Device for precision feeding of flat sortation items to an input device for a sorting conveyor

Abstract

The present invention is directed to transferring flat objects to be sorted towards the input device of a sorting conveyor for sorting them. This is achieved by a picking unit which periodically individualizes the flat object for sorting, places the objects on a transporting path, and a transferring unit transfers the objects to be sorted, when they come in a predetermined position on the transporting path, to an input device at a defined advancement rate. The targeted advancement rate makes it possible to place the object to be sorted in a final defined position in the input device in such a way that the subsequent treatment thereof is carried out in a reliable and automated manner. The shape and structure of the object is not important, because prior to the object reaching the predetermined transport position, the targeted displacement thereof is carried out at an pre-set advancement rate.

1 . a device for precision feeding of flat sortation items to an input device of a sorting conveyor, comprising: 
 a take-off unit arranged to periodically singulate the flat sortation items and places the flat sortation items in singulated form onto a conveying section; and    a feeder unit arranged to transfers the singulated sortation items, with a defined forward feed, to the input device after the sortation items have reached a predetermined conveying location on the conveying sections.    
   
   
       2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the sortation items comprise a preferred edge and the device further comprises means for stacking the sortation items in the take-off unit and transferring the sortation items to the conveying section with the preferred edge at a foremost location.    
   
   
       3 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the take-off unit comprises a drum-like rotating unit having suction pads and a transport securing element, the suction pads arranged to act on a sortation item nearest to the drum such that, an edge, of the sortation item in engagement with the suction pads may be brought into engagement with the transport securing element.    
   
   
       4 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein the suction pads include releaseable vacuum means which when released effect the transport securing element to be removed from the edge, the vacuum being releasable after a specifiable angular rotation distance.  
   
   
       5 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the specified conveying location includes a light barrier assigned to the conveying section and/or a contact sensor assigned to the conveying section.  
   
   
       6 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein 
 the specified conveying location is represented by an end of the conveying section.    
   
   
       7 . The device according to one of  claim 1 , wherein 
 the feeder unit comprises a telescopic unit with a traversable slide, the slide arranged so as to move out when the sortation item reaches the specified conveying locations and a defined forward feed corresponding to a predetermined outward travel.    
   
   
       8 . The device according to  claim 7 , wherein 
 the slide of the telescopic unit is adjustable so that it can return to its normal position before the sortation item following the sortation items which were just ejected reaching the specified conveying location.    
   
   
       9 . The device according to  claim 7 , wherein 
 the slide of the telescopic unit has a continuous conveying belt which is not driven as the slide moves out and is driven as the slide retracts.    
   
   
       10 . The device according to  claim 9 , further comprising 
 a driving element for a conveying belt of the slide, the driving element being linked to the slide's motion and comprising a free wheel arranged to provide for the belt's outward travel and, speed control means arranged for the inward travel so that the speed of the conveying belt is at least largely matched to the absolute speed of the inward travel, but in an opposite direction.    
   
   
       11 . The device according to  claim 7 , wherein 
 the telescopic unit comprises at least one system of two roller pairs linked via a closed belt, wherein:    a) the position of the two rollers within a roller pair is fixed relative to one another;    b) one roller pair is stationary and the other roller pair is mounted on the slide performing outward and inward travel;    c) each roller pair comprises at least one roller equipped with a free wheel, so that    c1) as the slide travels out the belt only rolls via rollers of the stationary roller pair, and    c2) as the slide retracts the belt only rolls via rollers mounted on the slide.    
   
   
       12 . The device according to  claim 7 , wherein 
 both the conveying section at least in the region of the normal position of the slide of the telescopic unit and the slide comprise strip-shaped spaced conveying belts, the strip-shaped conveying belts of the conveying section and of the telescopic unit being alternately disposed.    
   
   
       13 . The device according to  claim 12 , wherein 
 a level of the strip-shaped belts of the slide may be used as support for the sortation item, the level being disposed slightly lower than a level of the strip-shaped belts of the conveying section in which the sortation item has been conveyed.    
   
   
       14 . The device according to  claim 7  wherein 
 the at least one of the belt and belts of the slide comprise an adhesive surface.    
   
   
       15 . The device according to  claim 7 , further comprising a roller-bearing-mounted spring element arranged such that 
 until they reach a predetermined conveying location, the sortation items ( 6   a ) can be brought into engagement with the roller-bearing-mounted spring element which presses the sortation items against at least one of the belt or belts of the slide.    
   
   
       16 . The device according to  claim 7 , wherein 
 the slide of the telescopic unit is adjustable such that the slide has at least approximately a speed of the sortation item transported on the conveying section when the sortation item is transferred from the conveying section to the slide.    
   
   
       17 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein 
 the feeder unit comprises a disk-like, rotating, non-rotationally-symmetrical conveying element arranged to act with its axially outer areas on the sortation items which have reached a specified conveying location and thus initiates forward feeding to the input device until the element's axially inner areas lose contact with the sortation item.    
   
   
       18 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein the edge of the sortation item is a preferred edge.