Compact sorter with carrier trolleys guided by tubular rails

Abstract

The invention relates to a parcel sorting installation (1) for parcels (2) comprising a looped sorting conveyor (3) and sorting outlets (5) distributed along the sorting conveyor, said sorting conveyor comprising parcel receptacles (7) designed to convey parcels in a certain conveying direction (D1) and sort them at the sorting outlets according to a predetermined sorting plan, the sorting conveyor comprising two parallel tubular rails (4) extending in the conveying direction and trolleys (6) mounted on the tubular rails designed to move the parcel receptacles in said certain conveying direction. Each receptacle is interposed between two trolleys and is connected to said two trolleys by pivot joints (11) to form a receptacle module (12), and several receptacle modules are connected together to form a train (13) of parcel receptacles. Figure from the summary: Figure 2

Description

Title of the invention: Compact sorter with carrier trolleys guided by tubular rails technical field

[0001] The invention falls within the field of logistics and more particularly within the field of high-throughput automated parcel sorting. Previous technique

[0002] Most parcel sorting facilities today use loop sorting conveyors equipped with sorting outlets to sort parcels.

[0003] This type of conveyor generally includes parcel receptacles suitable not only for receiving and conveying parcels in a certain conveying direction but also for sorting them in the sorting outlets according to a certain predetermined sorting plan.

[0004] Some sorting installations, such as that described in document EP2921431, use a sorting conveyor with tubular rails that extend in the direction of conveying and on which trolleys adapted to move the receptacles for parcels move.

[0005] The trolleys are coupled one after the other to form a train of trolleys on which are arranged the platforms forming a continuous receiving surface for parcels in the direction of conveying, in the same way that flat rail sorting conveyors form a continuous receiving surface for parcels.

[0006] In document EP2921431, each tray is designed to receive, transport and evacuate a package into the appropriate sorting exit by simple tipping or by means of conveyor belts.

[0007] The use of a tubular rail conveyor compared to a flat rail conveyor makes it possible to reduce the radius of curvature of the turns and therefore to advantageously reduce the footprint.

[0008] However, current constraints require further reduction of the ground footprint while also reducing the height of the sorting facility.

[0009] Moreover, while the trays are particularly well suited for sorting homogeneous and dense flat-bottomed parcels, the trays are not suitable for properly sorting Small International Import Packets (PPI) of very disparate shapes and weights, with a non-homogeneous distribution of the package mass.

[0010] It is thus understood that the tighter the turns of the conveyor, the more the speed must be reduced to avoid the ejection of the packages. Description of the invention

[0011] The objective of the invention is therefore to solve the aforementioned problems by proposing a more compact sorting installation whose topology is easily configurable and which allows the sorting of heterogeneous packages at high speed.

[0012] To this end, the invention relates to a parcel sorting installation comprising a loop sorting conveyor and sorting outlets distributed along the sorting conveyor, said sorting conveyor comprising parcel receptacles designed to convey parcels in a certain conveying direction and sort them in the sorting outlets according to a predetermined sorting plan, the sorting conveyor comprising two parallel tubular rails extending in the conveying direction and trolleys fitted onto the tubular rails designed to move the parcel receptacles in said certain conveying direction, characterized in that each receptacle is interposed between two trolleys and is connected to said two trolleys by pivot joints to form a receptacle module,and in that several receptacle modules are linked together to form a parcel receptacle train in which the receptacles and trolleys are alternately distributed in the conveying direction and in which the receptacles are capable of pivoting relative to the trolleys when the trolleys move in the conveying direction.

[0013] The idea behind the invention is to arrange the parcel receptacles between the shared trolleys so as to form a train of parcel receptacles which limits the space occupied by the sorting conveyor above the tubular rails and the trolleys.

[0014] The space recovered vertically thus makes it possible to reduce the height of the sorting installation.

[0015] The invention also consists of using a train of receptacles with receptacles pivotable relative to the trolleys so as to reduce the radius of curvature of the sorting conveyor in turns, ascents and descents.

[0016] The length of the trolleys in the conveying direction may advantageously be reduced to its strict minimum to favour an increase in the length of the receptacles and / or the space between the trolleys and the receptacles.

[0017] Thus, the greater the space between the trolleys and the receptacles, the greater the amplitude of pivoting of the receptacles relative to the trolleys.

[0018] The pivoting of the receptacles thus allows the train of receptacles to take tighter turns and to make greater changes in elevation.

[0019] By reducing the length of the trolleys in the conveying direction, it is also possible to reduce the stress forces of the trolleys on the rails.

