Transport bag, support hook, transport device and overhead conveyor system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a transport bag for an overhead conveyor system, the transport bag having: a hanging device for suspending the transport bag from a support hook; a front wall; and a rear wall. The rear wall can be coupled to and released from the front wall by a coupling mechanism in a lower region of the rear wall. The front wall comprises a flexible planar material. The rear wall comprises two wall elements pivotally connected to each other and shaped together to form a filling opening of the transport bag, the filling opening partially spanning the two wall elements.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport bag for an overhead conveyor system, which transport bag has a suspension device for suspending the transport bag on a support hook, a front wall and a rear wall. The invention further relates to a support hook for supporting such a transport bag, a transport device for an overhead conveyor system and an overhead conveyor system of this type. [Background technology]

[0002] Overhead conveyor systems with transport bags are known in principle from the prior art, these transport bags being usually moved either directly or via special support hooks on rails or on the transport device.

[0003] A particularity of each transport bag is the way in which it is filled or emptied with transport articles. Various solutions are known for this. For example, a transport bag is known from EP 2 792 620 A1. The transport bag has a rigid support wall connected to a support element and a flexible article retaining wall which together with the support wall forms a support bag which is closed at the bottom and at two opposite sides. The length of the band-shaped retaining wall can be variably adjusted depending on the transport of different articles, and the length of the band-shaped retaining wall required for the transport of the articles is removable from the retaining wall reservoir, while the unnecessary part of the retaining wall remains in the retaining wall reservoir. These transport bags can be filled with articles at the open side. In a further variant of the transport bag known from EP 2 792 620 A1, the support wall and the article retaining wall are pivotably connected to each other in order to open and close the transport bag. In the open state, the articles are loaded onto the support wall of the transport bag which is placed on the transport table, and subsequently the article retaining wall is pivoted on the support wall by unfolding it from the retaining wall reservoir in order to fix the articles and close the transport bag.

[0004] A further transport bag with a rigid support wall is known from EP 2 130 968 A1, which transport bag is connected in its upper region to the upper region of a flexible bottom side wall via a pivotable bracket. The support wall and the bottom side wall each have coupling means in their lower region so that they are detachably connected to each other. The support wall has actuation means in its upper region for opening and closing the coupling. Lifting the pivotable bracket at the loading station moves the flexible bottom side wall away from the support wall, resulting in a gap between the two walls, which can be used to fill the transport bag with goods.

[0005] A transport bag with a support wall is known from EP 3521214 A1, which has a front wall and a rear wall and can be switched between a closed state and an open state. To switch between the closed state and the open state, the front wall and the rear wall are connected to each other or detached from each other in a lower region. In an upper region, the front wall and the rear wall are connected to each other via an integral loading frame, and articles can be introduced into the transport bag. However, in the suspended position of the transport bag, the loading frame also hangs vertically downwards and its filling opening is covered by the front wall, which makes filling more difficult.

[0006] In order to overcome this drawback, a transport bag has been proposed in DE 10 2019205 980 A1, which provides a rotation limiter for the loading frame so that in the suspended position of the transport bag, the loading frame no longer extends in a vertical plane and the front wall moves away from the rear wall of the transport bag.

[0007] However, the disadvantage of this solution is that it is less space-saving when the transport bag is empty. Moreover, when filling from above, the integrated loading frame limits the size of the goods that can be introduced into the transport bag and requires a precise orientation of the transport bag relative to the loading station.

[0008] Moreover, a drawback of the solutions for filling through the side gaps known in the prior art is that care must be taken during the automatic filling of the transport bag to prevent products from falling out during filling. For example, it is necessary to ensure that products do not slide out of the bag on the other side of the gap opposite the filling side. When placing products on the horizontal support wall of the initially fully opened transport bag, it is also necessary to prevent products from sliding out before the bag is closed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] EP2792620A1 [Patent Document 2] EP2130968A1 [Patent Document 3] EP3521214A1 [Patent Document 4] DE102019205980A1 Summary of the Invention

[0010] Against this background, the object of the present invention is to provide a transport bag for an overhead conveyor system, which allows loading stations of different designs to be easily filled from above and from the side, and also to be easily emptied, as well as support hooks for supporting the transport bag.

[0011] This object is achieved by a transport bag according to claim 1, by a support hook for supporting a transport bag according to claim 9, by a transport device for an overhead conveyor system according to claim 14, and by an overhead conveyor system according to claims 16 and 19. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are subject to the dependent claims.

[0012] According to a first aspect of the invention, a transport bag for an overhead conveyor system is provided, the transport bag having a hanging device for suspending the transport bag from a support hook, a front wall and a rear wall, the rear wall being connectable to and disconnectable from the front wall by a connecting mechanism in a lower region of the rear wall, in which case the front wall comprises a flexible planar material, the rear wall comprises two wall elements pivotably connected to each other and shaped to together form a filling opening of the transport bag, the filling opening extending partially across the two wall elements.

[0013] The fact that the filling opening extends over two wall elements connected to each other in a pivotable manner means that the filling opening covers a large surface of the rear wall of the transport bag, which can be used for loading. Thus, objects with large dimensions, in particular bulky objects such as cardboard boxes, can be easily introduced into the transport bag. Furthermore, jamming of the objects in the filling opening during the loading process can be prevented. A further advantage of the pivotable connection of the wall elements is that the wall elements can be tilted relative to each other. As a result, for example, a part of the filling opening located on one wall element can be oriented in a different direction than the other part of the filling opening located on the other wall element. Thus, for example, one wall element can be oriented upwards and the other wall element to the side, i.e. the filling opening can simultaneously have a part that opens at the top and a part that opens at the side. This makes it possible, in the loading position, to load from above and also from the side to the lower position. The side with respect to the conveying direction that the part that opens to the side faces in the loading position depends on the orientation of the transport bag. Rotating the shipping bag about a vertical axis allows for portions to be opened on the side facing rear, front, right, left, or any desired direction.

[0014] In the loading position, i.e. in the position in which one wall element of the rear wall is oriented horizontally and the other wall element of the rear wall is oriented vertically, the bag can preferably be unloaded. In this position, when the coupling mechanism is activated so that the front wall is disengaged from the rear wall in the lower area, the two walls swing away from each other. The resulting opening from which the objects can fall out of the transport bag is therefore larger than in the case in which both wall elements of the rear wall are oriented vertically. In the latter case, a situation may arise in which the front and rear walls are disengaged from each other but hang vertically at a small distance from each other. In particular, small and / or light objects may get stuck between the front and rear walls. In contrast, when the transport bag is opened in the loading position, small and / or light objects can also reliably leave the transport bag.

[0015] Preferably, the two wall elements of the rear wall along the outer edge of the rear wall are dimensionally stable and can be tilted relative to one another about the joint axis.

