Luggage loading system
A system for loading articles into a container is provided, comprising a platform unit and an elevator unit configured to adjust its elevation relative to the container and a platform unit comprising an opening facing the container and defining an edge of the platform unit, a transfer arrangement comprising a plurality of parallel independent transfer members defining a receiving surface and extending along a loading direction transverse to the edge and configured to move of the others, and a positioning arrangement to orient the article to a loading orientation on the receiving surface and position it at a predetermined loading position along an axis perpendicular to the loading direction. The transfer arrangement is configured to extend a subset of the transfer members in the loading direction through the opening, thereby facilitating placement of the article at a predetermined location within the container.
1. A system for facilitating loading of articles into a container, the system comprising:
a platform unit and an elevator unit configured to adjust its elevation relative to said container, said platform unit comprising:
an opening for facing said container and defining a container-facing edge of the platform unit;
a transfer arrangement comprising a plurality of parallely-arranged transfer members, each transfer member extending along a loading direction being transverse to said container-facing edge and each of said transfer members being configured to extend in the loading direction through said opening independently of the others, upper surfaces of the transfer members defining a receiving surface of the platform unit configured for receipt thereon of at least one of said articles; and
a positioning arrangement configured to orient said article to a predetermined loading orientation on said receiving surface and position said article at a predetermined loading position along an axis perpendicular to said loading direction;
wherein said transfer arrangement is configured to extend a subset of said transfer members in the loading direction through said opening, thereby facilitating placement of said article at a predetermined location within said container.
2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said subset is limited to those transfer members supporting the article when extended.
3. A system for facilitating loading of articles into a container, the system comprising:
a platform unit and an elevator unit configured to adjust its elevation relative to said container, said platform unit comprising:
an opening for facing said container and defining a container-facing edge of the platform unit;
a transfer arrangement comprising a plurality of parallely-arranged transfer members, each transfer member extending along a loading direction being transverse to said container-facing edge and each of said transfer members being configured to extend in the loading direction through said opening independently of the others, upper surfaces of the transfer members defining a receiving surface of the platform unit configured for receipt thereon of at least one of said articles; and
a positioning arrangement configured to orient said article to a predetermined loading orientation on said receiving surface and position said article at a predetermined loading position along an axis perpendicular to said loading direction;
wherein said transfer arrangement is configured to extend a subset of said transfer members in the loading direction through said opening, thereby facilitating placement of said article at a predetermined location within said container;
being configured to retract the transfer members one at a time once the article has been placed at the predetermined location.
4. The system according to claim 3 , being configured to lower each of said transfer members before its retraction.
5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein each of said transfer members comprises a conveyor arrangement configured to transfer an article thereupon along said loading direction.
6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said positioning arrangement comprises a pair of guide members extending in the loading direction and facing one another, the positioning arrangement being configured to selectively extend and retract said guide members toward each other in a direction transverse to the loading direction.
7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein said positioning arrangement comprises an actuating arrangement configured to facilitate the extension and retraction of each of the guide members.
8. The system according to claim 7 , further comprising a track extending in a direction transverse to the loading direction and receiving said guide members therewithin, said actuating arrangement being configured to move the guide members within said track.
9. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising an auxiliary guide member, configured to displace the article toward said opening in the loading direction, independently of said transfer members.
10. The system according to claim 8 , further comprising an auxiliary guide member configured to displace the article toward said opening in the loading direction independently of said transfer member, and wherein said track is formed in said auxiliary guide member.
11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein said guide members are configured to compress along the loading direction.
12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said guide members are configured to telescopically collapse.
13. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said platform unit further comprises a gate disposed so as to selectively open and close said opening.
14. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a rotating arrangement, configured to rotate the article to a predetermined preliminary orientation and transfer it to said platform unit.
15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein said rotating arrangement comprises a plurality of rollers configured to selectively rotate and laterally translate said article.
16. A system for facilitating loading of articles into a container, the system comprising:
a platform unit and an elevator unit configured to adjust its elevation relative to said container, said platform unit comprising:
an opening for facing said container and defining a container-facing edge of the platform unit;
a transfer arrangement comprising a plurality of parallely-arranged transfer members, each transfer member extending along a loading direction being transverse to said container-facing edge and each of said transfer members being configured to extend in the loading direction through said opening independently of the others, upper surfaces of the transfer members defining a receiving surface of the platform unit configured for receipt thereon of at least one of said articles; and
a positioning arrangement configured to orient said article to a predetermined loading orientation on said receiving surface and position said article at a predetermined loading position along an axis perpendicular to said loading direction;
wherein said transfer arrangement is configured to extend a subset of said transfer members in the loading direction through said opening, thereby facilitating placement of said article at a predetermined location within said container;
the system further comprising one or more lateral transfer arrangements configured to move an article disposed on said subset of transfer member when extended into the container, in a lateral direction substantially perpendicular to said loading direction.
17. The system according to claim 16 , wherein each of said lateral transfer arrangements comprising a cylindrical roller configured to rotate about an axis substantially parallel to the loading direction.
18. The system according to claim 17 , wherein said cylindrical roller includes an outer surface formed with a first half configured to provide friction with an article thereupon, and a second half having configured to move with negligible friction with respect to an article thereupon.
19. The system according to claim 16 , wherein at least some of said transfer members comprise one of said lateral transfer arrangements.
20. The system according to claim 1 , said elevator unit being configured to raise and lower the platform unit.