METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING ARTICLES, PIECE GOODS AND/OR CONTAINERS WITHIN AT LEAST TWO CONVEYING PATH SECTIONS

• US 20180229948A1
• Filed: 11/02/2015
• Published: 08/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Krones AG (Krones)
• Original Assignee: Krones AG (Krones)
• Inventors: KOLLMUSS, Manuel, ESCHLBECK, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 10,442,638 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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) including one or more handling stations, grouping stations, and/or transfer stations (32, 33, 40, 44, 48, 50) located consecutively in a conveying direction (28, 29), and

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

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, and

at least two vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) are associated with the central loading station (24), wherein the at least two vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) form parts of, or are arranged downstream in the conveying direction (28, 29) from, the transfer stations (48, 50) of the at least two conveyor line sections (12, 14), and

wherein the central loading station (24) is located between the vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) of the transfer stations (48, 50), which is suppliable alternately by the at least two support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) with article layers, piece good layers, and/or bundle layers (20) to be palletized.

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 guiding devices (63), for being able to lift and lower the at least two support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) independently of one another.

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

4. The palletizing apparatus of claim 3, wherein a conveying direction 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 3, wherein a conveying direction 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.

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

7. The palletizing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one horizontal conveying element is formed by a circulating modular conveyor belt.

8. The palletizing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one horizontal conveying element is formed by a movable shutter element (76).

9. The palletizing apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a contact element (78) associated with the at least one horizontal conveying element (76).

10. The palletizing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) are suspended by way of traction means from the lifting column (60, 61) and are arranged thereat to be vertically motor-movable.

11. 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).

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

16. The palletizing apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a contact element (78) associated with the at least one horizontal conveying element (76).

17. The palletizing apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one horizontal conveying element is formed by a circulating modular conveyor belt.

18. The palletizing apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one horizontal conveying element is formed by a movable shutter element (76).

19. The palletizing apparatus of claim 16, wherein the support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) are suspended by way of traction means from the lifting column (60, 61) and are arranged thereat to be vertically motor-movable.

20. The palletizing apparatus of claim 19, 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).

12. 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 one or more handling stations, grouping stations, and/or transfer stations (32, 33, 40, 44, 48, 50) located within at least two conveyor line sections (12, 14),

alternately supplying article layers, piece good layers, and or bundle layers (20), from each of the at least two conveyor line section (12, 14), to a central loading station (24), wherein at least two vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) are included in or associated with the loading station (24), and wherein the at least two vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) form parts of, or are arranged downstream in a conveying direction (28, 29) from the transfer stations (48, 50) of the at least two conveyor line sections (12, 14),

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 vertically adjustable support surfaces and/or conveying surfaces (52) of the transfer stations (48, 50).

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

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least two conveyor line sections (12, 14) run approximately parallel and meet at the end of the loading station (24) with identically oriented conveying directions (28, 29).