阅读说明：本技术 具有卸载区域的可个体地且无人驾驶地移动的负载容纳装置 (Individually and driverless movable load-receiving device with unloading area ) 是由 彼得·埃嫩克尔 于 2019-07-12 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种用于从在表面(1,1)上可个体地且无人驾驶地自动移动的负载容纳装置(8)卸载件货(7)的方法,所述方法包括如下方法步骤：-执行负载容纳装置(8)上的件货(7)的个体的且无人驾驶的自动的运输行驶；-穿过设置在负载容纳装置(8)的底部区域(41)中的卸载区域(40)向下卸载件货(7)。(A method for unloading piece goods (7) from a load-receiving device (8) that is individually and driverless automatically movable on a surface (1, 1), comprising the method steps of: -performing an individual and unmanned automatic transport run of the piece goods (7) on the load-holding device (8); -unloading the piece goods (7) downwards through an unloading area (40) provided in a bottom area (41) of the load-receiving device (8).)

1. A method for unloading piece goods (7) from a load-receiving device (8) that is individually and driverless automatically movable on a surface (1, 1), comprising the method steps of:

-performing an individual and unmanned automatic transport run of the piece goods (7) on the load-holding device (8);

-unloading the piece goods (7) downwards through an unloading area (40) provided in a bottom area (41) of the load-receiving device (8).

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the load containing device (8) is comprised in an FTF (108) which performs the transport run.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the unloading area (40) is provided in a central region of the bottom area (41) and/or wherein the piece goods (7) are unloaded passing between chassis elements (6) of the FTF.

4. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the load receiving means (8) comprises side walls (12).

5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the piece goods (7) are unloaded through the unloading zone (40) during a transport run and without the load receiving means (8) being stopped.

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the load-receiving device (8) comprises an unloading apparatus (4), such as a trap door, a roller door, a hatch or a chute, which is designed for triggering the unloading of the piece goods (7) through the unloading area (40), wherein an unloading opening (40) is preferably created, wherein the unloading apparatus (4) is preferably designed for holding the piece goods flat on the unloading apparatus during travel.

7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the piece goods (7) are unloaded through the unloading area (40) into a further load receiving device (18).

8. Use of a method according to any of the preceding claims in a sorting plant.

9. A system (108, 108', 109, 109') for unloading piece goods (7) from a load container (8) that is individually and driverless automatically movable on a surface (1, 1'), the system comprising the load container (8), an unloading device (4) and a drive device (6, 6') that are driverless automatically movable;

-wherein the load-receiving means (8) are designed for receiving the piece goods (7) for performing the transport run;

-wherein the drive device (6, 6') is designed for individually and driverless automatic driving of the load-accommodating means (8) for performing the transport run;

-wherein a bottom area (41) of the load-receiving device (8) comprises an unloading area (40) through which the piece goods (7) can be unloaded downwards;

and the unloading device (4) is designed to trigger the unloading of the piece goods (7) through the unloading area (40).

10. The system (108) of claim 9, wherein the system (108) is an FTF.

11. System (108, 108', 109, 109') according to any one of claims 9 or 10, wherein the unloading area (40) is provided in a central region of the bottom region (41) and/or the unloading area is provided in the load-receiving device (8) such that the piece goods (7) can be unloaded across between the travelling mechanism elements (wheels) of the FTF (108) and/or the unloading apparatus is designed for creating an unloading opening and/or for receiving the piece goods in a manner lying flat on the unloading apparatus during travel.

12. The system (108, 108', 109, 109') according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the load receiving means (8) comprises a side wall (12).

13. System (108, 108', 109, 109') according to any one of claims 9 to 12, designed and adapted for unloading the piece goods (7) through the unloading area (40) during a transport run and without the load receiving means (8) stopping.

14. System (109) according to one of claims 9 to 13, comprising a further load receiving device (18) into which the piece goods (7) can be unloaded through an unloading area (40) of the load receiving device (8).

15. A sorting device (108, 108', 109, 109') for piece goods (7), comprising a plurality of systems for unloading piece goods according to any one of claims 9 to 14 and a control device (98) for carrying out a sorting plan and coordinating the transport runs to be carried out by the load-holding devices (8).

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of load receiving devices that are individually and driverless movable on a surface, as can be used, for example, in a driverless transport vehicle (FTF) for sorting piece goods.

