WO2011124575A2

WO2011124575A2 - Transport-container unit with sorting system

Info

Publication number: WO2011124575A2
Application number: PCT/EP2011/055283
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andrea Scagliola
Original assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 2010-04-06
Filing date: 2011-04-05
Publication date: 2011-10-13
Also published as: DE102010013963A1; WO2011124575A3

Abstract

In order to provide a sorting system which can be used rapidly, flexibly and as independently of locationally induced conditions as possible, a transport-container unit is proposed having at least one transport container (12) which is provided for transporting functional units (32) which are constituent parts of a sorting system (20) for processing goods to be sorted (30), and in which transport container (12) functional units (32) of the sorting system (20) are provided for operation of the latter in said transport container (12).

Description

Transport container unit with sorting system

In the course of today 's developments in the economic markets, a steadily increasing demand for modularity in the field of

Regard to a fast and flexible use of

Installations that must be put into operation as independently as possible from site-related conditions. In the field of sorting of goods, it is for entrepreneurs of

Interest, if within a short period of time a ready-to-use and own (not third-party rented)

Sorting system can be provided. If

If rooms are being rebuilt for their own sorting facility, times of up to 6 months may be necessary to have a ready-to-use sorting system. If a ready-to-use sorting system is rented, this can result in unfavorable dependency on the tenancy for the entrepreneur.

The invention has for its object to provide a sorting available, which can be used quickly, flexibly and as independent of site-related conditions.

The object is achieved by a transport container unit with at least one transport container, which is provided for the transport of functional units which are components of a sorting system for processing sorted goods, and in which functional units of the sorting system are provided for their operation in the same transport container. As a result, after the transport of components of

Sorting by means of the transport container rapid commissioning of the sorting system can be achieved by one and the same storage space of the transport container for the

Transport of functional units to the site and the operation of these and / or other functional units of

Sorting plant serves at this site. Of the

Transport container is advantageously such

dimensioned that the functional units in the storage space operated and possibly operated or maintained by staff. A "transport container" is to be understood as meaning, in particular, a container which is designed and / or equipped especially for the transport of goods.The invention is particularly suitable for the sorting of

Sorted goods, which are designed as piece goods. The

Piece goods can be designed in particular as shipping units, such as flat shipping units, packages or similar packages.

Does the transport container unit a composite of

Transport containers, which form a sorting space in the assembled state, in which the sorting system is provided for operation, the sizing of the sorting space can be adapted to a specific space requirements in a modular and flexible manner. In this context, an advantageous modularity can be achieved if at least one transport container at least one

Function unit of the sorting system or a group of functional units of the sorting system is permanently assigned, that is, always contains a defined functional unit or group of functional units. This allows this

Transport containers are used for modular use in various sorting systems, especially in case of failure of a functional unit in a sorting system.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention

suggested that the at least one transport container is designed as a freight container, whereby common, widely used transport containers can be used. Of the

Freight container can be used in combination with other components. It is particularly advantageous if the

Transport container unit comprises a composite of transport containers, which form a sorting space in the assembled state, in which the sorting system is provided for operation, wherein the composite is a composite of

Cargo containers is, making a great, flexible

can be made formable sorting room. Under a "Cargo container" should be understood in particular a transport container, which is specially equipped for transport by means of vehicles and / or aircraft,

in particular for transport by freighter,

Freight train, cargo ship and / or truck. With regard to a simple and fast transport, it is advantageous if at least one freight container is designed as a standardized freight container, in particular as an ISO container. It is also proposed that during a transport in the transport container functional units are provided in a suitable for a successful operation in the transport container position, whereby a particularly low cost in a structure of the sorting system can be achieved at a site.

According to one embodiment of the invention it is proposed that the transport container unit another

Transport container has its storage space a

Control room forms, in which an energy supply ^¬ and / or control system for supplying or controlling the sorting system is provided. This allows the

Time span between a delivery of the

Transport container unit at the site and a

Commissioning of the sorting system can be further reduced, especially if the power supply and / or

Control system during transport by means of

Transport container one at least substantially

ready for operation has state. A plant which is "substantially ready for operation" should in particular be understood to mean a plant in which at least 50% of the components forming the plant are without further measures,

can be put into operation in particular without further conversion measures. The control room may be contiguous with a sorting room in which the sorting system is arranged, or it may be formed separately from the sorting room. Here, the transport container forming the control room of a transport container or of a composite of Transport containers, which forms the sorting space, be spatially separated. This has the advantage of increased

Modularity and flexibility by using the control box forming transport container for use with

different sorting systems can be used.

Advantageously, it is the control room forming

Transport container designed as a freight container. A cabling effort before commissioning the

Control room can also be reduced if, during transport by means of the control room forming

Transport container at least substantially

ready to use cabling system for operating the

Power supply and / or control system is provided.

