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WO1993014008A1 - Dispositif de triage vertical a deplacement progressif dans deux directions equipe de convoyeurs de stockage intermediaire - Google Patents

Dispositif de triage vertical a deplacement progressif dans deux directions equipe de convoyeurs de stockage intermediaire Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1993014008A1
WO1993014008A1 PCT/US1993/000385 US9300385W WO9314008A1 WO 1993014008 A1 WO1993014008 A1 WO 1993014008A1 US 9300385 W US9300385 W US 9300385W WO 9314008 A1 WO9314008 A1 WO 9314008A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
conveyor
lift
articles
buffer
conveyors
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1993/000385
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
William A. Rowe, Jr.
Original Assignee
Rowe William A Jr
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Rowe William A Jr filed Critical Rowe William A Jr
Publication of WO1993014008A1 publication Critical patent/WO1993014008A1/fr

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/34—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor 
    • B65G47/46—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor  and distributing, e.g. automatically, to desired points
    • B65G47/51—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor  and distributing, e.g. automatically, to desired points according to unprogrammed signals, e.g. influenced by supply situation at destination
    • B65G47/5104—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor  and distributing, e.g. automatically, to desired points according to unprogrammed signals, e.g. influenced by supply situation at destination for articles
    • B65G47/515—First In-Last Out systems [FILO]; Last In-First Out systems [LIFO]
    • B65G47/5154—First In-Last Out systems [FILO]; Last In-First Out systems [LIFO] using endless conveyors
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G1/00—Storing articles, individually or in orderly arrangement, in warehouses or magazines
    • B65G1/02—Storage devices
    • B65G1/04—Storage devices mechanical
    • B65G1/12—Storage devices mechanical with separate article supports or holders movable in a closed circuit to facilitate insertion or removal of articles the articles being books, documents, forms or the like
    • B65G1/127—Storage devices mechanical with separate article supports or holders movable in a closed circuit to facilitate insertion or removal of articles the articles being books, documents, forms or the like the circuit being confined in a vertical plane

Definitions

  • Postal matter such as letter mail and flats mail is most commonly transported from one operation to another, or from one General Mail Facility to another, in containers known as letter trays or flats trays respectively.
  • the present invention relates primarily to storing, buffering and sorting of trayed postal matter, such as letter mail or flats mail.
  • Letter Mail is typically subjected to a minimum of two sorting operations, sorting for delivery to the correct general geographic region and sorting for delivery by a specific letter carrier. It has been determined that the sorting of letter mail for delivery can be accomplished more efficiently if the letter mail is barcoded with an identification related to the destination of the letter. As such, the Postal Service is endeavoring to increase the percentage of letter mail that is barcoded.
  • One means, currently being used, to increase the percent of mail being barcoded is to have large volume mailers pre- barcode their mail prior to mailing. Another method being used is to add the barcode to the letter by an Optical Character Reading(OCR) machine while it is being sorted within a postal facility. Additionally, and most recently, a method of Remote(off-site) Barcoding has begun to be implemented to further increase the percentage of mail which is barcoded.
  • OCR Optical Character Reading
  • DBCS Delivery Bar Code Sorting
  • OCR Remote Bar Code Scanning
  • RBCS Remote Bar Code Scanning
  • OCR Optical Character Recognition
  • off-site personnel enter the barcode information by viewing an image of each piece of rejected letter mail on a CRT and then enter a code into a computer system which allows the letter mail to be barcoded during the next mail sorting operation.
  • Letter mail which is barcoded by this method must be temporarily stored (buffered) while the off-site personnel enter the letters barcode information.
  • the secondary sorting of letter mail is typically comprised of one to four individual passes through various sorting equipment.
  • mail is sorted by (1) general geographic region, then sorted by (2) zone, then sorted by (3) carrier and finally sorted by delivery sequence.
  • This sorting is called Carrier Route Sequencing.
  • a machine known as a Delivery Bar Code Sorter(DBCS) has been developed as a mechanized means by which to Carrier Route Sequence barcoded letter mail. To accomplish this Carrier Route Sequencing the DBCS machine must process each letter two times. These two processes are known as “first pass sort” and "second pass sort".
