 is greater than the distance between the supporting side wall Abs-Sw and the opposite side wall Sw-Geg, i.e. greater than the dimension of the base Bo in the drawing planes of FIG. 1 to FIG. 5.
There is in each case an articulated connection both between the handle Gri and the connecting element Verb and between the connecting element Verb and the second retaining element HE.2. The two retaining elements HE.1, HE.2 are connected to one another articulatedly, in particular rotatably. The articulated connection Gel between the two retaining elements HE.1, HE.2 is embodied e.g. as a hinge. The further mechanical articulated connection Gel.1 is also embodied e.g. as a hinge. The two hinges Gel, Gel.1 enable rotation of the connected elements about an axis of rotation which is perpendicular to the drawing planes of FIG. 1 to FIG. 5. Seen in a viewing direction perpendicular to the drawing plane of FIG. 1 to FIG. 5, the two retaining elements HE.1, HE.2 form a V. The angle between these arms HE.1, HE.2 of the V can be changed thanks to the articulated connection Gel. The angle between the second retaining element HE.2 and the connecting element Verb can also be changed thanks to the further articulated connection Gel. 1, in particular against the force of a spring.
It is possible for a spring to act on the two retaining elements HE.1, HE.2 and to try to enlarge the angle between the two retaining elements HE.1, HE.2 and thereby move the two retaining elements HE.1, HE.2 into a position in which the two retaining elements HE.1, HE.2 extend in the same plane.
However, because the two retaining elements HE.1, HE.2 are located in the container Beh with the side walls Abs-Sw, Sw-geg, such a position of the retaining elements HE.1, HE.2 is not possible. As a result, the first retaining element HE.1 is pressed against the supporting side wall Abs-Sw. A stack of items of mail folds the two retaining elements HE.1, HE.2 together against the force of this spring and reduces the angle.
The first retaining element HE.1 has two edges which are perpendicular to the drawing planes of FIG. 1 to FIG. 5, namely, in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a top edge and a bottom edge. Close to the top edge the spacer element Abs is connected to the first retaining element HE.1. This top edge is located close to the supporting side wall Abs-Sw. It can be seen in FIG. 1 that the spacer element Abs is mounted on the surface of the first retaining element HE.1 facing the supporting side wall Abs-Sw. It is possible for a guide device, e.g. a channel or rail, to prevent the spacer element Abs from being moved laterally, i.e. perpendicular to the drawing plane of FIG. 1 to FIG. 5.
The other, bottom, edge of the first retaining element HE.1 is articulatedly connected to the second retaining element HE.2, or more accurately, to an edge of the second retaining element HE.2. In the exemplary embodiment, a hinge Gel is located between the bottom edge of the first retaining element HE.1 and the one edge of the second retaining element HE.2. The second retaining element HE.2 can as a result be rotated relative to the first retaining element HE.1. The spacer element Abs of the first retaining element is embodied such that the first retaining element HE.1 can not only move up and down, but also be rotated relative to the supporting side wall Abs-Sw.
In another embodiment, at least one flexible band is connected flush with the two retaining elements HE.1, HE.2. The longitudinal axis of this band is located in the drawing planes of FIG. 1 to FIG. 5 and holds the two retaining elements HE.1, HE.2 together such that between the two retaining elements a gap having a predefined maximum width forms and the first retaining element HE.1 can be rotated relative to the second retaining element HE.2. For example, the band is connected in the manner of a U to each retaining element HE.1, HE.2 in two flat areas in each case. In one embodiment, the band additionally forms a loop which can be pulled. This loop functions as a handle of the rotary device. It is possible for a plurality of parallel bands to be provided. The band or bands are preferably connected flush with the two retaining elements HE.1, HE.2 and produce the articulated connection of these two retaining elements HE.1, HE.2.
The connecting element Verb is movably connected by means of the further articulated connection Gel.1 to the other edge of the second retaining element HE.2. The second retaining element HE.2 is thus delimited on the one side by the further mechanical articulated connection to the connecting element Verb and on the other side by the articulated connection Gel to the first retaining element HE.1. The first retaining element HE.1 is delimited on the one side by this articulated connection Gel. In one embodiment, which is shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 5, the other, in FIG. 1 top, edge of the first retaining element HE.1 can be moved freely.
In an alternative embodiment, the container Beh also has a guide device with a rail. This guide device is recessed into the supporting side wall Abs-Sw. The guide device has an upper and a lower end stop. The upper end stop is located close to the top edge OK-Abs and the lower end stop close to the base Bo. A fastening element of the first retaining element HE.1 slides up and down in this rail, in particular between the upper end stop and the lower end stop. The fastening element prevents the first retaining element HE.1 from being pulled away from the supporting side wall Abs-Sw or moved horizontally. If the container Beh is located in the filling position, then the fastening element is located at the upper end stop. During the transition from the filling position to the raising position, the fastening element slides in the guide device down to the lower end stop.
The first retaining element HE.1 has in this other embodiment a fastening element. This fastening element is recessed into the rail of the guide device and can slide back and forth in this guide device up and down between the two end stops. The guide device and the fastening element prevent the first retaining element HE.1 from being pulled away from the supporting side wall Abs-Sw.
In one embodiment, an arresting element Arr on the first retaining element HE.1 prevents the first retaining element HE.1 from slipping downward in an unwanted manner. The arresting element Arr thus holds the first retaining element HE.1 firmly in the uppermost possible position on the supporting side wall Abs-Sw. A hook-shaped arresting body of the arresting element Arr in the arresting position is shown in FIG. 1. This arresting body engages in a corresponding notch in the supporting side wall Abs-Sw.
The rotary device can prior to filling be moved into a filling position and after filling be transferred from this filling position into a raising position. In this way, the container Beh is in a filling state prior to filling and in a raising state after rotation. In the exemplary embodiment shown in the figures, the container Beh has no guide device, and the components of the rotary device are arranged in the filling position (cf. FIG. 1) as follows:
The free edge of the first retaining element HE.1 with the spacer element Abs is located close to the top edge OK-Abs of the supporting side wall Abs-Sw. The first retaining element HE.1 is arranged approximately parallel to the supporting side wall Abs-Sw, in particular such that the spacer element Abs is on top and the articulated connection Gel between the first retaining element HE.1 and the second retaining element HE.2 is located close to the base Bo. The first retaining element HE.1 leans on the supporting side wall Abs-Sw. An opening Off is recessed into the supporting side wall Abs-Sw. The spacer element Abs and the arresting body of the arresting element Arr project through this opening Off.
