A multi-storey goods storage arrangement

• US 20170029212A1
• Filed: 03/17/2015
• Published: 02/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nedcon Magazijninrichting B.V. (Voestalpine AG)
• Original Assignee: Nedcon Magazijninrichting B.V. (Voestalpine AG)
• Inventors: Huiskamp, Hendrik Christiaan
• Application Number:
  US15/303,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20170029212A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0492 with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/06 with means for presenting articles for removal at predetermined position or level B65G1/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1378 the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas

Abstract

A multi-storey goods storage arrangement comprising a plurality of levels of storage lines (12) arranged in parallel and transport lines (18) extending between opposing ends of said storage lines (12). It also comprises a plurality of picking lines (28), each picking line replacing a storage line (12) at one level at one side of a transport line (18), and a picking robot (30), each picking robot (30) operable along and over a picking line (28). A method of providing a mixed load carrier of different items stored on load carriers (14) on a plurality of levels of storage lines (12) by operating at least one picking robot (30) along a picking line (28) replacing a storage line (12) at one level at one side of a transport line (18). The picking robot (30) being arranged to pick up automatically items from a first load carrier (43) and to place automatically the items on a second load carrier (42, 44) forming a mixed load carrier.

Claims

1. A multi-storey goods storage arrangement comprising:

a transport line (18),

a plurality of levels of storage lines (12) arranged in parallel to each other and extending in opposite directions from and perpendicular to the transport line (18), each storage line (12) being arranged to support a plurality of load carriers (14),

at least one picking line (28) on each level, said picking line arranged to replace a storage line (12) at one side of a transport line (18),

each picking line (28) comprising a picking robot (30) operable along and over the picking line (28) to pick goods stored on one load carrier (43) and to place the goods on another load carrier (42, 44).

2. A storage arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the picking robot (30) is supported by a robot support (32) extending along the picking line (28), and wherein the picking robot (30) is arranged to be positioned at different positions along the robot support (32).

3. A storage arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the load carrier (43) to pick goods from and the load carrier (42) to place goods on are both placed in the picking line (28).

4. A storage arrangement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising return lines (38), each return line arranged adjacent to a picking line (28), wherein each return line (38) comprises a goods conveyer (50) for transporting load carriers to the transport line (18).

5. A storage arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein each level comprises at least one picking line (28) and one return line (38).

6. A storage arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein a transfer cart (20) is operable along each transport line (18).

7. A storage arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein said transfer cart (20) supports at least one shuttle (22) operable from the transfer cart (20) into said storage lines (12) for picking up and for disposing goods.

8. A storage arrangement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a goods elevator (26) arranged to transport goods between different levels.

9. A storage arrangement as claimed in claim 8, wherein the goods elevator (26) is arranged at an end of a picking line (28) opposite to a transport line (18).

10. A method of providing a mixed load carrier of different items stored on load carriers (14) on a plurality of levels of storage lines (12) arranged in parallel to each other and extending in opposite directions from and perpendicular to a transport line (18), the method comprising:

operating a picking robot (30) along a picking line (28), said picking line (28) arranged to replace a storage line (12) at one level at one side of a transport line (18), with the picking robot (30) automatically picking up items from a first load carrier (43) and automatically placing the items on a second load carrier (42, 44) forming a mixed load carrier.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising placing both the first load carrier (43) and the second load carrier (42) in the picking line (28) during the operation of the picking robot (30).

12. A method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising transferring the first load carrier (43) from said picking line (28) to a return line (38) arranged adjacent to the picking line (28) at the same level, collecting said first load carrier (43) on said return line (38) and transporting it back to a storage line (12).

13. A method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising transporting a mixed load carrier (44) from said picking line (28) to an output arrangement.