WO2019011579A1

WO2019011579A1 - Method and device for handling piece goods, articles and/or containers

Info

Publication number: WO2019011579A1
Application number: PCT/EP2018/065877
Authority: WO
Inventors: Johannes KIRZINGER; Sebastian Grimm; Arsalan MEHDI; Christian Westermeier; Erhard Beer; Felix SCHWALB; Manuel Kollmuss; Marco Ehberger; Michael Astner
Original assignee: Krones Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 2017-07-14
Filing date: 2018-06-14
Publication date: 2019-01-17
Also published as: DE102017212160A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for handling piece goods (2) in the context of the grouping and/or layer formation thereof. According to the invention, the piece goods (2) are conveyed in two or three rows by means of at least two parallel transport devices (3a, 3b) in a transport direction (TR) to a grouping module (20) with a horizontal conveyor device (6) and a manipulator (5). The piece goods (2) are seized by the manipulator (5) respectively individually or in groups of at least two piece goods (2) one after the other and/or alternately from the at least two rows (1a, 1b) and are inserted into a defined layer arrangement by turning and/or moving and/or lifting. After each time at least one piece good (2) is seized or after the second or third time at least one piece good (2) is seized, which has been transported by one of the two transport devices (3a, 3b) into the seizing region (4) of the manipulator (5), the respective other transport device (3a, 3b) or the respective other transport devices (3a, 3b) together with the closed formation (F) or the interstitial formation of the piece goods (2) conveyed thereon is or are at least temporarily delayed in relation to the transport device (3a, 3b) from which the at least one piece good (2) has been seized by the manipulator (5) and inserted into the layer arrangement.

Description

Method and device for the handling of general cargo,

Articles and / or content

The present invention relates to a method and a device for

Handling of piece goods, articles and / or containers according to the features of the independent claims 1 and 12, respectively.

In known methods for packaging and / or palletizing of piece goods such as packages, containers o. The like. These are initially promoted in lines

Conveying transported and appropriately moved, aligned and / or assembled to produce desired layer images, which can then be stacked several times, for example. On prepared pallets. These treatment steps can be usefully used, in particular, in systems for the treatment of containers for drinks. The piece goods in question may be, for example, parcels, boxes, cartons, containers or clusters. In order for the mentioned pallets to be transport safe, the compiled layer images, which are also referred to as compiled cycles, must meet certain requirements. Conventionally, preparatory to the formation of such clocks

Measures necessary, for example, which consist of regularly or gradually transported on a so-called allocation belt on a piece goods

To group or collect intermediate conveyor belt to collect them from there and / or grouped to a layer forming band or a layer forming table.

From the prior art, it is known to hand over individual cargo from an allocation belt on a conveyor belt, which means that on the

Each individual piece goods are transferred to the conveyor belt. This transfer can be done by each individual piece goods through a

Speed difference between the conveyor belt and conveyor belt is transferred individually to the conveyor belt, wherein control by optical sensors such as light barriers may be present. It is also conceivable to transfer the piece goods occasionally from the conveyor belt by stepwise driving the layer forming belt. In order to transfer individual piece goods from the conveyor belt to the ply forming belt in such a way, the ply forming belt can be synchronized Steps with the conveyor belt exactly by a length of a piece goods in

Transport direction are moved. Depending on the desired layer formation, these cycles or groupings or parts of the grouped piece goods can also be rotated on the conveyor belt, in order then to be transferred to the layer forming belt. For the design of group tables, the merging of

General cargo such as As cartons, shrink packs, trays and plastic boxes are used, the prior art knows different variants. So can about

Piece goods are brought together by bringing them into a two-dimensional formation (block formation, eg pallet layer). For this purpose, for example, a

Roller conveyor from an alley or from several lanes be supplied linearly. The piece goods can be rotated as required before or on the roller conveyor and placed on the roller conveyor mechanically by stopping in the required position. The piece goods thus positioned can then be pushed off the roller conveyor orthogonally to the transport direction. The inflow, the arrangement and the removal of the piece goods can be considered as one cycle. At least one cycle is needed to make a layer, but normally it takes several cycles. The partially discontinuous production with its relatively abrupt changes in speed or direction causes correspondingly high mechanical loads on the piece goods, which is gentle on the product

Processing of general cargo may be detrimental.