[0016] The dimensional stability of the outer edge of the wall elements allows the transmission of forces via the outer edge. Thus, for example, a force can be applied to each of the two wall elements in order to tilt them relative to one another about the joint axis. For example, a force acting on one of the wall elements can be used to move the other wall element, for example, from a vertical position to a horizontal position. Furthermore, the dimensionally stable outer edge can absorb the forces required to activate the coupling mechanism. Furthermore, the dimensionally stable outer edge offers better protection against impacts and damage to the items received in the transport bag than would be the case with a flexible transport bag.

[0017] In this case, the two wall elements are preferably an upper wall element and a lower wall element. In this case, the upper wall element comprises a first C-shaped frame and a frame part provided in the middle of the first C-shaped frame. With this kind of frame part, the transport bag can be easily gripped by a gripping device of the overhead conveyor system in order to bring the transport bag into the loading position. Further preferably, the frame part is attached to the first C-shaped frame so as to be pivotable about a second joint axis extending substantially parallel to the joint axis. With this kind of transport bag, the overhead conveyor system does not need to have a rotatable component in order to bring the transport bag into the loading position after the frame part has been gripped by the gripping device.

[0018] Preferably, one of the two wall elements of the transport bag comprises a planar, particularly dimensionally stable material.

[0019] The planar wall elements allow the transport bag to be designed in a torsion-resistant manner, which is particularly easily possible using dimensionally stable materials. It is therefore possible to prevent the transport bag from becoming wrinkled. As a result, the transport bag can be moved particularly compactly in the overhead conveyor system and can be stored in particular in the empty state. The dimensionally stable planar rear wall furthermore allows for a simple attachment of the coupling mechanism. A rear wall of this kind provides even better protection against damage to the transported goods. The planar rear wall can be designed to simultaneously function as a sliding surface. For example, the transport bag can be moved in a sliding manner on the rear wall, on a sliding part, or the rear wall itself can be used as a sliding part for sliding the goods into the transport bag or for sliding the goods placed therein out during loading and unloading.

[0020] The suspension device of the transport bag is preferably fixedly connected to the rear wall and is in particular designed as a U-shaped hook.

[0021] The suspension device is fixedly connected to the rear wall and, for example, the rotational and / or tilting movements of the suspension device can be transferred directly to the transport bag. U-shaped hooks are a particularly simple and cost-effective means for implementing this type of suspension device.

[0022] Preferably, the coupling mechanism has at least one receiving space, preferably two receiving spaces, and a claw, preferably two claws, on the rear wall. In this case, the receiving space is designed to receive the closure element of the front wall such that the closure element of the front wall is held in the receiving space by the claws. In this case, the coupling mechanism has a release mechanism, by means of which the claws can be disengaged to release the closure element.

[0023] In this case, a "claw" refers to a device that is activated simply by the movement of a closure element into the receiving space, allowing reception, but which cannot be easily opened again, in particular without the action of a force on the release mechanism. In an embodiment with two claws, the release mechanism can be designed to release only one claw or to release both claws.

[0024] With this design of the coupling mechanism, the connection and disengagement of the front wall from the rear wall can be easily performed. In an embodiment with two claws, where the release mechanism releases only one of the two claws, the transport bag can be opened first only on the side where the claw is released, and the closure element of the front wall can slide out of the first receiving space. The transported objects then start to slide out of the transport bag through the opening that widens first on this side. As soon as the front and rear walls are disengaged on this side, the closure element can be released from the second receiving space, for example by sliding out laterally, without the need for the second claw to be released for this purpose. The transport bag can thus be opened in a way that the objects do not fall out more abruptly than if the transport bag was opened simultaneously on both sides.

[0025] In the case of the embodiment of the transport bag with a claw, the release mechanism preferably comprises a slider, in particular a rod guided along the rear wall, by means of which the claw is movable to release the closure element.

[0026] The slider, which activates the release mechanism of the coupling mechanism, makes it possible to bring about the release outside the lower region of the transport bag in which the coupling mechanism is located. Thus, for example, the slider can be guided along the rear wall, in particular along the outer edge, from the lower region of the transport bag to the upper region where the free end of the slider is exposed, in order to activate the release mechanism.

[0027] Alternatively or in combination with the slider of the release mechanism, the pawl can be provided with an actuating lever as a release mechanism. In this case, the actuating lever preferably extends to one side of the transport bag, i.e. when viewed from the front (or rear) towards the front (or rear) wall, the free end of the actuating lever faces the right or left side of the transport bag. The pawl and the actuating lever are preferably formed in one piece. An actuating lever of this kind can be actuated by an external actuating device of the overhead conveyor system, for example a roller which moves over the actuating lever as the transport bag is conveyed through the overhead conveyor system. As a result, the pawl is disengaged and the closure element is released.

[0028] Preferably, in the case of an embodiment of a transport bag with a receiving space, said receiving space is designed to receive and release from the front a closure element of the front wall.

[0029] "From the front" in this context means from the side facing the front wall. In other words, this means that the closure element can move backwards into the receiving space relative to the receiving space. For example, the receiving space can be stationary and the closure element can move backwards into the receiving space against the conveying direction in order to connect the front wall to the rear wall. It is also conceivable that the closure element is stationary and the receiving space moves forwards in the conveying direction towards the closure element. However, another possibility is that neither the closure element nor the receiving space is stationary but rather that, relative to each other, they move towards each other.

[0030] As a result of the design of the receiving space for receiving and releasing from the front, the front and rear walls can be easily coupled together and disengaged from each other in the lower area in the continuous operation of the overhead conveyor system, so that it is possible to avoid having to carry out a vertical movement of the front and / or rear wall in order to move the closure element into the receiving space, in particular.

[0031] Preferably, in the case of an embodiment of the bag having a receiving space, said receiving space is delimited by the tab and an edge of the rear wall opposite the tab.

[0032] Since the receiving space is bounded by the claw and the edge of the rear wall opposite the claw, a secure mounting of the closure element in the receiving space can be ensured by simple means, which prevents unintentional detachment of the front wall from the rear wall.

[0033] According to another aspect of the invention, a support hook is provided for supporting a transport bag of an overhead conveyor system, with a U-shaped hook as a hanging device. In this case, the support hook has a stationary bearing element with a contact surface for hanging and attaching the hanging device. The contact surface is delimited by a curved contour, which allows an upright rotation of the hanging device from a base orientation of about a quarter circle about a vertical axis extending through the contact surface, while at the same time providing a continuous movement of the hanging device along the vertical axis in the process, as the hanging device is pushed by gravity to the base orientation.

[0034] Here, "quarter circle" means a rotation of approximately 90° about a vertical axis, but deviations from this may be slight, preferably no more than 10°, and may be smaller or larger.

