EP4234112B1 - Method for loading a transport container and corresponding arrangement - Google Patents

Description

The invention is based on a method for loading a transport container, wherein the method comprises transporting a large number of objects either with a first sorter, such as a horizontal sorter, or with a second sorter that is different from the first sorter between a plurality of separate buffer points, each of which is assigned at least one sorting target. The method further comprises sorting a first subset of the large number of objects with the first sorter and a second subset of the large number of objects that is different from the first subset with the second sorter according to the at least one sorting target at the buffer points. The method further comprises loading a transport container with the sorted objects from at least one of the buffer points, wherein all objects loaded from the buffer points into the transport container come from buffer points that are assigned the same sorting target. In this case, a first of the at least two buffer points is loaded exclusively with objects from the first sorter when sorting the large number of objects. Such a method and a corresponding arrangement are known from EN 10 2018 219 583 B4 Similar procedures and arrangements also describe the EN 10 2016 208 866 A1 and the US 3,448,870 A .

The methods known from the prior art have the disadvantage that when loading the transport container, the objects transferred from the buffer point into the transport container are loaded into the transport container in an arbitrary arrangement relative to one another, so that separation according to size, weight, volume and/or strength of the objects is not possible. The latter, however, is necessary for high utilization the fillable volume of the transport container and for the gentle transport of sensitive objects.

It is therefore the object of the invention to propose a method for loading a transport container and a corresponding arrangement which enables the selective loading of the transport container with objects from a first sorter, such as a lying sorter, and/or at least one second sorter different from the first sorter.

This object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1. The independent claim 13 relates to a corresponding arrangement. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

Accordingly, in the method for loading a transport container, it is provided that at least a first of the at least two buffer points is loaded exclusively with objects from the first sorter, such as a lying sorter, during the sorting of the plurality of objects, and at least a second of the at least two buffer points is loaded exclusively with objects from the second sorter, such as a hanging sorter, in particular a pocket sorter, during the sorting of the plurality of objects.

The invention is therefore based on the idea that the objects are kept in separate buffer locations prior to loading the transport container, sorted by type, so that there is no mixing between the objects sorted by the first sorter and those sorted by the second sorter. This makes it possible for either only objects that come from one or the other sorter to be loaded into the transport container during loading, or for a specific order to be observed when loading the transport container, in which, for example, the objects that come from a buffer location of the first sorter or the second sorter are loaded into the transport container first, and only in a subsequent loading process are those from the other sorter loaded into the transport container.

As far as it is stated in the present invention that the first sorter and the second sorter differ from each other or are designed as different sorters, this merely means that the first sorter and the second sorter are designed as independently operable assemblies. In particular, the first sorter and the second sorter do not necessarily have to have a different design. For example, both the first sorter and the second sorter can be a horizontal sorter, for example a cross-belt sorter, which can be operated independently of one another and only interact in the manner described above. In particular, however, the aim according to the invention of sorting a large number of objects into separate buffer locations in order to reload them, for example in a specific order, into the transport container, for example a roller container, if required, can also be achieved with a first and a second sorter which are of identical design and are each designed, for example, as a horizontal sorter.

In a preferred embodiment, however, the first sorter and the second sorter can actually be of different designs, for example the first sorter being a horizontal sorter and the second sorter being a hanging sorter. Optionally, at least one further sorter can be provided which is different from the first and second sorters according to the above definition.

If the first sorter and the second sorter are of different designs, the design of the first and second sorters can be selected based on the objects to be sorted and the respective sorting capability of the sorter. For example, the reception and transport of round, rollable objects are unproblematic for sorting with a pocket sorter, but they are not suitable for sorting with a cross-belt sorter. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the method can comprise detecting at least one geometric and/or physical size, such as a weight, a dimension or a geometry, of the objects to be sorted. The method can further comprise assigning an object to be sorted to the first sorter or the second sorter. The assignment can be carried out depending on the detected geometric and/or physical size and taking into account the transport capability of the first and second sorters. The assignment can comprise feeding the object from an object feeder into the first or second sorter. The at least one geometric and/or physical quantity can be measured with at least one dimensioning-weighing system (DWS) system of the object feeder, the first sorter, or the second sorter.

