Devices for orienting or rotating objects and sorting machines for sorting objects.

Abstract

This invention relates to an apparatus for orienting or rotating an object and a sorting machine for sorting objects. The apparatus includes a conveying device having an inlet for receiving objects and an outlet and is configured to convey objects in a conveying direction. In this configuration, the conveying device has an orienting device extending at least partially along the conveying direction. The orienting device has a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first and second portions are arranged side-by-side along the conveying direction, wherein at least one of the first and second portions is configured as a sliding surface to generate friction between the object and the sliding surface, and wherein the object to be oriented is subjected to different acceleration / braking actions by the first and second portions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an apparatus for conveying objects such as parcels, mail packages, shipments, or consignments. In particular, this invention relates to an apparatus that can be used as part of a sorting machine for sorting objects. Background Technology

[0002] As the volume of goods and shipments transported in logistics increases, so does the need for sorting them. Objects are typically sorted in what are called sorting machines. Here, objects are sorted and individually assigned to what are called terminal stations. Objects at the respective terminal stations can then be further transported, transferred, or re-sorted. However, to improve the granularity of sorting as the volume of objects to be transported increases, it may be necessary to increase the number of terminal stations. However, this requires more space. At the same time, the size of these terminal stations cannot be chosen to be too small as needed, because the size of the terminal stations is appropriate for the size of the objects.

[0003] A particular additional factor in parcel sorting is that individual parcels can vary considerably in form and therefore may weigh, for example, from 10g to 32kg. Shapes and sizes also vary considerably, for example, from 5×5×0.5cm to 60×60×120cm. In addition to the conventional rectangular parcels that typically consist of corrugated cardboard, there is an increasing use of pouches as secondary packaging for parcels, thus creating further variations in the characteristics of parcel transport.

[0004] Meanwhile, in sorting machines, the package movement speed should be selected as high as possible to achieve the highest possible package throughput. However, this presents additional problems, especially for heavy packages, as effective deceleration is necessary to avoid impacts that could damage them. Conversely, active conveying is possible or even necessary for lightweight packages, particularly bags, as they may be too light to slide on rollers based on their weight, for example.

[0005] In conventional sorting machines, sorting objects involves transporting them along a first conveyor direction on a first conveyor and then pushing them from that first conveyor into individual terminal stations. There is a risk that objects may tilt and become stuck as they are pushed into their respective terminal stations. This can block the terminal station. This requires manual intervention at the terminal station, reducing the sorting efficiency of the machine and potentially causing injury to operators, as this manual intervention is typically performed during ongoing operations. The likelihood of tilting also increases during transfer from the first conveyor to a second conveyor; the second conveyor is constructed with narrower terminal stations to increase the number of such stations. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a device for conveying objects, wherein tilting / blockage of objects is prevented and a compact construction is possible.

[0007] This objective is achieved by the apparatus according to the invention and the sorting machine according to the invention.

[0008] The device for orienting or rotating an object according to the invention includes a conveying device having an inlet and an outlet for receiving the object and configured to convey the object in a conveying direction. Here, the object may be a parcel, mail package, shipment, or consignment, etc. The invention is not limited to a specific type of object. Furthermore, the conveying device according to the invention has an orienting device that extends at least partially along the conveying direction. The orienting device has a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion are arranged side-by-side along the conveying direction. In other words, the first portion and the second portion are arranged one after another in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction. In this case, at least one of the first portion and the second portion is configured as a sliding surface to generate friction between the object and the sliding surface. The sliding surface is, for example, a planar surface to which the object makes large-area, particularly full-area, contact and slides on the sliding surface. In particular, the sliding surface in this case does not have a moving part. In this case, different acceleration / braking actions are transmitted to the object via the first portion and the second portion for the purpose of orienting the object in the conveying device. Therefore, the friction of the sliding surface serves to generate a braking effect in the corresponding section, where the braking effect is determined by the coefficient of friction of the sliding surface and can thus be adjusted for the corresponding application, particularly the intended object. Thus, the portion of the object conveyed by the first section is decelerated or accelerated in a different manner than the portion of the same object conveyed by at least the second section. This causes the object to rotate for orientation purposes. The object is thus oriented or rotated by an orientation device. For example, if the width of the object is less than its length, the orientation device can rotate the object so that its width is oriented perpendicular to the conveying direction. In this way, the width of the conveyor that matches the maximum width of the conveyed object can be reduced, thus reducing the space required for the conveyor. Simultaneously, the orientation operation ensures that tilting of the object is prevented during transfer to the conveyor. Therefore, tilting in the conveyor is prevented by the orientation device, thereby reducing manual intervention in the sorting machine.

