METHOD FOR FILLING UNIT-LOAD PACKAGES, FILLING PART FOR UNIT-LOAD PACKAGES TO BE USED IN THE FILLING METHOD, AND PACKAGE OF TRANSPORTATION FOR UNIT-LOAD PACKAGES

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for filling of unit-load packages (10) and a filling part (12) for unit-load packages (10) to be used in the filling method. In the method, the fixed filling part (12) of the unit-load packages (10) is placed in the package of transportation (200) systematically so that a mechanical device (14) can find it clearly in the package of transportation. The positioning of the unit-load packages (10) from the package of transportation (200) to the filling position (13) is fitted to take place directly by the fixed filling part (12) provided on the unit-load package (10), in which case the mechanical device (14) always finds the next unit-load package (10) to be filled automatically and carries one unit-load package at a time to the filling position.

Description: Method for filling unit-load packages, filling part for unit-load packages to be used in the filling method, and package of transportation for unit-load packages The invention concerns a method for filling of unit-load packages. The invention also concerns a filling part for unit-load packages to be used in the method for filling of unit-load packages. Further, the invention concerns a package of transportation for unit-load packages. Unit-load packages, for example unit-load sacks, are delivered to the users as delivery packages. A delivery package may be a pallet package, a cassette package, a box package, a reel package, etc. Small sacks have been filled fully automatically for a long time. On the contrary, automatic filling of unit-load packages has not become common. In order that automatic filling of unit-load packages should be possible without manual steps in between, the unit-load packages ought to be delivered to their users in a form that is precisely organized in one way or other, i.e. in a certain sort of a delivery package, in order that the grasping member or the pick-up device of the robot at the filling station could always find the next unit-load sack to be used. Since this problem has not been solved, the delivery package is always unpacked manually by manpower. Likewise, a unit-load package, such as a unit-load sack, is filled by man¬ power by filling one unit-load sack at a time in the filling station. In the Finnish Patent No. 91,141, a delivery package for unit-load sacks and a method for packaging of unit-load sacks into delivery packages are described. This prior-art delivery package of unit-load sacks consists of unit-load sacks which have been placed as overlapping each other, which are provided with inner sacks, and which have been reeled around a reel core to constitute a reel package. Before being passed onto the reel core, the lateral areas of the unit-load sacks have been folded so that the unit-load sacks are of substantially equal thickness in the longitudinal direction, in which arrangement, in each layer of unit-load sacks in the delivery package, the detrimental thickness of the thick handle portion of the lifting-loop construction of the unit-load sacks has been equalized so as to provide a stable delivery package. In a delivery package, every layer of unit-load sacks has been bound by means of at least one continuous band or strap, or the topmost layer of unit-load packages in the delivery package has been bound by means of at least one band or strap. The delivery package of unit-load sacks as described in the FI Patent No. 91,141 can be handled at the filling site readily and quickly, for example, as follows. An automatic device included in the filling equipment grasps the inner sack of the unit- load sack and unloads one unit-load sack at a time from the delivery package or reel package, and transfers the unit-load sack to the filling position. Then, no additional operations are required concerning the arrangement of the unit-load sacks when the sacks are filled with bulk goods. The object of the present invention is to provide an improvement for the methods of filling of unit-load packages. It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a method of filling of unit-load packages in which the package of transportation of the unit-load packages can be used directly in an automatic filling station. The method in accordance with the invention is characterized in that the fixed filling part of the unit-load packages is placed in the package of transportation systematical¬ ly so that a mechanical device can find it clearly in the package of transportation, that the positioning of the unit-load packages from the package of transportation to the filling position is fitted to take place directly by the fixed filling part provided on the unit-load package, in which case the mechanical device always finds the next unit-load package to be filled automatically and carries one unit-load package at a time to the filling position. The filling part for unit-load packages used in the method of the present invention is characterized in that the filling part is a fixed filling part provided on the unit-load package, which filling part may be provided with an identification member to facilitate the alignment of the unit-load package. The package of transportation for unit-load packages in accordance with the inven¬ tion is characterized in that the location of the fixed filling part of the unit-load package that follows