The present invention lies within the field of management and sorting of goods volumes such as parcels, more specifically it relates to an interface system between a feeding system and a handling element, e.g. connected to a handling facility, the interface system being configured for emptying containers. Moreover, the invention relates to a system for controlling said interface system.

Background

Today, management and sorting of for instance parcels are to a very large extent executed by means of conveyor belts. Many feeding and delivery systems for these conveyor belts are not automated and require staff for managing minor operations and for taking action in case of interruptions of operation. A typical feeding system is often dimensioned for one person to manage two lines, but in practice there is actually often one person per line, which obviously increases costs.

Prior art for emptying of container contents to a fixed conveyor belt involves turning the container upside down so that the contents fall from a relatively large height out onto a conveyor belt. Thereby the parcels fall out by the force of gravity and sometimes land so hard that the contents of a parcel are damaged. In other instances, parcels stick in for instance the sides of a wire mesh cage. This means that staff will have to manually release the parcels that have got stuck. The time consumption for the overall manual part of the emptying procedure is relatively large, as a typical emptying cycle typically takes about 80 seconds with a system of the known type and also requires the presence of an operator.

It is therefore desirable to provide a system for careful management of the emptying so that the contents of e.g. parcels are not damaged, and wherein the overall emptying time is competitive. Summary

The object of the invention is considered by an interface system as described in the claims. Disclosed herein is therefore an interface system positioned between a feeding system and a handling element, e.g. connected to a handling facility such as a sorting facility, the interface system being configured to empty a container, the interface system comprising:

• a conveying element configured to receive contents from the container and to guide said contents in a first transport direction, wherein said conveying element is configured to be moved between a receiving position and an emptying position,

• an actuator connected to the conveying element and configured to change the position of said conveying element from the receiving position to the emptying position,

• a moveable arm configured to grab and retain said container and control the movement of said container in the cases where the movement of the container is not supported in any other manner, such as e.g. by the conveying element,

• a controller system configured to control at least said actuator and said

movable arm,

wherein changing the position of said conveying element from the receiving position to the emptying position results in a change of the position of said container from a pre-emptying position to an emptying position away from the pre-emptying position, wherein the container is held at a distance to the conveying element allowing unhindered conveying speed for the conveying element, whereby the contents of the container by the force of gravity are brought into contact with the conveying element and guided further in its conveying direction.

The advantage of the interface system is that the contents of the container are emptied out in a controlled manner onto a conveying element, for instance a conveyor belt, by means of a movable arm, e.g. a robot arm, and the conveying element. The conveying element may be tipped, optionally synchronously with a tipping of the container. The actuator in the interface system may be a linear actuator, such as a pneumatic piston, a gearing system, a drive, or similar. The handling facility may be a sorting facility. Alternatively, the handling facility may be a waste incineration plant.

The handling element may be a further conveying element, such as a conveying belt. The further conveying element may have a fixed substantially horizontal position. By fixed horizontal position is meant that though the conveying element moves contents, e.g. parcels, it does not tip up and down or otherwise change its position. The transport element, which is normally positioned in the middle of a conveying belt, may however move the contents from the container in a direction, e.g. a forward direction.

The further conveying element may have a first transport direction being

substantially in the same direction as the first transport direction of the conveying element when in the emptying position. The first transport directions may be aligned in a substantially horizontal direction. It is understood that the conveying direction of the contents of the container may be determined by the first transport directions

Instead of a traditional conveying belt, the handling element may be a belt comprising a plurality of rollers, which by rotation in the same direction moves contents in a forward direction.

When the conveying element is moved from the receiving position to the emptying position, the conveying element may be tipped. I.e. , the movement is a tipping of the conveying element. Thus, included in the terms moving the position / changing position are also included a tipping of the element.

The pre-emptying position may be a substantially upright position. By upright position is meant a position where contents, e.g. parcels can be positioned in the container at the uppermost side of the container.