The object of the invention is a method and an apparatus for handling and / or grouping in at least two parallel rows

supplied piece goods, items and / or containers that have an increased throughput over known methods and apparatus for sheet formation and in particular work process-reliable and error-free.

This object is achieved with the objects of the independent claims, i. achieved by a method and an apparatus for handling and / or grouping of piece goods, articles and / or containers, which the features of

independent claims. Features of advantageous developments of the invention will become apparent from the respective dependent claims.

The invention relates to a method and a device for handling and / or grouping of piece goods, articles and / or containers at and / or in connection with their grouping and / or their layer formation, in particular for Purpose of training of each consisting of several piece goods, articles and / or containers palettierfähigen layers. The following is generally of

General cargo spoken. The piece goods can be in a row

consecutively moving articles, packages, container compositions, containers, cartons or similar act. For example, it can be provided that a plurality of identical or different articles are combined by a cardboard outer packaging, by a strapping or several strapping, by a film package or the like to form a container or a mixed container. Furthermore, a plurality of beverage containers, which are held together by a shrink wrap, for example, by a strapping band or several strapping bands, each form a piece goods. The piece goods moving in series one behind the other can be designed the same or different depending on the requirements of subsequent handling devices.

The device comprises at least two transport devices for two- or multi-row conveyance of piece goods, articles and / or containers in one

Transport direction. The moving in a row without distances or with minimal distances and / or to a - especially manipulation area or

Detection area or movement area referred to, at least two immediately successive piece goods are preferably referred to as

transported closed formation. The term "closed formation" refers to a largely continuous succession of piece goods, the

be transported one behind the other. The closed formation in the sense of the present invention may have a finite length and a limited number of piece goods, after which a gap and such a gap may possibly follow another such formation, which is subsequently transported. Such a sequence may be repeated, possibly even multiple, multiple or indefinite. The closed formation can also be transported as an endless formation, which has no interruption and comprises any number of piece goods. As a different option, however, to some embodiments of the

inventive method for dealing with in at least one row

The piece goods moved in succession and / or the apparatus according to the invention for handling unit loads moved in succession or else to several variants of this method or apparatus can move in defined rows without respective distances or with minimum respective distances from each other and / or or to one - in particular Manipulation area or detection area said area transported at least two immediately consecutive cargo each transported in clocked formations or transported. With the concept of clocked

Formation and / or the clocked inflow is a largely regular

By succession of defined series of goods meant to be transported in the defined rows one behind the other, but between successive rows, the defined gaps may occur, which means the concept of timing of the feed or the timing of the formations. The closed and / or gapless rows in the sense of the present invention can each have a finite length and comprise a limited number of piece goods, according to which a gap and such a gap may optionally follow another such row with each piece of goods following each other in succession is transported. Such a sequence may be repeated, possibly also multiple, multiple or indefinite, preferably in regular sequence, but possibly also in cyclic regular patterns or in irregular sequence. The closed rows of such a clocked formation can basically each comprise any number of piece goods.

About the at least two transport devices, the piece goods are two or more rows in each closed and / or gapless formation or in

Formation with gaps between each piece goods to one

Grouping module transported with at least one horizontal conveyor and at least one manipulator for the cargo. The manipulator detects at least one of the incoming into his detection area cargo or groups of two or more cargo of one of the at least two feeding rows and brings them by turning and / or moving and / or lifting in a defined position arrangement. This creates a so-called prepared palletizable layer in which there may still be gaps between individual piece goods, which still have to be removed before the actual palletizing step.

