Parcel sorting installation with a feed conveyor equipped with fusible shoe pushers

Abstract

The invention relates to a sorting installation (1) for parcels (2) comprising a sorting conveyor (3) with receptacles (4) each designed to convey and sort a parcel into an appropriate sorting outlet and a feed conveyor (6) designed to convey the parcels in a certain conveying direction (D1) and to feed the receptacles of the sorting conveyor with parcels, said feed conveyor comprising pushers (9) with shoes (10) designed to move in said certain conveying direction opposite and synchronously with the receptacles of the sorting conveyor and to move transversely to said certain conveying direction so as to push each parcel into a receptacle of the sorting conveyor, the pusher according to the invention forming a mechanical fuse designed to break with the shoe beyond a certain pushing force on a parcel. Figure to be published: Fig.3

Description

Title of the invention: Parcel sorting installation with a feed conveyor equipped with fusible shoe pushers Technical field

[0001] The invention falls within the field of sorting parcels or packages and relates more particularly to a parcel sorting installation intended to equip parcel sorting centers and logistics platforms.

[0002] Today there are compact sorting installations capable of conveying parcels at high speed and reliably.

[0003] This type of sorting installation, as described in document EP3914543B1, notably comprises a bucket sorting conveyor designed to convey and sort the parcels into appropriate sorting outlets. The buckets are generally equipped with flaps pivoting between an upright position, in which each bucket holds and stabilizes a parcel in the bucket to enable it in particular to take turns at high speed, and a lowered position in which the bucket discharges the parcel by gravity into the appropriate sorting outlet.

[0004] The sorting installation also comprises a feed conveyor designed to inject each package into a bucket. To do this, the sorting conveyor and the feed conveyor have a contiguous and parallel conveying portion.

[0005] The feed conveyor is then equipped with shoe pushers, each capable of pushing a package transversely to the conveying direction into a bucket.

[0006] The buckets are here distributed in series on the sorting conveyor according to a predetermined pitch. The pushers of the feed conveyor are also distributed in series and respect the same pitch as the buckets so that each pushed package is injected directly into a bucket.

[0007] However, the diversity of the packages processed by the sorting installation can lead, despite all the precautions and controls during the conveying of the packages upstream of the feeding of the sorting conveyor, to unexpected physical behavior of a package during its feeding phase.

[0008] In the same way, certain behaviors of packages on the feed conveyor can lead to shocks, deforming the interfaces between the pushers and the buckets which are opposite each other at the time of injection, for example packages caught in a pincer movement between deflectors installed on the buckets making it possible to guide the injection of the package and the pusher.

[0009] Finally, some non-standard packages conveyed to the rejection zone by the feed conveyor may become stuck by the pushers and be swallowed under the feed conveyor and interfere with rigid moving parts.

[0010] These unpredictable behaviors can lead to the destruction of the package and to a crash between the pusher and the bucket, the consequences of which can be a breakage of one or more mechanical elements of the sorting installation and lead to a shutdown of the conveyors and maintenance. Summary of the invention

[0011] The objective of the invention is therefore to solve the aforementioned problems by proposing a sorting installation which limits the deterioration of the packages, the feed conveyor and the sorting conveyor.

[0012] To this end, the invention relates to a parcel sorting installation comprising a sorting conveyor with receptacles each designed to convey and sort a parcel into an appropriate sorting outlet and a feed conveyor designed to convey the parcels in a certain conveying direction and to feed the receptacles of the sorting conveyor with parcels, said feed conveyor comprising shoe pushers designed to move in said certain conveying direction opposite and synchronously with the receptacles of the sorting conveyor and to move transversely to said certain conveying direction so as to push each parcel into a receptacle of the sorting conveyor, characterized in that each pusher forms a mechanical fuse designed to break with the shoe beyond a certain pushing force on a parcel.

[0013] The idea behind the invention is to favor the breakage of a mechanical part chosen in advance, here the pusher, easily replaceable, rather than the random breakage of expensive and difficult to repair parts and of course to avoid deterioration of the package.

[0014] The invention therefore consists of using a mechanical fuse when injecting the packages onto a part of the feed conveyor visible and accessible by a maintenance operator.

