WO2020004920A1

WO2020004920A1 - Automatic sorting apparatus and system for delivery goods on unloading conveyor belt

Info

Publication number: WO2020004920A1
Application number: PCT/KR2019/007690
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kyoung Hwan Lee; Kyu Bok Lee; Yong An Lee; Eun Sung Choi
Original assignee: Cj Logistics Corporation
Priority date: 2018-06-27
Filing date: 2019-06-26
Publication date: 2020-01-02
Also published as: KR20200001161A

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automatic sorting apparatus for delivery goods on an unloading conveyor belt, including: the unloading conveyor belt for transporting the delivery goods unloaded; a goods size measurer for sensing sizes of the delivery goods transported on the unloading conveyor belt; a wheel sorter located on an end of the unloading conveyor belt and constituted of a plurality of direction switching rollers; and a wheel sorter controller for controlling the wheel sorter on the basis of the information measured through the goods size measurer to change the transporting directions of the delivery goods on the unloading conveyor belt, so that the sorting process on the unloading conveyor belt can be automated.

Description

AUTOMATIC SORTING APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR DELIVERY GOODS ON UNLOADING CONVEYOR BELT

The present invention relates to an automatic sorting apparatus and system for delivery goods on an unloading conveyor belt, and more particularly, to an automatic sorting apparatus and system for delivery goods on an unloading conveyor belt that is capable of measuring sizes of the delivery goods, if the delivery goods are unloaded from a delivery truck to the unloading conveyor belt, and to control a wheel sorter on the basis of the measured sizes of delivery goods, so that the delivery goods are sorted by size to different conveyor belts.

As electronic commerce like internet shopping has been increased, quantities of goods to be transported are more increased drastically than those in conventional practices, and accordingly, delivery services start to transfer the delivery goods from a person (delivery sender) who sends the delivery goods to a person (delivery receiver) who receives the delivery goods through a hub-and-spoke system.

Under the hub-and-spoke system, as shown in FIG.1, the delivery goods are transferred to the delivery receiver from the delivery sender through picking up, transporting, sorting, and delivering processes. In this case, the picking up process is a process in which the delivery goods are transferred from the delivery sender to a delivery driver, and the transporting process is a process in which the delivery goods move to a hub terminal by a truck.

Next, the sorting process is a process in which the delivery goods moving to the hub terminal through the transporting process are sorted by area through a series of processes and after the delivery goods sorted according to the areas move to sub terminals, they are sorted again by delivery area at the sub terminals. Lastly, the delivering process is a process in which the delivery goods sorted at the sub terminals are transferred to the delivery receiver from the delivery driver.

According to such hub-and-spoke system, the delivery goods picked up from the whole country are first sorted by sub terminals on the hub terminal, and next, the sorted delivery goods are sorted again by delivery area on the sub terminals.

The process of sorting the delivery goods by delivery area on the sub terminals is the same as in the conventional practice, but because quantities of delivery goods to be sorted are enormously large, the process of sorting the delivery goods by sub terminal on the hub terminal is differentiated from that in the conventional sorting process.

In the hub terminal, in detail, the delivery goods unloaded from the delivery truck are sorted by size (small/medium/large size goods) and by packed state (differently shaped goods), so that they are sorted by sub terminal in different ways. In the conventional practice, as shown in FIG.2, workers are located beside all unloading conveyor belts to manually sort the delivery goods according to their size and packed state.

Accordingly, work productivity (sorting efficiency) is determined upon the skill levels of the workers, and because of a lack of labor, further, it is hard to locate the workers beside all unloading conveyor belts. Therefore, there is a definite need for developing a new automatic sorting system capable of automatically sorting the delivery goods unloaded to the unloading conveyor belt.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic sorting apparatus and system for delivery goods on an unloading conveyor belt that is capable of sensing sizes and packed states of the delivery goods transported on the unloading conveyor belt and thus controlling a wheel sorter on the basis of the information sensed to allow small/medium size goods, large size goods, and differently shaped goods to be sorted to different conveyor belts, thereby achieving automation in the sorting process of the delivery goods.

The technical problems to be achieved through the present invention are not limited as mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned herein will be obviously understood to one of ordinary skill in the art through the following description.