A particularly simple connection and disconnection

Sorting to or from a power and / or

Data network can be achieved if an interface to the separable power and / or data supply of the

Sorting system is arranged on the outer shell of the transport container unit, e.g. in the form of a plug-in option.

Does the transport container unit on a transport container whose storage space, as already mentioned above, a

Control room forms, the interface is preferably attached to the outer shell of this transport container. The data supply can advantageously have a field bus to which the sorting system forming

Function units are connected.

Furthermore, the use of a transport container unit is proposed with at least one transport container, in which functional units that are components of a sorting system for processing sorted goods, are transported, and in which, after transport, functional units of

Sorting system to be operated. As a result, after a transport of components of the sorting system by means of Transport container a quick start of the

Sorting system can be achieved by the one and the same storage space of the transport container for the transport of

Function units to a site and the operation of these and / or other functional units of the sorting plant at this site serves.

Furthermore, the dimensioning of a sorting space can be adapted to a specific space requirement in a modular and flexible manner if the transport container unit has a plurality of transport containers in which the sorting unit-forming functional units are transported and which are assembled after transport to form a sorting space in which the sorting system is operated becomes.

According to a further use of the invention

Transport container unit is proposed that the

Transport container unit has a further transport container whose storage space forms a control room in which a power supply and / or control system for supplying or controlling the sorting system

is provided, wherein the transport container is separated after operation with the sorting of the sorting, to another place of use by means of

Transport container is transported and attached to this

Site is used to supply or control a further sorting system. This can be a

Advantageous modularity with respect to the control of a sorting system can be achieved by a control room is treated separately from an existing sorting system and used in conjunction with another sorting system if necessary.

Embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. It shows: Figure 1 is a set of assembled

Transport containers in which a sorting system and a control system is arranged, in a front view, Figure 2, the sorting system and the control system in a view from above,

Figure 3 shows the sorting system and the control system in a further embodiment and

Figure 4 shows a use of the control system.

Figure 1 shows a transport container unit 10, which has a composite of several transport containers 12.1 to 12.7, in a front view. The transport containers 12 are each designed as a freight container, namely as standardized Cargocontainer (or "ISO container")

Transport container unit 10 is by means of a

Support device 14 supported on the ground. The

Transport containers 12 adjoin one another and are coupled to one another by means of coupling pieces 16. The

Transport containers 12.1 to 12.6 each enclose a storage space 18.1 to 18.6 in which functional units 32 of a sorting installation 20 described below are transported and operated after transport. in the

assembled state of the composite form the individual storage spaces 18.1 and 18.6 a sorting space 24, in which the sorting system 20 is provided for operation (see Figure 2). The storage space 18.7 of the transport container 12.7 also forms a control room 26, the below

is described. The sorting space 24 and the control room 26 are by means of inputs 22, in particular in the form of a door in a side wall of a transport container 12 for a

Staff accessible. The arrangement of transport containers 12 shown in the figures is exemplary. Further

Configurations in which transport containers 12 are above one another are also conceivable. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of a arranged in the transport container unit 10 sorting system 20 is shown in a highly schematic view from above. The transport container unit 10 consists in the considered

Embodiment of seven transport containers 12.1 to 12.7. A composite of the transport container 12.1 to 12.6 forms in the assembled state shown the sorting space 24, in which the sorting system 20 ready for operation

is placed. The further transport container 12.7 of

Transport container unit 10 has a storage space 18.7, which forms the control room 26, in which units described below for power supply and control of the sorting system 20 are arranged.

The sorting space 24 is a contiguous space created by removing parts of the side walls of the adjacent transport containers 12, wherein

Through points 28, which allow the transport of sorting goods 30 and / or the passage of the sorting system 20 serving staff between two adjacent transport containers 12 are formed. In the embodiment shown, portions of the adjacent sidewalls are removed to form passageways 28. It is also conceivable to remove complete sidewalls to provide wider passages.

The sorting system 20 has a plurality of functional units 32, each for fulfilling a specific function of

Sorting system 20 are provided. In the described

Embodiment, the sorting system 20 is provided for sorting sorting goods 30, which are packaged

are formed. In a further embodiment, the

Sorting system eg be designed for sorting flat transmission units. A functional unit 32.1 corresponds to a conveyor unit which serves to convey the sorted goods 30 during a sorting operation. This can be designed, for example, as a belt, belt and / or roller conveyor. It is also conceivable that the promotion of the sorting goods 30 by means of trays or cars, which are guided by a rail system. In the example considered, the

Sorting system 30 as another functional unit 32.2 a

Sorting unit on. This is designed as a transverse sorting conveyor 34, which in addition to a main conveying direction 36, a promotion of sorting goods 30 perpendicular to

