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EP-3978398-B1 - LOADING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR LOADING A CONTAINER WITH PACKAGES

EP3978398B1EP 3978398 B1EP3978398 B1EP 3978398B1EP-3978398-B1

Inventors

  • Grafe, Dr. Wolfram
  • HARTMANN, BERND

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20210902

Claims (13)

  1. Loading apparatus (20) for loading a container (21), in particular a roll container, with packages, comprising a transport channel (27) for transporting the packages (22) one after another in the direction of the container (21), wherein the transport channel (27) has an upper inlet (29) for feeding the packages (22) into the transport channel (27) and a lower outlet (32) for feeding the packages (22) into the container (21), and wherein at least one upper finger position (34, 35) with at least one finger element (49) and at least one lower finger position (35, 36) with at least one finger element (49) are provided in the transport channel (27), characterized in that - the at least one finger elements (49) of the upper finger position (34, 35) and of the lower finger position (35, 36) respectively have at least two flexible flank elements (2, 3) extending together from one end of the finger element (49) to the opposite end of the finger element (49), - that the at least two flexible flank elements (2, 3) of the finger elements (49) are respectively flexibly connected to one another via a plurality of webs (6), so that the finger elements (49) can respectively be moved from at least one curved position into at least one extended position and back, - that at least one finger position (34, 35, 36) is provided with a plurality of finger elements (49), and - that at least one hand element (44) comprising at least some finger elements (49) of the plurality of finger elements (49) of the respective finger position (34, 35, 36) is provided at at least one finger position (34, 35, 36).
  2. Loading apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that - the finger elements (49) of the at least one hand element (44) are arranged spreading slightly laterally from one another or extending at least substantially parallel to one another, and/or - the finger elements (49) of the at least one hand element (44) are provided engaging together on a palm element (38) of the hand element (44).
  3. Loading apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that - at least one drive unit (40) for moving the at least two flank elements (2, 3) of the respective finger element (49) relative to one another in a longitudinal direction of the finger element (49) from a curved into an extended position and/or back is assigned to at least one finger element (49) of at least one finger position (34, 35, 36) and/or of at least one hand element (44) of at least one finger position (34, 35, 36), and that, preferably, at least one drive unit (40) for moving the at least two flank elements (2, 3) of the respective finger element (49) relative to one another in a longitudinal direction of the finger element (49) from a curved into an extended position and/or back is assigned to all finger elements (49) of at least one finger position (34, 35, 36) and/or of at least one hand element (44).
  4. Loading apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that - at least one pressure sensor for detecting the pressure exerted on the flank element (2, 3), the finger element (49) and/or the hand element (44) is assigned to at least one finger element (49) of at least one finger position (34, 35, 36) and/or at least one hand element (44), in particular at least one flank element (2, 3) of at least one finger element (49).
  5. Loading apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that - the extension of the at least one finger element (49) and/or hand element (44) of a finger position (34, 35, 36) in the direction of the associated free end, in a projection onto a horizontal plane and/or a cross-sectional plane (E) of the transport channel (27), forms an angle (W) of between 45° and 315°, preferably between 90° and 270°, in particular between 135° and 225°, with the extension of a finger element (49) and/or hand element (44) of another finger position (34, 35, 36) in the direction of the associated free end, and that, preferably, - the extensions of finger elements (49) and/or hand elements (44) of, in particular respectively every, finger positions (34, 35, 36) succeeding one another in the direction of gravity, in the direction of the associated free end, in a projection onto a horizontal plane and/or a cross-sectional plane (E) of the transport channel (27), enclose an angle (W) of between 45° and 315°, preferably between 90° and 270°, in particular between 135° and 225°.
  6. Loading apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that - the finger elements (49) and/or hand elements (44) of finger positions (34, 35, 36) spaced from one another, in particular successive, in the direction of gravity are provided on at least substantially opposite inner sides of the transport channel (27).
  7. Loading apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that - the lower and/or lowermost finger position (35, 36) of the transport channel (27) is spaced above the lower outlet (32) of the transport channel (27) in the direction of gravity by less than 2 m, preferably less than 1.5 m, in particular less than 1 m, more in particular less than 0.5 m, from the outlet (32) of the transport channel (27).
  8. Loading apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that - the transport channel (27), in particular a center line (43) of the transport channel (27), is at least substantially straight and/or that the transport channel (27), in particular a center line (43) of the transport channel (27), has an angle to the direction of gravity of less than 45°, preferably less than 30°, in particular less than 15°.
  9. Loading apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that - the transport channel (27) is formed at least as an at least substantially closed channel, in particular one having at least substantially a rectangular or round cross-section, and/or that a funnel-shaped section (28), in particular tapering in the direction of gravity and/or in the transport direction of the packages (22) along the transport channel (27), is assigned to the upper inlet (29) of the transport channel (27).
  10. Method for loading a container (21), in particular a roll container, with packages (22), using a loading apparatus (20) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, - in which the packages (22) are introduced one after another into the upper inlet (29) of the transport channel (27), - in which the packages (22) introduced into the inlet (29) of the transport channel (27) come into contact with the at least one finger element (49) of the upper finger position (34, 35) and are decelerated by the at least one finger element (49), - in which the packages (22) decelerated by the at least one finger element (49) of the upper finger position (34, 35) come into contact with the at least one finger element (49) of the lower finger position (35, 36) and are decelerated by the at least one finger element (49), and - in which the packages (22) decelerated by the at least one finger element (49) of the lower finger position (35, 36) are released through the lower outlet (32) of the transport channel (27) from the transport channel (27) into the container (21).
  11. Method according to claim 10, in which the direction of movement of the packages (22) is deflected at least partially in a direction perpendicular to the direction of gravity by at least the finger elements (49) of the upper finger position (34, 35) and/or the lower finger position (35, 36), and in which, preferably, the packages (22) are deflected by at least one finger element (49) and/or hand element (44) of the at least one upper finger position (34, 35) in the direction of the at least one finger element (49) and/or hand element (44) of the at least one lower finger position (35, 36).
  12. Method according to claim 10 or 11, in which the deceleration and/or deflection of the packages (22) takes place by at least partial catching by the at least one finger element (49) and/or hand element (44) of the at least one finger position (34, 35, 36), and/or in which the deflection and/or passing on of the, in particular at least partially caught, packages (22) along the transport channel (27) takes place by moving the at least one finger element (49) of the finger position (34, 35, 36) and/or the hand element (44) downward and/or upward and/or by spreading a plurality of finger elements (49) of the finger position (34, 35, 36) and/or the hand element (44) of the finger position (34, 35, 36), and/or in which the packages (22) exiting from the lower outlet (32) of the transport channel (27) fall in the direction of gravity into the container (21), in particular roll container.
  13. Method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, in which a lower section (30) of the transport channel (27) associated with the lower outlet (32) of the transport channel (27) is held at least temporarily in a position inserted into the container (21) during the loading of the container (21), and in which, preferably, the lower section (30) of the transport channel (27) is pulled out at least temporarily, in particular stepwise, and at least partially from the container (21) during the loading of the container (21).