To accomplish the above-mentioned object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic sorting apparatus for delivery goods on an unloading conveyor belt, including: the unloading conveyor belt for transporting the delivery goods unloaded; a goods size measurer for sensing sizes of the delivery goods transported on the unloading conveyor belt; a wheel sorter located on an end of the unloading conveyor belt and constituted of a plurality of direction switching rollers; and a wheel sorter controller for controlling the wheel sorter on the basis of the information measured through the goods size measurer to change the transporting directions of the delivery goods on the unloading conveyor belt.

According to the present invention, desirably, the goods size measurer is constituted of a plurality of distance measuring sensors for measuring distances from the delivery goods and thus recognizing the sizes of the delivery goods.

According to the present invention, desirably, the plurality of distance measuring sensors is located above the unloading conveyor belt.

According to the present invention, desirably, the goods size measurer is constituted of an intelligent scanner adapted to recognize the sizes of the delivery goods or the barcodes attached to the delivery goods.

According to the present invention, desirably, the goods size measurer is adapted to measure the width, length and height of the delivery goods to allow the delivery goods to be sorted into small, medium, and large size goods.

According to the present invention, desirably, the goods size measurer sorts the delivery goods transported on the unloading conveyor belt into the small, medium, and large size goods under a primary consideration of the width of the delivery goods.

According to the present invention, desirably, if the sizes of the delivery goods are greater than given set sizes, or if a separate barcode is attached to the delivery goods, the goods size measurer sorts the delivery goods into differently shaped goods.

According to the present invention, desirably, if the delivery goods are measured as the small and medium size goods by means of the goods size measurer, the wheel sorter controller controls the wheel sorter to allow the position of the wheel sorter to be directed toward a first conveyor belt, if the delivery goods are measured as the large size goods by means of the goods size measurer, the wheel sorter controller controls the wheel sorter to allow the position of the wheel sorter to be directed toward a second conveyor belt, and if the delivery goods are measured as the differently shaped goods by means of the goods size measurer, the wheel sorter controller controls the wheel sorter to allow the position of the wheel sorter to be directed toward a third conveyor belt.

According to the present invention, desirably, the automatic sorting apparatus further includes a goods quantity measurement sensor for measuring the quantity of delivery goods transported on the unloading conveyor belt.

To accomplish the above-mentioned object, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic sorting system for delivery goods on a plurality of unloading conveyor belts, including: the plurality of unloading conveyor belts for transporting the delivery goods unloaded; a goods size measurer for sensing sizes or packed states of the delivery goods transported on each unloading conveyor belt; a wheel sorter located on an end of each unloading conveyor belt to change transporting directions of the delivery goods; a wheel sorter controller for controlling the position direction of the wheel sorter on the basis of the information measured through the goods size measurer to change transporting directions of the delivery goods on each unloading conveyor belt; a goods quantity measurement sensor for measuring the quantity of delivery goods transported on each unloading conveyor belt; and a goods quantity adjustor for adjusting the quantity of delivery goods unloaded to each unloading conveyor belt on the basis of the information on the quantity of delivery goods transported on each unloading conveyor belt measured through the goods quantity measurement sensor.

According to the present invention, desirably, the automatic sorting system further includes a display for indicating information on the quantity of delivery goods transported on each unloading conveyor belt.

According to the present invention, desirably, if there is the unloading conveyor belt on which the quantity of delivery goods measured through the goods quantity measurement sensor is greater than a given set value, the goods quantity adjustor stops the driving of the corresponding unloading conveyor belt.

According to the present invention, desirably, if there is the unloading conveyor belt on which the quantity of delivery goods transported thereon is greater than the given set value, the goods quantity adjustor stops the driving of the other unloading conveyor belts.

According to the present invention, the automatic sorting apparatus can sort the delivery goods by size and packed state, without any location of a worker beside the unloading conveyor belt, thereby achieving automation in the sorting process of the delivery goods.

In addition, the automatic sorting apparatus can solve the lack of labor caused by the drastic increment in the quantity of delivery goods and constantly maintain a high sorting efficiency, unlike the conventional practice wherein the sorting efficiency is dependent upon the skill level of the worker.

Also, the automatic sorting system can check the quantities of delivery goods on the unloading conveyor belts, distinguish the unloading conveyor belt having a small quantity of delivery goods from the unloading conveyor belt having a large quantity of delivery goods, and control the quantities of delivery goods being unloaded on the basis of the information, thereby optimizing the sorting efficiency of the delivery goods.

