초록 ▼

The invention relates to a consignment system and method for loading a freight carrier (2) with freight units (4) forming a freight stack (3), either manually or on an automated basis. The consignment system comprises a device (1) with a positioning conveyor unit (16) which has conveyor tracks (50a,

The invention relates to a consignment system and method for loading a freight carrier (2) with freight units (4) forming a freight stack (3), either manually or on an automated basis. The consignment system comprises a device (1) with a positioning conveyor unit (16) which has conveyor tracks (50a, 50b) which can be adjusted by means of a displacement device (52) to a distance (53) determined on the basis of the conveying property of the freight unit (4) to be stacked and/or from a gap width (81) of a stack gap in a stack position of the freight stack (3).

대표청구항 ▼

1. A consignment system, comprising: a device for automated loading a freight carrier with freight units forming a freight stack, the freight units being of different dimensions, geometries, dimensional stability or surface properties, the device comprising:(i) a computer system for determining firs

1. A consignment system, comprising: a device for automated loading a freight carrier with freight units forming a freight stack, the freight units being of different dimensions, geometries, dimensional stability or surface properties, the device comprising:(i) a computer system for determining first conveying properties for each of the freight units and second loading positions for each of the freight units in the freight stack, each on the basis of at least one of the dimension, geometry, dimensional stability and surface property of the freight unit,(ii) a positioning conveyor unit for placing the freight units on the freight stack at three-dimensional loading positions set by the computer system, the positioning conveyor unit having a first conveyor track equipped with a first conveyor means;a second conveyor track equipped with a second conveyor means, the first and second conveyor tracks being arranged parallel to each other;a first displacement device for adjusting the first and second conveyor tracks relative to one another in a first direction (x-direction) so as to adjust a distance between the first and second conveyor tracks on the basis of at least one of the conveying property of the freight unit to be stacked and a gap width of a stack gap in a stack position of the freight stack, wherein the distance is set automatically by the computer system on the basis of at least one conveying property of the freight unit or the gap width;a second displacement device for adjusting the first and second conveyor tracks synchronously in a second direction (z-direction) between a retracted transfer position and an extracted loading position;at least one conveyor motor for driving the first and second conveyor means for stacking the freight unit;(iii) a feeding conveyor system which can be moved in the first direction (x-direction) by a third displacement device horizontally alongside the freight carrier and relative to the positioning conveyor unit; and(iv) a lifting station for raising and lowering the freight carrier. 2. The consignment system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conveyor tracks have conveyor means which can be moved synchronously in the second direction (z direction) towards the freight carrier relative to the feeding conveyor system by means of the second displacement device. 3. The consignment system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device has an orienting device which positions the freight unit in the first direction (x-direction) horizontally alongside the freight carrier. 4. The consignment system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the orienting device has lateral guides which can be adjusted by means of a fourth displacement device to essentially the width of the freight unit to be stacked. 5. The consignment system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the lateral guides are provided in the form of conveyor systems which are disposed on a positioning carriage mounting the feeding conveyor system and can be activated synchronously. 6. The consignment system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conveyor tracks project out from a front end of the feeding conveyor system in the conveying direction of the freight units and are disposed underneath it. 7. The consignment system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conveyor tracks constitute a conveyor plane extending in a downwards incline towards their front ends in the conveying direction of the freight units. 8. The consignment system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the feeding conveyor system constitutes a conveyor plane extending in a downwards incline towards its front end in the conveying direction of the freight units. 9. The consignment system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the feeding conveyor system constitutes a transfer plane at its front end in the conveying direction of the freight units, which subtends an angle of more than 180° with the conveyor plane. 10. The consignment system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device has a feeding system disposed upstream of the feeding conveyor system in the conveying direction of the freight units. 11. The consignment system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device also has a distributor conveyor system which can be moved in the first direction (x-direction) horizontally alongside the freight carrier and relative to the feeding conveyor system, which is disposed between the feeding system and the feeding conveyor system in the conveying direction of the freight units. 