System and method for transferring and/or sorting piece goods into removal regions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12134109-B2
Application number	US-202318322694-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2023
Priority date	May 25, 2022
Publication date	Nov 5, 2024
Grant date	Nov 5, 2024

Abstract

A system for transferring and/or sorting piece goods into removal regions includes a conveying device with a transport surface, movable in a transport direction, for piece goods, and a multiplicity of receiving devices for moving the piece goods from the transport surface of the conveying device into the respective removal region. The conveying device is configured as a horizontal circuit, and has at least two sections which lie opposite one another. A first group of receiving devices points from the first of the two sections into an interior of the circuit, and a second group of receiving devices points from the second of the two sections into the interior of the circuit. At least one receiving device of the first group is arranged in the interior of the circuit laterally directly next to a receiving device of the second group.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for transferring and/or sorting piece goods into removal regions comprising:
a conveying device with a transport surface, movable in a transport direction, for piece goods, and
a multiplicity of receiving devices for moving the piece goods from the transport surface of the conveying device into the respective removal region,
the conveying device being configured as a horizontal circuit, and having at least two sections which lie opposite one another,
a first group of receiving devices pointing from the first of the two sections into an interior of the circuit,
a second group of receiving devices pointing from the second of the two sections into the interior of the circuit, and
at least one receiving device of the first group being arranged in the interior of the circuit laterally directly next to a receiving device of the second group.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein an end of the receiving device remote from the conveying device lying at a lower level than an end of the receiving device close to the conveying device.

3. The system according to claim 1 , the multiplicity of receiving devices being arranged in such a way that receiving devices of the first group alternate with receiving devices of the second group in the interior of the circuit.

4. The system according to claim 1 , the receiving devices being configured in pairs, and/or the receiving devices being configured as roller track pairs and/or chute pairs.

5. The system according to claim 1 , comprising a removal region open surface on the removal regions for receiving the piece goods from the receiving devices, the removal region open surface being arranged at the end of each respective receiving device, beneath the conveying device and/or beneath the laterally adjacent receiving device.

6. The system according to claim 1 , comprising a plurality of containers, the containers being arranged on a removal region open surface, and/or comprising a pull-out table, the pull-out table adjoining the receiving device and being arranged on the removal region open surface.

7. The system according to claim 6 , a configuration of containers and/or pull-out tables being identical on removal region open surfaces which lie next to one another, and/or a configuration of containers and/or pull-out tables being different on removal region open surfaces which lie opposite one another.

8. The system according to claim 1 , comprising a building envelope for enclosing the conveying device and/or receiving devices, the building envelope comprising a multiplicity of doors and/or loading bays, and at least one door and/or loading bay being accessible per removal region open surface.

9. The system according to claim 1 , the circuit of the conveying device extending rectangularly-along an inner side of a building envelope.

10. The system according to claim 1 , comprising at least one feed device for feeding the piece goods onto the conveying device.

11. The system according to claim 1 , comprising a controller, the controller being configured in such a way that the system moves combination district piece goods by way of receiving devices of the first group to the removal regions, and that the system moves standard district piece goods by way of receiving devices of the second group to the removal regions.

12. A method for transferring and/or sorting piece goods into removal regions by way of a system comprising:
a conveying device with a transport surface, movable in a transport direction, for piece goods, and
a multiplicity of receiving devices for moving the piece goods from the transport surface of the conveying device into the respective removal region,
the conveying device being configured as a horizontal circuit, and having at least two sections which lie opposite one another,
a first group of receiving devices pointing from the first of the two sections into an interior of the circuit,
a second group of receiving devices pointing from the second of the two sections into the interior of the circuit, and
at least one receiving device of the first group being arranged in the interior of the circuit laterally directly next to a receiving device of the second group,
with the step:
sorting of the piece goods in such a way that combination district piece goods are moved by way of receiving devices of the first group to the respective removal regions, and that standard district piece goods are moved by way of receiving devices of the second group to the respective removal regions.

13. The method according to claim 12 , comprising the steps:
sorting of the piece goods in such a way that combination district piece goods of a plurality of delivery districts are moved into one removal region,
removing of the combination district piece goods in the removal regions into a plurality of containers, the number of containers corresponding at least to the number of delivery districts, and the combination district piece goods being sorted into the containers in a manner which is separated according to delivery district,
loading of a delivery vehicle from a full container with consideration of the delivery district of the container.

14. The method according to claim 12 , comprising the steps:
sorting of the piece goods in such a way that combination district piece goods of a plurality of delivery districts are moved into one removal region,
removing of the combination district piece goods in the removal regions into a plurality of containers, the number of containers corresponding at least to half the number of delivery districts, and combination district piece goods of two delivery districts being sorted in each case into one container,
loading of a first delivery vehicle from a full container with combination district piece goods are precisely one delivery district, and
loading of a further delivery vehicle with the combination district piece goods of the further delivery district which remain in the container.

15. The method according to claim 12 , comprising the steps:
sorting of the piece goods in such a way that standard district piece goods of two delivery districts are moved into one removal region,
removing the standard district piece goods in the removal regions by way of:
loading of a first delivery vehicle, the delivery vehicle being loaded with standard district piece goods of precisely one delivery district, and standard district piece goods of the further delivery district being buffer-stored in each case in a container,
loading of a further delivery vehicle with the standard district piece goods of the further delivery district which are buffer-stored in the container.

16. The method according to claim 12 , comprising the step of:
feeding of the piece goods onto the conveying device by means of a feed device, the piece goods being fed loosely.

Assignees

• Deutsche Post Ag

Inventors

• Piontek Christoph
• Lindenpütz Ralf
• Westerholt Dirk

Classifications

• B65G17/26

  comprising a series of co-operating units, e.g. interconnected by pivots · CPC title

• B07C3/08

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

• B07C3/02

  Apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution · CPC title

• B65G2203/0216

  Codes or marks on the article · 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