[0015] The fusible pusher here has the capacity to break under excessive force, without damaging the internal mechanics of the sorting installation, in particular the shoe of the feed conveyor and the receptacle of the sorting conveyor.

[0016] The sorting installation according to the invention may also have the following particularities:

[0017] - each pusher comprises a head designed to come into contact with a package in order to push it into the receptacle, a base designed to be attached to the shoe and a body connecting the head and the base and forming a point of mechanical weakness relative to the head and the base;

[0018] - the body is openwork;

[0019] - the head of the pusher extends substantially over the entire length of the receptacle in the conveyor direction;

[0020] - the body is in the form of fins which extend between the head and the base, each forming a point of weakness oriented in a different direction from the base;

[0021] - the shoe comprises a jaw designed to pinch the base;

[0022] - the base of the pusher is fixed to the jaw by quick fixing means visible on top of the feed conveyor;

[0023] - the pusher head is equipped with an interface plate arranged to face the receptacle, the interface plate extending in the conveying direction and being more rigid than the pusher head;

[0024] - the feed conveyor includes a sensor designed to detect a break at least partially of a pusher on a shoe of the feed conveyor and to send a signal to stop the feed conveyor;

[0025] - the pusher is sized to withstand a thrust force less than a certain value determined according to the following formula:

[0026] Ep < Cf * Pmax * Cs in which

[0027] Ep corresponds to the thrust force of the pusher;

[0028] Cf corresponds to an average coefficient of friction of the packages on the feed conveyor;

[0029] Pmax corresponds to a maximum weight of a package that can be conveyed in the sorting installation;

[0030] Cs corresponds to a determined safety coefficient. - the pusher is made of extruded polystyrene.

[0031] Summary presentation of the drawings

[0032] 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:

[0033] - [Fig.l] [Fig.l] illustrates very schematically a sorting installation according to the invention;

[0034] - [Fig.2] [Fig.2] illustrates very schematically a portion of a conveyor feeding and a sorting conveyor according to the invention;

[0035] - [Fig.3] [Fig.3] illustrates very schematically a shoe pusher according to the invention;

[0036] - [Fig.4] [Fig.4] illustrates very schematically a shoe of a shoe pusher according to the invention;

[0037] - [Fig.5] [Fig.5] illustrates very schematically a pusher of a shoe pusher according to the invention;

[0038] Description of an embodiment

[0039] The invention relates to a sorting installation 1 for parcels 2, as shown in [Fig.l], intended to equip a sorting center or a logistics platform for sorting parcels 2 or heterogeneous packages and in particular "Small International Packages" known as PPL

[0040] The sorting installation 1 for parcels 2 according to the invention typically comprises a sorting conveyor 3 with receptacles 4, here a loop conveyor, designed to convey and sort the parcels 2 into appropriate sorting outlets 5 and a feed conveyor 6 designed to convey the parcels 2 in a certain conveying direction DI and to feed the receptacles 4 of the sorting conveyor 3 with parcels 2.

[0041] The receptacles 4 of the sorting conveyor 3, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, are distributed in series above the sorting outlets 5.

[0042] The receptacles 4 may be in the form of a tray, a bin, buckets or any other type of receptacle capable of conveying packages 2 on a sorting conveyor 3.

[0043] The receptacles 4 according to the invention are designed for example to tilt between a horizontal position which is flush with the feed conveyor 6 and allows the injection of the parcels 2 into the receptacles 4 by simple sliding and an inclined position adapted to convey the parcels 2 in an inclined and stable manner before being unloaded into the appropriate sorting outlets 5.

[0044] Each receptacle 4 comprises for this purpose a flap 7 pivoting between a raised position in which it retains a parcel 2 when the receptacle 4 is in an inclined position during its conveyance and a lowered position in which it releases the parcel 2 when the receptacle 4 is in an inclined position above the sorting outlet in which the parcel 2 must be sorted.

[0045] In the example shown in Figures 1 and 2, the flaps 7 of the receptacles 4 in the raised position protrude from the sorting conveyor 3 to form upstream and downstream stops on the sorting conveyor 3. These stops guarantee the correct positioning of each parcel 2 on a receptacle 4 and make it possible to avoid the insertion of a parcel 2 straddling two receptacles 4.

