ES2952023T3 - Device for loading transport bags - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for loading a suspended transport bag (21) with transport goods (2) from above, comprising a feeding device (10) for feeding transport goods (2) to an area transfer (T) of a suspended feeding device (20) having a guide rail (41) and transport bags (21) that can move along the guide rail (41). The route of the guide rail (41) is designed in such a way that the transport bags (21) are carried suspended upwards away from the transfer zone (T). (Automatic translation with Google Translate, without legal value)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Device for loading transport bags

The invention is located in the field of transportation and movement technology, in particular, intralogistics.

According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a device for loading a hanging transport bag from above with a transport commodity, in particular piece articles. The device contains feeding equipment for feeding transport goods to a transfer zone of an overhead conveyor equipment. The overhead conveyor equipment further contains a guide rail and transport bags that can be moved along the guide rail.

The terms "up", "above" and "below", "below" refer to the direction of gravity.

The terms "upward", "from above" or "downward", "from below" in relation to a motion mean that there is a component of motion in the direction of or contrary to the force of gravity.

Furthermore, according to the first aspect, the invention also relates to a method for loading a transport bag with a transport commodity by means of the device according to the invention, the transport bag being transported in the transport direction in a suspended position to the transfer zone and the transport goods being fed to the transfer zone by means of the feeding equipment in the feeding direction and transferred in a transfer direction from above through the accommodation opening to the accommodation compartment from the carrying bag.

In automated warehouses, large production facilities and general freight transport, there is a need to house transport goods in suitable containers, then transport them, for example, by air conveyor equipment, and temporarily store or transport them to their destination and download them again there.

Aerial conveyor equipment is also used in particular for sorting and shipping items. Expedition is the compilation in each case of a selection of items from a total set (assortment of items). The shipment can be based, for example, on a customer order or a production order.

The use of suspended conveyor equipment with transport bags for the transport of articles or merchandise is therefore known from the state of the art.

Publication DE 102004 018 569 A1 describes, for example, an overhead conveyor device with a plurality of foldable collection pockets for storing and collecting objects, in particular clothing, in a classified manner. The collection pocket comprises a frame frame and a pocket bag suspended from the frame. The collection pocket is suspended from the overhead conveyor equipment by a hook attached to the frame structure.

The advantage of carrying pockets is that they are flexibly configured. In this way, the housing compartment can be compressed or collapsed, for example by folding. In this way, transport pockets enable space-saving logistics of goods compared to rigid boxes and containers, for example. Empty carrying bags with the accommodation compartment flattened can be stored or transported in a space-saving manner. The accommodation compartments must first be expanded by occupying the space for the transport or accommodation of goods. Aerial conveyor equipment, like other conveyor equipment, requires space. However, this is often only available on a limited basis. In particular, space problems may arise in the transfer zone, where a transport commodity is transferred to the transport bags of the aerial transport equipment. This is due, among other things, to the fact that the aerial transport equipment has to share the available area with a feeding equipment that transports the goods to be transported to the transfer area.

DE 102008 061 685 A1 or EP 2 196415 A2 describes an installation with a loading station for transport bags that are transported by means of overhead conveyor equipment. The loading station features an upper feeding rail for the carrying bags, a vertical conveyor adjacent to the feeding rail for feeding the carrying bags to a lower loading position, equipment for opening the carrying bags in the loading position and a lower evacuation rail adjacent to the vertical conveyor to remove the transport bags from the loading position. Since the goods to be transported are transported horizontally and removed horizontally in the transport bags, the installation requires relatively a lot of space.

US 748,576 describes a device for loading a transport commodity into pendulum containers from above, which contains a feeding equipment for transporting the merchandise to be transported to a transfer zone and an overhead conveyor equipment with a guide rail and with pendulum containers that can move along the guide rail, the route of the guide rail being designed in such a way that, immediately After the transfer of the goods to be transported, the pendulum containers are transported hanging outside the transfer area and therefore outside the transport plane of the feeding equipment, and the transport routes of the overhead conveying equipment and the feeding equipment run on different levels to save space.

The objective of the present invention according to the first aspect is to propose a device for loading transport bags with transport goods that occupies the least possible space.

The objective is achieved by the characteristics of independent claims 1 and 10. The dependent claims, the description and the figures contain particular embodiments and refinements of the invention.

The device according to the invention is characterized in that the path of the guide rail is designed in such a way that the transport bag is transported suspended, in particular freely suspended, upwards out of the transfer zone after the goods being transported. to be transported have been transferred to the transport bag, possibly after passing a bag holder arranged in the transfer area.

Transporting outside the transfer zone involves a transport operation immediately after the transfer zone.

"Suspended" means that the carrying bag is aligned vertically in the rest position or has an inclination with respect to a vertical of 45° or less, in particular of 35° or less and very particularly of 30° or less. The inclination can be controlled by a deflection element such as the bag holder.

"Freely suspended" means in particular that the carrying bag is aligned vertically in the rest position and in particular is not forced into an inclination by a deflection element.

The upward movement of the transport bag immediately after the transfer zone means in particular that the vertical component of the movement is at least equal to or greater than the horizontal component of the movement, if the latter occurs.

The transfer zone corresponds to the zone of the device in which the transport goods are transferred from the feeding equipment to the transport bags of the aerial conveyor equipment, that is, they are deposited or delivered.

The feeding equipment and the overhead conveying equipment are configured and arranged relatively to each other in particular in such a way that the transport bag moves hanging towards the transfer zone, in particular hanging freely.

In the open position, the transport bag forms in particular a receiving compartment for the goods to be transported, which can be accessed from above through a receiving opening.

During the transfer of the goods to be transported, i.e. in the transfer area, the accommodation compartment is consequently in the open position.

Therefore, the device in particular comprises an opening mechanism by means of which the carrying bag can be opened for the purpose mentioned above. The opening mechanism can be designed in such a way that the transport bag is already open before the transfer zone in the transport direction. The opening mechanism can be designed in such a way that the transport bag only opens in the transfer area.

