IP Library › Granted Patent US 12709482
Granted Patent B2
US 12709482 · App. 17/963,484 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Method and facility for picking and packing individual goods conveyed overhead

Inventors: Frank Landermann (Leopoldshöhe, DE); Marcel Leßmann (Delbrück, DE); Dirk Sieksmeier (Spenge, DE)
Assignee: DÜRKOPP FÖRDERTECHNIK GMBH
B65G1/1376
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12709482
App. No.
17/963,484
Granted
Aug 18, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for order picking and packing individual goods conveyed overhead. The Method conveys the individual goods overhead in an overhead conveyor facility by means of overhead adapters, providing the individual goods of at least one order in a preparation buffer, conveying the individual goods of the at least one order onto a transport trolley which can be coupled to the preparation buffer in a trolley station, uncoupling the transport trolley from the trolley station, transporting the transport trolley with the individual goods of the at least one order to a packing place and packing the individual goods into orders at the packing place.

Claims (25)

1 . A facility for order picking and packing individual goods comprising;

a. a preparation buffer having a conveyor rail for preparing the individual goods of at least one order, wherein the individual goods can each be conveyed in a suspended manner along the conveyor rail by means of an overhead adapter,

b. a transport trolley which

i. is configured to be mobile,

ii. has a receiving rail on which the overhead adapters carrying the individual goods of the at least one order are received,

c. a trolley station which is rail to rail connected to the preparation buffer such that the transport trolley is coupled to the preparation buffer by means of the trolley station such that a receiving rail of the transport trolley is physically connected to a conveyor rail of the preparation buffer, wherein the connection of the transport trolley in the trolley station enables transfer of individual goods from the preparation buffer onto the transport trolley so as to enable conveying individual goods.

2 . The facility according to claim 1 , comprising a plurality of packing places for packing the individual goods into orders.

3 . The facility according to claim 1 , comprising an emptying station for emptying the transport trolley.

4 . The facility according to claim 1 , comprising a sliding drive for sliding the individual goods from the preparation buffer onto the transport trolley.

5 . The facility according to claim 1 , comprising an identification unit for identifying the individual goods.

6 . The facility according to claim 1 , wherein the identification unit is located upstream of the preparation buffer.

7 . The facility according to claim 1 , comprising a control unit for at least one of the group comprising automated provision of the individual goods in the preparation buffer, for automated coupling and for loading of the transport trolley with the individual goods.

8 . A facility for order picking and packing individual goods comprising:

a. a preparation buffer having a conveyor rail for preparing the individual goods of at least one order, wherein the individual goods can each be conveyed in a suspended manner along the conveyor rail by means of an overhead adapter,

b. a transport trolley which

i. is designed to be mobile,

ii. has a receiving rail, which is configured to receive the overhead adapters carrying the individual goods of the at least one order,

c. a trolley station which is rail to rail connected to the preparation buffer such that the transport trolley is coupled to the preparation buffer by means of the trolley station such that a receiving rail of the transport trolley is physically connected to a conveyor rail of the preparation buffer, wherein the connection of the transport trolley in the trolley station enables transfer of individual goods from the preparation buffer onto the transport trolley so as to enable conveying individual goods, wherein the trolley station has at least one coupling member which is switchable between a coupling position and an uncoupling position.

9 . A facility for order picking and packing individual goods comprising

a. a preparation buffer having a conveyor rail for preparing the individual goods of at least one order, wherein the individual goods can each be conveyed in a suspended manner along the conveyor rail by means of an overhead adapter,

b. a transport trolley which

i. is designed to be mobile,

ii. has a receiving rail for receiving the overhead adapters carrying the individual goods of the at least one order,

c. a trolley station which is rail to rail connected to the preparation buffer such that the transport trolley is coupled to the preparation buffer by means of the trolley station such that a receiving rail of the transport trolley is physically connected to a conveyor rail of the preparation buffer, wherein the connection of the transport trolley in the trolley station enables transfer of individual goods from the preparation buffer onto the transport trolley so as to enable conveying individual goods, and

d. a locking unit for locking the transport trolley in the trolley station, wherein the locking unit has at least one locking member which can be switched between a locking position and an unlocking position.