System for transporting goods arranged on auxiliary devices.

(54) Title: SYSTEM TO TRANSPORT GOODS PLACED IN AUXILIARY DEVICES. (54) Title: SYSTEM FOR TRANSPORTING GOODS ARRANGED ON AUXILIARY DEVICES.

(57) Summary

The invention relates to a system for transporting goods placed in loading devices between two areas, one area is a tall warehouse, comprising a driverless transport system, with at least one transport cart to transport the goods, including charging devices; Here, the transport cart is designed with a lifting device that can be raised or lowered above the cart; The transport system further comprises a transfer station, below which the transport car can be driven, and from which the transport car can accept and or transfer load devices with the load deposited there.

(57) Abstract

The invention relates to a system for transporting goods arranged on loading devices between two areas, one area being a high-bay warehouse, comprising a driverless transport system with at least one transport trolley for transporting the goods including the loading devices. Here, the transport trolley is designed with a lifting device which can be lifted and lowered above the trolley. The transport system furthermore comprises a transfer station under which the transport trolley can drive and from which the transport trolley can accept and / or transfer loading devices with load deposited there.

RARE SYSTEM TRANSPORTING GOODS PLACED IN

AUXILIARY DEVICES

DESCRIPTIVE MEMORY

The present invention relates to a system for transporting goods placed in loading devices between two areas, one area is a tall warehouse, comprising a driverless transport system, with at least one transport cart to transport the goods together with charging devices.

In automated warehouses or so-called merchandise distribution centers, respectively, it is common to use so-called "high warehouse warehouses", which are designed as multi-story buildings. For the storage and unloading of the loading devices with goods placed in them, an operating equipment with shelves attached to the floor is conventionally used, which is combined with a transport system for storage and egress. The conveyor system in most cases is adapted to the respective requirements, for example, the type of goods transported or the project requirements, so that different measures can be taken for transportation. For example, stationary conveyors, such as roller conveyors, chain conveyors, deflection devices, or rail distribution carts, or other mobile conveyors, such as driverless transport systems (DTS), electric ground conveyors (EGC), or electric air transporters (EOC), can constitute the transport system.

There are different designs of "driverless" transportation systems. Frequently used driverless transport systems combine a cart with a stationary conveyor that can accept goods to be transported in a loading device in a horizontal motion. In addition, counterbalance carts are used that are combined with a lifting device, such as the forks of a stacker, and can thus raise, transport and lower the platforms. In addition, systems are used that can be driven under the goods in a loading device to be transported, and the last of a device can be lifted, transported by loading and depositing them in the devices. Lifting can be achieved, for example, by means of a rotation axis or by lifting columns, eccentric mechanisms, etc.

In a conventional warehouse, the transport of goods is achieved, for example, from the egress transport system to the shipment via a platform handling system, or alternatively, via an electric air transporter or an electric land transporter. In the shipping area, goods are usually distributed on gravity roller conveyors using cross-transfer carts to keep them ready for shipment. In plants with high performance requirements for sequencing the goods in the shipment in the working range of the cross transfer carts, powered conveyor elements can also be attached, in which the goods can be temporarily stored, and where the Goods are subsequently removed in the correct sequence and transported to gravity roller conveyors for shipment.

All conventional stationary conveyor solutions have considerable disadvantages in view of the flexibility of their use, and are difficult to put into service. The use of conventional conveyor technology requires repeated transfers from the platforms of one conveyor element to the next conveyor element. Each of these transfers represents a possible source of interference. In addition, in the case of maintenance or repairs, the transport capacity is affected.

Mobile conveyors offer more flexibility in view of expandability, changing ways of travel, and carriage layout, in particular, trackless driverless transport systems. In many logistics solutions, mobile conveyors are combined with conventional conveyors, particularly when automated warehousing systems are involved, and therefore the potential benefits of mobile conveyors are reduced.

It is, therefore, the object of the present invention, to provide a system with driverless transport systems, to transport goods placed in loading devices, in particular, in the space environment of a warehouse of high ship, which allows the transport of the goods between the warehouse of high ship and additional areas, the system includes high flexibility, in view of the expansion of the trolley, changes in the forms of displacement and distribution of the trolley, and requires only low complexity, due to passive transfer devices, no cables, and no electrical and control related commissioning required in conventional conveyors or rail-attached systems.