The opening mechanism may comprise a control slide that acts on a control roller arranged in the transport bag and thus causes the bag to open. The control slide may be stationary, the control roller being guided on the stationary control slide while the transport bag is transported to the transfer zone.

The carrying bag may further comprise opening agents, by means of which the accommodation compartment, in particular against the force of gravity or against a recovery force, can be moved to the open position or can keep on this. Said opening agents may comprise the control roller mentioned above. Furthermore, the opening agents may also comprise sliding elements, pins, wire arches or wire eyelets.

In particular, the carrying bag comprises a bag rear wall forming the rear side of the accommodation compartment.

The back wall of the bag is configured in particular to be self-supporting or intrinsically stable. Wall back of bag is particularly rigid. The back pocket wall is or is designed in particular flat.

According to a further development, the bag rear wall forms a rear wall section which extends beyond the accommodation compartment, in the open position of the carrying pocket.

In particular, the carrying bag further comprises a front bag wall that forms the front side of the accommodation compartment. The front pocket wall is configured in particular to be self-supporting or intrinsically stable. The back wall of the bag is particularly rigid. The anterior wall of the pouch is in particular flat.

The front bag wall can be connected to the rear bag wall through bag side walls and a bag base. In the open position, these also form the accommodation compartment.

The front bag wall and the rear bag wall can in particular move relatively relative to each other to open and close the carrying bag.

When opened, the carrying bag is transferred in particular from a closed position, in which the front bag wall is arranged in a compact position towards the rear bag wall, to an open position, in which the accommodation compartment is expands forming the housing opening. The anterior pouch wall is separated from the posterior pouch wall in the open position.

The rear bag wall and/or the front bag wall and in particular the complete carrying bag may comprise, for example, a frame. To form the walls, the frame can be covered with a flat structure, in particular a textile flat structure such as a fabric.

In particular, the frame is rigid. The frame can be made of wire or rods.

According to a further development of the invention, the direction of transfer of the goods to be transported into the transport bag and the direction or route of transport of the transport bag out of the transfer zone lie in a common plane. .

According to a further development of the invention, the direction of transfer of the goods to be transported into the transport bag and the direction or route of transport of the transport bag into the transfer zone lie in a plane. common.

Transfer direction should be understood as the direction in which the goods to be transported move during transfer from the feeding equipment to the transport bag.

The transport bags are in particular connected to a transport element that can be moved along the guide rail.

In the direction of the transfer zone, the guide rail runs in particular essentially horizontally and very particularly horizontally. Essentially horizontal also includes guide rail inclinations that deviate from the horizontal by 10° (angular degrees) or less, in particular 5° or less.

According to the invention, the guide rail forms a curved section in the transfer zone. In the curved section, the transport bags are deflected along a curved path from a feeding direction to an output direction.

In the curved section, the transport bags deviate in particular from a horizontal or essentially horizontal direction of movement or feed to a direction of movement or output directed upwards, in particular obliquely upwards.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the guide rail forms immediately after the curved section in the transfer zone an exit section, in particular inclined. In the exit section, the guide rail has in particular an angle of 45° or more, particularly 60° or more, with respect to a horizontal. The angle can also be 90° or less than 90°.

This means that the transport bags are transported upwards out of the transfer zone at the specified angle.

The overhead conveyor equipment is designed to transport the transport pockets in a suspended manner, in particular by hanging freely at least in sections. The overhead conveyor equipment comprises in particular several transport bags that can be moved consecutively in the transport direction along a guide rail.

The aerial conveyor equipment is designed in particular to transport the transport bags individually.

The term "individually" implies that the carrying bags or their carrying elements are not directly connected to each other, for example, concatenated.

Viewed in the direction of transport, the overhead conveyor equipment may contain a separation mechanism in front of the transfer zone, by means of which, for example, in a housing space or along a housing section before the separation mechanism , the retained transport bags can be released or transported individually to the transfer area.

The separation mechanism may comprise a release element that releases the carrying bag. The release member may form a movable stop in which the transport bags are retained. To release a carrying bag, the stop can be moved to a corresponding release position. The release element or its stop is controlled in particular by means of a control.

The separation mechanism may contain a conveyor screw by means of which the individual transport bags are transported to the transfer zone.

The conveying screw is rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation arranged parallel to the direction of transport.

A guide groove configured in the form of a spiral or screw line is arranged along the outer perimeter of the conveying screw. The guide groove serves to accommodate a drive element arranged on the transport element, such as, for example, a drive cam. This engages in the guide groove and is dragged together with the transport element and the transport bag hanging thereon through the guide groove that rotates with the conveying screw along the axis of rotation of the conveying screw.

In front of the separation mechanism, seen in the transport direction, an accumulation section can be formed in which the accumulation of transport bags is retained.

The overhead conveyor equipment may also contain a drag conveyor with at least one and, in particular, several drag elements for dragging the transport element and thus the transport bag attached thereto in the transport direction. The at least one drive element may be arranged on a drive element, in particular a circulating drive element such as, for example, a drag chain. Therefore, several drive elements can be arranged consecutively and spaced apart from each other along the drive element. The at least one driving element may be a driving cam.

The drag conveyor is arranged in particular in the transport direction after the separation mechanism and in particular after the conveying screw. The separation mechanism or conveyor screw transfers the particular transport bags to the drag conveyor.

The transport member may contain a contact member to form a driving contact with the driving member of the drag conveyor.

The drag conveyor is actively driven by a drive.

The drag conveyor serves in particular for the active transport of the transport bags after the transfer zone against the force of gravity upwards along the guide rail. The drag conveyor therefore corresponds in particular to an ascending conveyor.

The drag conveyor can also serve to actively transport the transport bags along the guide rail to the transfer zone. The transport by means of the drag conveyor takes place, seen in the transport direction, in particular after the separation equipment, in particular after the screw conveyor.

