Patent Application
20150284192
The present invention pertains to a stacking and de-stacking device with the features in the preamble of the principal claim.
Such a stacking and de-stacking device is known from DE 37 33 622 A1. It is intended for the intermediate storage of empty and loaded goods carriers or pallets and has two tower-like stacking devices and a loading device between them for loading and unloading the goods carriers with goods arranged individually or in groups. A conveying device with a single rail-borne transfer car thereby connects the stacking devices and the loading device.
DE 33 45 920 A1 shows a similar stacking and de-stacking device with a modified conveying device, which has a stationary roller conveyor for the pallets with a pallet-towing car arranged under it.
Further, a stacking and de-stacking device with an individual belt conveyor for workpiece holders, which connects the stacking devices and the loading device, is known from practice.
The object of the present invention is to show an improved stacking and de-stacking method, and in particular an improved stacking and de-stacking device.
The present invention accomplishes this object with the features in the principal claim.
The claimed stacking and de-stacking method for goods carriers has the advantage of a higher flexibility and efficiency compared to prior-art stacking and de-stacking devices. In addition, a more compact construction is possible. Further, the stacking and de-stacking device makes it possible to move a goods carrier in a synchronized manner when interacting with a processing device, and especially when loading and unloading with goods, so that the loading processes actuated by the loading device may run in a particularly reliable manner and always have similar short paths. In this case, a transfer of goods, which are arranged in groups, e.g., in one or more rows, by means of a loading device on the fly is also possible.
Further, it is advantageous that the access to the stored goods carriers and also to the goods located there may be arbitrary. In particular, the stacking and de-stacking device can be used with a plant expansion for the implementation of a true first in-first out principle.
The claimed arrangement of conveying means, which are movable in relation to one another, with carrying means designed for conveying and for mutual transfer for goods carriers is particularly favorable for achieving a high efficiency and rapidity in the handling process, especially the loading and unloading process as well as loading in and unloading from the stacking devices. A conveying means can provide a goods carrier at the processing device and also move in relation to same in a continuous or synchronized manner, whereby another and especially second conveying means can transfer or take over another goods carrier at a stacking device for putting in storage or taking out of storage. This may be an empty or loaded goods carrier.
Further, the processing device may operate free from interruption, whereby a new goods carrier can be provided immediately after the end of the process by means of the conveying means, which are movable independently and independently of one another. Process breaks and mutual distances of goods carriers, as in the state of the art, can be avoided. The possibility of transferring a goods carrier from one to another conveying means is also advantageous for interruption-free operation.
For achieving the above-mentioned effects, the conveying means have a suitable design, whereby the preferred embodiment as a transfer car with carrying means, which are capable of overlapping one another and are controllable, offers particular advantages with respect to design effort, space requirement and control possibilities.
The rapid transfer or takeover of a goods carrier between a conveying means and a stacking device is favored by the arrangement of a support device for the stack of goods carriers and a separating and transferring device. As a result of this, the times for the separating and providing of a goods carrier at the stacking device and for the movement of the conveying means along a path of motion can be overlapped with one another. Thus, especially short times for changing the goods carrier and for providing a new goods carrier at the processing device can be achieved. This makes possible an especially fast and efficient processing device and is also beneficial to a possibility of increasing the efficiency of an entire plant, into which a stacking and de-stacking device is integrated and is used, e.g., for the intermediate storage of goods carriers and goods.
The claimed stacking and de-stacking method is suitable for any kinds of goods. There are particular advantages for individually packaged products, e.g., packets, cans or other containers. The goods carriers may have a suitable and adapted design for this.
Further advantageous embodiments of the present invention are given in the subclaims.
The present invention is shown in examples and schematically in the drawings. In particular,
The present invention pertains to a stacking and de-stacking device (1) and a method for stacking and de-stacking goods carriers (2).
The goods carriers (2), which are also designated as trays, are each used for receiving at least one, preferably a plurality of goods (3). The goods (3) may be of any kind and design. Preferably, they are individually packaged products. They may be, e.g., packets, cans, bottles or other containers.
The stacking and de-stacking device (1) is used for receiving and storing a plurality of empty or loaded goods carriers (2) in two or more stacks of carriers. The goods carriers (2) may have a stackable design for this and have a carrier bottom (13) for receiving a plurality of goods (3), which, e.g., may be arranged in one or more rows thereon. The carrier bottom (13) may have a closed plate-like design. As an alternative, it may have a design adapted to the goods (3) with recesses, a frame or other suitable mounting or guiding means for the goods (3).
