Facility for sorting objects with a shock absorption device for a sorting receptacle

Abstract

The invention relates to a facility (1) for sorting objects (2), the facility comprising a sorting conveyor (3) for objects designed to convey the objects in a certain conveying direction (D1) and sorting outlets (4) distributed beneath the sorting conveyor designed so that each receives a sorting receptacle (5) in a loading position into which the objects can be loaded from the sorting conveyor under the effect of gravity according to certain items of sorting information, wherein at least one sorting outlet comprises a shock absorption device (6) designed to absorb the shock resulting from the packages falling into the sorting receptacle. The shock absorption device comprises a plate (7) for receiving packages that is vertically translatable between a raised position in which the plate extends above the sorting receptacle and a lowered position in which the plate extends inside the receptacle.

Description

Object sorting installation with a shock-absorbing device for sorting receptacle

[0001] The invention relates to the field of sorting objects and relates more particularly to an installation for sorting objects such as parcels or packages.

[0002] Object sorting facilities, such as parcel sorting facilities, typically include a sorting conveyor designed to convey parcels in a certain conveying direction and sorting outlets distributed below the sorting conveyor.

[0003] Each sorting outlet is equipped with a sorting receptacle in a loading position into which parcels can be unloaded by gravity from the sorting conveyor according to certain sorting information.

[0004] The packages then undergo a free fall of several meters before reaching the sorting receptacle.

[0005] To overcome this problem, the sorting installation described in document FR3127204 proposes equipping the interior of each sorting receptacle with a shock-absorbing bin so as to significantly cushion the fall of the parcels before they reach the sorting receptacles.

[0006] The diversity of shapes and sizes of sorting receptacles requires adapting each shock absorber bin to the receptacle in which it must be inserted, generating significant costs, reducing the loading space in the sorting receptacle and complicating its extraction.

[0007] For several years now, we have also seen a constant increase in the volume of parcels processed and therefore an increase in the average volume of sorting receptacles.

[0008] This results in an increase in the height of the sorting receptacles, and consequently, the height at which parcels fall into the sorting receptacles.

[0009] Similarly, sorting facilities are now capable of sorting an increasingly wide range of parcels, from small, fragile parcels wrapped in a bag to large, heavy cardboard boxes, inevitably leading to increasing risks of damage to the most fragile, and sometimes the most expensive, parcels, such as electronic equipment.

[0010] This type of shock absorber is therefore not reliable enough to fill a large volume sorting receptacle or to reliably cushion packages of different weights and sizes.

[0011] The objective of the invention is therefore to solve the aforementioned problems.

[0012] To this end, the invention relates to an object sorting installation comprising a sorting conveyor for objects designed to convey the objects in a certain conveying direction and sorting outlets distributed under the sorting conveyor designed to each receive a sorting receptacle in a loading position in which the objects can be unloaded by gravity from the sorting conveyor according to certain sorting information, at least one sorting outlet comprising a damping device designed to dampen the fall of the parcels into a sorting receptacle,characterized in that said damping device comprises a receiving base for parcels movable in vertical translation between a high position in which the base extends above the sorting receptacle and a low position in which the base extends inside said receptacle and in that the sorting installation comprises a central unit configured to control the movement of the base between the low position and the high position as a function of at least a first digital datum representative of a certain first level of filling of said receptacle with objects.,

[0013] The idea behind the invention is to guarantee good cushioning of objects falling into the sorting outlets while ensuring optimized filling in volume and time of the sorting receptacle.

[0014] The object sorting installation according to the invention may also have the following particular features:

[0015] - the sole is movable in horizontal translation between the high position and a rear position in which the sole extends next to the receptacle, the central unit being configured to control the movement of the sole between the high position and the rear position as a function of at least one second digital data item representing a certain second level of filling of said receptacle with objects greater than said certain first level of filling;

[0016] - the sole is inclined downwards;

[0017] - the sole forms a mattress with elastic properties;

[0018] - the shock absorber device comprises a vertically retractable frame to allow the sole to move vertically in translation;

[0019] - when the base is in the low position, the receiving base extends in the lower part of the sorting receptacle between a first third of the height of the receptacle and half the height of the sorting receptacle;

[0020] - the vertical translational movement of the sole

[0021] reception is done by following predetermined levels recorded in the memory of the central unit;

[0022] - the damping device comprises a retaining device arranged above the sorting receptacle, said retaining device is designed to retain the objects arranged on the base when the base moves in horizontal translation towards the rear position so that the retained objects fall by gravity into the sorting receptacle;

[0023] - the shock-absorbing device includes a safety hatch designed to be deployed horizontally above the floor when no sorting receptacle is located in the sorting outlet so as to prevent packages from falling under the safety hatch;

[0024] - the damping device includes a manual control panel for the movement of the base designed to override the control of the movement of the base plate by the central unit. Summary presentation of the drawings

[0025] The present invention will be better understood and other advantages will appear on reading the detailed description of an embodiment taken as a non-limiting example and illustrated by the appended drawings, in which:

[0026] - schematically illustrates an object sorting installation according to the invention;

[0027] - schematically illustrates a damping device according to the invention;

[0028] - schematically illustrates a damping device according to the invention before positioning a sorting receptacle in the loading position;

[0029] - schematically illustrates a damping device according to the invention equipped with a sorting receptacle;

[0030] - schematically illustrates a damping device according to the invention equipped with a sorting receptacle moved to the low position;

[0031] - schematically illustrates a shock absorber device according to the invention equipped with a sorting receptacle during loading;

[0032] - schematically illustrates a shock-absorbing device according to the invention with a base moved upwards to continue loading a sorting receptacle with objects;

[0033] - schematically illustrates a shock-absorbing device according to the invention with a base moved backwards to cause an object remaining on the base to fall;

[0034] - schematically illustrates a shock-absorbing device according to the invention with a sole in the rear position to continue loading the sorting receptacle with objects;

[0035] - schematically illustrates a shock absorber device according to the invention with a full sorting receptacle ready to be evacuated. Description of an embodiment

[0036] The sorting installation 1 for objects 2 according to the invention shown in the is particularly well suited to equipping a postal sorting center or a logistics platform.

[0037] By objects 2, we mean all types of objects such as parcels or packages, for example PPIs (for "Small International Packets") but also letters or any other object carrying sorting information and which can be processed in sorting facilities, such as postal or logistics facilities.

[0038] The sorting installation 1 for objects 2 according to the invention typically comprises a sorting conveyor 3 for objects 2 designed to convey the objects 2 in a certain conveying direction D1 and sorting outlets 4 distributed under the sorting conveyor 3 designed to each receive a sorting receptacle 5 in a loading position in which the objects 2 can be unloaded by gravity from the sorting conveyor 3 according to certain sorting information.

[0039] The information can be retrieved from a postal sorting address, a QR code, a barcode, or any other means affixed to the object 2.

[0040] The sorting installation 1 according to the invention has at least one sorting outlet 4 equipped with a damping device 6 designed to dampen the fall of the objects 2 into a sorting receptacle 5, as shown in Figures 2 to 10.

[0041] Preferably, all of the sorting outlets 4 are each equipped with a damping device 6.

[0042] Each damping device 6 according to the invention comprises a receiving base 7 for an object 2 movable in vertical translation, between a high position in which the base 7 extends above the sorting receptacle 5, and a low position in which the base 7 extends inside the sorting receptacle 5.

[0043] Without restricting the scope of the invention, the sole 7 may also be movable in horizontal translation between the high position and a rear position in which the sole 7 extends next to the sorting receptacle 5.

[0044] By "next to the sorting receptacle" we mean that floor 7 is not included in the floor area taken up by sorting receptacle 5 seen from above.

[0045] The sole 7 according to the invention may also be inclined downwards so as to facilitate the fall of the objects 2 into the sorting receptacle 5 when they come into contact with the sole 7.

[0046] The greater the inclination, the faster the objects 2 will fall; conversely, the lower the inclination, the greater the cushioning.

[0047] The best angle ratio is between 15° and 20° from the horizontal.

[0048] The sole 7 may also be in the form of a mattress with elastic properties so as to cushion the fall of objects 2.

[0049] Positioning the mattress on the shock absorber device 6 and not in the sorting receptacle 5 allows maximum storage space to be retained in the sorting receptacles 5, especially when the mattress is moved to the rear position.

[0050] The mattress will, for example, be made of foam or latex, itself covered with a non-stick fabric.

[0051] To facilitate the vertical translational movement of the sole 7, the damping device 6 will comprise, for example, a vertically retractable flexible frame 8a in which edges 14 connected to the sole roll up or roll down around an axis arranged above the receptacle.

[0052] Without restricting the scope of the invention, the damping device 6 may also comprise a horizontally retractable frame 8b to allow the horizontal translational movement of the sole 7.

[0053] The use of retractable frames here makes it possible to limit the footprint and to compact the sorting installation 1.

[0054] The sorting installation 1 according to the invention will also comprise a central unit 9 configured to control the movement of the sole 7 between the low position and the high position as a function of at least a first digital datum representative of a certain first level of filling of said sorting receptacle 5 with objects 2.

[0055] This first digital data can be obtained using a filling sensor (optical or mechanical sensor, weight sensor, etc.).

[0056] The more the sorting receptacle 5 is filled, the more the central unit 9 controls the movement of the base 7 upwards.

[0057] When the sorting receptacle 5 reaches a critical filling level, in the sense that the base 7 in the high position prevents the loading of additional object 2 into the sorting receptacle 5, the central unit 9 can be configured to control the movement of the base 7 between the high position and the rear position.

[0058] For this, the central unit 9 recovers a second digital data item representative of a certain second level of filling of said sorting receptacle 5 with objects 2 greater than said certain first level of filling.

[0059] When this second digital data is greater than a threshold value recorded in the memory of the central unit 9, the central unit 9 controls the movement of the sole 7 to the rear position.