[0046] The feed conveyor 6 may be presented for example in the form of a slatted conveyor 8 on which pushers 9 with shoes 10 are mounted to move in said certain conveying direction DI opposite and synchronously with the receptacles 4 of the sorting conveyor 3. The feed conveyor 6 according to the invention may have a conveying speed Vc of 1.53 m / s and be synchronized in speed with the sorting conveyor 3.

[0047] The pushers 9 with shoe 10 of the feed conveyor 6 are also designed to move transversely to said certain conveying direction DI on the slats 8 of the feed conveyor 6 so as to push each package 2 into a re- receptacle 4 of sorting conveyor 3, for example at a speed Vp of 0.83 m / s.

[0048] To move on a slat 8, each shoe 10 can be mounted in linear guidance using a set of rollers and cams.

[0049] The feed conveyor 6 may also comprise guide ribs 11 transverse to the conveying direction DI which extend integrally on the slats 8 from a lateral edge of the feed conveyor 6 adjoining the sorting conveyor 3. The ribs 11 advantageously make it possible to guide the package 2 during its injection into a receptacle 4 of the sorting conveyor 3.

[0050] By way of example, the feed conveyor 6 and the sorting conveyor 3 have synchronized conveying speeds so that the ribs 11 extend in the continuity of the flaps 7 of the receptacles 4 of the sorting conveyor 3.

[0051] The pusher 9 forming the pusher 9 with shoe 10 extends in the conveying direction DI over several slats 8 of the feed conveyor 6.

[0052] The pushers 9 are sized to push up to a certain weight and at a certain frequency, here for example no more than 5 kg per package 2 with a package / blade friction coefficient of the feed conveyor 6 of 0.3, and once every 4.8 s.

[0053] For example, the pusher 9 in nominal operation will be designed to withstand the acceleration of a package 2, from 0.242 m / s to 0.83 m / s in 0.07s or 8.4 m / s2 and once every 4.8s.

[0054] The pusher 9 in nominal operation is also designed to withstand a maximum centrifugal acceleration in the turns of the feed conveyor 6, for example of 30 m / s2 and once every 2.4s.

[0055] Advantageously, each pusher 9 according to the invention will form a mechanical fuse designed to break with the shoe 10 beyond a certain pushing force on a package 2.

[0056] More particularly and by way of example, in the case where an object appears on the trajectory of a pusher 9 during its movement (transverse or longitudinal), for example a package 2 being caught in a pincer movement between the pusher 9 and a rib 11 or a flap 7, the pusher 9 will then be designed to break under the stress.

[0057] The maximum thrust force that a pusher 9 can withstand must, for example, be determined according to the following formula:

[0058] Ep < Cf * Pmax * Cs and in which:

[0059] Ep corresponds to the thrust force of the pusher 9;

[0060] Cf corresponds to an average coefficient of friction of the packages 2 on the feed conveyor 6;

[0061] Pmax corresponds to a maximum weight of a package 2 which can be conveyed in the sorting installation 1;

[0062] Cs corresponds to a determined safety coefficient. The safety coefficient Cs is determined so that the system can operate according to the nominal injection mode (repeatedly pushing a package of maximum weight and dimension into the bucket) without the pusher degrading prematurely, but that, in the event of stress linked to a mechanical blockage resulting from non-nominal behavior of a package, the rupture of the fusible pusher occurs before the irreparable deterioration of a mechanical element internal to the system leading to a heavy maintenance operation.

[0063] As an example, the maximum force that can be supported by the pusher 9 may be 150N (+ or - 40%) in both directions, i.e. following its transverse and / or longitudinal movement. This force is both significantly greater than the force required to push a 5kg package (5kg * 0.3 = 1.5 kg, i.e. 15N - 0.3 being the Cf in our case), but also lower than the force required to damage an internal element of the feed conveyor.

[0064] More specifically, each pusher 9 may comprise a head 12 designed to come into contact with a package 2 in order to push it into the receptacle 4, a base 13 designed to be fixed to the shoe 10 and a body 14 connecting the head 12 and the base 13 and forming a point of mechanical weakness relative to the head 12 and the base 13.

[0065] Without restricting the scope of the invention and as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5, the body 14 of the pusher 9 may be presented in an openwork manner in order to reduce the weight of the pusher 9.