[0020] The sorting installation according to the invention may also have the following characteristics:

[0021] - the pivot joints are designed so that each receptacle is suitable for pivot laterally and vertically relative to the carriages to which it is connected;

[0022] - each pivot joint includes a pivot axis on the carriage shared with a another pivot link which connects the receptacle which precedes or follows it in the direction of conveying;

[0023] - the tubular rails of the sorting conveyor include curved rail sections in clothoid shape;

[0024] - the parcel receptacles include a parcel receiving surface in tiltable, between a horizontal position in which the receiving surface is flush with the rails so that packages can be inserted onto the receptacle by sliding and an inclined position in which the receiving surface is inclined in the conveying direction so that packages can be evacuated into the sorting outlets by gravity;

[0025] - the sorting conveyor includes a cam track and in that each receptacle of tri includes a cam designed to cooperate with said cam track during the movement of the trolley in the conveying direction so as to position the parcel receiving surface in a horizontal or inclined position;

[0026] - at least one parcel receptacle is in the form of a cup comprising fixed side walls and a bottom wall serving as a parcel receiving surface, said bottom wall being terminated by a release hatch capable of retaining or releasing a parcel when the parcel receiving surface is in an inclined position;

[0027] - the sorting conveyor includes at least one lower suspension mounted on a chassis designed to support tubular rails, said at least one lower suspension extending under the trolleys and receptacles so as to permit the loading of packages over the tubular rails of the sorting conveyor;

[0028] - the sorting conveyor includes at least one upper suspension mounted on a chassis designed to support tubular rails, said at least one upper suspension extending above the trolleys and receptacles so as to permit the unloading of packages under the sorting conveyor;

[0029] - the sorting conveyor includes parcel insertion devices arranged to come flush with the tubular rails so as to allow the insertion of packages onto the package receiving surface of the receptacles by simply moving the packages laterally. Brief description of the drawings

[0030] The present invention will be better understood and other advantages will become apparent upon reading the detailed description of the embodiment taken by way of non-limiting example and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0031] [Fig-1] - Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a sorting installation according to the invention;

[0032] [Fig.2] - Fig.2 is a schematic representation of several modules of re- receptacle forming a train of receptacles for parcels according to the invention;

[0033] [Fig.3] - Fig.3 is a very schematic representation of part of the sorting conveyor according to the invention with trains of receptacles for parcels which descend a portion of the sorting conveyor;

[0034] [Fig.4] - Fig.4 is a very schematic representation of part of the sorting conveyor according to the invention with trains of receptacles for parcels which ascend a portion of the sorting conveyor;

[0035] [Fig.5] - Fig.5 is a very schematic representation of part of the sorting conveyor according to the invention with trains of receptacles for parcels whose receiving surface is progressively straightened in the parcel insertion zone;

[0036] [Fig.6] - Fig.6 is a schematic cross-sectional representation of the sorting conveyor and upper suspension according to the invention;

[0037] [Fig.7] - Fig.7 is a schematic cross-sectional representation of the sorting conveyor and a lower suspension according to the invention;

[0038] [Fig.8] - Fig.8 is a very schematic representation of a conveyor rail sorting according to the invention, the rail having a rising profile in the vertical plane in the shape of a double clothoid with a rectilinear intermediate section;

[0039] [Fig.9] - Fig.9 is a very schematic representation of a conveyor rail sorting according to the invention, the rail having a rotating profile in the horizontal plane in the shape of a double clothoid with a circular intermediate section. Detailed description of the invention

[0040] The parcel sorting installation 1 of parcels 2 according to the invention, also called a sorter, shown in [Fig.1] is particularly well suited for sorting high throughput heterogeneous parcels, such as PPI (Small International Packet) type parcels typical of e-commerce, while having a small footprint and height.

[0041] The sorting installation 1 for parcels 2 according to the invention includes in particular a sorting conveyor 3 in a loop with tubular guide rails 4 and sorting outlets 5 distributed along the sorting conveyor 3.

[0042] The sorting conveyor 3 is equipped with trolleys 6 circulating on the tubular guide rails 4 following a certain conveying direction DI and with receptacles 7 for parcels 2 attached to the trolleys 6.

[0043] The receptacles 7 according to the invention are designed to receive, convey and sort the packages into the sorting outlets 5 according to a predetermined sorting plan.

[0044] The sorting plan is stored in the memory of a control unit 8, which in turn controls the movement of the trolleys 6 and certain movements of the sorting receptacles 7 as explained below.

[0045] In the example shown in Figures 3 and 4, the receptacles 7 for parcel 2 com take a receiving surface 7a for parcels tiltable between a horizontal position in which the receiving surface 7a comes flush with the tubular guide rails 4 so that the parcels 2 can be inserted onto the receptacle 7 by sliding and an inclined position in which the receiving surface 7a is inclined in the conveying direction Dl, preferably towards the rear, so that the parcels 2 are held and sheltered from aerodynamic effects during transport and can be evacuated into the sorting outlets 5 by gravity along a quasi-vertical trajectory.

