WO2020245102A1

WO2020245102A1 - Collection device, tray conveyor and method for stacking trays

Info

Publication number: WO2020245102A1
Application number: PCT/EP2020/065184
Authority: WO
Inventors: Louis Möhringer
Original assignee: Interroll Holding Ag
Priority date: 2019-06-03
Filing date: 2020-06-02
Publication date: 2020-12-10
Also published as: DE102019003898A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a collection device (1 ) for stacking trays (20) of a tray conveyor (100) comprising a stack receiver (10) for receiving several trays (20) from the tray conveyor (100) stacked on top of each other and a cover (30) reversibly movable between a covering position and an open position. The cover (30) is configured to support a tray (20) from a conveyor track (110) of the tray conveyor (100) that conveys to the stack receiver (10). Stacking means are used to remove the cover (30). In the covering position, the cover (30) is arranged above the stack receiver (10) in such a way that it at least partially covers the stack receiver (10) from above. In the open position, the cover (30) is arranged so that the stack holder (10) is at least partially open at the top. The stacking means are configured in such a way that when the cover (30) is moved from the covering position to the open position, a tray (20), which is arranged on the cover (30) in the cover position, is transferred to the stack receiver (10).

Description

description

COLLECTION DEVICE, BUCKET CONVEYOR AND METHOD FOR

STACKING TRAYS

The invention relates to a collecting device, a tub conveyor and a

Method of stacking trays.

Bucket conveyors are often used at airports, especially at security checkpoints. Objects such as Jackets, hand luggage and the baggage contents of the passengers are placed in tubs, which are driven along a conveyor track of the tub conveyor through an examination device. The tubs are used to always transport the objects in the same conveying direction along the tub conveyor.

If the tubs get to the end of the tub conveyor, they have to be transported from this end back to the beginning so that they can be reloaded with goods by the passengers. There are several different approaches to this recirculation of tubs. On the one hand, the tubs can be transported manually to the beginning of the tub conveyor. On the other hand, the trays can also be automatically transported back to the beginning along a return line.

Regardless of the specific type of return, the tubs at the end of the tub conveyor can be returned individually to the start, individually fed to a return conveyor or initially stacked on top of one another. The trays stacked one on top of the other can either be brought back to the start of the tray conveyor as a tray stack, or they can first be returned individually and individually along a return conveyor path to the beginning of the tray conveyor. A collecting device is known from the prior art, which is arranged at the end of the tub conveyor and has a recess into which the empty tubs are conveyed. The tubs can be accelerated a little shortly before the depression so that they are thrown into the depression “with momentum”. The recess is dimensioned in such a way that the tubs can hardly twist and are stacked on top of each other in the recess. As a finger protection, the recess of the tub conveyor is always covered with the top tub, so that there is no possibility for an operator to intervene.

With this solution it can happen that the incoming tub is not thrown off one hundred percent in its target position on the tub stack, so that the tub is distributed at a slight angle at the collection point. This can lead to a jam at the collecting device, which inhibits the operation of the tub conveyor.

The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a possibility of feeding the tubs of a tub conveyor in a controlled manner to a collecting point and / or improving the feeding of tubs to the collecting point of a tub conveyor.

This object is achieved by the subjects of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

One aspect relates to a collecting device for stacking tubs of a tub conveyor with a stacking receptacle for receiving a plurality of tubs of the tub conveyor stacked on top of one another. A cover is reversibly movable between a cover position and an open position. The cover is configured to carry a trough from a conveying path of the trough conveyor conveying to the stack receptacle. A stacking means is formed for unloading the cover. In the covering position, the cover is arranged above the stack receptacle in such a way that the stack receptacle at least partially covers from above. In the open position, the cover is arranged such that the stack receptacle is at least partially open towards the top. The Stacking means is configured in such a way that when the cover is moved from the cover position into the opening position, a trough which is arranged on the cover in the cover position is transferred into the stack receptacle.

The collecting device is used to stack the tubs of the tub conveyor. The collection device is configured to be arranged at one end of the tub conveyor. At least one conveyor track of the tub conveyor leads to this end of the tub conveyor. The conveyor track conveys tubs in the direction of conveyance to the collecting device. The collecting device thus serves to collect and / or stack the tubs of the tub conveyor. The collecting device can also be referred to as a stacking device.

