Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02237680 2004-08-12
-1-
CONVEYOR LOADING APPARATUS
The present invention relates to an apparatus for loading articles onto a
conveyor. The invention has particular application for use in the automatic
sorting
or processing of articles using a Vision recognition system and the invention
is
herein described in that context. However, it is to be appreciated that the
invention has broader application and is not limited to this particular use.
It is known to use mechanical conveying means in conjunction with an
automated vision recognition system for the purpose of processing articles.
For
example, such systems are used for quality assurance. The automatic vision
system usually operates by taking an image of an article and comparing the
image against information stored on the memory, thus allowing the system to
identify the article and to ensure that it conforms with a pre-recorded
standard.
Another example where such systems may be used is described in
Australian patent 725416 for the sorting of articles into batches such that
the
batched articles are the same or have some unifying characteristic. Such a
system can be advantageously used in the sorting of articles for recycling. In
such a system, the image of the article is compared against information stored
in
the memory so as to be characterised into one of a particular group. The
article is
then moved under operation of the conveyor to be deposited in a collection
area
associated with that group.
Where vision recognition systems are used1 it is generally necessary for
the article to be carefully aligned far the purposes of comparing the Image of
the
article with a pre-recorded standard. This is particularly so if there are
relatively
small differences between the respective articles being sorted. When articles
are
processed on a conveyor system it is often difficult to deposit the articles
onto the
conveyor in a predetermined orientation in a manner such that they will be
accurately aligned for the purposes of visual recognition. It is of course
possible
to provide shaped holders for each conveyed article but this is expensive, and
often not practical when there are a large number of articles to be sorted or
the
articles are to be sorted into a relatively large number of groups. In many
cases,
it is difficult to accurately align the article on the conveyor without
stopping the
conveyor and manipulating the article at an alignment station from which it
can
CA 02237680 1998-OS-14
WO 97/18151 PCT/AU96/00722
=2-
thereafter be conveyed to a vision recognition system. This practice has the
disadvantage of being labour intensive and therefore costly. Furthermore, it
is
desirable that the automated mechanism move continuously if it is to maximise
the processing rate. In addition, in any system where the conveying mechanism
.
is required to stop and start, there is a greater likelihood of malfunction
due to
jamming or the like.
An aim of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for loading
articles onto a conveyor in a manner that facilitates the deposit onto the
conveyor
of the articles in substantially the desired alignment. A further aim of the
invention is to provide a loading apparatus which enables loading of the
articles
under continuous movement of the conveyor.
Accordingly in its broadest terms, the present invention provides an
apparatus for loading articles onto a moving conveyor including:
(a) transport means mounted on the conveyor which includes holding means
~ 5 adapted to engage at least a portion of an article so as to hold the
article in
connected relation with the conveyor; and
(b) locating means operable to cause an article positioned thereon to move
into a position in which it can thereafter be engaged by the holding means
wherein the transport means and the locating means are co-operable such that
the article is caused to be moved on the locating means with the transport
means
prior to being engaged by the holding means.
In a second embodiment of the invention there is provided an apparatus
including:
(a) a conveyor adapted to move an article from one location to another
location;
(b) transport means mounted on the conveyor which includes holding means
adapted to engage at least a portion of the said article so as to hold the
article in connected relation with the conveyor; and
(c) locating means operable to cause an article once positioned thereon to
move into a position in which it can thereafter be engaged by the holding
means
wherein the transport means and the locating means are co-operable such that
the article is caused to be moved on the locating means with the transport
means
CA 02237680 1998-OS-14
WO 97/18151 PCT/AU96/00722
-3-
prior to being engaged by the holding means.
The advantage of the present invention is that the article and the transport
means are adapted to move together before the article is engaged with the
~ holding means. The benefit of this arrangement is that the relative speed
between the article and the transport means is reduced, thereby enabling more
accurate engagement of the article with the holding means. In particular, the
reduction in this relative speed reduces impacting forces between the article
and
the holding means during engagement of the article by the holding means. A
further benefit of this arrangement is that it enables the article to align or
settle
correctly before engaging with the holding means. Further, the reduction in
the
relative speed can be achieved without requiring the conveyor to stop or even
stow down.
The apparatus is particularly suited for use in the collection and
conveyance of articles such as garment hangers although it will be appreciated
to
those skilled in the art that the invention is by no means limited to its use
in
connection with such articles.
Preferably, the holding means is in the form of a recess on the transport
means which is configured to accommodate at least a portion of the article. In
a
preferred form, where the apparatus is used for collecting and conveying
garment
hangers, the recess is configured to accommodate a small part of the hanger.
