METHOD FOR SINGLE LOADING OF CARRIERS OF AN OVERHEAD CONVEYOR WITH HANGING HANGERS FOR TRANSPORTING HANGING GOODS, TRANSFER STATION AND CORRESPONDING OVERHEAD CONVEYOR

Description

[0001] The invention is based on a method for the individual loading of carriers of an overhead conveyor with load carriers for transporting hanging goods. From the document EP 2 345 607 A1, an overhead conveyor system with roller carriages is known, in which a hook element is arranged to pivot about a pivot axis extending in the transport direction of the roller carriage. The hook element can be pivoted upward into a loading position in which the hook element is positioned with its free hook end section facing upward in order to be able to hold an engaging piece of an object to be transported attached to the roller carriage, thus demonstrating the preamble of claim 1 and claim 6. A similar device is already known from the document EP 1 914 182 B1.This essentially uses a transfer wheel attached to a transfer station, which can be driven about a rotational axis and which has a number of recesses distributed around its circumference, each designed to receive a driver. A feed rail for drivers projects up to the transfer wheel, through which a driver is fed into a recess at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. A transfer slot is arranged at one end of a transport rail for the feed of coat hangers, which is attached to the station. The transfer wheel and the transfer slot are arranged in such a way that the holding opening of a driver held in a recess is positioned below the free end of a hook of a coat hanger, so that the coat hanger can fall into the holding opening.After picking up the coat hanger, the transfer wheel is pivoted so that the loaded carrier is transferred into a vertical position and can then be ejected from the transfer wheel.

[0002] Another device is known from the document WO 2020 / 007870 A1. This discloses a loading station for loading roll adapters with coat hangers. For the individual loading of a roll adapter with a coat hanger, this essentially has a singling device that is arranged laterally to a storage section of the roll adapters and has first and second stop elements that are movably mounted transversely to the storage section and are selectively moved into a conveying path of the roll adapters in order to accumulate them or moved out of this path in order to individually move the roll adapters in the conveying direction. The stop elements are controlled by a control unit that receives a release signal from a switch that is moved from a normal position to a singling position by a coat hanger loaded onto a roll adapter when the coat hanger has passed through the transport opening of a roll adapter.

[0003] The solutions known from the state of the art each have the disadvantage that they require a high level of construction effort and are accordingly cost-intensive to provide and prone to errors in their operation.

[0004] It is therefore the object of the present invention to improve a method and a device for the individual loading of carriers of an overhead conveyor with coat hangers in such a way that it requires less constructional effort and can thus be provided simply and cost-effectively.

[0005] The object is achieved by the features of the independent claims. The dependent claims each relate to advantageous embodiments of the invention.

[0006] Accordingly, the procedure provides for the following steps: Transporting a plurality of carriers on a carrier track along a transport direction through a transfer station, wherein the carriers in the transfer station have a loading orientation at least in sections, fixing a carrier located in the loading orientation to a transfer interface; individually bringing a plurality of load carriers to the transfer interface by means of a load carrier feeder, wherein at the transfer interface, a free end of each load carrier hook is threaded into the carrying eye of a carrier fixed to the transfer interface;Transferring the loaded carrier into a transport orientation, wherein the carrier passes the transfer interface as a result of being loaded with the load carrier, wherein overcoming the transfer interface initially comprises, at least in sections, transferring the loaded carrier from the loading orientation to the transport orientation and, as a result, subsequently comprising further transport of the carrier along the carrier track. Preferably, a gravitational force of the load carrier and optionally of a transport item attached to the load carrier can exert an (additional) downhill force on the carrier that is greater than a holding force with which the carrier is held at the transfer interface. Alternatively, it can be provided that an actuator controls the transfer interface such that it is transferred to a release position when it is detected that a carrier waiting at the transfer interface has been loaded with a load carrier.

[0007] A load carrier within the meaning of the invention can be any holding element designed to hold garments in a hanging position, for example, a coat hanger. A carrier can be, for example, a roller carrier. In the loading orientation, the opening cross-section of a carrying eyelet at a free end of the carrier can have at least partially a horizontal component.