The stacking receptacle of the collecting device is designed to receive a plurality of trays in such a way that they are stacked on top of one another in the stacking receptacle. For this purpose, the stack receptacle can have lateral walls which form and / or define a stacking space in which the trays are arranged in stack form. With the mostly usual, roughly rectangular troughs, the stack receptacle can thus have at least four lateral walls and / or similar lateral boundaries which define a stacking space of the stack receptacle. The stacking space is dimensioned in the lateral directions so that it is somewhat larger than the lateral dimensions of an individual tub of the tub type used in the tub conveyor. In the case of tub conveyors, exactly one type of tub is usually used in order to be able to stack all of the tubs of one type of tub well on top of one another.

The stack receptacle can be arranged such that its stacking space is arranged essentially below the conveying plane of the long conveyor. The stacking space can e.g. extend upwards to a maximum of the conveying level of the tub conveyor or end about 1 to about 10 cm below the conveying level.

The conveying level of the tub conveyor denotes the plane on which the tubs are conveyed in the direction of the collecting device. This can, for example, be a plane which is oriented essentially horizontally and is defined by the position of the upper ends of the roller shells of conveyor rollers on which the tubs are conveyed along the conveyor track.

The stack receptacle can be limited at the top by the cover. In the covering position, the cover is arranged above the stack receptacle and can thereby cover an upper opening of the stack receptacle. In the cover position, the cover covers the stack receptacle at least partially from above. This means that the cover in the covering position covers the stack receptacle at least to such an extent that under normal circumstances no tub can fall into the stack receptacle from above. The cover can have holes and / or grid openings, which are, however, dimensioned so closely and / or small that no tub can fall through the closed cover into the stack receptacle.

The cover is reversibly movable, i.e. it can be moved from the cover position to the open position and from the open position back to the cover position etc.

In the open position, the cover is arranged such that the stack receptacle is at least partially open towards the top. This can mean that the stack receptacle is essentially completely open towards the top in the open position. In any case, the cover is opened so wide in the open position that a tub can be introduced into the stack receptacle from above without rotating the tub out of its approximately horizontal orientation. In other words, the cover is then opened to such an extent that a tub fits comfortably through the upper opening of the stack receptacle that is exposed by the cover, without being tilted relative to its horizontal conveying orientation.

The cover can, for example, be designed as a kind of board, which can be pushed and / or tilted over the cover of the stack receptacle, for example, and from there away again from the stack receptacle. Alternatively, the cover, for example, as a Kind of blind, roller blind and / or other cover, which is sufficiently tight to close the stack receptacle from above. The reversible movement of the cover from the cover position into the open position and back can in particular include a displacement of the cover, in particular a displacement along an approximately horizontal plane, for example at least partially within the conveying plane.

The cover is also designed to be stable enough to support a tub. Since the tubs are usually made of plastic and are already completely emptied at the collecting device, the stability requirements in this regard are not particularly high. The cover is configured to carry a trough arriving from the adjacent conveyor track and to convey it via the stack receptacle. This can be achieved, for example, in that the cover is initially closed and an incoming tub is pushed from the conveyor track onto the cover that is already closed. Alternatively, the cover can also initially be opened, that is to say arranged in the open position, and the closing movement of the cover can be timed to match the conveying movement of the incoming tub. The cover can move from the opening position into the covering position while receiving the incoming tub, so that the incoming tub is moved and / or conveyed by the cover over the stack receptacle. Here, the closing movement of the cover is at the same time a conveying movement for the newly arriving tub.

Each new tray to be stacked is thus first positioned in a controlled manner on the closed cover in a target position. Then the cover is opened so that the tub (e.g. from the target position) falls through the upper opening of the stack holder into the stack holder and can be stacked there. The tub can e.g. be received as the top tray of the tray stack arranged in the stack receptacle.

For this purpose, the collecting device has a stacking means. The stacking means is used to Unloading the cover, i.e. to unload the tub from the cover. The stacking means can be designed in such a way that when the cover is opened, the trough essentially remains in its target position above the stack receptacle while the cover opens. As soon as the cover is fully and / or partially opened, the trough falls through the upper opening into the stack receptacle due to gravity.

This enables the controlled feeding of tubs into the stack receptacle.

There are different designs for the stacking module. For example, the stacking means can be provided in that the cover is moved at a high speed from the cover position into the opening position, so that the tray remains essentially due to its inertia in the target position above the stack receptacle until it is moved downwards by gravity into the Stack pickup falls.

Alternatively or additionally, the stacking means can have a projection and / or a nose which is introduced into an area between the collecting device and the conveyor track in front of the opening of the cover. The projection and / or the nose prevent the tub from being conveyed back onto the conveyor track when the cover is opened and hold the tub back in its target position.

