Equipment for automatically sorting non-standard parcels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10744536-B2
Application number	US-201715750621-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2017
Priority date	Dec 22, 2016
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

Abstract

Equipment for sorting parcels in a logistics center, the equipment comprising an automated sorting conveyor mounted at a height over a platform and with sorting outlets equipped with sorting chutes in the form of ramps sloping downwards from respective sorting outlets of the conveyor to the platform below the conveyor, and shuttle trolleys mounted on wheels and for automatically moving non-standard parcels that cannot be machine-sorted on the sorting conveyor, the shuttle trolleys travelling along travel aisles passing under the ramps so as to optimize the footprint of the equipment.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An equipment for sorting parcels in a logistics center, said equipment comprising an automated sorting conveyor mounted at a height over a platform and with sorting outlets equipped with sorting chutes in the form of ramps sloping downwards from the respective sorting outlets to the platform below, the equipment further comprising at least one shuttle trolley mounted on wheels and suitable for transporting non-standard parcels that are not machine-sortable on the sorting conveyor, wherein the shuttle trolley is controlled so as to move a non-standard parcel from a loading point to an unloading point while passing under the ramps.

2. The equipment according to claim 1 , wherein said platform of the logistics center has a first travel aisle for the shuttle trolley that extends alongside the sorting conveyor and under the sorting chutes, and a second travel aisle for the shuttle trolley that extends parallel to the first travel aisle, said second travel aisle being disposed between the sorting conveyor and said first travel aisle under the sorting chutes in such a manner that since the first travel aisle has less headroom under the sorting outlet ramps than the second travel aisle, the movement of the shuttle trolley from a loading point at which a parcel is loaded onto the empty shuttle trolley and an unloading point at which said parcel is unloaded from said shuttle trolley and from which said shuttle trolley returns empty is organized in such a manner that said shuttle trolley loaded with the non-standard parcel follows said second travel aisle to reach said unloading point, and said shuttle trolley that returns empty follows said first travel aisle to reach said loading point.

3. The equipment according to claim 2 , wherein said platform of the logistics center has cross-aisles along which the shuttle trolley can travel, said cross-aisles crossing said travel aisles and extending under the sorting chutes.

4. The equipment according to claim 3 , wherein the shuttle trolley comprises firstly a trolley mounted on wheels and having a deck configured to carry a non-standard parcel (HN), and secondly a motor-driven shuttle robot configured to dock with said trolley and to move said trolley.

5. The equipment according to claim 4 , wherein the trolley mounted on wheels is provided with the deck for carrying a non-standard parcel, the deck has a central portion in the shape of a trough of V-shaped cross-section, and two side portions on either side of the central portion and that extend in a common horizontal plane.

6. The equipment according to claim 5 , wherein the deck comprises a body having framework members forming two combs disposed back-to-back, wherein teeth of the combs extend parallel to one another from the central portion of said body to the edges of respective ones of the side portions.

7. The equipment according to claim 2 , wherein the shuttle trolley comprises firstly a trolley mounted on wheels and having a deck configured to carry a non-standard parcel (HN), and secondly a motor-driven shuttle robot configured to dock with said trolley and to move said trolley.

8. The equipment according to claim 2 , wherein the shuttle trolley mounted on wheels is provided with a deck for carrying a non-standard parcel, the deck has a central portion in the shape of a trough of V-shaped cross-section, and two side portions on either side of the central portion and that extend in a common horizontal plane.

9. The equipment according to claim 8 , wherein the deck comprises a body having framework members forming two combs disposed back-to-back, wherein teeth of the combs extend parallel to one another from the central portion of said body to the edges of respective ones of the side portions.

10. The equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the shuttle trolley comprises firstly a trolley mounted on wheels and having a deck configured to carry a non- standard parcel (HN), and secondly a motor-driven shuttle robot configured to dock with said trolley and to move said trolley.

11. The equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the shuttle trolley mounted on wheels is provided with a deck for carrying a non-standard parcel, the deck has a central portion in the shape of a trough of V-shaped cross-section, and two side portions on either side of the central portion and that extend in a common horizontal plane.

12. The equipment according to claim 11 , wherein the deck comprises a body having framework members forming two combs disposed back-to-back, wherein teeth of the combs extend parallel to one another from the central portion of said body to the edges of respective ones of the side portions.

Assignees

• Solystic

Inventors

• Miette Emmanuel
• Chirol Luc

Classifications

• B65G37/02

  Flow-sheets for conveyor combinations in warehouses, magazines or workshops · CPC title

• B07C3/02 Primary

  Apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution · CPC title

• B65G47/44

  Arrangements or applications of hoppers or chutes · CPC title

• B07C3/087 Primary

  the objects being taken up in transport files or holders which are not part of the conveyor belts (cable post B65G) · CPC title

• B65G2201/0285

  Postal items, e.g. letters, parcels · CPC title