[0035] The design of the contour of the contact surface according to the claims makes it possible to ensure, by means of one support hook, two defined orientations of a transport bag suspended on the support hook with a U-shaped hook as the suspension device. In this case, the contour is formed in such a way that in the basic position, the U-shaped hook is suspended in a stable position in the contact surface, on whose surface the hook remains by gravity and cannot be removed without the action of a further force from outside. The contour is further formed in such a way that the rotation of the hook by the further action of a force simultaneously causes a movement against gravity to a second position, which can be defined by the contour, for example by a stop, and which continues to be assumed only under the action of a continuing force. In the absence of this force action, the hook tries to return again to the basic position by reverse rotation. In order to be able to switch the hook and thus the transport bag suspended on it between the two positions, only the action of a further force in one direction or its removal is required in addition to gravity. In particular, therefore, there is no need to reverse the force to bring about the reverse rotation. It is therefore particularly easily possible to rotate the transport bags carried by the support hooks in an overhead conveyor system as required, for example for filling from a loading station arranged to the right or left of the conveying direction. Due to the omission of moving bearing parts in the support hooks, this is further particularly low-maintenance, low-failure and easy to manufacture.

[0036] Preferably, the support hooks are designed to support a transport bag according to the above-mentioned aspects of the invention.

[0037] Preferably, the bearing elements of the support hook allow swinging of the suspension device about all axes in a horizontal plane.

[0038] The fact that the bearing elements allow the swinging of the suspension device around all axes lying in a horizontal plane, i.e. are not rigidly fixed, makes it possible to ensure that the transport bag can always assume a vertical position due to gravity. Torques that could otherwise occur on the support hooks due to deflections of the transport bag can thus be prevented, which protects the support hooks from overload and damage. At the same time, acceleration forces acting on the transport bag, for example due to starting or stopping of an overhead conveyor system, can be transformed into swinging of the transport bag around the bearing elements, and corresponding torques, which would otherwise be necessary for a rigid mounting, do not have to be absorbed by the bearing elements.

[0039] Preferably, the profile limits rotation of the suspension device about a vertical axis to a quarter circle.

[0040] As a result, it is possible to prevent the suspension device from being "over-rotated" by more than about 90°, and therefore the orientation of the transport bag supported by the support hook can be easily and reliably switched between the basic orientation and an orientation rotated relatively within a quarter circle thereto.

[0041] Preferably, at least two opposing sides of the support hook have an outer contour having a projection and a corresponding recess, which allows for staggering of adjacent support hooks.

[0042] The intentionally offsetting arrangement makes it possible to reduce the space taken up by the alternating support hooks on the overhead conveyor system, which is particularly advantageous when the support hooks are mounted on the overhead conveyor system without a transport bag. Furthermore, the offsetting arrangement offers the advantage that the bundle of alternating support hooks can be moved in a very stable manner and therefore more reliably and easily.

[0043] According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a transport device for an overhead conveyor system, the transport device comprising a transport bag according to the above aspect and a support hook.

[0044] The transport bag can be integrated into an overhead conveyor system via support hooks.

[0045] In this case, the support hook is preferably designed according to the above-mentioned embodiment.

[0046] In the case of such a preferred embodiment of the transport device, the filling opening of the transport bag can be particularly easily rotated, for example in order to feed the transport bag with articles from a loading station arranged at the side of the overhead conveyor system.

[0047] According to another aspect of the invention, an overhead conveyor system is provided having a plurality of the above-mentioned transport devices and a rail for transporting the transport devices, the transport devices being suspended on the rail by support hooks during transport. In this case, the overhead conveyor system has a loading station in which the rail is interrupted between the rail end and the rail start. The transport devices can in each case be transported in the loading station by support arms from the rail end to the rail start, and a loading device (loading device) for loading the transport bags is arranged between the rail end and the rail start.

[0048] In the loading station the rails are interrupted, but the transport bags can be transported by support arms instead of rails, so that the transport bags can be moved through the loading station and in the process of filling them with a continuous operation of the overhead conveyor system, i.e. without interrupting the transport operation. In the area of ​​the loading station, the transport device is suspended, thus omitting the rails extending above the transport bags, allowing the articles to fall from above into the transport bags without being hindered by the rails. For this purpose, a loading device, for example in the form of a ramp, can be oriented centrally relative to the transport bags. The overhead conveyor system according to the claims is therefore particularly suitable for automatic loading.

[0049] However, the use of transport bags according to the invention also makes it possible to bring them to the loading station in the above-mentioned loading position, which creates a gap between the front and rear walls, whereby, as is known from the prior art, the transport bags can then continue to be additionally loaded with goods, for example via a side gap of the transport bags, by an employee located on one side of the loading station.

[0050] Preferably, the support arms each have a support hook and / or a hanging device and / or a gripping device for gripping the back wall.

[0051] The gripping device allows the transport bag to be moved reliably from the rail to the loading station and vice versa. The gripping device thus serves for example to grip the support hooks and / or the hanging device and / or the rear wall of the transport bag already while still located on the rail. The gripping device can also be used to take away the freedom of movement of the transport bag relative to the support hooks, for example due to the hanging device. A transport bag gripped by this kind of gripping device can be rotated or tilted more easily.

[0052] Preferably, each of the support arms has a pivoting mechanism capable of pivoting one of the wall elements of the rear wall of the respective transport bag in order to move the transport bag into the loading position.

[0053] This allows the transport device supported by the support arm to be switched between a transport position in which both wall elements are in a vertical position and a loading position in which one wall element is in a horizontal position and the other wall element is in a vertical position. In this type of loading position, the filling opening is therefore directed upwards and to the side of the transport bag, which allows filling from above and from the side and generally simplifies filling. The pivoting mechanism preferably has a joint to which the gripping device is fixed and which in particular allows tilting the gripping device around an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the support arm. Furthermore preferably, the transport bag can be actively brought into the loading position by the pivoting mechanism, in particular by means of a drive device. In this case, the drive device can be electrical and / or mechanical.

[0054] The overhead conveyor system having a support arm with a swivel mechanism preferably further has at least one guide rail for positioning the transport bag in a loading position, the at least one guide rail being arranged such that during transport of the transport device only one of the two wall elements slides along the guide rail.

[0055] A guide rail of this kind can take all or part of the weight of the transport bag, thus freeing the support arm. Since only one of the two wall elements slides along the guide rail, the guide rail serves to tilt the two wall elements towards each other, using gravity.

[0056] According to another aspect of the invention, an overhead conveyor system is provided, which comprises a plurality of transport devices as described above, which transport devices have support hooks according to the above aspect and rails for transporting the transport devices, which transport devices are suspended on the rails by the support hooks during transport. In this case, the overhead conveyor system has a loading station for loading one of the transport devices in each case. The loading station has a device for rotating the transport bags about a quarter circle about a vertical axis and for relatively pivoting the wall elements connected to one another in a pivotable manner in order to set a filling opening for lateral loading in the loading station.