[0008] The transfer station can form the end of an accumulating conveyor which is connected to an input side of the transfer station. In the loading orientation, the carrier or a possibly imaginary axis of the carrier rollers can, for example, have an angle to the vertical of between 20 and 70 degrees, preferably between 30 and 60 degrees. Threading can occur by a coat hanger hook dropping from the coat hanger feeder into the carrying eyelet. The carrying eyelet can be open or closed. The carrying eyelet of the carriers can be aligned perpendicular to the possibly imaginary axis of the carrier rollers. The method can further comprise the movement of a subsequent carrier into the fixing contour, which fixes the subsequent carrier in the loading orientation again. In the transport orientation, the carrier can hang from the carrier rail in an essentially vertically aligned manner.

[0009] Securing the carrier in the loading orientation can comprise preventing the carrier located on the carrier track from being transported further in the transport direction. Securing the carrier in the loading orientation can further comprise supporting the carrier in a substantially vertically oriented lateral position. This can mean that, in order to pass the transfer interface, the carrier first performs a pivoting movement about the carrier's transport axis, which can correspond to the center axis of the carrier track, in order to then be moved further in the transport direction, in particular along the carrier track. The pivoting movement can, in particular, comprise a vertically downward component.

[0010] It can be provided that a fixing contour at the transfer interface fixes the carrier in the transport direction and in a plane perpendicular to the transport axis, wherein the force acting on the lifting eye due to loading with a load carrier is overcome by a pre-tensioning force of a locking element of the fixing contour, so that the carrier is pivoted perpendicular to the transport axis and thereby moved further in the transport direction. The locking element can have an elastically sprung support surface on which the weight of the carrier is supported at least partially. When the carrier is pivoted vertically, the support surface together with the carrier resting on it can deflect downwards and thereby cause the area of ​​the carrier resting on the part of the fixing contour acting opposite to the transport direction to be deflected laterally far enough that the carrier can move sideways around this part.The locking element can therefore have a holding position in which a driver located in the fixing contour is held, and a release position in which the driver can pass the fixing contour. It can be provided that when the locking element is moved into its release position, the driver is pivoted from the loading orientation into a substantially vertical transport orientation. It can be provided that the pretension of the locking element is generated by means of a spring, in particular a torsion spring. The spring can be configured such that an unloaded driver is held by the spring and a driver loaded with a load carrier deflects the locking element. For example, the spring can be configured such that the locking element is designed to hold less than 50 grams.

[0011] It is conceivable that the carriers initially have the transport orientation when passing through the transfer station and are then transferred into the loading orientation during further transport along the carrier track. For this purpose, the carrier track can have a support surface that is essentially non-pivoted to the side in the area in which the carriers have the transport orientation. In the area in which the carriers subsequently have the loading orientation, the carrier track can then have a laterally inclined support surface, in particular in the direction from which the carriers are loaded with load carriers. When transferred from the transport orientation to the loading orientation or vice versa, the carrier can be pivoted essentially about the transport axis of the carriers, which can essentially correspond to the central axis of the carrier track.

[0012] The invention further relates to a transfer station, in particular for carrying out a method according to one of the preceding claims, for the individual loading of carriers of an overhead conveyor with load carriers for transporting hanging goods, with a carrier track for transporting the carriers in a transport direction, with a transfer interface in which the carrier track is inclined transversely to the transport direction to hold a carrier in a loading orientation, and with a fixing contour arranged at the transfer interface, which is adjustable between a blocking position in which a carrier is held at the fixing contour, and a release position in which a carrier can pass the fixing contour, wherein the fixing contour can be transferred from the blocking position to the release position by loading a carrier with a load carrier or by an actuator after loading of the carrier has been determined by means of a sensor system.

[0013] The transfer station may further comprise a load carrier feed device leading into the transfer interface for loading the loading section of a carrier fixed to the fixing contour. The transfer station may further comprise a plurality of carriers, each of which has a transport section for transporting over the carrier track and a loading section extending through the carrier track for loading the carriers with a load carrier.

[0014] The fixing contour can have a first locking element that can be deflected between the locking position, in which a carrier is blocked perpendicular to the transport direction, and a release position, in which the carrier can be moved perpendicular to the transport direction. The first locking element can be deflected by the kinetic energy of the load carrier acting on the loading section of the carrier during the loading process in such a way that it is transferred from the locking position to the release position.

