APPARATUS FOR SORTING PIECE GOODS

• US 20090155036A1
• Filed: 12/17/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Krones AG (Krones)
• Original Assignee: Krones AG (Krones)
• Inventors: Deyerl, Heinrich
• Granted Patent: US 8,109,381 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/539
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0715 the preform having one end closed
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/06 Injection blow-moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/4205 Handling means, e.g. transfer, loading or discharging means handling of inserts or reinforcements B29C49/20; handling of linings or labels B29C49/2408
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/42057 Aligning disorderly arranged preforms, e.g. delivered disorderly
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/1492 the articles being fed from a feeding conveyor

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus and method for sorting piece goods. The apparatus comprises a sorting arrangement which comprises two rollers arranged parallel to one another, wherein these rollers can rotate about their longitudinal direction and wherein the rollers are configured in such a way that the piece goods are transported along the rollers, and comprising a transport device which conveys the piece goods in the direction of the sorting arrangement. According to certain embodiments, arranged above the transport device are displacement devices which make contact with the piece goods at least temporarily and displace said piece goods relative to the transport device.

Claims

1. Apparatus for sorting piece goods, comprising a sorting arrangement and comprising a transport device which conveys the piece goods in the direction of the sorting arrangement, wherein arranged above the transport device is at least one displacement device which makes contact with the piece goods at least temporarily and displaces said piece goods relative to the transport device.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sorting arrangement comprises two rollers arranged parallel to one another, wherein the rollers can rotate about their longitudinal direction and wherein the rollers are configured in such a way that the piece goods are transported along these rollers.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the transport device is arranged so that the piece goods on the transport device are conveyed essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the rollers.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sorting arrangement comprises a rotatably mounted disc which in the region of its outer edge has a bar which is arranged at such a distance from the disc that the piece goods to be sorted are held between the bar and the disc and are transported, wherein the piece goods are acted upon by a centrifugal force during the sorting process due to the rotating disc.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the displacement device comprises at least one plate which can pivot in the transport direction of the piece goods.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the displacement device comprises at least two of the plates wherein the at least two plates are arranged one behind the other and have recesses on the sides facing towards the transport device, and where the recesses are arranged one behind the other in the transport direction of the piece goods on the transport device.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the at least one plate has a plurality of recesses located next to one another in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transport device comprises a transport belt.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one displacement device comprises at least three pivotable plates arranged one behind the other in the transport direction of the piece goods on the transport device.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the pivotable plates has a recess on a side facing toward the transport device.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a slide device between the transport device and the sorting arrangement, along which the piece goods can slide from the transport device to the sorting arrangement.

12. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the slide device includes depressions extending between the transport device and the sorting arrangement.

13. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transport device is arranged at a position that is higher than the sorting device.

14. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the item of piece goods is a container and, in particular, a preform.

15. Method for sorting piece goods, wherein the piece goods are conveyed by a transport device onto a sorting arrangement, the piece goods, during transport on the transport device, being moved relative to the transport device by means of a displacement device.

16. Method according to claim 15, wherein, by means of two rollers which are rotated about their parallel longitudinal directions, the piece goods to be sorted on the sorting arrangement are conveyed along the longitudinal directions, wherein arranged between the two rollers is an intermediate space which receives at least a region of the piece goods.

17. Method according to claim 15, wherein the piece goods to be sorted on the sorting arrangement are sorted by means of a rotatably mounted disc which exerts a centrifugal force on the piece goods and thereby moves them to the edge region of the sorting arrangement where transport takes place between the disc and a bar arranged at a distance from this disc.

18. Method according to claim 15, wherein the piece goods are displaced relative to the transport device by a first displacement device, then rest relative to the transport device during the movement on the transport device and then are displaced relative to the transport device by a second displacement device.