[0009] Preferably, a planar, particularly common, conveying surface is formed by the first and second parts. For this purpose, the first and second parts are specifically positioned at the same height with no height difference. This allows an object moving through the first and second parts to make full-area contact with them as much as possible, thereby effectively transmitting the corresponding acceleration and / or braking action of the respective parts to the object.

[0010] Preferably, for orientation purposes, the object moves and comes into contact with the first part and simultaneously with the second part, such that one part of the object is accelerated or braked by the first part and the other part of the object is accelerated or braked by the second part. In this way, different parts of the object are accelerated / braked in different ways, causing the object to be rotated and oriented.

[0011] Preferably, the braking or acceleration of the first and / or second portions occurs in the direction of movement / conveyance of the conveyor, and particularly not in the direction of movement / conveyance of the main conveyor of the sorting machine. Therefore, when the conveyor is constructed as a chute, the gravitational movement along the chute overlaps with the braking or acceleration of the first and / or second portions that orient or rotate the object.

[0012] The object preferably has a weight between 10g and 32kg. Alternatively or supplementarily, the object has a maximum width of approximately 600mm and / or a maximum length of approximately 1200mm. Here and below, the smaller of these dimensions is referred to as the width and the larger of these dimensions as the length, such that the length of the object is always equal to or greater than the width of the object.

[0013] The orientation device is preferably configured to orient objects with different weights and / or different sizes.

[0014] Preferably, at the inlet, the length of the object is oriented substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction and the width of the object is oriented along the conveying direction, wherein the orientation device is configured to orient the object such that the length of the object is oriented downstream of the orientation device along the conveying direction.

[0015] The width of the conveying device is preferably less than 1000 mm, more preferably less than 800 mm, and particularly preferably less than 650 mm. Alternatively or supplementarily, the width of the conveying device is less than the maximum length of the object. In this case, the width of the conveying device refers to the dimension of the conveying device perpendicular to the second conveying direction. This is specifically the minimum width of the second conveying device. Therefore, it is possible to have a variable width for the conveying device, which, for example, reduces the stroke from the inlet, to ensure optimal transfer of the object into the conveying device.

[0016] Preferably, a boundary line can be set between the first part and the second part along the conveying direction. Alternatively, the boundary line can be different from the conveying direction, such that the first part and / or the second part varies along the conveying direction.

[0017] Preferably, the first part and the second part have the same width or different widths (i.e., in one dimension of these parts) and in particular have the same size or different size (i.e., in terms of their area).

[0018] The directional device is preferably installed directly at the inlet of the second conveying device. Alternatively, the directional device may be installed inside the conveying device or at its end.

[0019] The orientation device is preferably configured to orient the object during its continuous movement in the transport direction. Specifically, the object is not slowed to a standstill by the orientation device. This enables the object to be oriented in a particularly rapid manner and thus achieves a high throughput of objects in the device according to the invention.

[0020] Preferably, the sliding surface is formed of metal. Here, it can be, for example, high-grade steel, thus allowing the coefficient of friction of the sliding surface to be selected to be relatively small. Alternatively, the sliding surfaces of the first and / or second portions can be formed of plastic. Here, a particular plastic can be selected such that the coefficient of friction of the sliding surface, and thus the friction generated between the object and the sliding surface, is correspondingly adjusted to achieve effective orientation of the object by the orientation device. Alternatively, the sliding surfaces of the first and / or second portions can be formed of rubber. In particular, rubber has a high coefficient of friction, thereby enabling a stronger braking effect. For example, if both the first and second portions are formed of sliding surfaces, the sliding surface of one of these portions can be formed of metal, thus allowing the object to move well and almost unimpeded, while the sliding surface of the other portion is formed of rubber, thereby producing a stronger braking effect. Thus, different braking effects can be transmitted to the corresponding objects by selecting materials, and the objects can be oriented in the transport direction in this way.

