WO2009153349A1

WO2009153349A1 - A conveying device

Info

Publication number: WO2009153349A1
Application number: PCT/EP2009/057695
Authority: WO
Inventors: Wouter Balk
Original assignee: Eurosort B.V.
Priority date: 2008-06-20
Filing date: 2009-06-19
Publication date: 2009-12-23
Also published as: NL2001708C2; ES2397411T3; EP2310304A1; EP2310304B1

Abstract

A conveying device (1) is provided with a first conveyor (2) and second conveyor (4). Each of the conveyors comprises a series of carriers (5). Each carrier includes at least a movable tray (6) for receiving at least a product thereon. The tray is movable between an open and closed position. The first conveyor is provided with a discharging station (7) and adapted such that the tray in closed position can be opened at the discharging station. The second conveyor is provided with a loading station (8) and adapted such that the tray is in the closed position for receiving a product thereon. The device is further provided with a drivable intermediate conveyor (3). The intermediate conveyor comprises a supporting surface for supporting the product, and is adapted such that the supporting surface extends at a level below the tray when the carrier of the first conveyor is at the discharging station.

Description

A conveying device

The present invention relates to a conveying device for conveying products.

Conveying devices comprising a series of carriers including trays for supporting products which are thrown at a discharging station by opening the tray are known in the art. For example, such a conveying device is disclosed in WO 03/042080. In certain cases it may be desired to add, remove or re-arrange products on the trays.

The object of the invention is to provide a conveying device which fulfils the desire as defined above.

This is achieved by a conveying device, which is provided with a first conveyor and second conveyor, each comprising a series of carriers which are drivable in a conveying direction, each carrier including at least a tray for receiving at least a product thereon, which tray is movable between an open and closed position, wherein the first conveyor is provided with a discharging station and adapted such that the tray in closed position can be opened at the discharging station for discharging a product which is on the tray, and the second conveyor is provided with a loading station and adapted such that the tray is in the closed position for receiving a product thereon at the loading station, wherein the device is further provided with a drivable intermediate conveyor for conveying a product discharged at the discharging station to the second conveyor at the loading station, wherein the intermediate conveyor comprises a supporting surface for supporting the product, wherein the conveying device is adapted such that the supporting surface extends at a level below the tray at the discharging station when the corresponding carrier of the first conveyor is at the discharging station.

This provides the opportunity to add, remove or rearrange products on the intermediate conveyor before the products are conveyed further by carriers of the second conveyor. As a consequence of the location of the first conveyor and intermediate conveyor at the discharging station the products fall on the supporting surface of the intermediate conveyor due to gravitation. Furthermore, the conveying device according to the invention provides a high degree of flexibility since products can be conveyed along a three-dimensional track; products may be added, removed or re-arranged by people standing on floor level, and the mentioned track may have different shapes, for example, by applying a ϋ-shaped or L-shaped intermediate conveyor. It is noted that in practice a tray of a carrier of the first conveyor may already be opened before the corresponding carrier arrives at the discharging station in order to discharge a product at a different location, In that case the tray may pass the discharging station in open position or empty in closed position.

The device may be adapted such that the supporting surface extends at a level above the tray of the carrier of the second conveyor at the loading station when said carrier is at the loading station. This provides the opportunity to transfer the product from the intermediate conveyor to the second conveyor by gravitation. The device may be adapted such that when the carrier of the second conveyor is at the loading station its tray is located higher than the level of the supporting surface of the intermediate conveyor at the discharging station, and the supporting surface of the intermediate conveyor comprises an inclined portion between the discharging station and loading station. The advantage of this embodiment is that the first and second conveyor can be built on substantially the same height, whereas che intermediate conveyor bridges the height difference to convey the products discharged from the first conveyor to the second conveyor.

Preferably, the intermediate conveyor includes a loading portion for adding, removing or re-arranging products on the supporting surface, which loading portion extends substantially horizontally as seen in its conveying direction, because this allows persons to handle products on the intermediate conveyors along the loading portion.