From the goods arriving in a closed formation, at least one piece of goods being transported is detected in succession by the manipulator of the grouping module and brought into a defined position arrangement by turning and / or shifting and / or lifting. In particular, by the manipulator of

Gruppiermoduls at least one transported piece goods clamped and / or

positively and / or positively detected spatially from the closed formation separated and brought into a defined relative target position and / or target orientation against subsequent cargo of the respective formation or series.

From the closed rows of a clocked, gap-shaped formations can also each at least one transported piece goods clamped and / or positively and / or positively detected spatially separated from the gapped row of clocked formation and in a defined relative target position and / or target orientation or position arrangement subsequent piece goods of the formation are brought, wherein usually a foremost present cargo of the respective series is detected by means of the manipulator and tapped from the series. When in the context of the present invention from a clamping

Detection of piece goods is mentioned, this also includes a non-positive and / or frictional detection, a non-positive and / or frictional gripping or picking up piece goods. All these variants of picking up, grasping and / or gripping piece goods can be combined equally with a form-locking gripping, gripping or picking up the piece goods. When in the

Context of the present invention of a target position and / or

Target orientation is mentioned, this may in particular mean that the piece goods can be detected, moved and / or rotated, the piece goods can be either only shifted (without rotation) or only rotated (without sliding movement) can be.

The piece goods are within the grouping module on the

Horizontal conveyor with a conveying speed of

Horizontal conveyor transports, individual piece goods or groups of

Piece goods are grasped and grasped by the manipulator and on the

Horizontal conveyor moved, offset, positioned and / or realigned. Optionally, the piece goods in this case can be delayed or accelerated relative to a basic conveying speed of the horizontal conveyor and possibly rotated and / or offset obliquely to a conveying direction of the horizontal conveyor. The conveying speed of the horizontal conveyor usually corresponds to the basic feed rate at which the piece goods over the at least two

Enter transport facilities in the grouping module.

In accordance with various methods to be carried out with the device, reference is also made to the application with the file reference DE 10 2016 225 499.5, whose Content is hereby incorporated into this application and the contents of which the reader of the present application is deemed to be known.

It is provided that after each detection of at least one piece goods or after the two or three times detecting at least one piece good of a incoming via one of the transport devices series of cargo the / of one of the at least two transport devices in the detection range of

Manipulator were transported, the other transport device or the other transport devices together with the transported on it cargo is at least briefly against the transport of which the at least one cargo is detected by the manipulator and brought into the ply assembly is / is delayed. The delay is preferably parallel to tapping and

Positioning at least one piece good by the manipulator or at least directly afterwards, in any case in a timely manner.

As a result, by tapping at least one piece good

different length rows of incoming into the detection area cargo within the detection area are matched in length to each other again. Due to the at least short-term delay of at least one of the two or more transport devices, the piece goods transported thereon are transferred, in particular delayed, to the grouping module and to a positioning of the goods on the respective other transport device or the respectively other one

Transport devices arranged piece goods adjusted within the coverage.

According to one embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the

Transport devices each have a basic transport speed and the

Horizontal conveyor have a basic conveying speed in the transport direction. The basic transport speeds of at least two

Transport equipment and the basic conveying speed of

Horizontal conveyor are preferably the same. Now it can be provided that at approximately constant basic conveying speed of

Horizontal conveyer, the adjustment of the positions of each of the vorderst transported on the two or more transport devices for Gruppiermodul piece goods are produced by reducing the transport speeds of those transport devices whose piece goods each not detected by the manipulator and

were positioned. That is, the piece goods of the series, of which at least one Piece goods are detected, separated and positioned by the manipulator, enter the grouping module with an unchanged basic transport speed, while the piece goods of the at least one parallel row come with a reduced amount

Enter transport speed in the Gruppiermodul. According to one embodiment of the invention, when tapping at least one piece good by the manipulator at least a brief acceleration of the manipulator together with the at least one detected piece goods within the

