Transfer device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a transfer device (20) configured to: receive the transported goods (9) from an upstream conveying section (10a) in a receiving area (26a), to transport the transported goods (9) at least temporarily in a conveying area (26f) in a conveying direction (FR), in particular in a conveying plane (FE), and to selectively transfer the transported goods (9) in the direction of a transfer area (3) arranged transverse to the conveying direction. The transfer device (20) comprises a plurality of belt carriages (21) arranged circumferentially along guides (23) for at least temporary movement in a conveying direction (FR), particularly in a conveying area (26f), the belt carriages including conveying belts (24) which at least temporarily form a support surface (241) for the conveyed items (9), the conveying belts (24) being selectively movable, particularly in a lateral direction (Q) perpendicular to the conveying direction (FR) and simultaneously parallel to the conveying surface (FE), for selective lateral transfer of the conveyed items (9).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a transfer device.

Background Art

[0002] WO2020 / 025329A1 discloses a cross-belt sorter configured as a horizontal sorter. This cross-belt sorter includes a plurality of conveyor carriages arranged front and back in the traveling direction. Each conveyor carriage includes a cross-belt on which an object to be conveyed can be placed. The cross-belt is movable in the lateral direction and is aligned laterally with respect to the traveling direction. In order to sort the objects to be conveyed, the cross-belt is selectively driven, whereby the objects to be conveyed are accelerated laterally as viewed from the conveying direction and are transferred (discharged) downward from the conveyor carriage. Such a cross-belt sorter is characterized in that it can accurately transfer the objects to be conveyed even at a high conveying speed. Such a cross-belt sorter is a large facility that requires an area exceeding 100 square meters.

[0003] To supply (feed) the objects to be conveyed to the cross-belt sorter, a side feeder (so-called infeed) is usually used, which guides the objects to be conveyed to the cross-belt sorter at an acute angle with respect to the conveying direction of the cross-belt sorter. Alternatively, it is also possible to use a so-called top loader that drops the objects to be conveyed onto the conveyor carriage from above.

[0004] DE20201204830U1 discloses a cross-belt sorter configured as a vertical sorter. The conveyor carriage is returned within a plane vertically below the conveying surface of the object to be conveyed. All the objects to be conveyed placed on the vertical sorter are transferred laterally in front of the rear end or are collected at the last collection station. Due to the change in the vertical direction, unlike the horizontal sorter, the objects to be conveyed cannot be returned to the starting point of the circuit. The conveyor carriage of the vertical sorter is of the same size as the horizontal sorter and requires a large deflection radius.

[0005] The conveyor carriage of the cross-belt sorter is sized to fully accommodate the conveyed items. Therefore, the general length in the conveying direction is 50 - 100 cm. Due to the size of the conveyor carriage and the associated deflection radius of the conveyor carriage, a large amount of space is required for the installation of the cross-belt sorter. Furthermore, access to the cross-belt sorter needs to be widely protected by a fence to avoid the risk of injury from the moving carriage.

[0006] There is no need to prepare an expensive cross-belt sorter for transferring items in the middle of a modular belt conveyor line or a roller conveyor line. The solutions commercially available under the names "Interroll High Performance Divert 8711" and "Interroll Transfer RM 8731" are suitable for installing one or more transfer stations following a belt conveyor or a roller conveyor line, or between multiple conveyor lines.

[0007] In the case of "Interroll Transfer RM 8731", the conveyed item is fully decelerated in the conveying direction during transfer and then accelerated in the transfer direction perpendicular to the conveying direction.

[0008] Both "Interroll Transfer RM 8731" and "Interroll High Performance Divert 8711" can only be operated at a very low conveying speed compared to the conveying speed of the cross-belt sorter.

[0009] The above-described solution can be used modularly on a roller conveyor line or a belt conveyor line. The advantage of such a transfer unit is that, in contrast to a cross-belt sorter, in particular, an article can be supplied onto the transfer device within the conveying plane. Also, another roller conveyor line or belt conveyor line can be arranged immediately downstream in the conveying direction of the compact transfer unit, through which the conveyed goods that have not been transferred can be easily conveyed to the next station.

Summary of the Invention

[0010] The object of the present invention is to provide an improved transfer device that can be used flexibly, especially together with other conveyor lines. In particular, the transfer device has performance comparable to that of a cross-belt sorter, but requires significantly less installation space and labor, and as a result, is significantly less expensive.

[0011] The underlying object of the present invention is solved by the transfer device, conveyor system, and use according to the independent claims. Embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims and the description.

[0012] The conveyor belt is designed to provide a support surface for the conveyed goods in the conveying direction. Also, the conveyor belt is designed to transfer the conveyed goods laterally. Furthermore, the conveyed goods can be placed on the conveyor belt having a high coefficient of friction. As a result, the reliability of lateral transfer is very high even at a high conveying speed.

[0013] In one embodiment, the conveying speed in the conveying direction is at least 1.5 m / s, preferably at least 2.0 m / s, and more preferably 2.5 m / s.

[0014] Here, the belt carriage refers to the upper device including the conveyor belt. The belt carriage can also include, in addition to the conveyor belt, belt rollers, a belt carriage frame, and guide rollers for guiding the belt carriage along the guide. The guide is attached to a frame, especially a fixed frame.

[0015] In contrast to the cross-belt sorter, the transfer device can be arranged, in particular modularly, between the upstream conveyor line and the downstream conveyor line. The conveyed item is sent to the conveyor plane and, if not transferred by the transfer device, is handed over again to the downstream conveyor line in the conveyor plane.

[0016] The belt carriage itself and / or the conveyor belt have a relatively short overall length in the conveying direction. Therefore, it is possible to make the vertical deflection radius very small. This small deflection radius is advantageous for receiving from the upstream conveyor line or handing over to the downstream conveyor line in the conveying direction on the conveying surface. This can be a prerequisite for integrating the transfer device modularly into a cost-effective belt and / or roller conveyor line.

[0017] In the belt conveyor system, a conveyor belt is provided, in particular attached to a fixed frame. The conveyor belt is arranged around at least two deflection rollers and can move in a circulating manner. On the upper surface of the conveyor belt, the conveyed item can be moved in the conveying direction.