Alternatively, the intermediate conveyor includes a loading portion for adding, removing or re-arranging products on the supporting surface, which has a sufficient length to handle products, for example longer than 1 metre, independent from its orientation.

In a specific embodiment the conveying device may be adapted such that the first conveyor, the intermediate conveyor and the second conveyor have similar transport velocities. The intermediate conveyor may comprise an endless belt to achieve this situation, but alternative transport members are conceivable.

In an alternative embodiment the first conveyor and second conveyor are parts of a single endless main conveyor including the discharging station and the loading station, which main conveyor is adapted such that the tray of a carrier in closed position can be opened at the discharging station and closed before the loading station. In this case the intermediate conveyor forms a bypass of the main conveyor. If it is not desired to discharge a product at the discharging station a tray having a product thereon may remain in closed position when passing the discharging station and the loading station.

The tray may be tiltable with respect to the carrier, but alternative movable trays for discharging a product are possible. In practice the tiltable tray may be configured such that it automatically falls open when it is de-locked.

The carrier may comprise at least two tiltable trays which move in opposite directions when opened. In a closed position of the trays a supporting surface of the trays may form a substantially horizontal surface.

The carrier may comprise at least two trays next to each other as seen perpendicular to the conveying direction, which trays can be opened and closed independently. In case of two trays disposed parallel to each other, in other words a dual tray, two parallel product flows can be handled.

The first conveyor may be adapted such that each tray is opened at the discharging station. In practice this means that the products are not discharged before the corresponding carrier arrives at the discharging station. In this embodiment a control system for opening the trays may be rather simple since each tray is opened at the same location.

At least at the discharging station the first conveyor and the intermediate conveyor may have similar conveying directions, and/or at least at the loading station the second conveyor and the intermediate conveyor may have similar conveying directions, as seen from above. It is also possible that the conveying direction along the entire track that the product follows from first conveyor to second conveyor the conveying direction, as seen from above, is the same.

Preferably, the width of the supporting surface of the intermediate conveyor as seen perpendicular to the conveying direction is at least as wide as the width of the tray or trays as seen perpendicular to the conveying direction, because this provides sufficient space to add or re-arrange the products on the supporting surface. Depending on the product size, it is possible to handle parallel product flows, for example in case of dual trays in the first conveyor and second conveyor, The intermediate conveyor may be curved within a plane extending parallel to the supporting surface. This means that the conveying direction of the supporting surface varies as seen from above. This provides a great flexibility of the configuration of the conveying device. The curve of the intermediate conveyor may be U-shaped or L-shaped, for example.

The second conveyor may be provided with a second discharging station, which is adapted such that it functions similar to the discharging station of the first conveyor, and the device may comprise a third conveyor including a second loading station, which is adapted such that it functions similar to the loading station of the second conveyor, and the device may comprise a second drivable intermediate conveyor for conveying a product discharged at the second discharging station to the third conveyor at the second loading station, wherein the second intermediate conveyor comprises a second supporting surface for supporting the product, wherein the conveying device is adapted such that the second supporting surface extends at a level below the tray at the second discharging station when the corresponding carrier of the second conveyor is at the second discharging station.

The invention is also related to a conveying device which is provided with a first conveyor and second conveyor, each comprising a series of carriers which are drivable in a conveying direction, each carrier including a carrying surface for carrying at least a product thereon, wherein the first conveyor is provided with a discharging station and discharging means for discharging a product which is on the carrying surface at the discharging station, and the second conveyor is provided with a loading station and loading means for placing a product on the carrier at the loading station, wherein the conveying device is further provided with a drivable intermediate conveyor for conveying a product discharged at the discharging station to the second conveyor at the loading station, wherein the intermediate conveyor comprises a supporting surface for supporting the product, wherein the conveying device is adapted such that the supporting surface extends at a level above the carrying surface at the discharging station when the corresponding carrier of the second conveyor is at the discharging station.