[0021] Preferably, the sliding surfaces of the first and / or second portions have a surface structure. This surface structure allows for corresponding adjustment of friction. In this case, the surface structure of the sliding surface of the first portion may, for example, differ from the surface structure of the second portion. Specifically, the surface structure within the corresponding portions also varies in the width direction of the conveying device, thereby enabling a substantially continuous variation of friction within the corresponding portions and / or from the first portion to the second portion.

[0022] Preferably, the orientation device is configured to adjust the acceleration or braking of the first and / or second sections based on one or more of the object's size, its speed (particularly at the inlet of the conveyor), and its weight. This is particularly suitable when the first or second section is configured as an active conveyor, such as a conveyor belt or an active roller conveyor. The orientation device can thus be controlled to adjust the orientation based on the object's weight, size, and / or speed, thereby ensuring optimal orientation of the object.

[0023] Preferably, the first and second portions are configured as sliding surfaces that generate different frictions against the corresponding objects and thus produce different braking effects.

[0024] Preferably, the coefficient of friction varies continuously from the first part to the second part, particularly across the entire width of both parts. In other words, the first and second parts have different coefficients of friction, thus generating different frictions for the object. In this case, it is particularly possible to make the coefficient of friction change continuously in the width direction of the device. Therefore, it is particularly possible to generate correspondingly adjusted friction in the case of large objects, for example, those completely covering both the first and second parts, and thus achieve effective orientation of these objects. Small objects experience almost constant friction in the width direction of the conveying device because they only cover a small area where the friction of the first and / or second parts changes only slightly; therefore, these small objects rotate less, and orientation may not be necessary, especially in this case.

[0025] Preferably, the corresponding other part is configured as a roller conveyor, an air surface (also known as a vacuum surface, air sheet / plate, etc.), or a conveyor belt. In this case, a roller conveyor should be understood as a conveying device comprising a plurality of conveying elements that can move independently of each other, particularly rotate, and these conveying elements are rollers or drums (e.g., configured as roller tracks) or balls (e.g., configured as roller conveyors). Therefore, if the first part is configured as a sliding surface, the second part can be configured as a roller conveyor, an air surface ( aero sur The first part can be constructed as a roller conveyor, air surface, or conveyor belt, if the second part is constructed as a sliding surface.

[0026] Preferably, the first or second part is formed as a conveyor belt or belt conveyor. Here, the movement speed of the conveyor belt in the first or second part can be selected accordingly. In particular, the conveying direction of the conveyor belt in the first or second part can be selected to be opposite to the conveying direction, thereby generating braking. Especially when the conveying device is constructed as a chute, for example, it is possible to move objects essentially by gravity (except for an initial speed determined, for example, by the ejection speed of the object through the sorting machine), thereby setting the conveyor belt only to ensure the corresponding orientation of the object.

[0027] Preferably, the first or second section is formed as a roller conveyor. Here, the first or second section has movable conveying elements such as rollers, drums, or balls. These roller elements can be actively driven, thereby generating, for example, acceleration of the first and / or second section. Alternatively, it is a passive roller conveyor, where the roller resistance of the first and / or second section can be adjusted, for example, by means of a roller brake.

[0028] Preferably, the first or second portion is formed as an air surface having multiple openings, to which positive pressure can be applied to create an air cushion at the bottom of the object, or negative pressure can be applied to press / adhere the object to the air surface. When an air cushion is created at the bottom of the object, the frictional resistance of the object on the air surface is reduced, thereby reducing the braking effect based on friction with the air surface. Conversely, when negative pressure is applied to the openings in the air surface, the object is adsorbed onto the air surface, increasing the friction between the object and the air surface, thereby increasing the braking effect. Targeted actuation of the first or second portion thus allows for adjustment of the object's sliding characteristics and targeted orientation.

[0029] The conveying device is preferably a chute. Here, the conveying device is inclined relative to the horizontal direction, so that the movement of objects in the conveying direction is generated essentially by gravity and the ejection speed of the sorter. However, this is not limited to sliding motion, but may also include other forms that enable objects to move according to their gravity, such as roller conveyors, etc.