The interface system may comprise an opening arranged for emptying of contents, for instance parcels from the container, e.g. by tipping said container. The emptying position may be a tipped position parallel to a tipped conveying element. The container may have an opening, so that the contents of the container can fall out by the force of gravity when the container is tipped. In one or more embodiments, said tipping of the container is increased, so that additional contents fall out by the force of gravity and down onto said conveying element. Thus, when the container changes position to the emptying position, the contents in the container fall out of the container by the force of gravity and down onto said conveying element.

An auxiliary means for tipping the container could be a movable arm, e.g. a robot arm. The contents, which could be parcels, may thereby come out through said opening by the force of gravity during tipping. The contents will therefore necessarily have to be tipped out carefully. The execution of the emptying may be made by means of a conveying element that is configured to receive the contents of the container and guide it further ahead in a first transport direction, e.g. a forward direction. The conveying element may be located close to the container in a receiving position and subsequently close to the opening of the container up to the emptying position as long as the container is tipped. In this manner, the fall of the contents is brief, so the contents are exposed to the least possible force when falling down onto the conveying element, whereby the risk of damaging the contents is minimized. In principle, the contents of the container may be laid onto the conveying element, as the opening of the container will often be constituted by the entire front of the container, which more or less abuts the conveying element already before the tipping.

The movable arm, e.g. a robot arm, may be arranged to be able to grab the container and lift the container, if the arm is suited for this. Alternatively, the arm may be used for guiding and supporting the container, so that it is tipped

concurrently with the conveying element, and so that the contents of the container are carefully emptied out, meaning that the contents only fall a short distance, whereby the fall and hence the potential risk of damage of the contents of the container is minimized.

The movable arm may comprise several motors, such as two, three, four, five, or six motors. The movable arm may further be movable by having actuators and movable joints. Furthermore, the interface system may have a controller system. The controller system may comprise several individual controllers, where each controller is controlling different elements in the interface system. The controller system may comprise a controller for controlling a tipping of the container, and a controller or optionally the same controller for controlling a tipping of the conveying element. The controller system is normally configured such that the container is constantly at a suitable distance from the conveying element, so that neither the conveying element or the container is subject to wear. A suitable distance may be from a few

millimetres to 6 to 7 centimetres or even more, however, the distance can be adjusted according to the size of the objects to be managed. Thus, the container may be kept at a distance from the conveying element in the range of 0.5-10 cm, such as 1-8 cm, such as 2-7 cm, such as 4-6 cm, wherein the distance is a minimum clearance between the container and a transporting portion of the conveying element when transferring from the receiving position to the emptying position.

Emptying out of the contents from a container in the receiving position until the container has been emptied and the robot arm is again ready for emptying of the next container may be done in about 45 seconds, such as between 15 and 60 seconds, preferably within about 35 seconds. Moreover, one single person may monitor several of the new emptying lines. Without said interface system, this period is about 80 seconds, and one person is required for monitoring two emptying lines, and in practice even one person for each emptying line.

The tipping speed of both the container and the conveying element may be increased or decreased depending on the volume of contents on the conveying element. In special cases, changing the tipping speed may be necessary, for instance when there are too many parcels on the belt.

In one or more embodiments, said controller system is programmed to control the arm to grab the container, whereupon the container is lifted, optionally by way of said lifting means. The arm may simultaneously perform a lift of the container or moves together with and support when tipping the container. A system for controlling the interface system according to the above may perform the tasks mentioned above. This is an advantageous way of implementing control of the robot arm, and tipping of the container as well as of the conveying element. The controller system may be configured to control the change in position of said conveying element so that said conveying element and the container are moved substantially synchronously.

Synchronously means that the emptying takes place so that the tipping of the container and the conveying element cause the contents to fall out in a controlled manner, so that the fall by the force of gravity will be brief, whereby the risk of damage to the parcels is minimized.

In one or more embodiments, said controller system is configured to control tipping of said conveying element, so that said conveying element does not convey until all contents of the container have fallen out and onto the conveying element. I.e., said controller system may be configured to control the movement of the conveying element such that said conveying element does not convey until all contents of the container have fallen out of the container and touch the conveying element. Thereby unnecessary activity with the conveying element is avoided.