The drag conveyor can also serve to actively transport the transport bags along the guide rail in the transfer zone.

In particular, the feeding equipment forms a transport surface on which the goods to be transported are located. The transport surface can be continuous or discontinuous.

The feeding direction or the transport surface runs in particular horizontally or essentially horizontally. Essentially horizontal implies that the feed direction deviates from a horizontal line by 10° or less, in particular 5° or less.

In particular, the feeding equipment contains at least one transport unit that forms a transport surface. The transport surface is formed in particular by a circulating transport element. The transport element can be actuated.

The transport element may be flat. The transport element can be a conveyor belt, a belt chain or a roller conveyor.

The feeding equipment may be designed in particular to feed the transport goods individually or in portions to the transfer zone. In this sense, the transport goods are transferred by the feeding equipment into the individual transport bags in each case individually or in portions. For this purpose, the goods to be transported can be fed individually or in portions into sections or compartments of the feeding equipment to the transfer area.

Transport goods can be bulk goods (in portions), for example, powder, granules, small parts (e.g. screws), etc. However, transport goods comprise, in particular, piece goods, i.e. individual discrete objects. These objects can be household items, sporting goods, clothing, shoes, packaged goods, filled bags (shipping bags), or packages such as cartons or boxes. Consequently, the transport bags can be loaded with goods in individual pieces.

The transfer zone may be arranged at the upper end of a deflection point of the transport element of the feeding equipment. At the deflection point, the transport element is deflected in particular downwards.

According to a further development of the invention, the feeding device contains a plurality of transport units which are arranged consecutively in the feeding direction and each form a transport surface. The transport units comprise in each case, in particular, a circulating conveyor element. The transport elements can be operated individually.

According to a further development of the invention, the transport route of the goods to be transported fed by the feeding equipment can overlap with the transport route of the goods to be transported removed from the transport bags.

In such a case, the feeding equipment for releasing the transport path of the transport bag that is to be removed from the transfer zone may contain a transport section that can be moved away from a feeding position. The feeding position corresponds to the position that said transport section adopts during the transfer of a merchandise to be transported to the transport bag.

In particular, said transport section can pivot away from the transfer position. Said transport section may be formed by a transport unit.

The feeding equipment contains, in particular, a transport unit that ends towards the transfer zone and that can be moved, in particular pivoted, away from a transfer position to free the transport path of the transport bag to be transported. outside the transfer zone.

The final transport unit may comprise a circulating transport element, as already described above. The final transport unit may also comprise a roller conveyor through which the goods to be transported are transferred to the transport bags.

The transport bag is arranged with its receiving compartment at the front in the transfer area, seen in the transport direction of the transport bag, in particular frontally facing the feeding device.

The feeding device or equipment may form a bag support on which the transport bag rests or abuts in the transfer zone, in particular with the front bag wall. The carrying bag rests flat on the bag support in particular.

The bearing surface of the bag support may form an angle of 45° or more, in particular 60° or more, with a horizontal. Furthermore, the angle is in particular less than 90°.

In this way, the transport bag can be stabilized in the transfer area with respect to the transfer of the goods to be transported. This stops any swinging of the transport bag in the transfer area.

Furthermore, the support surface can already reduce the inclination of the loaded transport bag, which it adopts in any case in the freely suspended position due to the center of gravity which is located before the suspension point. As a result, swinging of the transport bags after the transfer zone can be avoided or at least reduced.

The bag holder may also be designed such that the transport bag rolls up or slides up on the bag holder when removed from the transfer area after transfer. of transport merchandise.

Correspondingly, the bag holder in particular forms a support surface. The support surface can be attached directly to the transport surface of the feeding equipment.

The bag holder may also correspond to an end section of a transport surface of the feeding equipment or be part of an end transport unit.

The bag support can form a roller conveyor. This has the advantage that the transport bag, which has moved outside the transfer zone T, with its front transport bag wall can roll on the roller conveyor, in particular in the opposite direction to the transfer direction. If the bag support is formed by an end section of a transport surface or a closing transport unit, the roller conveyor can also be designed so that the transported goods to be transferred to the transport bag roll on the roller conveyor in the transfer direction.

The bag support may have an inclination with respect to a vertical. The bag holder can also be aligned vertically.

The invention also relates to a method according to claim 10 for loading a transport bag with transport goods. The procedure is carried out by means of a device like the one previously described.

According to the method, the transport bag moves into the transfer area or enters it suspended in the transport direction, in particular freely suspended.

The transport bag is transported to the transfer zone via the transport element along the guide rail.

In particular, the transport bag is essentially transported horizontally or horizontally to the transfer zone. Essentially horizontal also includes inclinations that deviate from the horizontal by 10° or less, in particular 5° or less.

The transport bag can also be transported along a gradient to the transfer area. The gradient allows in particular gravity-assisted transport. In this case, the transport bag can even be transported autonomously, i.e. without active drive, to the transfer area.

However, it is also possible for the transport bag to be actively transported to the transfer zone by means of a drag conveyor.

In particular, the transport bags are transported individually to the transfer area. For this purpose, the transport bags can be released individually in the transport direction to the transfer area via the separation mechanism.

The transport bag is moved to and through the transfer zone with the receiving opening ahead in the transport direction with respect to the bag rear wall.

This means that the transport bag enters and leaves the transfer zone with the receiving opening in the transport direction ahead of the bag rear wall.

The carrying bag opens before or at the transfer area. The carrying bag is actively opened via the mentioned opening mechanism.

According to a further development of the method, the transport movement of the transport bag stops in the transfer zone. This means that the transport bag is stopped in order to transfer the goods to be transported from the feeding equipment to the accommodation compartment of the transport bag. This happens in particular by stopping the drag conveyor.

The transport bag can be stopped before a curved section in the transfer zone. The transport bag can be stopped in a curved section in the transfer zone. The transport bag can be stopped after a curved section in the transfer area.