  • first pass sort the letters for a group of mail carrier routes are collectively sorted and grouped such that all mail to be delivered to the first address of the routes is combined into one letter tray, all mail that is to be delivered to the second address of all routes is combined into a separate letter tray and so forth for each additional delivery address of the mail carrier routes. Each of these trays is given a unique identity, referencing it to the sequence of delivery on the set of routes.
  • trays of letter mail waiting for second pass sort are either loaded onto general purpose carts and placed in a holding area or loaded onto tray racks.
  • a Bar Code Sorter(BCS) or a Delivery Bar Code Sorter(DBCS) will be utilized to sort two or more independent sets of letter mail.
  • the first pass sort is performed on the first set of letter mail.
  • the first pass sort is then performed on each subsequent set of letter mail. After all sets of letter mail have had a first pass sort performed, each set of letter mail has the second pass sort performed.
  • each set of trayed letter mail waiting for second pass sort is loaded onto a group of general purpose carts and placed in a specific holding area. These trays of mail are stored for a period of time.
  • the group of carts for a set of letter mail is returned to the BCS or DBCS machine in a specific order at the time when the BCS or DBCS machine is ready to perform the second pass sort on the set of letter mail .
  • Trayed letter mail or trayed flats mail becomes available for shipment to other facilities or for distribution locally during a relatively short window of time each day.
  • a typical embodiment of the present invention includes a vertically oriented sorter, hereinafter known as a lift conveyor, with a series of carriers to incrementally transport articles fully around the sorter in either direction so as to be capable of loading, unloading and sorting articles in and amongst a stack of conveyors, hereinafter known as buffer conveyors, or to transport the articles to, from or between input and output points of the system, such input and output points hereinafter known as lateral transfer conveyors.
  • the lift conveyor utilizes at least one internally mounted pushing and extracting device for the unloading and loading of articles from and to the lift conveyor.
  • the lift conveyor contains a chain driven mechanism that allows for incremental or continuous movement in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise fashion.
  • a number of carriers are attached along the length of the chain drive of the lift conveyor.
  • the carriers are specially designed to allow a pushing device to discharge an article from the carrier.
  • the carriers are also specially designed to allow a non-gripping extraction device to extend into the carrier to assist the adjacent buffer conveyor in transferring an article from a buffer conveyor to the corresponding position on the lift conveyor.
  • the carrier mounting in relation to the carrier guide track, causes the carrier to tilt at various positions in the travel of the lift conveyor, compensating for the inertia of the article being conveyed, thereby adding stability.
  • the carriers are attached to the chain drive of the lift conveyor at intervals dictated by the application.
  • This carrier spacing is synchronized with the buffer conveyor spacing to allow alignment of multiple carriers and buffer conveyors simultaneously.
  • the maximum allowable height of articles to be conveyed on a lift conveyor carrier is determined by the vertical spacing of the lift conveyor carriers, up to the maximum internal clearance of the lift conveyor structural members.
  • the lift conveyor also contains a chain-slack take-up mechanism which does not affect the attitude of the carriers.
  • Pushing and extracting devices are used to transfer articles to and from the vertical sorters.
  • the pushing and extracting devices each utilize pneumatic cylinders.
  • the extracting device extends as the lift conveyor carriers complete their motion.
  • An important principle in the operation of the extracting device is that it lowers below the lift conveyor carrier load carrying surface as it becomes fully extended.
  • the extracting device Upon retracting, the extracting device raises to lift the leading edge of the article off of the lift conveyor carrier, causing the article to be simultaneously pulled by the extracting device and pushed by the buffer conveyor.
  • the extracting device does not grip the article in its attempt to retrieve the article.
  • the extractor is an assistance device to the buffer conveyor in transferring loads from a buffer conveyor to a carrier along the lift conveyor.
  • the pushing device is activated to transfer an article from the lift conveyor to either a buffer conveyor or to a lateral transfer conveyor.
  • Each pusher is a pneumatically operated reciprocating device, with guide bars, and is paired with an extracting device.
  • one version of the vertical sorter includes only one pushing and extracting device, which travels vertically to align itself with the buffer conveyor being loaded or unloaded
  • the high-throughput and principal version of the vertical sorter utilizes one pushing device and one extracting device for each tier of buffer conveyor.
