Method and apparatus for conveying articles, piece goods and/or bundles within at least two conveying path sections

• US 10,442,638 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2015
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Krones AG (Krones)
• Original Assignee: Krones AG (Krones)
• Inventors: Kollmuss, Manuel, Eschlbeck, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwenning, Lynn E
• Application Number:
  US15/524,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20180229948A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,443 Days
• Field of Search: 4147881, 4147896, 4147909
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/0225 Orientation of the article
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/0233 Position of the article
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2207/14 Combination of conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/086 cubiform articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 57/06 Gates for releasing articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 57/10 by devices, e.g. reciprocating, acting directly on articles for horizontal transport to the top of stack
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 57/24 the layers being transferred as a whole, e.g. on pallets
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 65/02 Loading or unloading machines comprising essentially a conveyor for moving the loads associated with a device for picking-up the loads

Abstract

The invention relates to a palletizing apparatus (10) and a method for conveying articles (16), piece goods, and/or bundles (18) and/or palletizable article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20) with at least two conveyor line sections (12, 14), each in a particular conveying direction (28, 29). Each conveyor line sections include consecutive handling stations, grouping stations, and/or transfer stations (32, 33, 40, 44, 48, 50), which lead to a central loading station (24), where the article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20) are stacked on top of each other and/or palletized in a common loading place (25). The loading station (24) is located between at least two vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52). The common loading place (25) is supplied with article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20).

Claims

1. A palletizing apparatus (10) for conveying articles (16), piece goods, and/or bundles (18) and/or palletizable article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20), comprising:

at least two conveyor line sections (12, 14) with each conveyor line section (12, 14) including a first transfer station (48) and a second transfer station (50), with each of the first and second transfer station including a vertically adjustable support surface and/or conveying surface (52), and

a central loading station (24), wherein the at least two conveyor line sections (12, 14) lead into the central loading station (24); and

a common loading place (25) for stacking and/or palletizing the article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20) on top of each other received from the central loading station,

wherein at least two of the vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) are adjacent to the central loading station (24), and

the central loading station (24) is located therebetween and is alternately suppliable by the at least two vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) with article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20) to be palletized, and

wherein the vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) of each first transfer station (48) are independently movable of each other and independently movable of each vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) of the second transfer stations (50), and wherein the vertically adjustable support surface and/or conveying surface (52) of each second transfer station (50) are not independently movable of each other.

2. The palletizing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one lifting column (60, 61) associated with the central loading station (24), wherein the at least one lifting column (60, 61) comprises one or more vertically adjustable guides (62).

3. The palletizing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) adjacent to the loading station (24) located therebetween, are approximately aligned with each other in each conveying direction (28, 29).

4. The palletizing apparatus of claim 2, wherein a transfer direction (31a, 31b) of at least one of the at least two support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) is oriented substantially perpendicular to a removal direction.

5. The palletizing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the loading station (24) comprises at least one horizontal conveying element (76), which is oscillatingly movable between each of the vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52).

6. The palletizing apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a bar (78) associated with the at least one horizontal conveying element.

7. The palletizing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one horizontal conveying element is formed by a circulating modular conveyor belt.

8. The palletizing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one horizontal conveying element is formed by a movable shutter element (76).

9. The palletizing apparatus of claim 4, wherein at least one apparatus (64, 68, 70) is associated with the loading place (25) for the purpose of depositing intermediate layers (66) between two article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20).

10. The palletizing apparatus of claim 2, wherein a transfer direction (31a, 31b) of at least one of the at least two support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) is oriented substantially parallel to or aligned with a removal direction.

11. The palletizing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the loading station (24) comprises at least one horizontal conveying element (76), which is oscillatingly movable between each of the vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52).

12. The palletizing apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a bar (78) associated with the at least one horizontal conveying element.

13. The palletizing apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one horizontal conveying element is formed by a circulating modular conveyor belt.

14. The palletizing apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one horizontal conveying element is formed by a movable shutter element (76).

15. The palletizing apparatus of claim 10, wherein at least one apparatus (64, 68, 70) is associated with the loading place (25) for the purpose of depositing intermediate layers (66) between two article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20).

16. A method for palletizing articles (16), piece goods, and/or bundles (18) comprising:

forming article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20) by supplying articles, piece goods, and/or bundles to a first transfer stations (48) and a second transfer station (50) located in each of at least two conveyor line sections (12, 14), with each first and second transfer station including a vertically adjustable support surface and/or conveying surface (52),

alternately supplying article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20), from at least two vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52),

stacking on top of each other and/or palletizing the article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20) at the central loading station (24) and transferring the stacked and/or palletized articles, piece goods, and/or bundles to a common loading place (25),

wherein the common loading station (24) is located between the at least two vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) of the transfer stations (48, 50), and

wherein the vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) of each first transfer station (48) are independently movable of each other and independently movable of each vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) of the second transfer stations (50), and wherein the vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) of each second transfer station (50) are not independently movable of each other.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the least two conveyor line sections (12, 14) have oppositely oriented conveying directions (28, 29).

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least two conveyor line sections (12, 14) have parallelly oriented conveying directions (28).