[0030] Preferably, at the inlet of the conveying device, the object has a motion component substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying device. In this application, the object is thus deflected or pushed into the device of the invention and therefore has a motion component not corresponding to the conveying direction of the conveying device. In this case, a first portion with high acceleration or low braking is positioned behind the second portion along this motion component. One of the following applies in this case to the relationship between the braking and / or acceleration of the first and second portions:

[0031] - The first part has a first braking effect and the second part has a second acceleration;

[0032] - The first part has a first acceleration and the second part has a second acceleration, wherein the first acceleration is greater than the second acceleration; or

[0033] - The first part has a first braking effect and the second part has a second braking effect, wherein the first braking effect is less than the second braking effect.

[0034] Therefore, the object is always turned into the conveyor at the inlet by the first and second parts of the orientation device. In this case, acceleration or braking of the object or different parts of the object can be performed simultaneously. Orientation prevents the object from tilting during transfer into the conveyor. At the same time, the object can be oriented so that its width is oriented in the width direction of the conveyor, thus reducing the required width of the conveyor.

[0035] Preferably, the first and second parts partially overlap. In this case, the second part is specifically positioned above the first part. Therefore, the object cannot tilt during the transfer from the second part to the first part. In particular, if the second part is a sliding surface and the first part is, for example, a roller conveyor or conveyor belt, the object can pass unimpeded over the sliding surface of the second part and reach the first part without tilting.

[0036] Preferably, the orientation device has a plurality of parts arranged side by side, wherein at least two of these parts are configured as the first part and the second part as described above.

[0037] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a sorting machine for sorting objects, particularly parcels, mail packages, shipped goods, or consigned goods. This sorting machine is a logistics sorting and distribution system. In this configuration, the sorting machine has a first conveying device and at least one second conveying device, wherein the second conveying device branches off from the first conveying device. The second conveying device can, in this configuration, be configured as a terminal station of the sorting machine. In this configuration, the second conveying device is constructed according to the aforementioned arrangement. Specifically, the first conveying device conveys objects in a first conveying direction and the second conveying device conveys objects in a second conveying direction, wherein the first conveying direction differs from the second conveying direction. Specifically, the first portion is positioned behind the second portion in the direction of the first conveying direction.

[0038] Preferably, the second conveying device is arranged substantially perpendicularly or obliquely relative to the first conveying device. In this way, the second conveying direction is also substantially perpendicular or correspondingly obliquely relative to the first conveying direction. In particular, if the second conveying device is arranged obliquely relative to the first conveying device, the angle between the first and second conveying directions is less than 90°, wherein the first conveying direction is further distinguished from the second conveying direction.

[0039] Preferably, the sorting machine has a plurality of second conveying devices branching from the first conveying device on one or both sides. The second conveying devices can be configured as terminal stations of the sorting machine in this case. In this case, the second conveying devices can be identical or different in construction. In particular, the sorting machine has more than one second conveying device constructed according to the above-described arrangement. Preferably, all the second conveying devices of the sorting machine are constructed according to the above-described arrangement. Attached Figure Description

[0040] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments.

[0041] In the attached diagram:

[0042] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the present invention is shown;

[0043] Figure 2 This illustrates one embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 3 Another embodiment of the invention is shown;

[0045] Figure 4 Another embodiment of the invention is shown;

[0046] Figure 5 Another embodiment of the invention is shown;

[0047] Figure 6 Another embodiment of the invention is shown;

[0048] Figure 7 Another embodiment of the invention is shown;

[0049] Figure 8 Another embodiment of the invention is shown; and

[0050] Figure 9 Another embodiment of the invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0051] The device 10 according to the invention has a first conveying device 12 for conveying an object 16 along a first conveying direction 14. The object 16 may be, for example, a parcel, a mail package, a shipment, etc. Preferably, the first conveying device 12 is a conveyor belt or a swashplate conveyor.

[0052] exist Figure 1 In the example, object 16 has a width B and a length L. Figure 1In this example, object 16 is oriented such that its length L is along the first conveying direction 14. Alternatively, object 16 may be oriented on the first conveying device 12 such that its width B is along the first conveying direction 14.