[0057] In the case of overhead conveyor systems of this kind, the loading station can be arranged at the side of the rail. This is advantageous, for example, when an arrangement above the rail supporting the transport device is not possible due to lack of space. Allowing the transport bags to be loaded sideways means that loading can take place from a lower position than if loading were exclusively from above. The loading station can therefore be arranged below, which makes the overhead conveyor system more space-saving. However, overhead conveyor systems that can rotate the transport bags around a vertical axis for loading can also be arranged upstream or downstream in the conveying direction in combination with the overhead conveyor systems described above.

[0058] The rails are preferably formed continuously through the loading station.

[0059] As a result, it is possible to avoid repositioning the transport device to another transport element in the area of ​​the loading station, for example to a support arm which takes over the transport.

[0060] The loading device of the overhead conveyor system according to the above aspects preferably comprises a ramp, a conveyor belt, or a slide.

[0061] This makes it possible to fill the transport bags using simple means, especially in the case of ramps or slides that rely only on gravity. In this case, the packaging of the articles with which the respective articles placed at the loading station are intended to be loaded can take place at a location different from the loading station. The articles can be moved from the location where they are packaged to the loading station by means of ramps, conveyor belts or slides.

[0062] Further advantages and developments of the invention become apparent from the following description of the figures and from all the claims, in which the features individually recited in the claims can be combined with one another in any desired and technically meaningful manner and can be supplemented by exemplary material from the description, in which further embodiments of the invention are shown. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0063] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of an empty transport device in a closed transport position.

[0064] [Diagram 2] FIG. 13 is a front perspective view of a further embodiment of a transport device in an open position.

[0065] [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the transport device of FIG. 1 in a loading position.

[0066] [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view from below of the transport device of FIG. 3 in an open position.

[0067] [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the coupling mechanism of the transport device of FIG. 4.

[0068] [Figure 6a] FIG. 4 is a semi-transparent isometric view of a closure portion of the transport device of FIG.

[0069] [Figure 6b] FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view of a closure having a slider for disengaging the pawls;

[0070] [Figure 6c] 6b shows the closure of FIG. 6b with the cover in place.

[0071] [Figure 6d] FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view of the closure having an actuating lever on the pawl for disengaging the pawl;

[0072] [Figure 6e] FIG. 6c shows the closure of FIG. 6d in which a cover is placed having a recess from which the actuating lever protrudes outwards.

[0073] [Figure 7] 13 shows a further variation of the coupling mechanism that allows the claw to move downward for release.

[0074] [Figure 8] 1 shows a coupling mechanism that allows the pawl to be moved upward for release.

[0075] [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a support hook for supporting the transport bag.

[0076] [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a detailed view of the support hook of FIG. 9 with a shipping bag suspended therefrom.

[0077] [Figure 11] 1 shows multiple interleaved support hooks.

[0078] [Figure 12] 1 illustrates an overhead conveyor system in which transport devices are carried through a loading station by support arms.

[0079] [Figure 13] 13 shows a gripping process by a gripping device provided on a support arm of the overhead conveyor system shown in FIG. 12.

[0080] [Figure 14a] 1 shows a frame structure of a transport bag having a frame portion to which a first C-shaped frame is rotatably attached.

[0081] [Figure 14b] 14b shows the frame structure of FIG. 14a in a loading position for a transport bag.

[0082] [Figure 15] 1 shows an overhead conveyor system in which the transport device is rotated for loading by a side loading device.

[0083] [Figure 16] For the overhead conveyor system of FIG. 15, we show how the stops effect the rotation process of the transport device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0084] 1 is a rear perspective view of an empty transport device 1 according to the invention. The transport device 1 is in a closed transport position. The transport device 1 comprises a transport bag 10 and a support hook 40 which supports the transport bag 10. The transport bag 10 comprises a U-shaped hook as a hanging device 11 by which it is suspended from the support hook 40.

[0085] Furthermore, the transport bag 10 has a front wall 12 and a rear wall 13, which are in each case connected to one another in the upper and lower regions. The rear wall 13 has a coupling mechanism 14, which will be described below. The rear wall 13 is formed from two wall elements 15, 16. The upper wall element 15 has, as part of the outer edge 22 of the rear wall, substantially only one first C-shaped frame 17. In this case, the central part of the first C-shaped frame 17 forms the upper edge of the transport bag 10. A central trapezoidal frame part 18 of the first C-shaped frame 17 serves for fastening the suspension device 11. The first C-shaped frame 17 surrounds the upper part of the filling opening 19 of the transport bag 10.

[0086] The lower wall element 16 has a second C-shaped frame 20 which together with the first C-shaped frame 17 forms the outer edge 22 of the rear wall 13. The two free ends of the first C-shaped frame 17 are connected to the free ends of the second C-shaped frame 20 via joints 21. The joints 21 allow the lower wall element 16 to be tilted relative to the upper wall element 15 about a common joint axis G. In this case, the lower wall element 16 is guided inside the upper wall element 15. In the transport position, the wall elements 15, 16 hang down approximately vertically.

[0087] The bottom wall element 16 further has a support wall 23 for supporting the transported articles, which wall extends between the second C-shaped frames 20. In this case, however, the support wall 23 covers only a part of the surface traversed by the second C-shaped frames 20. The upper surface of the bottom wall element 16 remains free, which, together with the surface traversed by the first C-shaped frames 17, forms the filling opening 19 of the transport bag 10.

[0088] In the lower region of the bottom wall element 16, a closure 28 is in each case provided on both sides as part of the connecting mechanism 14 which will be explained in more detail below.

[0089] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the two wall elements 15, 16 are made of a dimensionally stable plastic material. However, embodiments are also conceivable in which the wall elements 15, 16 comprise metal. It is also conceivable that the wall elements 15, 16 comprise a flexible material. For example, the support wall 23 can be manufactured from a material that is preferably planar, with mesh-like materials being less preferred but not excluded.

[0090] Figure 2 is a front perspective view of a further embodiment of the transport device 1 in an open state, also in the transport position. Identical and corresponding elements of the transport device 1 from figure 2 and from one of the remaining figures can be designated with the same reference numbers. In this embodiment, the front wall 12 is made of a flexible material and covers substantially the entire rear wall 13 of the transport bag 10. In the described embodiment, the front wall 12 and the rear wall 13 are connected to each other at their upper side so that they can pivot relative to each other. For this purpose, the front wall 12 has a horizontal pin 24 on its upper side, which pin extends through a first seam 25 of the front wall 12. The horizontal pin 24 is attached at its two ends to a first C-shaped frame 17 of the rear wall 13. On the lower side, the front wall 12 has a second seam 26 through which a closure element 27 extends. In the described embodiment, the closure element 27 is also a pin.