Background

Currently, there are known continuous delivery Bomb Bay circular sorters (Bomb-Bay-Kreis-sorters) (e.g., EUROSORT). However, a continuously conveying circular sorter allows for little flexibility and scalability.

Today, the free-running FTFs existing on the market are provided with different load-holding devices (LAMs).

The load-holding device is typically mounted above or protruding to one side from the FTF, as is the case, for example, with a forklift. A disadvantage of this arrangement is the very high space requirement for the FTF and the complex receiving or delivery point, since the piece goods must always be delivered laterally, for example by pushing, tilting, rolling or belt conveying. This means that the sorting system or sorting system based in particular on the termination point matrix has an increased space requirement. This is the case, for example, in a HICKVISION matrix sorter: https:// www.youtube.com/watchv ═ jwu9SX3YPSk & t ═ 2 s.

Furthermore, load receiving devices, such as forks, protruding from the FTF require significantly more space requirements of the FTF and the LAM itself, and furthermore require a significant compensation weight at the vehicle itself.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention is therefore based on the object of being able to unload piece goods efficiently and in a space-saving manner from load-receiving devices that can be moved individually and in an unmanned manner. The object is achieved by the solution described in the independent claims.

According to the invention, a method for unloading piece goods from a load-holding device that is automatically movable on a surface individually and driverless is provided. The method comprises the following steps: performing a transport run of the piece goods on the load-holding device to the unloading location; and unloading the piece goods there through an unloading area provided in the bottom area of the load-receiving device.

The method is not limited, but is particularly useful when used in sorting equipment, which typically takes up a large and expensive space.

According to the invention, a system for unloading piece goods from a load-receiving device that is automatically movable on a surface in an individual and driverless manner is also proposed. The system comprises a load containing device, an unloading device and a driving device. The load-receiving device is designed for receiving piece goods for carrying out a transport travel. The drive device is designed to automatically move the load-receiving means individually and in an unmanned manner for carrying out a transport travel.

The bottom region of the load-receiving device comprises an unloading region through which the piece goods can be unloaded downwards. The unloading device is designed to trigger the unloading of piece goods through the unloading area.

According to the invention, a sorting device for piece goods is also proposed, which comprises a plurality of such systems for unloading piece goods and a control device for carrying out a sorting planning and coordination of the unmanned and individual transport travels carried out automatically by the load receiving devices.

Further advantageous measures are listed in the dependent claims, which measures can be combined with one another as desired and can be applied not only to the method, the use of the method and the system in order to achieve further advantages.

According to one embodiment, the system is an FTF that includes a load holding apparatus and a drive apparatus. The FTF has the following advantages: the FTF does not require drive equipment external to the FTF, for example, drive equipment disposed on a surface on which the load-holding apparatus travels. The investment costs in the sorting plant can thus be kept low, while a high scalability of the plant can still be achieved by adding further FTFs.

According to one embodiment, the unloading area is arranged in a central area of the bottom area. This leaves space for other devices, for example for electronic devices, for the trigger mechanism for unloading in the outer region of the base region. If the load holding apparatus is part of an FTF, the outer region may also hold an actuator for moving the load holding apparatus.

According to one embodiment, pieces are unloaded between the surface-interacting chassis elements of the FTF, for example between the wheels.

According to one embodiment, the unloading area of the FTF is preferably disposed between wheels or other vehicle components.

According to one embodiment, the load receiving means comprises side walls in order to prevent pieces of goods from falling sideways from the load receiving means. This makes it possible to ensure that the piece goods do not fall out of the load receiving device during transport travel even under high acceleration forces and centrifugal forces.

According to one embodiment, the system is designed and adapted to unload piece goods through an unloading zone during a transport run and without stopping the load-holding device. This allows for higher dynamics. But it is also possible to unload the piece goods during standstill of the load-receiving means. This simplifies the unloading, especially if a high accuracy of the unloading is desired.

According to one embodiment, the unloading device is designed to hold the piece goods flat on the unloading device during travel. For this purpose, the unloading device comprises, for example, a trapdoor, hatch or rollup door.

According to one embodiment, the unloading device comprises a trap door, a roller door, a hatch or a chute in order to trigger the unloading of piece goods through the unloading area.

According to one embodiment, the unloading area comprises an opening in the bottom structure of the load-receiving device, through which the piece goods can be unloaded downwards.

