Device for the mechanical handling of a flexible bag in a holder and logistics parcel sorting system with such a device

Description

Technical field

[0001] The field of the invention is that of handling flexible bags intended to transport objects such as parcels.

[0002] The invention relates to a device for mechanically handling a flexible bag placed in a support.

[0003] The invention relates more particularly to a logistics installation for sorting parcels comprising such a device. Prior art

[0004] Parcel sorting logistics facilities generally use flexible bags for transporting parcels.

[0005] The bags are installed in supports, such as trolleys, with the mouth open upwards so as to allow the packages to fall into the bags by gravity. Each bag also includes flaps capable of being folded over the side walls of the trolley in order to stabilize the bag in the trolley and to keep the mouth of the bag open during loading of the packages.

[0006] Once the packages are loaded, the flaps of the bag are folded towards the inside of the trolley to facilitate the closing of the bag with a zipper.

[0007] The support is then taken to a routing point to allow the evacuation of the bag loaded with parcels and the placement of a new empty flexible bag in the trolley.

[0008] The operation of closing and opening the bag, and more particularly the folding of the bag flaps, is currently carried out manually by an operator.

[0009] However, while the bag is flexible to facilitate loading and storage of packages, the flaps are heavy and difficult for the operator to fold back.

[0010] The operation of folding the bag flaps is therefore time-consuming for operators and does not comply with basic ergonomic rules.

[0011] There are also devices for mechanically handling bags with flaps, such as the device described in document US2015 / 291296, which also do not address the aforementioned problems. Summary of the invention

[0012] The invention therefore aims to remedy the aforementioned problems and as such relates to a device for mechanically handling a flexible bag comprising a support in which the bag is placed, the bag having a mouth with at least one flap capable of closing or opening the mouth of the bag, characterized in that it comprises a brush wheel mounted to rotate about an axis, the brush wheel comprising fins each formed of an arcuate and flexible portion which extends from the axis and a rectilinear and terminal portion which extends the arcuate portion, the set of rectilinear portions substantially forming a rim, and in that the brush wheel is arranged in such a way that when it is rotated near the mouth of the bag, the centrifugal force straightens the arcuate portions to increase the radius of the rim so as to allow the friction of the rectilinear portions against the flap of the bag.

[0013] The idea behind the invention is to use the friction of the adherent contact surface of the brush wheel to fold the flap inwards or outwards from the support. More specifically, the idea is to allow or prevent the friction of the brush wheel on the flap of the bag by varying the radius of its rim.

[0014] So when the brush wheel is stationary, the bag and its support are not in contact with the brush wheel.

[0015] Conversely, when the brush wheel is rotating, the increase in the rim radius will allow the brush wheel to rub the flap of the bag to fold it inwards or outwards from the support.

[0016] Thanks to this arrangement, the rotational drive of the brush wheel coordinated with the movement of the support back and forth under the wheel allows the flaps of the bag to be folded specifically for opening or closing the bag.

[0017] The device according to the invention may also have the following particularities: the arcuate portions extending tangentially to the axis; the arcuate portions are made of polyurethane with a hardness coefficient of between 30sh and 50sh;

[0018] The invention also extends to a logistics installation for sorting parcels comprising a device according to the invention designed to handle flexible parcel transport bags placed in mobile sorting trolley type supports and moved automatically by shuttle robots.

[0019] Each shuttle robot can be designed to move a bag transversely relative to the axis so that the brush wheel rubs a flap of the bag to fold it towards the outside of the support and assist in opening the bag.

[0020] Each shuttle robot can also be designed to move a bag and its support longitudinally relative to the axis so that the brush wheel rubs a flap of the bag to fold it towards the inside of the support and help close the bag. Brief description of the drawings

[0021] The present invention will be better understood and other advantages will appear on reading the detailed description of the invention taken as a non-limiting example and illustrated by the appended drawings, in which: [ Fig 1 ] There figure 1 is a schematic representation of a logistics installation for sorting parcels according to the invention; [ Fig 2 ] There figure 2 is a schematic representation of a device for mechanically handling a flexible bag according to the invention in a kinetics of assistance in opening a flexible bag; [ Fig 3 ] There figure 3 is a schematic representation of a device for mechanically handling a flexible bag according to the invention to assist in closing the bag; [ Fig 4 ] There figure 4 is a schematic representation of a brush wheel according to the invention when it is stationary in a) and when it is driven in rotation in b); Detailed description

