US 12,110,186 B2
Overhead conveyor system and method for conveying overhead adapters and overhead conveyor facility including such an overhead conveyor system
Dirk Sieksmeier, Spenge (DE)
Assigned to DÜRKOPP FÖRDERTECHNIK GMBH, Bielefeld (DE)
Filed by Dürkopp Fördertechnik GmbH, Bielefeld (DE)
Filed on Oct. 12, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/964,209.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2021 211 571.3 (DE), filed on Oct. 13, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0114187 A1, Apr. 13, 2023
Int. Cl. B65G 17/20 (2006.01); B65G 43/08 (2006.01); B65G 47/61 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 17/20 (2013.01) [B65G 43/08 (2013.01); B65G 47/61 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An overhead conveyor system for conveying overhead adapters along a conveying direction, comprising
a. a first overhead conveyor line,
b. a functional overhead conveyor line connected in terms of conveying technology to the first overhead conveyor line and having a discharge element for discharging overhead adapters from the overhead conveyor system,
c. a separating unit arranged upstream of the functional overhead conveyor line for feeding the overhead adapters separately into the functional overhead conveyor line,
d. a first identification unit arranged upstream of the separating unit for identifying overhead adapters to be discharged,
e. a second identification unit arranged downstream of the separating unit for identifying overhead adapters to be discharged,
f. a control unit for automatically conveying and discharging the overhead adapters, wherein the control unit is in signal connection with the discharge element, the first identification unit, the second identification unit and the separating unit,
wherein the separating unit is switchable by means of the control unit such that a conveying distance oriented along the conveying direction between two adjacent overhead adapters can be set variably, wherein in the event that no overhead adapters to be discharged have been identified by the first identification unit, the conveying distance between two adjacent overhead adapters is set to a conveying distance that is smaller than a required minimum conveying distance needed for discharging individual overhead adapters, wherein in the event that at least one overhead adapter to be discharged has been identified by means of the first identification unit, the overhead adapters are subsequently separated at the required minimum conveying distance by means of the separating unit and conveyed in the functional overhead conveyor line.