FIG.1 is a schematic view showing a delivering process for delivery goods.

FIG.2 is a perspective view showing a process of sorting delivery goods by means of manual handling of a worker located beside an unloading conveyor belt in a conventional practice.

FIG.3 is a perspective view showing an automatic sorting apparatus for delivery goods on an unloading conveyor belt according to the present invention.

FIG.4A is a perspective view showing a process of measuring sizes of delivery goods through distance measuring sensors in the automatic sorting apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG.4B is a perspective view showing a process of measuring sizes of delivery goods through a scanner in the automatic sorting apparatus according to the present invention.

FIGS.5A to 5C are perspective views showing processes of sorting the delivery goods transported on the unloading conveyor belt by size and packed state in the automatic sorting apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG.6 is a perspective view showing an automatic sorting system for delivery goods on unloading conveyor belts according to the present invention.

FIG.7 is a schematic view showing a process wherein if the capacity of delivery goods transported on the unloading conveyor belt is greater than a given set value, the delivery goods are unloaded to another unloading conveyor belt.

Hereinafter, the present invention is disclosed with reference to the attached drawings wherein the corresponding parts in the embodiments of the present invention are indicated by corresponding reference numerals and the repeated explanation on the corresponding parts will be avoided. If it is determined that the detailed explanation on the well known technology related to the present invention makes the scope of the present invention not clear, the explanation will be avoided for the brevity of the description.

When it is said that one element is described as being "connected" or "coupled" to the other element, one element may be directly connected or coupled to the other element, but it should be understood that another element may be present between the two elements. In the description, when it is said that one member is located "above" or "under" another member, it means that one member may come into contact with another member as well as yet another member may exist between the two members.

In this application, terms, such as "comprise", "include", or `have", are intended to designate those characteristics, numbers, steps, operations, elements, or parts which are described in the specification, or any combination of them that exist, and it should be understood that they do not preclude the possibility of the existence or possible addition of one or more additional characteristics, numbers, steps, operations, elements, or parts, or combinations thereof.　

In a conventional practice, as shown in FIG.2, a worker is located beside an unloading conveyor belt to sort the delivery goods unloaded to the unloading conveyor belt according to sizes and packed states of the delivery goods by means of his or her manual handling.

In this case, productivity, that is, efficiency in the conventional sorting process on the unloading conveyor belt through the worker's manual handling may be dependent upon the worker's skill level, but as the capacity of delivery goods is drastically increased, it is hard to locate workers besides all unloading conveyor belts due to the lack of labor.

Accordingly, the present invention relates to an automatic sorting apparatus and system for delivery goods on an unloading conveyor belt that is capable of automatically sorting the delivery goods on the unloading conveyor belt, thereby solving the conventional problems as mentioned above.

Hereinafter, an explanation on the automatic sorting apparatus for delivery goods on an unloading conveyor belt according to the present invention will be in detail given with reference to FIGS.3 to 5C.

FIG.3 is a perspective view showing an automatic sorting apparatus for delivery goods on an unloading conveyor belt according to the present invention, FIG.4A is a perspective view showing a process of measuring sizes of delivery goods through distance measuring sensors in the automatic sorting apparatus according to the present invention, FIG.4B is a perspective view showing a process of measuring sizes of delivery goods through a scanner in the automatic sorting apparatus according to the present invention, and FIGS.5A to 5C are perspective views showing processes of sorting the delivery goods transported on the unloading conveyor belt by size and packed state in the automatic sorting apparatus according to the present invention.

The automatic sorting apparatus for delivery goods according to the present invention includes: an unloading conveyor belt 100 for transporting the delivery goods unloaded; a goods size measurer for sensing sizes or packed states of the delivery goods transported on the unloading conveyor belt 100; a wheel sorter 200 located on an end of the unloading conveyor belt 100 and constituted of a plurality of direction switching rollers 210; and a wheel sorter controller (not shown) for controlling the wheel sorter 200 on the basis of the information measured through the goods size measurer to change the transporting directions of the delivery goods on the unloading conveyor belt 100.