Furthermore, as an alternative or in addition, the stacking means can be designed at least partially as an element of the cover, the cover itself causing unloading and / or unloading of the tub from the cover when it is opened. For example, the cover itself can have rotatable rollers which, when the cover is opened, convey the tub down from the cover. These roles can be either driven or non-driven.

The invention enables a controlled supply of (eg emptied) tubs of a tub conveyor to a collection point at the end of the tub conveyor and can improve the stacking of the trays in particular.

The collecting device has the cover with which the stack receptacle can be covered and protected from falling objects at times when the tub conveyor is not used.

According to one embodiment, the cover has at least one roller for supporting the tub. Preferably, the cover can have a plurality of rollers which support the tub, similar to a roller conveyor. The roller axis (s) of the one or more roller (s) can (at least in the covering position) be oriented in a substantially horizontal direction. In the covering position, the upper side of the at least one roller can lie in a plane which approximately coincides with the conveying plane of the tub conveyor. As a result, the tub can be brought from the conveyor track to the cover in the covering position in a comparatively simple manner.

In a further development of this embodiment, the roller axis of the at least one roller is arranged approximately perpendicular to the conveying direction along the conveying path conveying the stack receiving element. The roller axis can also be arranged in an essentially horizontal plane. Thus, at least in the covering position, the roller can essentially form a continuation and / or continuation of the conveyor track, that is to say, for example, be aligned and / or arranged similarly to a further conveyor roller of the conveyor track. This also simplifies the conveyance of the tub from the conveyor track onto the cover.

In a further development, the stacking means has a freewheel for the at least one roller. The freewheel means that the roller shell of the roller of the cover, also called the cover roller, can rotate freely around the roller axis in one direction of rotation. Freewheels are well known in the art. For example, bicycles without a coaster brake have a freewheel, which enables the pedals to be turned around the pedal axis against the pedaling direction, essentially without resistance. In the other direction, i.e. the direction of treading, there is no freewheel, so here it is Power transmission can take place. In other words, a freewheel serves you

Power transmission in one direction of rotation, while in the other direction of rotation no power transmission but almost resistance-free rotation is made possible.

Here, the freewheel can be directed such that when the cover is moved from the cover position into the open position, the roller casing of the at least one roller rotates about the roller axis. This means that the freewheel ensures that the tray remains in the target position above the stack removal, while the roller shells of the cover rollers rotate freely around the roller axes moving into the opening position. The tub is "unrolled" from the cover and discharged. There is no free-wheeling in the opposite direction of rotation. As a result, the roller cannot rotate freely around the roller axis when the tub is picked up from the conveyor track and can safely pick up the incoming tub.

In a further development, the freewheel of the at least one roller has at least two roller bearings. In particular, each freewheel of the roller and / or each roller can have two roller bearings. The roller bearings stabilize the position of the freewheel in the roller and reduce tilting of the roller axis.

According to a development, the at least one roller has two freewheels. In particular, each roller of the cover can have two freewheels. For example, a first freewheel can be arranged at a first (e.g. lateral) end of the roller, while the second freewheel is arranged at the opposite (e.g. lateral) end of the roller. The lateral roller ends hereby denote an axial end of the roller. By using two freewheels, the freewheel is particularly safe, stable and / or low-friction. This improves the unloading of the tub from the cover.

In general, the freewheel (s) (or freewheels) can be arranged at a lateral end of the roller, as a result of which assembly is simplified.

According to a further development of the embodiment with the role as part of the Cover, the stack means has a contact brake for the at least one role. The contact brake can be designed for contacting all the roles of the cover. Alternatively or in addition, the collecting device can also have several contact brakes for the rollers, so that several or all of the rollers of the cover can be braked at the same time. The contact brake can be designed to trigger the freewheel and / or to prevent the roller shells from rolling. The brake can either be designed to be switchable, for example only when the cover is moved from the cover position into the open position on the rollers. Or the contact brake can be in constant contact with the at least one roller. To operate the freewheel when opening the cover, a relatively small braking effect is already sufficient to rotate the roller shell of the at least one roller. A contact brake with a very low braking effect, for example with a high sliding factor, can therefore be used in order to actuate the freewheel safely.

According to one embodiment, the cover has at least two rollers for supporting the tub and a finger guard arranged between the rollers. Here, the cover can have a plurality of rollers, with at least one finger guard being arranged between each two adjacent rollers. The finger guard secures the cover against intervention by an operator. The finger guard can move reversibly together with the rollers from the open position into the cover position. The finger guard can thus be designed as part of the cover. Using the finger protection makes the collection device safer to operate.