This object is achieved by means of a system to transport goods placed in loading devices between two areas, one area is a warehouse of high nave, by the system that comprises a driverless transport system, with at least one transport trolley car to transport the goods together with the loading device, the transport cart is designed with a lifting device that can be raised and lowered above the cart, and with a transfer station under which the transport cart can be driven, and from which the transport cart can accept and / or transfer charging devices with the load deposited thereon.

In contrast to the first prior technique, the transportation of goods was consequently accomplished, outside of the high warehouse, essentially via transport carts, i.e. one can fully distribute with conveyor technology attached to the common floor, such as conveyors roller or chain conveyors, and with rail conveyors, such as electric overhead conveyors or electric ground transportation. The transport trolleys are sufficient to transport the loading device with the goods placed in it from a source or transfer station to the warehouse of the upper hall, that is, to the operation equipment of the shelves, and to deposit them therein, or from the high bay warehouse to a transfer station or target, so that no additional transfers from the platforms are required throughout transportation. This can essentially shorten transport, which can be done optimally in terms of time and trajectories.

With the invention, although complex, high-performance logistics systems can be realized with simple system components with high availability, at comparatively low investment costs, with low commissioning times, with high flexibility for changing performance requirements due to to market changes and low operating costs thanks to optimized trajectory and automatic driverless cars.

Since the transport trolleys according to the invention are designed with a lifting device that can be raised and lowered above the trolley, the transport trolley can have a compact design. Since the goods are transported on the trolley, i.e. above the trolley, very well-balanced storage of the merchandise on the trolley is ensured, and no additional measures are required, for example, to prevent the trolley from tilting.

The transport trolley according to the invention cooperates with a correspondingly designed transfer station, so that the transport trolley is only driven underneath the goods to be transported that are placed in the transfer station, taking them from this position and transports them to the desired area to deposit them again in a transfer station located there. Consequently, the transport system according to the invention is flexible, includes only few sources of interference, and can be easily put into operation. Transfer stations can be rigid or flexible, as required.

According to a preferred embodiment, it can be provided that at least one transport cart can be driven to move freely. This means that the transport trolley according to the invention is not a rail trolley, but rather that the trolley can be transported absolutely independently to locations in the high bay warehouse for the transfer or acceptance of merchandise, or between incoming merchandise and the goods leaving and the warehouse of high ship. This helps achieve high flexibility, because the cart can be freely controlled as required, and one can immediately react to, for example, route changes.

According to a further preferred embodiment, at least one transport trolley can be remotely controlled. This also helps achieve particular high flexibility, because the transport cart can be transported directly to the desired position without the operator having to place himself directly on the screed of the high bay warehouse. The remote control allows here to always select the shortest paths at the moment, so that the transport is optimized again in time.

A further preferred embodiment provides for the system to be controlled and manageable by a superimposed control system. A corresponding system allows automatic transport of the individual transport trolleys, which prove in particular to be advantageous if several transport trolleys are simultaneously controlled and verified. A corresponding control system can be designed, so that not only the transport trolleys, in particular their movement and / or position data, are detected, but simultaneously, functions such as storage and / or return to storage, reserve and / or temporary storage, egress and / or provision of the complete plant, are coordinated and controlled.

Furthermore, it can be provided, for at least one transport cart, comprising a capacitive power supply. This can save costs to ensure voltage supply, and it is possible, simultaneously, to save space and weight, which are otherwise required, for example by providing a backup battery in a car. Capacitors are suitable here, for example for capacitive power supply. In addition, batteries with or without short charge cycles may be used, which do not always require full charge cycles, but may, in the case of varying performance requirements, also be charged intermediately in charging zones to which the trolley may be directed. , and that they only need a full charge cycle within cycles of, say, a week. The temporary cut-off of the trolleys for the charging procedure or the provision of backup batteries can thus be reduced considerably.

The transport trolley can advantageously include a two-dimensional navigation according to the invention. The corresponding double-dimensional navigation allows a sufficiently precise control of the individual transport trolleys between the intended areas.

According to another preferred embodiment, the transfer station can be designed with an inlet opening. This entrance opening is a very simple modality of the transfer station to ensure that the loading devices with the accepted transfer station load by the transport cart via the lifting device can also be moved away from the transfer station. transfer without the transfer station having to be removed.

The transfer station may here advantageously have a U-shaped design or be designed in the form of two opposing rail or structural elements. Here, the structural elements also comprise arc elements which may have, for example, an L or T shape. Both of the above mentioned shapes of the transfer station have proven to be particularly suitable in operation.