According to one embodiment, the unloading device is arranged in the unloading area and is designed for opening an unloading opening in the bottom area.

According to one embodiment, the piece goods are unloaded through an unloading area into another load-receiving device. In this case, the piece goods are preferably unloaded through a recess in the following surface into a further load receiver arranged thereunder: the load-holding device is individually and driverless movable over the surface.

The further load receiving device can be, for example, a termination point of the sorting installation, in which the piece goods are collected according to sorting criteria. However, the other load receiving device can also be part of a sorting level, from which the piece goods are again unloaded onto the level lying therebelow.

Drawings

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described and explained in detail based on embodiments shown in the drawings. Shown here are:

fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a system designed as FTF for unloading piece goods from a load-holding device that is individually and driverless automatically movable on a surface, according to one embodiment of the invention;

fig. 2-5 show schematic side views of the FTF shown in fig. 1 illustrating a temporal flow of a method for unloading pieces of goods according to one embodiment;

fig. 6 shows a schematic top view of an unloading plane of a sorting plant, on which the FTFs, for example those shown in fig. 1 to 5, travel individually and driverless;

fig. 7 shows a schematic side view of a system not designed as FTF for unloading piece goods from a load-holding device that is individually and driverless movable on a surface according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 shows a schematic side view of the system shown in FIG. 7 rotated at 90;

fig. 9 shows a schematic top view of the unloading plane of the system shown in fig. 7 and 8.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a system 108 designed as an FTF 108 for unloading piece goods 7 from load-holding devices 8 that are individually and driverless automatically movable on a surface 1, according to one embodiment of the invention.

The FTF 108 includes a load-holding device 8, a driving apparatus 6, and an unloading apparatus 4. The load-receiving device 8 comprises a frame 12, which is at the same time a side wall 12 of the load-receiving device 8. In the central area enclosed by the walls, an automatic unloading device 4 is arranged in the bottom area 41. The unloading device 4 comprises a hatch 4 designed as a trapdoor. In the closed state, the piece goods 7 to be transported or sorted lie flat on the trap door and can thus be transported by the FTF 108 to the desired unloading point. The load-receiving devices 8 or unloading devices are therefore designed to receive the piece goods 7 in order to carry out a transport travel.

If the piece goods 7 are unloaded, the trapdoor 4 opens automatically and the piece goods fall through the unloading shaft formed by the opened trapdoor. In this way, the unloading device 4 is designed to cause the unloading of the piece goods 7 through the unloading area 40 defined by the trap door.

Furthermore, the FTF comprises wheels designed as drive devices 6, wherein at least some of the wheels comprise an integrated wheel drive. Furthermore, a drive device 6 for automatically controlling the FTF 108 and a control device 99 and an electrical energy store for automatically controlling the unloading device 4 are integrated in the frame 12.

Fig. 2-5 show schematic side views of FTF 108 shown in fig. 1 illustrating a temporal flow of a method for unloading piece goods 7 according to one embodiment.

Fig. 6 shows a schematic top view of an unloading plane of a sorting installation, on which unmanned transport vehicles, such as the FTFs shown in fig. 1 to 5, travel individually and unmanned. The unloading plane is the upper surface 1 of a horizontally arranged grid-like carrying structure 2. Between the carriers of the carrier structure 2, there are provided unloading locations 9 in the form of grid sorters designed as recesses, below which further load receiving devices 18 (see fig. 5) can be provided.

Fig. 2 shows a load receiving device 8 traveling on the surface 1 with the unloading apparatus 4 closed. On the unloading device 4 there are pieces 7. Reference numeral 109 denotes a system comprising an FTF 108 and a load bearing structure 2 having a surface 1. Fig. 2 shows the method steps in which the individual and unmanned automatic transport of the piece goods 7 on the load-holding device 8 to a predetermined one of the unloading points 9 is carried out.

Fig. 3 to 5 show the unloading of the piece goods after the load-receiving device has reached the predetermined unloading point 9.

Fig. 3 shows the system 108 at the moment when the trapdoor 4 is opened.

FIG. 4 shows the system 108 at the following time: at this point in time, the trap door 4 opens to such an extent that the piece goods 7 fall, i.e. are unloaded, through the unloading zone 40 and the predetermined unloading point 9. The piece goods 7 are unloaded through between the running gear elements of the FTF designed as wheels 6.