In
one form, the recess provides a flat seat on which the hooked part of the
garment
hanger is adapted to be located. In this arrangement, the seat supports the
hanger with the remaining part of the hanger being arranged to suspend from
the
transport means.
The transport means is mounted on the conveyor. It is intended that the
transport means be shaped and designed so that it is able to carry articles
being
conveyed from one location to another on the conveyor.
Preferably, the transport means includes an abutment surface which is
adapted to abut against a portion of the article once positioned appropriately
by
the locating means. The abutment surface is adapted to proiect forwardly from
the holding means, in the direction of the conveyor movement, so that on
abutment with the abutment surface, the article is adapted to be moved with
the
transport means under operation of the conveyor prior to being engaged by the
CA 02237680 1998-OS-14
WO 97/18151 PCT/AU96/00722
-4-
holding means.
Preferably, the locating means includes a ramp which is inclined relative to
the direction of movement of the transport means. In this arrangement the
locating means is adapted to move the article onto the ramp from where it may
be
moved with or by the transport means under operation of the conveyor. The
r
article may be moved by separate conveying means located on or adjacent to the
ramp so that the article is caused to move in concert with the transport
means.
Alternatively, and preferably the article is caused to move along the ramp by
the
transport means. In such an arrangement, it is also preferred that the
apparatus
include one or more retaining mechanisms which are fitted so to limit the
forward
movement of the article when it is first contacted by the moving transport
means.
As the article moves along the ramp it is preferred that it simultaneously be
caused to move relative to the abutment surface and the apparatus is arranged
such that this relative movement continues until the article is moved from the
75 abutment surface and into engagement with the holding means.
Preferably, the apparatus further includes retaining means operable to
retain the article to the holding means. In one form, the retaining means is
adapted to adopt either an operative mode wherein it is operable to retain the
article to the holding means or an inoperative mode wherein it does not
influence
the position of the article relative to the holding means.
In a preferred form, the retaining means is operable to temporarily change
from the operative mode to the inoperative mode whilst the article is in
engagement with the holding means. This arrangement enables the article to be
adjusted if necessary whilst it is in engagement with the holding means. In
one
form, when the retaining means is in the inoperative mode, the article may be
checked by external means to ensure that it is correctly aligned. In another
form,
the article is merely allowed to settle under gravity whilst the retaining
means is in
the inoperative mode. This latter form can be used when the article is a
garment '
hanger and the garment hanger is supported at its hooked region as this region
is
a balance point for the garment hanger so that the hanger will have a tendency
to ~
align under its own accord under the influence of gravity.
Preferably the retaining means is also adapted to adopt a discharge mode
wherein it is operable to remove the article from the holding means. In this
way,
CA 02237680 2004-08-12
-5-
the retaining means is able to discharge the article from the conveyor
In a preferred form, the retaining means includes a pair of fingers which are
adapted to be located on opposite sides of the article. The fingers are
controllable by an operation arm which 13 able to move the fingers so to
change
the retaining means between the operative, inoperative and discharge modes.
In one form, the fingers are located at one of opposite ends of the
operation arm. A pivot is located intermediate of the arm ends and the mode of
the fingers is controlled by movement of the arm about the pivot. In this way,
the
retaining means is able to change between the operative, inoperative and
discharge modes by applying a force to the end of the operation arm opposite
to
the fingers. In a preferred form the force can be applied automatically
through the
use of a cam or the like.
Preferably the apparatus further includes positioning means adapted to
locate the article at a leading end of the ramp. Preferably the articles are
initially
stored remote from the leading end of the ramp and the positioning means
includes an indexing mechanism which is arranged to move individual ones of
the
articles at predetermined intervals onto the leading end of the ramp. The
indexing
mechanism is coordinated with the conveyor so that a single article is
associated
with each transport means.
In addition, the locating means of the apparatus preferably includes means
for conveying the article located thereon to the indexing mechanism. Such
means
can be in the form of a moving belt, chain or sprue.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an
apparatus for loading articles onto a moving conveyor, the apparatus
including:
(a) transport means mounted on the conveyor which includes holding means
adapted to engage at least a portion of an article so as to hold the article
in
connected relation with the conveyor;
(b) locating means operable to cause the article positioned thereon to move
into a position in which it can thereafter be engaged by the holding means;
and
(c) retaining means operable to retain the article to the holding means,
wherein
the retaining means biases the article towards the holding means;
wherein the transport means and the locating means are co-operable such that
the article can be caused to be moved on the locating means by the transport
means prior to being engaged by holding means.