[0018] The roller conveyor line is provided with a large number of conveyor rollers. In particular, the conveyor rollers are attached to a fixed frame. The conveyor rollers are at least partially driven by a motor, and one or more of the conveyor rollers can be designed as motor rollers. The conveyor rollers define a conveying surface on which the conveyed item is placed and conveyed. During the conveying process, the conveyed item is always placed on at least two rollers simultaneously.

[0019] In one embodiment, the length of the transfer device is at most 10 m, in particular at most 7 m.

[0020] The conveying belt can in particular be a poly-V belt or a toothed belt. Preferably, the upper run of the conveying belt is slidably placed on a flat base on the belt carriage. Thereby, the use of support rollers can be omitted. Normally, there is no relative movement between the belt carriage and the conveying belt, and it is necessary to consider that this is only when the conveyed item is actually transferred. In this case, the friction generated between the conveyed item and the belt carriage can be tolerated.

[0021] The term "conveying surface" should be understood broadly and does not necessarily require a mathematically precise plane. Rather, the term "conveying surface" should be regarded as being distinguished from the drop transitions that occur in extreme forms in the presented top loader. In this regard, the conveying surface can specifically have a slight height difference within a range of up to 7 cm, in particular up to 4 cm.

[0022] The conveying direction and / or the conveying surface can be extremely small at the receiving point or the delivery point, especially when the first conveying section or the second conveying section is curved. However, the conveying direction at the receiving point or the delivery point has a continuous path in particular.

[0023] In one embodiment, the transfer device is adapted for use when the length (width) of the smallest side of the conveyed item is at most 120 mm, in particular at most 100 mm, preferably at most 90 mm. Of course, the transfer device can also convey larger conveyed items. In particular, the transfer device is adapted to convey a conveyed item with a smallest side length of 120 mm.

[0024] Any suitable conveyed item is dimensioned to rest simultaneously on at least two adjacent conveying belts.

[0025] The length of the relevant side should be understood as the outer boundary line of the conveyed object visible in the top view when the conveyed object is placed on the conveying surface with its largest side, particularly a flat surface. For this reason, the height (also called thickness) of the transport envelope is not considered as the side length in this regard.

[0026] In particular, the conveyor belt is positively drivably connected to the drive wheel. In particular, the conveyor belt is a toothed belt having a ridge on the lower surface that functions to engage with a gear as the drive wheel.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 14

Figure 15

Figure 16

Figure 17

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0028] Figures 1 and 2 show an embodiment of a cross-belt sorter 90 having a plurality of conveyor carriages 91. The plurality of conveyor carriages are movable in the conveying direction FR and are arranged front and back along the conveying direction. A cross-belt 92 is arranged on the upper part of each conveyor carriage 91. Thereby, the upper surface of the cross-belt 92 forms a support surface for the conveyed object 9 and at the same time defines a conveying surface FE. In the intended use, the smallest article that may be conveyed is placed on at most one carriage 91 and one cross-belt 92. Extra-large articles can also be placed on and conveyed by two or more carriages 91 and cross-belts 92 at the same time. Each carriage has a length in the conveying direction of at least 50 cm.

[0029] A plurality of transfer stations 93 are provided, where the conveyed object 9 can be selectively removed from the conveyor carriage 91 and conveyed to a transfer area 94 provided on the side of the conveyor carriage 91. For this purpose, a cross belt 92 operates on the conveyor carriage 91, whereby the conveyed object is accelerated and finally moves in a direction transverse to the conveying direction FR.

[0030] The feeding area 99 is provided for loading the conveyed object 9 onto one of the carriages 91. The conveyed object 9 is first provided on the feeding conveyor line 98, and on it the conveyed object 9 is moved along the feeding direction E towards the conveyor carriage 91.

[0031] In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the feeding direction E is arranged at an acute angle of about 30° to 60° with respect to the conveying direction FR when viewed from above, whereby the feeding direction E can be located within the conveying plane FE. The two directions E and FR intersect at a confluence point 97 (also referred to as "merging"). At the confluence point 95, the conveyed object is transferred from the feeding conveyor line 98 to the conveyor carriage 91. To pick up the conveyed object with the conveyor carriage, the cross belt can be Conveyance moved in a lateral direction Q (right or left) orthogonal to the direction.

[0032] In the configuration shown in FIG. 1, it is also possible to exactly align the feeding direction E with the conveying direction FR when viewed from above. However, in that case, it is necessary to arrange the feeding conveyor line 98 above the conveyor carriage 91. And the conveyed object is transferred onto the conveyor carriage 91 from a plane above the conveying plane FE. Such a feeding section is also called a "top loader" and is shown in FIG. 2.

[0033] Neither a prior art cross-belt sorter configured as a horizontal sorter nor one configured as a vertical sorter can receive an article from a conveyor line 98 that guides the article toward the receiving area in the conveying direction FR and the conveying surface FE of the cross-belt sorter. Also, the cross-belt sorter cannot deliver the article to a downstream conveyor line where the article is delivered in the conveying direction FR and the conveying surface FE of the cross-belt sorter at the delivery area.

[0034] The large conveyor carriage of the cross-belt sorter moving within the circuit always requires a large installation space, especially to change the direction of the conveyor carriage and return it to the feeding area 99 on the return path R. In the case of a vertical sorter (Figure 2), the deflection radius U of the cross-belt surface is approximately 1 m. As a result, the length of the gap becomes large, so that a roller conveyor or a belt conveyor cannot be directly connected upstream or downstream in the conveying direction FR. In the case of a horizontal sorter (Figure 1), the turning radius exceeds 1.5 m.

[0035] Figure 3 shows a conveyor system 1 having a sorting function according to the present invention. A plurality of devices 10, 20 for conveying an article 9 are arranged in sequence along the conveying direction FR. The article 9 is first supplied via a conveyor line 10a. Thereafter, they are delivered to a first transfer device 20a. Subsequently, there are further conveyor lines 10b, 10c and further transfer devices 20b, 20c, and the transfer device 20 is arranged between two conveyor lines 10. The conveyor lines can be of any design, such as roller conveyor lines 10a, 10d or belt conveyor lines 10b, 10c.

[0036] The transfer device 20 can selectively branch the selected article 9 from the conveying direction FR and convey it to a transfer area 3 arranged laterally with respect to the conveying direction FR. The transfer area is offset laterally with respect to the transfer device 20 in the conveying direction FR. For this purpose, the article 9 is accelerated in the lateral direction Q for at least a short time.