[0022] There figure 1 represents a logistics installation 1 for sorting parcels 2 according to the invention comprising sorting outlets 3 distributed along a sorting conveyor 4 capable of sorting parcels 2 into parcel transport bags 6. The logistics installation 1 according to the invention also comprises a device 5 for mechanically handling flexible bags 6, here parcel transport bags, placed in mobile supports 7 of the sorting trolley type moved automatically by shuttle robots.

[0023] The device 5 according to the invention is designed to process bags 6 arranged in their trolley 7 with the mouth here facing upwards and with at least one flap 6a capable of being folded towards the outside or the inside of the trolley 7 respectively for opening or closing the bag 6.

[0024] The sorting trolley 7 here comprises a base, four side walls 7a and an opening on the top.

[0025] Each bag 6 therefore comprises at least one flap 6a intended to be folded onto a side wall 7a of the trolley 7.

[0026] The device 5 according to the invention more particularly comprises at least one brush wheel 8, visible in figure 2 c) , mounted in rotation around an axis 9 capable of rubbing the flap 6a of the bag 6.

[0027] The axle 9 serves as a support for the brush wheel 8 and is shown here as an example in the form of a horizontal bar.

[0028] The brush wheel 8 here serves as a gripping member capable of raising or lowering the flap 6a of the bag 6 on one side or the other of a side wall 7a of the trolley 7.

[0029] For this purpose, the brush wheel 8 has an adherent contact surface capable of adhering to the flap 6a during friction, with for example a coefficient of friction of approximately 0.5.

[0030] More particularly, the brush wheel 8 comprises fins 10, as shown in the figure 4 .

[0031] Each fin 10 according to the invention comprises an arcuate and flexible portion 11 extending from the axis 9 and a rectilinear and terminal portion 12 which extends the arcuate portion 11.

[0032] For example, the fins 10 of the brush wheel 8 will have a width of approximately 50 mm so as to achieve a friction surface of approximately 10 cm2 with the bag 6, a surface sufficient to allow the flap 6a to be folded while avoiding frictional contact with other adjacent flaps.

[0033] Thanks to the arrangement of the fins 10, the rectilinear terminal portions 12 substantially form a rim and the arcuate portions 11 substantially form spokes of the wheel.

[0034] Thus, when the brush wheel 8 is rotating, the centrifugal force straightens the arcuate portions 11 to increase the radius of the rim by a radius length R3, as shown in the figure 4 .

[0035] Conversely, when the brush wheel 8 is stationary, the arcuate portions 11 are folded back as much as possible for a radius length R2 less than the radius length R3, as seen in the figure 4 a) .

[0036] Thus, the greater the length of the spoke, the more the axle can be offset in height in order to move the brush wheel 8 away from the carriage 7.

[0037] The risk of the brush wheel 8 rubbing the bag 6 when the brush wheel 8 is stationary can therefore be easily avoided.

[0038] It will also be understood that the length of the spoke of the rim depends not only on the length of the arcuate portions 11 of the fins 10 but also on the speed of rotation of the brush wheel 8.

[0039] In a particular embodiment, the arched portions 11 according to the invention may be made of polyurethane with a hardness coefficient of 40sh (Shore Hardness) and extend over a determined length so that the diameter of the brush wheel is approximately 250mm when it is stationary and approximately 280mm when it is rotating at maximum speed.

[0040] The arcuate portions 11 may also extend tangentially relative to the axis 9, that is to say perpendicularly relative to the spokes, in order to reduce the radius of the rim as much as possible when the brush wheel 8 is stationary.

[0041] The device 5 according to the invention may also be equipped with a control / command unit 13 configured to control the movement of the carriage 7 and to control the rotational drive of the brush wheel 8 in a forward and reverse direction of rotation.