In the automatic sorting apparatus for delivery goods according to the present invention, in detail, workers are not located beside all of the unloading conveyor belts, and the wheel sorter 200 disposed on the end of the unloading conveyor belt 100 is controlled to sort the delivery goods by size and packed state. Hereinafter, an explanation on the respective components constituting the automatic sorting apparatus for delivery goods according to the present invention will be in detail given.

First, the wheel sorter 200 is constituted of the plurality of direction switching rollers 210 and is located on the end (if it is assumed that an area to which delivery goods are unloaded is a front end of the unloading conveyor belt 100, the area opposite to the front end is the end of the unloading conveyor belt 100) of the unloading conveyor belt 100, so that the arrangement directions of the direction switching rollers 210 are changed according to the sizes or packed states of the delivery goods transported on the unloading conveyor belt 100, thereby allowing the transporting directions of the delivery goods to be directed toward a first conveyor belt 101, a second conveyor belt 102, and a third conveyor belt 103.

Before the transporting directions of the delivery goods are changed by means of the wheel sorter 200, the sizes of the delivery goods transported on the unloading conveyor belt 100 are measured through the goods size measurer, so that the delivery goods are sorted to small, medium, and large size goods. Otherwise, the packed states of the delivery goods are checked through the goods size measurer, so that differently shaped goods are sorted from the delivery goods.

In this case, the differently shaped goods are not packed in boxes, but packed in plastic bags or the like, unlike general delivery goods, and hereinafter, such differently shaped goods will be used with the same meaning as above.

At this time, as shown in FIG.4A, the goods size measurer is constituted of a plurality of distance measuring sensors 310.

Particularly, the plurality of distance measuring sensors 310 is located above the unloading conveyor belt 100 in parallel relation with the unloading conveyor belt 100 to measure distances from the delivery goods transported on the unloading conveyor belt 100, so that the width, length and height of the delivery goods can be measured.

As another example, as shown in FIG.4B, the goods size measurer is constituted of an intelligent scanner 320, and the scanner 320 is located above the unloading conveyor belt 100 to measure the width, length and height of the delivery goods transported on the unloading conveyor belt 100 and to also recognize barcodes attached to the delivery goods as well as information on the delivery goods contained in the barcodes.

In detail, the barcodes attached to the delivery goods contain the kinds of delivery goods, the sizes (width, length and height) of delivery goods, delivery destinations, precautions in handling, and information on the packed states (for example, packed in plastic bags) of the delivery goods, and accordingly, the scanner 320 recognizes the information on the sizes and packed states of the delivery goods passing therethrough.

At this time, as shown in FIG.4A, the goods size measurer is constituted of the plurality of distance measuring sensors 310, and as shown in FIG.4B, the goods size measurer is constituted of the scanner 320. While the present invention is being not limited thereto, however, the goods size measurer may be constituted of both of the plurality of distance measuring sensors 310 and the scanner 320, so that the sizes of delivery goods transported on the unloading conveyor belt 100 can be measured through the plurality of distance measuring sensors 310 and the information on the packed states of the delivery goods can be checked through the scanner 320. In addition to the distance measuring sensors 310 and the scanner 320, of course, the goods size measurer may be constituted of another device capable of checking the sizes or packed sate of the delivery goods.

Like this, the goods size measurer serves to measure the width, length and height of the delivery goods to allow the delivery goods to be sorted by size into small, medium, and large size goods, and under a primary consideration of the width of the delivery goods, particularly, the delivery goods are sorted into the three size goods.

At this time, the width and length of the delivery goods are the sizes of the delivery goods contacted with the unloading conveyor belt 100, and the height of the delivery goods is the vertical size of the delivery goods with respect to the unloading conveyor belt 100.

Further, the width of the delivery goods means one side size longer than the other side size of the area of the delivery goods contacted with the unloading conveyor belt 100. For example, on the area of the delivery goods transported on the unloading conveyor belt 100 formed through the contact with the unloading conveyor belt 100, if one side length is 250 mm and the other side length vertical to one side length is 210 mm, 250 mm longer than 210 mm is called the width of the delivery goods, 210 mm shorter than 250 mm is length of the delivery goods.