  • the present system is also unique in that it utilizes conveyorized surfaces as storage extensions to the lift conveyor. These extensions are known as buffer conveyors.
  • One set of buffer conveyors is comprised of a stack of conveyors, of a determined length and is associated with one specific lift conveyor. The length of a buffer conveyor allows the lift conveyor to hold a quantity of articles equal or greater than the number of articles held by one buffer conveyor. The vertical spacing of a stack of buffer conveyors is application dependant.
  • Each buffer conveyor consists of a modular frame, one or more endless belts, and a drive linkage including a chain, sprocket and clutch for buffer conveyor travel toward the lift conveyor and a separate drive linkage including a chain, sprocket and clutch for buffer conveyor travel away from the lift conveyor.
  • the endless belts of a buffer conveyor are made of a multiplicity of sections of flat track conveyor, including segments on regular intervals with protrusions on the conveying surface to insure articles stay positioned in the physical zones of the buffer conveyor.
  • the buffer conveyors can operate either bi-directionally or unidirectionally, as determined by the application and as directed by the control system.
  • the buffer conveyors may be of a variety of other types not described herein, including, but not limited to, belt top conveyor, roller conveyor or accumulating conveyor.
  • the buffer conveyors are driven by one of two methods described in the following paragraphs.
  • the first method utilized in applications where continuous running of a buffer conveyor is required, uses one common drive mechanism for all buffer conveyor motion. Electrically interlocked clutch mechanisms allow each individual buffer conveyor to run toward the lift conveyor or away from the lift conveyor independent of all other buffer conveyors.
  • the control system monitors all requests for buffer conveyor motion and processes the requests as required to maximize system throughput and minimize buffer conveyor drive motor loading.
  • the second method utilized in applications where buffer conveyors only index the width of one article at a time as articles are stored or retrieved, uses an air cylinder in conjunction with a gripping jaw, on each conveyor, to index the conveyor toward the lift or away from the lift independent of all other buffer conveyors.
  • a buffer conveyor zone is defined as that portion of the buffer conveyor surface that is required to store one uniquely identifiable article.
  • the zones are physically divided, by means of mechanical divisions in the conveying surface and logically by means of electronic registration of the conveyor position.
  • the present invention allows for articles on more than one buffer conveyor to be simultaneously loaded or unloaded.
  • lateral transfer conveyors typically are located adjacent to the lift conveyor at a level equal to the bottom buffer conveyor or the top buffer conveyor. They may also be located at the level of any other buffer conveyor, as buffer conveyor spacing permits. When a total system contains more than one lift conveyor, the lateral transfer conveyors may span between lift conveyors.
  • a lateral transfer conveyor contains a series of belt transfer devices to convey articles between the lateral transfer conveyor and the lift conveyor, and to convey articles between the lateral transfer conveyor and the adjacent buffer conveyor.
  • the present invention also includes a control system with appropriate electronic hardware and appropriate software to synchronize the motion of the lift conveyors, the pushing devices, the extracting devices, the buffer conveyors and the lateral transfer conveyors for the purpose of transferring articles to, from and within the system.
  • the supervisory control system associated with an article storage and retrieval system has the means to control a multiplicity of lift conveyors, buffer conveyors and lateral transfer paths.
  • the system contains one electrical panel for the combination of one lift conveyor and one stack of buffer conveyors.
  • the system also includes a barcode scanning array for each lateral transfer conveyor to allow identification of articles entering and exiting the system.
  • the system further includes a programmable controller, with software, for control of lift conveyors, pushing and extracting devices, buffer conveyors and lateral transfer conveyors.
  • the system additionally includes a computer, with software and a with a network interface port for communication to a host computer system.
  • the control system provides for programmable controller software to track and store the location of articles within the storage and retrieval system.
  • the computer receives information from the programmable controller and stores the location of articles within the system.
  • the computer system directs the programmable controller to cause lateral transfer conveyors, lift conveyors and buffer conveyors to store articles in specific locations.
  • An important feature of the control system is that the control system has the ability to direct a lift conveyor and one of its associated buffer conveyors to deliver all articles from the buffer conveyor to the lift conveyor and subsequently deliver the same articles back onto the same or different buffer conveyor in any pre-planned sequence thereby performing an internal sort of articles already stored.