The advantage of this embodiment is that products can be placed from the intermediate conveyor onto the second conveyor by gravitation. In this case the loading means may comprise a guide to guide a product to the carrier of the second conveyor during the downward displacement of the product. The discharging means may comprise an actuator to force a product from the carrier of the first conveyor to the intermediate conveyor. The supporting surface of the intermediate conveyor may extend at a level below the carrying surface of the carrier when this carrier is at the discharging station, which means that a product may fall on the intermediate conveyor, but it may also extend at "Che same level or higher. The carrying surface of a carrier may be formed by a tray which can be opened, such that the discharging means is also formed by the tray. The invention will hereafter be elucidated with reference to the schematic drawings showing an embodiment of the invention by way of example.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the conveying device according to the invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view as Fig. 1, showing an alternative embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a portion of the embodiment of Fig. 2 on a larger scale. Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a conveying device 1 according to the invention. The embodiment is provided with a first conveyor 2, an intermediate conveyor 3 and a second conveyor 4. The first conveyor 2 comprises a series of carriers 5 which are drivable in a conveying direction. In this case the carriers 5 are connected to a driving member, for example a chain (not shown) . As a consequence the carriers 5 are connected to each other and move synchronously behind each other under operating conditions. The first conveyor 2 may be an endless conveyor.

Each of the carriers 5 include two tiltable trays 6. The trays 6 are tiltable about tilting axes extending parallel to each other and perpendicularly to the conveying direction. In this case the trays 5 of each carrier 5 open in opposite directions. In a closed position of the trays 6 the trays form a substantially horizontal carrying surface on which a product can be received and supported. Many alternatives of the configuration of the carriers 5 and trays 6 are conceivable. The carriers 5 may be provided with wheels running on a support or rail or the like, but alternative configurations are conceivable .

The first conveyor 2 is provided with a discharging station 7, at which a product that is on the tray 6 in a closed position thereof, is discharged. This is achieved by an actuator (not shown) which opens the trays 6 at the discharging station 7. Due to gravitation the product falls down at the discharging station 7. After discharging a product the trays 6 may be closed by a resetting device (not shown) . In practice, it is not necessary that all of the trays 6 are opened at the discharging station 7. It is possible that an empty tray 6 in closed position is not opened at the discharging station 7, or that a carrier 5 including a tray 6 in open position just passes the discharging station 7.

The intermediate conveyor 3 is drivable and comprises a supporting surface for supporting a product, which supporting surface extends to the discharging station 7. More specifically, the supporting surface is located such that the product falls on the supporting surface of the intermediate conveyor 3 at the discharging station 7. This means that the level of the supporting surface at the discharging station 7 is below the trays 6 of the first conveyor 2 when a corresponding carrier 5 is at the discharging station 7. The intermediate conveyor 3 may comprise an endless belt, possibly comprising slats. This provides a great flexibility to the configuration of the conveying device 1, since the intermediate conveyor 3 may be bended in different direction, as seen from above, relatively simple .

In the embodiment as shown in Fig. 1 the second conveyor 4 is almost identical to the first conveyor 2. The second conveyor 4 also comprises a similar series of carriers 5 including tiltable trays 6 which carriers 5 are also drivable in a conveying direction. However, the second conveyor 4 is provided with a loading station 8. At the loading station 8 the trays 6 of the passing carriers 5 of the second conveyor 4 are in a closed position for receiving a product thereon.

The conveying device 1 is configured such that the supporting surface of the intermediate conveyor 3 extends at a level above the tray 6 of the carrier 5 of the second conveyor 4 at the loading station 8 when the carrier 5 is at the loading station 8. In other words, when a product is transported from the intermediate conveyor 3 to the second conveyor 4 the product falls on the trays 6 of the carrier 5 which is at the loading station 8 at that moment. Alternative transfer means for transporting a product from the intermediate conveyor 3 to the second conveyor 4 are conceivable.

In the embodiment as shown in Fig. 1 the supporting surface of the intermediate conveyor 3 comprises an inclined portion 9 between the discharging station 7 and the loading station 8, because when a carrier 5 of the second conveyor 4 is at the loading station 8 its trays 6 are located at a higher level than the level of the supporting surface of the intermediate conveyor 3 at the discharging station 7. This situation may happen when the trays 6 of the carriers 5 at the discharging station 7 are at the same level as the trays 6 at the loading station 8.