[0042] A kinetics of opening a flap 6a of the bag 6 positioned inside the carriage 7 is represented in figure 2 and in figure 1 in space 5b of the logistics installation 1 dedicated to the opening of bag 6. In this kinetics, the control / command unit 13 is configured both to automatically control the movement of a shuttle robot at constant speed and thus move the carriage 7 transversely to the axis 9 according to the arrow F2 and to control the rotation of the brush wheel 8 as soon as the brush wheel 8 is located directly in the center of the mouth of the bag 6 and up to the side wall 7a of the corresponding carriage 7, as visible on the figure 2 c) .

[0043] The brush wheel 8 is here driven in rotation in a direction of rotation opposite to the orientation of the fins 10, here the forward direction of rotation.

[0044] This will have the effect of raising the flap 6a of the bag 6 without risking catching a fin 10 with the bag 6.

[0045] As soon as the flap 6a is raised above one of the side walls 7a of the trolley 7, the control / command unit 13 is configured to control the rotation of the brush wheel 8 in the other direction of rotation, here the rear direction of rotation, in order to lower the flap 6a of the bag 6 towards the outside of the trolley 7, as shown in figure 2 d) .

[0046] To assist in opening the flaps 6a of the bag 6, two lateral brush wheels 8 and a central brush wheel 8 on the axis 9 may also be provided, as shown in figure 2 c) .

[0047] The two lateral brush wheels 8 are arranged to be located directly above the side walls 7a of the carriage 7 during its transverse movement and the central brush wheel 8 is arranged to be located directly above the front side wall 7a in the direction of movement of the carriage 7.

[0048] The bags 6 loaded in packages with the flaps 6a folded towards the inside of the trolley 7 are then closed with the slide and then transported to the routing zone 14, as shown in figure 1 .

[0049] The bags 6 are then unloaded from the trolleys 7 to be replaced by empty bags 6a which are in turn transported to a space 5a of the logistics facility 1 dedicated to closing the bags 6.

[0050] An example of closing a flap 6a of a bag 6 positioned inside a trolley 7 is shown in figure 3 and in figure 1 in space 5a of logistics facility 1 dedicated to bag closing 6.

[0051] The control / command unit 13 is configured both to automatically control the movement of a shuttle robot at constant speed and thus move the carriage 7 longitudinally to the axis 9 according to the arrow F1 and to control the rotational drive of the brush wheel 8 as soon as the brush wheel 8 is located directly above the side wall 7a of the carriage 7 on which the flap 6 is folded.

[0052] Two parallel 9 axes, represented in figure 3 , each equipped with several brush wheels 8, may be provided on each side of the trolley 7 in order to simultaneously fold flaps 6a of the bag 6 onto two opposite side walls 7a of the trolley 7.

Claims

1. Device (5) for the mechanical handling of a flexible bag (6), comprising a holder (7) in which the bag is placed, the bag having a mouth with at least one flap (6a) that can close or open the mouth of the bag, characterized in that it comprises a brush wheel (8) that is mounted in rotation about a shaft (9), the brush wheel comprising fins (10) each consisting of a curved flexible portion (11) which extends from the shaft, and a straight end portion (12) which extends in continuation of the curved portion, the set of straight portions substantially forming a rim, and in that the brush wheel is arranged in such a way that, when it is rotated close to the mouth of the bag, the centrifugal force straightens the curved portions, thus increasing the radius of the rim in order to allow the straight portions to rub against the flap of the bag.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the curved portions extend tangentially with respect to said shaft.

3. Device according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the curved portions are made of polyurethane with a hardness coefficient of between 30sh and 50sh.

4. Logistical parcel sorting installation (1), characterized in that it comprises a device according to any one of the preceding claims, designed for the handling of flexible bags for transporting parcels placed in holders of the mobile sorting carriage type, which are moved automatically by shuttle robots.

5. Logistical parcel sorting installation according to claim 4, characterized in that each shuttle robot is designed to move a bag and its holder transversely to said shaft so that the brush wheel rubs against a flap of the bag in order to fold it toward the outside of the holder and to assist with opening the bag.

6. Logistical parcel sorting installation according to claim 4, characterized in that each shuttle robot is designed to move a bag and its holder longitudinally with respect to said shaft so that the brush wheel rubs against a flap of the bag in order to fold it toward the inside of the holder and to assist with closing the bag.