Product storage and picking system and method of storing and picking products

• US 20050035694A1
• Filed: 08/15/2003
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SK Daifuku Corporation
• Original Assignee: SK Daifuku Corporation
• Inventors: Stevens, Criston S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,363,104 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 312/201
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 53/00 Cabinets or racks having several sections one behind the other for show or display A47F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/133 the circuit being confined in a horizontal plane
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1378 the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas

Abstract

A product storage and picking system having a plurality of shelves each with a front, a rear, a top, a bottom and spaced sides. The plurality of shelf units are arranged in first and second side-by-side rows with the shelf units in each of the first and second rows arranged in front-to-rear relationship. A plurality of shelf units are movable guidingly in a cycle to selectively place each of the shelf units serially at a pick position so that product on the shelf unit at the pick position can be removed to fill an order. At least one of the shelf units is movable in a predetermined manner during a portion of the cycle without moving other shelf units in the plurality of shelf units.

Claims

1. A product storage and picking system comprising:

a plurality of shelf units each having a front, a rear, a top, a bottom and spaced sides,

the plurality of shelf units arranged in first and second side-by-side rows with the shelf units in each of the first and second rows arranged in front-to-rear relationship,

the plurality of shelf units movable guidingly in a cycle to selectively place each of the shelf units serially at a pick position so that product on the shelf unit at the pick position can be removed to fill an order,

at least one of the shelf units movable in a predetermined manner during a portion of the cycle without moving other shelf units in the plurality of shelf units.

2. The product storage and picking system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one shelf unit translates in a sideways linear path as the at least one shelf unit moves in the predetermined manner during the portion of the cycle.

3. The product storage and picking system according to claim 1 further comprising a wall structure defining a space within which the plurality of shelf units reside and there is an opening in the wall structure at the pick position communicating to externally of the space.

4. The product storage and picking system according to claim 3 wherein the space within the wall structure is environmentally controlled.

5. The product storage and picking system according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of shelf units have flat sides and flat sides on shelf units in the first row reside in adjacent parallel relationship to flat sides on shelf units in the second row.

6. The product storage and picking system according to claim 5 wherein the plurality of shelf units are arranged so that there is at least one open position into which a shelf unit can shift during the cycle.

7. The product storage and picking system according to claim 6 wherein a single shelf unit is shifted sideways into the one open position during the cycle.

8. The product storage and picking system according to claim 6 wherein all of the shelf units in the first row are shifted in one of a) a rear-to-front and b) front-to-rear direction to thereby move a shelf unit into the one open position during the cycle.

9. The product storage and picking system according to claim 7 wherein the product storage and picking system comprises a dog moved by an endless member for engaging the single shelf unit and shifting the single shelf unit sideways into the one open position.

10. The product storage and picking system according to claim 8 wherein the product storage and picking system comprises a dog moved by an endless member for engaging one of the shelf units in the first row and shifting all of the shelf units in the first row to thereby move a shelf unit into the one open position during the cycle.

11. The product storage and picking system according to claim 1 further comprising at least a first rail for guiding movement of the shelf units in the first row in a substantially linear first path and at least a second rail for guiding movement of the shelf units in the second row in a substantially linear second path that is substantially parallel to the first path.

12. The product storage and picking system according to claim 7 wherein the product storage and picking system further comprises a plurality of ball bearings which guide shifting of the single shelf unit sideways from one of the first and second rows into the other of the first and second rows.

13. The product storage and picking system according to claim 1 further comprising a drive system comprising a plurality of drive assemblies, and a control system for coordinatingly operating the drive assemblies to cause the shelf units to move in the cycle.

14. The product storage and picking system according to claim 13 wherein the plurality of shelf units are arranged so that there is at least one open position into which a shelf unit can be positioned, the drive system comprises a) a first drive assembly that is operable to shift a single shelf unit from the first row sideways into the one open position in the second row thereby creating an open position in the first row and b) a second drive assembly that is operable to shift the shelf units in the first row in one of a front-to-rear and rear-to-front direction to cause a shelf unit in the first row to move into the open position in the first row.

15. The product storage and picking system according to claim 1 wherein the product storage and picking system further comprises a control system, the control system capable of receiving an order for product and processing the order for product by generating a pick list through which products in the order for product are serially identified to an operator at the shelf units at the pick position as the shelf units are moved during the cycle.

16. The product storage and picking system according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of shelf units are arranged in a squared array as viewed from above.

17. The product storage and picking system according to claim 16 wherein the squared array is bounded by a squared edge including parallel side edge portions and parallel front and rear edge portions, the fronts and rears of the plurality of shelf units are flat and substantially parallel to the front and rear edge portions and the sides of the plurality of shelf units are flat and substantially parallel to the side edge portions.