[0053] Furthermore, the device 10 has at least one second conveying device 18. The second conveying device 18 branches off from the first conveying device 12. Figure 1 In this example, the second conveyor 18 branches off from the first conveyor 12 in a substantially perpendicular manner. Other angles may also exist between the first conveyor 12 and the second conveyor 18. Furthermore, in Figure 1 In the example shown, only one second conveying device 18 is depicted. However, the device 10 may have multiple second conveying devices 18 branching off from one or both sides of the first conveying device 12 along the first conveying direction 14. In this case, the number of second conveying devices is determined by their position within the first conveying direction 14. Figure 1 In this example, the width, particularly the maximum width D, is limited directly at the input section or at the transition section from the first conveyor 12 to the second conveyor 18. In this case, the second conveyor 18 may have a tapering section 21 that guides the pushed-out object. The second conveyor 18 is configured in this case to convey the object 22 in the second conveying direction 20. The object 16 conveyed by the first conveyor may, for example, be pushed into the second conveyor 18 and subsequently transported by the second conveyor 18. In particular, the second conveyor is a chute, such that the object 16 pushed into the second conveyor 18 moves along the second conveyor 18 essentially due to its own gravity. Additional motion components may be generated due to the push-out velocity of the object from the first conveyor to the second conveyor.

[0054] In this case, the object 16 can be quite different and, for example, have a weight from 10g to 32kg. Alternatively or supplementarily, the object 16 can have a maximum width of approximately 600mm and / or a maximum length of approximately 1200mm. In this case, the orientation device 26 is specifically configured to orient objects 16 on the first conveying device that have different weights and / or different dimensions and different starting positions / or orientations.

[0055] Specifically, if the second conveyor 18 branches off from the first conveyor 12 in a substantially perpendicular manner, the object 16 may tilt during its transfer from the first conveyor 12 to the second conveyor 18, depending on its size. This is particularly true when the length L of the object 16 is greater than the width D of the second conveyor. Specifically, the width D of the second conveyor 18 is less than 1000 mm, preferably less than 800 mm, and particularly preferably less than 650 mm. Alternatively or supplementarily, the width D of the second conveyor 18 is less than the maximum length L of the object 16.

[0056] The second conveying device 18 has a guiding device 26 for orienting or rotating the object 16. When the object 16 is pushed from the first conveying device 12 into the second conveying device 18, the object 16 is oriented or rotated according to arrow 24 via the guiding device 26. This is in... Figure 1 The object 23 is represented by a rotating object that is transferred into the second conveyor 18. Since the width B of the object 16 is less than its length L, the object can be oriented such that its width B is perpendicular to the second conveying direction 20 by properly orienting it during its transfer from the first conveyor 12 to the second conveyor 18. In this way, the necessary space required for the second conveyor 18 can be reduced, and at the same time, since the object 16 is optimally oriented by the orienting device 26, tilting of the object during its transfer from the first conveyor 12 to the second conveyor 18 and thus preventing obstruction of the second conveyor 18 can be prevented.

[0057] In this case, the object 16 can be oriented by the orienting device according to its size, weight, speed on the first conveyor 12, and / or position on the first conveyor. This not only achieves optimal orientation of the object along the second conveying direction 20, but also prevents violent impacts with the sidewall 19 of the second conveyor by appropriate braking or deflection in the direction of the second conveying direction 20. Simultaneously, especially in the case of lightweight objects, stopping within the second conveyor 18 can be avoided, particularly when the second conveyor 18 is configured as a chute and the object is lightweight, such as a packaging bag. In this regard, the orienting device 26 can be configured to accelerate the object and thus provide active transport, especially for lightweight objects.

[0058] Figure 1 A grating 32 is shown, which detects the object 16 being pushed into the second conveyor 18. Once the object is detected by the grating 32, it can be oriented by the orientation device 26. In this example, the grating 32 is shown only by way of example. Additional or alternative sensors may also be used to determine the presence of the object, its size, weight, position and orientation on the first conveyor, and / or its speed on the first conveyor, thereby controlling the orientation device 26 accordingly based on the parameters determined in this way. Here, at least one sensor may be an optical sensor and, in particular, a camera.

