Semi-automatic and/or fully-automatic order-picking system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An order-picking apparatus comprising:
- a depalletizing station which fully automatically separates all goods from an inbound unit into stock-keeping units;
at least one rack;
a materials handling device for automatically conveying the stock-keeping units from the depalletizing station;
a fully automatic rack vehicle on a first side of the at least one rack, the rack vehicle receiving the stock-keeping units from the materials handling device and automatically storing the stock-keeping units in the at least one rack, wherein the materials handling device and the rack vehicle are configured such that the stock-keeping units are automatically transferred from the materials handling device to the rack vehicle, wherein the stock-keeping units are transported from the depalletizing station to the at least one rack without being identified by identification stations between the depalletizing station and the at least one rack;
at least one picker vehicle carrying at least one load carrier of an outbound unit for assembling different picked goods in the outbound unit with the at least one picker vehicle being designed to carry the outbound unit with a plurality of picked goods, the at least one picker vehicle being arranged on a second side of the at least one rack, the second side being opposite the first side with the rack vehicle; and
an information technology system which is programmed to work out a picking sequence from an order and then guide the at least one picker vehicle to corresponding storage locations of the at least one rack and wherein the information technology system specifies the sequence of goods to be stacked in succession on the at least one load carrier to form the outbound unit, wherein the at least one picker vehicle comprises a platform on which the at least one load carrier for the goods to be picked is arranged and which is designed such that the picked goods are arranged on the at least one load carrier or a stack already formed on the load carrier carried on the at least one picker vehicle during a journey of the at least one picker vehicle to the storage locations in the at least one rack in a picking process.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a semi-automatic and/or fully automatic order-picking system and a corresponding apparatus and a method which facilitates efficient order picking at low technical outlay.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. An order-picking apparatus comprising:
-
a depalletizing station which fully automatically separates all goods from an inbound unit into stock-keeping units; at least one rack; a materials handling device for automatically conveying the stock-keeping units from the depalletizing station; a fully automatic rack vehicle on a first side of the at least one rack, the rack vehicle receiving the stock-keeping units from the materials handling device and automatically storing the stock-keeping units in the at least one rack, wherein the materials handling device and the rack vehicle are configured such that the stock-keeping units are automatically transferred from the materials handling device to the rack vehicle, wherein the stock-keeping units are transported from the depalletizing station to the at least one rack without being identified by identification stations between the depalletizing station and the at least one rack; at least one picker vehicle carrying at least one load carrier of an outbound unit for assembling different picked goods in the outbound unit with the at least one picker vehicle being designed to carry the outbound unit with a plurality of picked goods, the at least one picker vehicle being arranged on a second side of the at least one rack, the second side being opposite the first side with the rack vehicle; and an information technology system which is programmed to work out a picking sequence from an order and then guide the at least one picker vehicle to corresponding storage locations of the at least one rack and wherein the information technology system specifies the sequence of goods to be stacked in succession on the at least one load carrier to form the outbound unit, wherein the at least one picker vehicle comprises a platform on which the at least one load carrier for the goods to be picked is arranged and which is designed such that the picked goods are arranged on the at least one load carrier or a stack already formed on the load carrier carried on the at least one picker vehicle during a journey of the at least one picker vehicle to the storage locations in the at least one rack in a picking process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method of order-picking comprising:
-
a) automatically depalletizing all goods of an inbound unit into stock-keeping units; b) automatically transporting the stock-keeping units to storage locations in a rack by a materials handling device for automatically conveying the stock-keeping units from the depalletizing station and by a fully automatic rack vehicle being located on a first side of the rack, the rack vehicle receiving the stock-keeping units from the materials handling device and automatically storing the stock-keeping units in the rack, wherein the stock-keeping units are automatically transferred from the materials handling device to the rack vehicle, and wherein the stock-keeping units are transported from the depalletizing station to the rack without being identified by identification stations between the depalletizing station and the rack; c) automatically storing the stock-keeping units in the rack from a first side of the rack; d) at least partially automatically retrieving the stock-keeping units with a picker vehicle from a second side of the rack, wherein the retrieved stock-keeping units correspond to different goods, wherein the picker vehicle being designed to carry an outbound unit with a plurality of picked goods; and e) stacking the stock-keeping units retrieved by the picker vehicle according to a picking sequence and a stacking sequence provided by an information technology system onto a load carrier arranged on the picker vehicle, wherein the information technology system is programmed to work out the picking sequence from an order and then guide the corresponding picker vehicle to corresponding storage locations of the rack and wherein the information technology system specifies the sequence of goods to be stacked in succession on the load carrier to form the outbound unit, and wherein the load carrier and stock-keeping units together form the outbound unit, with the picked goods being arranged on the load carrier or a stack already formed on the load carrier carried on the picker vehicle during a journey of the picker vehicle to the storage locations in the rack in a picking process. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
-
Specification