For example, the second sorter can be a hanging sorter, such as a pocket sorter, in which objects are transported and sorted at buffer points that cannot be transported with the first sorter, such as a lying sorter, due to their dimensions, weight or another property, or that would result in insufficient utilization of the first sorter if they were transported with the first sorter. For example, a lying sorter can be used to sort relatively large and heavy objects, while the hanging sorter can sort relatively light and small objects. For example, it can be provided that, for optimal loading of the transport container, the large objects are loaded into the transport container first and only then the small objects are loaded into the transport container. For this purpose, during loading, the buffer point in which the objects sorted by the first sorter, for example the horizontal sorter, are kept can be loaded into the transport container before the buffer point which has the objects of the second sorter, preferably a hanging sorter, whereby an improved filling or volume utilization of the transport container can be expected insofar as an at least partial filling of the spaces between the larger objects of the first sorter, which were previously loaded into the transport container, can be expected during the subsequent filling of the transport container with the smaller and lighter objects of the second sorter.

Transporting the objects with the first sorter can therefore include, for example, transporting the objects with a horizontal sorter, such as a cross-belt sorter. Transporting the objects with the second sorter can therefore include, for example, transporting the objects with an overhead conveyor, such as a pocket sorter, and/or with an automated guided vehicle (AGV).

During sorting, the second subset of objects can be loaded into the second buffer location by the automated guided vehicle (AGV) or the overhead conveyor.

When loading the transport container, the driverless transport vehicle can either feed the second buffer point to the first buffer point having the same sorting destination for the successive reloading of the buffer points into the transport container, and/or the second buffer point can be fed to a reloading device for emptying the second buffer point into a transport container, preferably after the first buffer point has been loaded into the transport container with the reloading device. has been emptied or before the first buffer point is emptied into the transport container using the transfer device.

Sorting the objects into the buffer locations can involve placing the objects from the second sorter onto a conveyor belt. The conveyor belt can therefore take on the function of the buffer location. In particular, trough-like buffer locations are therefore not absolutely necessary, as is usual in the state of the art.

The conveyor belt can be stopped by the second sorter for sorting the objects or driven at a reduced feed rate. Instead of driving at a reduced feed rate, an interval switch can also be provided in which the conveyor belt is moved step by step at predetermined intervals or after the conveyor belt has been loaded as a result of the sorting process.

The conveyor belt can be accelerated from a stopped state to a feed speed for loading the transport container or can be further accelerated from a state with a reduced feed speed.

The objects placed on the conveyor belt can be fed to the transport container using the conveyor belt and loaded into the transport container. The conveyor belt can therefore simultaneously take on the function of a buffer point and a device for loading the transport container.

The objects from the first buffer point and the objects from the second buffer point, which have been assigned the same sorting target, can be loaded into the same transport container during loading. For the reasons mentioned above, a preferred loading sequence of the buffer points can be maintained, for example to ensure that the objects originating from a first of the two sorters are arranged above or below the objects from the other sorter after loading within the transport container.

The method may further comprise separating the first and second subsets from the plurality of objects, wherein the objects are preferably sorted by weight, size, Volume and/or strength. The objects of the first subset can preferably be fed into the horizontal sorter and the objects of the second subset into the second sorter. For example, the objects can be separated with regard to their transportability with the horizontal sorter or with the second sorter, for example with a hanging sorter, an AGV or the like, in order to ensure optimal utilization of the sorters and/or preferential filling of the transport container either only with objects that come from one or the other sorter, or a specific sequence of loading of the transport container when the first and second buffer points are loaded into the transport container one after the other.

