System and method for destacking and conveying articles arranged in stacks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9776796-B2
Application number	US-201414901252-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2014
Priority date	Jun 27, 2013
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

A system and a method for destacking and conveying articles disposed in stacks include a conveying device which is constructed for transporting the articles in a conveying direction. The conveying device is inclined relative to the horizontal at an angle of inclination and has a drive device and adhesion elements. The adhesion elements exert an adhesion force on articles with which they are in contact. The system also includes a controller which is connected to the drive device of the conveying device. In order to provide for more effective destacking for the system and the method, the adhesion elements are connected to the controller and constructed to be activated by the controller.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for destacking and conveying articles disposed in stacks, the system comprising:
a conveyor constructed for transporting the articles in a conveying direction, said conveyor being inclined relative to the horizontal at an angle of inclination and said conveyor having a drive and adhesion elements; and
a controller connected to said drive of said conveyor;
said adhesion elements at least temporarily exerting an adhesion force on articles contacted by said adhesion elements and said adhesion elements being connected to said controller and being configured to be deactivated by said controller causing the articles to slip downward onto said conveyor against the conveying direction for destacking the articles.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said adhesion elements electrically activatable.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said angle of inclination is greater than 18°.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said drive drives said conveyor at different conveying speeds.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said adhesion elements exert the adhesion force on metallic and non-metallic articles.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said adhesion elements are electrostatic adhesion elements electrically connected to said controller.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said conveyor has a surface for transporting the articles, and said surface is entirely covered by said adhesion elements.

8. A system for destacking and conveying articles disposed in stacks, the system comprising:
a conveyor constructed for transporting the articles in a conveying direction, said conveyor being inclined relative to the horizontal at an angle of inclination and said conveyor having a drive and adhesion elements; and
a controller connected to said drive of said conveyor;
said adhesion elements at least temporarily exerting an adhesion force on articles contacted by said adhesion elements, said adhesion elements being connected to said controller and being configured to be activated and deactivated by said controller for destacking the articles, said adhesion elements forming adhesion sections, and said adhesion sections being activatable independently of one another.

9. A system for destacking and conveying articles disposed in stacks, the system comprising:
a plurality of conveyors disposed at least one of after one another or next to one another, said plurality of conveyors being constructed for transporting the articles in a conveying direction, said plurality of conveyors being inclined relative to the horizontal at an angle of inclination, said plurality of conveyors each having a drive and said plurality of conveyors each including adhesion elements; and
a controller connected to said drives of said conveyors;
said adhesion elements exerting an adhesion force on articles contacted by said adhesion elements, said adhesion elements being connected to said controller and being configured to be activated by said controller, and said adhesion elements of different conveyors being controllable independently of one another by said controller.

10. A system for destacking and conveying articles disposed in stacks, the system comprising:
a conveyor constructed for transporting the articles in a conveying direction, said conveyor being inclined relative to the horizontal at an angle of inclination and said conveyor having a drive and adhesion elements;
a controller connected to said drive of said conveyor;
said adhesion elements exerting an adhesion force on articles contacted by said adhesion elements and said adhesion elements being connected to said controller and being configured to be activated by said controller; and
a sensor for determining a distribution of the articles, said controller activating said adhesion elements as a function of a determined article distribution.

11. A method for destacking and conveying articles disposed in stacks, the method comprising the following steps:
providing adhesion elements on a conveyor running in a conveying direction
depositing articles on the conveyor;
using the conveyor to convey the articles in the conveying direction at an angle of inclination relative to the horizontal;
during the conveying step, using the adhesion elements to at least temporarily hold the articles in contact with the adhesion elements and destack the articles from other articles; and
using a controller to deactivate the adhesion elements causing the articles to slip downward onto the conveyor against the conveying direction for destacking the articles.

12. The method according to claim 11 , which further comprises providing the conveyor with a surface for transporting the articles, and entirely covering the surface with the adhesion elements.

13. A method for destacking and conveying articles disposed in stacks, the method comprising the following steps:
providing adhesion elements on a conveyor running in a conveying direction
depositing articles on the conveyor;
using the conveyor to convey the articles in the conveying direction at an angle of inclination relative to the horizontal;
during the conveying step, using the adhesion elements to at least temporarily hold the articles in contact with the adhesion elements and destack the articles from other articles;
using a controller to electrically activate and deactivate the adhesion elements; and
deactivating the adhesion elements by using the controller for a period of less than one second for destacking the articles.

14. A method for destacking and conveying articles disposed in stacks, the method comprising the following steps:
providing adhesion elements on a conveyor running in a conveying direction
depositing articles on the conveyor;
using the conveyor to convey the articles in the conveying direction at an angle of inclination relative to the horizontal;
during the conveying step, using the adhesion elements to at least temporarily hold the articles in contact with the adhesion elements and destack the articles from other articles;
using a controller to electrically activate and deactivate the adhesion elements;
determining a distribution of the articles on the conveyor, and activating the adhesion elements as a function of the article distribution.

Assignees

• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Tanz Torsten

Classifications

• B65G2201/02

  Articles · CPC title

• B65G43/00

  Control devices, e.g. for safety, warning or fault-correcting · CPC title

• B65G15/58 Primary

  with means for holding or retaining the loads in fixed position, e.g. magnetic · CPC title

• B65G15/24

  in tandem · CPC title

• B65G59/12

  characterised by de-stacking during transit · CPC title