[0037] The conveyor line 10 can be a roller conveyor or a belt conveyor adapted to convey the article 9 along a predetermined conveying direction FR. The conveying direction FR can also have a curved path, for example, in the case of a belt curve or a roller curve. What is important here is that the conveyor system 1 forms a continuous conveying surface FE from the first conveying section 10a via the transfer device 20 to the fourth conveying section.

[0038] The transfer device 20 can basically be implemented in a prior art conveyor system by the "Interroll High Performance Divert 8711" or "Interroll Transfer RM 8731" described at the beginning. In the present invention, the transfer device 20 is designed as described below.

[0039] Figs. 5 to 10 show the details of the transfer device 20 according to the present invention and will be described below in conjunction therewith.

[0040] The transfer device 20 has, for example, a frame 28 with four legs (Fig. 5). The transfer device 20 forms a conveying surface 201 on which the article 9 can be conveyed in the conveying direction FR. The conveying surface 201 defines the conveying surface FE.

[0041] The transfer device 20 includes a guide 23 along which a plurality of belt carriages 21 are arranged. The belt carriages 21 are movably arranged on the guide 23 so that they move along a circuit. On the first side (here the upper side), the belt carriage Conveyance moves in the direction FR. At the receiving position 26a, the conveyed item 9 is received from the upstream conveyor line 10a and placed on the upper side of the belt carriage 21. At the delivery position 26b, if the conveyed item 9 is not transferred laterally, it is delivered to the downstream conveyor line 10c and placed on the upper side of the belt carriage 21.

[0042] Each belt carriage 21 carries a conveyor belt 24, and the longitudinal extension of the conveyor belt 24 is aligned in the lateral direction Q (see FIG. 3). The conveyor belt 24 protrudes above the belt carriage 21, thereby forming a support surface 241 that defines a conveying surface FE, on which a stationary conveyed object 9 is placed. Since the entire belt carriage 21 moves at a basic speed v0 together with the conveyed object 9, no large force is transmitted between the conveyor belt 24 and the conveyed object 9 on the conveyor belt 24 due to inertia.

[0043] The belt carriage is driven in the conveying direction by a drive 29. The drive can comprise a motor 291 and a separate gear unit 292 (FIG. 5). Alternatively, the drive can be designed as a drum motor 29 (FIG. 6).

[0044] Therefore, the conveyed object 9 is conveyed by the belt carriage 21. Conveyance The belt carriage 21 is conveyed in the direction FR (FIG. 6). During the conveying, the individual conveyed objects 9 can be selectively unloaded laterally. The unloaded conveyed objects 9 reach a transfer area 26b which leads to the downstream conveyor line 10b. The unloaded conveyed objects 9 are then handed over to the downstream conveyor line 20b. In the rear deflection area 25b, the belt carriage 21 turns around, in this case downwards, and then reaches the front deflection area 25a along the return path R. The belt carriage is then transferred to the rear deflection area 25b. In the front deflection area 25a, the belt carriage 21 turns around upwards and returns to the receiving area 26a, where the conveyed objects 9 can be picked up again.

[0045] Note that the area after the receiving area 26a and before the delivery area 26b is referred to as the conveying area 26f. Here, the conveyed object 9 is in contact with the belt carriage 21. The conveyed object 9 intended to be used with the conveyor system as intended has at least such a large size as to rest on at least two belt carriages 21 when it is completely placed in the conveying area 26f, especially in contact with the conveying belts of two adjacent belt carriages. Smaller conveyed objects may enter the space between two adjacent conveying belts 24 and thus cannot be conveyed reliably, in which case reliable transfer is not ensured.

[0046] A special feature is that at the receiving position 26a, the conveyed object 9 is continuously received from the upstream conveyor line 10a in the conveying direction FR. This means that especially at the transfer device 20a and also at the upstream conveyor line 10a, the conveyed object is guided in the same conveying direction FE both when viewed from above and when viewed from the side, and is conveyed on the common conveying surface FE by both the upstream conveyor line and the subsequent transfer device 20. Such receiving and delivery were impossible with prior art cross-belt sorters.

[0047] In the deflection area 25, the belt carriage 21 is displaced downward in any case. While changing its orientation in the deflection area, the support surface 241 moves along a downwardly curved track path UB (FIG. 6). The track path has a deflection radius U20 centered on the deflection axis U of, for example, 110 mm, at least in those sections. Due to the small deflection radius, continuous receiving / delivery of the conveyed object in the conveying direction FR and on the conveying surface FE becomes possible.

[0048] A drum motor 29 can be provided as a drive unit in the radially inner area between the belt carriages (as an alternative to the example of FIG. 5). The drum motor can be designed as an integrated unit including an electric motor and a gear unit.

[0049] The gap in the transport plane FE between the first conveyor line 10a and the transfer device 20 can be covered by a passive gap bridge 12 (Fig. 6). The passive gap bridge 12 provides a support surface without the presence of conveyor rollers or other conveyor elements. The maximum length l12 of the gap bridge 12 in the transport direction FR depends on the minimum size of the transported item 9. In order to continuously move in the transport direction FR, it is necessary to always ensure that the transported item is placed on at least one moving transport element (for example, roller 11, belt carriage 21, transport belt 24). In an alternative embodiment, the gap bridge can be actively designed. In this case, there is a small conveyor unit in the gap, and this conveyor unit includes, for example, a plurality of poly V-belts arranged in parallel. These belts can be moved in the transport direction to apply a driving force to the transported item in the gap.

[0050] In the transport area 26f, two consecutive belt carriages 21 can be brought closer to each other so that the gap size of the gap between two adjacent belt carriages 21 is within a preset maximum value. In particular, the maximum value is small enough that a finger cannot enter the gap. In the deflection areas 25a, 25 b Since the gap between adjacent belt carriages 21 inevitably becomes larger due to the curved path, there is a possibility that the user may insert a finger into the large circumferential gap 25L (see the hand schematically shown in Fig. 6). In order to prevent the risk of injury in this area, an intermediate surface 222 for closing the circumferential gap 25L is provided. Figs. 7 and 8 show the function of the intermediate surface 222 is shown.

[0051] The intermediate surface 222 can, in particular, prevent a flat transported item (see Fig. 11) from entering the gap between the belt carriages. Such entry is possible, in particular, in the receiving area 26a (see Fig. 6). This is because the transported item first Support hits the surface 241, and at the same time, the gap between the two carriages can become particularly large when the carriage changes direction.

