Abstract:
A device for sorting objects includes an input conveyor device with a plurality of input storage devices, which are movable in an input conveying direction. A loading station loads each input storage device with one object. An output conveyor device has a plurality of output storage devices, which are movable in an output conveying direction. A sorting end point discharges the objects. A first transfer region, in which the input conveyor device and the output conveyor device are arranged, allows objects to be transferred from the input storage devices into the output storage devices. A second transfer region, separate from the first transfer region, in which the output conveyor device and the sorting end point are arranged transfers objects from the output storage devices to the sorting end point. An additional sorting end point in the second transfer region enables more flexibly operation of the sorting device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a device for the sorting of objects, with an input conveyor device, having a multiplicity of input storage means which are movable within an input conveying direction, with a loading station, which is embodied for the loading of the input storage means with in each case one object, with an output conveyor device, having a multiplicity of output storage means which are movable within a output conveying direction, with a sorting end point for removal of the objects, with a first transfer region, in which the input conveyor device and the output conveyor device are arranged in such a way that objects can be transferred from the input storage means into the output storage means, with a second transfer region separate from the first transfer region, in which the output conveyor device and the sorting end point are arranged in such a way that objects can be transferred from the output storage means to the sorting end point. 
     A device for the sorting of objects of the type cited above is for example described in EP 1 863 600 B1. A further sorting device is described in EP 2 095 887 A1. All these sorting systems work according to what is known as the collator principle. Collator mode means that during a run through the assigned first transfer region each output storage means passes all input storage means of the input conveyor device. In order to increase the throughput of the sorting device, the output storage means can in each case be embodied for the storage of a multiplicity of objects. In the case of flat postal consignments, such as for example standard letters and large-format letters, the output storage means can be embodied for the stacking of a multiplicity of letters. 
     In the case of the device cited, it has become evident that the throughput achieved depends upon how many output storage means can be populated with how many objects. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is accordingly based on the task of providing a device of the kind mentioned above, in which it is possible more effectively to improve the throughput. 
     According to the invention the task is solved in that a further sorting end point is arranged in the second transfer region. 
     The inventive solution has the advantage that the objects in the output conveyor device do not necessarily have to be provided in a single sorting order. Rather, the objects can now be provided in two partial sort orders, resulting in greater flexibility in the population of the output storage means. It is thereby possible, for each output storage means of the output conveyor device, to select from n partial orders that one with which the output storage means can be populated with the greatest number of objects. 
     There is the further advantage that the objects are distributed over a multiplicity of sorting end points, which is favorable in particular in the package field. In the case of packages, a multiplicity of packages can be arranged next to each other on the output storage means. 
     The input and/or output conveyor devices with the input and output storage means can for example be embodied as continuous conveyor means, such as chains or similar, fixed pockets or tablets. Alternatively, however, they can also be embodied as autonomous vehicles or as “power and free” conveyors. 
     The invention can be further developed by means of other advantageous embodiments, which are independent of each other. 
     The device can thus comprise a control device, which is embodied for control of the transfer of the objects from the input conveyor device into the output conveyor device and from the output conveyor device into the sorting end points and controls the transfer in such a way that the objects are output to the sorting end points in a multiplicity of partial orders. This has the advantage that the control device can divide the entirety of the objects across a multiplicity of partial orders and can thereby make particularly good use of the output storage means of the output conveyor device. 
     Furthermore, the input conveyor devices and the output conveyor devices in the first transfer region can be arranged in such a way that the input storage means are positioned in a vertical direction above the output storage means. This has the advantage that the objects can be transferred ballistically by means of gravity and that thereby no addition is necessary. The input storage means can for example comprise flaps, which release openings in the storage means, through which the object can fall into the output storage means. 
     In order likewise to be able to transfer the objects to the sorting end points ballistically, by means of gravity, the output conveyor devices and the sorting end points can be arranged in the second transfer region in such a way that the output storage means are positioned in a vertical direction above the sorting end points. Further possibilities for transfer are described in EP 1 863 600 B1. 
     In one advantageous development of the inventive device, the input conveyor device and the output conveyor device can be arranged relative to each other in the first transfer region in such a way that the input conveying direction runs counter to the output conveying direction. The input conveying speed can here be greater than the output conveying speed. Different lengths of conveying line of the output conveyor device and the input conveyor device can be compensated for by means of different conveying speeds. 
     In order to guarantee simple and secure transfer of objects to the sorting end points, the output storage means can in each case have a transport position and a dispensing position, wherein the output storage means are in each case embodied in the dispensing position for dispensing of the objects to one of the sorting end points. The sorting end points can for example be arranged underneath the output storage means and be transferred ballistically by means of an opening flap. 
     The invention is described below with reference to the appended figures. The features of the different embodiments of the invention can here be freely combined with each other, in which: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic representation of a first embodiment of the inventive sorting device in a side view; 
         FIG. 2  shows a schematic representation of the embodiment in  FIG. 1 , seen from above; 
         FIG. 3  shows a schematic representation of a further embodiment of the inventive sorting device, seen from above; 
         FIG. 4  shows a schematic side view of part of the sorting devices from  FIGS. 1 through 3  in a side view. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     For better representation, in  FIGS. 3 and 4  the input and output conveyor devices are arranged adjacent to each other, with a horizontal transfer direction between the two. 