  • the control system has the ability to direct a lift conveyor and one of its associated buffer conveyors to deliver all articles from the buffer conveyor to the lift conveyor and subsequently deliver the same articles to a lateral transfer conveyor in any pre ⁇ planned sequence.
  • the control system additionally has the ability to graphically illustrate on its computer screen the physical position of the articles on the lift conveyors and the buffer conveyors.
  • the control system further has the ability to present textually on its computer screen the identification of a group of articles by touching the articles graphical representation of the articles on the computer screen.
  • the control system further includes an optical shaft encoder to track the position and movement of the lift conveyor.
  • a sensor on the lift conveyor located at the top of one lift path and a sensor on the lift conveyor located at the bottom of the same lift path are used to insure correct lift conveyor position.
  • a photoelectric array mounted at the top of one lift path is aligned with a reflective array mounted at the bottom of the same lift path such that the photoelectric array is interrupted as articles are transferred onto and off of the lift conveyor and that the photoelectric array remains uninterrupted otherwise.
  • FIG. lA-'IB is a longitudinal side view of an indexing, bi ⁇ directional vertical sorter with an arrangement of buffer conveyors.
  • FIG. 2A-2B is a top view of the vertical sorter and buffer conveyor arrangement depicted in FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 3 is a top view drawing of a lateral transfer conveyor with an arrangement of lift conveyors and buffer conveyors.
  • FIG. 4A-4B is an isometric view of a staging, buffering and sorting system consisting of a series of vertical sorters, buffer conveyors and lateral transport conveyors.
  • FIG. 5 is a side view of an indexing, bi-directional vertical sorter, known as a lift conveyor.
  • FIG. 6 is a side view of a carrier utilized in the lift conveyo .
  • FIG. 7 is a front view of a carrier utilized in the lift conveyor.
  • FIG. 8 is a top view of a carrier utilized in the lift conveyor.
  • FIG. 9 is a side view of a pushing device mounted to an extracting device as utilized in the lift conveyor.
  • FIG. 10 is a front view of a pushing device mounted to an extracting device as utilized in the lift conveyor.
  • FIG. 11 is a top view of a pushing device utilized in the lift conveyor.
  • FIG. 12 is a top view of an extracting device utilized in the lift conveyor.
  • FIG. 13 is a end view of a fragment of a flat track style conveyor utilized as a buffer conveyor.
  • FIG. 14 is a side view of a fragment of a flat track style conveyor utilized as a buffer conveyor.
  • FIG. 15 is a top view of a fragment of a flat track style conveyor utilized as a buffer conveyor.
  • FIG. 16 is a fragment of a side view of a common conveyor drive mechanism utilized for buffer conveyors.
  • FIG. 17 is a plan view of an air cylinder drive utilized to drive a buffer conveyor.
  • FIG. 18 is a side view of a carrier linkage assembly.
  • FIG. 19 is a side view of a chain slack take-up mechanism.
  • FIG. 20 is a flow diagram of an article delivery to a buffer conveyor.
  • FIG. 21 is a flow diagram of an article extraction from a buffer conveyor.
  • FIG. 22 is a flow diagram of an internal sort of articles on a buffer conveyor utilizing a lift conveyor as a sorter.
  • FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawing show an indexing, bi ⁇ directional vertical sorter inclusive of an arrangement of buffer conveyors 1, which is comprised of a vertically oriented sorter 2 herein referred to as a lift conveyor, a stack of conveying surfaces 3 herein referred to as buffer conveyors, a control system 5 with electrical enclosures and optionally one or more lateral transfer paths 4 herein referred to as lateral transfer conveyors.
  • a multiplicity of systems as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 may be arranged as shown in FIG. 3 or 4 utilizing common lateral transfer conveyors 4 and electronically interlocked control systems 5.
  • Articles are scanned by bar code scanning array 6 (FIG. 2) as they enter the system by means of a lateral transfer conveyor 4.
  • the lateral transfer conveyor 4 conveys articles in position for delivery to an adjacent lift conveyor 2 or an adjacent buffer conveyor 3 as directed by the control system 5.
  • the lift conveyor 2 stops, if not already stopped, a belt transfer device 7 (FIG. 3), integral to the lateral transfer conveyor 4, rises while an extracting device 9 (FIG. 5) extends into the adjacent, non- moving lift conveyor carrier 8.