The second retaining element 24 lies on the base Bo of the container Beh. The connecting element Verb to the handle Gri lies on the base Bo or leans on or lies on the opposite side wall Sw-geg, i.e. on that side wall which is located opposite the supporting side wall Abs-Sw. In this filling position of the rotary device, the sorting machine can move flat items of mail in a lying position into the container Beh. The items of mail in the container Beh form a stack which lies on the second retaining element HE.2 and is aligned on one side with the first retaining element HE.1.
In the exemplary embodiment, the sorting machine emits a signal once it has ejected all the items of mail which are to be moved into this container Beh. The container Beh is now filled. The stack of flat items of mail in the container Beh functions in the exemplary embodiment as the article to be rotated. In one embodiment, the container Beh is removed from the sorting machine and placed on the level support surface Aufl. The container Beh remains initially in the filling position.
FIG. 2 shows the filled container Beh with a stack St of lying items of mail. The stack St from FIG. 2 comprises the stacks St.1, St.2 from FIG. 1. It is shown that the handle Gri has now been moved into a vertical position in which it is possible to grip the handle Gri and exert a pulling movement. An arrow in the opening Off indicates how the arresting element is deliberately released, namely by a rotating movement. In the exemplary embodiment, a processor pulls on the handle Gri and first releases the arresting element Arr.
The rotary device is now moved from the filling position into a raising position. To do this, the arresting element Arr is in one embodiment released. As a result, in the embodiment with the guide device the fastening element of the first retaining element HE.1 is able to slide downward in the rail.
A processor or else an automatic handling machine pulls on the handle Gri of the actuating element BE. The handle Gri is pulled horizontally or obliquely upward away from the supporting side wall Abs-Sw. This pulling movement and the weight of the items of mail of the stack St which are located in the container Beh cause in the embodiment with the guide device the fastening element of the first retaining element HE.1 to slide downward in the rail of the guide device. In the embodiment which is shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 5, pulling on the handle Gri, in conjunction with the high flexural rigidity of the two retaining elements HE.1, HE.2 and the articulated connection Gel between these two retaining elements HE.1, HE.2, causes the first retaining element HE.1 to slide downward and the free edge of the first retaining element HE.1 to slide along the supporting side wall Abs-Sw in the process. The spacer element Abs causes a gap to be formed between the first retaining element HE.1 and the supporting side wall Abs-Sw.
This spacer element Abs slides along the supporting side wall Abs-Sw.
The articulated connection Gel between the first retaining element HE.1 and the second retaining element HE.2 slides across the base Bo of the container Beh such that the distance between the supporting side wall Abs-Sw and the articulated connection increases. The articulated connection Gel is thus moved toward the opposite side wall Sw-geg. The stack St with the items of mail continues to rest on the second retaining element HE.2 and is aligned with the first retaining element HE.1.
The free edge of the second retaining element HE.2—that is the edge to which the connecting element Verb is articulatedly fastened—reaches the opposite side wall Sw-geg. By pulling on the handle Gri, this free edge is pulled vertically or obliquely upward along the side wall Sw-geg. As a result, the second retaining element HE.2 moves from the previously horizontal position into an inclined position and rests against the opposite side wall Sw-geg. Due to the articulated connection, the first retaining element HE.1 is also pulled and moves from the initially vertical position into an inclined or approximately horizontal position close to the base Bo.
FIG. 3 shows the container Beh and the rotary device during the transition from the filling position into the raising position. The handle Gri is pulled vertically or obliquely upward in the direction of the arrow. The arresting element Arr and the spacer element Abs have slid out of the opening Off. The first retaining element HE.1 with the spacer element Abs rests obliquely on the supporting side wall Abs-Sw. The second retaining element HE.2 rests with the one edge on the base Bo and leans with the other edge on the opposite side wall Sw-geg. Only the articulated connection Gel touches the base Bo. The angle between the surfaces of the two retaining elements HE.1, HE.2 is now less than 90 degrees, whereas the angle in the filling position is greater than 90 degrees. The retaining elements HE.1, HE.2 adapt thereby to the geometry of the container Beh. The arresting body of the arresting element Arr and the spacer element Abs slide out of the opening Off.
FIG. 4 shows a continuation of the transition from the filling position into the raising position. The second retaining element HE.2 has slid further to the right. The right edge of the second retaining element HE.2 in FIG. 4, to which edge the connecting element Verb is fastened, has slid beyond the top edge OK-geg of the opposite side wall Sw-geg. The first retaining element HE.1 has temporarily lost its contact with the supporting side wall Abs-Sw and rotates downward until the spacer element Abs hits the base Bo. An arrow indicates this direction of rotation. The stack St with the items of mail rests with the bottom edges of the items of mail on the first retaining element HE.1, and the stack St leans on the second retaining element HE.2. The angle between the surfaces of the two retaining elements HE.1, HE.2 has increased again.
These movements of the two retaining elements HE.1, HE.2 are terminated at the latest when in the embodiment with the guide device the fastening element of the first retaining element HE.1 reaches the lower end stop. In the embodiment with the spacer element Abs on the first retaining element HE.1, the movements of the two retaining elements HE.1, HE.2 are terminated when the spacer element Abs strikes the base Bo. The stack St with the items of mail now stands on the inclined or approximately horizontal first retaining element HE.1 and rests on the inclined second retaining element HE.2. As a result, the items of mail are approximately raised upright.
FIG. 5 shows the container Beh and the rotary device in the raising position. The spacer element Abs has reached the base Bo. The first retaining element HE.1 lies on the base Bo. The spacer element Abs causes the first retaining element HE.1 to be inclined slightly. This inclination makes it hard for the rotated stack St to tip over. The second retaining element HE.2 rests on the opposite site wall Sw-geg and is also held by the articulated connection Gel with the first retaining element HE.1. The connecting element Verb and the handle Gri are located outside the container Beh and hang down. The items of mail of the stack St are raised at an incline. In this position it is possible to “finger” through the stack St and to search for a particular item of mail in the stack St.