Correspondingly, the transport bag is located in a defined transfer position along the transport section of the overhead conveying equipment in order to transfer the goods to be transported in the transfer zone.

The goods to be transported are fed to the transfer zone in the feed direction by means of the feeding equipment and are transferred in a transfer direction from above through the housing opening to the housing compartment of the carrying bag. Correspondingly, the bag opening is located below the transport surface of the feeding equipment.

The transfer direction comprises in particular a directional component in the direction of gravity. Correspondingly, the goods to be transported are transferred in the transfer zone by the feeding equipment, with the help of gravity, in the direction of transfer to the transport bag.

The goods to be transported can be transferred by guided movement, for example on an inclined transport surface. The transfer of the transport goods can also be carried out by means of an unguided movement such as, for example, free fall.

After the goods to be transported have been transferred to the transport bag, the transport bag is transported suspended upwards.

The transport bag is transported outside the transfer zone, in particular along the guide rail through the transport element.

According to the invention, the transport bag is taken out of the transfer zone directly after the transfer zone through a transport section, essentially against the transfer direction of the goods to be transported to the carrying bag.

Essentially against the direction of transfer means that the two directions may enclose an angle of 15° or less, in particular 5° or less.

If the transportation path of the transportation bag transported outside the transfer zone intersects with the transportation path of the transporting goods of the feeding equipment, to release the transportation path of the transportation bag that needs to be transported out of the transfer zone, the corresponding transport section of the feeding equipment is moved, in particular pivoted, out of its transport position to a release position. The device according to the invention has the advantage that the transport bags are transported upwards immediately after the transfer of the transport goods and are therefore removed from the transport plane of the feeding equipment. In this way, the transport routes of the aerial conveyor equipment and the feeding equipment run in different planes to save space. In this way, the device according to the invention requires less installation space.

Furthermore, removing the filled carrying bag upwards immediately frees up space for a subsequent carrying bag. This speeds up the filling operation.

Another aspect relates to an aerial conveyor equipment containing a guide rail and at least one transport bag for the suspended transport of transport goods, in particular piece goods, along a transport track, the at least one being connected a transport bag through a connection structure to a transport element that can be moved along the guide rail.

Transport bags generally have suspension hooks, by means of which they are connected, for example, to a roller-guided transport element. This also applies, for example, to the two documents cited at the beginning.

By suspending the carrying bags via a suspension hook, they can swing freely relative to the carrying element. This means that the transport bag can swing both in and against the transport direction and also transversely to the transport direction.

As a rule, inertial forces cause carrying bags to oscillate. Inertia forces occur, for example, when the transport bag is accelerated or decelerated along the transport route. In addition, the carrying bag can also swing when changing direction.

A free swinging suspension of the carrying bag has advantages. In this way, the forces mentioned above are converted into kinetic motion energy through oscillating motion. If the bags were rigidly suspended, on the other hand, forces would act on the connection between the carrying bag and the transport element and also on the rail-guided transport element. The consequence of this would be high friction forces between the transport element and the guide rail and would correspond to high wear, as well as high stress on the connection between the transport bag and the transport element.

Therefore, the goal is to propose an aerial conveyor equipment in which the disadvantages of a freely swinging transport bag are no longer present or at least limited. However, the carrying bag should not be rigidly suspended from the carrying element and should have the aforementioned advantages of a freely swinging carrying bag.

The connecting structure, which is not part of the present invention, includes a pivoting body and a connecting body, the carrying bag being fixed to the pivoting body. The connecting body, on the other hand, is connected to the transport element.

The pivoting body is now connected to the connecting body through a pivoting connection, such that the pivoting body can rotate with respect to the connecting body transversely to the transport direction. Correspondingly, the carrying bag fixed to the pivoting body can pivot transversely to the direction of transportation through the pivoting body.

According to an improvement, the connecting body contains pivot stops to limit the pivot angle of the pivot body. The pivoting body can in turn form pivoting limiting surfaces. To limit the pivot angle of the pivot body, the pivot delimiting surfaces abut against the pivot stops when a maximum pivot angle is reached. This means that the pivot angle is limited by the pivot limiting surfaces that abut the pivot stops. The maximum pivot angle may be 60° or less, in particular 45° or less, and very particularly 25° or less. The pivot angle corresponds in this regard to the angle of the pivot movement between a left and right pivot stop in the transport direction.

The pivot stops may comprise damping elements, for example, made of elastic rubber plastic, spring elements or gel, which cushion the impact of the pivoting body on the pivot stops and absorb kinetic energy.

The pivoting limiting surfaces may comprise damping elements, for example, made of elastic rubber plastic, spring elements or gel, which cushion the impact of the pivoting body on the pivot stops and absorb kinetic energy.

The connecting body may consist of one or several parts. The connecting body may be made of metal, such as steel.

According to a further development, the connecting body can form a pivot guide for a guided pivot movement of the pivot body transversely to the transport direction. In particular, the pivot guide is intended to prevent the pivot body from pivoting in or against the direction of transport.

The pivoting guide comprises in particular a first guide element arranged in front of the pivoting body, seen in the transport direction, and a second guide element arranged behind the pivoting body. The guide elements are in particular guide walls.

The pivoting body is arranged between the first and the second guide element through at least one pivoting body section.

According to a further development, the connecting structure is designed in such a way that it prevents the carrying bag from rotating around its central longitudinal axis. This can be done, among other things, using the pivot guide mentioned above.

The pivoting body is connected to the particular connecting body via a pivoting (physical) axis. The connection is in particular removable and can be, for example, a threaded connection.

The pivot shaft forms a pivot bearing for the pivot body in the connecting body.

The pivoting axis is oriented in particular parallel to the direction of transport.

The pivoting axis is guided in particular by the first and second guide elements mentioned above and by the pivoting body section arranged between the two guide elements.