CA 02237680 2004-08-12
-5a-
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided an apparatus for collecting and conveying an article, the apparatus
including:
(a) a conveyor adapted to move the article from one location to another
location;
(b) transport means mounted on the conveyor which includes holding means
adapted to engage at least a portion of the article so as to hold the article
in
connected relation with the conveyor;
(c) locating means operable to cause the article once positioned thereon to
move into a position in which it can thereafter be engaged by the holding
means; and
(d) retaining means operable to retain the article to the holding means,
wherein
the retaining means biases the article towards the holding means;
wherein the transport means and the locating means are co-operable such that
the article is caused to be moved on the locating means by the transport means
prior to being engaged by the holding means.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is
provided an apparatus for loading articles onto a moving conveyor, the
apparatus
including:
(a) transport means mounted on the conveyor which includes holding means
adapted to engage at least a portion of an article so as to hold the article
in
connected relation with the conveyor;
(b) locating means operable to cause the article positioned thereon to move
into a position in which it can thereafter be engaged by the holding means,
wherein the transport means and the locating means are co-operable such
that the article can be caused to be moved on the locating means with the
transport means prior to being engaged by the holding means; and
(c) retaining means operable to retain the article to the holding means,
wherein
the retaining means is adapted to adopt a discharge mode in which it
operates to remove the article from the holding means.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided an apparatus for collecting and conveying an article, the apparatus
including:
(a) a conveyor adapted to move the article from one location to another
location;
CA 02237680 2004-08-12
- 5b -
(b) transport means mounted on the conveyor which includes holding means
adapted to engage at least a portion of the article so as to hold the article
in
connected relation with the conveyor;
(c) locating means operable to cause the article once positioned thereon to
move into position in which it can thereafter be engaged by the holding
means, wherein the transport means and the locating means are co
operable such that the article is caused to be moved on the locating means
with the transport means prior to being engaged by the holding means; and
(d) retaining means operable to retain the article to the holding means,
wherein
said retaining means is adapted to adopt a discharge mode in which it
operates to remove the article from the holding means.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is
provided an apparatus for loading articles onto a moving conveyor, the
apparatus
including:
(a) transport means mounted on the conveyor which includes holding means
adapted to engage at least a portion of an article so as to hold the article
in
connected relation with the conveyor;
(b) locating means operable to cause the article positioned thereon to move
into a position in which it can thereafter be engaged by the holding means,
wherein the transport means and the locating means are co-operable such
that the article can be caused to be moved on the locating means with the
transport means prior to being engaged by the holding means; and
(c) retaining means operable to retain the article to the holding means,
wherein
the retaining means includes a pair of fingers which are adapted to be
located on opposite sides of the article.
In accordance with still yet a further aspect of the present invention, there
is
provided an apparatus for collecting and conveying an article, the apparatus
including:
(a) a conveyor adapted to move the article from one location to another
location;
(b) transport means mounted on the conveyor which includes holding means
adapted to engaged at least a portion of the article so as to hold the article
in connected relation with the conveyor;
(c) locating means operable to cause the article once positioned thereon to
move into a position in which it can thereafter be engaged by the holding
means, wherein the transport means and the locating means are co
CA 02237680 2004-08-12
-5c-
operable such that the article is caused to be moved on the locating means
with
the transport means prior to being engaged by the holding means; and
(d) retaining means operable to retain the article to the holding means,
wherein the retaining means includes a pair of fingers which are adapted to be
located on opposite sides of the article.
The loading apparatus of the invention is particularly suited to be
incorporated in an apparatus for automatically sorting garment hangers for
recycling. A description of a preferred form of the apparatus of the present
invention is hereafter provided as is a description of a sorting apparatus
incorporating a loading apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention,
both with reference to the accompanying drawings. The particularity of these
drawings and the related description is not to be understood as superseding
the
generality of the preceding description of the invention.
Figure 1 is a side view of an automatic loader for loading garment hangers
onto a moving conveyor made in accordance with one embodiment of the
invention;
25
CA 02237680 1998-OS-14
WO 97/18151 PCT/AU96/00722
_g_
Figure 2 is a side view of an automatic loader for loading garment hangers
onto a moving conveyor in accordance with a further embodiment of the
invention;
Figure 3 is a plan view of a sorting apparatus in which the conveying
means travels in a loop around three separate turntables; and
Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the transport means used in the
embodiment shown in Figure 1 with a garment hanger engaged within the said
holding means.