In one or more embodiments, said interface system comprises lifting means, wherein said lifting means is a lifting plate, the lifting plate being configured to lift said container, wherein the lifting plate is arranged in connection with the conveying element and on a level with a foundation when the conveying element is in the receiving position, in which position it allows a container to be guided onto said lifting plate from a waiting position.

Such a lifting plate is an advantage, as it can take a great deal of the weight of the filled container in the receiving position, where it is particularly heavy, and also as long as little of the contents have been emptied out.

In one or more embodiments, the container is constituted by a cage. A cage is understood to mean a container, wherein one or more sides are made of a mesh like material, for instance metal, wherein the cage typically comprises a bottom and a number of side faces, wherein at least one side face of the cage can be mounted on hinges or the like in a vertical direction, so that at least portion of said one side can be released and thereby swing from one to another position. Alternatively, one of the side faces may be able to bend around an axis in the horizontal direction, e.g. in the middle of the side face. The cage may also have round edges, e.g. in the form a rounded or cylindrical cage. Alternatively or additionally, the cage may comprise a bottom and a number of side faces, said number being less than four, wherein at least one side of the cage has no side face and instead has an opening which can be covered by elastic straps or pallet wrapping to be removed before emptying.

The robot arm will typically be arranged to be able to swing the cage from one to the other side in the cage's almost horizontal emptying position.

In one or more embodiments, the interface system comprises a cage, wherein said at least one side is opened by a lift of the bottom inwards and upwards in the cage. This is possible in the cases where the cage has a bottom and sides that comprise interacting locking means, which by impacting the cage from below are released by activation of a device on for instance the robot arm or on the lifting plate. What happens is that when said locking means are affected, the bottom turns upwards in the cage. The lift of the bottom inwards and upwards in the cage thus causes the sides to be released along the bottom and now can swing, at least at an angle of between 0 and perhaps 45 degrees or more, about their hinges along a long side. This means that it is much easier for instance for parcels that are stuck in meshes in the sides of the cage to fall out. This will all other things equal reduce the time of an emptying cycle.

In one or more embodiments, said control of the arm comprises that said cage is rolled from one side and then to the other side and optionally several times, so that the contents are released from any meshes in the side faces of the cage and thereby are emptied out onto the conveying element. If the emptying takes place first to the side away from the lining up of emptied cages and then to the side with the emptied cages, the cycle time for emptying will be shorter than if the swinging was executed to the sides in the opposite order. A more simple rolling of the cage from an emptying position and towards one side, such as in the direction towards the side to which the emptied cages are placed, is also a possibility.

In one or more embodiments, said container is constituted by a pallet box, wherein said conveying element can comprise a set of said rails arranged along the inner side of sides on the conveying element. The purpose of these rails or other alternative solutions is to support and optionally interact with the container, so that it is held in place or at a given distance to the conveying element during emptying and tipping.

A pallet box is a container with for instance four sides, wherein the sides cannot necessarily be opened. It is only open at the top, so contents can only be emptied out this way. The pallet box thus comprises a bottom and a number of side faces as well as an opening. Pallet boxes typically have a stronger structure and can be used for contents of a higher weight compared with the cages outlined above. The rails are particularly necessary or advantageous in the cases, in which the robot arm cannot carry the full pallet box.

By using such rails or distance means or similar fixation or retaining means, a robot arm of a smaller size and/or capacity can be used directly, as it only has to support the heavy container and not lift it until its contents are fully or partially emptied out

A variant of the invention can comprise an interface system, wherein said control of the arm comprises a lift of said pallet box at the end of the emptying procedure, so that said bottom is at a higher position than the opening, whereby the remaining contents can be emptied out.

Brief description of the drawings

Various examples are described hereinafter with reference to the figures. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. Like elements will, thus, not be described in detail with respect to the description of each figure. It should also be noted that the figures are only intended to facilitate the description of the examples. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the claimed invention or as a limitation on the scope of the claimed invention. In addition, an illustrated example needs not have all the aspects or advantages shown. An aspect or an advantage described in conjunction with a particular example is not necessarily limited to that example and can be practiced in any other examples even if not so illustrated, or if not so explicitly described.