[0066] Also, in order to optimize the breakage of the fuse according to the criteria described previously, the body 14 may be in the form of fins which extend between the head 12 and the base 13, as visible in FIGS. 3 and 5, each forming a point of weakness and oriented in a different direction from the base 13.

[0067] Without restricting the scope of the invention, extruded polystyrene will be used for the manufacture of the pusher 9 and more particularly for the body 14 of the pusher 9.

[0068] The head 12 of the pusher 9 may extend substantially over the entire length of the receptacle 4 in the conveying direction D1, as visible in [Fig.2], so as to guarantee proper insertion of each package 2.

[0069] Without restricting the scope of the invention, the shoe 10, visible in [Fig.4], may also comprise a jaw designed to pinch the base 13 of the pusher 9.

[0070] The jaw and the base 13 of the pusher 9 may in this case be fixed by quick fixing means 16, as shown in [Fig.3], visible from above the feed conveyor 6 so as to facilitate access for maintenance operators.

[0071] Furthermore, in order to facilitate the injection of the packages 2, the head 12 of the pusher 9 may be equipped with an interface plate 17, visible in [Fig. 5], arranged to face the receptacle 4, the interface plate extending in the conveying direction D1 and being more rigid than the head 12 of the pusher 9.

[0072] Thanks to this interface plate, we once again favor a breakage at the weak point of the pusher 9, here for example the body 14, while the parts such as the shoe 10 and the head 12 will be designed to withstand thrust forces greater than the thrust forces EP mentioned above.

[0073] The detection of the fuse breaking may be automated using a sensor 15 mounted on the feed conveyor 6, as shown in [Fig.2]. The sensor 15 will thus be designed to detect at least a partial breakage of a pusher 9 on a shoe 10 of the feed conveyor 6 and to send a signal to stop the feed conveyor 6.

[0074] This stop will advantageously allow maintenance personnel to replace the pusher 9.

Claims

Claims

1. Sorting installation (1) for parcels (2) comprising a sorting conveyor (3) with receptacles (4) each designed to convey and sort a parcel into an appropriate sorting outlet and a feed conveyor (6) designed to convey the parcels in a certain conveying direction (Dl) and to feed the receptacles of the sorting conveyor with parcels, said feed conveyor comprising pushers (9) with shoes (10) designed to move in said certain conveying direction opposite and synchronously with the receptacles of the sorting conveyor and to move transversely to said certain conveying direction so as to push each parcel into a receptacle of the sorting conveyor, each pusher comprising a head (12) designed to come into contact with a parcel in order to push it into the receptacle and a base (13) designed to be fixed to the shoe and a body (14),characterized in that each pusher comprises a body (14) connecting the head and the base, said body forming a point of mechanical weakness relative to the head and the base to form a mechanical fuse designed so that the pusher breaks with the shoe beyond a certain pushing force on a package.,

2. Parcel sorting installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the body is perforated.

3. Parcel sorting installation according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the body is in the form of fins which extend between the head and the base, each forming a point of weakness oriented in a different direction from the base.

4. Parcel sorting installation according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the head of the pusher extends substantially over the entire length of the receptacle in the conveying direction.

5. Parcel sorting installation according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the shoe comprises a jaw designed to pinch the base.

6. Parcel sorting installation according to claim 5, characterized in that the base of the pusher is fixed to the jaw by quick fixing means visible on the top of the feed conveyor.

7. Parcel sorting installation according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the head of the pusher is equipped with an interface plate arranged to face the receptacle, the interface plate extending in the conveying direction and being more rigid than the pusher head.

8. Parcel sorting installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the feed conveyor comprises a sensor (15) designed to detect at least partial breakage of a pusher on a shoe of the feed conveyor and to send a signal to stop the feed conveyor.

9. Parcel sorting installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pusher is dimensioned to withstand a pushing force less than a certain value determined according to the following formula: Ep < Cf * Pmax * Cs and in which: Ep corresponds to the pushing force of the pusher; Cf corresponds to an average coefficient of friction of the parcels on the feed conveyor; Pmax corresponds to a maximum weight of a parcel that can be conveyed in the sorting installation; Cs corresponds to a determined safety coefficient.

10. Parcel sorting installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pusher is made of extruded polystyrene.

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