[0091] In the transport position shown in Fig. 2, the closure element 27 is not received in the closure 28 and the front wall 12 and the rear wall 13 are separated from each other in the lower area. However, it is nevertheless clearly visible that in the empty state of the transport bag 10 the front wall 12 and the rear wall 13 are close to each other. This allows the empty transport device 1 to be stored or transported in a space-saving manner in the suspended state, but loading of the transport bag 10 through the filling opening 19 in this state is only possible to a limited extent, since the articles introduced through the filling opening 19 must first push the front wall 12 away from the rear wall 13. For loading the transport bag 10, it is provided that the wall elements 15, 16 are inclined relative to each other, as will be explained below.

[0092] 3 is a rear perspective view of the transport device 1 from FIG. 1 in the loading position, in which the transport bag 10 is ready to receive objects. In this case, the upper wall element 15 is horizontal, inclined by approximately 90° about the joint axis G relative to the wall element 16. This inclination means that a filling volume is formed in the transport bag 10. At the same time, only the upper part of the filling opening 19 faces upwards, while the lower part still faces to the side, so that objects can be easily introduced through the filling opening 19 both from above, as indicated by arrow A, and also from the side, as indicated by arrow B. Furthermore, a side opening 36 provides a loading position between the front wall 12 and the rear wall 13, which opening can likewise be used for loading from the left and / or right side relative to the rear wall 13.

[0093] On the right side of the rear wall 13, a slider 33 extends vertically along the outer edge 22 as part of a release mechanism, which in the embodiment described in FIG. 3 is a rod that is partially guided in the second C-shaped frame 20 in order to release the closure element 27 (not shown in FIG. 3) from the closure 28. The slider 33 has a free end in the area of ​​the joint 21. In the loading position, the free end of the slider 33 is particularly easily accessible for active actuation, for example by an actuator. However, it is also conceivable that in the loading position the transport device 1 moves through a roller, which moves over the free end of the slider 33 and thus actuates it. A force applied to the free end of the slider 33 is transmitted via the slider 33 to the other end of the slider in order to move a claw 29 (not shown in FIG. 3), which will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 5. It is contemplated that in embodiments of the present invention the release mechanism does not have a slider 33 for disengaging the pawl 29, but rather is an electromechanical actuator that is actuated via a control signal, for example.

[0094] Figure 4 is a perspective view from below of the transport device 1 from Figure 3 in the open state. The closure elements 27 are released from the closures 28 on both sides. To unload the transport bag 10, it is preferably in the inclined position shown in Figure 4. As a result, the released front wall 12 swings away from the rear wall 13 and the transported items fall downwards through the resulting opening and exit the transport bag 10.

[0095] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the closure part 28 of the coupling mechanism 14 of the transport device 1 from FIG. 4. The closure part 28 has a funnel-shaped opening 30 that tapers in the direction of the rear wall 13. The funnel-shaped opening 30 facilitates the insertion of the closure element 27 into the closure part 28. In the embodiment described in FIG. 5, the claw 29 is designed in the form of a spring-loaded catch and rises from the underside of the funnel-shaped opening 30 in the manner of a ramp in the direction of the support wall 23, but does not reach the support wall 23 at all. A receiving space 31 is formed between the edge 34 of the rear wall and the rear end of the claw 29, in which there is space for the closure element 27 (not shown in FIG. 5). To close the transport bag 10, the closure element 27 is guided towards the rear in the funnel-shaped opening 30. In this case, it slides over the claw 29, i.e. the spring-loaded catch, which is thereby pressed downwards and releases the receiving space 31 towards the front. As soon as the closure element 27 passes through the spring catch, it is pushed upwards again by the spring force and the receiving space 31 is automatically closed. The closure element 27 is thus blocked between the claw 29 and the edge 34 of the rear wall and secured against disengagement. By means of a slider 33 (not shown in FIG. 5 ), the spring catch can be pushed downwards, so that the closure element 27 is released from the receiving space and can move out of it.

[0096] The mode of operation of the closure 28 is again evident in Fig. 6a, which shows the closure 28 of the transport device 1 from Fig. 3 from the rear in an enlarged semi-transparent isometric view. The claw 29 is attached to a spring 35. The pressure of the slider 33 on the claw 29 allows said claw to move downwards against the spring force of the spring 35, so that the closure element 27 is unlocked. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6a, the slider acts only on the left claw 29. However, other embodiments are also conceivable in which the slider 33 can unblock the other claw 29 via a link or in which a second slider is provided for the other claw.

[0097] 6b is an enlarged perspective view of the closure 28 with a slider 33 for disengaging the pawl 29. The end of the slider 33 is designed to rest on a part of the pawl 29 when the slider 33 is actuated. In the example shown, the pawl 29 is mounted to swing about the pawl axis 32 and can be reset by a spring (not shown). If the slider 33 is now displaced further, the pawl 29 swings about the pawl axis 32 against the restoring direction or force of the spring and drops down and moves away, so that the closure element 27 can leave the closure 28 unhindered.

[0098] Figure 6c shows the closure 28 from figure 6b with a cover 38 in place, which protects the internal mechanisms of the closure 28 from damage.

[0099] FIG. 6d shows an enlarged perspective view of another closure 28, in which the claw 29 is provided with an actuating lever 37 for disengaging the claw 29. In the illustrated example, the claw 29 and the actuating lever 37 are formed integrally, but this is generally not necessary. The actuating lever 37 projects to one side of the transport bag 10 when viewed from the front wall 12 (or the rear wall). This therefore constitutes the laterally most projecting part of the closure 28. The actuating lever 37 serves to be actuated by an actuating means (not shown) during the transport of the transport bag 10 in the overhead conveyor system. Preferably, the actuating device is a roller that moves on the actuating lever 37. As in the case of the closure 28 shown in FIGS. 6b and 6c, the claw 29 pivots about the claw axis 32 for disengaging the closure element 27.

[0100] Figure 6e shows the closure of figure 6d in which a cover 38 is arranged having a recess 39 into which the actuating lever 37 projects outwardly. The recess 39 is formed in such a way that the actuating lever 37 can move unhindered therein, at least to the extent that the pawl 29 can be pivoted sufficiently to disengage the closure element 27.

[0101] 7 shows a detailed view of a further variant of the fastening mechanism 14 of a further transport bag 10. In the figure, only the front wall 12 of the transport bag is shown. The closing process of the transport bag 10, by means of which the closure element 27 is received from the front along the funnel-shaped opening 30 into the receiving space 31, is shown by arrows in FIG.