18. The product storage and picking system according to claim 4 further comprising a source of at least one of:

a) cooled fluid;

b) heated fluid;

c) pressurized fluid; and

d) humidity controlled fluid to environmentally control the space.

19. The product storage and picking system according to claim 3 wherein the wall structure closely surrounds the plurality of shelf units and blocks access to product on the shelf units at other than at least one discrete opening in the wall structure.

20. A product storage and picking system comprising:

a plurality of shelf units each having a front, a rear, a top, a bottom and spaced sides; and

a wall structure bounding a space within which the plurality of shelf units reside,

the wall structure blocking access to product on the shelf units and having an opening,

the plurality of shelf units movable guidingly in a cycle to selectively place each of the shelf units serially at a pick position so that product on the shelf unit at the pick position can be accessed through the wall structure opening and removed to fill an order.

21. The product storage and picking system according to claim 20 further comprising a source of at least one of:

a) cooled fluid;

b) heated fluid;

c) pressurized fluid; and

d) humidity controlled fluid to environmentally control the space.

22. The product storage and picking system according to claim 21 wherein the wall structure closely surrounds the plurality of the shelf units.

23. The product storage and picking system according to claim 20 further comprising a drive system comprising a plurality of drive assemblies, and a control system for coordinatingly operating the drive assemblies to cause the shelf units to move in the cycle.

24. The product storage and picking system according to claim 20 wherein the plurality of shelf units are arranged in a squared array as viewed from above.

25. The product storage and picking system according to claim 24 wherein the squared array is bounded by a squared edge including parallel side edge portions and parallel front and rear edge portions, the fronts and rears of the plurality of shelf units are flat and substantially parallel to the front and rear edge portions and the sides of the plurality of shelf units are flat and substantially parallel to the side edge portions.

26. The product storage and picking system according to claim 20 further comprising a control system, the control system capable of receiving an order for product and processing the order for product by generating a pick list through which products in the order for product are serially identified to an operator at the shelf units at the pick position as the shelf units are moved during the cycle.

27. A method of storing and picking products, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of product carrying shelf units each having a front, a rear, a top, a bottom and spaced sides,

moving the plurality of shelf units through cycles whereby each of the shelf units is serially placed at a pick position during a single cycle so that products carried by the shelf units at the pick position are accessible by an operator;

generating a pick list corresponding to a first order; and

identifying for an operator products on the pick list at each shelf unit at the pick position so that the operator can pick the product in the first order serially from shelf units arriving at the pick position to an accumulation location as the plurality of shelf units are moved through a cycle.

28. The method of storing and picking products according to claim 27 further comprising the steps of providing a wall structure around the plurality of shelf units so as to define a space within which the plurality of shelf units reside and controlling the environment within the space by selectively controlling at least one of:

a) temperature;

b) pressure; and

c) humidity within the space.

29. The method of storing and picking products according to claim 28 further comprising the step of providing an opening through the wall structure so that products on the shelf units at the pick position are accessible by an operator through the wall structure opening without requiring the operator to be fully exposed to environmental conditions within the space.

30. The method of storing and picking products according to claim 27 further comprising the step of replenishing product in the shelf units as the shelf units are moved through a cycle.

31. The method of storing and picking products according to claim 27 further comprising the step of providing a control system capable of receiving an order for product and processing the order for product by generating a pick list through which products in the orderforproduct are serially identified to an operator at the shelf units at the pick position as the shelf units are moved during a cycle.

32. The method of storing and picking products according to claim 31 wherein the step of providing a control system comprises providing a control system capable of generating a pick list through which products in the order for product are serially identified on the shelf units for an operator on a first-in-first-out basis.

33. The method of storing and picking products according to claim 30 wherein the step of replenishing products comprises replenishing products in a random putaway manner.

34. The method of storing and picking products according to claim 33 wherein the step of replenishing product comprises assigning a product code and lot to a location at which replenished product is placed.

35. The method of storing and picking products according to claim 27 wherein the step of moving the plurality of shelf units comprises moving the plurality of shelf units in an endless path through stepwise linear movement of each of the shelf units.

36. The method of storing and picking products according to claim 35 wherein the step of moving the plurality of shelf units comprises moving the plurality of shelf units along only two orthogonal directional paths.

37. The method of storing and picking products according to claim 27 wherein the step of providing a plurality of product carrying shelf units comprises providing a plurality of product carrying shelf units each having a squared shape as viewed from above with flat, parallel sides and flat, parallel fronts and rears and arranging the plurality of shelf units in a squared array with first and second rows of the product carrying shelf units and the sides of the product carrying shelf units in the first row are substantially parallel and adjacent to sides of the product carrying shelf units in the second row.