Movement space done with at least one component of movement in the transport direction. In this way, a distance between the detected by the manipulator piece goods and the subsequent piece goods of the same row is made. This distance may be necessary for the subsequent movement sequence of the manipulator together with the at least one registered piece goods, for example, during a rotation o.ä. to prevent a collision with the directly trailing piece goods of the row. Even with an alternate detection of piece goods, which are transported from the respective at least two transport devices for Gruppiermodul, it may be useful to delay the respective at least one other transport device whose piece goods are not detected in their transport speed and thus always the lengths of the rows to be matched to general cargo within the coverage area. In particular, in each case the transport speed (s) of the transport device (s) whose piece goods are not detected by the manipulator in one working cycle will / will be adapted to the number of the other

Transport device recorded cargo reduced. Will only be a piece of good from

Detected manipulator, so the at least one second transport device is delayed to a first reduced transport speed. If, on the other hand, two piece goods are detected by the manipulator, then the at least one second transport device is delayed to a second reduced transport speed which is less than the first reduced transport speed. For example, the difference between the basic transport speed and the second reduced transport speed corresponds approximately twice to the difference between the basic transport speed and the first reduced transport speed, etc. Alternatively, the respective reduced transport speed can be delayed in each case, wherein the respective time period in which the transport device operated at reduced transport speed, is adapted in accordance with the number of packaged goods detected by the manipulator and in particular is longer, the more packaged goods have been tapped by the manipulator.

According to one embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the piece goods brought into the layer arrangement are subsequently further handling, stacking and / or palletizing modules arranged downstream of the grouping module

be forwarded, for example, at least one Vorgruppierung, in which, where appropriate, between the arranged according to a predetermined location scheme within the Gruppiermoduls piece goods through gaps

Collapse the prepared within the Gruppiermoduls be removed position before this so-called compressed or closed position, for example, transferred to a pallet.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the detection area and / or the movement space of the at least one manipulator at least one

Detection device is assigned, which moved to obtain spatial coordinates and / or position and / or outline data at least one in the transport direction

Piece good is prepared and equipped, wherein at least the at least two of the Gruppiermodul upstream transport facilities and / or the manipulator and / or other conveyor components of the device based on the space coordinates and / or position and / or outline data calibrated and / or controlled. For this purpose, the device is equipped with at least one control unit, which from the

Detection device evaluates transmitted signals or data and regulated according to the speeds of the different machine components.

The detection device may be, for example, an optical detection device for determining the spatial coordinates and / or position and / or outline data. According to a preferred embodiment, the

Detecting device parallel to the transport direction of the cargo along the

Transport device and / or the horizontal conveyor are moved. A device with movably trained detection device is described in the application with the file reference 10 2016 213 400.0, the content of which hereby in this

Application is recorded and the contents of which the reader of the present application is deemed to be known.

It should be mentioned at this point that all aspects and

Embodiment variants, in connection with the device according to the invention have been explained equally part aspects of the method according to the invention or can be. Therefore, if at some point in the description or in the claim definitions for the device according to the invention of certain aspects and / or relationships and / or effects is mentioned, this is equally true for the inventive method. Conversely, the same applies, so that all aspects and variants which have been explained in connection with the method according to the invention can equally relate to or may be partial aspects of the device according to the invention. Therefore, if at some point in the description or in the claim definitions for the method according to the invention of certain aspects and / or relationships and / or effects is mentioned, this applies equally to the inventive device.

In the following, embodiments of the invention and their advantages with reference to the accompanying figures will be explained in more detail. The proportions of the individual elements to one another in the figures do not always correspond to the actual size ratios, since some shapes are simplified and other shapes are shown enlarged in relation to other elements for better illustration.

Figures 1 to 1 1 show a meaningful timing of a first

Embodiment of a method according to the invention with at least

two-lane inlet. FIG. 12 shows a palletizable layer prepared by means of the method according to the invention.

For identical or equivalent elements of the invention, identical reference numerals are used. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, only reference symbols are shown in the individual figures, which are required for the description of the respective figure. The illustrated embodiments are merely examples of how the device or method of the invention may be configured and are not an exhaustive limitation.