[0102] 8 shows a coupling mechanism 14 for a further transport bag 10, in which the claws 29 can be moved upwards in order to release the closure element 27. With such an embodiment of the transport bag 10, it can be designed more compact towards the bottom, since no space needs to be provided underneath the transport bag 10 for the claws 29 to fit in.

[0103] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a support hook 40 for supporting a transport bag 10. In the upper region, the support hook 40 has a hook so that it is integrated into an overhead conveyor system. Below that, the support hook 40 has a pair of rollers 50 that can slide on rails of the overhead conveyor system (see, for example, rails 101 in FIGS. 12 and 15). In its lower region, the support hook 40 has a bearing element 41, in which a hanging device 11 in the form of a U-shaped hook of the transport bag 10 can be suspended. The support hook 40 extends substantially along a vertical axis V. The bearing element 41 comprises an opening 49 through which the U-shaped hook is introduced. Furthermore, the bearing element 41 comprises a contact surface 42 with a curved profile along which the vertical axis extends. The curved profile is formed in such a way that the contact surface 42 forms a horizontal well transversely to the vertical axis V, in which well the U-shaped hook of the transport bag 10 rests in its basic orientation. Moreover, the curved profile is formed in such a way that the U-shaped hook can rotate about the vertical axis V, moving in a sliding manner along the contact surface 42 in the process, exiting the well upwards in the direction of the vertical axis. The contact surface 42 is designed so that the U-shaped hook is in its highest position after a quarter circle rotation. Rotations beyond about 90° are prevented by the two bars 45. The curved profile of the contact surface 42 has two inclined or rounded sides 46, only one of which, in front of the right bar 45, is visible in the perspective view shown in FIG. 9. The other inclined side 46 is located on the side of the bearing element 41 facing away from the view, behind the left bar 45. The inclined side 46 allows the U-shaped hook to slide again from its highest position to take up its basic orientation in the well, driven only by gravity, without any force holding it permanently, and with a quarter circle rotation in the other direction.

[0104] Figure 10 is a detailed view of the support hook 40 from Figure 9 with the transport bag 10 suspended in a basic position. As mentioned above, in this case the suspension device 11 in the form of a U-shaped hook is located in a well in the contact surface 42. The described shape of the bearing element 41 not only allows the rotation of the suspension device 11 about a vertical axis V, but rather also a swinging about an axis located in the horizontal plane spanned by the x and y directions shown in Figure 10.

[0105] 11 shows a number of alternating support hooks 40. In each case the support hooks 40 have, on mutually opposing bars 45, a projection 47 and a recess 48 which engage in a corresponding projection 47 and recess 48 of an adjacent hook.

[0106] FIG. 12 shows an overhead conveyor system 100, in which the transport devices 1 are transported by support arms 105 through a loading station 104. The transport direction of the support arms 105 in the loading station 104 is identified by the arrow F. The rail 101, along which the transport devices 1 are transported in a suspended manner, is interrupted in the area of ​​the loading station 104 between the rail end 102 and the rail start 103. In this area, a racetrack-shaped carousel 106 is arranged, around which the support arms 105 run. The direction of rotation of the carousel 106 is identified by the arrow K. To transport the transport devices 1 through the loading station 104, they are received at the rail end 102 on the support arms 105 by means of a gripping device 108, as will be explained in more detail below. The support arms 105 then extend along the straight line of the carousel 106 together with the supported transport devices 1.

[0107] In the region of the interrupted rail 101, a pair of horizontally extending guide rails 117 are provided, which center the transport bag 10 to be transported below the support arms 105. By means of the guide rails 117, the transport bag 10 is brought into a loading position, as will be explained below. The distance between the two guide rails 117 is selected to approximately correspond to the width of the upper wall element 15 of the transport bag 10, but to be greater than the width of the lower wall element 16 of the transport bag 10. Thus, when the transport bag 10 supported by the support arms 105 enters the loading station, the upper wall element 15 of the transport bag 10 strikes the guide rails 117, and the lower wall element 16 can move unhindered between the two guide rails 117.

[0108] The support arm 105 comprises a swivel mechanism 116. In the embodiment shown, the swivel mechanism 116 is merely a joint, on which the gripping device 108 is rotatably mounted. However, an embodiment in which the entire support arm 105 is rotatably mounted about its longitudinal axis is easily conceivable. The upper wall element 15 gripped by the gripping device 108 can be rotated into a horizontal position by the swivel mechanism 116. Thus, in the further course of the transport, the transport bag 10 is pulled from the support arm 105 onto the guide rail 117, and the upper wall element 15, while rotating, is placed down in a horizontal position on the guide rail 117. The guide rail 117 thus serves for the sliding transport of the transport bag 10 through the loading station 104 and supports most of the weight of the transport bag 10. The lower wall element 16, which extends inside the upper wall element 15 and is tiltable relative to it, hangs down vertically inside the guide rail 117. The transport bag 10 thus placed in the loading position is pulled from the support arm 105 under the loading device 107 during the further course of transport. Since no rails 101 are arranged in the area of ​​the loading station 104, the transport bag 10 which is in the loading position and open at the top can be loaded from above by the loading device 107 in the embodiment shown as a conveyor belt. It is preferable to match the conveying speeds of the carousel 106 and the conveyor belt. It is also conceivable for the loading to take place via a ramp or slide, as long as the supply frequency thereof matches the frequency of the passing transport devices 1. Furthermore, loading via a robot is also conceivable.

[0109] It is further contemplated that the pivoting mechanism 116 may have an active drive that allows the transport bag 10 to be rotated into the loading position. In such an embodiment, the guide rails 117 may be omitted.

[0110] The guide rail 117 ends before the rail start 103, so that as soon as the upper wall element 15 leaves the guide rail 117, the transport bag 10 swings back by itself under the influence of gravity into the transport position in which the two wall elements 15, 16 are oriented substantially vertically. Furthermore, in this case the support hook 40 is again oriented so that it can be inserted into the rail 101. At the end of the straight line of the carousel 106, the transport device 1 is placed from the support arm 105 onto the rail start 103 and disengaged from the gripping device 108, from where it continues to pass through the overhead conveyor system 100. In the straight line after the carousel, the support arm 105 returns to the rail end 102 to again receive the approaching transport device 1.

