Multi-Level Conveyor Sorting Device for High-Capacity Package Handling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing sorting technologies for small to medium-sized packages, such as manual sorting and robot arms, face challenges in achieving high sorting capacity while requiring minimal space and being prone to errors and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A sorting device comprising multiple horizontal conveyors arranged one above another, configured to convey piece goods in a circuit with movement perpendicular to the conveying direction, allowing direct transportation of piece goods into end locations without additional handling apparatuses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual sorting is used, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but sorting capacity and speed are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from horizontal/linear sorting arrangements to a three-dimensional vertical configuration with multiple conveyor levels stacked above each other. This spatial reorganization dramatically increases sorting capacity without proportionally increasing footprint area, allowing parallel processing of multiple piece goods streams simultaneously while maintaining mechanical automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces manual human sorting operations with an automated conveyor-based mechanical system. Piece goods are automatically transported along conveyor circuits and diverted to designated end locations through mechanical means (flaps, diverters, or robotic pick-and-place), eliminating the need for human operators to manually handle and sort each item, thereby dramatically increasing sorting capacity and speed.
2Productivity
If robot arms are used for sorting, then automation is achieved, but sorting speed is limited and space efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs multiple conveyor levels stacked vertically to create a three-dimensional sorting structure. This allows parallel sorting operations to occur simultaneously at different heights, dramatically increasing sorting speed while utilizing vertical space rather than horizontal footprint. The system processes multiple piece goods concurrently through different conveyor circuits rather than sequentially as with single-level systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The sorting system is divided into multiple independent conveyor circuits, each handling specific streams of piece goods to different end locations. Each conveyor level operates as a semi-independent module that can process items parallel to other levels, increasing overall throughput. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high sorting speeds by distributing workload across multiple concurrent processing paths rather than relying on a single robot arm.
3Productivity
If conveyors are arranged vertically to increase capacity, then sorting speed improves, but space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent explicitly embraces vertical arrangement of conveyors as its core innovation. Multiple conveyor levels are stacked above each other in the vertical dimension, transforming a two-dimensional horizontal sorting problem into a three-dimensional vertical structure. This approach dramatically increases sorting capacity by enabling parallel processing across multiple levels while accepting and optimizing for vertical space utilization rather than horizontal footprint.
Data Source
AI summary
A sorting device for sorting piece goods in end locations includes a plurality of horizontal conveyors, which are arranged one above another and are configured as conveyor belts, for conveying the piece goods in a circuit, wherein the conveyors are configured to move the piece goods perpendicularly to the conveying direction of the circuit. The sorting device also includes a plurality of end locations, wherein the end locations are arranged along the conveyors in such a manner that the piece goods can be transported into the end locations by the movement perpendicularly to the conveying direction. The piece goods are transported from the conveyor into the end location only by the conveyor.