[0059] According to the present invention, the orientation device 26 has a first portion 28 and a second portion 30. In this case, the first portion 28 and the second portion 30 are arranged side by side. In particular, the first portion 28 is arranged behind the second portion 30 in the direction of the first conveying direction 14. By applying different acceleration / braking actions to the object through the first portion 28 and the second portion 30, the object 16 can be oriented. At the same time, braking and / or conveying / accelerating of the object can be performed through the first portion 28 and the second portion 30 of the orientation device 26. Here, the following situation is particularly applicable:

[0060] The first part has a first braking effect and the second part has a second acceleration;

[0061] • The first part has a first acceleration and the second part has a second acceleration, wherein the first acceleration is greater than the second acceleration; or

[0062] The first part has a first braking effect and the second part has a second braking effect, wherein the first braking effect is less than the second braking effect.

[0063] Therefore, based on arrow 24, object 16 and object 23 are rotated according to their different accelerations / braking. Here, the braking or acceleration of the first portion 28 and / or the second portion 30 is generated in the direction of movement / conveyance of the second conveyor 18, rather than in the direction of movement / conveyance of the first conveyor 12. Therefore, when the second conveyor 18 is configured as a chute, the gravitational motion along the chute overlaps with the braking or acceleration of the first portion 28 and / or the second portion 30 that orients or rotates the object 16.

[0064] Specifically, the first portion 28 and the second portion 30 form a plane, particularly a common transport surface, on which the object 16 is transported or slid. Therefore, the object 16 moving through the first portion 28 and the second portion 30 can make full-area contact with the first portion 28 and / or the second portion 30 as much as possible, thereby effectively transmitting the corresponding acceleration and / or braking effects of the respective portions to the object 16. In this way, the desired rotation of the object 16 according to arrow 24 is achieved in a simple manner. In this respect, the object 16 moves through and contacts the first portion 28 and the second portion 30 simultaneously, such that one portion of the object 16 is subjected to acceleration or braking by the first portion 28 and another portion of the object 16 is subjected to acceleration or braking by the second portion 30. In this way, different portions of the object 16 are accelerated / braked in different ways, causing the object to rotate and orient itself.

[0065] Different embodiments of the present invention are described below. In this case, the same or similar parts have the same reference numerals. In particular, in Figure 2-9 Only the second conveying device 18 is shown. Furthermore, where technically advantageous, Figure 1-9 The implementation methods can be combined with each other. For example, Figure 9 It shows that it can be used with Figure 2-8 The implementation method comprises multiple freely combinable parts. Furthermore, Figure 2-9 The second conveying device 18 in the middle is always or can be with Figure 1 The first conveying device 12 assembly shown.

[0066] Figure 2 A second conveying device 18 having a first portion 28 and a second portion 30 is shown. In this example, the first portion 28 is configured as a first sliding surface 36 and the second portion 30 is configured as a second sliding surface 34. The first sliding surface 36 and the second sliding surface 34 have different coefficients of friction, thereby producing different braking effects on an object as it slides on the sliding surfaces of the first portion 28 and the second portion 30. The object is oriented according to the different braking effects. Figure 2 The illustrated embodiment has the advantage of being a passive design, requiring no moving parts for control, thus resulting in simple construction and low maintenance costs. Here, for example, the first portion 28 can have lower friction than the second portion 30, thereby achieving... Figure 1 The corresponding orientations are shown.

[0067] Figure 3 The second conveying device 18 is shown. In this example, the second part 30 is configured to... Figure 2The second sliding surface 34 is the same as described in the example. Furthermore, the first section 28 is configured as a roller conveyor 36 with multiple conveying elements. In this example, the conveying elements may be configured as rotatably mounted rollers or wheels, or ball bearing elements typically rotatably mounted (e.g., configured as a roller conveyor). In this example, the roller conveyor 36 may be active, i.e., driven / controlled to cause the conveying elements to move actively, thereby transmitting acceleration to the object 16. Alternatively, the roller conveyor 36 may be a passive roller conveyor, which is not driven or does not have driven conveying elements. Here, the roller resistance of the roller conveyor 36 is adjustable to transmit appropriate braking to the object and, in particular, to generate braking relative to the second section 30 to achieve optimal orientation of the object. Here, the roller resistance of the rollers of the roller conveyor 36 may be adjusted, for example, by a braking element (based on friction, configured as an eddy current brake, etc.), or may be generated, for example, by liquid filling of individual roller elements. Furthermore, the surfaces of the roller elements may be formed of metal, for example, to achieve improved durability. Alternatively, the surface of the roller element can be formed of plastic or rubber, thereby also achieving braking in the direction of the first conveying direction 14 and thus avoiding undesirable violent impacts on the sidewall 19 of the second conveying device 18. In this example, the acceleration or braking action of the roller conveyor 36 can be selected based on one or more parameters already discussed above, such as the size of the object, the weight of the object, the position of the object on the first conveying device, and the speed of the object on the first conveying device. In this way, the braking action or acceleration of the object in the first part 28 can be freely selected.