[0111] To remove and insert the transport device 1 into the rail 101, each support arm 105 comprises a gripping device 108. This gripping device 108 without the associated support arm 105 is shown in FIG. 13 for different stages of the gripping process. To explain the gripping process, only a detail of the rear wall 13 of the transport bag 10 to which the front wall 12 is not fixed is further shown. The gripping device 108 has a substantially planar body, which has a joint receiving part 115 on its rear side for rotatably coupling to a joint of the swivel mechanism 116 of the support arm 105 from FIG. 12. Furthermore, the planar body has a lip 109 on its underside. Between the lip 109 and the body a groove 111 is formed, the width of which is adjusted to the width of the first C-shaped frame 17 in the region of the trapezoidal frame part 18. Furthermore, the body has a gripping hook 110 in the center of its front side. This hook is designed so that it can penetrate the opening of the hanging device 11, by means of which the transport bag 10 is suspended in the support hook 40. Furthermore, the gripping hook is designed to form the bearing element 41 of the support hook and the seat of the hanging device 11 of the transport bag 10. The gripping device 108 is brought close to the rear wall 13 in such a way that the groove 111 lies below the trapezoidal frame part 18 of the rear wall 13. At the same time, in this case the gripping hook 110 is pressed into the free opening of the U-shaped hanging device 11 and lies below the bearing element 41. The gripping device 108 is then moved vertically upwards with respect to the transport bag 10. For this purpose, for example, the gripping device 108 can be actively moved towards the transport bag 10 and / or the transport bag 10 can be actively moved towards the gripping device 108. However, embodiments are also conceivable in which the transport bag 10 is likewise dropped onto the gripping device 108 using only gravity. As a result, the trapezoidal frame portion 18 is located in the groove 111. In the process, the bearing element 41 and the hanging device 11 are placed in the gripping hook 110. The gripping device 108 described above fixes the transport bag 10 during the gripping process, i.e. prevents rotation of the hanging device 11 relative to the bearing element 41. This prevents any movement, rotation and / or pivoting of the support arm 105, which would result in uncontrolled movement of the transport device 1.The gripping device 108 is detached from the transport bag 10 in the reverse order. Using the gripping device 108 described above, it is possible to grip the transport device 1 from the rear side or from the front side. However, on the front side, the front wall 12 must have a recess in its upper area, for example as shown in FIG. 1, through which the gripping device 108 can grip the rear wall 13.

[0112] As mentioned above, in the case of the overhead conveyor system 100 of FIG. 12, the support arm 105 has a swiveling mechanism 116, the associated gripping device 108 has a joint receiver 115 for rotatably coupling to a joint of the swiveling mechanism 116, or is itself rotatably mounted so as to be able to rotate the top wall element 15, which is substantially formed from a first C-shaped frame 17 and a trapezoidal frame part 18 formed in a manner rotatably fixed thereon, into a horizontal position. However, a solution is also conceivable in which the trapezoidal frame part 18 is rotatably connected to the first C-shaped frame 17. A transport bag 10 having a frame structure of this kind can be brought into a loading position without the need for the loading station 104 to have the above-mentioned features ensuring the rotation of the top wall element 15. The rotatability of the top wall element 15 is made possible by means of the transport bag 10 itself, while the top wall element is grasped by the gripping device. This is advantageous because if the transport device 1 according to the present invention is intended to be used with an existing overhead conveyor system and loading station located therein that does not have any of the components shown in FIG. 12, such as the swivel mechanism 116 or the rotatably mounted support arm 105, the costs of retrofitting the existing overhead conveyor system are reduced.

[0113] A transport device 1 with such a frame structure is shown in Fig. 14a. Unlike in the case of the transport devices 1 shown so far, the trapezoidal frame part 18 and the first C-shaped frame 17 are not formed integrally, i.e. are not rotationally fixed, but rather the trapezoidal frame part 18 is connected to the first C-shaped frame 17 via a second joint axis R, which runs substantially parallel to the joint axis G of the transport bag 10. If a gripping device, such as the gripping device 108 shown in Fig. 13, engages with the rotatably mounted trapezoidal frame part 18 in order to remove the transport device 1 (for example as shown in Fig. 12) from the rail 101, the rotation of the top wall element 15 required for opening the transport bag 10 can be performed by the rotation of the first C-shaped frame relative to the trapezoidal frame part 18.

[0114] The relative rotation of the first C-shaped frame 17 with respect to the trapezoidal frame section 18 in the loading position of the transport device 1 is shown in FIG. 14b.

[0115] In the embodiments of the transport bag 10 shown so far, the frame portion 18 is generally referred to as "trapezoidal", but in the respective embodiments it may have any other shape suitable for being gripped by a gripping device, in particular a rectangular or triangular shape, and may also be provided so as to be flush with the first C-shaped frame 17 and not to protrude in shape.

[0116] FIG. 15 shows an overhead conveyor system 100 in which the loading station 104 is designed for loading from the side. The conveying direction is again indicated by the arrow F. In this embodiment, the overhead conveyor system 100 has a continuous rail 101. Upon entering the loading station, each transport device 1 is rotated laterally by about 90° by a stop (not shown). This rotation process is explained in more detail below with reference to FIG. 16. After the rotation process, the filling opening 19 of the transport bag 10 faces the laterally arranged loading device 107, which in the illustrated embodiment is a ramp. When the transport bag 10 reaches the height of the ramp, the overhead conveyor system is stopped so that the transport bag 10 stops in front of the ramp. Then, by a swiveling device 113 arranged on the opposite side of the ramp, the rear wall 13 of the transport bag 10 is tilted and the transport bag 10 opens. For this purpose, the swiveling device 113 has two swiveling arms 114 arranged approximately at a distance corresponding to the width of the upper wall element 15, but wide enough to encircle the front wall 12 of the transport bag 10. As indicated by the arrow M, the swiveling device 113 enters the loading station 104 in the direction of the loading device 107, and in the process, the swiveling arms 114 move under the upper wall element 15. As a result, it is raised and the transport bag 10 is brought into the loading position. In this loading position, the objects can slide from the loading device 107 into the open transport bag 10. The overhead conveyor system 100 is then activated again and the transport device 1 is transported out of the loading station 104. As soon as the transport bag has passed the stop and been transported, it rotates under the effect of gravity and returns to its basic orientation.

[0117] In the illustrated embodiment, the pivot arm 114 is inclined at an angle to the horizontal, so that the upper wall element 15 of the transport bag 10 is not in a completely horizontal position in the loading position, but rather in an inclined position. However, due to the size of the filling opening 19, it is not necessary to move the upper wall element 15 to a horizontal position.

[0118] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 15, the lower wall element 16 of the rear wall 13 hangs down substantially downwards in a vertical position. However, embodiments are also conceivable in which the lower wall element 16 is inclined obliquely in the loading position of the transport bag 10. This can be achieved, for example, by means of an additional stop against which the lower wall element 16 is pressed when the swiveling device 113 enters. The advantage of an obliquely inclined lower wall element 16 of the rear wall 13 is that sensitive articles can slide along the rear wall 13 into the transport bag 10 during filling without being damaged.