According to another aspect, an arrangement for loading a transport container is proposed which is suitable for use in the method described above. The arrangement can have a lying sorter with a plurality of load-carrying means which are conveyed between a plurality of separate buffer points, each of which is assigned at least one sorting target. The arrangement can further have a second sorter, different from the lying sorter, with a plurality of load-carrying means which are conveyed between the buffer points. The arrangement can further have a transfer device which is designed to empty at least one of the buffer points into a transport container, wherein the lying sorter and the second sorter are each designed to load objects into the buffer points in accordance with the sorting target. At least two of the buffer points should be assigned the same sorting target, wherein at least a first of the buffer points is designed to be loaded only by the lying sorter, while at least a second of the buffer points is designed to be loaded only by the second sorter.

The second sorter can be an automated guided vehicle (AGV) or an overhead conveyor, or have such a device. An AGV sorter is known, for example, from the EP3373232B1 , the EP3558551B1 and the WO 2020140133 A2 known.

The driverless transport vehicle can be configured to supply the second buffer point to the transfer device for loading into the transport container.

One of the at least two buffer points, preferably the second buffer point, can be a conveyor belt, wherein the conveyor belt is preferably arranged between a Acceptance point to which the horizontal sorter or second sorter is fed and to which the transfer device is guided.

The arrangement can have a separating device with which a first subset of the objects for introduction into the lying sorter and a second subset of the objects for introduction into the second sorter are separated from the plurality of objects, wherein the objects are preferably separated according to weight, size, volume and/or strength.

The present invention can be used in particular for the sorting of objects such as mail, parcels or the like with different shapes, volumes and/or weights. Here, it can be the case that the objects are delivered as shipments, as in the CEP industry, but it is also possible for the objects to come from a warehouse, for example from a high-bay warehouse, and to be removed from storage and sorted using the described method and the corresponding arrangement. Due to the large variance of the objects to be transported and sorted in terms of shape, volume and/or weight, it is advantageous to feed the objects into either a flat sorter or a second sorter, for example a pocket sorter, according to at least one relevant sorting destination. Instead of the pocket sorter or in addition to the pocket sorter, an automated guided vehicle (AGV) can also be provided for sorting objects that are unsuitable for transport on the flat sorter and/or in a hanging sorter according to a sorting destination. These can be, for example, objects that are too large and/or too heavy for the flat sorter and are also unsuitable for bag sorting in a hanging sorter.

Figur 1

eine bespielhafte Ausführungsform eines Hängesorters mit automatischer Taschenentleerung und einer Umladevorrichtung;

Figur 2

eine beispielhafte Ausführungsform eines Liegesorters und einer Umladevorrichtung;

Figur 3

eine beispielhafte Ausführungsform einer Sortieranordnung in schematischer Darstellung; und

Figur 4

eine weitere beispielhafte Ausführungsform einer Sortieranordnung in schematischer Darstellung.

Further details of the invention are explained with reference to the following figures.

Figure 1

an exemplary embodiment of a hanging sorter with automatic bag emptying and a transfer device;

Figure 2

an exemplary embodiment of a lying sorter and a transfer device;

Figure 3

an exemplary embodiment of a sorting arrangement in a schematic representation; and

Figure 4

another exemplary embodiment of a sorting arrangement in a schematic representation.

At the Figure 1 In the embodiment shown, the second sorter 2 is designed as a hanging sorter, in particular as a pocket sorter. The pocket sorter has a plurality of parallel guide rails 8 of a hanging sorter, which are connected to one another in the manner of a sorting matrix via end-side connecting profiles 9. Load-carrying means 7 designed as pockets can be fed to the sorting matrix via the end-side connecting profiles 9 and, in accordance with a sorting destination, can be introduced into one of the guide rails 8 via a switch 10, which are fed to a buffer point 4 designed as a conveyor belt 6. In addition to the conveyor belt 6, the buffer point 4 has an unloading station 11, with the aid of which the load-carrying means 7 are opened fully automatically and placed on the conveyor belt 6 via a chute 12. The conveyor belt 6 can be driven continuously at a low feed rate or step by step. The conveyor belt 6 can also stand still while it is being loaded with objects by the second sorter (not shown).