The schematic plan views of Figures 1 to 1 1 a meaningful timing of a first embodiment of a method according to the invention with at least two-lane inlet.

The handling device 10 comprises at least two feeding

Transport devices 3a and 3b, via which immediately successive Piece goods 2 each in a row 1 a, 1 b are transported without interruption and / or with a continuous transport speed v3a, v3b to a Gruppiermodul 20 with at least one manipulator 5, in particular in a detection area 4 (in Fig. 1 by hatching) of the at least one Manipulator 5 of

Handling device 10. The detection area 4 means in the present

In particular, the maximum and / or the respective program-controlled predetermined movement space of the manipulator 5. The detection range 4 or

its outer spatial boundary may be greater than the outer limits of the horizontal conveyor 6 pretend, on the approximately horizontal top conveyed by the transport devices 3a, 3b piece goods 2 and / or positioned by means of the manipulator 5 and / or moved. Normally, however, the detection area 4 of the manipulator 5 is the reasonable range of motion in which can be located to be detected cargo 2 and / or in which the

can be positioned to be discontinued piece goods 2. The transport devices 3a, 3b are each at least one, for example

Conveyor belt or at least one other suitable conveyor on which the piece goods 2 are preferably each transported in a single row, wherein between each directly successive piece goods 2 each row 1 a, 1 b no or only a slight, possibly process-related and / or predetermined gap exists. In particular, each of the transport devices 3 a, 3 b can be formed by an endlessly circulating conveyor belt, an endless conveyor chain or the like, so that the piece goods 2 can be delivered to the horizontal conveyor device 6 and brought up therewith. The piece goods 2 located in rows 1 a, 1 b on the transport devices 3 a, 3 b enter the detection area 4 of the manipulator 5 at a transport speed v3a, v3b in a so-called closed formation F. But it can also be provided that between the cargo 2 of the two rows 1 a, 1 b respectively defined distances are formed.

Piece goods 2 in the sense of the present invention or the embodiment described may be, for example, individual items, packages or containers. Parcels or containers may, for example, be shrink-wrap packages and / or strapping packages or the like, whereby normally several articles, such as in particular containers, liquid and / or beverage containers, are provided by means of an outer packaging in the form of a strapping, a shrink film or the like. are bundled into containers. The detection area 4 of the manipulator is associated with a horizontal conveyor 6, the piece goods 2, 2 ^* bearing surface with a

Conveying speed v6 moves. In particular, the conveying speed v6 of the horizontal conveying device 6 can be the transport speeds v3a, v3b of the

Transport devices 3a, 3b correspond. Optionally, the

Transport speeds v3a, v3b and the conveying speed v6 also differ slightly, provided that it can be ensured that the uninterrupted promotion of cargo 2 to the horizontal conveyor 6 is maintained. The piece goods 2 arriving in rows 1 a, 1 b or formation F via the transport devices 3 a, 3 b can, if necessary, be formed at different transport speeds v 3 a, v 3 b and v 6 due to the higher transport speed v 3 a, v 3 b

Dynamic pressure of the subsequent piece goods 2 are pushed onto the horizontal conveyor 6 and transported there without interruption. However, it is necessary in this case to reduce this dynamic pressure by suitable measures, for example by means of a rubberized conveyor belt of the horizontal conveyor 6 and / or by means of a rubberized conveyor belt of the transport devices 3a, 3b, optionally also by a between the transport devices 3a, 3b and

Horizontal conveyor 6 located so-called. Brake band, which is characterized by a piece goods 2 supporting surface with a particularly high coefficient of friction. These or other suitable measures ensure precise positioning of the respective piece goods 2 at the respective detection location in the detection area 4, so that a precise takeover by the manipulator 5 is to be ensured. However, it should be emphasized that such measures reduce the

resulting dynamic pressure are not desirable, even if they are indispensable or useful depending on the selected configuration of the moving parts.