According to another preferred embodiment, the transfer station may comprise non-powered conveyor means. A corresponding transfer station is normally designed here to be fixed in its stationary position. The provision of non-powered conveyor elements in the area of ​​the transfer station allows, for example, to place or change the loading devices with a load from other areas on the non-powered conveyor elements, for example, roller conveyors, conveyors of gravity rollers or non-powered chain conveyors, and thus make them accessible for transport trolleys. Since conveyor elements not driven herein are employed, sources of error, particularly failure, may be excluded in this area. Furthermore, a specific loading can be carried out in the area of ​​the leaving goods, where the individual loading devices with the goods can be transported not in sequence, but according to the desired loading sequence.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the transfer station can be formed in the area of ​​the high warehouse warehouse by at least one cantilever arm of the high warehouse warehouse, or in addition, in a U-shape or in the form of two elements rail or opposing structural. The cantilever arm is formed here by the steel construction of the tall ship warehouse. A corresponding transfer station ensures that the loading devices with the load can be deposited on either side of the high bay warehouse. Since the transport trolley moves within an area protected from human access, optimal loading of the high bay warehouse can thus be automated, which can also be ensured without conventional or rail-attached conveyors.

The present invention may advantageously provide at least one transport cart that moves the goods between the incoming delivery or production goods and the high warehouse warehouse, and / or one transport cart to move the goods between the incoming goods. or through delivery or production and high ship warehouse and shipping. Consequently, the complete transport of the products between the incoming merchandise and the outgoing merchandise, and also between the incoming merchandise, the high warehouse and the outgoing merchandise, can be carried out by the transport trolleys. Here, transport carts can first transfer the received products, in particular raw and indirect materials, to production, temporarily store products or semi-finished products produced there in the high warehouse, and optionally, return them to production or transfer them to the goods going out. The system according to the invention thus covers the entire area between the incoming goods, the production, the upper warehouse and the outgoing goods, so that the sources of error that previously existed, in particular in the area of ​​the Transfer between individual conveyor elements can be eliminated. Consequently, transport and storage can be carried out with higher bioavailability, more time-efficient, and therefore cheaper.

It can further be provided that the transfer station is designed in the area of ​​the departing goods, so that the loading devices with the load can be temporarily stored and further transported in the correct sequence by the cross-transfer carts employed. Sequencing mechanism allows for late determination of shipping sequence for loaded loading devices, overtaking of pallets, and also use of rack operation equipment for removal of stocks from high bay warehouse areas , which is optimal in terms of performance.

The additional features, objects and advantages of the present invention can be taken from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, which will now follow, and which serves as a non-limiting example and refers to the accompanying drawings. Equal components, therefore, always have the same reference numbers, and are not always explained repeatedly.

Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a transport system according to the invention, with the transfer station, partially shown in a perspective view, and the individual steps of transfer of the charging device with the loading of the transfer station to the transport cart.

Figure 2 shows, in a schematic side view, a loaded transport cart and a transfer station in the area of ​​outgoing goods, which are also designed as an intermediate warehouse.

Figure 3 schematically shows the individual stations 5 of the transport system.

Figure 4 schematically shows preparation for shipping without / with sequencing according to three preferred modalities.

The schematic representations of Figures 1 to 4 10 show different views of one embodiment of a transport system according to the invention.

Here, Figure 1 shows the loading of a transport cart 1 at the transfer station 3. The transport cart 1 is a driverless transport cart of a compact design, ie it is preferably designed to be close ground. A lifting device 2 is placed on the upper side of the transport trolley 1. The lifting device 2 comprises an adjusting element 2a and a supporting element 2b, which can be raised or lowered in the vertical direction by the adjusting element 2a. In its rest position, the support element 2b is preferably positioned to be close to the surface of the transport trolley 1, as much as possible, to support the compact design, particularly when the transport trolley is parked in a resting position. The transport trolley is incorporated herein to move freely, that is, to move by means of the wheels or by other circulating bands or chains placed on the underside, the trolley can be moved as desired, where the movement can be made either by computer control or remote control. No additional guidance of the transport trolley by means of the rails takes place.

In operation, the transport trolley, with its lifting element 2 being lowered, is operated under a transfer station 3 in which the platforms, that is, loading devices 4 with the goods 5 placed in them, are stored . The transfer station is high enough to allow the transport trolley 1 to be operated below it, that is, the height of the transport trolley 1 including its lowered lifting element is less than the distance from the bottom side of the station transfer to the ground. Transfer station 3 is preferably incorporated as a shelf, in which the loading device 4 with the load, that is the platforms, are supported. In detail, the transfer station shelf 3, as shown in perspective in Figure 1, is U-shaped, such that an inlet opening or an outlet opening is provided on one side. The platform rests accordingly on three shelf elements. Therefore, the transport cart would only need to be driven below the level of the underside of the platform.