Some non-limited exemplary embodiments will be described in detail below, with reference to the figures, in which:

Figs 1 to 7 show an embodiment for the interface system according to the invention, wherein it manages a container that is a cage, the sides of which can be opened.

Fig. 1 is the start position before emptying of a cage, Fig. 2 is the start position, wherein the cage is ready for being emptied by the robot arm, Figs 3 to 7 are the subsequent positions of the emptying procedure.

All of Figs 8 to 14 also show an embodiment for the interface system according to the invention, wherein it manages a container that is a pallet box with an opening at the top. Fig. 8 is the start position before emptying of a cage. Fig. 9 is the start position, wherein the pallet box is ready for being emptied by the robot arm. Figs 10 to 14 are the subsequent positions of the emptying procedure.

Detailed description

Exemplary examples will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this regard, the present examples may have different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the descriptions set forth herein. Accordingly, the examples are merely described below, by referring to the figures, to explain aspects. As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Expressions such as "at least one of," when preceding a list of elements, modify the entire list of elements and do not modify the individual elements of the list.

In the drawings, thicknesses of a plurality of layers and areas are illustrated in an enlarged manner for clarity and ease of description thereof. When a layer, area, element, or plate is referred to as being“on” another layer, area, element, or plate, it may be directly on the other layer, area, element, or plate, or intervening layers, areas, elements, or plates may be present therebetween. Conversely, when a layer, area, element, or plate is referred to as being“directly on” another layer, area, element, or plate, there are no intervening layers, areas, elements, or plates therebetween. Further when a layer, area, element, or plate is referred to as being “below” another layer, area, element, or plate, it may be directly below the other layer, area, element, or plate, or intervening layers, areas, elements, or plates may be present therebetween. Conversely, when a layer, area, element, or plate is referred to as being“directly below” another layer, area, element, or plate, there are no intervening layers, areas, elements, or plates therebetween.

The spatially relative terms“lower” or“bottom” and“upper” or“top”, "below", "beneath", "less", "above", and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe the relationship between one element or component and another element or component as illustrated in the drawings. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation, in addition to the orientation depicted in the drawings.

For example, in the case where a device illustrated in the drawings is turned over, elements described as being on the“lower” side of other elements, or "below" or "beneath" another element would then be oriented on“upper” sides of the other elements, or "above" another element. Accordingly, the illustrative term "below" or “beneath” may include both the“lower” and“upper” orientation positions, depending on the particular orientation of the figure. Similarly, if the device in one of the figures is turned over, elements described as“below” or“beneath” other elements would then be oriented’’above” the other elements. The exemplary terms“below” or “beneath” can, therefore, encompass both an orientation of above and below, and thus the spatially relative terms may be interpreted differently depending on the orientations described.

Throughout the specification, when an element is referred to as being“connected” to another element, the element is“directly connected” to the other element, or “electrically connected” to the other element with one or more intervening elements interposed therebetween. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular examples only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms“a,”“an,” and“the” are intended to include the plural forms, including“at least one,” unless the content clearly indicates otherwise.“At least one” is not to be construed as limiting “a” or“an.” It will be further understood that the terms“comprises," "comprising," "includes" and/or "including," when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

It will be understood that, although the terms“first,”“second,”“third,” and the like may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element. Thus,“a first element” discussed below could be termed“a second element” or“a third element,” and“a second element” and“a third element” may be termed likewise without departing from the teachings herein.

"About" or "approximately" as used herein is inclusive of the stated value and means within an acceptable range of deviation for the particular value as determined by one of ordinary skill in the art, considering the measurement in question and the error associated with measurement of the particular quantity (i.e. , the limitations of the measurement system). For example, "about" may mean within one or more standard deviations, or within ± 30%, 20%, 10%, 5% of the stated value.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined in the present specification.