The manipulator 5 is designed and equipped for the clamping and / or positive and / or non-positive reception of piece goods 2 within the detection area 4. The piece goods 2 detected by the manipulator 5 - i.e. usually the incoming goods in the first piece of goods 2 -

Distinction from the other in the formation F and the overall formation arranged piece goods 2 by the reference numeral 2 ^* denotes. In particular, the manipulator 5 picks up one of the two rows 1 a, 1 b in accordance with a cycle ^* predetermined for the layer formation, one cycle comprising a defined number of piece goods 2 ^* . In Fig. 4, the manipulator 5 of the row 1 a a clock comprising a general cargo 2 from, separates this clock from the single-row formation F of the row 1 a and transfers the cycle, ie, the separated piece goods 2 ^* , to a destination position P1 and / or destination orientation (compare FIGS. 5 to 8). It can be provided that the piece goods 2 or the group of packaged goods 2 ^* ^* is shifted laterally with respect to the incoming formation F of row 1 a and / or it may be provided that the piece goods 2 ^* or the group of packaged goods 2 ^* is spaced by the manipulator 5 in the transport direction TR of the respective row 1 a, 1 b of the piece goods 2 and / or that the parcel 2 ^* or the group of parcels 2 ^* compared to the parcels 2 of the respective row 1 a, 1 b is twisted or similar.

If in the present case or generally in the context of the present invention is generalized by a manipulator 5, it may be specifically in the for transferring the at least one tapped by the manipulator piece goods 2 ^* in the target position P1 and / or target orientation provided part of Manipulator 5, for example, a tool head, a gripper head 50 or the like.

act, which is, for example, supported on movably mounted cantilever arms and stored, which cantilever arms in turn typically on a frame or frame o. The like. Can be mounted fixed to the frame. Such - also known as parallel kinematic arrangement - Manipulatoraufhängung or manipulator allows the desired mobility of the gripper head 50 (also: the manipulator 5), the piece goods 2 ^* in the desired manner capture, move, position, place, rotate, etc. in order to be able to approach the respective target positions P1 and / or target orientations for the piece goods 2 ^* . However, other suitable manipulator configurations are also conceivable, for example those with gantry robot guides or the like. These other manipulator configurations may optionally refer to single, multiple or all variant embodiments mentioned in the context of the present description of the drawings and / or the entire description of the invention.

The manipulator 5 can in this embodiment and / or in the

For example, by a gripper head 50 with lateral jaws 52 or the like. be formed (see FIG. 1) or include such a gripper head 50 with lateral jaws 52, which are typically deliverable against each other when detecting the cargo 2 ^{* to} form and / or force-locking to capture the cargo and clamp, whereas the jaws 52 can be opened again when reaching the target position P1. If in the present context or in the present description, therefore, from a manipulator 5 and / or from a gripper or gripper head 50, so can these terms may be used as synonyms; if necessary, the gripper or gripper head 50 should also be regarded as a subassembly or component of the more comprehensive manipulator 5 to be understood.

FIGS. 1 to 8 show, in particular, the tapping of a cycle comprising a single article 2 ^* of the row 1 a. In this case, an asymmetrical loading of the manipulator 5 takes place relative to a pivot point D of the manipulator 5 or relative to the length L of the gripper head 50 of the manipulator 5. The cargo 2 ^{* of} the clock is compared to the incoming piece goods 2 of the series 1 a in

Spaced transport direction and in particular by means of a 180 ° rotation in the counterclockwise direction in a target position P1 in alignment with the trailing piece goods 2 of the series 1 a transferred (Figures 4 to 8). It can be provided that the manipulator 5 is accelerated directly after tapping the clock briefly in the transport direction to make an offset against the trailing piece goods 2 of the series 1 a and to perform the rotational movement, without the trailing piece goods 2 of the series 1 a to collide.

