Loading device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10358299-B2
Application number	US-201815877596-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2018
Priority date	Jan 26, 2017
Publication date	Jul 23, 2019
Grant date	Jul 23, 2019

Abstract

A loading device ( 10 ) for continuously loading receiving units ( 4.1 - 4.8 ) with transport goods (T), wherein the loading device ( 10 ) comprises a plurality of receiving units ( 4.1 - 4.8 ), a conveyor device ( 2 ), in which the receiving units ( 4.1 - 4.8 ) can be conveyed, a supply device ( 3 ) for supplying transport goods (T) and a transfer device ( 1 ), which is designed to acquire the transport goods (T) from the supply device ( 3 ), as well as to convey and transfer the transport goods to the receiving units ( 4.1 - 4.8 ), wherein the transfer device ( 1 ) and the receiving units ( 4.1 - 4.8 ) can be moved in the same direction during the transfer of the transport goods (T).

First claim

It is claimed:

1. A loading device ( 10 , 10 a - d ) for continuously loading receiving units ( 4 . 1 - 4 . 8 , 4 a - d ) with transport goods (T) comprising:
a plurality of receiving units ( 4 . 1 - 4 . 8 , 4 a - d );
a conveyor device ( 2 , 2 a - d ), in which the receiving units ( 4 . 1 - 4 . 8 , 4 a - d ) are conveyed;
a supply conveyor ( 3 , 3 a - d ) for supplying transport goods (T); and
a transfer device ( 1 , 1 a - d ) to acquire the transport goods (T) from the supply conveyor ( 3 , 3 a - d ), as well as convey and transfer the transport goods to the receiving units ( 4 . 1 - 4 . 8 , 4 a - d ), wherein the transfer device ( 1 , 1 a - d ) and the receiving units ( 4 . 1 - 4 . 8 , 4 a - d ) are moveable in the same direction during the transfer of the transport goods (T), and wherein the transfer device ( 1 , 1 a - d ) includes transfer compartments ( 12 , 12 a , 12 b , 12 d ) for accommodating the transport goods (T).

2. The loading device ( 10 , 10 a - d ) according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer device ( 1 , 1 a - d ) and the receiving units ( 4 . 1 - 4 . 8 , 4 a - d ) are moveable in a synchronous fashion during the transfer of the transport goods (T).

3. The loading device ( 10 , 10 a - d ) according to claim 1 , wherein the loading device ( 10 , 10 a - d ) features a conveying section ( 5 , 5 a , 5 c ) and a transfer section ( 6 , 6 a , 6 c , 6 d ), which at least partially overlap one another.

4. The loading device ( 10 , 10 a - d ) according to claim 3 , wherein the conveyor device ( 2 , 2 a - d ) is discontinuous or continuous in the transfer section ( 6 , 6 a , 6 c , 6 d ).

5. The loading device ( 10 , 10 a - d ) according to claim 3 , wherein the conveying speed of the receiving units ( 4 . 1 - 4 . 8 , 4 a - d ) in the transfer section ( 6 , 6 a , 6 c , 6 d ) is adaptable to the conveying speed of the receiving units ( 4 . 1 - 4 . 8 , 4 a - d ) in the conveying section ( 5 , 5 a , 5 c ).

6. The loading device ( 10 , 10 a - d ) according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer device ( 1 , 1 a - d ) is configured to acquire the receiving units ( 4 . 1 - 4 . 8 , 4 a - d ) from the conveyor device ( 2 , 2 a - d ), to convey the receiving units synchronous with the transport goods (T) in the transfer device ( 1 , 1 a - d ) and to load the receiving units with the transport goods (T), as well as to transfer the loaded receiving units ( 4 . 1 - 4 . 8 , 4 a - d ) to the conveyor device ( 2 , 2 a - d ).

7. The loading device ( 10 , 10 a - d ) according to claim 1 , wherein the receiving units ( 4 . 1 - 4 . 8 , 4 a - d ) include a transport unit ( 41 . 1 - 41 . 8 , 41 a - d ) and at least one bag ( 42 . 1 - 42 . 8 , 42 a - d ) for accommodating the transport goods (T), which are permanently or releasably connected to one another, wherein the transport unit ( 41 . 1 - 41 . 8 , 41 a - d ) is conveyed in the conveyor device ( 2 , 2 a - d ) and/or the transfer device ( 1 , 1 a - d ).

8. The loading device ( 10 , 10 a - d ) according to claim 7 , wherein the conveyor device is an overhead conveyor device ( 2 , 2 a - d ) with a track rail ( 21 , 21 a - d ), wherein a plurality of transport units are configured in the form of carriages ( 41 . 1 - 41 . 8 , 41 a - d ) that are conveyable along the track rail ( 21 , 21 a - d ) at variable distances from one another.