List of reference characters

	Reference character	Meaning

	Abs	Spacer element of the first
		retaining element HE.1
	Arr	Arresting element of the first
		retaining element HE.1
	Aufl	Support on which the container Beh
		stands
	BE	Actuating element with handle Gri
		and connecting element Verb
	Abs-Sw	Supporting side wall
	Beh	Container
	Bo	Base of the container Beh
	Gel	Articulated connection between the
		first retaining element HE.1 and the
		second retaining element HE.2
	Gel.1	Further mechanical articulated
		connection between the second
		retaining element HE.2 and the
		connecting element Verb
	Gri	Handle of the actuating element BE
	Hak	Hook on the handle Gri
	HE.1	First retaining element
	HE.2	Second retaining element
	OK	Top edge of a further side wall of
		the container Beh
	OK-Abs	Top edge of the supporting side wall
		Abs-Sw
	OK-geg	Top edge of the opposite side wall
		Sw-geg
	Off	Opening in the supporting side wall
		Abs-Sw
	SR	Stacking direction in which flat
		items of mail are moved into the
		container Beh from above
	St.1	Stack already formed in the
		container Beh
	St.2	Stack comprising items of mail which
		are additionally being introduced
		into the container
	Sw-geg	Side wall of the container Beh
		opposite the supporting side wall
		Abs-Sw
	Verb	Connecting element of the actuating
		element BE

Claims

1-9. (canceled)