[0052] A protective cover can be provided in the deflection area 25a, and this protective cover is arranged radially outside the belt carriage 21 in the deflection area 25. This serves a role similar to that of a mudguard around a bicycle wheel and can prevent unintentional engagement with the circumferential gap. 25S A protective cover can be provided in the deflection area 25a, and this protective cover is arranged radially outside the belt carriage 21 in the deflection area 25. This serves a role similar to that of a mudguard around a bicycle wheel and can prevent unintentional engagement with the circumferential gap.

[0053] The belt carriage 21 forms a closed surface together with the support surface by the conveyor belt and the laterally adjacent guide surfaces (Figs. 7, 8, 9). The guide surface 212 is statically fixed to the belt carriage frame 211 of the belt carriage (Fig. 9). In the conveying area, the guide surfaces 212 of the adjacent belt carriages 21 abut against each other to form a closed surface. In the deflection area 25, the circumferential gap described above is formed between the guide surfaces 212 of the adjacent belt carriages 21, and this circumferential gap is directly closed by the intermediate surface 222 that appears in the gap.

[0054] The intermediate surface 222 may be part of an arbitrary intermediate carriage 22 arranged between two adjacent belt carriages 21 (Fig. 9). The intermediate surface 222 is supported by the intermediate carriage frame 221 of the intermediate carriage. The intermediate carriage 22 itself can have rollers so as to be guided by the guide 23 of the transfer device 20. Alternatively, the intermediate carriage frame 221 may be supported by one or both of the adjacent belt carriages.

[0055] Fig. 8 shows the intermediate surface 222 and the guide surface 212 provided on the belt carriage 21 in a longitudinal section. The intermediate surface 222 has a concave shape facing upward. The guide surface 212 covers the intermediate surface 222, especially half of it, when the carriage is outside the deflection area.

[0056] In particular, a kind of trough is formed on the intermediate surface, and on its side wall, the guide surface 212 is in contact with the conveying area. The guide surface 212 has a downward-facing surface on its lower side, and that surface is in contact with the intermediate surface. In the deflection area, the guide surface 212 slides along the intermediate surface to its outer end, whereby the intermediate surface 222 is released from the guide surface 212. In particular, the guide surface 212 is inclined downward so as to engage with the concave "trough" of the intermediate surface in the guide area.

[0057] The length L20 of the transfer device is about 3 - 5 m. This length is taken as the length of the conveying area. Additional components can be ignored.

[0058] Driving the conveyor belt 24 in the transverse direction Q can basically be carried out as described in DE19801706A1. Based on FIG. 10, the modifications to this according to the present invention will be described.

[0059] The conveyor belt 24 includes an upper run 24 o and a lower run 24u. The upper run 24o forms a support surface 241. The lower run 24u is frictionally drivably connected to the drive pulley 312. By rotating the drive pulley 312, the conveyor belt 24 begins to move so that the support surface 241 moves in the transverse direction Q. The conveyor belt 24 is driven by the drive pulley 312.

[0060] The drive pulley 312 is drivably connected to the driven pulley 311, and the drive pulley 312 and the driven pulley 311 are coaxially arranged on a common drive shaft A312. There is no need to interpose a gearbox. The driven pulley 311 and the drive pulley 312 move in the conveying direction FR together with the belt carriage. The driven pulley 311 and the drive pulley 312 are non-rotatably connected to each other, and here they are exemplarily connected by a shaft connection part 315. It is also possible to integrally connect the driven pulley and the drive pulley.

[0061] The driven pulley 311 is selectively driven by a fixed control flap 313, as already known from DE19801706A1. The control flap 313 can be selectively switched by a flap actuator 314 between a driving state (right flap in FIG. 10) and an idle state (left flap in FIG. 10). The driven pulley 311 passes through the fixed control flap 313 together with the conveyor belt in the conveying direction FR. When the control flap 313 is in the driving state, driving torque is transmitted from the control flap to the driven pulley 311. The driving torque is used to drive the conveyor belt. In order to transmit the driving torque from the control flap 313 to the driven pulley 311, it is necessary to arrange the axis of the driving wheel perpendicular to the conveying direction FR.

[0062] The driving wheel and the driven wheel can be dimensioned such that slip in the frictional connection between the control flap 313 and the driven pulley 311 or between the driving pulley 312 and the conveyor belt 24 and the associated speed loss are compensated by an increase in the transmission ratio.

[0063] The lower run 24u is twisted, in particular by 90°, with respect to the upper run 24o. For this reason, the driving pulley 312 can be arranged coaxially with the driven pulley 311 and at the same time can be connected to the lower run 24z in a power-transmitting manner. For this reason, bevel gears such as those in DE19801706A1 are obsolete. The twist of the lower run is only possible due to the narrow width of the conveyor belt. Furthermore, the bevel gear would have to be made very small to fit this embodiment.

[0064] To guide the conveyor belt, various belt rollers 214 are provided. The first belt roller 214a is provided to guide the upper run 24o so as to be able to form a support surface 241 arranged on the conveying surface FE. The second belt roller 214b is provided to guide the lower run such that the lower run is in power-transmitting contact with the driving wheel and is arranged in a loop shape, in particular in the section around the driving pulley 312. The first beltRoller 214a and the rotation axis of Of the shaft The rotation axes A312 are arranged so as to be orthogonal to each other.

[0065] FIG. 4a shows the conveyed object 9 during the conveying process on the transfer device 20 together with a schematic velocity vector. vF indicates the velocity in the conveying direction FR, vQ indicates the velocity in the lateral direction Q of the conveyed object 9, and v9 indicates the absolute velocity as a result of vector addition of the partial velocities vF and vQ.

[0066] FIG. 4b shows a diagram of the velocities vF, vQ, and v9 during the transfer process of the conveyed object on the transfer device according to the present invention. In the first stage I, the conveyed object 9 is conveyed in the conveying direction FR on the belt carriage. The absolute velocity v9 corresponds to the velocity vF in the conveying direction predetermined by the movement of the belt carriage in the conveying direction.

[0067] In the second stage II, the conveyor belt is driven, whereby the conveyed object is also moved laterally at the velocity vQ. By adding the vectors, the absolute velocity v9 becomes larger than the velocity vF in the conveying direction.