According to one embodiment, the stacking receptacle has a stacking space for receiving a plurality of trays of the tray conveyor that are stacked on top of one another. The stacking space is delimited in at least one lateral direction by a housing, at its upper end by an upper opening in the housing and downward by a return path and / or a tub discharge. The housing preferably delimits the stacking space at least partially in all lateral spatial directions. At the upper end, the housing has the upper opening through which the trays are brought into the stacking room. The housing walls of the

Housings can restrict the freedom of movement of the tubs in such a way that the tubs are safely stacked on top of one another in the stacking space and do not sit on top of one another at an angle and / or wedge them. At the lower end the housing may have a lower opening through which the tubs are dispensed, e.g. on return rollers of a return line.

According to one embodiment, the collecting device has at least one driven guide chain for moving the cover between the covering position and the opening position. The guide chain is coupled to the cover so that a movement of the guide chain is transmitted to the cover. For example, the guide chain can be attached to a roller axle of a cover roller and configured to move the cover. The collecting device preferably has two guide chains which are arranged on opposite (lateral) ends of the cover and ensure that the cover can be moved safely. The at least one guide chain can be driven, i. E. it is connected to a drive that can cause the guide chain to move. Movement of the guide chain causes the cover to move.

According to one embodiment, the cover is configured to carry a trough conveyed by the conveyor track conveying to the stack receptacle during the movement from the opening position into the covering position and to convey it onto the stack receptacle. The movement from the open position to the cover position serves two purposes: On the one hand, the cover is moved over the stack receptacle, and on the other hand, at the same time with this movement, the tub is conveyed from the adjacent conveyor track over the stack receptacle to its target position. This achieves high movement efficiency.

In a further development of this embodiment, the collecting device has a controller which is configured in such a way that it reacts to a sensor signal which is an arriving conveyor track conveying along to the stack receptacle Tub signals that the cover has been transferred from the open position to the cover position in such a way that the incoming tub is conveyed on the cover onto the stack receptacle. Here, at least one sensor can be arranged on the conveyor track in such a way that it detects an incoming tub. In response to this, the sensor signal is generated and sent to the controller. The control then causes the cover to move from the open position to the cover position, the movements being coordinated with one another in such a way that the cover is moved into the cover position while taking along the incoming tub. Here, the collecting device can be in communication with the adjacent conveyor track.

One aspect relates to a tub conveyor with a conveyor track and a collecting device according to the preceding aspect. The conveyor track is configured to convey a tub to the collecting device in such a way that the tub is supported by the cover of the collecting device. The tub conveyor can comprise further elements, for example further conveyor tracks, a return, etc. Here, at least the conveyor track adjoining the collecting device can be in communication with the collecting device. This can take place via a common control, or by exchangeable control and / or sensor signals which are exchanged at least in one direction between the collecting device and the conveyor track. Here, in particular, conveying a tub along the conveyor track with the collecting device can be coordinated so that the incoming tub is conveyed from the cover over the collecting receptacle of the collecting device.

One aspect relates to a method for stacking trays of a tray conveyor with the steps:

- Provision of a stacking receptacle for receiving a plurality of trays of the tray conveyor stacked on top of one another;

Providing a cover that is reversibly movable between a cover position and an open position; - Arranging the cover in the open position such that the stack receptacle is at least partially open upwards;

Conveying a tub along a conveying path of the tub conveyor conveying to the stack receptacle;

- Supporting receiving of the tub on the cover;

Moving the cover into the covering position in such a way that it is arranged above the stack receptacle in such a way that it at least partially covers the stack receptacle from above; and

Moving the cover from the cover position into the open position, a stacking means transferring the tub from the cover into the stack receptacle.

The method can in particular be carried out with a collecting device and / or a trough conveyor according to the aspects described above. For this reason, all statements relating to the collecting device and / or the tub conveyor also relate to the method and vice versa.

In the context of this invention, the terms “essentially” and / or “approximately” can be used to include a deviation of up to 5% from a numerical value following the term, a deviation of up to 5% from one to the Direction following the term and / or from an angle following the term.

Terms such as above, below, above, below, lateral, etc. relate - unless otherwise specified - to the reference system of the earth in an operating position of the subject matter of the invention.

