Method and device for conveying piece goods from a stack or pile

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10035657-B2
Application number	US-201615279712-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2016
Priority date	Oct 1, 2015
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

A method for conveying piece goods from a stack, using a finger unit with two flexible flank elements which extend jointly from one end of the finger unit, wherein the two flexible flank elements are in each case flexibly connected to one another by way of a multiplicity of webs such that the finger unit is adjustable from a curved position into a straightened position and back, wherein the finger unit is pressed against the stack in a gripping direction such that one flank element is impressed by one item of piece goods, wherein the finger unit is adjusted from a straightened position into a curved position and, in the process, the finger unit grips the item of piece goods, and wherein the gripped item of piece goods is moved by the finger unit from the stack in a transport direction perpendicular to the gripping direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for conveying piece goods, in particular packages, from a stack and/or pile of piece goods, using a finger unit comprising at least two flexible flank elements which extend jointly from one end of the finger unit to an opposite end of the finger unit, wherein the at least two flexible flank elements are, between the two ends of the finger unit, in each case flexibly connected to one another by way of a multiplicity of webs such that the finger unit is adjustable at least from a curved position into a straightened position and back,
wherein the finger unit is pressed against the stack and/or pile of piece goods in a gripping direction such that the at least one flank element is partially impressed by at least one item of piece goods,
wherein the finger unit is, as a result of the at least one flank element being impressed in sections, adjusted from a straightened position into a curved position and, in the process, the finger unit, preferably the at least one flank element, at least partially grips the at least one item of piece goods, and
wherein the at least one at least partially gripped item of piece goods is moved by the finger unit from the stack and/or pile at least partially in a transport direction pointing perpendicular to the gripping direction.

2. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein, after the movement of the at least one at least partially gripped item of piece goods from the stack and/or pile, the finger unit is, so as to at least partially grip at least one further item of piece goods of the stack and/or pile, pressed against the at least one further item of piece goods, and
wherein the at least one further item of piece goods is moved in the transport direction from the stack and/or pile by the finger unit.

3. The method according to claim 1 ,
in which the at least one at least partially gripped item of piece goods is moved in the transport direction from the stack and/or pile at least partially by way of a movement of the finger unit.

4. The method according to claim 1 ,
in which the at least one at least partially gripped item of piece goods is moved in the transport direction from the stack and/or pile at least partially by way of a movement of a conveyor belt which is provided between the finger unit and the at least one partially gripped item of piece goods.

5. The method according to claim 4 ,
in which a belt-type conveyor device, which comprises the finger unit and the conveyor belt, is used.

6. The method according to claim 1 ,
in which the at least one at least partially gripped item of piece goods is moved in the transport direction from the stack and/or pile at least partially by way of a movement of a transport means, for example in the form of rollers and/or adjustable small hairs,
provided between the finger unit and the at least one partially gripped item of piece goods.

7. The method according to claim 1 ,
in which the at least one item of piece goods at least partially gripped by the finger unit is, after the movement from the stack and/or pile, released from the finger unit in the direction of gravitational force by way of an adjustment of the finger unit from a curved position into a straightened position.

8. The method according to claim 1 ,
in which the finger unit, before the pressing against the stack and/or pile of piece goods, is preferably moved over at least parts of the stack and/or pile of piece goods in an approach direction at least partially opposed to the transport direction.

9. The method according to claim 1 ,
in which a belt-type conveyor device is positioned laterally adjacent to the stack and/or pile, and
in which the at least one item of piece goods moved in the transport direction from the stack and/or pile by the finger unit is collected by the belt-type conveyor device and is transported away from the stack and/or pile on the conveyor belt of the belt-type conveyor device.

10. The method according to claim 9 ,
in which, as a belt-type conveyor device, use is made of a telescopic belt-type conveyor and/or of a belt-type conveyor device.

11. The method according to claim 9 ,
in which the belt-type conveyor device is adjusted progressively further downward with decreasing height of that region of the stack and/or pile which is adjacent to the belt-type conveyor device.

12. The method according to claim 1 ,
in which the position and/or the contour of the stack and/or pile of piece goods is at least partially captured by a sensor, preferably an optical sensor, in particular a camera, and
in which the movement of the finger unit is controlled at least partially in a manner dependent on the position and/or contour of the stack and/or pile of piece goods as captured by the sensor.

13. The method according to claim 12 ,
in which the position and/or the contour of the stack and/or pile is at least partially determined by triangulation.

14. The method according to claim 1 ,
in which a finger unit having at least one pressure sensor, preferably on at least one flank element, is used.

15. The method according to claim 1 ,
in which a multiplicity of mutually adjacently arranged flank elements, which are preferably combined to form a hand unit, are used, and
in which, preferably, the multiplicity of flank elements are moved simultaneously, and parallel to one another, in an approach direction, gripping direction and/or transport direction.

16. The method according to claim 1 ,
in which a multiplicity of finger units is distributed substantially over the entire width of the stack and/or pile and/or over the entire width of a loading space which has the stack and/or pile, in particular of a heavy goods vehicle, semitrailer, trailer, container, transport container, interchangeable container and/or rolling container.

17. A method for conveying piece goods, in particular packages, from a stack and/or pile of piece goods, using a belt-type conveyor device, preferably telescopic belt-type conveyor, for conveying piece goods, in particular packages, having a conveyor belt which circulates around a supporting structure, wherein the supporting structure has at least one finger unit which supports the conveyor belt at least in an operating situation, wherein the finger unit has at least two flexible flank elements which extend jointly from one end of the finger unit to an opposite end of the finger unit, wherein the at least two flexible flank elements are, between the two ends of the finger unit, in each case flexibly connected to one another by way of a multiplicity of webs, such that the finger unit is adjustable at least from a curved position into a straightened position and back, wherein the finger unit is provided at a free end of the belt-type conveyor, and wherein at least that end of the at least one finger unit which is assigned to the free end of the belt-type conveyor has a deflection, in particular deflection roller, for deflecting the conveyor belt,
wherein the belt-type conveyor device is positioned laterally adjacent to the stack and/or pile of piece goods,
wherein piece goods lying on the stack and/or pile are moved from the stack and/or pile onto the conveyor belt of the belt-type conveyor device, and
wherein, during the movement of the piece goods from the stack and/or pile, the finger unit is adjusted upward and downward between at least one curved position and one straightened position for the purposes of adjusting the free end of the belt-type conveyor device.

18. The method according to claim 17 ,
in which at least one

Assignees

• Hartmann Bernd
• Grafe Wolfram
• Deutsche Post Ag

Inventors

• Hartmann Bernd
• Grafe Wolfram

Classifications

• B65G47/06

  from a single group of articles arranged in orderly pattern, e.g. workpieces in magazines (de-stacking devices B65G59/00) · CPC title

• B65G59/02 Primary

  De-stacking from the top of the stack · CPC title

• B65G61/00

  Use of pick-up or transfer devices or of manipulators for stacking or de-stacking articles not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B65G21/10 Primary

  movable, or having interchangeable or relatively movable parts; Devices for moving framework or parts thereof · CPC title

• B65G21/14

  to allow adjustment of length or configuration of load-carrier or traction element (varying speed of conveyance by adjusting configuration of load-carrier B65G23/00; {tensioning arrangements for belt or chain B65G23/44}) · CPC title