after each unit-load package is known in advance. In the filling method in accordance with the invention, the unit-load packages may be placed in the package of transportation in a reel, in a cassette, placed in a box or on a pallet. The positioning of the packages from the package of transportation to the filling position takes place directly by the filling part fixed to the unit- load package. Thus, the unloading from the package of transportation takes place directly by the fixed filling part of the unit-load package. The fixed filling part is preferably provided with grasping points or marks, by whose means the grasping member or pick-up device of the robot can unload one unit-load package at a time. In the fixed filling part, there may also be an optical or equivalent guide for the grasping member or pick-up device of the robot. Thus, in the solution in accordance with the invention, in the package of transportation, the unit-load packages are placed so that the location of the filling part of the unit-load package placed next in the package of transportation is known in advance. An identification member on the fixed filling part is, however, not indispensable, but the grasping member of the robot may also seek the filling part based on the position or the shape of the unit-load packages alone. Thus, it is essential that the filling part is placed in the package of transportation systematically so that a mechanical device can find it clearly in the package of transportation. It should be noticed that an identification member may also be placed somewhere else, except on the filling part. Thus, it is essential that the robot fetches the unit-load package from the package of transportation and carries it to the filling position either directly or through some non-manual intermediate stage. For example, a robot may take a unit-load package from the package of transportation and transfer the unit-load package onto a base, from which a second robot carries it to filling. Of course, a procedure in which a robot carries the unit-load package directly from the package of transportation to the filling position is simpler and cheaper. The invention will be described in detail with reference to some preferred embodi¬ ments of the invention illustrated in the figures in the accompanying drawing, the invention being, however, not supposed to be confined to said embodiments alone. Figure 1 is an axonometric view of a unit-load sack provided with lifting loops and provided with a fixed filling part in accordance with the invention. Figure 2 is an axonometric view of a unit-load package in accordance with the FI Patent No. 90,331, which is provided with a fixed filling part in accordance with the present invention. Figure 3 is an axonometric view of a reel package in accordance with the FI Patent No. 91,141, in which the unit-load sacks contained in said package are provided with fixed filling part in accordance with the present invention. Figure 4 is an axonometric view of a box package, in which the unit-load sacks contained in said package are provided with fixed filling part in accordance with the present invention. Figure 5 is an axonometric view of a cassette package, in which the unit-load sacks contained in said package are provided with fixed filling part in accordance with the present invention. Figure 6 is an axonometric view of a pallet package, in which the unit-load sacks placed on said pallet are provided with fixed filling part in accordance with the present invention. In Fig. 1, the unit-load sack is denoted generally with the reference numeral 10. The lifting loops of the unit-load sack 10 are denoted with the reference numeral 11. In this embodiment, there are four lifting loops, but, from the prior art, it is commonly known to use a unit-load sack as shown in Fig. 1 but provided with two lifting loops only. The reference numeral 12 denotes the fixed filling part in accordance with the invention. The unit-load sack 10 may be provided with an inner sack (not shown). The unit-load package shown in Fig. 2 is denoted with the reference numeral 100. Such a unit-load package is described in the Finnish Patent No. 90,331. Such a unit- load package consists of an inner package and of an outer package. The inner package is an inner sack made of a flexible material and provided with a reinforce¬ ment structure, which sack has been placed on a base for the time of filling with bulk goods, preferably by suspending or supporting it above the base. The outer package is an outer package which is made of a plastic material and which surrounds the inner package and the base tightly and gives the package adequate stability. The inner package of the unit-load package is provided with a fixed filling part 12 in accordance with the present invention. The reel package shown in Fig. 3 is denoted generally with the reference numeral 200. Such a reel package is described in the Finnish Patent No. 91,141. The reel package, i.e. the delivery package 200, consists of unit-load sacks which are placed as overlapping each other and which have been wound around a reel core to consti¬ tute a reel package. The unit-load packages, which are provided with a separate fixed filling part 12, have been reeled and folded so that the delivery package 200 becomes stable. In Fig. 4, the box package is denoted generally with the reference numeral 300. The unit-load packages are provided with fixed filling parts 12 in accordance with the present