12. The consignment system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device has a consignment area between the lifting station and the feeding conveyor system. 13. A method of automatically loading a freight carrier with freight units forming a freight stack with a device, the freight units being of different dimensions, geometries, dimensional stability or surface properties, the device comprising: i) a positioning conveyor unit having a first conveyor track equipped with a first conveyor means;a second conveyor track equipped with a second conveyor means, the first and second conveyor tracks being arranged parallel to each other;ii) a feeding conveyor system which is configured to be movable in a first direction (x-direction) by a first displacement device horizontally alongside the freight carrier; and(iii) a lifting station for raising and lowering the freight carrier;the method for stacking freight units comprising the steps of:i) entering consignment orders each including a plurality of freight units,ii) determining first conveying properties for each of the freight units and second loading positions (x-position, y-position, z-position) for each of the freight units in the freight stack each on the basis of at least one of the dimension, geometry, dimensional stability and surface property of the freight unit by means of a computer system,iii) determining a distance between the first and second conveyor tracks on the basis either of the conveying property of the freight unit to be stacked or a gap width of a stack gap in a stack position of the freight stack by means of the computer system,iv) delivering the freight units of an order in a sequence to the feeding conveyor system,v) picking a first freight unit onto the feeding conveyor system and moving in the first direction (x direction) until it is disposed at the x-position determined by the computer system,vi) adjusting the first and second conveyor tracks relative to one another in the first direction (x-direction) by means of a second displacement device so as to adjust a distance between the first and second conveyor tracks on the basis either of the conveying property of the first freight unit to be stacked or the gap width of the stack gap in the loading position of the freight stack,vii) after adjusting the first and second conveyor tracks, transferring the first freight unit from the feeding conveyor system onto the first and second conveyor tracks,viii) extending the first and second conveyor tracks synchronously in a second direction (z-direction) between a retracted transfer position and an extracted loading position by means of a third displacement device, wherein in the retracted transfer position the first freight unit is picked up by the first and second conveyor tracks and in the extracted loading position the first freight unit is in the z-position determined by the computer system,ix) stacking the first freight unit in the z-position in such a manner that a conveyor plane of the conveyor means is moved opposite to a reverse direction of the first and second conveyor tracks are moved back into the retracted transfer position, as a result of which the freight unit is transferred to the set loading position without any displacement relative to the conveyor plane,x) picking the second freight unit onto the feeding conveyor system and moving the feeding conveyor in the first direction (x-direction) until the second freight unit is disposed at the x-position determined by the computer system,xi) adjusting the first and second conveyor tracks relative to one another in the first direction (x-direction) by means of the second displacement device so as to adjust the distance between the first and second conveyor tracks on the basis of either the conveying property of the second freight unit to be stacked or the gap width of the stack gap in the loading position of the freight stack,xii) after adjusting the first and second conveyor tracks, transferring the second freight unit from the feeding conveyor system onto the first and second conveyor tracks,xiii) extending the first and second conveyor tracks synchronously in the second direction (z-direction) between the retracted transfer position and an extracted loading position by means of a third displacement device, wherein in the retracted transfer position the second freight unit is picked up by the first and second conveyor tracks and in the extracted loading position, the second freight unit is in the z-position determined by the computer system, andxiv) stacking the second freight unit in the z-position in such a manner that the conveyor plane of the conveyor means is moved opposite to the reverse direction of the conveyor tracks are moved back into the retracted transfer position, as a result of which the freight unit is transferred to the set loading position without any displacement relative to the conveyor plane. 