     There follows a description of the invention based on the exemplary embodiment of the inventive sorting device in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     The inventive sorting device  1  comprises two loading stations  2 , an input conveyor device  3 , two output conveyor devices  5 , a multiplicity of sorting end points  6  and a control device  16 . 
     The input conveyor device  3  comprises a multiplicity of input storage means  7  ( FIG. 4 ), which are arranged consecutively in an input conveying direction  8  and can be moved jointly in the input conveying direction  8  by means of a drive (not shown). The embodiment of the input conveyor device  3  and the input storage means  7  is already described in EP 1 863 600 B1, to which reference is made and whose content is to its full extent part of this application. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the input conveyor device  3  seen from above, runs in figure-of-eight form, albeit without crossing, because of the over-and-under configuration. The input storage means  7  are here embodied as pockets arranged crosswise relative to the input conveyor direction  8  and fixedly connected to a continuous conveyor means, such as for example a chain. Consequently during operation the input storage means  7  are moved by the continuous conveying means along the figure-of-eight conveying line. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the input storage means  7  each have a floor  9 , which by means of a mechanism which is not shown, can be moved from a closed position to a position which is open in a downward direction. The loading stations  2  are in each case arranged in different conveying sections  10 . The first conveying section  10 . 1  comprises one half of the conveying line of the input conveyor device  3 , while the second conveying section  10 . 2  comprises the second half. The loading stations  2  are arranged in the conveying sections  10  in such a way that the whole conveying line of the input conveyor device  3  is thereby divided into two halves. 
     Upstream of the loading stations  2  from the transport perspective a separating device, a read device and possibly a buffer storage device, which are all known from the prior art and are thus not shown here, are in each case provided in the sorting device  1 . 
     The output conveyor devices  5  are in each case assigned to one of the conveying sections  10  of the input conveyor device  3 . The output conveyor devices  5  in each case have a multiplicity of output storage means  12 , which are arranged consecutively in an output conveying direction  13 . The output storage means  12  are moved along the conveying line of the output conveyor device  5  by means of a drive (not shown). The output storage means  12  are embodied as tablets in the embodiment from  FIGS. 1 through 4 , as already described in EP 1 863 360 B1. By means of a continuous conveyor means, such as for example a chain, the output storage means  12  are moved in the output conveying direction  13 . 
     The output conveyor devices  5 . 1 ,  5 . 2  are in each case arranged in a first transfer region  11 . 1 ,  11 . 2  underneath the input conveyor device  3 . In particular, the input storage means  7  run above the output storage means  12  in this first transfer region  11 . 1 ,  11 . 2 . In the exemplary embodiment from  FIGS. 1 and 2  the conveying line of the first output conveyor device  5 . 1  runs according to a figure of eight folded over itself in the middle, by means of which are embodied two circles, arranged one above the other. The circles are of different sizes, wherein the small one runs into the large one. Part of the output conveyor device  5 . 1 ,  5 . 2  thereby runs in the first transfer region  11 . 1 ,  11 . 2  and the other part runs in a second transfer region  14 . 1 ,  14 . 2 . The path of an output storage means  12  on the first output conveyor device  5 . 1  thus runs, for example starting from the loading station  2 . 1 , in the output conveying direction  13 , initially in the first transfer region  11 . 1  and subsequently in the second transfer region  14 . 1  and then once again in the first transfer region  11 . 1 , and so on. In the case of the embodiments in  FIGS. 1 through 3 , the first transfer region  11 . 1 ,  11 . 2  and the second transfer region  14 . 1 ,  14 . 2  are provided with a gap to each other. Alternatively, however, they can also abut each other, if no pre- and post-population post-population points  18 ,  19  are provided, which is to be described in greater detail below. 
     The sorting end points  6  are in each case arranged in the second transfer regions  14  of the output conveyor devices  5 , wherein a multiplicity of sorting end points  6  are arranged in each second transfer region  14 . The sorting end points  6  are here in each case arranged in a fixed position one after the other in the output conveying direction  13 . In the exemplary embodiment from  FIGS. 1 and 2  the sorting end points  6  are in each case arranged underneath the output storage means  12  of the output conveyor device  5 . As shown by way of example in  FIG. 4 , the output storage means in each case comprise a floor  15 , which can be brought from a transport position into a dispensing position. In the transport position the floor  15  is closed, and in the dispensing position it is open in the downward direction. Other embodiments of the output storage means  12  are of course possible. 
     There follows a description of the function of the inventive sorting device  1 . Objects to be sorted  15 , for example large format letters, packages or items of baggage, can be transferred from the loading stations  2  into the input storage means  7 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , the objects  15  are large-format letters, which have been positioned almost upright in the pocket-shaped input storage means  7 . 