  • the belt transfer device 7 then drives the article toward and onto the lift conveyor carrier 8 with the assistance of the now retracting extracting device 9 (FIGS. 5, 9, 10 and 12).
  • lift conveyor 2 engages, driving the lift conveyor carrier 8 along a lift path until such time as the lift conveyor carrier 8 is aligned with the buffer conveyor at the appropriate level.
  • the lift conveyor carrier 8, containing the article being stored is aligned with a buffer conveyor at the desired level such that a pusher device 10 (FIGS. 5, 9, 10 and 11) can extend into lift conveyor carrier 8 and toward the article resting on the lift conveyor carrier 8, pushing the article onto the adjacent buffer conveyor.
  • a buffer conveyor entry/exit sensor 11 (FIG. 1) is interrupted by the article being conveyed
  • a buffer conveyor clutch 12 engages, driving the article fully onto the buffer conveyor into a position just clear of the buffer conveyor entry/exit sensor 11.
  • the pusher device 10 becomes fully extended, it receives a pusher device retract signal and returns to a fully retracted position, clear of the lift conveyor 2 and the lift conveyor carrier 8.
  • Articles being retrieved from the system are conveyed out of the system from the appropriate buffer conveyor 3, to a lateral transfer conveyor 4 by means of the lift conveyor 2. Articles are scanned by bar code scanning array 6 as they exit the system.
  • the lift conveyor 2 stops, if not already stopped, and the extracting device 9 extends into the lift conveyor carrier 8.
  • the buffer conveyor containing the article to be retrieved, indexes one zone toward the lift conveyor 2.
  • the extracting device 9 retracts to assist the buffer conveyor in transferring the article to the adjacent lift conveyor carrier 8.
  • the lift conveyor 2 indexes to position the next available lift conveyor carrier in line with the buffer conveyor containing the desired article.
  • the steps above are repeated to retrieve each subsequent article from the buffer conveyor until the desired article is transferred onto the lift conveyor 2.
  • the lift conveyor 2 then engages, this time, to convey the article to a position in-line with the lateral transfer conveyor 4 such that a pusher device 10 can extend into the lift conveyor carrier 8 containing the article being retrieved.
  • the adjacent pusher device 10 activates, pushing the article onto the lateral transfer conveyor unassisted by the belt transfer device 7.
  • the pusher device ⁇ o As the pusher device ⁇ o becomes fully extended, it receives a pusher device retract signal and returns to a fully retracted position, clear of the lift conveyor 2 and the lift conveyor carrier 8. All articles remaining on the lift conveyor, if any, are returned to the buffer conveyor, by previously described means, such that they are in their original order, prior to the retrieval of the desired article.
  • the system is also capable of retrieving articles from one buffer conveyor and by use of the lift conveyor 2, an extracting device 9 and a pushing device 10, return the article to a different buffer conveyor. Additionally, the system can retrieve all articles from one buffer conveyor onto the lift conveyor 2 and subsequently deliver them to the same or different buffer conveyor, as directed by the control system 5, in a different order as defined by a table contained in the memory of the control system.
  • FIGS. 5 to 12 in the drawing show the details, in combination and individually, of a lift conveyor 2, of lift conveyor carriers 8, pushing devices 10 and extracting devices 9.
  • the significant features of each of the individual devices is herein described prior to the detailed description of the lift conveyor drive and guide track mechanisms.
  • each lift conveyor carrier 8 includes: two extractor cut-outs 14 to allow the extracting device to extend into the area of the lift conveyor carrier 8, one pusher cut-out 15 to allow the pushing device to extend into the area of the lift conveyor carrier 8, four carrier drive attachment points 16, two carrier guide attachment points 17, a carrier structural member 18 to provide rigidity across the various cut-outs of the lift conveyor carrier 8, two angled side guards 19 and eight rounded leading edges 20 to prevent damage to extracted articles and reduce the likelihood of a jam.
  • An alternate guidance track arrangement can be utilized which allows for four carrier guide attachment points 17 and two carrier drive attachment points 16.