The carrier bottom (13) may be arranged on a support frame (14), which have [sic, “aufweisen” should be “aufweist”—has—Tr.Ed.] one or more support columns (15) at suitable points for the mutual support and guiding of the goods carriers (2) in the stack. The support columns (15) may be arranged, e.g., at the corners of a prismatic, especially rectangular carrier bottom (13) and designed as upright support posts. The support columns (15) may project upwards over the goods (3). They may, further, have a nestable and mutual guiding design. For this, they have, e.g., a conical tip on the top side and a matching mounting or supporting point (18) on the bottom side, e.g., a conical receiving opening. The goods carriers (2) in the stack of carriers can be supported and mutually guided via this.
As an alternative, other, e.g., strip-like designs of the support columns (15) are also possible. The support columns may extend from the carrier bottom (13) downwards or downwards and upwards as well. Further, they may extend only over a partial height of the goods (3). This makes possible a sensory detection of the upper areas of all goods (3) located on the goods carrier (2) for a check of the position.
The stacking and de-stacking device (1) has a plurality of stacking devices (4, 5) or stacking zones (10, 11) each for receiving and handling at least one stack of goods carriers. Further, the stacking and de-stacking device (1) has at least one processing zone (12) and a processing device (9) there for the carrying out of one or more processes at or with the goods (3). Moreover, the stacking and de-stacking device (1) includes a conveying device (6) for goods carriers (2), which connects the stacking devices (4, 5) and the one or more processing devices (9) with one another and makes possible the conveying of carriers between these devices (4, 5, 9).
Two stacking devices (4, 5), which are arranged at a lateral distance next to one another, are present in the preferred embodiment shown in
The processing device (9) is designed as a loading device in the exemplary embodiment shown, which reloads goods (3) individually or preferably in groups from a conveyor, e.g., a belt conveyor, to a goods carrier (2) provided by the conveying device (6). The goods carrier (2) is thereby loaded with goods (3) in a preferably preset group arrangement, especially a row arrangement. The loading process may also run in reverse, whereby goods (3) are reloaded from a goods carrier (2) onto the said conveyor. During the loading process, the goods carrier (2) may be moved in a synchronized manner. During the loading process with transfer in rows, the loading device can thereby always perform the same movement. This facilitates control and leads to short paths, high speeds and very short cycle times.
The one or more goods (3) can be conveyed continuously on the conveyor, whereby the loading device (9) may have a robot with a gripping device which can be displaced for a period of time in a synchronized manner to the conveying movement, which makes possible a loading and unloading on the fly. Structural details of the exemplary embodiment are not shown for the sake of clarity.
As an alternative or in addition, the processing device (9) may have a different design. It may process or handle, e.g., the goods located on a goods carrier (2). This may be, e.g., a printing, a resorting or the like. The processing device (9) may also comprise a plurality of such individual devices. Further, the processing device (9) may be arranged at another site and with a different spatial assignment to the stacking devices (4, 5).
The conveying device (6) extends over the above-mentioned devices (4, 5, 9) and connects these with one another. It thereby extends into the stacking devices (4, 5) and is arranged, e.g., below the processing device (9). In the exemplary embodiment shown, the conveying device is arranged on the bottom side of the stacking and de-stacking device (1). As an alternative, it may be arranged at another site, especially on the top side and thereby possibly also above a processing device (9).
The conveying device (6) has a plurality of conveying means (7, 8) with carrying means (29, 30), whereby the conveying means (7, 8) are arranged and driven in a movable manner and movable in relation to one another. The carrying means (29, 30) are used for the conveying and mutual transfer of a goods carrier (2) and have a suitable design for this.
The conveying means (7, 8) are independently movable and have an independently controllable drive (35) each. The conveying means (7, 8) are moved along a preferably straight path of motion, which can be defined by a suitable guide (27), e.g., a track guide. The conveying means (7, 8) may be moved in the same direction of movement behind one another or towards one another or away from one another in the opposite direction. They are preferably arranged displaceably and supported at the guide (27). The conveying means (7, 8) can be moved in a continuous and/or synchronized manner. They may especially have paths of motion overlapping one another, whereby they are moved towards one another and thereby mesh with one another and overlap one another at least with their carrying means (29, 30).