With reference to Figure 1, (here is illustrated a loading apparatus which is
generally designated by the numeral 1 for loading garment hangers 2 onto a
moving conveyor (not shown) which operates to move the respective transport
means 3a, 3b and 3c in the direction of the arrow 4. Each of transport means
3a,
3b and 3c are mounted on a conveyor adapted to move the said transport means
at a predetermined speed past the loading apparatus 1. Each of the respective
transport means includes holding means 5 being in the form of a recess onto
which a portion of the garment hanger 2 is adapted to be seated. In Figure 1,
all
that is visible of the hanger is the cross sectional surface of part of the
hook and it
will be seen that recess 5 is shaped to neatly accommodate the hook of the
hanger once it has been loaded onto the transport means such as can be seen
for the transport means identified as 3c. The locating means of the embodiment
shown in Figure 1 includes a rotating belt 6 on which garment hangers may be
positioned. The manner by which garment hangers are conveyed to rotating belt
6 does not form part of the present invention. However, it will be appreciated
that
a number of methods known in the art are available for delivering articles
such as
hangers to this position. For example, a rod having a screw thread or rib
continuously extending in a helical fashion may be used so that when the rod
is
rotated in a direction such that the screw thread or rib rotates upwardly,
hangers
located on the rod whilst it is circulating will move upwardly along the rod.
Alternatively, articles may be manually located onto the rotating belt 6.
Preferably, the belt 6 provides adequate friction between the garment hanger 2
and the belt 6 for the garment hanger to be moved in the direction of the belt
rotation (shown by the arrow) once it is deposited there.
CA 02237680 1998-OS-14
WO 97/18151 PCT/AU96/00722
=7-
In one preferment, an optical sensor is located adjacent to the belt 6 and is
activated when more than a predetermined number of hangers are located upon
it. When the predetermined number of hangers are seated on belt 6, the optical
sensor can operate to stop any other automated mechanism which is being used
to deliver the hangers to the conveying belt. This prevents overstacking of
" garment hangers onto the rotating belt 6. Preferably, the belt 6
continuously
rotates so that hangers 2 positioned thereon will firmly abut against end
portion 7.
The transport means 3a, 3b and 3c are conveyed by the conveyor past loader 1.
Attached to each of the transport means 3a, 3b and 3c are respective retaining
means 7a, 7b and 7c. Said retaining means in each case includes fingers 8 and
9 which are part of operational arms 10 which are shown in full detail in
Figure 4.
Indexing mechanism 11 includes a lifting finger 12. As garment hangers 2 reach
end portion 7, the indexing mechanism 11 awaits the arrival of one of the
transporting means and then rotates about axis 13 such that lifting finger 12
engages under the hook of hanger 2 and lifts it on to the leading end of ramp
14
in front of transport means 3a. Ramp 14 is an inclined surface. A retaining
leaf
spring 15 prevents the garment hanger 2 from being thrown too far forward by
the
lifting finger 12 and retaining arm 16 prevents the hanger from being thrown
too
high into the air. Once garment hanger 2 has been lifted on to the leading end
of
ramp 14, the passing transport means 3a comes into contact with the hanger 2
and moves it forward. It will be appreciated from Figure ~1 that as the
transport
means 3a moves forward, it pushes garment hanger 2 along the ramp and up the
incline. Each transport means includes an abutment surface 17. In the position
of transport means 3a, the abutment surface 17 abuts against and pushes the
garment hanger 2 forward. The relative movement of the garment hanger as the
transport means moves in the direction of arrow 4 can be seen from each of the
representations of the respective garment hangers and transport means 3a, 3b
- and 3c. By the time the transport means has moved into the position of that
of
transport means 3c, the garment hanger has been sufficiently elevated by the
ramp to be seated in the holding means 5. Simultaneously, due to the action of
a
cam (located above operational arm 10), the operational arm 10 pivots through
the positions illustrated at the locations of each of transport means 3a, 3b
and 3c
CA 02237680 1998-OS-14
WO 97/I8151 PCT/AU96/00722
_g_
so that by the time it reaches that of transport means 3c, fingers 8 and 9
firmly
retain the garment hanger 2 to the holding means.
Once loaded onto the transport means, a chain conveyor conveys the
garment hanger to a further desired location. 4
With reference to Figure 2, an alternative embodiment of the loading
apparatus is illustrated. This loading apparatus generally designated by the "
numeral 101 is in many respects similar to the apparatus illustrated in Figure
1.