A first part of the intermediate conveyor 3 is aligned with a part of the first conveyor 2 extending upstream of the discharging station 7, whereas the intermediate conveyor 3 is also aligned with a part of the second conveyor 4 extending downstream of the loading station 8. The intermediate conveyor 3 comprises a bend of 90 degrees, but it may be clear that different angles are also possible. The conveying direction of the conveying device is illustrated by arrows in Fig. 1. It can be seen that in this case the conveying direction along a track through the conveying device 1 changes, as seen from above.

Fig. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the conveying device 1 and Fig. 3 shows a part of this embodiment on enlarged scale. In this case the first conveyor 2 and second conveyor 4 are parts of a single endless main conveyor 10. The main conveyor 10 comprises the discharging station 7 and the loading station 8. In fact, the intermediate conveyor 3 forms a bypass of the first conveyor 2 and second conveyor 4 of the main conveyor 10. Due to the alignment of the intermediate conveyor 3 with the first and second conveyor 2, 4 at the discharging station 7 and the loading station 8, respectively, efficient use of space is provided. The functioning of the main conveyor 10 is similar to the first conveyor 2 and the second conveyor 4 in the embodiment as shown in Fig. 1 and described hereinbefore. The trays 6 of the carriers 5 are opened at the discharging station 7 and closed between the discharging station 7 and the loading station 8. The closing of the trays 6 is performed by a resetting device (not shown) .

The intermediate conveyor 3 is provided with the inclined portion 9. It also comprises a loading portion 11 for adding, removing or re-arranging products on the supporting surface. The loading portion extends substantially horizontally in the conveying direction to enable persons to handle products on the intermediate conveyor 3.

It is noted that the discharging station 7 is located before a bend in the first conveyor 2, but it is also possible to locate it at another location as long as the intermediate conveyor 3 extends such that a product falling from the trays 6 at the discharging station 7 is received on the supporting surface of the intermediate conveyor 3. Similarly, the loading station 8 may have a different location than shown in the embodiments of Fig. 1 and 3. The embodiments as shown in Fig. 1-3 may be extended. The second conveyor 4 may be provided with a second discharging station (not shown) comparable to the discharging station 7 of the first conveyor 2. Furthermore, a third conveyor (not shown) including a second loading station, which is comparable to the loading station 8 of the second conveyor 8, and a second drivable intermediate conveyor for conveying a product discharged at the second discharging station to the third conveyor at the second loading station, may be present. The second intermediate conveyor may comprise a second supporting surface for supporting the product. The second supporting surface extends at a level below the tray 6 at the second discharging station when the carrier 5 of the second conveyor 4 is at the second discharging station. Of course, further extensions and combinations of different embodiments as described hereinbefore are possible within the scope of the present invention.

From the foregoing, it will be clear that the invention provides a conveying device which allows adding, removing or repositioning products which are conveyed by a series of carriers comprising a movable tray for carrying the products .

The invention is not limited to the embodiment shown in the drawings and described hereinbefore, which may be varied in different manners within the scope of the claims and their technical equivalents.

Claims

1. A conveying device (1) which is provided with a first conveyor (2) and second conveyor (4), each comprising a series of carriers (5) which are drivable in a conveying direction, each carrier (5) including at least a tray (6) for receiving at least a product thereon, which tray (6) is movable between an open and closed position, wherein the first conveyor (2) is provided with a discharging station (7) and adapted such that the tray (6) in closed position can be opened at the discharging station (7) for discharging a product which is on the tray (6), and the second conveyor (4) is provided with a loading station (8) and adapted such that the tray (6) is in the closed position for receiving a product thereon at the loading station (8), wherein the conveying device (1) is further provided with a drivable intermediate conveyor (3) for conveying a product discharged at the discharging station (7) to the second conveyor (4) at the loading station (8), wherein the intermediate conveyor (3) comprises a supporting surface for supporting the product, wherein the conveying device (1) is adapted such that the supporting surface extends at a level below the tray (6) at the discharging station (7) when the corresponding carrier (5) of the first conveyor (2) is at the discharging station (7) .