[0015] The transport section of a carrier can in particular have two parallel rollers for running on the carrier track. Furthermore, the transport section can have a carrier extending essentially vertically upwards, by means of which the carrier can be driven, for example, by a conveyor chain of an overhead conveyor along a feed line upstream of the transfer station. The loading section can be connected to the transport section and extend vertically downwards away from it. The loading section can have a carrier body, below which the carrying eye can extend. The carrier body can have four side surfaces, two opposite sides in and against the transport direction and two opposite side surfaces transverse to the transport direction. The opening cross-section of the carrying eye can in particular lie in the same plane as the transport axis.In the loading orientation of the carrier, the opening cross-section of the carrying eye at the free end of the carrier can have at least a partially horizontal component. The transfer station can have an input side for receiving carriers via a feed conveyor line, and an output side for transferring the roll carriers to a discharge conveyor line. The carrier track can connect the input and output sides. The carrier track serves to transport the carriers through the transfer station. The invention is based on the idea that overcoming the first or second barrier element by loading a carrier with a load carrier causes the other barrier element to be overcome as well.

[0016] It can be provided that the fixing contour further comprises a second locking element for locking the carrier in the transport direction, wherein the carrier is held in the locked position against the second locking element. The first locking element can be pivotally adjustable between the locked position and the release position and can be preloaded, for example, by means of a spring.

[0017] It can be provided that the sensor system in the area of ​​the transfer interface is directed towards a transport section of the carrier and is set up to detect the transfer of a carrier from the loading orientation to the transport orientation. This allows the sensor system to look at the carrier (head) when the empty carrier is waiting at the transfer interface. The sensor system can query the position or rotation of the carrier to determine whether loading and release have worked. Furthermore, the sensor system can detect whether the number of empty carriers waiting in front of the transfer interface is within a target range of, for example, 5-10 empty carriers. It can be provided that the sensor system is set up to output a corresponding signal if the number of carriers is outside the target range.For example, it may be advantageous to stack a specified number of carriers in front of the transfer interface in order to maintain a constant back pressure at a favorable level. The tightly packed carriers, combined with a very short loading process, have the advantage of allowing for very high throughput.

[0018] The carrier track can have two spaced-apart rails, each supporting a roller of a carrier, wherein the pivot axis of the movable locking element can be aligned with one of the rails of the carrier track. The loading section of the carrier can extend away from the transport section running on the rails through the parallel, spaced-apart rails.

[0019] The carrier track can have a section downstream of the transfer interface in which the carrier is pivoted from the loading orientation into a transport orientation in which the carrier has a substantially vertical position. For this purpose, the carrier track can be twisted relative to its orientation in the transfer section in such a way that it supports the movement of the carrier from an inclined to a vertical orientation. The rail opposite the pivot axis can, for example, have an offset or a gradient downstream of the transfer interface, which has a vertical distance corresponding to at least partially transferring the carrier from the loading orientation into the transport direction.The transfer station may further comprise an additional twisted section located upstream of the transfer section, in which the carrier track is initially tilted from a horizontal orientation to an inclined orientation corresponding to the loading orientation of the carriers. Thus, the transfer station may have a horizontal running surface on its inlet and / or outlet side, so that horizontally aligned feed and / or discharge conveyors can be connected to the transfer station on the inlet and / or outlet sides. The carrier track may further comprise a gradient within the transfer station, so that the carriers do not require additional drive within the transfer station.

[0020] The second locking element can have a contact edge against which a side of the loading section of the carrier facing in the transport direction comes into contact, and the first locking element can have a contact surface against which a side of the loading section facing essentially vertically downwards comes into contact. The contact edge can come into contact with the carrying eyelet, in particular in the area of ​​the carrying eyelet. The contact edge can have an inner angle, which can be adapted to an outer contour of the carrying eyelet.

[0021] The width of the fixing contour or the width of the first blocking element can be designed to hold a single carrier. Subsequent carriers can accumulate in front of the fixing contour without the first blocking element being transferred from the blocking position to the release position. The transfer section of the carrier track can begin before reaching the fixing contour, so that carriers accumulating in front of the fixing contour can be successively transferred into the loading position before reaching it. A guide wall can be arranged in front of the fixing contour on the side of the drop shaft or opposite the movable blocking element, along which guide walls that have been transferred into the loading orientation are guided towards the fixing contour.

[0022] It can be provided that the transport section of a carrier located in the fixing contour remains on the carrier track. Accordingly, the loading section can be located in the fixing contour, while the rollers of the transport section rest on the carrier track. In this position, the carrying eye of a loading section located in the fixing contour can be arranged below the drop chute of the transfer interface, through which load carriers are individually conveyed and threaded into the carrying eye of the waiting carrier.

