Transportation vehicle for mobile sorting of shipments

• US 10,350,643 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2017
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deutsche Post AG
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Post AG
• Inventors: Veasey, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess, Douglas A
• Application Number:
  US15/788,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20180111164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 700230, 198312, 198314, 198444, 414343, 414351, 414352, 414353
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 13/16 Feed or discharge arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/368 actuated independently
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 21/006 the conveying means comprising a rotating table
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/36 using endless chains or belts thereon
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/007 for delivery of small articles, e.g. milk, frozen articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2047/687 Lane boundaries which comprise rotatable elements, e.g. discs, cylinders, endless belts
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 37/005 comprising two or more co-operating conveying elements with parallel longitudinal axes the conveying elements being endless surfaces B65G15/10
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 41/002 Pivotably mounted

Abstract

Example aspects relate to at least one transportation vehicle for mobile sorting of shipments, the transportation vehicle comprising a loading area arranged on the transportation vehicle, at least one infeed conveyer foldable attached to the loading area for loading an incoming shipment onto the transportation vehicle, at least two outfeed conveyers foldable attached to the loading area for unloading an outgoing shipment from the transportation vehicle, a scanning device arranged on the loading area adjacent to the at least one infeed conveyer and configured to scan the incoming shipment for obtaining a scanning information, a main conveyer arranged on the loading area and configured to convey the incoming shipment past the scanning device towards a sorting device, and the sorting device configured to sort the scanned incoming shipment according to the scanning information towards one of the outfeed conveyers for unloading the incoming shipment as outgoing shipment.

Claims

1. At least one transportation vehicle for mobile sorting of shipments, the transportation vehicle comprising

a loading area arranged on the transportation vehicle,

at least one infeed conveyer foldable attached to the loading area for loading an incoming shipment onto the transportation vehicle,

at least two outfeed conveyers foldable attached to the loading area for unloading an outgoing shipment from the transportation vehicle,

a scanning device arranged on the loading area adjacent to the at least one infeed conveyer and configured to scan the incoming shipment for obtaining a scanning information,

a main conveyer arranged on the loading area and configured to convey the incoming shipment past the scanning device towards a sorting device, and

the sorting device configured to sort the scanned incoming shipment according to the scanning information towards one of the outfeed conveyers for unloading the incoming shipment as an outgoing shipment;

wherein the transportation vehicle comprises a side wall at least partially surrounding the loading area and arranged at an edge of the loading area, the at least one infeed conveyer and the at least two outfeed conveyers are foldable from a loading position for loading the incoming shipment and unloading the outgoing shipment and a folded position for moving the transportation vehicle, and the at least one infeed conveyer and the at least two outfeed conveyers form a part of the side wall in the folded position.

2. The at least one transportation vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the at least one infeed conveyer and the at least two outfeed conveyers form a seamless part of the side wall in the folded position or wherein the side wall comprises a side curtain and the at least one infeed conveyer and the at least two outfeed conveyers closely fit the side curtain in the folded position.

3. The at least one transportation vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the at least one infeed conveyer or the at least two outfeed conveyers comprise an upper side comprising conveyer rolls and a smooth bottom side facing away from the conveyer rolls.

4. The at least one transportation vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the at least one transportation vehicle is provided as a trailer or as a truck.

5. The at least one transportation vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the loading area comprises two opposite longitudinal sides extending in driving direction of the transportation vehicle, the at least one transportation vehicle comprising an even plurality of infeed conveyers arranged in pairs opposite to each other at the longitudinal sides of the loading area.

6. The at least one transportation vehicle of claim 5, wherein the loading area comprises two opposite longitudinal sides extending in a driving direction of the transportation vehicle, the at least one transportation vehicle comprising an even plurality of outfeed conveyers arranged in pairs opposite to each other at the longitudinal sides of the loading area.