The U-shaped design of the shelf is only a preferred embodiment. For many applications, however, it has proven to be advantageous for the shelf to consist of two parallel oriented arches or support frames, ie two shelf elements. These arches can also be designed as L or T arches. An advantage of these modalities is that one can drive through the shelves, since there are two opposite inlet or outlet openings.

After the transport cart has been driven under the transfer station 3, the transport cart 1 is stopped at a position below the transfer station 3 and below the loaded loading device, and the lifting element 2 it extends until the support element 2b rests on the underside of the loading device with the load 4. In addition to lifting the lifting element, it lifts the loading device 4 with the load out of the transfer station 3, so that the total weight of the loading device 4 and the load 5 are carried exclusively by the transport cart. In this position, the support plate 2b together with the loading device with the load is located above the transfer station. Subsequently, the transport trolley 1 moves again and now leaves the transfer station 3 through the exit opening. Since the rack of the transfer station is Interrupted here, the movement of the transport trolley is not prevented.

Although the lifting element is shown in this representation only with a single adjusting element 2a, it can also be designed in any other way, provided that lifting of the support plate 2b is allowed. The transport trolley with the loading device 4 and the goods 5 placed therein then freely navigates between the transfer station 3 and the high bay warehouse or the high bay warehouse, respectively, until a device is reached warehouse or transfer station 3 desired, in the region of the warehouse of high ship, in which the loading device can be deposited in the reverse order. This means that the transport trolley 1 is led to the transfer station in an inlet opening corresponding to the outlet opening, lowers the lifting element 2 until the loading device lies on the transfer station 3 and is now supported by the transfer station.

The additional lowering of the lifting element provides a sufficient distance for the Bottom side of the loading device with the load and for the transfer station, so that the transport trolley can be driven far as required. Here, the transport cart can leave the transfer station, depending on its physical design, in any possible direction and is no longer attached to the inlet / outlet opening.

The transfer devices in the screed of the upper warehouse are preferably formed by cantilevered arms that are fixed to the steel construction of the upper warehouse. In particular, transfer stations are provided at one or also at both ends of a path for the rack operating equipment and then at both or only one side of the paths. The transfer stations are then reached by the transport carts and the rack operating equipment, and the platforms, that is, cargo loading devices, are picked up or supplied.

Since the cantilever arm points in the high bay warehouses 5 can simply be joined as marginal points, it is possible to simply redesign the existing high bay warehouses. Cantilever arms can also be attached at ground level and serve as a transfer station for rack operation equipment. By this, the conveyor technology can be completely eliminated, and the transport system can use the path instead of the non-existent conveyor technology.

In a high bay warehouse, storage locations can also be designed as a transfer station for storage or egress, if these are provided in levels and rows that can be reached by the rack operation team as well as by carts. Of transport.

In the warehouse area of ​​the upper warehouse, the transfer station is further positioned on the rack operating equipment so that the loading devices with the load can be relocated from the transfer station, preferably with a fork Telescopic from the transfer station to the storage positions of the steel rack construction.

Likewise, when goods are removed from the high bay warehouse, the desired products in the loading devices are relocated by means of the rack operating equipment from the rack steel construction to a transfer station, from which the charging device is accepted again by a transport trolley. The transport trolley is now directed towards the outgoing goods and is then placed back in a corresponding transfer station.

On the way to the outgoing goods, temporary storage of the loading devices with the load can be carried out here, by means of static transfer stations, and can optionally be related to an arbitrary transporter or storage technology, available on the market. , depending on the project. When storing temporarily, a high-throughput warehouse discharge can be performed with a high, ideally maximum performance, which has the disadvantage that the sequence of the platforms that exit does not always correspond to a finally required loading sequence. Through temporary storage and direct access to the required platforms, however, the required loading sequence can occur.

Furthermore, with the preparation for shipment, an additional type of temporary storage is provided, which is usually carried out for subsequent loading, observing a sequence of loading on gravity roller conveyors or actively powered accumulation conveyors. Such a transfer station in the region of the departing goods is depicted in Figure 2, where the transfer station is partially incorporated with non-driven conveyor elements, here roller elements 6, which allow further change of devices load in the area of ​​the non-driven conveyor elements. Withdrawal to the truck is normally accomplished by manual lift trucks or electric platform trucks. To load the trucks from one side, the platforms are removed directly from the transfer stations by stackers who load them onto the truck, driving sideways towards them.