[0023] It can further be provided that the transport section of the carrier located in the fixing contour extends into a guide profile that laterally guides the transport section during the transfer of the carrier from the loading orientation to the transport orientation. The guide profile can be arranged, in particular, in the transition from the transfer section to the subsequent transport section and can have a corresponding curved profile that supports the movement of the carrier when transferring it from the loading orientation to the transport orientation.

[0024] The second blocking element or the contact edge blocking the path in the transport direction can be designed to jam a plurality of carriers located upstream of the fixing contour. The first blocking element or the resilient support element can be configured such that an unloaded carrier located in the blocking position in the fixing contour is held against the contact edge of the second blocking element.

[0025] The invention further relates to an overhead conveyor with a transfer station according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a feed conveyor line arranged on the input side of the transfer station for feeding empty carriers, further comprising a removal conveyor line connected to the output side of the transfer station for removing carriers loaded with load carriers, and with a load carrier conveyor connected to the load carrier feeder.

[0026] The overhead conveyor can further comprise an unloading station, preferably arranged downstream of the transfer station, which can be configured to separate the load carriers or coat hangers from the carriers. The loaded carriers can be moved toward the unloading station in the transport direction. In the unloading station, the hooks of the load carriers can be threaded out of the carriers' carrying eyes. Behind the unloading station, the then empty carriers can be moved further along the carrier track, and the load carriers can be moved away from the carriers on a separate guide rail. The unloading station can comprise an unloading contour configured to lift the curved hook of the load carrier out of the carrying eye when the loaded carrier is guided along the unloading contour.The unloading contour can have an inlet slope that rises in the transport direction and is arranged on the inlet side below the hook tip of the load carrier. As the load carrier is guided along the inlet slope, the hook tip is gradually raised above the support surface of the lifting eye, so that the load carrier can be separated from the lifting eye. The inlet slope can also extend laterally away from the towing track in the transport direction, so that in addition to the vertical, a horizontal unthreading movement is performed. For this purpose, the unloading contour can also have a substantially vertical guide slot arranged at an angle to the transport direction of the towing track, which pushes the hook away from the towing track in the horizontal direction as it moves along the unloading contour.The inlet slope can be followed by an outlet slope, which is designed to transfer the unthreaded load carriers to the separate guide rail. This slope allows the load carriers to be transported toward the guide rail without additional drive. The essentially vertical guide slot can also be arranged laterally at the outlet slope, which is designed to push the load carrier further away from the carrier track. The guide rail can be adjacent to the outlet slope. The guide rail can also have a slope for the drive-free transport of the unthreaded load carriers.

[0027] Further details of the invention are explained with reference to the following figures. Fig. 1 is a perspective view obliquely from below of a first embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a view from below of the first embodiment of the invention; Fig. 3 is a side view of the first embodiment of the invention; Fig. 4 is a view of a carrier held in a fixing contour of the first embodiment of the invention; Fig. 5 is a view of a transfer interface of a transfer station according to the first embodiment of the invention; Fig. 6 is a side view of a plurality of accumulated carriers in a transfer station according to the first embodiment of the invention; Fig. 7 is a side view of a plurality of accumulated carriers in a transfer station according to the first embodiment of the invention; Fig. 8 is a side view of a coat hanger being moved via a coat hanger feeder and towards a carrier fixed in a fixing contour in a transfer station according to the first embodiment of the invention;Fig. 9 shows a side view of a coat hanger threaded over a coat hanger feeder and into a carrier fixed in a fixing contour in a transfer station according to the first embodiment of the invention; Fig. 10 shows a view from below of the moment of transferring an elastic support element from a blocking position to a release position in a transfer station according to the first embodiment of the invention; Fig. 11 shows a view in the conveying direction of an embodiment of an overhead conveyor according to the invention; and Fig. 12 shows a schematic side view of an unloading station.