According to a particular embodiment, the connecting body is U-shaped. The U-shaped connecting body comprises two side walls and a connecting wall that joins the two side walls together. The pivoting body is pivotally supported with at least one pivoting body section between the side walls transversely to the transport direction.

The two side walls are in particular part of the pivotal guide mentioned above and correspond to the guide elements or guide walls mentioned.

The pivoting body is guided with at least one pivoting body section into a pivoting space of the U-shaped connecting body formed by the two side walls and the connecting wall.

The pivoting shaft is guided through the side walls of the U-shaped connecting body and through the pivoting body section arranged between the two side walls.

The connecting body is connected to the transport element in particular via the connecting wall. The connection may be removable and may comprise, for example, a threaded joint.

The pivoting body can be formed by one or several pieces. The pivoting body is made in particular of plastic or metal. The pivoting body may be an injection molded part.

In particular, the pivoting body forms a fork housing for a holding fork or for a holding fork section of a holding fork of the carrying bag.

The length of the fork housing, which extends transversely to the transport direction in the operating position, is in particular a multiple of the largest diameter of the fork housing measured parallel to the transport direction. The length of the fork housing may, in particular, be at least five times said diameter of the fork housing.

The transport bag is mounted on the fork seat via the clamping fork or the clamping fork section, so that it can pivot in particular in or against the transport direction. The clamping fork is made in particular of wire.

The clamping fork can be mounted rigidly, i.e. non-pivotally, in the fork housing transversely to the transport direction.

The clamping fork or the clamping fork section that is clamped in the fork housing has a particularly rounded cross section, for example oval or circular.

Thus, according to a variant embodiment, the pivoting body can form a slot-shaped fork housing, which is open towards the connecting body, for mounting the clamping fork. For this purpose, the pivoting body can be in particular U-shaped.

The clamping fork can be secured against displacement in the direction of the transport element by means of securing elements such as spring steel pins that are guided transversely through the slot-shaped fork housing.

According to a variant embodiment, the pivoting body may comprise two connecting elements, in particular structurally identical, which are joined together to form a pivoting body, configuring a fork housing for the clamping fork.

The fork housing may be designed such that the pivoting body completely surrounds the clamping fork at least in sections. This means that the pivoting body is configured at least in sections as a passage opening.

According to a special variant of the fork housing, the pivoting body surrounds the clamping fork n over the entire length of the fork housing. This means that the fork housing is designed as a passage opening along its entire length.

The pivoting body or the fork receptacle can surround the clamping fork substantially in a positive manner, in particular at least in sections or over its entire length.

The clamping fork can only be held in the fork seat with a slight radial play. This allows unobstructed pivoting movement of the bag in and against the direction of transport.

Furthermore, the clamping fork can only be held in the fork seat with slight lateral play. This allows only a slight lateral displacement of the clamping fork with respect to the pivoting body.

It can also be provided that the fork holder does not rigidly hold the clamping fork.

According to a variant embodiment of the fork receptacle, the fork receptacle may have a V-shaped receptacle section or be designed as a V-shaped receptacle. The inclined side flanks of the V-shaped fork section or of the V-shaped fork housing converge downwards in the operating position, that is, in the direction of gravity.

Above the V-shaped housing section the fork housing can configure another section of rectangular housing constituting the fork housing together with the V-shaped housing section. The fork housing according to this variant embodiment has in particular a cross-sectional area that is a multiple of the cross-sectional area of the fork to be housed.

The V-shaped mounting section or the V-shaped mounting allows the clamping fork to deviate from a defined transport position in the area of the inclined flanks encountered in the event of special external forces, such as those produced, for example, when cornering in the form of centripetal forces. Therefore, the V-shaped housing section or V-shaped housing allows the clamping fork to deviate from its defined transport position along its inclined side flanks.

As soon as a particular external force decreases, the V-shaped design of the fork housing or a section thereof ensures that the clamping fork returns to its defined transport position.

The V-shaped housing section or V-shaped housing also ensures that the clamping fork adopts a defined transport position, due to gravity, in the absence of a particular external force. In the operating position, the defined transport position corresponds in particular to the lowest point of the V-shaped housing section or the V-shaped housing.

In this way, local force peaks, which emanate from the clamping fork and which would act directly on the pivoting body if the clamping fork were kept rigid, can be avoided or reduced.

However, the limited cross-sectional area of the fork housing also limits the deflection movement of the clamping fork, so that the bag cannot deviate arbitrarily much and thus impair the transport operation.

The overhead conveyor equipment with the connecting structure can be used in particular in a device according to the first aspect of the invention.

Suspending the carrying bag on the carrying element has the advantage that the carrying bag can swing freely transversely to the transport direction at a pivot angle defined through the pivoting body. In this way, tilting forces acting on the transport element can be avoided or reduced. These forces specifically lead to increased wear of the transport element, in particular of the rolling wheels or sliding elements of the transport element and, if necessary, also of the guide rail.

However, the pivot angle of the transport bag is limited, so that the transport bag cannot swing arbitrarily to one side and possibly collide with parts of the system or other transport bags. This is particularly important in storage spaces of aerial transport equipment for (intermediate) storage of empty or full transport bags, where the space is usually narrow and lateral pivoting of the transport bags is only possible in a limited way.

The transport element of the aerial conveyor equipment according to the aspect of the invention is in particular a rolling carriage with rolling rollers through which the carriage is guided by rolling along at least one guide rail configured as a rolling rail.

The rolling carriages can be configured as external or internal cursors.

The rolling carts are designed in particular as individual carts. The term single carriage means that the rolling carriages are not directly connected to each other, for example concatenated. This allows the carry pockets to be carried individually.

Below, the invention is explained in more detail with the help of embodiment examples, which are represented in the attached figures. They show, in each case schematically:

Figure 1: a perspective view of a device according to the invention in the transfer zone according to the first aspect of the invention;

Figure 2a: a perspective view of an open carrying bag;

Figure 2b: a side view of the closed transport bag according to Figure 2a;

Figure 3: a perspective view of a first embodiment variant of a connection structure with rolling carts that is not part of the invention.

