Method for filling containers with piece goods

• US 8,015,778 B2
• Filed: 07/04/2006
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Tischhauser, Reto
• Primary Examiner(s): Durand; Paul R
• Application Number:
  US12/308,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20090320416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,897 Days
• Field of Search: 534/73, 534/75, 533/93, 532/35, 532/37, 532/39, 532/40, 532/44, 532/46, 532/50, 532/51, 532/52, 532/53, 414/268, 414/269, 414/270, 414/285
• US Class Current: 53/475
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/105 by grippers B65B5/12 and B65B5/108 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/20 Applications of counting devices for controlling the feed of articles other applications B65B65/08
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40037 No incomplete containers allowed to exit on output conveyor

Abstract

In a method for filling bulk goods into containers designed to accommodate a certain number of bulk items, at least one bulk goods conveyor is used to transport the bulk goods towards at least two pickers which are consecutively arranged in the direction of transport. The pickers are used to fill the bulk goods into empty spaces in containers, transported on at least one container conveyor. When the supply of bulk goods decreases or is discontinued, the at least one picker arranged downstream in the direction of transport of the bulk goods conveyor gives preference to containers with a high filling level. Completely empty containers are preferably no longer filled. Thus the bulk goods conveyor can be emptied within a short period and almost all bulk goods are packed without necessitating manual filling of the containers.

Claims

1. A method for inserting piece goods into placement positions in containers, that accommodate a certain fill number of piece goods, comprising the steps of:

supplying the piece goods on at least one piece goods conveyor to at least two pickers situated one after another in a conveying direction in order;

inserting the piece goods by means of the at least two pickers into empty placement positions in containers which are supplied on at least one container conveyor;

working the at least two pickers during a normal operation according to a filling strategy; and

changing the filling strategy of at least one of the at least two pickers in comparison to a normal operation when a supply of piece goods decreases or fails to appear in order to avoid partially filled containers and permit the occurrence of completely empty containers.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of changing the filling strategy comprises the step of having at least one picker situated upstream in a conveying direction of the at least one container conveyor filling containers that have a high fill level and no longer filling completely empty containers.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one picker situated downstream in a conveying direction of the at least one container conveyor preferably transfers piece goods from one partially filled container into another partially filled container.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the at least one picker situated downstream in the conveying direction of the at least one container conveyor places piece goods transported on the at least one piece goods conveyor into the containers.

5. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein pickers that are situated between a picker situated farthest upstream in the conveying direction of the at least one container conveyor and a picker situated farthest downstream switch from the filling strategy of the picker farthest upstream to the filling strategy of the picker farthest downstream, depending upon the amount of piece goods remaining on the at least one piece goods conveyor.

6. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein a decision as to whether piece goods arc taken from a first container or placed into the first container takes into account the number of piece goods in the first container and the sum of all piece goods in other containers simultaneously situated in a working range of the at least one picker situated downstream in the conveying direction of the at least one container conveyor.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the first container is the container within the working range that is situated farthest downstream in the conveying direction of the at least one container conveyor.

8. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the at least one picker situated downstream in the conveying direction of the at least one container conveyor places piece goods transported on the at least one piece goods conveyor into the containers.

9. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein if there are enough piece goods in the other containers to completely fill the first container, then the first container is filled, but if there are not enough piece goods in the other containers to completely fill the first container, then the piece goods are removed from the first container.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the first container is the container within the working range that is situated farthest downstream in the conveying direction of the at least one container conveyor.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the at least one picker situated downstream in the conveying direction of the at least one container conveyor places piece goods transported on the at least one piece goods conveyor into the containers.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein pickers that are situated between a picker situated farthest upstream in the conveying direction of the at least one container conveyor and a picker situated farthest downstream switch from the filling strategy of the picker farthest upstream to the filling strategy of the picker farthest downstream, depending upon the amount of piece goods remaining on the at least one piece goods conveyor.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the piece goods are taken from already partially filled containers and placed back onto the at least one piece goods conveyor.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one piece goods conveyor and the at least one container conveyor operate at full speed or at a reduced speed.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the conveying direction of the at least one piece goods conveyor extends parallel to, but in an opposite direction from the conveying direction of the at least one container conveyor.

16. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the conveying direction of the at least one piece goods conveyor extends parallel to and in a same direction as the conveying direction of the at least one container conveyor.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a horizontally extending conveyor belt is used as the at least one piece goods conveyor.

18. A method for inserting piece goods into placement positions in containers, that accommodate a certain fill number of piece goods, comprising the steps of:

supplying the piece goods on at least one piece goods conveyor to at least two pickers situated one after another in a conveying direction in order;

inserting the piece goods by means of the at least two pickers into empty placement positions in containers which are supplied on at least one container conveyor;

working the at least two pickers during a normal operation according to a filling strategy; and

changing the filling strategy in comparison to a normal operation when a supply of piece goods decreases or fails to appear in order to avoid partially filled containers, wherein the step of changing the filling strategy comprises the step of having at least one picker situated upstream in a conveying direction of the at least one container conveyor filling containers that have a high fill level and no longer filling completely empty containers, and wherein at least one picker situated downstream in the conveying direction of the at least one container conveyor transfers piece goods from one partially filled container into another partially filled container.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein a decision as to whether piece goods are taken from a first container or placed into the first container takes into account the number of piece goods in the first container and the sum of all piece goods in other containers simultaneously situated in a working range of the at least one picker situated downstream in the conveying direction of the at least one container conveyor.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein if there are enough piece goods in the other containers to completely fill the first container, then the first container is filled, but if there are not enough piece goods in the other containers to completely fill the first container, then the piece goods are removed from the first container.