Singularizing unloader and method for unloading and singularizing packages provided in a container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11148889-B2
Application number	US-201916389488-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2019
Priority date	Apr 19, 2018
Publication date	Oct 19, 2021
Grant date	Oct 19, 2021

Abstract

A singularizing unloader for unloading and singularizing packages provided in a container, having a pivoting installation for pivoting the container from a vertical receiving alignment for receiving the container to a horizontal emptying alignment for emptying the container, and having a holding installation for holding the container on the pivoting installation during the pivoting of the pivoting installation. A belt conveyor device for conveying the packages is connected to the pivoting installation in such a manner that the belt conveyor device by the pivoting of the pivoting installation from the receiving alignment to the emptying alignment is adjustable from a predominantly vertical initial position to a predominantly horizontal unloading position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A singularizing unloader for unloading and singularizing packages provided in a container, comprising:
a pivoting installation for pivoting the container from a predominantly vertical receiving alignment for receiving the container to a predominantly horizontal emptying alignment for emptying the container and vice versa,
a holding installation for holding the container on the pivoting installation during the pivoting of the pivoting installation from the receiving alignment to the emptying alignment, and
a belt conveyor device for conveying the packages,
wherein the belt conveyor device is connected to the pivoting installation in such a manner that the belt conveyor device, by the pivoting of the pivoting installation from the receiving alignment to the emptying alignment, is adjustable from a predominantly vertical initial position to a predominantly horizontal unloading position; and
wherein the pivoting installation, the holding installation, and the belt conveyor pivot from the predominantly vertical initial position to the predominantly horizontal unloading position conjointly in the same direction.

2. The singularizing unloader according to claim 1 , wherein the belt conveyor device comprises a plurality of belt conveyors disposed beside one another, and in that the belt conveyors have at least substantially parallel transporting directions.

3. The singularizing unloader according to claim 2 , wherein the transporting speed of inner belt conveyors of the belt conveyor device is slower than the transporting speed of the belt conveyors of the belt conveyor device, and
wherein the transporting speeds of the belt conveyors increase incrementally from the inside to the outside, transversely to the transporting direction of the belt conveyor device.

4. The singularizing unloader according to claim 2 , wherein the belt conveyors of the belt conveyor device are provided so as to be directly mutually contiguous, and/or
wherein the belt conveyors of the belt conveyor device are configured so as to be of at least substantially identical length.

5. The singularizing unloader according to claim 2 ,
wherein in the transporting direction rearward ends of the belt conveyors of the belt conveyor device lie at least substantially on one plane, and/or in that the in the transporting direction forward ends of the belt conveyors of the belt conveyor device lie at least substantially on one plane.

6. The singularizing unloader according to claim 1 ,
wherein the belt conveyor device for transporting the packages forms a convexly curved transport surface of the belt conveyor device, and
wherein the transport surface in at least one cross section perpendicular to the transporting direction of the belt conveyor device is bent so as to be at least substantially U-shaped.

7. The singularizing unloader according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a belt conveyor unit, wherein the belt conveyor unit and the belt conveyor device in the unloading position have at least substantially parallel transporting directions, and
wherein the belt conveyor unit and the belt conveyor device are aligned so as to be at least substantially contiguous behind one another and in particular so as to be mutually aligned.

8. The singularizing unloader according to claim 7 , wherein the belt conveyor unit comprises a plurality of belt conveyors disposed beside one another, and wherein the belt conveyors have at least substantially parallel transporting directions.

9. The singularizing unloader according to claim 8 , wherein the transporting speed of inner belt conveyors of the belt conveyor unit is slower than the transporting speed of outer belt conveyors of the belt conveyor unit, and
wherein the transporting speeds of the belt conveyors increase incrementally from the inside to the outside, transversely to the transporting direction of the belt conveyor unit.

10. The singularizing unloader according to claim 8 , wherein the belt conveyors of the belt conveyor unit are provided so as to be directly mutually contiguous, and/or
wherein the belt conveyors of the belt conveyor unit are configured so as to be of at least substantially identical length.

11. The singularizing unloader according to claim 8 , wherein in the transporting direction rearward ends of the belt conveyors of the belt conveyor unit lie at least substantially on one plane, and/or wherein in the transporting direction forward ends of the belt conveyors of the belt conveyor unit lie at least substantially on one plane.

12. The singularizing unloader according to claim 7 ,
wherein the belt conveyor unit for transporting the packages forms a convexly curved transport surface of the belt conveyor unit, and
wherein the convexly curved transport surface in at least one cross section perpendicular to the transporting direction of the belt conveyor unit is bent so as to be at least substantially U-shaped.

13. The singularizing unloader according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least one lateral belt conveyor adjoins in each case the belt conveyor device in the unloading position on both sides thereof, and/or
wherein at least one lateral belt conveyor adjoins in each case the belt conveyor unit on both sides.

14. The singularizing unloader according to claim 13 , wherein a plurality of lateral belt conveyors that are operable at dissimilar transporting speeds are disposed behind one another, in particular so as to be aligned, at least on one side of the belt conveyor device and/or the belt conveyor unit.

15. The singularizing unloader according to claim 1 , wherein the holding installation comprises a receptacle and/or a support surface for the container,
wherein the receptacle and/or the support surface, conjointly with the belt conveyor device are/is adjustable from the initial position to the unloading position, and
wherein the support surface and the belt conveyor device define planes that are mutually disposed at an angle from 60° to 90°.

16. A method for operating a singularizing unloader according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
holding the container by way of the holding installation on the pivoting installation,
pivoting the container by way of the pivoting installation from the receiving alignment to the emptying alignment, and
at least partially transporting the packages of the container out of the container by the belt conveyor device.

17. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising the steps of:
holding the container by way of a lateral opening that faces the belt conveyor device on the pivoting installation, and
contacting packages, with the belt conveyor device in the unloading position, with the belt conveyor device by way of the lateral opening of the container.

18. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising the steps of:
moving the at least one belt conveyor of the belt conveyor device at least with the belt conveyor device in the unloading position, in the transporting direction, and/or
moving the belt conveyors provided beside one another of the belt conveyor device in each case at a transporting speed that increases incrementally from the inside to the outside.

19. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the transport surface comprises a convex transport surface and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
sliding the packages at least partially along the convex transport surface of the belt conveyor device laterally downward onto at least one lateral belt conveyor, and/or
at least partially singularizin

Assignees

• Hartmann Bernd
• Deutsche Post Ag

Inventors

• Hartmann Bernd

Classifications

• B65G15/12

  with two or more endless belts · CPC title

• B65G47/71

  the articles being discharged {or distributed} to several {distinct separate} conveyors {or to a broader conveyor lane} · CPC title

• B65G2201/0285

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

• B65G2201/0235

  Containers · CPC title

• B65G65/00

  Loading or unloading (of vehicles B65G67/00) · CPC title