If the width of delivery goods is 1 mm or more and 500 mm or less, the length of the delivery goods is 1 mm or more and 350 mm or less, and the height of the delivery goods is 1 mm or more and 200 mm or less, the goods size measurer sorts the corresponding delivery goods into the small size goods. If the width of delivery goods is 500 mm or more and 700 mm or less, the length of the delivery goods is 1 mm or more and 500 mm or less, and the height of the delivery goods is 1 mm or more and 450 mm or less, the goods size measurer sorts the corresponding delivery goods into the medium size goods, and otherwise, if the width of delivery goods is 700 mm or more and 1500 mm or less, the length of the delivery goods is 1 mm or more and 700 mm or less, and the height of the delivery goods is 1 mm or more and 700 mm or less, the goods size measurer sorts the corresponding delivery goods into the large size goods.

In this case, the expression that the goods size measurer serves to sort the delivery goods by size into the small, medium, and large size goods means that even if the length and height of delivery goods having the width of 650 mm, the length of 300 mm, and the height of 100 mm are in the range of the small size goods, the width of the delivery goods is in the range of the medium size goods (having the width of 500 mm or more and 700 mm or less), so that the delivery goods are sorted into the medium size goods.

On the other hand, the goods size measurer can sort the delivery goods by packed state into the differently shaped goods. In detail, if the measured width of delivery goods is 1500 mm or more, the measured length of the delivery goods is 700 mm or more, or the measured height of the delivery goods is 700 mm or more (that is, if the delivery goods are larger than the large size goods), and if the barcode attached to the delivery goods is the barcode attached to the differently shaped goods, the corresponding delivery goods are sorted into the differently shaped goods.

Moreover, if the differently shaped goods exist at the time when the picked up goods are unloaded from the delivery truck, they are moved and kept to a separate tray, and the tray has a barcode attached thereto, through which it can be recognized that the delivery goods kept therein are the differently shaped goods. Accordingly, if the barcode is recognized by the goods size measurer, the delivery goods kept in the tray are sorted into the differently shaped goods.

On the basis of the information on the delivery goods sorted through the goods size measurer, that is, on the basis of the information on the delivery goods sorted by size into small, medium, and large size goods and the information on the delivery goods sorted by packed state into the differently shaped goods, next, the wheel sorter controller controls the arrangement directions of the direction switching rollers 210 of the wheel sorter 200, thereby achieving the automation in the sorting process.

In detail, if the delivery goods are measured as the small and medium size goods by means of the goods size measurer, the wheel sorter controller controls the wheel sorter 200 to allow the position of the wheel sorter 200 to be directed toward the first conveyor belt 101 as shown in FIG.5A, if the delivery goods are measured as the large size goods by means of the goods size measurer, the wheel sorter controller controls the wheel sorter 200 to allow the position of the wheel sorter 200 to be directed toward the second conveyor belt 102 as shown in FIG.5B, and if the delivery goods are measured as the differently shaped goods by means of the goods size measurer, the wheel sorter controller controls the wheel sorter 200 to allow the position of the wheel sorter 200 to be directed toward the third conveyor belt 103 as shown in FIG.5C.

On the unloading conveyor belt 100, generally, the large size goods and the differently shaped goods, which are hard to be sortable, are separately sorted from the unloaded delivery goods, and next, the small and medium size goods, which are relatively large in quantity, are sorted through a separate sorting process, without being sorted on the unloading conveyor belt 100. If the delivery goods are measured as the small and medium size goods, the wheel sorter controller controls the wheel sorter 200 to allow the position of the wheel sorter 200 to be directed toward the first conveyor belt 101, without having any sorting process, and if the delivery goods are measured as the large size goods, the wheel sorter controller controls the wheel sorter 200 to allow the position of the wheel sorter 200 to be directed toward the second conveyor belt 102. If the delivery goods are measured as the differently shaped goods, on the other hand, the wheel sorter controller controls the wheel sorter 200 to allow the position of the wheel sorter 200 to be directed toward the third conveyor belt 103.

At this time, the arrangement of the first conveyor belt 101, the second conveyor belt 102, and the third conveyor belt 103 is just one example of the present invention, and unlike the arrangement as shown in the drawing, of course, it is possible to provide another arrangement wherein the first conveyor belt 101 is placed at a center, the second conveyor belt 102 is at the left side of the first conveyor belt 101, and the third conveyor belt 103 is at the right side of the first conveyor belt 101.