Corresponding components have been numbered using the same numbers used
to identify features in Figure 1 with the addition of 100. In the embodiment
shown
in Figure 2, garment hangers 102 are conveyed to end portion 107 by a rotating
sprue 106 which is used in place of the conveyor belt 6 shown in the
embodiment
in Figure 1. This embodiment of the invention includes transport means of
modified design in which the abutment surface 117 used to move hangers 102
along ramp 114 is part of the surface of finger 109 in each of retaining means
107a - d fitted to any forming part of the respective transport means.
Operational
arm 110 is spring loaded and is held down whilst the end of the arm is in
contact
with cam 118. This keeps the retaining means in the discharge mode (e.g. 107a
and 107b). After moving past cam 118, the operational arm can move upwardly
thus causing the respective retaining means to move info an operative mode
where the hangers 102 are firmly retained on holding recess 105 (e.g. 107c and
d).
Referring to Figure 3, there is shown an apparatus generally designated by
the numeral 201 for the sorting of garment hangers. In the embodiment shown, a
container of unsorted hangers including four different types (types A, B, C
and D)
are sorted by the apparatus into batches wherein each batch the hangers are of
the same type. Garment hangers 2 are shown in overhead outline adjacent
turntable 205. Garment hangers 2 are transported around a predetermined path
204 by conveying means being a chain conveyor and transport means and this is
best seen by reference to Figures 1, 2 and 4. The sorting apparatus also
includes turntables 203 and 206. Turntable 205 includes processing means.
The garment hangers are loaded onto the chain conveyor at location 207
by an automatic loading apparatus of a type the subject of the present
invention.
Either of the embodiments shown in either Figures 1 or 2 would be suitable for
CA 02237680 1998-OS-14
WO 97/18151 PCT/AU96/00722
_g_
this purpose. Once the garment hanger 2 is loaded onto the transport means,
the
garment hangers are sequentially conveyed to turntable 205. At turntable 205,
each individual garment hanger 2 is identified by an adjacent vision
recognition
unit 208. Alternatively, vision recognition unit 208 may be located adjacent
the
chain conveyor at other suitable or convenient locations. Removal means
located
at positions 209, 210, 211 and 212 are adapted to remove the hangers 2 from
the
chain conveyor. Each garment hanger is retained on an individual transport
means as shown in Figures 1 and 2. As each of the respective hangers pass by
vision recognition unit 208, an image of the respective hangers is recorded
and
compared against information stored on a memory with processing means
associated with the vision recognition unit 208 allowing the identification of
the
garment hanger as being either of type A, B, C or D. The vision recognition
unit
208 has processing means so to match information concerning the type of hanger
which has passed it with the specific transport means on which the hanger is
retained. The system is coordinated such that the appropriate removal means
designated for the particular hanger type, either 209, 210, 211 or 212 will be
activated as the transport means holding the identified hanger is conveyed to
any
one of these respective locations.
The transport means, once having had the garment hanger removed from
it, proceeds back to loading station 207 so to be loaded with a new hanger.
Thus,
the process is a continuous one around a closed loop.
With reference to Figure 4 there is illustrated a cross sectional view of
transport means 3c with a garment hanger 2 retained thereon. In the position
shown in Figure 4, the retaining means is in an operative mode retaining the
garment hanger 2 firmly on holding means 5 thus retaining the garment hanger 2
to the transport means. It will be appreciated that if operative arm 10 is
caused to
move downwardly in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 4, that finger 8
will
- remove pressure from garment hanger 2, thus temporarily changing the mode to
an inoperative one where the garment hanger 2 may be allowed to settle under
the influence of gravity for alignment. If control arm 10 is forced to move
further in
the direction of the arrow, the retaining means will adopt a discharge mode as
finger 9 will cause the garment hanger 2 to be ejected off the holding means.
Thus, the design of the retaining means as illustrated in Figure 4 enables
flexible
CA 02237680 1998-OS-14
WO 97/18151 PCT/AU96/00722
-10-
control of the garment hanger whilst being conveyed on the transport means so
that it may be optionally, firmly retained, loosely retained where it can be
further
aligned or discharged.
Thus a convenient automated system for loading articles onto a moving ~
conveyor is provided. It has particular application for use with respect to
garment
hangers and the sorting and batching of such articles. The apparatus disclosed
simply requires one manual operator to load garment hangers onto the system.
Thereafter, the hangers may be processed and delivered onto a moving conveyor
where they may be further processed or transported as desired.
It will be appreciated that various modifications and/or improvements can
be made to the apparatus hereinbefore described without departing from the
spirit
or ambit of the invention as claimed in the following claims.