[0068] In the third stage III, the conveyed object 9 leaves the conveyor line and is no longer moved in the conveying direction by the belt carriage. Compared with the second stage II, the article is further conveyed at a lower absolute velocity v9. The velocities vF and vQ depend on the orientation of the transfer area 94.

[0069] The width B24 of the conveyor belt in the conveying direction FR is, for example, 16 mm (FIG. 7). The length L21 of the belt carriage in the conveying direction is, for example, 50 mm (FIG. 7). The lateral extension X21 of the belt carriage is, for example, 1,000 mm (FIG. 10). The lateral extension X24 of the conveyor belt is, for example, 1,000 mm (FIG. 10).

[0070] FIG. 11 shows the smallest possible conveyed object 9, and in one embodiment, the conveyed object 9 is conveyed as intended and transferred as necessary by the transfer device according to the present invention. The conveyed object 9 is the height of the conveyed objectH9 is conveyed so as to protrude vertically upward as the minimum dimension.

[0071] The height H9 can be made small as necessary. In particular, in the case of a transport envelope, the height can be several millimeters, particularly less than 10 millimeters. The width B9 and length L9 of the conveyed object are referred to as the side lengths in the present application, which are relevant below. Since the height H9 is independent of the support surface, it does not become a relevant side length.

[0072] The width B9 represents the smaller of the side lengths, and the length L9 represents the larger of the side lengths. Even in an extreme case, the width B9 is not less than the height H9 and not greater than the length L9. In an extreme case, the width B9 may be equal to the length L9 and the height H9, in which case the conveyed object becomes, for example, a cube, and the following conditions also apply.

[0073] The conveyed object 9 is conveyed so that the surface defined by the two side lengths L9 and B9 is placed on the conveying surface. That is, this becomes the largest side surface. If the conveyed object is placed on one of the other smaller side surfaces, the conveyed object will usually fall over when passing over the transfer device at the latest. For this reason, the conveyed object is placed on the conveying surface with the largest side surface.

[0074] Whether the conveyed object can be reliably conveyed or transferred depends on the dimensions of the base area. If the conveyed object has a "minimum" side length / width B9 that is too small, it cannot be reliably placed on the two conveying belts 24 at the same time, and thus there is a risk of being stationary by friction on the guide surface 212 (FIG. 8) that does not move laterally. In this case, reliable transfer is impossible.

[0075] An exemplary conveyed object for using the transfer device has a minimum side length B9 of 120 mm and a height of 4 mm.

[0076] FIG. 12a shows a schematic view of an embodiment of the above-described transfer device in a normal operating state. Carriages 21, 22 are shown, which can optionally be a belt carriage 21 or an intermediate carriage 22. In this regard, the present embodiment is applicable to both types of carriages. The carriage has guide rollers 231, and they are supported on the support surface 281 of the frame. An opposite embodiment where the guide surface of the carriage is supported by the guide rollers of the frame is also conceivable. Furthermore, it is also possible to provide slide elements instead of the guide rollers. In summary, this refers to the main guides 231, 281 of the carriages 21, 22 with respect to the frame 28. The total load force FL of the load is supported via the main guides 231, 281.

[0077] For example, one requirement for the stability of the transfer device is, in particular, the need to support a person standing on the transport surface, for example for maintenance purposes.

[0078] Since the carriage is a movable part, it needs to be as light as possible. Also, as described above, the small size of the carriage is also a great advantage. As a result, a conflict of objectives to be solved occurs.

[0079] Also, for good directional stability, it is desirable to make the roller spacing in the X direction as large as possible, and at the same time, it should be noted that in order to minimize noise, friction, and cost, the number of rollers needs to be as small as possible.

[0080] FIG. 12b shows an example of a special state where a person, for example, stands on the transfer device with their feet, for example, on the support surface 241 of the conveyor belt 24, the guide surface 212 of the belt carriage frame, or the intermediate surface 222 of the intermediate carriage 22. 12a In this case, a weight load of 100 kg or more can occur at each point.

[0081] The carriages 21, 22 are provided with auxiliary guides 232, 282 therefor. The auxiliary guides include an auxiliary support 232 and an auxiliary surface 282. The auxiliary support 232 can include rollers 232a or fixed support elements 232b, such as slide blocks. It can be seen that the auxiliary support is arranged to be in a load-bearing state only when the load applied to the carriage reaches a specific value (special state in Fig. 12b). In the load-bearing state, the auxiliary support provides a supporting force FS. Here, the auxiliary support 232 is in contact with the auxiliary surface 282. This is caused by a specific elasticity within the carriages 21 , 22.

[0082] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 12, the carriage frames 211, 221 are elements that provide the necessary elasticity by being bendable.

[0083] Fig. 13 shows a variant. Here, the carriages 21, 22 have spring elements 233, by which the rollers of the main guide 231 are elastically held on the carriage frames 211, 221. When an overload occurs, the entire carriage frame moves vertically downward until the auxiliary guide 232、 282 transitions to the load-bearing state (Fig. 13b). At this time, the spring element 233 is elastically deformed by the overload.

[0084] Figs. 14 and 15 show cross-sectional views of embodiments of the carriage, which are different from the carriage as shown in Figs. 7 - 9. Only the differences will be described below. Regarding this, the descriptions of other features and operating modes can also be applied to this embodiment.

[0085] For ease of explanation, Fig. 16 includes an enlarged cross-sectional view of the conveyor belt 24.

[0086] The conveyor belt 24 has a stepped configuration on the upper surface 24O that forms the support surface 241. For this reason, the central portion of the upper surface 24O forms the support surface 241. On the left and right sides thereof, respective holding surfaces 242 are formed. The support surface 241 protrudes upward from the holding surface 242. The holding surface 242 and the support surface 241 are arranged parallel to each other along the longitudinal direction of the conveyor belt 24 (= the lateral direction Q, see FIG. 7).

[0087] On the lower surface 24U of the conveyor belt 24, drive protrusions 243 protruding downward are provided at equal intervals. In this regard, the conveyor belt 24 is a toothed belt in particular. The conveyor belt 24 is connected to a drive pulley 312 (see FIG. 10) via a positive drive connection. The drive pulley 312 is designed as a toothed wheel for this purpose. With the positive drive connection, the tension of the conveyor belt can be kept low. This brings an advantageous effect against friction and dynamics (rapid acceleration of the belt).