     The control device  16  comprises for example an SPS controller, and controls the movements and functionalities of the inventive sorting device  1 . 
     An object  15  loaded from the loading station  2  into an input storage means  7  is moved from the input conveyor device  3  in the input conveying direction  8  into the first transfer region  11 . 1 ,  11 . 2 . Viewed from the loading station  2 . 1  the object  15  is moved in the first conveying section  10 . 1 . 
     The input conveying direction  8  and the output conveying direction  13  run counter to each other in the first transfer region  11 . Furthermore, the input conveying speed of the input conveyor device  3  can be greater than the output conveying speed of the output conveyor device  5 . On its path through the first transfer region  11 . 1 , an output storage means  12  passes each input storage means  7  of the entire input conveyor device  3 . During operation of the inventive sorting device  1 , all objects  15  to be sorted are known to the control device  16 . The device  1  is for example designed for single-pass sorting in collator mode after pre-sorting according to the tree-sort method. 
     As soon as all objects  15  of the pre-sorted part consignment from both loading stations  2  are in each case stored in an input storage means  7 , the control device  16  assigns each object  15  a particular output storage means  12 . On its way through the first transfer region  11 . 1  or  11 . 2  the assigned output storage means  12  sees or passes all input storage means  7  of the input conveyor device  3 , and thus also that one in which the assigned object  15  is located. At a correct position predetermined by the control device  16 , the control device  16  opens the floor  9  of the input storage means  7 . The object  15  falls downwards through the open floor  9 , under gravity, in the direction of the output conveyor device  5  and lands in the assigned output storage means  12 . In order to optimize the transfer of the objects from the input storage means  7  into the output storage means  12 , a fixed transfer device (not shown), which is known per se, can be provided in the transfer region  11 , arranged in an interposed fashion. 
     The object  15  to be transferred to the output storage means  12  is transported by the output conveyor device  5  in the output conveying direction  13  from the first transfer region  11  into the second transfer region  14 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , a multiplicity of objects  15  can also be conveyed in the output storage means  12  of the output conveyor device  5 . When sorting large-format letters, as shown in  FIG. 4 , these are for example stacked upon one another. 
     The control device  16  determines one of the sorting end points  6  for each object  15 . At the correct predetermined position in the second transfer region  14 , the control device  16  opens the floor  17  of the corresponding output storage means  12 . The object or objects  15  from the output storage means  12  falls or fall downwards through the open floor  17 , under gravity, into the assigned sorting end point  6 . Here too, additional transfer devices (not shown) can be provided. In the exemplary embodiment in  FIG. 4 , the sorting end points  6  are shown as stackers for large-format letters. Alternatively the sorting end points can also for example be conveyor belts, by means of which packages or items of baggage can be transported away. 
     The sorting device  1  further comprises pre-population points  18  and post-population points  19 , which are arranged in areas between the first transfer region  11  and the second transfer region  14 . At the pre-population points  18 , unaddressed consignments or similar can advantageously be conveyed to the output storage means  12  and at the post-population points  19  addressed consignments can advantageously be conveyed to the output storage means  12 , with the pre-population points  18  before, or with the post-population points  19 , after the objects  15  are loaded into the output storage means  12 . Pre- and post-population points  18 ,  19  of this kind are known from the prior art and are described in EP 1 863 600 B1. 
     The sorting task to be solved is simplified by the arrangement of a multiplicity of sorting end points  6  in each output conveyor device  5 . The control device  16  can thus sort the objects  15  with an increased throughput, because only a partial order of the entire sorting order of the objects  15  needs to be maintained in each sorting end point  6 . Each object  15  which is transferred to an output storage means  12 , is always transferred to one of the sorting end points  6 . It is not provided for objects  15  to remain in the output storage means  12 . Thus the correct sequence of objects must be generated as early as upon transfer in the first transfer region  1 . By means of the inventive multiplicity of sorting end points  6  and the possibility of a multiplicity of partial sequences or partial orders, this is possible with a greater throughput, as more output storage means can be populated with more objects. 
     There follows a description of a further exemplary embodiment of the inventive sorting device  1  with reference to  FIG. 3 . For the sake of brevity, only the differences from the embodiment in  FIGS. 1 and 2  are described. Features which are not described anew are identical to the embodiment in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     The sorting device  1  in the embodiment from  FIG. 3  has an input conveyor device  3  which runs in a circular course. In contrast to the embodiment in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the sorting device  1  from  FIG. 3  comprises only one output conveyor device  5 . However the output conveyor device  5  of the embodiment in  FIG. 3  runs following a one-and-a-half-fold figure-of-eight course with a total of three circular segments. At the transitions between the circular segments the output conveyor device  5  here runs without crossings, because of the over-and-under configuration. In the central circular segment are located two first transfer regions  11 . 1 ,  11 . 2 . The second transfer regions  14 . 1 ,  14 . 2 . are in case located in the outer, smaller circular segments. Apart from the routing, the embodiments of the sorting device  1  are the same as those in  FIGS. 1 and 2 .