  • each pushing device 10 includes: one dual acting cushioned air cylinder 21 secured in a frame, one low friction surfaced pusher head 22 including a pusher head cut-out 23 for lift conveyor carrier 8 clearance, two pusher guide bars 24 and four pusher guide sleeves 25 secured in a frame.
  • Each extracting device 9 includes: one dual acting cushioned air cylinder 21 secured in a frame, two extracting bars 26 each including a high friction portion in the area of article contact, a cylinder shaft attachment 27 on the extremity of the cushioned air cylinder 21 shaft which allows the extractor tie brace 28 to rotate freely within the cylinder shaft attachment 27, two extractor guide rollers 29 mounted on the extracting bars 26 and riding within two extractor guide tracks 30 which are formed such that the forward guide track portion 31 of the extractor guide tracks 30 is angled causing the extracting device 9 to lower the extracting bars 26 below the lift conveyor carrier 8 load carrying surface.
  • the lift conveyor 2 (FIG. 5) contains a plurality of lift conveyor carriers 8 which can be spaced equally about the full length of the lift conveyor 2.
  • the lift conveyor carriers 8 assume an inertia compensating attitude as they travel onto, across and off of the horizontally traversing portions 33 of the lift conveyor 2 while otherwise assuming a slightly inclined attitude to improve stability of articles being conveyed vertically along the lift paths.
  • FIG. 18 in the drawing shows lift conveyor carriers 8 attached to the lift conveyor drive chain 35 using a carrier attachment assembly 34 designed to extend the effective attachment point of the lift conveyor carriers 8 beyond the path of the lift conveyor drive chain 35 thereby increasing the radius of the lift conveyor carrier path at the transitions between the lift paths and the traversing paths of the lift conveyor carriers 8 and increasing the clearance between carriers at said transitions.
  • This carrier attachment assembly is constructed using two carrier drive linkage bars 38, each mounted on one end to a point along the lift conveyor drive chain 35 and on the other end to a common point on the lift conveyor carrier 8 such that the two carrier drive linkage bars 38 articulate at the point of attachment to the carrier as they span the transitions between the vertical paths and the horizontal traversing paths of the lift conveyor 2.
  • the carrier attachment assembly includes a carrier linkage shaft 39, a carrier guide linkage bar 40 and a carrier guide roller 41 which are at a fixed angle with respect to the carrier.
  • the carrier drive linkage bar 40 rotates about the carrier linkage shaft 39 as the lift conveyor 2 drives the carrier at the transitions between the lift paths and the traversing paths of the lift conveyor 2.
  • the chain slack take-up mechanism 43 (FIG. 19) is integral to the lift conveyor frame 43 and 44 in that the frame is divided into a lower frame portion 43 containing the drive train with the lower drive sprockets 36, pushing devices 10, extracting devices 9, the controls and the vertical and lower traversing portion of the carrier guide track 45, and an upper frame portion 44 containing the upper drive sprockets 36 and the upper traversing carrier guide track.
  • the chain slack take-up mechanism includes a take-up spindle 46 right hand threaded on one end, a left hand threaded on the other end and with a drive gear about its center. Each of the four take-up spindles 46 can be attached to a common drive chain and driven either manually or automatically to adjust the chain tension, thus insuring equal chain tension at each of the four chain tension points.
  • the electrical control enclosure containing control system 5 is mounted to the lower frame portion 43 of the lift conveyor adjacent to the lift conveyor drive motor 47.
  • FIGS. 13 to 16 of the drawing show a buffer conveyor 3 assembly and details comprised of a buffer conveyor frame 48, a buffer conveyor endless belt 49 and a buffer conveyor drive mechanism 50.
  • the buffer conveyor frame 48 includes; buffer conveyor side-frames 51 of formed or extruded material, which side-frame includes integral conveyor mounting channels 52 and article guidance side guards 53 to guide articles along the buffer conveyors 8, buffer conveyor cross braces 54 and buffer conveyor endless belt guide tracks 55 to captivate the endless belt.
  • the conveyor mounting channels 52 allow the buffer conveyors to be fixed, at various vertical spacings, in a conveyor mounting structure attached to the building.
  • FIG. 16 shows one method of driving the buffer conveyors.