The invention is described in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments shown in figures. Here, the same or similar reference symbols can identify the same or similar features of the embodiments. Individual features shown in the figures can be implemented in other exemplary embodiments. Show it:

Figure 1A is a perspective view of an embodiment of a Bucket conveyor with a conveyor line and a collecting device in an open position;

FIG. 1B is a side view of the tub conveyor with the collecting device arranged in the open position;

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the tub conveyor, the

Collecting device is arranged in the covering position;

FIG. 2B is a side view of the trough conveyor with the collecting device arranged in the covering position;

FIG. 3A shows a perspective illustration of a closed cover from FIG

Collecting device with guide elements;

FIG. 3B is a side view of the closed cover of FIG

Collecting device with guide elements;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the closed cover of FIG

Collecting device without guide elements; and

FIG. 5 shows a cross section through a roller end of a roller of the cover and a frame of the collecting device.

Figure 1A shows in a perspective illustration an embodiment of a

Tub conveyor 100. The tub conveyor 100 has a conveyor track 110 which conveys a tub 20 to a collecting device 1. The collecting device 1 is arranged at one end and / or an end position of the tub conveyor 100.

In Figure 1A, only a short section of the conveyor track 110 is shown. The complete tub conveyor 100 can have several conveyor tracks 110 and / or a longer conveyor track 110. The conveyor track 110 has a conveyor path 112, along which tubs 20 are conveyed in a conveying direction F. For this purpose, the conveyor section 112 has a plurality of conveyor rollers 111 which are aligned parallel to one another so that their roller axes are arranged in an approximately horizontal direction and approximately perpendicular to the conveying direction F. The conveyor line 112 is arranged at the upper end of the conveyor track 110. Not shown in FIG. 1A are one or more frame elements of the conveyor track 110 in which the conveyor rollers 111 are attached.

The trays 20 are conveyed in the conveying direction F along the conveying path 112 to the collecting device 1.

FIG. 1B shows a side view of the tub conveyor 100 in the same situation as FIG. 1A. The following description is therefore made with reference to the two FIGS. 1A and 1 B. The trays 20 conveyed along the conveying path 112 in the conveying direction F are collected in the collecting device 1 in a tray stack 21. The tray stack 21 is located at one end of the tray conveyor 100. The tray stack 21 is arranged inside a stack receptacle 10. The stack receptacle 10 and the tray stack 21 are arranged below a conveying plane of the tray conveyor 100. The conveying level is formed by the upper ends of the roller shells of the conveying rollers 1 1 1 and extends approximately in a horizontal plane along which the trays 20 are conveyed over the conveying path 1 12.

By means of a separating mechanism not described in greater detail here, the bottom trough 20 of the trough stack 21 is released from below and conveyed back to the conveyor track 110. For this purpose, the conveyor track 110 has a return path 114 with return rollers 113 which are designed to transport the tubs 20 back.

Along the return conveying path 114, the tubs 20 are conveyed back in the return conveying direction RF to a starting point (not shown) and / or starting point of the tub conveyor 100. The return direction RF is directed essentially opposite to the conveyance direction F in an essentially horizontal direction. The return path 114 is arranged below the conveyor path 112. The return path 114 can, for example, be arranged completely within a cladding and / or a frame of the conveyor track 110, so that the return path 114 is not visible from the outside.

The collecting device 1 has an upper opening 11 at its upper end. The Upper opening 11 is designed as an upper opening of the stack receptacle 10. The upper opening 11 is formed in a substantially rectangular _"said rectangular shape substantially corresponds to the rectangular shape of the aided trays 20th

The upper opening 11 is designed and / or dimensioned somewhat wider and / or longer in all lateral directions than the troughs 20, so that the troughs 20 can easily fall into the upper opening 11.

The stack receptacle 10 can have an essentially cuboid stack space which is delimited at the upper end by the upper opening 11. The stacking space of the stack receptacle 10 can be delimited at the bottom by return rollers on which tubs 20 are transported to the return path 114.

The upper opening 11 is formed in approximately the same horizontal plane in which the conveying plane is also arranged. This means that conveyed trays 20 fall through the upper opening 11, as they are conveyed over the conveyor track 110 over the stack receptacle 10 and the upper opening 11 is open.

The collecting device 1 also has a movable cover 30. The cover 30 is attached to two guide chains 31 and 32. A first guide chain 31 is coupled to a first lateral end of the cover 30, while a second guide chain 32 is coupled to an opposite, second lateral end of the cover 30. The two guide chains 31 and 32 are self-contained and run around several deflecting rollers, the roller axes of which are aligned approximately horizontally and parallel to the axes of the conveyor rollers 111.