Figure 4: a perspective view of a second embodiment variant of a connection structure with rolling carts that are not part of the invention.

Figure 5a: an exploded view of the connection structure according to the first embodiment variant according to Figure 3;

Figure 5b: a perspective view of the connection structure according to the first embodiment variant according to Figure 3;

Figure 6a: an exploded view of the connection structure according to the second embodiment variant according to Figure 4;

Figure 6b: a perspective view of the second embodiment variant of the connection structure according to the invention with a rolling carriage according to Figure 4;

Figure 7a: a view of the connection structure according to Figure 3 or 4 in the transport direction with a pivoting body pivoted to the left in the transport direction with respect to the connection body;

Figure 7b: a view of the connection structure according to Figure 3 or 4 in the transport direction with a pivoting body pivoted to the right in the transport direction with respect to the connection body;

Figure: 8: a side view of the second embodiment variant according to Figure 4;

Figure: 9: a side view of a third embodiment variant of a connection structure according to the invention with rolling carriage according to the second aspect of the invention.

In principle, in the figures, the same parts are provided with the same references. For the understanding of the invention, certain characteristics are not represented in the figures.

The described embodiments represent by way of example the object of the invention and do not have any limiting effect. Thus, in particular the transport pockets shown in the present figures are only examples. Other embodiments of carrying bags are also conceivable.

The device 1 according to the invention according to Figure 1, comprises an aerial conveyor equipment 20 and a feeding equipment 10, which together form a transfer zone T.

The aerial conveyor equipment 20 comprises a plurality of transport bags 21 each having a holding fork 26. The transport bags 21 are each connected to a rolling carriage 40 by means of the holding fork 26 through a connection structure 70.2 according to the second embodiment variant. Of course, a connection structure 70.1 according to the first embodiment variant is also possible.

The rolling carriage 40 comprises rolling rollers 45 on which it rolls along a guide rail 41 of the overhead conveyor equipment 20 in order to transport the transport bag 21.

The overhead conveyor equipment 20 has a separation mechanism 90 with a conveyor screw 91 in the transport direction F in front of the transfer zone T. A trailing or ascending conveyor 15 is connected to the conveyor screw 91. The transport bags 21 are They move individually to the transfer zone T using the drag conveyor 15.

The drag conveyor 15 is designed as a rotating cam arm that operates in cycles. The rotary cam arm is characterized by a chain of cams in which several drive cams are arranged one behind the other and at a distance from each other.

In front of the separation mechanism 90, an accumulation zone 92 is formed in which the transport bags 21 transported to the separation mechanism 90 are held until they are transported to the transfer zone T. The operation of the separation mechanism 90 and the conveyor screw 91 has already been explained in the general descriptive part.

The guide rail 41 and, correspondingly, the transport path of the transport bags 21 runs horizontally towards the transfer zone T. In the transfer area, the guide rail 41 forms a curved section in which the transport bags 21 are They deviate in a curved path from a horizontal direction of movement to a direction of movement directed obliquely upward.

The feeding equipment 10 comprises several transport units 11 arranged consecutively in the feed direction Z, in each case with a conveyor belt 12. The transport units 11 form a transport surface so that the transport goods 2 to be transported are transported to the transfer area T.

In the transfer zone T, the feeding equipment 10 contains a final transport unit 13 in the form of a roller conveyor, on which the goods 2 to be transported roll and slide or slide from above into the transport bag. twenty-one.

The transport bag 21 contains a rear bag wall 24, which follows in the transport direction F, and a front bag wall 27, which runs in front, which are connected to each other via the bag side walls 28.1, 28.2. and through a stock market fund 29.

The rear bag wall 24 and the front bag wall 27 together with the side walls 28.1, 28.2 and the bottom 29 of the bag form in the open position an upwardly open receiving compartment 23 with a corresponding receiving opening 22 (see also figures 2a and 2b).

The carrying bag 21 also forms a rear wall section 24.1 extending towards the rolling carriage 40, on which the holding fork 26 is arranged.

Both the rear wall wall 24 and the front wall wall 27 are inherently stable, that is, they are designed to be self-supporting.

The carrying bag 21 features a wire frame that is covered with a fabric to form the walls 24, 27, 28.1, 28.2.

The carrying bag 21 according to the present embodiment can be opened from a closed position (Figure 2b), in which the front wall 27 of the bag is retracted towards the rear wall of bag 24, to an open position (Figure 2a), in which the accommodation compartment 23 is formed, and vice versa.

The carrying bag 21 also contains control rollers 30 which, in cooperation with an opening mechanism, such as a control slide (not shown), serve to open the carrying bag 21.

The transport bag 21 is attached to a rolling carriage 40 via the clamping fork 26. For this, the clamping fork 26 is fixed with a fork section to a connecting structure 70.2, which in turn is attached to the rolling carriage 40. The connecting structure 70.2 or 70.1 is described in more detail in relation to Figures 3 to 7. When carrying out the method according to the invention, a single transport pocket 21 is moved in each case to the transfer zone T along a feed transport route in the transport direction F with the accommodation compartment 23 ahead in the transport direction F.

The transport bag 21 is actively opened before or at the transfer zone T by means of an opening mechanism (not shown).

The transport bag 21 rests in the transfer zone T with its front bag wall 27 on the final transport unit 13 of the feeding equipment 10, which therefore forms a bag support.

As soon as the transport bag 21 has reached the transfer zone T, the transport of the transport bag 21 for the transfer of a transport commodity 2 is stopped. Consequently, the transport bag is not in a movement transport when transport goods 2 are transferred to transport bag 21.

A transport commodity 2 lying on the transport surface of the transport units 11, 13 is transported via the feeding equipment 10 to the transfer zone T. The transport commodity 2 slides on the roller conveyor. the final transport unit 13 in a transfer direction R through the accommodation opening 22 in the accommodation compartment 23.