[0046] The sorting conveyor 3 also includes a cam track 9 profiled continuously or discontinuously along the sorting conveyor, and each receptacle 7 includes a cam 10 designed to cooperate with the cam track 9 during the movement of the carriage 6 in the conveying direction Dl, so as to position on the one hand the receiving surface 7a for parcel 2 in a horizontal position in the parcel insertion zone, visible in [Fig.5], and on the other hand maintain the receiving surface 7a for parcel 2 in an inclined position relative to the horizontal on the uphill side, visible in [Fig.4], and this without a parcel 2 possibly present on the receptacle losing contact with the receiving surface 7a during its movement in the conveying direction Dl.

[0047] For example, when going uphill, the receiving surface 7a will be straightened to maintain the receiving surface 7a at 45° relative to the horizontal.

[0048] In the example described in [Fig.3], the cam track 9 is not used in descent since the inclination of the rails of the sorting conveyor 3 and the inclination of the receiving surface 7a are designed so that when a trolley descends the rails, its receiving surface 7a will naturally tilt towards the horizontal, without ever reaching it.

[0049] By way of example, the angle of inclination of the receiving surface 7a will be between 0° for loading packages 2 and 45° for conveying and unloading packages 2.

[0050] Also, in order to facilitate the sorting of PPI type parcels 2, the receptacles 7 for parcels 2 may be in the form of buckets comprising fixed side walls 7c and a bottom wall acting as a receiving surface 7a for parcels 2, the bottom wall being terminated by an evacuation hatch 7b capable of retaining or releasing a parcel 2 when the receiving surface 7a for parcels 2 is in an inclined position.

[0051] Thus, the use of buckets and the inclination of the receiving surface 7a in the buckets makes it possible to greatly limit the ejection of packages 2 by aerodynamic effect, particularly in descents and ascents.

[0052] In the example shown in [Fig.2], the trolleys 6 according to the invention are fitted to the tubular guide rails 4 in such a way that the trolleys 6 are constrained to move only in the conveying direction Dl.

[0053] Each receptacle 7 according to the invention is itself interposed between two trolleys 6 downstream and upstream in the conveying direction Dl.

[0054] By way of example and as illustrated in [Fig.2], each receptacle 7 is also intercalated between the two tubular rails 4 of the sorting conveyor 3 so as to limit the height footprint of the sorting installation 1 according to the invention.

[0055] It is therefore understood that the trolleys 6 and the tubular rails 4 of the sorting conveyor 3 define a space in which a receptacle 7 is inserted.

[0056] The sorting conveyor 3 according to the invention also includes pivot links 11, for example ball joints, designed to pivotally connect each receptacle 7 to both a trolley 6 which follows it and to a trolley 6 which precedes it in the conveying direction Dl.

[0057] Thus, the receptacle assembly 7 and the downstream and upstream trolleys 6 connected by pivot links form a receptacle module 12.

[0058] By way of example and as illustrated in [Fig.2], each pivot joint 11 here comprises an arm 1la extending between a receptacle 7 and a carriage 6, and at least one pivot axis 11b disposed on the carriage 6 and / or on the receptacle 7, the arm being pivotally mounted on the axis 11b.

[0059] The axis 11b can be arranged equidistant from the two tubular rails 4 so as to allow the same amplitude of lateral pivoting of the receptacles 7 in the turns.

[0060] Each receptacle 7 will also be sufficiently spaced from the two trolleys 6 which precede and follow it in the conveying direction Dl so as to allow the receptacle 7 to tilt forward or backward without coming into contact with the two trolleys 6 or the receptacles 7 upstream and downstream, in particular during changes in height of the tubular guide rails 4.

[0061] The pivot joints 11 are therefore advantageously designed to allow lateral and vertical pivoting of the receptacles 7 relative to the trolleys 6 during their movement in the conveying direction DL

[0062] In the case where the pivot axis 11b of the pivot links 11 is located on the carriages 6, the pivot links 11 connecting two receptacles 7 to the same carriage 6 may share the same pivot axis 11b.

[0063] Thus, when a receptacle module 12 moves in the conveying direction Dl, the receptacle 7 is able to pivot relative to the carriages 6, that is, transversely to the conveying direction DL

[0064] The invention also consists of linking several modules 12 of receptacles together to form a train 13 of receptacles 7 for parcels 2.

[0065] A train 13 of receptacles 7 for packages 2 according to the invention is therefore formed by an alternation of receptacles 7 and trolleys 6 in the conveying direction DL

[0066] It will be understood that the use of modules 12 of receptacle 7 allows the use of different types of receptacles 7 to sort different types of parcels 2.

[0067] It will also be understood that several trains 13 of receptacles 7 for parcels 2 can be fitted to the sorting installation 1, each one being able to be autonomous in its movement in the direction of conveying DI and comprising a number of receptacle modules 12 which is its own.