Upon request, one of the conveyor belts 6, which is assigned a desired sorting destination, can be driven to transport the objects lying on it to a discharge conveyor 12 adjacent to the end of the conveyor belts 6 and transversely to it, from which the objects are then transported to a transfer device 5 for loading a transport container. Alternatively, the transfer device 5 can also be a bagging device.

The buffer points 4 of the horizontal sorter 2 can be connected to the transfer device 5 via the same discharge conveyor 12 or via a separate discharge conveyor. A horizontal sorter 2 with buffer points 4 arranged along its longitudinal direction is in Figure 2 For example, while in the bag sorter after Figure 1 small and light objects, for example small and light shipments in the CEP sector, can be transported and sorted, the horizontal sorter, for example a crossbelt sorter, can be set up to transport large and heavy objects that are not suitable for being transported and sorted in the pocket sorter. Not shown, however, It is also conceivable that a third sorter is provided for objects that cannot be transported with either the pocket sorter or the flat sorter, for example particularly large, heavy and/or bulky objects that cannot be processed reliably even on the individual load-handling devices 7 of the cross-belt sorter. This third type of sorter can be, for example, an automated guided vehicle (AGV). The automated guided vehicle can have a receiving container for objects into which, for example at an object receiving station, the previously mentioned objects that cannot be transported with either the flat sorter or the pocket sorter are automatically or manually loaded into the AGV container.

If it is ensured that the buffer locations 4 filled by the lying sorter 2 are not the same buffer locations 4 as the buffer locations 4 filled by the second sorter 2, in particular a pocket sorter, even if the objects sorted by the two types of sorter 2 have the same sorting destination, for example a transport destination in the CEP area, it can be ensured that when loading the transport container 100, the objects from the lying sorter 2 can be loaded into the transport container 100 in a sorted manner, independently of the objects from the second sorter 2. This can be used in particular to optimize the filling of the transport container 100 and, for example, it can be assumed that smaller objects fill spaces between larger objects already present in the transport container 100 if they are subsequently filled into the transport container 100, i.e. after the larger objects.

It can also be provided that when soft objects, for example film bags in the CEP area, are first loaded into the transport container 100 by a second sorter 2, these are compressed when the transport container is subsequently loaded with heavy packages and thus more objects can be accommodated in the transport container 100.

The Figure 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a sorting arrangement in which the second sorter 3 has an overhead conveyor 5. The overhead conveyor 5 has an automatic pocket emptying device 14, via which the objects fed by the overhead conveyor 5 to the pocket emptying device 14 are automatically unloaded from load-carrying means 7 of the overhead conveyor 5, which are designed as pockets. The load-carrying means 7, which are designed as pockets, are removed from the automatic The bag emptying device 14 is unloaded into separate buffer points 4 and thus sorted. The sorting or unloading of the load-handling devices 7 into the separate buffer points 4 can be carried out according to at least one sorting target. For example, the objects can be sorted into the buffer points 4 according to size, weight, strength, or according to a higher-level criterion, for example according to a sorting target, such as a shipping address.

The sorting arrangement has a cross-belt sorter as the first sorter 2. Alternatively, a driverless transport system (FTS) or any other sorter can be provided. The first sorter 2 also sorts the objects to be sorted into separate buffer points 4 according to a sorting destination. In particular, it is provided that the buffer points 4 into which the overhead conveyor 5 sorts are different from the buffer points 4 into which the overhead conveyor 5 deposits the objects 1 it has sorted. By selectively ejecting the objects 1 sorted into the buffer points 4, objects 1 that have been sorted by the overhead conveyor 5 and/or objects that have been sorted by the cross-belt sorter can be optionally fed to the roll container load 14.