Main conveying direction 36, e.g. for discharging the sorting goods 30 to a specific destination. Of the

Cross sorting conveyor may e.g. be designed as a cross belt conveyor or as a shoe sorter. As a further functional unit 32.3, the sorting installation 20 has a feed unit (or "induction line"), which serves for feeding the sorting goods 30. The feeding takes place manually at feed stations 38, at which a staff sort goods 30 as the

Conveyor unit trained functional unit 32.1 placed. Furthermore, the functional unit 32.3 has an automatic feeding device 40, by means of which the sorted goods 30 are automatically fed into the sorting system. An identification unit is furthermore provided as a functional unit 32.4 which is used for processing identification means, such as e.g. Barcodes, RFID chips, fingerprints, etc. for

Identifying the sorted goods 30 serves. With respect to these functional units 32, the

Transport container unit 10 has a modular structure in which a transport container 12 is assigned to a functional unit 32. For example, the as

Identification unit formed functional unit 32.4 arranged in the transport container 12.1, while the automatic feeder 40 is disposed in the further transport container 12.3, said assignment with respect to other uses of the sorting system 20 or another

Sorting system is maintained. By such

Modular structure, one or more of the sorting space 24 forming transport container 12 can be used to set up and / or repair another sorting system. Is in this other sorting a specific functional unit Defective, it may be advantageous, instead of a complex repair of the functional unit to make this

Functional unit containing transport container by another transport container, the identical,

operable functional unit contains to replace. In this case, such, suitable for this modular design

Transport container to be provided with interfaces that facilitate the integration of the transport container in one

existing interconnection of transport containers.

The transport container unit 10 also has interfaces 42 and 44, which serve for the acceptance or disposal of sorted goods 30. These are formed as recesses in side walls of the corresponding transport container 12 and are connected to storage spaces (not shown), in which the

Sorted goods 30 are stored before or after the sorting process. These storage rooms can also be used as stowage spaces of other transport containers 12, which at the

Transport container unit 10 adjoin, be formed.

The control room 26 is the storage space 18.7 of the other

Transport container 12.7 formed adjacent to the other, the sorting space 24 forming transport containers 12. The power supply and control system 46 has a

Power unit 48, which serves to supply the sorting system 20 with electrical energy and, in cooperation with a control unit 50, which is also arranged in the control room 26, an operating performance of the sorting system 20 and controlled by their individual functional units 32. The power unit 48 may also include an uninterruptible power supply unit (UPS or UPS) and / or power compensation means. When

Power source is provided an interface 52 which on the outer shell of the transport unit 10, namely the

Transport container 12.7, is mounted, and one

Plug unit for fixing connectors represents, by means of which a connection to an electrical network can be made. As an alternative or additional Power supply is a solar power system 54 is provided, which serves for the production of solar power and eg as

Photovoltaic system is formed. The single ones

Units of the power supply and control system 46 are interconnected by means of a cabling system 55

connected to the manufacture of a power and

Data connection between these units, the interfaces 52, 56 and another, described below

Wiring system 64 of the sorting space 24 is used.

The transport container 12.7 of the transport unit 10 is provided with a further interface 56, which is also attached to the outer shell of the transport container 12.7 and for connecting the transport unit 10 with an external

Data network is provided. In the control room 26 is also an electronic data processing or EDP unit 58 is arranged, which is provided for processing data from the external data network and the individual functional units 32 of the sorting system 20. The computer unit 58 is connected to the control unit 50 - and via this with the

external data network - and connected to control stations 60, the one of the sorting system 20th

controlling staff are served. The

Control stations 60 in this case have means for displaying and inputting information by the staff and are designed, for example, as computers. The control room 26 has a first part, in which the power unit 48, the control unit 50, the solar power system 54 and the computer unit 58 are arranged, and preferably

is air conditioned. This first part is separated from a second part in which the workstations 60 and possibly bearing means 62 for storing spare parts are installed.

The transport container unit 10 is further provided with a

Wiring system 64 provided, which is shown very schematically in the figure. It serves on the one hand to

electrical supply of the individual functional units 32 of the sorting system 20 and connects them with the Power unit 48. On the other hand, by means of

Wiring system 64 a data transfer between the computer unit 58 and the individual functional units 32 of

Sorting system 20 allows. For data transfer, the cabling system 64 has a data bus, e.g. when

Fieldbus is formed. In particular, data from the power unit 48 in cooperation with the control unit 50 and the computer unit 58 for controlling actuators or a drive motor of a functional unit 32 can be transmitted to this functional unit 32. Furthermore, data from sensors of a functional unit 32 can be transmitted to the computer unit 58 for evaluation, wherein the

evaluated data can be displayed to the staff by means of the control stations 60. For data transfer and the use of means for wireless transmission is conceivable. To connect a wiring of the control room 26 with a wiring of the sorting room 24, the

Wiring system 64 have a direct connection, in particular if, as shown, the control room 26 forming transport container 12.7 to the other, the

Sorting space 24 forming transport containers 12 adjacent. During the transport of the sorting system 20 to a

Site is at least an essential part of

Wiring system 64 in a ready-to-use state available to keep a cabling overhead in a construction of the sorting system on site as small as possible.