[0068] Without restricting the scope of the invention, the sorting installation 1 may be equipped with parcel 2 insertion devices 14, as shown in [Fig.1], designed to insert the parcels 2 onto the receptacles 7 during conveying.

[0069] The package 2 insertion devices 14 are arranged here to be flush with the tubular rails 4 so as to allow the insertion of the packages 2 onto the receptacles 7, and more particularly onto the receiving surface 7a, for example by simple lateral sliding of the packages 2.

[0070] Finally, in order to optimize the arrangement of the sorting installation 1 and to facilitate the movement of the heterogeneous packages 2 in the conveying direction Dl, the tubular rails 4 of the sorting conveyor will be suspended by at least one upper hanger 15 or one lower hanger 16 mounted on a frame 17, as shown respectively in figures 5 and 6.

[0071] The lower suspension 16 according to the invention will extend under the trolleys 6 and the receptacles 7 so as to allow the loading of packages 2 from the side and / or the top of the sorting conveyor 3.

[0072] The upper suspension 17 will extend over the trolleys and receptacles 7 so as to allow the unloading of the packages 2 under the sorting conveyor 3.

[0073] Finally, still with a view to optimizing the layout and compactness of the sorting installation 1, while allowing a high speed, the tubular rails 4 of the sorting conveyor 3 may have curved rail sections 4c in the shape of clothoids, visible in figures 7 and 8.

[0074] By clothoid-shaped curved rail, we mean tubular rails with radii of curvature that vary in the general curvature of the turn or the rise / fall.

[0075] The use of curved rails in the shape of clothoids thus makes it possible to allow significant changes in elevation as shown in [Fig.7] and to take tight turns as shown in [Fig.8].

Claims

Claims

1. Sorting installation (1) for parcels (2) comprising a sorting conveyor (3) in a loop and sorting outlets (5) distributed along the sorting conveyor, said sorting conveyor comprising parcel receptacles (7) designed to convey parcels in a certain conveying direction (D1) and sort them in the sorting outlets according to a predetermined sorting plan, the sorting conveyor comprising two parallel tubular rails (4) which extend in the conveying direction and carriages (6) fitted on the tubular rails designed to move the parcel receptacles in said certain conveying direction, characterized in that each receptacle is interposed between two carriages and is connected to said two carriages by pivot connections (11) to form a receptacle module (12),and in that a plurality of receptacle modules are connected together to form a train (13) of parcel receptacles in which the receptacles and the trolleys are alternately distributed in the conveying direction and in which the receptacles are pivotable relative to the trolleys when the trolleys move in the conveying direction.,

2. Sorting installation (1) for parcels (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the pivot connections are designed so that each receptacle is able to pivot laterally and vertically relative to the trolleys to which it is connected.

3. Sorting installation (1) for parcels (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that each pivot connection comprises a pivot axis (11b) on the carriage shared with another pivot connection which connects the receptacle which precedes it or which follows it in the conveying direction.

4. Sorting installation (1) for parcels (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tubular rails of the sorting conveyor comprise curved rail sections (4c) in the form of clothoids.

5. Sorting installation (1) for parcels (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the parcel receptacles comprise a parcel receiving surface (7a) which can be tilted between a horizontal position in which the receiving surface is flush with the rails so that the parcels can be inserted onto the receptacle by sliding and an inclined position in which the receiving surface is inclined in the conveying direction so that the packages can be evacuated to the gravity sorting outlets.

6. Sorting installation (1) for parcels (2) according to claim 5, characterized in that the sorting conveyor comprises a cam track (9) and in that each sorting receptacle comprises a cam (10) designed to cooperate with said cam track during movement of the carriage in the conveying direction so as to position the parcel receiving surface in a horizontal position or in an inclined position.

7. Sorting installation (1) for parcels (2) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that at least one parcel receptacle is in the form of a bucket comprising fixed lateral sides (7c) and a bottom wall acting as a parcel receiving surface, said bottom wall being terminated by an evacuation hatch (7b) capable of retaining or releasing a parcel when the parcel receiving surface is in an inclined position.

8. Sorting installation (1) for parcels (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sorting conveyor comprises at least one lower hanger (16) mounted on a frame (17) designed to support the tubular rails, said at least one lower hanger extending under the trolleys and the receptacles so as to allow the loading of parcels over the tubular rails of the sorting conveyor.

9. Sorting installation (1) for parcels (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sorting conveyor comprises at least one upper hanger (15) mounted on a frame (17) designed to support the tubular rails, said at least one upper hanger extending above the trolleys and the receptacles so as to allow the unloading of the parcels under the sorting conveyor.

10. Sorting installation (1) for parcels (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sorting conveyor comprises parcel insertion devices (14) arranged to come flush with the tubular rails so as to allow the insertion of the parcels onto the parcel receiving surface of the receptacles by simple lateral movement of the parcels.

Images