Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Frank Voss

Holger Schererz

Jürgen Francke

Michael Schwarzbauer

Frank Gerstenberg

Claus Bahlmann

Rolf-Peter Skrdlant

Dieter Powollik

Christian Klier

Matthias Prasser

A system for detecting a state of a current collector of an electrically driven vehicle includes a video camera device for digitally recording images of the current collector and an image-evaluating device for the data evaluation of the image recordings. The current collector has optically detectable markings, the position and/or shape and/or surface area and/or color of which can be detected by the image-evaluating device in an automated manner. A system that makes the automatic state detection faster and more reliable is thereby provided.

System for detecting the state of a current collector

A sorting installation and a sorting method jointly sort two kinds of flat mail items. For each article to be sorted, a value that a prescribed sorting feature assumes for the article is measured. The article is transported by a first transport device to a separating filter. An article of the first article kind is redirected in a first outward-transfer device. On the basis of the ascertained sorting feature value, one sorting output from a first set of sorting outputs is selected. The article is transferred outward to the selected sorting output from the first sorting output set. An article of the second article kind is redirected to a second transport device and transported to a second outward-transfer device. On the basis of the ascertained sorting feature value, one sorting output from a second set of sorting outputs is selected.

Sorting installation and sorting method for jointly sorting different kinds of articles

An apparatus and a method separate flat objects, including flat mail items. The apparatus has a first and a second separator. Each separator extends a plurality of overlapping objects in a direction parallel to the object planes. The second separator has a transport element and a retaining element. The second separator can be operated optionally in a separating mode, in which it is capable of separating objects, and a transport mode. An overlap detection device checks whether an item which is transported by the second separator contains a single object or a plurality of overlapping objects. The overlap detection device measures the respective length of the transported item at at least two instants. If the length changes, the item contains a plurality of overlapping objects. If a plurality of objects has been detected, the second separator is switched over into the separating mode and it separates the objects.

Apparatus and method for separating flat objects by use of two separators and a length detector

The invention relates to a device that is provided with a pressing and applying drum () which is driven during start-stop operation and is used for applying the labels () to flat objects () that are transported along a conveying path. A label strip () having a bend that matches the receiving drum surface is pushed onto the side of the pressing and applying drum () with the adhesive side thereof facing towards the outside and vertically in relation to the transport plane of the flat objects () by means of a label conveying and cutting device (), whereby said side faces away from the objects (). The portion which is situated on the stationary pressing and applying drum () is cut off by means of a cutter device that is adapted to the bend.

Device for applying self-adhesive, substrate-free labels to flat articles

The invention relates to a device that is provided with a pressing and applying drum () which is driven during start-stop operation in a controlled manner and is used for applying the labels () to flat objects () which are transported along a conveying path. The aim of the invention is to transport said objects () past the pressing and applying drum. Said drum is provided with a first casing region () which receives labels and has a circular bend. The centre of the circle is situated within the rotational axis. The drum is also provided with a second casing region (). The surface of said second casing region is displaced towards the inside to such an extend that the second casing region () cannot touch the objects in a disturbing manner. The two casing regions () are connected to one another by means of transition areas ().

Device for applying labels to flat objects

The invention pertains to a transport device for rerouting flat mail pieces ( ) that are transported clamped between an endless lower band ( ) and an endless upper band ( ), wherein the upper band ( ) is realized in a longitudinally elastic fashion and guided back in an outwardly directed loop. According to the invention, an inexpensive and space-saving rerouting with the least possible stress on the mail pieces is realized due to the fact that the driven lower band ( ) is guided on a stationary, immovable guide element ( ) with a sliding surface that has the shape of a curved segment, and the sliding surface of the curved segment has a lower coefficient of friction than the lower band ( ) and the mail pieces ( ). The lower band ( ) has a low coefficient of friction on its side facing the guide element ( ) and has a high coefficient of friction on its side facing the non-driven upper band ( ) and the mail pieces ( ). The lower band is deflected inward by means of deflection rolls ( ) in such a way that it is looped around a driving roll ( ) arranged within the guide element ( ) with its side that has a high coefficient of friction.

Transportation device for deflecting flat consignments

The invention relates to a device for monitoring the transport process of flat despatches with a sensor, a store and an evaluation device, in which the device, takes the form of a flat despatch having a number of different regions, especially rigid and flexible regions. According to the invention, the regions are formed in such a way that the device has comparable machine compatibility and solidity to ordinary despatches. The regions consist of component, stamping and franking (,), belt-running (,), buffer and intake (,) and bend and fold regions (,).

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Berlin, Germany

Frank Voss