[0119] FIG. 16 shows various stages of the turning process by means of a stop 112 provided in the overhead conveyor system 100 of FIG. 15. For the purpose of illustration, only the stop 112 and the transport device 1 are shown in cross section. The stop 112 is arranged on one side of the conveying direction. When the transport device 1 moves beyond the stop 112, it hits the stop with its outer edge 22, which results in a torque around the vertical axis V of the transport device 1. In this case, the stop 112 is arranged relative to the rail 101 so that it can cause a rotation of about 90°. Preferably, the overhead conveyor system 100 of FIG. 15 has a plurality of such stops so that the rotational position of the transport device can be maintained over a longer conveying distance. The stop 112 can be designed as a continuous stop rail extending laterally of the rail 101 in the area of ​​the loading station. Preferably, this kind of stop rail can have an inclined course in the entrance area of ​​the loading station, the distance from the transport device 1 decreasing in the conveying direction. As a result, the transport device 1 does not rotate abruptly about the vertical axis V, but rather gradually. [Explanation of symbols]

[0120] 1 Transport device 10 Transport Bag 11 Suspension device 12 Front wall 13 Back wall 14 Coupling mechanism 15 Upper wall element 16 Lower wall element 17 First C-frame 18 Trapezoidal frame part 19 Filling opening 20 Second C-frame 21 Joint 22 Outer Edge 23 Supporting wall 24 Horizontal Pin 25 First Seam 26 Second Seam 27 Closure elements 28 Closing part 29 Nails 30 funnel-shaped opening 31 Reception Space 32 Claw axis 33 Slider 34 Edge of rear wall 35 Spring 36 Side opening 37 Operating lever 38 Cover 39 Recess 40 Support Hook 41 Bearing elements 42 Contact surface 45 Bar 46 Sloped Side 47 Protrusion 48 Recess 49 Aperture 50 Lola 100 Overhead Conveyor System 101 Rail 102 Rail End 103 Rail start 104 Loading Station 105 Support Arm 106 Carousel 107 Loading Device 108 Gripping device 109 Lip 110 Grasping hook 111 Groove 112 Stop part 113 Swivel 114 Swivel Arm 115 Joint receiving part 116 Swivel Mechanism 117 Guide Rail G joint axis R Second joint axis V vertical axis

Claims

1. 1. A transport bag for an overhead conveyor system comprising: a suspension device for suspending the transport bag from a support hook, a front wall, and a rear wall, the rear wall being capable of being coupled to and detached from the front wall by a coupling mechanism in a lower region of the rear wall; the front wall comprises a flexible, planar material; the rear wall comprises two wall elements pivotally connected to one another and shaped together to form a filling opening of the transport bag, the filling opening extending partially across the two wall elements; Transport bag.

2. the two wall elements of the rear wall are dimensionally stable along the outer edge of the rear wall and are tiltable relative to each other about a joint axis, preferably the two wall elements are an upper wall element and a lower wall element, the upper wall element having a first C-shaped frame and a frame part provided in the middle of the first C-shaped frame, more preferably the frame part is attached to the first C-shaped frame so as to be pivotable about a second joint axis extending substantially parallel to the joint axis, 2. The shipping bag of claim 1.

3. one of the two wall elements comprises a planar, in particular dimensionally stable, material; 2. The shipping bag of claim 1.

4. The suspension device is fixedly connected to the rear wall and is in particular designed as a U-shaped hook.

2. The shipping bag of claim 1.

5. the coupling mechanism comprises at least one receiving space, preferably two receiving spaces, and a claw, preferably two claws, on the rear wall; the receiving space is designed to receive a closure element of the front wall such that the closure element is held in the receiving space by the claws, the coupling mechanism includes a release mechanism capable of disengaging the pawls to release the closure element; 2. The shipping bag of claim 1.

6. the release mechanism is provided on a slider, in particular a rod guided along the rear wall, and / or on the claw, in particular an actuating lever extending to one side of the transport bag, so that the claw is movable to release the closure element.

6. The shipping bag of claim 5.

7. the receiving space is designed to receive and release the closure element of the front wall from the front, 6. The shipping bag of claim 5.

8. The receiving space is bounded by the claw and an edge of the rear wall opposite the claw.

6. The transport bag of claim 5.

9. A support hook for supporting a transport bag of an overhead conveyor system, the support hook having a U-shaped hook as a hanging device, the support hook has a stationary bearing element having a contact surface for suspending and supporting the suspension device; the contact surface is bounded by a curved profile that allows for upright rotation of the suspension device from a quarter-circle home orientation about a vertical axis extending through the contact surface, and in the process simultaneously provides for continuous movement of the suspension device along the vertical axis as the suspension device is pushed by gravity into the home orientation; Support hook.

10. The transport bag has the features of claim 1.

10. A support hook according to claim 9.

11. The bearing elements allow the suspension device to swing about all axes lying in a horizontal plane.

10. A support hook according to claim 9.

12. the profile limits rotation of the suspension device about the vertical axis to a quarter circle; 10. A support hook according to claim 9.

13. At least two opposing sides of the support hook have an outer contour with a protrusion and a corresponding recess to permit staggering of adjacent support hooks.

10. A support hook according to claim 9.

14. 10. A transport device for an overhead conveyor system comprising the transport bag of claim 1 and a support hook.

15. The support hook is designed to be a support hook according to claim 9.

15. The transport device of claim 14.

16. 15. An overhead conveyor system comprising a plurality of transport devices according to claim 14 and a rail for transporting said transport devices, The transport device is suspended from the rail by the support hook during transportation; the overhead conveyor system includes a loading station where the rail is interrupted between a rail end and a rail start; Each of the transport devices can be transported by a support arm from the rail end to the rail start within the loading station; a loading device for loading the transport bag is disposed between the rail end and the rail start; Overhead conveyor system.

17. The support arms each have a gripping device for gripping the support hook and / or the hanging device and / or the rear wall.

17. The overhead conveyor system of claim 16.

18. each of said support arms has a pivoting mechanism capable of pivoting one of said wall elements of said rear wall of said respective transport bag in order to move said transport bag into a loading position; 17. The overhead conveyor system of claim 16.

19. and at least one guide rail for moving the transport bag to a loading position, the at least one guide rail being arranged such that one of the two wall elements slides along the guide rail during transport of the transport device.

17. The overhead conveyor system of claim 16.

20. 16. An overhead conveyor system comprising a plurality of the transport devices of claim 15 and rails for transporting the transport devices, The transport device is suspended from the rail during transportation by the support hook; the overhead conveyor system has in each case a loading station for loading one of the transport devices, the loading station having a device for rotating the transport bag about a quarter circle about the vertical axis and for pivoting the wall elements pivotably connected to one another relative to one another in order to set the filling opening for lateral loading at the loading station via a loading device arranged at the side of the rail, Overhead conveyor system.

21. The rail is formed continuously through the loading station.

21. The overhead conveyor system of claim 20.

22. The loading device comprises a ramp, a conveyor belt, or a slide.

20. An overhead conveyor system according to any one of claims 16 to 19.

Images