Description

The invention relates to a loading device for loading a container, in particular a roll container, with packages. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for loading a container, in particular a roll container, with packages using such a loading device. Containers such as roll containers are regularly loaded manually with packages to effectively utilize the container's cargo space. This is especially important when packages of varying dimensions need to be loaded into a single container. Furthermore, manual loading offers the advantage of gentle handling of the packages. This is crucial because improper handling can damage the packages, and for cost reasons, they are not designed to be strong and robust enough to reliably withstand significant forces. A loading device that discloses the preamble of claim 1 is made from the US3565225A known. The packages can also be conveyed to the appropriate container via a pipe, with the packages then falling into the container after exiting the pipe. If the drop height of the packages is too great, damage to the packages cannot be ruled out. To avoid potential damage to the packages, it has therefore been proposed to limit the incline of the pipes, at least in certain sections, in order to reduce the speed at which the packages exit the pipe and fall into the container. For the purposes of this document, the term "containers" refers in particular to those that can be loaded more or less from the top and/or are primarily intended for use on company premises. The use of these containers regularly requires... The containers themselves lack a drive mechanism for moving them around the company premises. However, to facilitate easy movement, either manually or via a separate drive unit, it is particularly advantageous for the containers to be equipped with wheels. Such containers are often referred to as roll containers. Regardless, these containers are regularly transported from one company site to another. For this purpose, the containers are loaded into a commercial vehicle and, if necessary, driven via public roads to the other site and unloaded there. Here, too, roll containers are advantageous for the ease of loading and unloading the commercial vehicle. The preferred containers, particularly roll containers, are designed for unloading from one side, while loading can be carried out from both the side and the top. The side of the container intended for loading and unloading can be closed by at least one door or at least one flap. However, accidental falling of packages is often prevented by straps, belts, or skirts that can be stretched over the side opening of the container. These straps, belts, or skirts can preferably be opened for loading and unloading. Furthermore, the straps, belts, or skirts are often stretched approximately horizontally across the opening of the container. The top of the container can also be completely or partially closed, but this is not generally necessary. Loading and/or unloading the containers does not necessarily have to be possible from one side. Containers with only a top opening, which can be closed if necessary, are generally sufficient. Such containers are particularly preferred if they are designed as roll containers, allowing them to be moved along the ground using multiple casters. However, the containers can also function without casters and, for example, be supported by a pallet. Furthermore, containers made of various materials, such as cardboard or wire mesh boxes, are available. Consider this. Furthermore, the containers can have different basic shapes, for example, a rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, or octagonal cross-section. Finally, the containers do not necessarily have to have solid side walls in the traditional sense. For example, so-called big bags, which can be held in a separate holder, are also suitable. The present invention is therefore based on the objective of designing and further developing the loading device and the method of the type mentioned at the outset and explained in more detail above in such a way that the loading of the containers with packages can be carried out more easily and efficiently, without having to accept disproportionate disadvantages with regard to possible damage to the packages. This problem is solved according to claim 1. The aforementioned problem is further solved according to claim 10 by a method for loading a container, in particular a roll container, with packages, with a loading device according to one of claims 1 to 9, where the packages are introduced one after the other into the upper entrance of the transport channel, in which the packages introduced into the entrance of the transport channel come into contact with at least one finger element of the upper finger position and are slowed down by at least one finger element, in which the packages, slowed down by the at least one finger element of the upper finger position, come into contact with the at least one fi