Sorting installation and method for the sorting of objects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11338331-B2
Application number	US-201916573228-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 17, 2019
Priority date	Sep 17, 2018
Publication date	May 24, 2022
Grant date	May 24, 2022

Abstract

A sorting installation sorts objects and contains a sorter for conveying objects and also an end station facility accepting objects. The sorter is configured to bring at least a few of the objects conveyed on the sorter in an object introduction direction, which is different from a local direction of object conveyance of the sorter in an area of the sorter adjoining the end station facility, into the end station facility. In order to make possible a fine distribution of the objects that is favorable in terms of the effort involved, the end station facility has a first object store, a second object store and also a transport facility. The transport facility is configured to transport the objects brought by the sorter into the end station facility optionally along a first transport path to the first object store or along a second transport path to the second object store.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sorting installation for sorting objects, the sorting installation comprising:
a sorter for conveying the objects;
an end station facility for accepting the objects,

wherein said sorter is configured to bring at least a few of the objects conveyed on said sorter in an object introduction direction, being different from a local direction of object conveyance of said sorter in an area of said sorter adjoining said end station facility, into said end station facility; and
said end station facility having a first object store, a second object store and a transport facility, said transport facility configured to transport the objects brought into said end station facility by said sorter optionally along a first transport path to said first object store or along a second transport path to said second object store in each case;
wherein said transport facility has a conveyor flap that has two edges, and wherein the pivot axis is aligned at a right angle to the object introduction direction and is disposed closer to that edge of said two edges that is at a greater distance from said sorter.

2. The sorting installation according to claim 1 , wherein said transport facility is configured to transport the objects to be transported to said first object store, in a first direction of transport, to said first object store, and the objects to be transported to said second object store, in a second direction of transport different from the first direction of transport, to said second object store.

3. The sorting installation according to claim 2 , wherein the first direction of transport is a same or is essentially a same as the object introduction direction.

4. The sorting installation according to claim 1 , wherein the local direction of object conveyance of said sorter in said area of said sorter adjoining said end station facility is at right angles to the object introduction direction.

5. The sorting installation according to claim 1 , wherein said sorter is embodied as a tilt tray sorter or as a transverse belt sorter.

6. The sorting installation according to claim 1 , wherein said transport facility contains a non-driven gravitational conveyor.

7. The sorting installation according to claim 6 , wherein said non-driven gravitational conveyor is a roller track or a chute.

8. The sorting installation according to claim 1 , wherein said transport facility contains a conveyor facility equipped with a conveyor drive, wherein said conveyor drive is a reversible drive.

9. The sorting installation according to claim 8 , wherein said conveyor drive is a belt conveyor or a roller conveyor.

10. The sorting installation according to claim 1 , wherein said transport facility has a conveyor table supported in a translationally height-adjustable manner as well as a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering said conveyor table.

11. The sorting installation according to claim 1 , wherein said conveyor flap is supported pivotably about a pivot axis and said transport facility has a pivot mechanism for pivoting said conveyor flap.

12. The sorting installation according to claim 11 , wherein said two edges of said conveyor flap are aligned at right angles to the object introduction direction, wherein the pivot axis is aligned in parallel to said two edges.

13. The sorting installation according to claim 1 , wherein:
at least one of said first and second object stores is embodied as a rolling container; and
said transport facility is configured to bring an object directly into said at least one object store embodied as said rolling container.

14. The sorting installation according to claim 1 , further comprising a control device for controlling said transport facility, which is configured, in dependence on at least one parameter of a respective object brought into said end station facility, to control to which of said first and second object stores the respective object is to be transported by means of said transport facility.

15. A method for sorting of objects in a sorting installation, which comprises the steps of:
conveying the objects on a sorter of the sorting installation and at least a few of the objects conveyed on the sorter are brought by the sorter in an object introduction direction into an end station facility of the sorting installation, wherein the object introduction direction is laterally changed with respect to a local direction of object conveyance of the sorter in an area of the sorter adjoining the end station facility; and
transporting the objects brought by the sorter into the end station facility with aid of a transport facility of the end station facility optionally along a first transport path to a first object store of the end station facility or along a second transport path to a second object store of the end station facility in each case;
wherein the objects, which are transported by the transport facility to the first object store are transported in a first direction of transport to the first object store, and the objects, which are transported by the transport facility to the second object store are transported in a second direction of transport to the second object store, wherein the first direction of transport is different from the second direction of transport;
wherein the second direction of transport is a direction opposite the first direction of transport; and
wherein an object store selected from the group consisting of the first object store and the second object store is at least partly covered by the sorter when viewed from above.

16. The method according to claim 15 , which further comprises controlling the transport facility by a control device, wherein the control device controls, in dependence on at least one parameter of a respective object brought into the end station facility, to which of the first and second object stores the respective object is transported by means of the transport facility.

17. A sorting installation for sorting objects, the sorting installation comprising:
a sorter for conveying the objects; and
an end station facility for accepting the objects, wherein said sorter is configured to bring at least a few of the objects conveyed on said sorter in an object introduction direction, being laterally changed with respect to a local direction of object conveyance of said sorter in an area of said sorter adjoining said end station facility, into said end station facility;
said end station facility having a first object store, a second object store and a transport facility, said transport facility configured to transport the objects brought into said end station facility by said sorter optionally along a first transport path to said first object store or along a second transport path to said second object store in each case;
wherein said transport facility is configured to transport the objects to be transported to said first object store, in a first direction of transport, to said first object store, and the objects to be transported to said second object store, in a second direction of transport different from the first direction of transport, to said second object store; and
wherein the second direction of transport is a direction opposite the first direction of transport; and
wherein an object store selected from the group consisting of said first object store and said second object store is at least partly covered by said sorter when viewed from above.

Assignees

• Siemens Ag
• Deutsche Post Ag
• Siemens Ag Ag

Inventors

• Becher Joern
• Hartmann Bernd
• Klink Reinhard

Classifications

• B07C3/08 Primary

  using arrangements of conveyors {(transport of sheets B65H; transport in general B65G)} · CPC title

• B07C5/36

  Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution {(sorting according to destination B07C3/003, B07C3/02)} · CPC title

• B07C5/362

  Separating or distributor mechanisms (switches for postal sorting B07C3/065; particular discharging devices for B65G47/74) · CPC title

• B07C5/38 Primary

  Collecting or arranging articles in groups · CPC title

• B07C3/00

  Sorting according to destination {(collating the pages of a book B42C1/00)} · CPC title