Patent ID: 7028829

Claim:
A device ( 10 ) for feeding bulk material items ( 12 ) from a mass multiply arranged one above the other in a store ( 14 ) into a randomly re-alignable, individually distributed and disentangled position within the reach of a robot ( 18 ), the device ( 10 ) comprising a substantially horizontally arranged oscillating conveyor surface ( 16 ) with first means ( 58 , 60 ) for the forward feed or reverse transport of the bulk material items ( 12 ) in a x-direction or in a x- and y-direction of the space coordinates, second means ( 62 ) for exciting an oscillation of the oscillating conveyor surface ( 16 ) in a z-direction of the space coordinates, means ( 26 ) for individual detection of the number, position and alignment of the individual bulk material items ( 12 ) and generating signals, and a processor ( 56 ) for processing the signals and generating control commands to actuators, wherein the entire surface area of a one-piece oscillating conveyor surface ( 16 ) is supported by an oscillating conveyor arm ( 44 ), which oscillating conveyor surface ( 16 ) with first or with first and second means ( 58 , 60 ) is supported so as to be horizontally displaceable in the x-direction or in the x- and y-direction and extends from a storage zone ( 40 ) over a distribution zone ( 42 ) up to the front end of a selection zone ( 28 ) for the bulk material items ( 12 ) and projects freely, together with the oscillating conveyor arm ( 44 ), the storage ( 40 ), distribution ( 42 ) and selection zone ( 28 ) having an edge ( 38 ), and a third means for generating the oscillating motion (S) in the z-direction are connected to the oscillating conveyor arm ( 44 ).