[0028] Figure 1shows a view of a transfer station 200 of an overhead conveyor 100, shown obliquely from below. This has a feed conveyor 101 connected to the input side, which is designed to feed a plurality of unloaded carriers 300. At an output side 212 of the transfer station 200, a discharge conveyor 102 is arranged, via which carriers 300 loaded with coat hangers 401 in the transfer station 200 are conveyed out of the transfer station 200. The transfer station 200 has a carrier track 201, which extends between the input side 211 and the output side 212. This has two parallel rails 214 spaced apart from one another, on each of which a roller 301 of a carrier 300 is guided.In the exemplary embodiment shown, a plurality of carriers 300 are fed into the input side in a vertical transport orientation 307, which are then transferred into an inclined loading orientation 306 along the transfer station 200, subsequently loaded with a coat hanger 401, and then transferred back to the transport orientation 307 before the carriers 300, together with the suspended coat hanger 401, are transferred to the discharge conveyor at the output side 212 of the transfer station. The carrier track 201 has a corresponding geometry for this purpose. Firstly, it is designed to slope downwards over the course of the transfer station 200, so that carriers 300 traveling through the transfer station 200 can travel through it entirely under gravity.Secondly, the carrier track 201 has a first twisted section 209, in which the track 201 is twisted by an angle corresponding to the transfer of the carrier 300 from the transport orientation 307 to the loading orientation 306. Adjacent to this, the carrier track 201 has a transfer section 213, in which the track orientation essentially corresponds to the loading orientation 306. Downstream of the transfer section 213, the carrier track 201 has a section 210 twisted opposite to the first twisted section 209, in which the then loaded carriers 300 are transferred back to the transport orientation 307. As can be seen, the rail 214 facing the transfer interface S has a height offset, which causes an abrupt pivoting of the driver 300 from the loading orientation 306 into the transport orientation 307.

[0029] To transfer a carrier 300 from the transport orientation 307 to the loading orientation, the transfer station 200 has a fixing contour 203, or the fixing contour 203 serves as a regulating element that ensures that only loaded carriers 300 can pass through the transfer station 200. The fixing contour 203 essentially has two blocking elements. These include a contact edge 206, which prevents further movement of a carrier 300.1 retracted into the fixing contour 203 in the transport direction X. This contact edge 206 comes into contact with a lower section of the carrying eyelet 303 of the carrier 300.1 located in the fixing contour 203, in particular with a side surface of the carrier 300.1 facing in the transport direction X. As a further locking element, the fixing contour 203 has a pivotable support element 204 pre-tensioned by a torsion spring 205, which prevents the pivoting of the driver 300.1 around the transport axis X.The driver 300.1 rests on this with a side surface facing essentially downwards, and the support element 204 thus supports part of the weight of the driver 300.1. The support element 204 ensures that the driver 300.1 moves against the contact edge 206 and cannot be moved any further. Supporting this one driver 300.1 by the support element 204 is thus sufficient to accumulate any number of drivers 300 in front of the fixing contour 203. The pivotable support element 204 is pivotable between a locking position 215 and a release position 216, wherein in the locking position 215 the driver 300.1 is held in the fixing contour 203 and thus against the contact edge 206, and wherein the driver 300.1 is pivoted in the release position 216 so far that it can pass the contact edge 206 laterally and is thus transported further along the driver track 201.The support element 204 is pivotally mounted about a pivot axis Y, which is aligned with the rail 214 facing away from the drop shaft 404. This allows the support element 204 to be attached to the carrier track 201 in a particularly simple structural manner. In the fixing position of the carrier 300.1, its support eye 303 is arranged below a drop shaft 404, through which individual coat hangers 401 are fed and can be threaded into the support eye 303. As soon as the hook 402 of a coat hanger 401 is threaded into the support eye 303, the sum of the weight force of the carrier 300.1 and the suspended coat hanger 401 exceeds the spring preload, so that the support element 204 is moved from the locking position 215 to the release position 216. The carrier 300 is pivoted back into the transport orientation 307 and transported in the direction of the discharge conveyor 102.

[0030] When a driver 300.1 is located in the fixing contour 203, its loading section 308, comprising the driver body extending through the track 201 and the adjoining support eye 303, extends into the fixing contour, while the transport section 310, comprising the rollers 301 and the driver pin 309, is located above the rails 214 or the track 201. The transport section 307 extends into a lateral guide profile 208, which adapts the curved path between the loading orientation 306 and the transport orientation 307 for the transport section 307 and thereby supports the transition movement.