  • This method includes; a multiplicity of buffer conveyor drive chains 57, a buffer conveyor drive motor 58 with gear reducer including an output drive train arrangement utilizing two primary drive sprockets 59 rotating in opposite directions connected to the same primary drive chain 60 such that one arrangement of buffer conveyor drive chains 57 is used to drive articles toward the lift conveyor 2 and the other arrangement of buffer conveyor drive chains 57 is used to drive articles away from the lift conveyor 2, a series of buffer conveyor clutches 12 with brakes to engage either buffer conveyor drive chain 57 such that either buffer conveyor drive chain 57 can drive each buffer conveyor independently.
  • FIG. 17 shows another method of driving buffer conveyors.
  • This method includes an independent drive mechanism for each buffer conveyor comprised of; a single ended, double acting buffer conveyor drive cylinder 61 used to push or to pull a buffer conveyor slide bar 63 as a buffer conveyor drive engage air cylinder 62 causes the buffer conveyor slide bar 63 to engage the conveyor endless belt 49.
  • This method of driving buffer conveyors allows for single article entry or exit from or to the lift conveyor 2 with each stroke of the conveyor drive cylinder.
  • the conveyor drive engage cylinder 62 acts independently of the conveyor drive cylinder 61 enabling buffer conveyor motion toward the lift conveyor 2 or buffer conveyor motion away from the lift conveyor 2 using the same conveyor drive cylinder 61.
  • the buffer conveyor endless belt 49 includes; a plurality of non-flexible belt segments 64 coupled end to end by means of clevis pins to form an flexible endless belt 49, a plurality of non-flexible dividing belt segments 66, located at specific intervals, each with a protrusion on its conveying surface for the purpose of registering article position with respect to buffer conveyor position, a plurality of drive brackets 66, located at specific intervals, each with a protrusion under its conveying surface for the purpose of registering buffer conveyor position with respect to lift conveyor 2 position.
  • FIGS. 20, 21 and 22 in the drawing show flow diagrams depicting the sequence of operation to store an article, to
  • the control system 5 extract an article and to sort a series of articles on the lift conveyor.
  • the control system 5 initiating this motion includes; a series of electrical panels containing control hardware for lift conveyors 2, buffer conveyors 3 and lateral transfer conveyors 4, a barcode scanning array 6 for each
  • 1° lateral transfer conveyor 4 to allow the system to identify articles
  • a programmable controller with software, for control of lift conveyors 2, buffer conveyors 3 and lateral transfer conveyors 4, a computer, with software, for supervisory control of the system, and a network interface port, on the computer,
  • I 5 for communication to a host computer system.
  • the programmable controller software tracks and stores the location of articles within the storage and retrieval system. Additionally the computer stores the location of articles within the storage and retrieval system.
  • the control system 5
  • control system 5 further has the ability to direct a lift conveyor 2 and one of its associated buffer conveyors to deliver all articles from a
  • the control system 5 further has the ability to direct a lift conveyor 2 and one of its associated buffer conveyors to deliver all articles from the buffer conveyor to the lift conveyor 2 and subsequently deliver the same articles to a lateral transfer conveyor 4 in' any pre-planned sequence.
  • the control system also has the ability to graphically illustrate on the computer screen the physical position of the articles on the lift conveyors and the buffer conveyors.
  • the control system 5 further has the ability to present textually on the computer screen the identification of a group of articles by touching the article's graphical representation on the computer screen.
  • the control system includes an incremental optical shaft encoder to track the position and movement of the lift conveyor 2.
  • a sensor 68 on the lift conveyor 2 located at the top of one lift path and a sensor 68 on the lift conveyor 2 located at the bottom of the same lift path are used to insure correct lift conveyor position and to detect lift conveyor chain stretch.
  • the system automatically compensates for the change in carrier stopping position due to chain stretch by monitoring the timing and sequence with which these sensors 68, one located at the top of one lift path and one located at the bottom of the lift path, detect passing lift conveyor carriers.
  • the control system 5 uses a photoelectric sensing array 69 for collision avoidance mounted at the top of one lift path aligned with a reflective array 70 mounted at the bottom of the same lift path, such that the photoelectric array 69 is interrupted as articles are transferred onto and off of the lift conveyor and that the photoelectric array 69 remains uninterrupted otherwise. Movement of the lift conveyor is electrically inhibited when this photoelectric array is interrupted.