7. The at least one transportation vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the loading area comprises two opposite longitudinal sides extending in a driving direction of the transportation vehicle and at least one transverse side arranged perpendicular thereto, the at least one transportation vehicle comprising an outfeed link conveyer foldable attached to the loading area for unloading an outgoing shipment from the transportation vehicle, wherein the outfeed link conveyer is arranged on the transverse side or on the longitudinal side of the loading area and adapted for connecting to a locally fixed conveyer.

8. The at least one transportation vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the scanning device comprises a top read scanning tunnel, a two-way sorting device or a presorting device.

9. The at least one transportation vehicle according to claim 1, comprising a computer control configured for controlling the at least one infeed conveyer, the at least two outfeed conveyers, the scanning device, the main conveyer and the sorting device.

10. The at least one transportation vehicle of claim 1, comprising a computer control configured for electrically connecting to a fixed computer control of a locally fixed conveyer.

11. The at least one transportation vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the sorting device is provided as a pop-up sorter, a shoe sorter or a pop-up wheel sorter.

12. At least one transportation vehicle for mobile sorting of shipments, the transportation vehicle comprising

a loading area arranged on the transportation vehicle,

at least one infeed conveyer foldable attached to the loading area for loading an incoming shipment onto the transportation vehicle,

at least two outfeed conveyers foldable attached to the loading area for unloading an outgoing shipment from the transportation vehicle,

a scanning device arranged on the loading area adjacent to the at least one infeed conveyer and configured to scan the incoming shipment for obtaining a scanning information,

a main conveyer arranged on the loading area and configured to convey the incoming shipment past the scanning device towards a sorting device, and

the sorting device configured to sort the scanned incoming shipment according to the scanning information towards one of the outfeed conveyers for unloading the incoming shipment as an outgoing shipment;

comprising a first transportation vehicle and at least one second transportation vehicle, wherein the at least one infeed conveyer and the scanning device are arranged on the first transportation vehicle, the at least two outfeed conveyers and the sorting device are arranged on the at least one second transportation vehicle and the main conveyer extends from the first transportation vehicle towards the at least one second transportation vehicle.

13. The at least one transportation vehicle according to claim 12, comprising a conveyer connection part adapted for connecting the main conveyer between the first transportation vehicle and the at least one second transportation vehicle in a straight, curved or lowering direction.

14. The at least one transportation vehicle of claim 12, wherein the first transportation vehicle is provided as a truck and the at least one second transportation vehicle is provided as a trailer.

15. The at least one transportation vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the at least one infeed conveyer or the at least two outfeed conveyers comprise an upper side comprising conveyer rolls and a smooth bottom side facing away from the conveyer rolls.

16. The at least one transportation vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the sorting device is provided as a pop-up sorter, a shoe sorter or a pop-up wheel sorter.

17. At least one transportation vehicle for mobile sorting of shipments, the transportation vehicle comprising

a loading area arranged on the transportation vehicle,

at least one infeed conveyer foldable attached to the loading area for loading an incoming shipment onto the transportation vehicle,

at least two outfeed conveyers foldable attached to the loading area for unloading an outgoing shipment from the transportation vehicle,

a scanning device arranged on the loading area adjacent to the at least one infeed conveyer and configured to scan the incoming shipment for obtaining a scanning information,

a main conveyer arranged on the loading area and configured to convey the incoming shipment past the scanning device towards a sorting device, and

the sorting device configured to sort the scanned incoming shipment according to the scanning information towards one of the outfeed conveyers for unloading the incoming shipment as an outgoing shipment;

wherein the at least one infeed conveyer or the at least two outfeed conveyers comprise a transverse side and are attached with their transverse side for swivel movement to the loading area.

18. The at least one transportation vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the at least one infeed conveyer or the at least two outfeed conveyers comprise an upper side comprising conveyer rolls and a smooth bottom side facing away from the conveyer rolls.

19. The at least one transportation vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the at least one transportation vehicle is provided as a trailer or as a truck.

20. The at least one transportation vehicle according to claim 17, comprising a computer control configured for controlling the at least one infeed conveyer, the at least two outfeed conveyers, the scanning device, the main conveyer and the sorting device.