[0031] Figure 2 shows a further view of the embodiment of the transfer station 200 according to Figure 1The conveying direction X of the carriers 300 runs from bottom to top in the direction of the image, as shown. A plurality of carriers 300 accumulate into the feed conveyor 101, with a single carrier 300.1 located in the fixing contour 203 and waiting to be loaded with a coat hanger 201. The carriers 300 accumulated in front of the fixing contour 203 are, as can be seen, successively pivoted into the loading orientation 306 and are guided along a guide wall 207 before reaching the fixing contour 203. It can be seen that its carrying eye 303 is arranged below the drop shaft 404.Also visible are the first twisted section 209, arranged upstream of the transfer interface A, in which the carriers 300 coming from the feed conveyor 101 are transferred from their vertical transport orientation 307 into the loading orientation 306, as well as the second twisted section 210, arranged downstream of the transfer interface A, in which the carriers 300 are transferred back from the vertical loading orientation 306 into the transport orientation 307. The pivot axis Y of the pivotable support element 204, which is aligned with the rail 214 supporting it, is clearly visible.

[0032] Figure 3shows a side view of the same embodiment, with a plurality of carriers 300 accumulated in the transfer station 200 and the feed conveyor line 101 upstream of this, which carriers are successively conveyed further with each loading process of a carrier 300.1 waiting in the fixing contour 203, then first transferred from the transport orientation 307 into the loading orientation 306, then guided along the guide wall 207 and finally positioned below the drop shaft 404, in order to finally be pivoted back into the transport orientation 307 in the loaded state and fed to a discharge conveyor 102.

[0033] Figure 4shows a view of a single carrier 300.1 held in a fixing contour. With its side surface facing in the transport direction X, this carrier rests against the contact edge 206 in the area of ​​the support eye 303 and is supported in the vertical direction by the support element 204 located in the locked position 215 in the area of ​​the carrier body located above the support eye 303 or is pressed against the guide wall 207. The support element 204, which can be pivoted about the pivot axis Y, is pretensioned by a torsion spring 205. It can be seen that the opening cross-section A of the support eye 303 is arranged in the area of ​​the transfer interface S exactly below the drop chute 404 and is positioned to receive a hanger hook 402. Downstream, a plurality of carriers 300 already loaded with coat hangers 401 can be seen on a discharge conveyor 102 following the transfer station 200. Fig. 5shows a similar view, in particular with the transfer interface S highlighted, in a state without the driver 300 waiting therein.

[0034] The Figure 6 and 7 show side views of a plurality of carriers 300 stored in the transfer station 200, wherein the views of the view of Figure 3 opposite each other. It can be seen in particular that the driver track 201 has a steep gradient in the area of ​​the transfer station 200. Furthermore, the successive pivoting of the transport sections 310, or in particular the rollers 301 of the drivers 300, as they approach the fixing contour 203 can be seen. Furthermore, the guide profile 208 arranged in the transport section 310, in particular in the area of ​​the driver pin 309, laterally guides the pivoting path of the drivers 300 as they pivot from the loading orientation 306 into the transport orientation 307.

[0035] The Figure 8 and 9show side views of the path of a coat hanger 401 moving over a coat hanger feeder 400 and toward a carrier 300.1 fixed in a fixing contour 203. The coat hanger feeder 400 has a gradient section 403 running toward the transfer interface S, which ends in the drop shaft 404 arranged above the opening cross-section A of the carrying eye 303 of the waiting carrier 300.1. The drop shaft 404 has two lateral boundary walls that taper toward the carrying eye 303. Coat hangers are fed individually to the coat hanger feeder 400 at a predeterminable rate, for example, a rate that corresponds to a maximum rate at which loaded carriers 300 can be removed from the fixing contour 203. In Figure 8 There is a coat hanger 401 on the sloping section 403, with the coat hanger 401 being suspended from the sloping section 403 by its hanger hook 402. Figure 9shows the moment at which the coat hanger hook 402 of the supplied coat hanger 401 is threaded into the opening cross-section A of the carrying eye 303 positioned at the transfer interface S. Due to the summed weight force of the driver 300.1 and the coat hanger 401, the driver 300.1 is pivoted from its loading orientation 306 into the transport orientation 307, or the support element 204 is transferred from its locking position 215 into its release position 216, so that the driver 300.1 can pass the contact edge 206 laterally. Fig. 10 shows one of the Figure 9 shown side view, which shows the moment of threading, corresponding view from below, which shows in particular the pivoting of the support element 204.

[0036] Figure 11shows a view opposite to the transport direction X of a transfer station integrated into an overhead conveyor 100, with a feed line 101 arranged on the input side 211 of the transfer station 200 for feeding in empty carriers 300. The overhead conveyor 100 further has a discharge line 102 connected to the output side 212 of the transfer station 200 for discharging carriers 300 loaded with coat hangers 401.