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  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Control Of Conveyors (AREA)

Abstract

Système et procédé servant à stocker, à trier ou à maintenir des articles tels que des bacs de courrier et d'autres éléments placés dans des contenants. L'appareil (1) comprend: au moins un dispositif de triage vertical (2) destiné au transport et au triage d'articles; des convoyeurs de stockage intermédiaire (3) servant à stocker les articles; des dispositifs servant à transférer les articles entre le dispositif de levage et les convoyeurs de stockage; un convoyeur de transfert latéral servant à introduire les articles dans le système et à les en extraire; et un système de commande comprenant des tableaux électriques, des contrôleurs programmables et un ordinateur. Un convoyeur de levage (2) est composé d'un carrousel à orientation verticale contenant des chariots servant à transporter des articles le long du parcours du convoyeur de levage. Celui-ci est un convoyeur sans fin pourvu d'un dispositif d'entraînement réversible servant à transporter des articles soit vers l'avant, soit dans la direction inverse. Des convoyeurs de stockage servent à stocker des articles. Ceux-ci sont une extension du convoyeur de levage, augmentant ainsi la capacité de ce dernier.
PCT/US1993/000385 1992-01-17 1993-01-15 Dispositif de triage vertical a deplacement progressif dans deux directions equipe de convoyeurs de stockage intermediaire WO1993014008A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US82260092A 1992-01-17 1992-01-17
US07/822,600 1992-01-17

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WO1993014008A1 true WO1993014008A1 (fr) 1993-07-22

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US7528339B2 (en) 2003-07-31 2009-05-05 Lockheed Martin Corporation Sequencing system and method of use
EP2287093A1 (fr) * 2009-08-19 2011-02-23 psb intralogistics GmbH Système de rayonnage et procédé de fonctionnement d'un système de rayonnage
AT509294B1 (de) * 2010-01-14 2011-10-15 Knapp Ag Regallagersystem
FR3016356A1 (fr) * 2014-01-15 2015-07-17 Renault Sa Convoyeur de stockage d'articles
US9116513B2 (en) 2008-03-28 2015-08-25 Securitypoint Holdings, Inc. Methods and systems for efficient security screening
US9516460B2 (en) 2008-03-28 2016-12-06 Securitypoint Holdings Llc Systems and methods for security checkpoint condition information and sharing
CN110282183A (zh) * 2019-06-04 2019-09-27 张家港汉旗自动化设备有限公司 条形物无损高速码垛装置
CN111086865A (zh) * 2019-12-30 2020-05-01 苏州朗坤自动化设备股份有限公司 一种锂电池治具用储料供料机构

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US4306646A (en) * 1977-11-15 1981-12-22 Axis S.P.A. Conveyor apparatus
US4348152A (en) * 1978-11-10 1982-09-07 Itoki Co., Ltd. Article retrieval device
US4458152A (en) * 1982-05-10 1984-07-03 Siltec Corporation Precision specular proximity detector and article handing apparatus employing same
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Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7528339B2 (en) 2003-07-31 2009-05-05 Lockheed Martin Corporation Sequencing system and method of use
US9116513B2 (en) 2008-03-28 2015-08-25 Securitypoint Holdings, Inc. Methods and systems for efficient security screening
US9516460B2 (en) 2008-03-28 2016-12-06 Securitypoint Holdings Llc Systems and methods for security checkpoint condition information and sharing
EP2287093A1 (fr) * 2009-08-19 2011-02-23 psb intralogistics GmbH Système de rayonnage et procédé de fonctionnement d'un système de rayonnage
AT509294B1 (de) * 2010-01-14 2011-10-15 Knapp Ag Regallagersystem
FR3016356A1 (fr) * 2014-01-15 2015-07-17 Renault Sa Convoyeur de stockage d'articles
CN110282183A (zh) * 2019-06-04 2019-09-27 张家港汉旗自动化设备有限公司 条形物无损高速码垛装置
CN110282183B (zh) * 2019-06-04 2024-04-05 张家港汉旗自动化设备有限公司 条形物无损高速码垛装置
CN111086865A (zh) * 2019-12-30 2020-05-01 苏州朗坤自动化设备股份有限公司 一种锂电池治具用储料供料机构

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