Patent ID: 9174246
Filing Date: 2015-11-03
Classification: B07C

Abstract:
1. A sorting plant for sorting objects according to a pre-defined sorting criterion, the sorting plant comprising: a set of transfer sites having a plurality of transfer sites; a set of pick-up units with a plurality of lower pick-up units and a plurality of upper pick-up units; a holding device to which said plurality of upper pick-up units is fastened, each of said upper pick-up units pivotably connected to said holding device such that said upper pick-up units can be brought into a pick-up position or a park position; a measuring device configured to measure, for an object to be sorted, a value that the predefined sorting criterion assumes for the object; a selection unit configured to select, for the object to be sorted, depending on a measured sorting criterion value of the object, one of said upper pick-up units or one of said lower pick-up units; a conveying transport device for transporting the object to be sorted to one of said transfer sites; a pick-up unit transport device; each of said transfer sites, said upper pick-up units and said lower pick-up units configured to accommodate at least one object to be sorted; one of said upper pick-up units being disposed between said set of transfer sites and said lower pick-up units at least when said upper pick-up unit is in the pick-up position; each of said upper pick-up units and each of said lower pick-up units can be brought respectively into one transfer position in relation to each of said transfer sites; the object to be sorted can be brought out of one of said transfer sites into one of said upper pick-up units if said one upper pick-up unit being disposed in the transfer position in relation to said one transfer site; the object to be sorted can be brought out of said transfer site into one of said lower pick-up units if said one lower pick-up unit being disposed in the transfer position in relation to said transfer site and each of said upper pick-up units being disposed in the park position between said transfer site and one of said lower pick-up units; said pick-up unit transport device configured for the object to be sorted, to carry out a relative movement of said upper or said lower pick-up unit selected for the object in relation to said transfer site, to which the object was transported in such a way that said selected upper or lower pick-up unit is situated, following the relative movement, in the transfer position in relation to said transfer site with the object; and the sorting plant configured to bring the object to be sorted from said transfer site to which the object was transported, into one of said set of pick-up units which is situated in the transfer position and has been selected.