In Fig. 9, the tapping of another clock comprising a single piece 2 ^{* of the} same row 1 a is shown below. The general cargo 2 ^{* of} the clock is compared with the following incoming piece goods 2 of the series 1 a in

Transport direction TR spaced and transferred by means of a 90 ° clockwise rotation in a target position P2 laterally offset to the trailing piece goods 2 of the series 1 a (Figures 10 and 1 1).

According to the method described here, when tapping at least one piece good 2 ^* of one of the two rows 1 a by the manipulator 5, a delay of the feed of the piece goods 2 of the other row 1 b provided. In particular, when repeated successive tapping at least one piece good 2 ^{* of} the same row 1 a by the manipulator 5, the transport speed v3b of the feeding conveyor 3b of the other row 1 b at least temporarily reduced to a reduced transport speed v3b (-) to advance the piece goods 2 of the row 1 b in the detection area 4 of the manipulator 5 with respect to the piece goods 2 of the other row 1 a to prevent (Figures 6 to 9).

Once the piece goods 2 of the two rows 1 a, 1 b occupy a same position perpendicular to the transport direction TR, it can be provided that the reduced Transport speed v3b (-) of the transport device 3b is again adapted to the normal transport speed v3a of the transport device 3a (Fig. 10).

For example, each transport device 3a, 3b, a sensor 40a, 40b assigned to the space coordination and / or position data of the incoming cargo 2 of the respective series 1 a, 1 b recognizes and this data to a

Control unit 15 transmitted. This compares the values and fits the

Transport speeds v3a, v3b of the transport devices 3a, 3b accordingly.

The schematic view of FIG. 12 shows a palletizable layer 12 prepared by means of the method according to the invention, which is subsequently the other one

Processing, in particular the centering and palletizing, can be supplied.

The method described here of the feed delay at least two-lane inlet to piece goods 2, in particular the feed delay

derjeweiligen row 1 b from the no piece goods 2 are tapped, can also be used to advantage, in order to adjust the position of the respective first incoming piece goods 2 of the rows 1 a, 1 b perpendicular to the transport direction TR, if

For example, in a subsequent method step, a cycle comprising at least one article 2 of a series 1 a and at least one article 2 of the other series 1 b to be detected by the manipulator 5 and conveyed to a target position.

The embodiments, examples and variations of the preceding paragraphs, the claims or the following description and the figures, including their various views or respective individual features, may be used independently or in any combination. Features that in

Connection with an embodiment are described for all

Embodiments applicable, provided that the features are not incompatible. The

This invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that modifications or changes may be made to the invention without departing from the scope of the following claims. It is possible to apply some of the components or features of one of the examples in combination with features or components of another example. LIST OF REFERENCES

1 a, 1 b row

2 piece goods

2 ^* torn general cargo

3a, 3b transport device

4 detection area

5 manipulator

6 horizontal conveyor

10 handling device 12 prepared palletizable layer 15 control unit

20 grouping module

40a, 40b sensor

50 gripper head

52 jaw

D pivot point

F formation

L length

P1, P2 target position

TR transport direction

v3a, v3b transport speed

v3b (-) reduced transport speed v6 conveying speed

Claims

claims

Method for handling piece goods (2), articles and / or containers at and / or in connection with their grouping and / or their layer formation, in particular for the purpose of forming palletisable items consisting of a plurality of piece goods (2), articles and / or containers Layers (12),

- The method, the two- or multi-row promotion of piece goods (2), articles and / or container by means of at least two approximately parallel transport means (3a, 3b) in a transport direction (TR) in each case

closed and / or gapless formation or in formation with gaps between each of the units (2), articles and / or containers to a grouping module (20) with at least one horizontal conveyor (6) and at least one manipulator (5),

- wherein the piece goods (2), articles and / or container with the manipulator (5) within the Gruppiermoduls (20) of the at least two closed

Formations (F) or sidelined formations, each individually or in groups of two or more units (2), articles and / or packages consecutively and / or alternately from the two or more series (1 a, 1 b), and by rotation and / or or shifting and / or lifting are brought into a defined position arrangement,