Alternatively, this connection may be by means of an interface 66, e.g. are mounted in the form of plug-in options on the outer shell of the corresponding transport container, which is particularly suitable for an arrangement in which the transport container is 12.7 spatially separated from the other transport containers 12. This is shown in FIG. The interface 66 is connected to a corresponding one by means of a cable connection

Interface 68 is connected to plug-in options on one of the sorting space 24 forming transport container 12, wherein the interfaces 66, 68 and this Cable connection the sorting system is supplied with power and a data transfer between the sorting room 24 and the

Control room 26 can take place. If the sorting system 20 is to be put into operation at one site, the components of the sorting system 20, in particular the functional units 32, in the

Transport containers 12 transported to this site. Here, the transported by means of a transport container 12 functional units 32 can be placed during transport in a suitable arrangement for the transport process in the storage space 18 of the transport container 12, which differs from a suitable for the operation of the sorting system 20 arrangement. In the assembled state of the composite of the transport container 12.1 to 12.6 and after the formation of the sorting space 24, these functional units 32 are then brought into their operating position.

In a further embodiment it is provided that

Functional units 32 are provided during transport in the storage space 18 of the corresponding transport container 12 in a position that is responsible for their operation in this

Storage space 18 after formation of the sorting space 24 is suitable. Referring to Figure 2, e.g. the automatic

Feeder 40 during transport in

Transport container 12.3 already be arranged in the position shown, in which they at startup of the

Sorting system 20 is operated. In a transport of energy supply and

Control system 46 by means of the transport container 12.7, the cabling system 55 of this power supply and control system 46 is already provided in a ready state. Especially with regard to

Configuration of Figure 3 provides for a use of the transport container 12.7 shown in Figure 4, that this is separated after operation with the sorting system 20 of this, then the power supply and Control system 46 is transported by means of the transport container 12.7 to another site 70, and is used at this site 70 for supply or for controlling a further sorting system 72.

Claims

claims

1. transport container unit with at least one

Transport container (12), which is used to transport

Functional units (32), which are components of a sorting installation (20) for processing sorted goods (30), are provided, and in which functional units (32) of the sorting installation (20) are provided for their operation in the same transport container (12).

2. Transport container unit according to claim 1, characterized by a composite of transport containers (12.1 to 12.6), which form a sorting space (24) in the assembled state, in which the sorting system (20) is provided for operation.

3. Transport container unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the transport container (12) as

Cargo container is formed.

4. transport container unit according to claim 2 and 3, characterized in that the composite is a composite of

Freight containers is.

5. Transport container unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that during a

Transports in the transport container (12) functional units (32) are provided in a suitable for a success in the transport container (12) operation position.

6. Transport container unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a further

Transport container (12.7), the storage space (18.7) a

Control room (26) forms, in which a power supply and / or control system (46) for supply or

Controlling the sorting system (20) is provided.

7. transport container unit according to claim 6, characterized in that the further transport container (12.7) is designed as a freight container.

8. transport container unit according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that during transport by means of the further transport container (12.7) an at least in

Substantially ready cabling system (55) for operating the power supply and / or control system (46) is provided.

9. Transport container unit according to one of the preceding claims, on the outer shell of an interface (52, 56) for the separable energy and / or data supply of

Sorting system (20) is arranged.

10. Use of a transport container unit (10) with at least one transport container (12), in which

Functional units (32) which are components of a sorting plant (20) for processing sorted goods (30),

be transported, and in which, after transport, functional units (32) of the sorting system (20) are operated.

11. Use according to claim 10, characterized in that the transport container unit (10) has a plurality

Transport container (12.1 to 12.6), in which the sorting system (20) forming functional units (32)

are transported and assembled after transport to form a sorting space (24), in which the sorting system (20) is operated.

12. Use according to claim 10 or 11, characterized

in that the transport container unit (10) has a further transport container (12.7) whose storage space (18.7) forms a control space (26) in which a

Energy supply and / or control system (46) for

Supplying or controlling the sorting system (20) is provided, wherein the transport container (12.7) after operation with the sorting system (20) of the

Sorting system (20) is separated, to another

Place of use (70) by means of the transport container (12.7)

transported at this site (70) for

Supply or for controlling a further sorting system (20) is used.