Moreover, the present invention relates to the automatic sorting apparatus for sorting the delivery goods on the unloading conveyor belt, and therefore, a detailed explanation on the sorting process for the small and medium size goods will be avoided for the brevity of the description.

Next, as shown in FIG.3, the automatic sorting apparatus for sorting the delivery goods on the unloading conveyor belt according to the present invention further includes a goods quantity measurement sensor 400.

The goods quantity measurement sensor 400 is disposed on the unloading conveyor belt 100 to measure the quantity of delivery goods transported on the unloading conveyor belt 100.

Moreover, if the quantity of delivery goods measured through the goods quantity measurement sensor 400 is greater than a given set value, the sorting is not efficiently carried out due to overloading of the delivery goods, and accordingly, the driving of the unloading conveyor belt 100 is stopped, which is will be explained later.

At this time, the goods quantity measurement sensor 400 is a light sensor using laser or an ultrasonic sensor using ultrasounds, but only if it serves to measure the quantity of delivery goods transported on the unloading conveyor belt 100, it may be constituted of another sensor.

Next, an explanation on an automatic sorting system for delivery goods on an unloading conveyor belt according to the present invention will be given with reference to FIGS.6 and 7.

FIG.6 is a perspective view showing an automatic sorting system for delivery goods on unloading conveyor belts according to the present invention, and FIG.7 is a schematic view showing a process wherein if the capacity of delivery goods transported on the unloading conveyor belt is greater than a given set value, the delivery goods are unloaded to another unloading conveyor belt.

The automatic sorting system for delivery goods unloaded according to the present invention includes: a plurality of unloading conveyor belts 100 for transporting the delivery goods unloaded; a goods size measurer for sensing sizes or packed states of the delivery goods transported on each unloading conveyor belt 100; a wheel sorter 200 located on an end of each unloading conveyor belt 100 to change transporting directions of the delivery goods; a wheel sorter controller (not shown) for controlling the position direction of the wheel sorter 200 on the basis of the information measured through the goods size measurer to change transporting directions of the delivery goods on each unloading conveyor belt 100; a goods quantity measurement sensor 400 for measuring the quantity of delivery goods transported on each unloading conveyor belt 100; and a goods quantity adjustor (not shown) for adjusting the quantity of delivery goods unloaded to each unloading conveyor belt 100 on the basis of the information on the quantity of delivery goods transported on each unloading conveyor belt 100 measured through the goods quantity measurement sensor 400.

Even if not shown in the drawing, further, the automatic sorting system for delivery goods unloaded according to the present invention includes a display for indicating information on the quantity of delivery goods transported on each unloading conveyor belt 100.

Like this, the automatic sorting system for delivery goods on the unloading conveyor belts 100 according to the present invention is configured to recognize the quantity of delivery goods transported on each unloading conveyor belt 100 measured through the goods quantity measurement sensor 400, to compare the quantities of delivery goods by the unloading conveyor belts 100 on the basis of the recognized information, and to adjust the quantity of delivery goods unloaded from a delivery truck, thereby optimizing the efficiency in sorting the delivery goods.

In more detail, if there is the unloading conveyor belt 100 on which the quantity of delivery goods measured through the goods quantity measurement sensor 400 is greater than a given set value, the goods quantity adjustor stops the driving of the corresponding unloading conveyor belt 100, thereby preventing the delivery goods from being overloaded in the next sorting process.

Further, if there is the unloading conveyor belt 100 on which the quantity of delivery goods transported thereon is greater than the given set value, the goods quantity adjustor stops (pre-induces) the driving of the other unloading conveyor belts 100, thereby preventing the delivery goods from being overloaded in the next sorting process after the unloading conveyor belts 100, without having any separate standby space for the delivery goods.

Moreover, the goods quantity adjustor periodically checks the value of the quantity of delivery goods measured through the goods quantity measurement sensor 400, and if the quantity of delivery goods is collected to a specific unloading conveyor belt, as shown in FIG.7, the unloading position of the delivery truck is controlled to unload the delivery goods picked up to another unloading conveyor belt (having a relatively small quantity of delivery goods), thereby optimizing the efficiency in sorting the delivery goods.