The guide chains 31 and 32 can be driven. For this purpose, the collecting device 1 has a drive 70 which, for example, can be designed as a roller with a motor arranged inside the roller shell, that is to say as a so-called motor roller and / or a so-called drum motor. The driving force of the drive 70 can be deflected via a transmission to one or more of the deflecting rollers, which are rotated by the first and / or second guide chain 31, 32. As a result, when the drive 70 is actuated, the first and second

Guide chains 31 and 32 driven so that they can shift and / or move the cover 30 coupled thereto.

In the situation shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the cover 30 is in its open position, that is to say here the cover 30 at least partially exposes the upper opening 11, in particular essentially completely exposes it. In the open position shown in FIGS. 1 A and 1 B, the cover 30 is moved into a folding space 33. The folding space 33 is spatially arranged at one end of the collecting device 1 which faces the adjoining conveyor track 110. There, that is to say at this end facing the conveyor track 110, the collecting device 1 has a plurality of deflection rollers 35, around which the two guide chains 31 and 32 are deflected. The folding space 33 is thus provided by providing and providing a plurality of guide rollers and / or deflection rollers 35.

In the open position, one end of the cover 30 may be located adjacent the conveyor plane, e.g. be arranged in a border area between the end of the conveying path 112 and one of the conveyor track 110 facing edge of the collecting device 1.

FIGS. 2A and 2B show the tub conveyor 100 in a perspective view and in a side view, the cover 30 being arranged in a covering position. In the cover position, the cover 30 covers the upper opening 11 of the stack receptacle 10 at least partially. The cover 30 is designed and provided to receive a trough 20 in a supporting manner. This is shown schematically in FIGS. 2A and 2B.

If a tub 20 is conveyed along the conveyor path 112 to the collecting device 1, that is to say as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the cover 30 can be moved from the open position into the cover position, for example in response to a corresponding sensor signal. In this case, so with this movement of the cover 30, the cover 30 takes the incoming tub 20 in a supporting manner and conveys it in a target position and / or a release position. In this target position, the tub 20 is arranged on the cover 30 and below the upper opening 11. The

The target position of the tub 20 is shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B.

After an incoming tub has been transferred to the target position, the cover 30 is moved back into the open position. For this purpose, the drive 70 drives the guide chains 31 and 32 in the opposite direction, so that the cover 30 is guided back into the open position, for example into the folding space 33, counter to the conveying direction 11. As soon as the cover 30 releases the upper opening 11 of the stack receptacle 10, the trough 20 falls down through the upper opening 11 due to the force of gravity and lands as the uppermost trough 20 on the trough stack 21. From the trough stack 21, the tub that has arrived slowly migrates downwards until it is separated and discharged from the collecting device 1 at the bottom in the return direction RF along the return path 114.

The use of the cover 30 enables an incoming tub 20 to be fed in a targeted and controlled manner to the tub stack 21 in the stack receptacle 10.

FIGS. 3A and 3B show a section of an embodiment of the cover 30 in a perspective illustration and in a side view. The cover 30 has several rollers 40, which can also be referred to as cover rollers. The rollers 40 have roller axes which are arranged approximately parallel to the roller axes of the conveyor rollers 11 1 of the conveyor track 1 10 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). The cover 30 may have a plurality of rollers 40. The rollers 40 are coupled to the two guide chains 31 and 32.

As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the guide chains 31 and 32 are arranged on a guide 34, along which the guide chains 31 and 32 can be displaced. The guide 34 can be designed, for example, as a guide rail. The movement of the first and second guide chains 31 and 32 can be brought about by the drive 70 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). The rollers 40 can for example Be attached to the individual chain links of the first and / or second guide chain 31 and 32 via their roller axles.

The cover 30 has a finger guard 50 between the rollers 40. The finger guard 50 can have several elements so that the cover as a whole can be shifted and deflected like a roller blind and / or a blind, in particular in the folding space 33 around the deflection rollers 35. The finger guard 50 serves as an anti-intrusion guard and can prevent fingers from engaging between the rollers 40 of the cover 30.

The rollers 40 have a roller shell 41 which can be rotated about the roller axis of the rollers 40. The trays 20 can be received in a supporting manner on the upper ends of the roller shells 41 of the rollers 40. The upper sides of the roller shells 41 can be arranged in the covering position approximately at the level of the conveying plane. In FIGS. 3A and 3B, the section of the cover 30 is shown in the cover position, in which the cover is arranged in a substantially horizontal plane, for example approximately in the conveying plane.

The roller axes of the rollers 40 extend in the lateral direction from the first guide chain 31 to the second guide chain 32. The cover 30 can be made approximately as large in the conveying direction F as the upper opening 11. The lateral width of the cover 30, that is to say the length of its rollers 40, can correspond approximately to the width of the conveyor track 110.