The conveying means (7, 8) have each a path of motion or guide (27) extending over the stacking devices (4, 5) and the processing device (9). They may have a common guide (27) or separate guides in this case. Preferably, the path of motion and the guide (27) are aligned horizontally.
The conveying means (7, 8) are preferably designed as transfer cars, which have a frame with a chassis (28) and the respective carrying means (29, 30) and roll or slide along the guide (27). The carrying means (29, 30) are designed differently and are arranged in order to be able to mesh with one another and overlap one another during a moving together of the conveying means or transfer cars (7, 8). Hereby, the carrying means (29, 30) have each also a movable and controllable design, which makes possible for them a transfer of a goods carrier (2) from one conveying means (7, 8) to another in the overlapping position. On the other hand, a takeover or discharge of a goods carrier (2) at a stacking device (4, 5) may also possibly be achieved hereby.
The carrying means (29, 30) may have a suitable adjustability for the transfer, whereby they perform, e.g., a vertical lifting and lowering motion. It may also be sufficient when only one carrying means (29, 30) has such an adjustability, especially vertical adjustability. There are a plurality of variant possibilities [sic, “Variantionsmöglichkeiten” is an obvious typo for “Variantsmöglichkeiten”—Tr.Ed.] for the structural design.
In the embodiment of
In a modified embodiment, the conveying means (7, 8) may move and operate both stacking devices (4, 5) or stacking zones (10, 11) as well. This makes possible, e.g., in the event of the failure of one conveying means (7, 8) a continuation of the conveying operation with reduced efficiency by means of the other conveying means (7, 8).
As
The carrying elements [sic, “Trageelemente” is a typo for “Tragelemente”—Tr.Ed.] (33, 34) may interact and here preferably contact in a positive-locking manner or mesh with correspondingly arranged mounts (16, 17) at the goods carrier (2). The carrying elements (33, 34) are correspondingly movable, preferably vertically adjustable for this.
The vertical adjustment of the carrying means (29, 30) can be achieved in a variety of ways. In the variant shown, the carrying elements (33, 34) are designed as extendable supporting pins, which are arranged in a liftable and lowerable manner at the supporting arms (31, 32) and have corresponding controllable lifting drives. In another variant, which is not shown, the supporting arms (31, 32) may be vertically adjustable to the other frame parts or to the chassis (28). It is also possible to vertically adjust a conveying means (7, 8) or its guide (27).
According to
Corresponding to the supporting arms (31, 32), the carrying elements (33, 34) and the associated mounts (16, 17) also have a mutually offset arrangement, so that an overlapping position is possible and in the overlapping position, all carrying elements (33, 34) can also together come into contact with the mounts (16, 17) and with a goods carrier (2). The goods carrier (2) can be transferred from one carrying means (29) to the other carrying means (30) by means of the independently controlled movability of the carrying elements (33, 34) and their lifting drives.
The carrying elements [sic, “Trageelemente” is a typo for “Tragelemente”—Tr.Ed.] (33, 34) may be adapted to the possibly different vertical positions of the supporting arms (31, 32) and have a different length. In the embodiments shown, the carrying elements (3, 34) are each designed as extendable supporting pins with a conical tip, whereby the mounts (16, 17) are designed as matching cone openings.
As
As
A goods carrier (2) may have a plurality of support points or mounts (19), which are arranged, e.g., at the corner areas and the support posts (15) there. The mounts (19) may be designed as lateral openings in the jacket of supports posts (15) which are cylindrical and hollow on the inside. The support device (22) has correspondingly four stack holders (23). The stack holders (23) may be actuated by a drive or via its own weight or the stack of carriers.
The separating and transferring device (24) is used for taking over and discharging individual goods carriers (2) from and to a conveying means (7, 8) as well as for removing and feeding individual goods carriers (2) to the stacking device (4, 5). The separating and transferring device (24) has for this a suitable structural design, which can be embodied in a variety of ways.