[0068] Figure 4 The second conveying device 18 is shown, wherein the first part is configured to... Figure 3 The first roller conveyor 38 is the same as the example described above. Similarly, the second part 30 is constructed as a second roller conveyor 40. It can also be constructed in conjunction with the above. Figure 3 The same applies to the situation described above. Here, the acceleration or braking action of the roller conveyor 40 in the second part can also be selected based on one or more parameters already discussed above, such as the size of the object, the weight of the object, the position of the object on the first conveying device, and the speed of the object on the first conveying device.

[0069] Figure 5 The second conveying device 18 is shown, wherein the second portion 30 is configured to be combined with Figure 3 and 4The same roller conveyor 40 is described above. In addition, the first section 28 is configured as a conveyor belt 42. An object is accelerated in a controlled manner via the conveyor belt 42 to be oriented by the orienting device 26. This acceleration occurs when the conveying direction of the conveyor belt 42 is in the direction of the second conveying direction. Alternatively, the conveying direction of the conveyor belt 42 can be opposite to the second conveying direction 20, thereby effectively braking the object. Specifically, the acceleration or braking action of the conveyor belt 42 and / or the roller conveyor 40 can be selected based on one or more parameters already discussed above, such as the size of the object, the weight of the object, the position of the object on the first conveying device, and the speed of the object on the first conveying device. In this way, the braking action or acceleration of the object in the first section 28 and the second section 30 can be freely selected.

[0070] Figure 6 The second conveying device 18 is shown, wherein the first portion 28 is configured to be coupled with Figure 5 The same conveyor belt 42 as described above. Additionally, the second section 30 is also configured as a second conveyor belt 44, which can move independently of the conveyor belt 42 of the first section 28. Specifically, the conveying speeds of the first conveyor belt 42 and the second conveyor belt 44 are different. Specifically, the conveying directions of the first conveyor belt 42 and the second conveyor belt 44 are opposite to achieve acceleration / braking of the object and thus orientation of the object 16. In this example, the speed of one or both of the conveyor belts 42 and 44 can be selected based on one or more parameters already discussed above, such as the object's size, weight, position on the first conveyor, and speed of the object on the first conveyor. In this way, the braking or acceleration of the object in the first section 28 and / or the second section 30 can be freely selected.

[0071] Figure 7 The second conveying device 18 is shown, wherein the second portion 30 is configured to be combined with Figure 2 and 3The same sliding surface 34 as described above. In addition, the first portion 28 is configured as an air surface 46. The air surface 46 has a plurality of openings / nozzles 48. They are spaced 50 in the lateral direction and 52 in the longitudinal direction. These spacings can be the same or different. In this example, positive pressure can be applied to the openings 48 to form an air cushion at its bottom as the object 16 slides on the air surface 46, thereby reducing friction between the object and the air surface 46. Alternatively, negative pressure can be applied to the openings 48 to press the object 16 against the surface of the air surface, thereby increasing friction between the object and the air surface 46. Effective braking is achieved in this way. The braking effect is greater when negative pressure is applied than when positive pressure is applied. In this example, the surface 54 of the air surface 46 can be formed of a low-friction material. Alternatively, the surface 54 of the air surface 46 can be formed of a high-friction material such as rubber, thereby further increasing the braking effect when negative pressure is applied. In particular, the openings 48 can be configured as nozzles pointing in the delivery direction, thereby applying acceleration to the object according to the direction of the nozzles. In this example, positive and / or negative pressure can be selected based on one or more parameters already discussed above, such as the object's size, weight, position on the first conveyor, and velocity on the first conveyor. In this way, the braking or acceleration of the object in the first section 28 can be freely selected.