After the transport goods 2 have been transferred to the transport bag 21, the transport bag 21 with the transport goods 2 moves obliquely upward out of the transfer zone T by means of the drag conveyor 15 along along the curved section of the conveyor rail along a curved path. During this operation, the transport bag 21 rolls with its front bag wall 21 on the roller conveyor of the final transport unit 13.

The final transport unit 13 with the roller conveyor can pivot out of its transport position to free the transport track for the transport bag 21 loaded with the transport goods 2.

As soon as the transport bag 21 loaded with transport goods 2 has been transported to up outside the transfer zone T, a subsequent transport bag 21 can be transported to the transfer zone T.

This is the case when the transport bag 21 loaded with the transport goods 2 has been moved outside the transfer zone T by at least the length of one bag. Figures 3 and Figures 5a and 5b show in each case a first embodiment variant of a connection structure 70.1.

Figures 4, 6a, 6b and 8 show in each case a second embodiment variant of a connection structure 70.2.

Figure 9 shows a third embodiment variant of a connection structure 170.

The third embodiment variant basically corresponds to the second embodiment variant and differs from it only in the design of the fork housing 74.3 for the clamping fork 26. Correspondingly, the third embodiment variant contains all the features of the second embodiment of embodiment, with the exception of the fork housing design, although not all of them are shown in Figure 9.

According to the three embodiment variants, the connecting structure 70.1, 70.2, 70.3 comprises a pivoting body 71.1, 71.2, 71.3, which is connected to a connecting body 72 through a pivoting shaft 73.

The pivoting body 71.1, 71.2, 71.3 is an injection molded part of plastic or metal, which has reinforcing ribs to increase strength.

The pivoting body 71.1, 71.2, 71.3 has in a pivoting body section facing the connecting body 72 so-called pivoting limiting surfaces 76, which collide with a pivoting stop 75 on the connecting body 72 when a maximum deflection is reached. admissible.

The connecting body 72 is U-shaped and comprises two side guide walls 77.1, 77.2, which are connected to each other via a connecting wall 78 and form a pivot space 79.

A pivoting body section of the pivoting body 71.1, 71.2, 71.3 is arranged in the pivoting space 79 of the connecting body 72 and is flanked by the two guide walls 77.1, 77.2.

The guide walls 77.1, 77.2 form a guide for the pivoting body 71.1, 71.2, 71.3. The connecting wall 78 forms the pivot stop 75 for the pivot limiting surfaces 76.

Through the two guide walls 77.1, 77.2 and the pivoting body section arranged between them, a pivoting shaft 73 oriented parallel to the transport direction F is guided. The pivoting shaft 73 connects the pivoting body 71.1, 71.2, 71.3 with the connecting body 72. Furthermore, the pivot shaft 73 forms a pivot bearing for the pivot body 71.1, 71.2, 71.3 in the connecting body 72.

The pivot shaft 73 has a screw thread that allows the pivot shaft 73 to be fixed to the connection body 72 by means of a screw nut 82.

The connecting body 72 is connected to a rolling carriage 40 through the connecting wall 78. The connection is a removable threaded joint with screw nuts 83.

The pivoting body 71.1, 71.2, 71.3 forms a fork housing 74.1, 74.2, 74.3 for receiving a clamping fork 26 or a clamping fork section. The length L of the fork housing 74.1, 74.2, 74.3, which extends transversely to the transport direction F in the operating position, is in particular a multiple of the largest diameter D of the fork housing 74.1, 74.2, 74.3 measured parallel to the direction of transport.

According to the first embodiment variant according to Figure 3 and Figures 5a and 5b, the pivoting body 71.1 is made in one piece and has a slot-shaped fork housing 74.1 for the clamping fork 26, which is open. towards the connection body 72. and runs transversely to the transport direction F.

To fix the clamping fork 26 to the pivoting body 72, before mounting the pivoting body 71.1 on the connecting body 72, a clamping fork section is inserted into the slot-shaped fork housing 74.1, which is open by a side.

The holding fork 26 and with it the transport bag 21 are pivotally mounted in the fork seat 74.1 of the pivoting body 71.1 in the transport direction F and in the opposite direction to the pivoting body 71.1.

The fork housing 74.1 has a trough-shaped receiving base that is configured opposite to the supporting cross section of the clamping fork 26, which in particular is configured in the form of a circular cross section. This geometry ensures that the clamping fork 26 rests flat in the fork housing 74.1.

The clamping fork 26 is also rigidly mounted or fixed transversely to the transport direction F, so that pivoting of the fork housing 74.1 transversely to the transport direction F is not possible.

The rigid fixation of the clamping fork 26 transversely to the transport direction F is also ensured, among other things, by dowel pins 81, which are recessed in the pivoting body 71.1 and guided transversely through the fork housing 74.1 in the form slot. The dowel pins 81 are made of spring steel and are fixed in through openings in the pivoting body 71.1.

The dowel pins 81 prevent the clamping fork 26 from moving in the direction of the connecting body 72.

According to the second and third embodiment according to Figures 4, 6a, 6b, 8 and 9, the pivoting body 71.2, 71.3 is made in two parts and comprises a first connection element 80.1, 180.1 in the shape of a shell and a second, shell-shaped joining element 80.2, 180.2.

The connecting elements 80.1, 80.2; 180.1, 180.2 are configured with the same geometry and are designed in such a way that they can be joined together to form a fork housing 74.2, 74.3 for the clamping fork 26, which runs transversely to the transport direction F, to form a pivoting body 71.2 , 71.3.

To fix the clamping fork 26 to the pivoting body 72, before assembling the pivoting body 71.2, 71.3, that is, ^{before joining the connecting elements} 80 ^. 1 ^{, 80.2; 180.1, 180.2, a clamping fork section is inserted} in the area of the fork housing 74.2, 74.3 between the two connecting elements 80.1, 80.2; 180.1, 180.2.