In the exemplary embodiments shown, the separating and transferring device (24) has a controllable lifting device (25), which has, e.g., a frame with a drive arranged under it, especially a cylinder, and lifting fingers (26) projecting upwards. The lifting fingers (26) come into contact with suitable points of the goods carrier (2), e.g., at the corner areas and at the support posts (15), whereby they are arranged in a corresponding number and distribution. The goods carrier (2) has for this purpose suitable mount[s] or support points (20), which are designed, e.g., as projections on the outside at the support posts (15). The upper ends of the lifting fingers (26) may have a centering design and, in addition, may have an extension, with which they actuate and detach the stack holders (23) in the meshing position, so that the stack of carriers then rests on the lifting fingers (26) and can be moved along during their lifting or lowering movement.
The separating and transferring device (24) may otherwise cooperate with the support device (22) in any other suitable manner and provide for a separation and takeover or feeding of the outermost or lowest goods carrier (2) in the stack of carriers. The above-mentioned actuation of the stack holders (23) takes place when the lifting device (25) meshes with the lowest goods carrier (2). As soon as the lifting device (25) sinks further and loses contact with the stack holders (23), these [holders] fall in again and hold onto the stack of carriers. The goods carrier (2) mounted at the lifting device (25) is thereby detached and separated from the stack of carriers. It can then be moved downwards a bit further into an intermediate position, in which a transfer to a conveying means (7, 8) and its carrying means (29, 30) is possible. The carrying means (29, 30) may grasp between the lifting fingers (26), whereby the transfer takes place by means of a vertical relative movement between the carrying elements (33, 34) and the lifting device (25).
In reverse kinematics, the lifting device can take over a goods carrier already held by a conveying means (7, 8) by means of an opposite vertical relative movement and lead with a further upwards movement to the stack of carriers held by the support device (22) and mesh with the mounts (18) there. By means of a continued lifting movement, the entire stack of carriers is raised, whereby the support device (22), e.g., acting on one side, is detached and again meshes with the newly fed lowest goods carrier (2) after reaching an end position.
In the next step of
In the next position of
From the overlapping position shown in
In the next step of
In the next step of
In the next step of
According to the next step of
Variants of the above-described mode of operation are possible in a variety of ways. The loading assignment may be reversed, whereby the stacking device (4) on the left side receives empty goods carriers (2) and the stacking device (5) on the right side receives full goods carriers (2). The above-described cycle then runs in a reverse sequence. Such a kinematic reversal takes place, moreover, when, in the exemplary embodiment shown, the goods (3) put into storage and intermediately stored in the stacking and de-stacking device (1) are taken out of storage again. In this case, the conveying means (7) takes over loaded goods carriers (2) from the stacking device (4) or from the separating and transferring device (24) and moves same into the processing zone (12), whereby the goods carrier (2) here is unloaded, e.g., by the processing device (9). During this process, the other conveying means (8) takes over the partially unloaded goods carrier (2) and continues the unloading process, whereby the empty conveying means (7) for the takeover of a next loaded goods carrier (2) returns to the stacking device (4). For its part, the conveying means (8) transfers the emptied goods carrier (2) again to the assigned stacking device (5) in the manner described above.
In the exemplary embodiments shown, the putting into storage and taking out of storage of goods carriers (2) and goods (3) takes place in a reversed sequence in each case. When a first in-first out principle shall be followed, the stacking and de-stacking device (1) may be present in a plurality or it may have one or more additional pairs of stacking devices (4, 5), which are arranged transversely to the plane of the drawing shown in front of or behind the stacking devices (4, 5), whereby a restoring of loaded goods carriers (2) between these pairs takes place in a direction transverse to the plane of the drawing and preferably on the top side of the respective stack of carriers. The stacking sequence of the goods carriers (2) and the goods (3) located therein is turned around hereby. The goods carriers (2) first put into storage at the one pair of devices are then available as the first again at the other pair of devices for taking out of storage and for unloading. An additional conveying device (6) of the kind described above may be available for the other pair of stacking devices (4, 5).
Variants of the exemplary embodiments shown and described are possible in a variety of ways. The structural design of the conveying means (7, 8), their guiding and mounting as well as their drive technique as well as also the design of the carrying means (29, 30) may vary. The mounts (16, 17, 18, 19, 20) arranged at different points of the goods carriers (2) may be varied in their design and arrangement, whereby especially an exchange may also take place.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 2012 104 254.1 | Nov 2012 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2013/073052 | 11/5/2013 | WO | 00 |