The roller shells 41 are preferably formed from a stable metal, for example from stainless steel. The finger guard 50 can be designed as a plastic part, which saves costs and weight. The finger guard 50 between the rollers 40 is preferably configured in several parts (in the exemplary embodiment, for example, four parts). This simplifies the unrolling of the cover 40 into the folding space 33 around the deflection rollers 35.

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the cover 30 without the guide chains 31, 32 and without the guide 34. In addition to the roller casing 41, each roller 40 also has one Roller axis 42 on. The roller axle 42 can either be designed continuously or as a stub axle (see FIG. 5). A freewheel 43 is arranged between the roller axle 42 and the roller shell 40.

FIG. 5 shows a cross section through a lateral end of a roller 40, the freewheel 43 arranged therein, the second guide chain 32, the guide 34 and a frame 80 of the collecting device 1.

At the upper end, the collecting device 1 can have the frame 80, within which the lateral roller ends of the rollers 40 are movable. The frame 80 can have an upper cover which covers the lateral end of the roller, so that there is protection against contact and dirt at this point. A holder 61 for a contact brake 60 can be arranged in the interior of the frame 80. The contact brake 60 rests (e.g. from above) on the roller casing 41 of the roller 40. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the contact brake 60 is designed such that it always rests against the roller casing 41 when the rollers 40 are arranged above the upper opening 11 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). In the open position, that is to say in particular when the cover 30 is arranged in the folding space 33, no contact brake 60 will rest on the rollers. In an alternative embodiment, the contact brake 50 can be switched on so that it only rests on the roller shells 41 when the cover 30 is moved from the cover position into the open position.

The freewheel 43 at the roller ends of the rollers 40 has the effect that the roller shells 41 can only rotate freely around the roller axles 42 in one direction of rotation, while the other direction of rotation is blocked. When the tubs 20 are supported, i.e. when they are moved from the open position to the covering position, the roller shells 41 do not rotate, or only barely, around the roller axes 42, locked by the freewheel Promote opening 11.

If the cover 30 is opened, that is, from the open position into the cover position transferred, the roller shells 41 roll, supported and / or braked by the

Contact brake 60 around roller axes 42 in such a way that tub 20 remains in its target position, although the cover is moved back against conveying direction F into folding space 33. The freewheels 43 release the rotation of the roller shells and thus support the unloading and / or throwing of the tub 20 from the cover 30. There is a purely rolling removal between the tubs 20 and the roller shells 41, which prevents the tub 20 from being carried along unintentionally, when the roll mantles 41 are retracted by the movement of the cover 30.

FIG. 5 shows that in the embodiment shown, each freewheel 43 has two roller bearings 44. The two roller bearings 44 ensure that the freewheel 43 of the roller axle 42 is securely positioned in the interior of the roller 40.

Furthermore, FIG. 5 shows that the roller axis 42 simultaneously forms an axis of the second guide chain 32. As a result, the roller 40 is securely fastened to the second guide chain 32, which is movable on the guide 34.

In a preferred embodiment, each roller 40 has a free wheel 43 at each lateral roller end, each of these free wheels 43 having two roller bearings 44. The use of multiple freewheels 43 and multiple roller bearings 44 per freewheel 43 improves the positioning of the freewheels 43 inside the rollers 40. This reduces and / or prevents possible tilting of the freewheels 43 and / or the roller axles 42 under load. Alternatively, only one freewheel per roller 40 can be provided, or only one freewheel for every second roller 40. The reduction in the number of freewheels 43 can, however, negatively affect the rolling and / or "throwing" of the tub 20 from the target position.

The freewheel 43 can be designed as a sleeve freewheel. If only one freewheel 43 per roller is used here, the freewheels 43 can be arranged alternately on a right and left lateral roller end, so that every second roller 40 has a freewheel 43 at its left lateral end and every roller in between has a free wheel 43 at its right lateral end End of roll. This will continue to be a enables comparatively stable rolling of the rollers 40 when the cover 30 is opened.

The freewheels 43 and / or the contact brake 60 can be designed as part of a stacking means which is configured and designed to safely convey the tub 20 down from its target position when the cover 30 is opened from this cover 30. As an alternative to the freewheels 43 and / or the contact brake 60, a projection and / or intermediate element can also be introduced between the stacking device 1 and the conveyor path 112 of the conveyor track 110 so that the tub 20 is retained by the introduced projection when the cover 30 is opened and is prevented from moving back onto the conveyor line 112. As soon as the cover 30 is opened, the tub 20 then falls onto the tub stack 21.