[0072] Figure 8 A second conveying device 18 is shown, wherein the orientation devices 26 in the first and second parts are configured as air surfaces 54 with a plurality of openings 48. In this example, negative / positive pressure can be applied to the openings 48” in the first part. Independently, positive / negative pressure can be applied to the openings 48” in the second part. In this way, local acceleration / braking of the object on the orientation device 26 can be achieved, thereby obtaining optimal orientation of the object 16.

[0073] Figure 9 A second conveying device 18 having multiple sections 56 is shown. In this example, these sections can be configured to work in conjunction with the above-mentioned... Figure 2-8 The same applies to the case described above. In particular, different acceleration / braking effects are generated by each section 56, thereby orienting the object in an optimized manner and rotating it in the direction of motion of the second conveyor 18.

[0074] As described above, the individual embodiments of the first part and / or the second part can be freely combined with each other. Furthermore, the individual drawings, in particular... Figure 1 and 9 and Figure 2-8 Different implementations can be freely combined with each other. Furthermore, the orientation device 26 may not extend across the entire width D of the second conveying device 18, but may only occupy a portion of it. Although Figure 1-9 The guide device 26 is shown extending directly from the beginning of the second conveying device 18 in the second conveying direction 20. However, an area can initially be provided between the first conveying device 12 and the guide device 26 to allow the object to move only in the direction of the second conveying direction 20 without being already oriented. Alternatively, the guide device 26 can extend along the entire length of the second conveying device 18 or be located at its ends. Furthermore, although Figure 1-8 The first and second portions are shown to be substantially the same size and positioned relative to each other along the second conveying direction 20. However, deviations can be made, allowing one of the first, second, or multiple portions 56 to have different dimensions. Furthermore, the width D1 of the corresponding first portion 28 and second portion 30 (in...) Figure 2 (as shown in) and / or width D2 (in Figure 2 (As shown in the figure) can vary along the second conveyor 18 to obtain the optimal orientation.

[0075] Therefore, the present invention provides a device for orienting objects to be conveyed. This prevents objects from tilting during transfer from a first conveying device to a second conveying device. Simultaneously, the objects can be oriented such that the second conveying device can have a compact structure, increasing the possible number of second conveying devices and thus similarly improving the particle size sorting capability of the device. This can also be achieved for very different objects, particularly those with very different weights and / or very different sizes and masses. This prevents device malfunctions. At the same time, considering the weight of the objects, corresponding braking can be implemented for heavy objects. This prevents damage to these heavy objects due to violent impacts. Conversely, lightweight objects can be accelerated, thereby increasing the throughput of the device.

Claims

1. A device for orienting or rotating an object, comprising: A conveying device, wherein the conveying device has an inlet and an outlet for receiving the object, and is configured to convey the object in a conveying direction, and The conveying device has a directional device that extends at least partially along the conveying direction. The orientation device has a first part and a second part, wherein the first part and the second part are arranged side by side along the conveying direction. The first and second portions are configured as sliding surfaces to generate friction between the object and the sliding surfaces, and different acceleration / braking effects are achieved by the first and second portions for the purpose of orienting or rotating the object. The first and second portions are planar and form a common planar surface on which the object slides.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The orientation device is configured to orient the object during its continuous movement in the conveying direction.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The sliding surface is formed of metal, plastic or rubber.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The sliding surface has a surface structure for adjusting the friction, wherein the surface structure varies in the width direction.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The orientation device is configured to adjust the acceleration / braking action based on one or more of the object's size, the object's speed at the inlet of the conveyor, and the object's weight.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The friction changes continuously from the first part to the second part.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The friction varies continuously over the entire width of the first and second portions.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The corresponding other part is constructed as a roller conveyor, an air surface, or a conveyor belt.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The conveying device is constructed as a chute.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, At the inlet of the conveying device, the object has a motion component that is substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying device, wherein the first portion with greater acceleration / less braking is positioned behind the second portion along the motion component.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that, The first part and the second part partially overlap, wherein the second part is positioned on top of the first part.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, Multiple parts are arranged side by side, wherein at least one part is configured as the first part and the second part.

13. A sorting machine for sorting objects, comprising a first conveying device and at least one second conveying device branching from the first conveying device, wherein the at least one second conveying device is constructed according to any one of claims 1-12.

14. The sorting machine according to claim 13, comprising a plurality of second conveying devices.

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