Exemplary examples are described herein with reference to cross section illustrations that are schematic illustrations of idealized examples, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the specification. As such, variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, for example, of

manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, are to be expected. Thus, examples described herein should not be construed as limited to the particular shapes of regions as illustrated herein but are to include deviations in shapes that result, for example, from manufacturing. For example, a region illustrated or described as flat may have rough and/or nonlinear features. Moreover, sharp angles that are illustrated may be rounded. Thus, the regions illustrated in the figures are schematic in nature and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the precise shape of a region and are not intended to limit the scope of the present claims. Some of the parts which are not associated with the description may not be provided in order to specifically describe exemplary examples of the present disclosure.

Figs 1 to 14 are shown without contents to be emptied out. The typical contents of a cage or a pallet box are parcels. This is what should be imagined when reading the descriptions of Figs 1 to 14.

Fig 1 shows the start position of the interface system elements. The feeding system 1 has positioned the cage 2, so that the cage 2 is ready to be emptied. In an embodiment, it is a cage 2 with straps on the fourth side of the cage, wherein its straps, originally being located from one side to the other, have prevented parcels from falling out during filling of the cage. Another embodiment is a cage 2 with three sides with wire mesh and a back plate, which is removed before emptying the cage. An alternative embodiment for the interface system according to the invention in the case of a cage with a back plate is that the robot arm is also arranged to remove the back plate, which may already be removed in the step shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 shows a cage 2, which stands to the left, as well as a robot arm 3, which stands to the right. 5 is a conveying element, here shown in the form of a conveyor belt, which can be tipped. At the bottom of this conveyor belt, a lifting plate 4 is attached. The robot arm 3 has grabbed the cage 2 at the bottom and at the top in the position where the cage 2 stands on the lifting plate 4. The conveyor belt 5 is in a vertical position, but it can also be slightly tipped in order to be ready for conveying a parcel that falls out during subsequent tipping of the cage 2. Here the conveying element 5 is a conveyor belt, which is not activated until parcels, which will fall out, fall down onto the conveyor belt and are conveyed forward, which depends on the tipping angle, but also on the speed of the conveyor belt. A computer program could control this in a system provided for the purpose.

Fig. 3 shows the cage 2 lifted off the lifting plate 4. When the cage is tipped, for instance 15 degrees, the bottom of the cage 2 is lifted/pressed upwards by means of an assembly under the bottom plate of the cage 2. This can advantageously take place during the lift with the lifting plate 4, whereby for instance pins that are accommodated by lugs affixed to the cage doors are pulled out, so that the sides, which are attached to the edge of each rearmost long side with hinges, can be moved outwards and back.

The release mechanism between the bottom and the sides may otherwise be executed in other suitable manners without this having any significance for the invention and its effect.

Hereby the first many parcels can fall down onto the conveyor belt, while the cage 2 is held by the robot arm 3 at a distance from the conveyor belt 5, so that these certainly do not wear each other. The conveyor belt 5 is also tipped in connection with the tipping of the cage 2. The conveyor belt 5 is tipped by means of its own auxiliary engine, but could in principle be tipped under the influence of the robot arm 3. The robot arm 3 dictates tipping of the cage 2. The robot arm's movement and tipping of the conveyor belt 5 are controlled by a system in the form of a computer program.

The conveyor belt 5 is in a special embodiment equipped with side faces on its frame, preventing parcels from falling over the edge of the conveyor belt 5.

Fig. 4 shows where the cage 2, and also the conveyor belt 5, is even more tipped. The emptying procedure is controlled by the system through a gradual increase of the tipping of both the cage 2 and the conveyor belt 5. In a special embodiment, the system executes control by means of sensors that detect whether there are too many parcels or too few parcels in front of the cage 2, or on the conveyor belt 5 generally. Here, the system regulates an increase of the tipping of both the conveyor belt 5 and the cage 2. Whether this regulation takes place before or after the conveyor belt 5 is in a horizontal position can be

programmed according to what will be the optimum mode. Towards the end of the emptying, the cage 2 is rolled from side to side, so that any parcels that are stuck in the meshes of the cage are released. The figure shows the cage 2 rolled to the right, wherein the tipping of both the cage 2 and the conveyor belt 5 has reached a substantially horizontal position. It also appears that the bottom of the cage 2 tilts upwards in the cage and that the sides are turned slightly outwards relative to the bottom. This means that any parcels that are stuck in the meshes in the cage 2 can fall out onto the conveyor belt 5.