For example, upon request, a buffer point 4 of the overhead conveyor 5 and a buffer point 4 of the cross-belt sorter, which have the same sorting target, can be transferred to the discharge conveyor 12 and fed one after the other to the roll container loading 13, where the objects 1 of the two sorters 2, 3 are loaded one after the other into a roll container 100. If, for example, it is intended that the first sorter 2, for example a cross-goods sorter, is used to sort larger and heavier objects 1 compared to the overhead conveyor 5, the objects 1 of the cross-belt sorter can be fed first to the roll container loading 14 and loaded into the roll containers 100. After the objects 1 sorted by the cross-belt sorter have been loaded into the roll containers 100, the comparatively smaller and lighter objects 1 sorted by the overhead conveyor 5 can be loaded into the same roll container 100 - if necessary immediately afterwards. If the buffer points 4 of the two sorters 2, 3, which have the same sorting destination, are unloaded onto the discharge conveyor 12 at the same time, it is ensured, due to the greater proximity in the feed direction of the discharge conveyor 12 of the cross-belt sorter to the roll container load compared to the overhead conveyor 5, that first the objects 1 from the cross-material sorter are loaded into the roll container 100 and only then the objects 1 from the overhead conveyor 5 are loaded into the roll container 100.

A conveyor belt 15 for (empty or partially filled) roll containers 100 is guided at least in sections parallel to the first sorter 2 and the second sorter 3. This enables an embodiment in which the roll containers 100 can be loaded into the roll containers 100 by emptying the buffer points 4. Alternatively, it can be provided that the automatic bag unloader 14 sorts the unloaded objects 1 directly into the roll containers 100. For loading the roll containers 100 with objects 1 of the first sorter 2 pre-sorted to the buffer points 4, it can be provided that the buffer points 4 are either loaded directly into the roll containers 100, which are guided past the first sorter and the buffer points 4 via the conveyor belt 15 for roll containers 100, or that the buffer points 4 fed by the first sorter 2 are emptied onto a discharge conveyor 12, which transports the objects 1 sorted by the first sorter 2 to an automatic roll container loading 13.

Deviating from the Figure 3 The embodiment shown in Figure 4 In the embodiment shown, a plurality of separate conveyor belt buffers 4 are provided as buffer points 4 of the second sorter 3, in this case the hanging sorter 5, onto which the automatic pocket emptying system 14 deposits the objects 1 in accordance with the sorting target. During the sorting process, the conveyor belts 6 of the conveyor belt buffers 4 are stationary. On request, the conveyor belt 6 of the conveyor belt buffer 4 in question can be driven in order to transfer the sorted objects 1 deposited on it to a discharge conveyor 12, with which the objects 1 are fed to a roll container load 13. The discharge conveyor 12 is also guided past a lying sorter 2. From the lying sorter 2, the objects 1 to be sorted are sorted into separate intermediate buffers 4 in accordance with a sorting target. The intermediate buffers can be designed as end points, for example as trough-like receiving elements. On request, the end points can be selectively emptied onto the discharge conveyor 12 so that the sorted objects 1 are fed from the respective end point via the discharge conveyor 12 to the roll container load 13.

The features of the invention disclosed in the above description, in the drawings and in the claims may be essential for the realization of the invention both individually and in any combination.

List of reference symbols:

1

object

2

first sorter

3

second sorter

4

Buffer point

5

Overhead conveyor

6

Conveyor belt

7

Load handling equipment

8th

Guide rail

9

Connection profile

10

Switch

11

Unloading station

12

Discharge conveyor

13

Roll container loading

14

automatic pocket emptying

15

Conveyor belt for roll containers

100

Transport container

Claims (17)

1. A method for loading a transport container (100), wherein the method comprises the steps of:

   a. transporting a plurality of objects (1) either with a first sorter (2) or with at least one second sorter (3) different from the first sorter (2) between a plurality of buffer locations (4) separated from one another, to each of which at least one sorting target is assigned;

   b. sorting a first subset of the plurality of objects (1) with the first sorter (2) and a second subset of the plurality of objects (1) different from the first subset with the second sorter (3) according to at least one sorting target into the buffer locations (4),

   c. loading a transport container (100) with the sorted objects (1) of at least one of the buffer locations (4), wherein all objects (1) loaded from the buffer locations (4) into the transport container (100) have the same sorting target,