14. A method of positioning freight units forming a freight stack on a freight carrier with a device in a consignment system, the freight units being of different dimensions, geometries, dimensional stability or surface properties and the device comprising: i) a positioning conveyor unit having a first conveyor track,a second conveyor track, the first and second conveyor tracks are arranged parallel to each other;ii) a feeding conveyor system which is configured to be movable in a first direction (x-direction) by a first displacement device horizontally alongside the freight carrier and relative to the positioning conveyor unit; andiii) a lifting station for raising and lowering the freight carrier;the method for stacking freight units comprising the steps of:i) entering consignment orders each including a plurality of freight units,ii) determining conveying properties for each of the freight units on the basis of at least one of the dimension, geometry, dimensional stability and surface property of the freight unit by means of a computer system,iii) determining a distance between the first and second conveyor tracks on the basis of the conveying property of the freight unit to be stacked by means of the computer system,iv) delivering the freight units of an order to the feeding conveyor system,v) picking a first freight unit onto the feeding conveyor system,vi) before the first freight unit is transferred from the feeding conveyor system onto the positioning conveyor unit,the freight unit is moved in the first direction (x-direction) horizontally alongside the freight carrier and relative to the positioning conveyor unit by the feeding conveyor system, andthe positioning conveyor unit is moved to a park position and remains in that position, andthe first and second conveyor tracks of the positioning conveyor unit are adjusted relative to one another in the first direction (x-direction) by means of a second displacement device so as to adjust the distance between the first and second conveyor tracks on the basis of the conveying property of the first freight unit to be stacked,vii) after adjusting the first and second conveyor tracks,transferring the first freight unit from the feeding conveyor system to a standby position on the first and second conveyor tracks, andpicking the first freight unit from the first and second conveyor tracks by a staff member and placing on the freight carrier or an already stacked freight unit,viii) and afterwards picking a second freight unit onto the feeding conveyor system,ix) before the second freight unit is transferred from the feeding conveyor system onto the positioning conveyor unit,the second freight unit is moved in the first direction (x-direction) horizontally alongside the freight carrier and relative to the positioning conveyor unit by the feeding conveyor system, andthe first and second conveyor tracks of the positioning conveyor unit are adjusted relative to one another in the direction (x-direction) by the second displacement device so as to adjust the distance between the first and second conveyor tracks on the basis of the conveying property of the second freight unit to be stacked,x) after adjusting the first and second conveyor tracks,transferring the second freight unit from the feeding conveyor system to the stand-by position on the first and second conveyor tracks, andpicking the second freight unit from the first and second conveyor tracks by the staff member and placing on the freight carrier or an already stacked freight unit. 15. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising before transferring a freight unit to the positioning conveyor unit, positioning the freight unit between lateral guides of an orienting device which can be moved relative to one another. 16. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising during loading of the freight carrier, moving the conveyor tracks to a position above the loading position for the freight unit and then moving at least one conveyor track in the x-direction horizontally alongside the freight carrier and relative to the freight carrier, during which pushing of a freight unit already disposed on the freight carrier against a side wall occurs then moving a freight unit and depositing the freight unit at the loading position. 17. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising before depositing the freight unit already moved to the loading position, moving the conveyor track in the x-direction away from the side wall of a freight unit already disposed on the freight carrier and then moving both conveyor tracks back in the z direction and simultaneously depositing the freight unit. 18. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising whilst moving the two conveyor tracks back in the z-direction, sliding the conveyor track which has been moved in the x-direction against a side wall of a freight unit already disposed on the freight carrier along the side wall and simultaneously depositing the freight unit. 19. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising after transferring the first freight unit to the feeding conveyor system and conveying the first freight unit by the feeding conveyor system to a set loading position in the freight stack, moving the second freight unit by a distributor conveyor system relative to the feeding conveyor system into a transfer position. 20. The method as claimed in claim 19, further comprising moving the freight unit by the distributor conveyor system into the transfer position corresponding to the loading position in the freight stack in the x direction set by the computer system. 21. The method as claimed in claim 19, further comprising moving the freight unit by the distributor conveyor system into the transfer position corresponding to the loading position in the freight stack in the x direction set by the computer system for the freight unit of the preceding loading cycle. 22. The method as claimed in claim 19, further comprising detecting the displacement path of the feeding conveyor system in the x direction and moving, on the basis of the detected displacement path, the distributor conveyor system relative to the feeding conveyor system into the transfer position, positioning the freight unit in the x-direction in the transfer position. 23. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising before transferring a freight unit to the positioning conveyor unit, positioning the freight unit between lateral guides of an orienting device which can be moved relative to one another.