[0088] The transfer device is operated at a relatively high conveying speed. Also, the deflection radius U20 (see FIG. 6) is relatively small. For this reason, a high centrifugal force C is generated in the deflection regions 52a, 25b (FIG. 15), and this acts on the carriages 21 , 22 and their components in those regions (see also FIG. 6).

[0089] In particular, regarding the upper run of the conveyor belt, since the centrifugal force C may have an influence, it is necessary to consider the centrifugal force C.

[0090] The free movement of the upper run of the conveyor belt 24 following the centrifugal force C is restricted here by the downholder 218. The downholder 218 is arranged above the holding surface 242. When the belt carriage 21 is arranged in the planar conveying region 26f, no centrifugal force acts on the belt carriage 11. As soon as the belt carriage enters either one of the deflection regions 25a, 25b, the centrifugal force C acts radially outward on the conveyor belt 24 (FIG. 15).

[0091] The downholder 218 restricts the lifting of a part of the conveyor belt 24 caused by centrifugal force. If not, the lifted conveyor belt 24 may start to vibrate, so this downholder reduces the occurrence of possible noise. In the conveying area 26f, the conveyor belt is arranged with a clearance with respect to the downholder 218. For this reason, the downholder 218 does not generate large friction when the conveyor belt is moved in the lateral direction Q. While the conveyed object 24 is located in the deflection area 25a, the lateral movement of the conveyor belt 24 is not necessary, so the contact of the conveyor belt 24 with the downholder 218 caused by centrifugal force does not cause harmful effects here.

[0092] On the one hand, it is necessary for the conveyor belt 24 to be able to form a good frictional connection with the conveyed object. On the other hand, the conveyor belt needs to be held by the belt carriage with as little friction as possible.

[0093] Here, the conveyor belt 24 is formed to have a relatively high frictional capacity on its upper surface 24O, while the conveyor belt is formed to have a relatively low frictional capacity on its lower surface 24U. In the present application, the frictional capacity represents a measure indicating how large the coefficient of friction with the same friction partner becomes. A material with a high frictional capacity forms a higher coefficient of friction with the same friction partner (for example, steel) than a material with a low frictional capacity.

[0094] The different frictional characteristics can be achieved by various means. For example, the different friction values can be brought about by different surface states (rough or smooth, coated Or or uncoated) on the respective surfaces. Alternatively, the upper surface 24O of the conveyor belt 24 can be formed of a material different from that of the lower surface 24U of the conveyor belt 24.

[0095] The downholder 18 is preferably designed and arranged such that when the conveyor belt is deflected laterally (arrow P1 in Fig. 16), the conveyor belt 24 contacts the downholder on the low-friction lower surface 24U (arrow P2 in Fig. 16) and does not contact the high-friction upper surface 24O.

[0096] In the embodiments of Figs. 14 and 15, the guide surface 222 is attached to the belt carriage 21. Belt When the carriage is in the conveying area 26f, the guide surface 212 is located below the intermediate surface 222.

[0097] The intermediate surface 222 is arranged on the intermediate carriage 22. The circumferential gap existing between the intermediate carriage 22 and Belt the carriage is covered by the intermediate surface 222 and the guide surface 212. Further, an elastomeric element 223 is provided that can contribute to covering the circumferential gap between the intermediate surface 222 and Belt the carriage. In this regard, the elastomeric element 223 is arranged below the intermediate surface 222 and overlaps the intermediate surface when viewed in the conveying direction F. This overlap occurs regardless of whether each carriage is located in the deflection area 25a or the conveying area 26f.

[0098] For this reason, the elastomeric element 223 can contact both the portion of the carriage that moves relative to each other Belt and the portion of the intermediate carriage. In the embodiment, this contact may not be avoidable. It should be noted that the carriage can be moved many times, and very precise guidance is only achievable when extreme tolerances are maintained. Therefore, placing a distance between them is impossible without a relatively large gap, which is not preferable for safety reasons.

[0099] Designing as an elastomeric element has the effect of reducing noise. At the same time, since the intermediate surface 222 is disposed on the elastomeric element, it remains an element that can come into contact with the conveyed material. In particular, the intermediate surface is made of metal or plastic having a relatively smooth or low-friction surface.

[0100] In an alternative embodiment, the elastomeric element 223 is in any case disposed on the belt carriage 21 and can project in the direction of the intermediate carriage 22. And the guide surface 212 is disposed on the intermediate carriage 22.

[0101] FIG. 17a shows a section of the belt carriage 21 in one embodiment, and the following description applies to the intermediate carriage 22 as far as possible. The basic structure of the carriage is also shown in FIG. 17b.

[0102] The belt carriage frame 211 has a multi-part structure and particularly includes left and right base carriers 211G that form a kind of chassis. The base carriers 211G can be arranged at a distance from each other or can be fixedly connected to each other. The rollers 215 for guiding the carriage on the frame 28 (FIG. 5) are in any case attached to the base carriers 211G. The belt carriage 21 can also be attached to the drive belt 27 on the base carrier 211G.

[0103] The cross-carrier 211Q is disposed between the two base carriers 211G and particularly spans the distance between the two base carriers 211G. The conveyor belt 24 is attached to the cross-carrier. In particular, the entire guide and drive device of the conveyor belt 24 shown in FIGS. 10, 10 for example is also disposed on the cross-carrier 211Q.

[0104] The cross carrier 211Q can be removed separately from the base carrier 211G from the transfer device. To do this, first loosen the fixing screw 211S that fixes the cross carrier 211Q to the base carrier 211G. After loosening the fixing screw, move the latch 211R (which is a movable component of the base carrier 211G in this case) from the locked position to the released position (arrow P1 in Fig. 17a). The latch recess 211A on the cross carrier 211Q can be seen, and within this recess, the latch engages only in the locked position and does not engage in the released position. After the latch has moved to the released position, the cross carrier 211Q can be removed from the transfer device together with the conveyor belt 24, for example, for maintenance (arrow P2 in Fig. 17a).

[0105] Fig. 14 shows the connection of the drive belt 27 to each carriage, particularly the belt carriage 21 and / or the intermediate carriage 22. The drive belt 27 is designed as a toothed belt. The connection pin 271 engages with the teeth of the drive belt. The connection pin 271 is firmly connected to each carriage. If the carriage is of a multi-part design, for example, as shown in Fig. 17, the connection pin can be fixed to the base carrier 211G, so that, as shown in Fig. 17, the cross carrier can be removed individually.