2. A conveying device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the device is adapted such that the supporting surface extends at a level above the tray (6) of the carrier (5) of the second conveyor (4) at the loading station (8) when said carrier (5) is at the loading station (8) .

3. A conveying device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the device (1) is adapted such that when the carrier (5) of the second conveyor (4) is at the loading station (8) its tray (6) is located higher than the level of the supporting surface of the intermediate conveyor (3) at the discharging station (7), and the supporting surface of the intermediate conveyor (3) comprises an inclined portion (9) between the discharging station (7) and loading station (8) .

4. A conveying device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the intermediate conveyor (3) includes a loading portion (11) for adding, removing or re-arranging products on the supporting surface, which loading portion (11) extends substantially horizontally as seen in its conveying direction.

5. A conveying device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the conveying device (1) is adapted such that the first conveyor (2) , the intermediate conveyor (3) and the second conveyor (4) have similar transport velocities .

6. A conveying device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first conveyor (2) and second conveyor (4) are parts of a single endless main conveyor (10) including the discharging station (7) and the loading station

(8), which main conveyor (10) is adapted such that the tray (6) of a carrier (5) in closed position can be opened at the discharging station (7) and closed before the loading station

(8) .

7. A conveying device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the tray (6) is tiltable with respect to the carrier (5) .

8. A conveying device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrier (5) comprises at least two trays (6) moving in opposite directions when opened.

9. A conveying device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrier (5) comprises at least two trays (6) next to each other as seen perpendicular to the conveying direction, which trays (6) can be opened and closed independently.

10. A conveying device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first conveyor (2) is adapted such that each tray (6) is opened at the discharging station (7).

11. A conveying device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least at the discharging station (7) the first conveyor (2) and the intermediate conveyor (3) have similar conveying directions, and/or at least at the loading station (8) the second conveyor (4) and the intermediate conveyor (3) have similar conveying directions, as seen from above .

12. A conveying device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the width of the supporting surface of the intermediate conveyor (3) as seen perpendicular to its conveying direction is at least as wide as the width of the tray (6) or trays (6) as seen perpendicular to its conveying direction.

13. A conveying device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the intermediate conveyor (3) is curved within a plane extending parallel to the supporting surface .

14. A conveying device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the second conveyor (4) is provided with a second discharging station, which is adapted such that it functions similar to the discharging station (7) of the first conveyor (2), and wherein the device comprises a third conveyor including a second loading station, which is adapted such that it functions similar to the loading station (8) of the second conveyor (4), and wherein the device (1) comprises a second drivable intermediate conveyor for conveying a product discharged at the second discharging station to the third conveyor at the second loading station, wherein the second intermediate conveyor comprises a second supporting surface for supporting the product, wherein the conveying device (1) is adapted such that the second supporting surface extends at a level below the tray (6) at the second discharging station when the corresponding carrier (5) of the second conveyor (4) is at the second discharging station.

15. A conveying device (1) which is provided with a first conveyor (2) and second conveyor (4), each comprising a series of carriers (5) which are drivable in a conveying direction, each carrier (5) including a carrying surface for carrying at least a product thereon, wherein the first conveyor (2) is provided with a discharging station (7) and discharging means for discharging a product which is on the carrying surface at the discharging station (7), and the second conveyor (4) is provided with a loading station (8) and loading means for placing a product on the carrier (5) at the loading station (8), wherein the conveying device (1) is further provided with a drivable intermediate conveyor (3) for conveying a product discharged at the discharging station (7) to the second conveyor (4) at the loading station (8), wherein the intermediate conveyor (3) comprises a supporting surface for supporting the product, wherein the conveying device {1} is adapted such that the supporting surface extends at a level above the carrying surface at the discharging station (7) when the corresponding carrier (5) of the second conveyor (2) is at the discharging station (?) .