- After each detected at least one piece (2), article and / or container or after two or three times detecting at least one piece (2), article and / or container, the / one of at least two

Transport devices (3a, 3b) were transported into the detection area (4) of the manipulator (5), each having other transport means (3a, 3b) or the respective other transport means (3a, 3b) together with the conveyed thereon

closed formation (F) or gap formation of the piece goods (2), articles and / or containers at least for a short time with respect to the transport device (3a, 3b) from which the at least one piece (2), article and / or container from the manipulator (5) recorded and placed in the layer arrangement is / was delayed.

A method according to claim 1, wherein the temporary delay of at least one of the two or more transport means (3a, 3b) carrying them Delayed goods (2), articles and / or containers delayed to the grouping module (20) passed and to a positioning of the frontmost on the other

Transport device (3a, 3b) or the respective other transport means (3a, 3b) arranged piece goods (2), articles and / or containers are adjusted.

Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the transport devices (3a, 3b) each have a basic transport speed (v3a, v3b) and the horizontal conveyor (6) have a basic conveying speed (v6) in the transporting direction (TR), the basic transport speeds (v3a, v3b) and the basic conveying speed (v6) are the same.

Method according to Claim 3, in which, with the basic conveying speed (v6) of the horizontal conveying device (6) remaining approximately the same, the positions of the piece goods (2) conveyed in each case first on the two or more conveying devices (3a, 3b) to the grouping module (20), Article and / or container by reducing each of the transport speeds (v3a, v3b) of those transport devices (3a, 3b) are produced whose cargo (2), articles and / or containers were not detected and positioned by the manipulator (5).

Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an at least short-term acceleration of the manipulator (5) together with the at least one detected

Piece goods (2), articles and / or container within the movement space (4) with at least one movement component in the transport direction (TR) takes place.

Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein in case of alternate detection of piece goods (2), articles and / or containers, which are transported from the respective at least two transport means (3a, 3b) to the grouping module (20), each at least one other transport device (3a, 3b), whose piece goods (2), articles and / or containers are not detected, in their transport speed (v3a, v3b) is delayed.

Method according to Claim 5, in which the transport speed (s) (v3a, v3b) of the transport device (s) (3a, 3b), their piece goods (2), articles and / or containers are not detected by the manipulator (5) during a working cycle , in

Adaptation to the number of each of other transport means (3a, 3b) detected piece goods (2), articles and / or container is reduced.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the within the

Grouping module (20) brought into the layer arrangement cargo (2), articles and / or container in the transport direction (TR) to the Gruppiermodul (20)

downstream further handling, stacking and / or Pallettiermodulen be forwarded.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the detection area (4) and / or the movement space of the at least one manipulator (5) at least one detection device (40a, 40b) is assigned, which is for the production of

Space coordinates and / or position and / or outline data at least one in the transport direction (TR) moving piece goods (2), article and / or container is prepared and equipped, wherein at least the at least two

Grouping module (20) upstream transport means (3a, 3b) and / or the manipulator (5) and / or further conveying components of the device (10) on the basis of the spatial coordinates and / or position and / or outline data calibrated and / or controlled.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the detection device is an optical detection device that determines the spatial coordinates and / or position and / or outline data parallel to the transport direction of the piece goods along at least one of the transport devices , 3b) and / or the

Horizontal conveyor (6) is moved.

1 1. Method according to Claim 9 or 10, in which the detection device (40)

transmit corresponding signals to a control unit (15), which the

Speeds of at least one of the Gruppiermodul (20) upstream transport means (3a, 3b) and / or the manipulator (5) and / or further delivery components of the device (10) sets.

12. Device for handling piece goods (2), articles and / or containers at and / or in connection with their grouping and / or their layer formation, in particular for the purpose of training from each several piece goods (2), articles and / or containers existing palletizable layers (12) for

Implementation of a method according to one of claims 1 to 11.