[0037] Fig. 12shows, by way of example, an unloading station 500 for separating the coat hangers 401 from the carriers 300. This is arranged below the discharge line 102 and essentially aligned in the transport direction X. The unloading station 500 has an unloading contour 501, which essentially consists of an inlet incline 502, an outlet gradient 503 adjoining it in the transport direction X, and a guide slot 504 arranged essentially vertically and adjacent to the inlet incline 502 and the outlet gradient 503. The carriers 300 guided in the discharge line 102 and loaded with coat hangers 401 are moved in the transport direction X towards the unloading station 500. As they pass through these, the tips of the coat hanger hooks 402 run onto the inlet slope 502 and are pressed out of the carrying eye 303 of the drivers 300 vertically by the inlet slope 502 and horizontally by the guide slot 504.This is because the guide slot 504 is oriented slightly diagonally to the transport direction X, moving away from the discharge line 102. The inlet slope 502 is followed by the descending outlet slope 503, over which the coat hanger hooks 402 continue to be pressed horizontally out of the support eyes 303 by means of the guide slot 504. At the same time, the slope allows the coat hangers 401 to be transported out of the unloading station 500 without the need for an additional drive. The coat hangers 401 unthreaded by the unloading station 500 are finally discharged via a guide rail 505 with a slope. List of reference symbols:

[0038] 100Overhead conveyor 101Infeed section 102Outfeed section 200Transfer station 201Flying track 203Fixing contour 204Elastic support element 205Tension spring 206Contact edge 207Guide wall 208Guide profile 209First twisted section 210Second twisted section 211Input side 212Output side 213Transfer section 214Individual rail of the flying track 215Locking position 216Release position 217Offset 300Flying track 300Fixed flying track 301Rollers 303Carrying eye 306Loading alignment 307Transport alignment 308Loading section 309Flying pin 310Transport section 400Clothes hanger feeder 401Clothes hanger 402 Coat hanger hook 403 Slope 404 Drop shaft 500 Unloading station 501 Unloading contour 502 Inlet gradient 503 Outlet gradient 504 Guide slot 505 Guide rail A Opening cross-section S Transfer interface X Transport direction, transport axis Y Swivel axis of the support element

Claims

1. Method for the singulated loading of carriers (300) of an overhead conveyor (100) with load carriers (401) for transporting suspended goods, comprising the steps of: • transporting a plurality of carriers (300) on a carrier track (214) along a transport direction (X) through a transfer station (200), wherein the carriers (300) in the transfer station (200) have a loading orientation (306) at least in sections, • fixing a carrier (300) located in the loading orientation (306) at a transfer interface (S); • singulated feeding of a plurality of load carriers (401) by means of a load carrier feeder (400) to the transfer interface (S), wherein at the transfer interface (S) in each case a free end of a load carrier hook (402) is threaded into a carrying eye (303) of a carrier (300) fixed at the transfer interface (S); • characterised in that the method further comprises the transfer of the loaded carrier (300) into a transport orientation (307), wherein the carrier (300) passes the transfer interface (S) as a result of the loading with the load carrier (401), wherein the overcoming of the transfer interface (S) initially comprises the transfer of the loaded carrier (300) from the loading orientation (306) into the transport orientation (307) at least in sections and as a result subsequently comprises the further transport of the carrier (300) along the carrier track (201).

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the carrier (300) is fixed at the transfer interface (S) in the transport direction (X) and perpendicular to the transport direction (X), wherein a pretensioning force of a blocking element (204) of a fixing contour is overcome by the kinetic energy acting on the carrying eye (308) as a result of the loading with a load carrier (401), so that the carrier (300) is pivoted perpendicular to the transport axis (X) and subsequently moved further in the transport direction (X).

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the carrier (300) is fixed at the transfer interface (S) in the transport direction (X) and perpendicular to the transport direction (X), wherein after loading of the carrier (300) detected by means of a sensor system a blocking element (204) of a fixing contour (203) is transferred into a release position (216) by means of an actuator, so that the carrier (300) is pivoted perpendicular to the transport axis (X) and subsequently moved further in the transport direction (X).

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the carriers (300) initially have the transport orientation (307) when passing through the transfer station (200) and are subsequently transferred into the loading orientation (306) in the course of further transport along the carrier track (201).