Explanation of symbols

[0106] 1 Conveyor system 3 Transfer area 9 Conveyed object 10 Conveyor line 11 Conveyor roller 12 Gap bridge 20 Transfer device 201 Conveyor surface 21 Belt carriage 211 Belt carriage frame 211G Base carrier 211Q Cross carrier 211S Fixing screw 21 1 R Latch 21 1 A latch recess 212 guide surface 214 belt roller 215 cross guide roller 2 18 downholder 22 intermediate carriage 221 intermediate carriage frame 222 intermediate surface 223 elastomer element 23 guide 231 guide roller 232 auxiliary support 233 spring element 24 conveyor belt 24o Upper run 24u Lower run 24O upper surface 24U lower surface 241 support surface 242 holding surface 243 Driving projection 25a, 25b deflection regions 25L circumferential gap 25S protective cover 26a receiving region 26f conveying region 26b handover region 27 drive belt 271 connecting pin 28 frame 281 support surface 282 auxiliary surface 29 drive device 291 motor 292 gearbox 31 belt drive device 311 driven pulley 312 drive pulley 313 control flap 314 flap actuator 315 shaft connection part 90 Cross-belt sorter outside the scope of the claims 91 conveyor carriage 92 Cross Belt 93 Transfer Station 94 Transfer Area 97 Merge Point 98 Feed Conveyor Line 99 Feed Area V Velocity v9 Absolute Velocity of the Conveyed Object vF Velocity in the Conveying Direction vQ Velocity in the Direction Orthogonal to the Conveying Direction B24 Width of the Conveyor Belt in the Conveying Direction L21 Length of the Belt Carriage in the Conveying Direction X21 Lateral Extension of the Belt Carriage X24 Lateral Extension of the Conveyor Belt FR Conveying Direction FE Conveying Surface Q Lateral Direction E Feeding Direction A Conveying Direction R Return Path U Deflection Radius (Radius of Curvature in the Deflection Area) UB Circulation Path U Deflection Axis W Turning Radius A312 Drive Shaft of the Drive Pulley 312 H9 Height of the Conveyed Object B9 Minimum Side Length / Width of the Conveyed Object L9 Maximum Side Length / Length of the Conveyed Object L20 Length of the Transfer Device FS Support Force FL Load Gravity C Centrifugal Force

Claims

1. A transfer device (20), - Receiving the conveyed item (9) from the upstream conveyance section (10a) at the receiving area (26a), - Conveying the conveyed item (9) at least temporarily within the conveyance area (26f) in the conveyance direction (FR), particularly on the conveyance surface (FE), and - Configured to selectively transfer the conveyed item (9) in the direction of the transfer area (3) arranged transversely to the conveyance direction, The transfer device (20) is provided with a plurality of belt carriages (21), which are circumferentially arranged along the guide (23) so as to move in the conveyance direction (FR) at least temporarily, particularly in the conveyance area (26f), The belt carriage includes a conveyor belt (24), The conveyor belt (24) at least temporarily forms a support surface (241) for the conveyed item (9), The conveyor belt (24) is selectively movable in a lateral direction (Q) orthogonal to the conveyance direction (FR), particularly and simultaneously parallel to the conveyance surface (FE), for selective lateral transfer of the conveyed item (9), A gap (25L) is particularly temporarily formed between two adjacent belt carriages (24), and this gap is designed to be enlarged in the deflection area (25) compared to the conveyance area (26f), The gap (25L) is entirely covered in the deflection area (25) by an intermediate surface (222) so as to prevent at least partial intrusion of the conveyed item into the gap, A transfer device, characterized in that when the belt carriage is arranged in the conveyance area (26f), the intermediate surface (222) and the belt carriage partially overlap.

2. In the transfer device according to claim 1, The transfer device (20) further - A transfer device, characterized in that it is configured to deliver the conveyed object (9) that has not been transferred in the transfer area (26b) to a conveyor line (10b) located downstream in the conveying direction (FR) and disposed on the conveying surface (FE). **Claim 3** In the transfer device according to claim 1 or 2, the belt carriage (21) has an extension amount (L21) of at most 120 mm, particularly at most 100 mm, particularly at most 60 mm in the conveying direction (FR), characterized by a transfer device. **Claim 4** In the transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the belt carriage (21) and / or the conveyor belt (24) has an extension amount (X21, X24) of at least 400 mm, particularly 600 mm, and / or at most 1500 mm in the lateral direction (QR), characterized by a transfer device. **Claim 5** In the transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the width (B24) of the conveyor belt (24) in the conveying direction is at most 100 mm, particularly at most 60 mm, particularly about 16 mm, In particular, the width (B24) of the conveyor belt (24) seen in the conveying direction is smaller than the extension amount (L21) of the belt carriage (21), characterized by a transfer device. **Claim 6** In the transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the belt carriage (21) has an extension amount (X21) in the lateral direction (Q) that is a multiple of the extension amount (L21) of the belt carriage (21) in the conveying direction (FR), particularly at least 3 times, and / or the conveyor belt (24) has an extension amount (X24) in the lateral direction (Q) that is a multiple of the extension amount (B24) of the conveyor belt (24) in the conveying direction (FR), particularly at least 3 times, characterized by a transfer device. **Claim 7** In the transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The belt carriage (21) arranged upstream and / or downstream of the transport area (26f) in the transport direction (FR) is displaced downward, and the support surface (241) of the belt carriage (21) is movable along a circulation path (UB) curved downward. The transfer device is characterized in that the circulation path has a deflection radius (U20) of at most 250 mm, in particular at most 150 mm, at least partially.

8. In the transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, the conveyor belt (24) is driven by a drive pulley (312), and the conveyor belt (24) is guided on the belt carriage (21) such that the conveyor belt (24) is twisted between the support surface (241) and the drive pulley (312), in particular, - while the belt carriage is arranged in the transport area (26f), the drive pulley (312) is rotatably mounted about a drive shaft (A312) oriented orthogonally to the transport direction, and / or - while the belt carriage is arranged in the transport area (26f), belt rollers (214a) for guiding the upper run (24o) of the conveyor belt are aligned parallel to the transport direction (FR), and / or - the driven pulley (311) is selectively drivable by a fixed control flap (313).