9. The loading device ( 10 , 10 a - d ) according to claim 7 , wherein the loading device ( 10 , 10 a - d ) is configured to align the orientation of the at least one bag ( 42 . 1 - 42 . 8 , 42 a - d ) before and/or during and/or after the transfer of the transport goods (T) to the at least one bag ( 42 . 1 - 42 . 8 , 42 a - d ).

10. The loading device ( 10 , 10 a - d ) according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer device ( 1 , 1 a - d ) includes engaging elements ( 11 ), which are capable of functional connection to the receiving units ( 4 . 1 - 4 . 8 , 4 a - d ).

11. The loading device ( 10 , 10 a - d ) according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer compartments ( 12 , 12 a , 12 b , 12 d ) include guiding elements ( 13 . 2 , 13 . 2 a , 13 . 2 b ) configured to guide the transport goods (T).

12. The loading device ( 10 , 10 a - d ) according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer compartments ( 12 , 12 a , 12 b , 12 d ) include stopping elements ( 14 , 14 d ), that are moveable between a closed position and an open position and that hold the transport goods (T) in a respective one of the transfer compartments ( 12 , 12 a , 12 b , 12 d ) in the closed position, wherein the stopping elements ( 14 , 14 d ) are controllable.

13. The loading device ( 10 , 10 a - d ) according to claim 12 , wherein the stopping elements ( 14 , 14 d ) form in the open position a guide for acquisition of the transport goods (T) from the supply conveyor ( 3 , 3 a - d ) and/or for transfer of the transport goods (T) to the receiving units ( 4 . 1 - 4 . 8 , 4 a - d ).

14. The loading device ( 10 , 10 a - d ) according to claim 12 , wherein the stopping elements ( 14 , 14 d ) are configured to open and/or hold open a receiving opening ( 43 . 1 , 43 . 2 , 43 . 3 , 43 a ) of the receiving units ( 4 . 1 - 4 . 8 , 4 a - d ) to be loaded during motion from the closed position into the open position.

15. The loading device ( 10 , 10 a - d ) according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer device is endlessly revolving and includes a wheel ( 1 , 1 a , 15 . 1 b , 15 . 2 b , 1 c ) for conveying the transport goods (T) and/or the receiving units ( 4 . 1 - 4 . 8 , 4 a - d ).

16. The loading device ( 10 , 10 a - d ) according to claim 1 , wherein the loading device ( 10 , 10 a - d ) includes opening devices ( 44 a ), which are configured to open and/or hold open a receiving opening ( 43 . 1 , 43 . 2 , 43 . 3 , 43 a ) of the receiving units ( 4 . 1 - 4 . 8 , 4 a - d ) to be loaded.

17. A conveyor system with a loading device ( 10 , 10 a - d ) according to claim 1 .

18. The conveyor system according to claim 17 , wherein the conveyor system includes a control unit, which controls the transfer of the transport goods (T) to the receiving units ( 4 . 1 - 4 . 8 , 4 a - d ).

19. A method for operating a loading device ( 10 , 10 a - d ) for continuously loading receiving units ( 4 . 1 - 4 . 8 , 4 a - d ) with transport goods (T), comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of receiving units ( 4 . 1 - 4 . 8 , 4 a - d );
providing a conveyor device ( 2 , 2 a - d ), in which the receiving units ( 4 . 1 - 4 . 8 , 4 a - d ) are conveyed;
providing a supply conveyor ( 3 , 3 a - d ) for supplying transport goods (T);
providing a transfer device ( 1 , 1 a - d ) to acquire the transport goods (T) from the supply conveyor ( 3 , 3 a - d ), as well as convey and transfer the transport goods to the receiving units ( 4 . 1 - 4 . 8 , 4 a - d ), wherein the transfer device ( 1 , 1 a - d ) and the receiving units ( 4 . 1 - 4 . 8 , 4 a - d ) are moveable in the same direction during the transfer of the transport goods (T), and wherein the transfer device ( 1 , 1 a - d ) includes transfer compartments ( 12 , 12 a , 12 b , 12 d ) for accommodating the transport goods (T);
supplying the transport goods (T) with the supply conveyor ( 3 , 3 a - d );
acquiring, the transport goods (T) with the transfer device ( 1 , 1 a -

Assignees

• Ferag Ag

Inventors

• Ruge Martin
• Felix Markus

Classifications

• B65G9/002

  Load-carriers, rollers therefor · CPC title

• B65G17/20

  comprising load-carriers suspended from overhead traction chains · CPC title

• B65G19/025

  for suspended articles · CPC title

• B65G2201/0261

  Puck as article support · CPC title

• B65G29/02

  for inclined or vertical transit · CPC title