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrier (300) is pivoted substantially about the transport axis (X) of the carriers (300) when transferring from the transport orientation (307) into the loading orientation (306) or vice versa.

6. Transfer station (200), in particular for carrying out a method according to one of the preceding claims, for the singulated loading of carriers (300) of an overhead conveyor (100) with load carriers (401) for transporting suspended goods, • with a carrier track (201) for transporting the carriers (300) in a transport direction (X), • characterised in that the transfer station further has a transfer interface (S), in which the carrier track (201) is inclined transversely to the transport direction (X) for holding a carrier (300) in a loading orientation (306), and • a fixing contour (203) arranged at the transfer interface (S), which can be adjusted between a blocking position (215), in which a carrier (300) is held at the fixing contour (203), and a release position (216), in which a carrier (300) can pass the fixing contour, • wherein the fixing contour (203) can be transferred from the blocking position (215) into the release position (216) by the loading of a carrier (300) with a load carrier (401) or after loading of the carrier (300) detected by means of a sensor system by an actuator.

7. Transfer station (200) according to claim 6, wherein the fixing contour (203) has a first blocking element (204), which can be deflected between the blocking position (215), in which a carrier (300) is blocked perpendicular to the transport direction (X), and a release position (216), in which the carrier (300) can be moved perpendicular to the transport direction (X).

8. Transfer station (200) according to claim 7, wherein the first blocking element (204) is deflected by the kinetic energy of the load carrier (401) acting on the loading section (308) of the carrier (300) in the course of the loading process in such a way that it is transferred from the blocking position (215) into the release position (216).

9. Transfer station (200) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the fixing contour (203) further has a second blocking element (206) for blocking the carrier (300) in the transport direction (X), wherein the carrier (300) is held in the blocking position (215) against the second blocking element (206).

10. Transfer station (200) according to one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the first blocking element (204) can be adjusted in a pivotably movable manner between the blocking position (215) and the release position (216) and is pretensioned, for example by means of a spring (205).

11. Transfer station (200) according to one of claims 6 to 10, wherein the sensor system in the region of the transfer interface (S) is directed at a transport section (310) of the carrier (300) and is configured to detect the transfer of a carrier (300) from the loading orientation (306) into the transport orientation (307).

12. Transfer station (200) according to one of claims 6 to 11, wherein the carrier track (201) downstream of the transfer interface (A) has a section (210), in which the carrier (300) is pivoted out of the loading orientation (306) into a transport orientation (307), in which the carrier (300) has a substantially vertical position.

13. Transfer station (200) according to one of claims 6 to 12, wherein the carrier track (201) has two rails (214) spaced apart from one another for carrying a respective roller (301) of a carrier (300), wherein the pivot axis (Y) of the first blocking element (204) is aligned with one of the rails (214) of the carrier track (201), wherein the rail (214) opposite the pivot axis (Y) downstream of the transfer interface (S) has an offset (217) or a slope, which has a vertical distance corresponding to the at least partial transfer of the carrier (300) from the loading orientation (306) into the transport direction (307).

14. Transfer station (200) according to one of claims 6 to 13, wherein the second blocking element (206) has a contact edge (206), against which a side of the loading section (308) of the carrier (300) pointing in the transport direction (X) comes into contact, and wherein the first blocking element (204) has a contact surface, against which a side of the loading section (308) pointing substantially vertically downwards comes into contact.

15. Transfer station (200) according to one of claims 6 to 14, wherein the transport section of the carrier (300.1) located at the fixing contour further extends into a guide profile (208), which laterally guides the transport section (310) during the transfer of the carrier (300) from the loading orientation into the transport orientation (306, 307).

16. Transfer station (200) according to one of claims 9 to 15, wherein the second blocking element (206) is designed for accumulating a plurality of carriers (300) located upstream of the fixing contour (203).

17. Transfer station (200) according to one of claims 9 to 16, wherein the first blocking element (204) is configured in such a way that an unloaded carrier (300) located in the blocking position (215) at the fixing contour (203) is held against the contact edge (206) of the second blocking element (206).

18. Overhead conveyor (100) with a transfer station (200) according to one of the preceding claims 6 to 17, having a feed section (101) arranged at an input side (211) of the transfer station (200) for feeding empty carriers (300), further having a removal section (102) cone cted to an output side (212) of the transfer station (200) for removing carriers (300) loaded with load carriers (401), and with a load carrier conveyor connected to the load carrier feeder (400).