CONTAINER FOR TRANSPORTING ITEMS OF LUGGAGE IN A SORTING SYSTEM AND SORTING SYSTEM

• US 20150114804A1
• Filed: 05/06/2013
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Delaney, David, Ten Berge, Balthazar-Simon
• Granted Patent: US 9,315,279 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 198/867.01
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/366 Check-in counters
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/368 Arrangements or installations for routing, distributing or loading baggage
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/34 Trays or like shallow containers B65D81/3813 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 17/12 comprising a series of individual load-carriers fixed, or normally fixed, relative to traction element

Abstract

A container for transporting luggage items in an airport sorting system using a conveyor system for conveying the luggage items, includes a bottom region for coupling to a conveying unit of the conveyor system and a transporting region supported by the bottom region and receiving a luggage item to be transported. The bottom and transporting regions are each produced from x-ray transparent or radiolucent material. In order to provide a container which can be produced with low expenditure, is robust with regard to transport processes and is as homogeneous as possible with regard to being x-ray transparent or radiolucent, the bottom and transporting regions are formed from a basic body produced in one piece and from an x-ray transparent or radiolucent material and the basic body is formed from a foam perform or molded part. A sorting system for airport luggage items is also provided.

Claims

1-13. -13. (canceled)

14. A container for transporting items of luggage in a sorting system at an airport using a conveying system for conveying individual items including items of luggage, the container comprising:

a bottom region configured to be coupled with a conveying unit of the conveying system;

a transporting region supported by said bottom region and configured to receive an individual item of luggage to be transported;

said bottom region and said transporting region each being produced from a radiolucent material; and

a one-part basic body of a radiolucent material forming said bottom region and said transporting region as a foamed material molded part.

15. The container according to claim 14, wherein said basic body is formed from a structurally rigid foam of thermoplastic material.

16. The container according to claim 14, wherein said foamed material molded part includes a thermoplastic-based particle foamed material.

17. The container according to claim 16, wherein said foamed material molded part includes a polypropylene-based particle foamed material.

18. The container according to claim 14, wherein said basic body has internal recesses.

19. The container according to claim 14, which further comprises:

a central, flat receiving surface disposed in said transporting region for receiving an item of luggage; and

a holding structure raised above said receiving surface and surrounding said receiving surface.

20. The container according to claim 19, wherein said holding structure includes wall parts adjoining said receiving surface, being raised perpendicularly relative to said receiving surface and forming a front or rear edge relative to a conveying direction of the container.

21. The container according to claim 19, wherein said holding structure includes a pair of flat transition surfaces being inclined relative to said receiving surface, being connected to said receiving surface on both sides of said receiving surface and each forming a respective lateral edge relative to a conveying direction of the container.

22. The container according to claim 21, which further comprises:

a bottom surface disposed in said bottom region;

said inclined transition surfaces having a maximum height relative to said bottom surface; and

said receiving surface having a height relative to said bottom surface being smaller than 50% of said maximum height of said transition surfaces.

23. The container according to claim 19, which further comprises:

a bottom surface disposed in said bottom region;

said holding structure having a maximum height (HMAX) relative to said bottom surface; and

said receiving surface having a height relative to said bottom surface being smaller than 20% of said maximum height of said holding structure.

24. The container according to claim 19, wherein said holding structure includes a respective interface in each of said bottom region and said transporting region for stacking the container with other containers.

25. The container according to claim 14, wherein said basic body includes at least one surface being back-injected with a coating.

26. A sorting system for items of luggage at an airport, the sorting system comprising:

a conveying system having conveying units for conveying items of luggage; and

containers according to claim 14 being coupled with said conveying units for transporting the items of luggage.