Fig. 5 shows how the cage 2 is rolled to the left in part of a sequence of rolling from side to side as in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 shows the step at the end of an emptying procedure, wherein the robot arm 3 lifts the cage 2 up from the conveyor belt 5.

Fig. 7 shows a process step, wherein the robot arm 3 lifts the cage 2 to a place of emptied cages.

Fig. 8 shows the start position of the interface system elements, wherein the container to be emptied is a pallet box. The feeding system 1 has positioned the pallet box 2, so that the pallet box 2 is ready to be emptied. The pallet box 2 is at the front in the figure, a robot arm 3 is shown at the back in the figure, and moreover a conveyor belt 5 that can be tipped can be seen.

At the bottom of this conveyor belt 5, a lifting plate 4 is attached. A rail 6 is mounted along the sides of the conveyor belt. The rails 6 serve as abutting surfaces for the pallet box 2 during emptying. Fig. 9 shows the robot arm 3, which has grabbed the pallet box 2 at the bottom and at the top in the position where the pallet box 2 stands on the lifting plate 4. Here the conveyor belt 5 is seen in a vertical position, and it can be seen that the pallet box 2 is in abutment with the rails 6 and ready for emptying by tipping of the pallet box 2.

Fig. 10 shows the pallet box 2 lifted off the lifting plate 4. The pallet box 2 is held at a distance from the conveyor belt 5, which is an advantage as it is hereby avoided that the pallet box and the conveyor belt wear each other down. It can also be the robot arm 3 that keeps this distance, as a cage or a pallet box is physically held at said distance to the conveyor belt. In another embodiment, the distance can be secured by a support of the pallet box along the conveyor belt 5 by a set of rails 6, wherein a cage or a pallet box is in abutment with these rails 6. The conveyor belt 5 with a set of bearing or supporting rails 6 in this case dictates the tipping of the pallet box 2.

Here the conveyor belt 5 is tipped by means of its own auxiliary engine. The robot arm's 3 movement and tipping of the conveyor belt 5 are controlled by a system comprising a computer program. Towards the end of the emptying, the pallet box has such low weight that the robot arm is arranged to carry the now emptied and therefore lighter pallet box 2. The conveyor belt 5 is in a special embodiment equipped with side faces on its frame, preventing parcels from falling over the edge of the conveyor belt 5.

Fig. 11 shows the pallet box 2 tipped so much by means of the conveyor belt or the robot arm that the remaining contents, for instance in the form of parcels, can fall out. The angle of the tipping is as shown above horizontal. This is usually

necessary. In this step, the robot arm 3 is to hold the pallet box 2 up against the lifting plate 4. In a preferred embodiment, the robot arm's 3 lifting function is not utilized, as such embodiment comprises that the lifting plate 4 comprises a set of retaining means or that the rails 6 mentioned in Fig. 10 are arranged to partly carry the pallet box 2 during emptying but also to retain the container in this position. This could for instance take place by arranging retaining means on the rails 6, engaging with corresponding retaining means of a container. The control of this supporting pallet box and of the conveyor belt speed is executed by the system, so that emptying onto the conveyor belt takes place in a controlled manner, whereby the risk of parcels being damaged is reduced. A special embodiment is where the conveyor belt 5 has stopped during the entire emptying procedure because the pallet box 2 is as tall as the length of the conveyor belt. In this case, the conveyor belt itself in principle seems to be superfluous, while the frame on which it is arranged merely functions as a tilting arrangement.

Fig. 12 shows the step at the end of the emptying procedure, wherein the robot arm 3 has lifted the pallet box 2 up from the conveyor belt 5.

Fig. 13 shows a subsequent procedure step, wherein the robot arm 3 has turned the pallet box 2 to a more upright position. Fig. 14 shows a procedure step, wherein the robot arm 3 lifts the pallet box 2 to a place with emptied cages.