Fig. 5 shows the system 108 at a point in time after the piece 7 has been unloaded. Fig. 5 furthermore shows a further load receiver 18, which is arranged below the load receiver and below the predetermined unloading point 9 and into which the piece goods 7 have been unloaded. In the exemplary embodiment shown in fig. 5, the further load receiving device 18 is a sorting termination point, in which sorted items 7, for example items for delivery in a specific zip code, are collected.

Fig. 5 also shows a control device 98 for carrying out the sorting planning and for coordinating the transport runs carried out by the load-holding devices (8). The control device is communicatively coupled to the FTFs 108, preferably communicatively connected to a plurality of FTFs 108 traveling on the surface 1, and controls the transport travel and unloading processes of the plurality of FTFs.

Fig. 7 shows a schematic side view of a non-FTF based system 108', 109' for unloading piece goods 7 from a load-holding device 8' that is individually and driverless movable on a surface according to another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 8 shows a schematic side view of the system 108', 109' shown in fig. 7, rotated through 90 °.

Like the load receiver 8, the load receiver 8' comprises the side walls 12 and the discharge device 4, but does not comprise its own drive device 6. Alternatively, a drive device 6' is used on the carrier of the lattice structure 2. Fig. 9 shows a schematic top view of the grid structure 2 of the systems 108', 109' shown in fig. 7 and 8.

Thus, unlike the systems 108, 109, the systems 108', 109' are not or do not comprise unmanned transport vehicles with their own drive devices, but the drives are mounted in pairs on the upper surface of the grid structure 2 in the form of conveyor segments 6 '. For example, as shown in fig. 9, the drive devices 6 'can be mounted in pairs on both sides of the unloading location 9 in the form of conveyor belts 6' on the grid structure 2, so that the load receiving devices 8 'are conveyed by two conveyor belts 6' synchronized on opposite sides of the unloading location 9 onto or above the respective unloading location. The drive device 6 'is designed for optionally transporting the load receiving means 8' in one of two directions defined orthogonally to each other by the lattice structure 2. In this way, the load receiver 8 'with the unloading device 4 lying directly on the conveyor belt 6' can be transported to the unloading point 9, and the piece 7 lying on the unloading device 4 can be unloaded by means of the trap door of the unloading device 4 into the load receiver lying therebelow.

As in the exemplary embodiments shown in fig. 1 to 6, in the exemplary embodiments shown in fig. 7 to 9, the transport travel for the load-holding device 8' can also be carried out individually. In addition to the load receiving means 8' with the unloading device 4, the system 108' also comprises a drive device 6 '. The system 109' comprises the system 108' and, in addition, the load bearing structure 2 and/or the other load receiving means 8', 18.

With the aid of the concept shown in the present disclosure, it is also possible to implement a large-scale sorting plant according to further embodiments, for example by transporting pieces of goods to a respectively predetermined unloading location 9 in such a way that a plurality of load receiving devices 8, 8 'are moved over the surface 1, 1' of the unloading plane and are unloaded there into a termination location or other load receiving device through an unloading area provided in the base region of the load receiving device and through the respective unloading location, respectively.

According to other embodiments, the space requirement for the required surfaces of the movement path, the load-holding device and the termination point (Bomb-Bay) is reduced by outputting the goods through the load-holding device or FTF.

According to another embodiment, the means for unloading the piece 7 comprise a slotted FTF, wherein the drive technology and the energy storage technology are only installed at the edges of the FTF. The piece goods may be output down directly under the FTF by, for example, a chute, a rollup door, or a trapdoor in the bottom.

By storing the piece goods 7 in the interior of the FTF, they can be constructed very light due to the deep and central position of the center of gravity, without the need for the compensating weight otherwise required in fork lift trucks. This results in a very light and thus very energy efficient FTF or other load-holding device.

According to one embodiment, the piece goods are output downwardly through the FTF in the negative Z direction.

According to other embodiments, the cargo is unloaded between the chassis elements in the negative Z direction (downward) during travel or at rest, for example, into the termination point, through the freely traveling load-holding device or FTF. The termination point can be, for example, a recess (groove) or a correspondingly long-legged configuration of the load-receiving device or of the FTF.

Instead, the piece goods can be received into the load receiving device at the loading location from all other directions or can also be received directly into the load receiving device from below at the loading location.