[0060] Without restricting the scope of the invention, the central unit 9 may be configured to control the movement of the base 7 to the low position so that the receiving base 7 extends in the lower part of the sorting receptacle 5 between a first third of the height of the receptacle and half the height of the sorting receptacle 5.

[0061] The central unit 9 may also be configured to control the vertical translational movement of the receiving sole 7 by following predetermined stages. For this, the unit will include in memory digital data representative of these different stages.

[0062] In order to facilitate the evacuation of objects 2 which would have remained on the floor 7 during unloading from the sorting conveyor 3, the shock-absorbing device 6 may comprise a retaining device 10 arranged above the sorting receptacle 5.

[0063] The retaining device 10, here a sort of comb, will be designed here to retain the objects 2 placed on the sole 7 when the latter moves in horizontal translation towards the rear position so that the retained objects 2 fall by gravity into the sorting receptacle 5.

[0064] It may also be provided that the shock-absorbing device 6 comprises a safety hatch 11 designed to be deployed horizontally above the floor 7 when no sorting receptacle 5 is located in the sorting outlet 4 so as to prevent the objects 2 from falling under the safety hatch 11.

[0065] Finally, the damping device 6 according to the invention may also be equipped with a console 12 for manual control of the movement of the sole 7 designed to take precedence over the control of the movement of the sole 7 by the central unit 9.

[0066] The console 12 will, for example, allow the opening / closing of the safety hatch 11 to be controlled.

[0067] Finally, guide rails 13 may also be provided on the ground to guide the insertion of the sorting receptacle 5 when it is inserted into the loading position.

[0068] The process of filling a sorting receptacle 5 according to the invention takes place as follows. An empty sorting receptacle 5 is placed by an operator in the loading position in a free location under a sorting outlet 4, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

[0069] The central unit 9 controls the movement of the sole 7 of the damping device 6 to the low position and in the direction of the arrow F1, see. The objects 2 are then loaded into the sorting outlet 4 according to their sorting information, as shown in the. As can be seen in the, the more the filling of the sorting receptacle 5 increases, as shown by the arrow F3, the more the sole 7 is moved upwards, as shown by the arrow F2.

[0070] Once the filling of a sorting receptacle 5 reaches the threshold value, the central unit 9 commands the movement of the base 7 backwards, according to the arrow F4, to free up the remaining space in the sorting receptacle 5 and release the objects 2 which would have remained on the base 7, as shown in the figure.

[0071] Loading of objects, arrow F3, can continue until the maximum acceptable filling by the sorting receptacle, as shown in the figure.

[0072] Once all 2 objects have been loaded into sorting receptacle 5, an operator comes to retrieve the full sorting receptacle 5, represented by the OUT arrow, to replace it with an empty sorting receptacle 5 in the loading position.

Claims

Sorting installation (1) for objects (2) comprising a sorting conveyor (3) for objects designed to convey the objects in a certain conveying direction (D1) and sorting outlets (4) distributed under the sorting conveyor designed to each receive a sorting receptacle (5) in a loading position in which the objects can be unloaded by gravity from the sorting conveyor according to certain sorting information,at least one sorting outlet comprises a damping device (6) designed to dampen the fall of parcels into a sorting receptacle, characterized in that said damping device comprises a receiving base (7) for parcels movable in vertical translation between a high position in which the base extends above the sorting receptacle and a low position in which the base extends inside said receptacle and in that the sorting installation comprises a central unit (9) configured to control the movement of the base between the low position and the high position as a function of at least a first digital datum representative of a certain first level of filling of said receptacle with objects., Sorting installation (1) for parcels (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the base is movable in horizontal translation between the high position and a rear position in which the base extends next to the receptacle, and in that the central unit is configured to control the movement of the base between the high position and the rear position as a function of at least a second digital data item representative of a certain second level of filling of said receptacle with objects greater than said certain first level of filling. Sorting installation (1) for parcels (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the base is inclined downwards. Sorting installation (1) for parcels (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base forms a mattress with elastic properties. Sorting installation (1) for parcels (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the damping device comprises a vertically retractable frame (8a) to allow the floor to move in vertical translation. Sorting installation (1) for parcels (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that when the base is in the low position, the receiving base extends in the lower part of the sorting receptacle between a first third of the height of the receptacle and half the height of the sorting receptacle. Sorting installation (1) for parcels (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vertical translational movement of the receiving base is carried out by following predetermined levels recorded in the memory of the central unit. Sorting installation (1) for parcels (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the damping device comprises a retaining device (10) arranged above the sorting receptacle, said retaining device is designed to retain the objects arranged on the base when the base moves in horizontal translation towards the rear position so that the retained objects fall by gravity into the sorting receptacle. Sorting installation (1) for parcels (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the shock-absorbing device comprises a safety hatch (11) designed to be deployed horizontally above the floor when no sorting receptacle is located in the sorting outlet so as to prevent the parcels from falling under the safety hatch. Sorting installation (1) for parcels (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the damping device comprises a console (12) for manual control of the movement of the base designed to take precedence over the control of the movement of the base plate by the central unit.

Images