9. In the transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, when the intermediate surface (222) is arranged in the transport area (26f), the degree of overlap is greater, and when the intermediate surface (222) is arranged in the deflection area (25), the degree of overlap is smaller.

10. In the transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, On the first carriage of the belt carriage, that is, on the intermediate carriage (22) where the intermediate surface (222) is arranged and / or on the belt carriage (21), an elastomer element (223) that at least partially covers the gap (25L) is arranged. The elastomer element (223) projects from the first carriage (22) in the direction of the second carriage, that is, another carriage (21) when viewed in the conveying direction (F). The transfer device is characterized by this.

11. In the transfer device according to claim 10, The elastomer element (223) is arranged on the first carriage (22) such that, in both the deflection region (25a, 25b) and the conveying region (26f), it overlaps the guide surface on the second carriage (21) in the conveying direction (F). In particular, the elastomer element (223) is arranged on the first carriage (22) such that there is at least a temporary contact between the elastomer element and the second carriage. The transfer device is characterized by this.

12. In the transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, The belt carriage (21) has at least one guide surface (212) arranged adjacent to the upstream and / or downstream of the conveyor belt (24) in the conveying direction (FR). The transfer device is characterized by this.

13. In the transfer device according to claim 12, The intermediate surface (222) has a concave upper surface. In the conveying region (26f), the guide surface (212) covers at least temporarily and / or partially the intermediate surface (222). In particular, the guide surface is inclined downward with respect to the conveying direction. The transfer device is characterized by this.

14. In the transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, The transfer device (20) is - In a first stage (I), a conveyed object (9) is conveyed along a conveyance area (26f) in the conveyance direction (FR) at an absolute speed (v9) corresponding to the conveyance speed (vF) of the belt carriage (21). - In a second stage (II), it is configured to convey the conveyed object in a direction angled with respect to the conveyance direction (FR), and the absolute speed (v9) of the conveyed object is greater than the conveyance speed (vF) of the belt carriage (21). A transfer device characterized by this.

15. In the transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, A carriage (21, 22), particularly the belt carriage (21), and / or an intermediate carriage (22) on which the intermediate surface (222) is disposed is attached to the frame (28) perpendicularly by main guides (231, 281). Auxiliary guides (232, 282) are provided, and the carriage - In a normal operating state, the auxiliary guides (232, 282) remain in a non-load-transfer state. - In an overload state, the auxiliary guides (232, 282) are configured to be in a load-transfer state. A transfer device characterized by this.

16. In the transfer device according to claim 15, The change from the non-load-transfer state to the load-transfer state is caused by elastic deformation within the carriage (21, 22). In particular, the frames (211, 221) of the carriage (21, 22), particularly the belt carriage frame (211) and / or the intermediate carriage frame (221), are arranged to deform while the auxiliary guides (232, 282) change from the non-load-transfer state to the load-transfer state so as to be in the load-transfer state. A transfer device characterized by this.

17. In the transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 16, The transfer device is characterized in that the belt carriage (21) has a downholder (218) arranged to restrict upward movement of the upper run of the conveyor belt (24). **Claim 18** In the transfer device according to claim 17, the downholder is arranged below the support surface (241), In particular, the downholder (218) is arranged above the holding surface (242) of the conveyor belt (24). In particular, the holding surface is arranged on the upper surface (24O) of the upper run of the conveyor belt, and / or, in particular, the support surface (241) projects beyond the downholder and / or the holding surface (24), and / or, in particular, the upper surface (24O) has a stepped shape. The transfer device is characterized by this. **Claim 19** In the transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 18, the carriage (21, 22), in particular the belt carriage (21) and / or the intermediate carriage (22) on which the intermediate surface (222) is arranged, has at least one, in particular two, base carriers (211G) and a cross carrier (211Q), the carriage (21, 22) has a releasable fixing mechanism (211S, 211R, 211A). After release of the fixing mechanism, the cross carrier (211Q) can be removed from the transfer device (20) separately from the base carrier (211G). In particular, the fixing mechanism includes a latch (211R) that can be shifted between a locked position and a released position, and / or, In particular, the conveyor belt (24) is attached to the cross carrier (211Q) and can be removed from the base carrier (211G) separately from the cross carrier (211Q). The transfer device is characterized by this. **Claim 20** A conveyor system (1) comprising a first conveyor line (10a) and the transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 19. When the conveyor system (1) is, The conveyed object (9) is provided from the first conveyor line (10a) to the transfer device (20) in the conveying direction (FR) on the conveying surface (FE). In particular, the conveyed object (9) is conveyed from the first conveyor line (10a) to the transfer device (20) in the conveying direction (FR) on the conveying surface (FE). A conveyor system characterized by being configured as such.

21. In the conveyor system (1) according to claim 20, Having a second conveyor line (20a), The conveyor system (1) is, The conveyed object (9) is provided to the second conveyor line (10b) by the transfer device (20) in the conveying direction (FR) on the conveying surface (FE). In particular, a conveyor system characterized in that the conveyed object (9) is configured to be conveyed from the second conveyor line (10b) in the conveying direction (FR) on the conveying surface (FE).

22. In the conveyor system (1) according to claim 21, A gap between the first conveyor line (10a) and the transfer device (20) and / or a gap between the transfer device (20) and the second conveyor line (10b) is provided with a gap bridge (12) disposed below the conveying surface, particularly a passive one. In particular, a conveyor system characterized in that the first gap bridge (12) has an extension amount (l12) of up to 60 mm in the conveying direction.

23. Use of the transfer device or conveyor system according to any one of claims 1 to 22, For receiving the conveyed object (9) in the receiving area (26a), for conveying the conveyed object (9) at least temporarily in the conveying direction (FR), and for selectively transferring the conveyed object (9) to a transfer area (3) disposed laterally with respect to the conveying direction (FR) in a top view.

24. In the use according to claim 23, the smallest possible conveyed object (9) is dimensioned such that it always rests on the two conveying belts (24) of two adjacent belt carriages (21) in the conveying area (26f). Use characterized thereby. **Claim 25** In the use according to claim 23 or 24, the smallest possible conveyed object (9) is dimensioned such that the length (B9) of the smallest side seen from above is at most 120 mm, in particular at most 90 mm. Use characterized thereby.

Images