10. A container, comprising:

a base;

a supporting side wall;

at least one further side wall, said base, said supporting side wall and said at least one further side wall enclosing an enclosed space for receiving at least one article;

a rotary device for rotating the article disposed in the enclosed space, said device containing a first sheet-shaped retaining element and a second sheet-rotary shaped retaining element, said first and second sheet-shaped retaining elements connected mechanically to one another, said rotary device can be set to a filling position and as a result the container set to a filling state, then, when said rotary device is in the filling position, said first sheet-shaped retaining element rests on said supporting side wall, said second sheet-shaped retaining element lies on said base and said first and second sheet-shaped retaining elements delimit an area within the enclosed space;

wherein the article can be moved into said area such that the article lies on said second sheet-shaped retaining element;

said rotary device can be transferred from the filling position into a raising position and as a result the container can be transferred from the filling state to a raising state; and

then, when said rotary device is in the raising position, said first sheet-shaped retaining element lies on said base and the article disposed in the enclosed space rests on said first sheet-shaped retaining element.

11. The container according to claim 10, wherein:

said rotary device additionally contains an actuating element, said actuating element is connected mechanically to said second sheet-shaped retaining element; and

the container is configured such that pulling on said actuating element effects a transfer of the container from the filling position into the raising position.

12. The container according to claim 10, wherein said rotary device has an articulated mechanical connection between said first and second sheet-shaped retaining elements and said first and second sheet-shaped retaining elements are pivotably connected to one another by means of said articulated mechanical connection.

13. The container according to claim 10,

further comprising a guide device connecting said first sheet-shaped retaining element mechanically to said supporting side wall such that said first sheet-shaped retaining element can be moved parallel to a plane of said supporting side wall toward said base and away from said base;

further comprising and end stop; and

wherein said first sheet-shaped retaining element can be pivoted relative to said supporting side wall, but movement of said first sheet-shaped retaining element away from said supporting side wall is prevented, and said end stop limits the movement of said first sheet-shaped retaining element toward said base when said rotary device is being transferred into the raising position parallel to said supporting side wall.

14. The container according to claim 10, wherein said rotary device has a spacer element connected to said first sheet-shaped retaining element and when said rotary device is in the raising position, said spacer element is disposed between said first sheet-shaped retaining element and said base.

15. The container according to claim 10, further comprising an arresting element, when said rotary device is disposed in the filling position, said arresting element connecting said first sheet-shaped retaining element to said supporting side wall and prevents said rotary device from being transferred into the raising position.

16. The container according to claim 10, wherein:

said at least one further side wall is disposed such that the article in said enclosed space is disposed between said supporting side wall and said further side wall; and

the container is configured such that when said rotary device is disposed in the raising position, said second sheet-shaped retaining element leans on said further side wall and is supported by said further side wall.

17. A processing system, comprising:

at least one container, containing:

a base;

a supporting side wall;

a rotary device for rotating the article disposed in the enclosed space, said rotary device containing a first sheet-shaped retaining element and a second sheet-shaped retaining element, said first and second sheet-shaped retaining elements connected mechanically to one another, said rotary device can be set to a filling position and as a result the container set to a filling state, then, when said rotary device is in the filling position, said first sheet-shaped retaining element rests on said supporting side wall, said second sheet-shaped retaining element lies on said base and said first and second sheet-shaped retaining elements delimit an area within the enclosed space;

then, when said rotary device is in the raising position, said first sheet-shaped retaining element lies on said base and an article disposed in the enclosed space rests on said first sheet-shaped retaining element;

an ejection device for moving the article into said container;

a transport device for transporting said container to said ejection device; and

a checking device for checking automatically whether said rotary device of said container is disposed in the filling position or not during transport to said ejection device.

18. A method for rotating an article using a container containing a base, a supporting side wall, at least one further side wall and a rotary device with a first sheet-shaped retaining element and a second sheet-shaped retaining element, the first and second sheet-shaped retaining elements are connected mechanically to one another, the method comprises the steps of:

moving the article into an enclosed space being enclosed by the supporting side wall, the further two side wall and the base;

rotating the article disposed in the enclosed space;

moving the rotary device to a filling position and as a result the container is moved to a filling state, wherein in the filling position, the second sheet-shaped retaining element lies on the base and the first sheet-shaped retaining element leans on the supporting side wall;

moving the article into the enclosed space such that the article lies on the second sheet-shaped retaining element; and

exerting a pulling force on the second sheet-shaped retaining element, wherein a direction of a pulling movement points vertically upward or obliquely away from the supporting side wall, and due to the pulling movement the rotary device is moved from the filling position into a raising position and as a result the container is moved from the filling state into a raising state, wherein in the raising position the first sheet-shaped retaining element lies on the base and the article lies on the first sheet-shaped retaining element.