List of reference symbols

1 collecting device

10 Stack pick-up

1 1 upper opening

20 tub

21 tub stacks

30 cover

31 first leadership chain

32 second chain

33 folding space

34 Leadership

35 pulley

40 role

41 roll shell

42 roller axis

43 freewheel

44 rolling bearings 50 finger protection

60 contact brake

61 bracket

70 drive

80 frames

100 tub conveyors

110 conveyor track

111 conveyor roller

112 conveyor line

113 Return roller

114 return line

F conveying direction RF return conveying direction

Claims

1. Collecting device (1) for stacking trays (20) with a tray conveyor (100)

a stacking receptacle (10) for receiving several trays (20) of the tray conveyor (100) stacked on top of one another,

a cover (30) which is reversibly movable between a cover position and an opening position and is configured to support a tub (20) from a conveyor track (110) of the tub conveyor (100) conveying to the stack receptacle (10); and

stacking means for unloading the cover (30);

in which

the cover (30) is arranged in the covering position above the stack receptacle (10) that it at least partially covers the stack receptacle (10) from above,

the cover (30) is arranged in the open position in such a way that the stack receptacle (10) is at least partially open upwards, and the stacking means is configured in such a way that, when the cover (30) is moved from the cover position into the open position, a trough ( 20), which is arranged in the covering position on the cover (30), is transferred into the stack receptacle (10).

2. Collection device according to claim 1, wherein the cover (30) has at least one roller (40) for supporting the tub (20).

3. Collecting device according to claim 2, wherein the roller axis (42) of the at least one roller (40) is arranged approximately perpendicular to the conveying direction (F) along the conveying path (110) conveying to the stack receptacle (10).

4. Collection device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the stacking means has a freewheel (43) of the at least one roller (40).

5. Collection device according to claim 4, wherein the freewheel (43) is directed so that when the cover (30) is moved from the cover position into the open position of the roller casing (41) of the at least one roller (40) about the roller axis (42) rotates.

6. Collection device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the freewheel (43) of the at least one roller (40) has two roller bearings (44).

7. Collecting device according to one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the at least one roller (40) has two freewheels (43).

8. The collecting device according to one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the stacking means has a contact brake (60) for the at least one roller (40).

9. Collection device according to one of claims 2 to 8, wherein the cover (30) has at least two rollers (40) for supporting the trough (20) and a finger guard (50) arranged between the rollers (40).

10. Collection device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the stack receptacle (10) has a stacking space for receiving a plurality of stacked tubs (20) of the tub conveyor (100), and wherein the stacking space is limited in at least one lateral direction by a housing on his upper end is limited by an upper opening (11) of the housing and extend downward through a return feed (114) and / or a tub discharge.

11. Collection device according to one of the preceding claims, with at least one driven guide chain (31, 32) for moving the cover (30) between the cover position and the open position.

12. Collecting device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cover (30) is configured to support and receive a trough (20) conveyed by the conveyor track (110) conveying to the stack receptacle (10) during the movement from the opening position into the cover position on the To promote stack recording (10).

13. Collection device according to claim 12, with a controller which is configured in such a way that, in response to a sensor signal which singalizes a trough (20) arriving along the conveying path (110) conveying to the stack receptacle (10), the cover (30) ) transferred from the open position to the cover position in such a way that the incoming tub (20) on the cover (30) is conveyed onto the stack receptacle (10).

14. tub conveyor (100) with a conveyor track (110) and a collecting device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the conveyor track (110) is configured to convey a tub (20) to the collecting device (1) so that the tub (20) is supported by the cover (30) of the collecting device (1).

15. A method for stacking trays (20) of a tray conveyor (110) on top of one another, comprising the steps:

Providing a stacking receptacle (10) for receiving a plurality of trays (20) of the tray conveyor (100) stacked on top of one another; Providing a cover (30) reversibly movable between a cover position and an open position;

Arranging the cover (30) in the open position in such a way that the stack receptacle (10) is at least partially open towards the top; Conveying a tub (20) along a conveying path (110) of the tub conveyor (100) conveying to the stack receptacle (10);

Supportingly receiving the tub (20) on the cover (30); Moving the cover (30) into the covering position in such a way that it is arranged above the stack receptacle (10) in such a way that it at least partially covers the stack receptacle (10) from above; and moving the cover (30) from the cover position to the open position, a stacking means transferring the trough (20) from the cover (30) into the stack receptacle (10).