   characterised in that at least one first of the at least two buffer locations (4) is loaded exclusively with objects (1) from the first sorter (2) when sorting the plurality of objects (1), and at least one second of the at least two buffer locations (4) is loaded exclusively with objects (1) from the second sorter (3) when sorting the plurality of objects (1).
2. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the transporting of the objects (1) with the first and/or the second sorter (3) comprises transporting the objects (1) with a suspension conveyor (5), with a driverless transport vehicle (FTS), or with a deck sorter.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein in said sorting the second subset of the objects (1) is loaded into the second buffer location (4) by the driverless transport vehicle (FTS) or the suspension conveyor (5).
4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein when loading the transport container (100) the driverless transport vehicle (FTS) either

   a) feeds the second buffer location (4) to the first buffer location (4) having the same sorting target for successively transferring the buffer locations (4) into the transport container (100), and/or

   b) feeds the second buffer location (4) to a transfer device (5) for emptying the second buffer location (4) into a transport container (100), preferably after the first buffer location (4) has been emptied into the transport container (100) with the transfer device (5) or before the first buffer location (4) is emptied into the transport container (100) with the transfer device (5).
5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sorting of the objects (1) onto the buffer locations (4) comprises depositing the objects (1) from the second sorter (3) on a transport belt (6).
6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the transport belt (6) for sorting the objects (1) is stopped by the second sorter (3) or is driven with reduced feed speed.
7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the transport belt (6) for loading the transport container (100) is accelerated from a stopped state to a feed speed or is further accelerated from a state with reduced feed speed.
8. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the objects (1) deposited on the transport belt (6) are fed to the transport container (100) with the transport belt (6) and are loaded into the transport container (100).
9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the objects (1) from the first buffer location (4) and the objects (1) from the second buffer location (4), to which the same sorting target has been assigned, are loaded into the same transport container (100) in said loading.
10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising separating the first and the second subset from the plurality of objects (1), wherein the objects (1) are preferably separated according to weight, size, volume and/or strength, and wherein the objects (1) of the first subset are fed into the first sorter (2) and the objects (1) of the second subset are fed into the second sorter (3).
11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in the loading of the transport container (100) the sorted objects (1) of a first of the buffer locations (4) are loaded into the transport container (100) independently, preferably offset in time, from the sorted objects (1) of a second of the buffer locations (4).
12. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in the loading of the transport container (100) the sorted objects (1) of any selection of at least two of the buffer locations (4) are loaded into the transport container (100).
13. An arrangement for loading a transport container (100), wherein the arrangement comprises:

    - a first sorter (2) with a plurality of load receiving means (7), which are conveyed between a plurality of buffer locations (4) separated from one another, to each of which at least one sorting target is assigned,

    - a second sorter (3) different from the first sorter (2) with a plurality of load receiving means (7), which are conveyed between the buffer locations (4),

    - a transfer device (5), which is configured to empty at least one of the buffer locations (4) into a transport container (100),

    wherein the first sorter (2) and the second sorter are each configured to load objects (1) into the buffer locations (4) according to the sorting target, characterised in that at least two of the buffer locations (4) are assigned the same sorting target, of which a first buffer location (4) is configured to be loaded only by the first sorter (2), and of which a second buffer location (4) is configured to be loaded only by the second sorter (3).
14. The arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the second sorter comprises a driverless transport vehicle (FTS) or a suspension conveyor (5).
15. The arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the driverless transport vehicle (FTS) is configured to supply the second buffer location (4) to the transfer device (5) for loading into the transport container (100).
16. The arrangement according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein one of the at least two buffer locations (4), preferably the second buffer location, is a transport belt (6), wherein the transport belt (6) is preferably guided between an acceptance location, which is fed to the first sorter (2) or the second sorter (3), and the transfer device (5).
17. The arrangement according to any one of claims 13 to 16, further comprising a separating device, with which a first subset of the objects (1) for feeding into the first sorter (2) and a second subset of the objects (1) for feeding into the second sorter (3) are separated from the plurality of objects (1), wherein the objects (1) are preferably separated according to weight, size, volume and/or strength.

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