The holding fork 26 and with it the transport bag 21 are pivotally mounted in the fork receptacle 74.2, 74.3 of the pivoting body 71.2, 71.3 in the transport direction F and in the opposite direction.

According to the second variant of embodiment according to Figures 4, 6a, 6b and 8, the clamping fork 26 is mounted rigidly or fixed transversely to the transport direction F, so that a pivoting of the fork seat 74.2 transversely to the transport direction F.

This is achieved, among other things, because the clamping fork 26 in the fork receptacle 74.2 is surrounded by the pivoting body over its entire circumference, in particular essentially with positive engagement, in each case at the lateral end sections of the pivoting body. 71.2. In this sense, the retaining fork is held in the fork seat 74.2 with only a small amount of play, which allows the bag to pivot unhindered in the transport direction and in the opposite direction.

The connecting elements 80.1, 80.2 according to the second embodiment variant also have connection openings and oppositely arranged connecting pins which, when connecting the connecting elements 80.1, 80.2, fit positively into the connection openings and connect thus the two connecting elements 80.1, 80.2 to form the pivoting body 71.2. The connecting pins also ensure that the movement of the clamping fork 26 in the direction of the connecting body 72 is restricted.

According to the third embodiment variant according to Figure 9, the pivoting body 71.3 has the lateral end sections in each case a fork housing 74.3 whose cross-sectional area is a multiple of the cross-sectional area of the fork that is has to accommodate. The fork housing 74.3 forms a V-shaped housing section, the inclined side flanks of which converge downwards in the operating position, i.e. in the direction of gravity. The fork housing 74.3 also forms another rectangular housing section above the V-shaped housing section which, together with the V-shaped housing section, forms the fork housing 74.3.

The V-shaped receiving section forms a defined transport position for the clamping fork in the meeting area of the side flanks.

The connecting elements 180.1, 180.2 according to the third embodiment variant may also have an arrangement of connecting openings and connecting pins arranged in opposite directions to connect the connecting elements 180.1, 180.2 in the manner described above.

Figures 7a and 7b show the maximum lateral deviation of the pivoting body 71.2 with respect to the connecting body 72, which is predetermined by the pivoting stop 75 of the connecting body 72 and the pivoting limiting surfaces 76 of the pivoting body 71.2.

The pivoting body 71.2 can each be deflected laterally by half of the maximum pivot angle W/2. from a vertical V in a pivoting direction S oriented transversely to the transport direction F. At maximum lateral deviation, the pivoting body 71.2 collides with the pivoting stop 75 of the connecting body 72 with a pivoting limiting surface 76.

Of course, the representation according to Figures 7a and 7b also applies to the first embodiment variant according to Figure 3.

Claims (14)

1. Device (1) for loading a hanging transport bag (21) from above with a transport goods (2), in particular pieces in pieces, containing a feeding device (10) for transporting the transport goods (2 ) to a transfer area (T) and an aerial conveyor equipment (20), with a guide rail (41) and with transport bags (21) that can move along the guide rail (41), the course of the guide rail (41) in such a way that the transport bag (21) is transported hanging immediately after the transfer of the transport goods (2) from the transfer zone (T) upwards and, therefore, outside the transport plane of the feeding equipment, and the transport routes of the aerial conveyor equipment (20) and the feeding equipment (10) run in different planes to save space, the guide rail (41) forming a curved section in the transfer zone (T) in which the transport bags (21) are deflected along a curved path from a feeding direction to an output direction, so that the transport bag (21) is moved out of the transfer zone (T) in a transport section, essentially against a transfer direction (E) of the transport goods (2). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the device (1) contains an opening mechanism by which the transport bag can be opened before or in the transfer zone (T). 3. Device according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the guide rail (41) runs inclined towards the transfer area (T), so that the transport bag (21) can move towards the transfer area ( T) with the help of gravity and, in particular, without drive. 4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the transport bag (21) is actively transported to and/or in the transfer zone (T) by means of a drag conveyor (15). 5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the feeding equipment (10) forms a transport surface on which the transport goods (2) rest. 6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the feeding equipment (10) comprises at least one transport unit (11) forming a transport surface, and the at least one transport unit (11) It comprises an operable, in particular circulating, transport element (12). 7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the feeding equipment (10) for releasing the transport path of the transport bag (21) that must be extracted from the transfer zone (T) contains a transport section (14) that can move away from a transport position. 8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the transport bag (21) forms a housing compartment (23) that advances in the transport direction (F) and is arranged with this compartment in the area of transfer (T) in front of the feeding equipment (10). 9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the device (1) forms a bag support (15) against which the transport bag (21) rests in the transfer zone (T) with a front wall of bag (27). 10. Method for loading at least one transport bag (21) with a transport commodity (2) by means of a device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, the transport bag (21) entering a transfer zone (T) in a transport direction (F), and the transport goods (2) are fed to the transfer zone (T) by means of a feeding equipment (10) and transferred from above to the transport bag (21 ), the transport bag (21) being transported, immediately after the transfer of the transport goods (2) to the transport bag (21), in a suspended manner upwards and, therefore, outside the transport plane of the feeding equipment (10), and the transport routes of the aerial conveyor equipment (20) and the feeding equipment (10) run in different planes to save space, the transport bag (21) moving in a transport route section essentially in the opposite direction to a direction of transfer (E) of the transport goods (2) outside the transfer zone (T). 11. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that the transport bag (21) is opened before or in the transfer area (T). 12. Method according to one of claims 10 to 11, characterized in that the transport bag (21) with a receiving opening (22) moves forward in the transport direction (F) relative to the bag rear wall ( 24) through the transfer zone (T). 13. Method according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the transport goods (2) are transferred to the transport bag (21) by gravity. 14. Method according to one of claims 10 to 13 characterized in that, to free the transport path of the transport bag (21) to be removed from the transfer zone (T), a transport section (14) of the feeding equipment (10) is moved out of a transfer position.