invention, and the unit-load packages are placed systematically in the box as a box package 300. The cassette package shown in Fig. 5 is denoted generally with the reference numeral 400. The unit-load packages in the cassette package 400 are provided with fixed filling part 12 in accordance with the invention. The pallet package shown in Fig. 6 is denoted generally with the reference numeral 500. The unit-load sacks are provided with fixed filling part 12 in accordance with the invention, and the unit-load packages are placed systematically one above the other on the pallet of the pallet package 500. When the packages of transportation as shown in Figs. 3 to 6 are delivered to the user, the user, of course, removes the protective package or shield film or band or equivalent from the packages of transportation 200...500. After that, the grasping member 15 of the robot 14 of the filling device unloads one unit-load package at a time from the package of transportation 200...500 by grasping the fixed filling part 12 provided on the unit-load package and carries the unit-load package to the filling position 13. The filling part 12 may be provided with an identifying member 16,17 to make sure that the filling part is found by the robot. An identifying member 16,17 is, however, not indispensable, but the robot 14 can also seek the unit-load package based on the positioning or shape of the unit-load packages alone. The identifying member 16,17 can also be placed elsewhere except on the filling part 12. It is essential that the robot 14 fetches a unit-load package from the package of transpor¬ tation and carries it to the filling position 13 either directly or through some inter¬ mediate stage. The fixed filling part 12 is preferably provided with grasping points or marks 16, on whose basis the grasping member or pick-up device 15 of the robot 14 can unload one unit-load sack at a time. The fixed filling part 12 may also be provided with an optical or equivalent guide 17 for the grasping member or pick-up device 15 of the robot 14. Thus, in the solution in accordance with the invention, the unit-load packages in the package of transportation are placed so that the location of the filling part of the unit-load package placed next in the package of transportation is known in advance. Above, just some preferred embodiments of the invention have been described, and it is obvious for a person skilled in the art that numerous modifications can be made to said embodiments within the scope of the inventive idea defined in the accom¬ panying patent claims.

Claims: Claims 1. A method for filling of unit-load packages (10,100), characterized in that the fixed filling part (12) of the unit-load packages (10,100) is placed in the package of transportation (200,300,400,500) systematically so that a mechanical device (14) can find it clearly in the package of transportation, that the positioning of the unit-load packages (10,100) from the package of transportation (200,300,400, 500) to the filling position (13) is fitted to take place directly by the fixed filling part (12) provided on the unit-load package (10,100), in which case the mechanical device (14) always finds the next unit-load package (10,100) to be filled automatically and carries one unit-load package at a time to the filling position. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a reel package (200) is used as the package of transportation. 3. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a box package (300) is used as the package of transportation. 4. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a cassette package (400) is used as the package of transportation. 5. A method as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that a pallet package (500) is used as the package of transportation. 6. A method as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the fixed filling part (12) is provided with grasping points or marks (16). 7. A method as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the fixed filling part (12) is provided with an optical or equivalent identifying member (17). 8. A filling part (12) for unit-load packages (10,100) to be used in the method for filling of unit-load packages, characterized in that the filling part (12) is a fixed filling part provided on the unit-load package (10,100), which filling part may be provided with an identification member (16, 17) to facilitate the alignment of the unit- load package. 9. A filling part as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the identification member consists of grasping points or marks (16) provided on the fixed filling part (12). 10. A filling part as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the identification member consists of an optical or equivalent guide (17) provided on the fixed filling part (12). 11. A package of transportation (200,300,400,500) for unit-load packages (10, 100), characterized in that the location of the fixed filling part (12) of the unit-load package that follows after each unit-load package (10,100) is known in advance. 12. A package of transportation as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the package of transportation is a reel package (200), a box package (300), a cassette package (400), or a pallet package (500).

Inventors: KOSKINEN ERKKI, KOSKINEN, ERKKI
Applicants: KOSKINEN ERKKI, ROSENLEW AB OY W, KOSKINEN, ERKKI, OY W. ROSENLEW AB
Application year: 1995
Main classification: B65B43
IPC codes: B65B5, B65B43