Figure 3 schematically shows the individual areas where the transport system according to the invention can be used. First, the products placed in the loading devices are transferred in an area of ​​the incoming goods from the transfer stations 3 to the transport carts. Products can be raw materials, process materials, or finished products. Of the incoming goods, the products can be directed directly to production or temporarily stored in a high warehouse warehouse. If temporarily stored, they can be transferred to the rack, and at a later time, from the rack to, say, production. From production, the products or semi-finished products manufactured there, are transferred directly to the goods that leave, or are temporarily stored again in the warehouse of the upper warehouse. Each of the transport paths is linked here by driverless transport carts and can be supplemented by other transporters, depending on the project. The complete system is controlled and administered by a superimposed system, the control is carried out both in a master control based on a programmable controller (SPS or Smart SPS, respectively), and in a material flow control in a computer. Transfer of individual platforms can be supported by detection of an empty platform, removal of transport insurance, labeling of the platform designation, etc.

In the area of ​​outgoing goods, the loading devices with the load can be distributed on gravity roller conveyors in the correct sequence, by the transfer devices 2 in the outgoing goods, by means of the cross-transfer carts used . The gravity roller conveyors are preferably non-powered and serve to prepare the pallets for shipment.

Some different modalities for the application of the transport system according to the invention, between the incoming goods and the leaving goods are described in detail with reference to Figure 4.

By the present invention, one can eliminate the complete labor of upstream conveyor technology in the high warehouse warehouse area and thus achieve clear savings in investment.

In Figure 4, the shipment preparation with or without sequencing according to three different modalities is finally shown. Here, the individual steps of the goods to be stored or to be shipped are each represented, starting with the incoming goods to the leaving goods or the shipment, respectively. If the received goods are temporarily stored initially in a high warehouse, a transfer of the loading devices with the goods placed in them is carried out, by means of transport trolleys in a high warehouse, and the additional transportation of the Warehouse of high ship towards the shipment takes place only later.

According to the first embodiment shown, the goods are placed in the loading devices, and these loading devices are transported with the goods by the transport carts according to the invention. Here, the goods are first transported to the storage positions in the devices, where the devices can essentially correspond to the transfer stations, that is, the transport systems can be driven underneath them, so that the loading devices with the goods placed in them can be simply deposited and can also be moved at any time by one or the other transport trolley. From the selected storage positions, the loading devices with the goods placed in them are simply transported in addition, via means of transport, such as forklifts or the transport trolleys according to the invention, either to be loaded by means of a fork lift, for example, from one side or rear, on trucks, or to be transported to additional transfer stations, They are connected to the gravity roller conveyors, from which the goods can be reloaded later, in most cases manually, for example via trucks with manual lift or trucks with electric lift or forklift trucks. Loading devices with the load, however, can also be transported directly to the transfer stations that are connected to the gravity roller conveyors.

According to the second embodiment represented, the goods are placed in the loading devices, and these loading devices with the goods are transported to the sequencing locations selected by the transport carts according to the invention. From there, goods can be removed via cross transfer carts and placed on gravity roll conveyors, ready for loading. As already illustrated with respect to the first modality, trucks with manual lift or trucks with electric lift or fork lifts can be used here for rear loading, or in addition, for side loading.

According to the third embodiment shown, the goods are placed in the loading devices, and these loading devices with the goods are transported by the transport carts according to the invention to the selected transfer storage positions, in the region of the goods that leave and are temporarily stored, or they are transported directly to transfer stations that are connected to roller conveyors or gravity roller conveyors for preparation for shipment. As shown in Figure 2, the transfer stations of the transport trolleys can here be equipped with roller conveyors, thus allowing additional easy transport of the individual goods.

It should be summarized that in the transport system according to the invention, the already known elements, such as fork lifts and gravity roller conveyors, are used and used in combination with the transport trolleys according to the invention, so that a very flexible system is achieved that optimally designs operations between incoming and outgoing goods.

In addition, and as already described, in the subsequent loading, the fulfillment of the loading sequence can be carried out on the provided gravity roller conveyors, or by the actively actuated accumulation conveyors. Withdrawal to the truck is normally accomplished by manual lift trucks or electric platform trucks. In side loading trucks, platforms are removed directly from the transfer station by stackers who load them onto the truck, driving sideways towards them.

The invention is not restricted to the above modalities. A plurality of variants and modifications is very conceivable, which makes use of the idea according to the invention, and therefore also falls within the scope of protection.