As described above, the automatic sorting apparatus and system for delivery goods on the unloading conveyor belt according to the present invention can achieve the automation in the sorting process on the unloading conveyor belt, thereby improving the efficiency in sorting the delivery goods on the unloading conveyor belt.

As mentioned above, the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed in the specification and drawings. In the description of the present invention, special terms are used not to limit the present invention and the scope of the present invention as defined in claims, but just to explain the present invention. Therefore, persons skilled in the relevant art can appreciate that many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto.

Terms used in this application are used to only describe specific exemplary embodiments and are not intended to restrict the present invention. An expression referencing a singular value additionally refers to a corresponding expression of the plural number, unless explicitly limited otherwise by the context.

It is therefore intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto.

Claims

An automatic sorting apparatus for delivery goods on an unloading conveyor belt, comprising:

the unloading conveyor belt for transporting the delivery goods unloaded;

a goods size measurer for sensing sizes of the delivery goods transported on the unloading conveyor belt;

a wheel sorter located on an end of the unloading conveyor belt and constituted of a plurality of direction switching rollers; and

a wheel sorter controller for controlling the wheel sorter on the basis of the information measured through the goods size measurer to change the transporting directions of the delivery goods on the unloading conveyor belt.
The automatic sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the goods size measurer is constituted of a plurality of distance measuring sensors for measuring distances from the delivery goods and thus recognizing the sizes of the delivery goods.
The automatic sorting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of distance measuring sensors is located above the unloading conveyor belt.
The automatic sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the goods size measurer is constituted of an intelligent scanner adapted to recognize the sizes of the delivery goods or the barcodes attached to the delivery goods.
The automatic sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the goods size measurer is adapted to measure the width, length and height of the delivery goods to allow the delivery goods to be sorted into small, medium, and large size goods.
The automatic sorting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the goods size measurer sorts the delivery goods transported on the unloading conveyor belt into the small, medium, and large size goods under a primary consideration of the width of the delivery goods.
The automatic sorting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein if the sizes of the delivery goods are greater than given set sizes, or if a separate barcode is attached to the delivery goods, the goods size measurer sorts the delivery goods into differently shaped goods.
The automatic sorting apparatus according to claim 7, wherein if the delivery goods are measured as the small and medium size goods by means of the goods size measurer, the wheel sorter controller controls the wheel sorter to allow the position of the wheel sorter to be directed toward a first conveyor belt, if the delivery goods are measured as the large size goods by means of the goods size measurer, the wheel sorter controller controls the wheel sorter to allow the position of the wheel sorter to be directed toward a second conveyor belt, and if the delivery goods are measured as the differently shaped goods by means of the goods size measurer, the wheel sorter controller controls the wheel sorter to allow the position of the wheel sorter to be directed toward a third conveyor belt.
The automatic sorting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a goods quantity measurement sensor for measuring the quantity of delivery goods transported on the unloading conveyor belt.
An automatic sorting system for delivery goods on a plurality of unloading conveyor belts, comprising:

the plurality of unloading conveyor belts for transporting the delivery goods unloaded;

a goods size measurer for sensing sizes or packed states of the delivery goods transported on each unloading conveyor belt;

a wheel sorter located on an end of each unloading conveyor belt to change transporting directions of the delivery goods;

a wheel sorter controller for controlling the position direction of the wheel sorter on the basis of the information measured through the goods size measurer to change transporting directions of the delivery goods on each unloading conveyor belt;

a goods quantity measurement sensor for measuring the quantity of delivery goods transported on each unloading conveyor belt; and

a goods quantity adjustor for adjusting the quantity of delivery goods unloaded to each unloading conveyor belt on the basis of the information on the quantity of delivery goods transported on each unloading conveyor belt measured through the goods quantity measurement sensor.
The automatic sorting system according to claim 10, further comprising a display for indicating information on the quantity of delivery goods transported on each unloading conveyor belt.
The automatic sorting system according to claim 10, wherein if there is the unloading conveyor belt on which the quantity of delivery goods measured through the goods quantity measurement sensor is greater than a given set value, the goods quantity adjustor stops the driving of the corresponding unloading conveyor belt.
The automatic sorting system according to claim 12, wherein if there is the unloading conveyor belt on which the quantity of delivery goods transported thereon is greater than the given set value, the goods quantity adjustor stops the driving of the other unloading conveyor belts.