Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02301940 2000-02-22
Specification
Dynamic Compact Storage
The invention relates to a dynamic compact storage provided with a
storage frame consisting of a plurality of storage planes disposed in
superposition which are interconnected by vertically disposed transport shafts
for vertical conveyor devices, there being provided in the storage planes
transport paths for horizontal conveyor devices, the storage planes being
provided with storage channels laterally of the transport paths in which
loading units consisting of load supports for receiving stored goods are
1 s moveably arranged.
Such a dynamic compact storage is known from European Patent EP
0,500,065 B1. It describes a storage for storage goods to be transported on
pallets which is provided with a storage frame consisting of several storage
planes disposed in superposition and interconnected by vertically disposed
transport shafts for vertical conveyor devices. Horizontally disposed
transport
paths for horizontal transport devices are provided in the storage planes.
Laterally of the transport paths there are arranged storage channels in which
load supports for receiving the stored goods are moveable. In this storage,
the entire storage frame is subject to a measured raster conditioned in
accordance with the dimensions of the largest possible load unit. This results
in the disadvantage that storage surface remains unused if one or more small
parts on a large load support occupy a large storage space.
Furthermore, a storage system for receiving rolling pallets in storage
planes disposed in superposition is known from German patent specification
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DE 19 08 525 A1. Horizontally disposed transport paths are provided in each
of the storage planes having associated therewith storage channels for
pallets. in the transport paths, there are horizontal transport devices are
moveably provided which transport individual pallets to the provided storage
channels, deposit them at the beginning of a row and connect the pallet to
further pallets in the storage channel to form a train of pallets. The storage
planes are connected to each other by a vertical conveyor in a so-called
removal tower. The described storage necessitated sub-dividing the storage
into a permanent storage, a supplemental storage and a removal storage with
partially different conveyor technology. Moreover, a service and removal
ramp is required for removing goods from the pallets of each horizontal
conveyor device which has to be moveable between all storage planes by a
service person. In this arrangement the service and removal ramp has to be
moved to the storage plane by a service person. As a result, quick deposits
t5 and releases or pertormance of commission storage activities cannot be
ensured. Moreover, increased safety requirements must be provided if the
presence of persons is necessary in the actual storage area. This inevitably
leads to increased costs for the conveyor devices and the construction of the
storage. The performance of commission storage activities is complex in view
of the fact that no suitable load supports are available for storage goods of
different sizes.
Hence, the invention is based on the task to fashion a dynamic
compact storage such that high turnover rates can be attained at
comparatively low costs in terms of storage construction and conveyor
devices. Moreover, it is to be possible to pertorm commission orders in
particular quickly and safely. Furthermore, the novel structure is to make
possible space-saving storage of storage goods of different sizes.
In accordance with the invention the task is accomplished by the
characterizing elements of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and
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improvements can be derived from the ensuing claims.
The advantages to be achieved by the invention are, in particular, the
quick performance of storage and commission orders of storage goods of any
desirable dimensions. To this end use is being made of a system of storage
supports which complement each other in a modular manner which makes
possible the storage of the entire storage and commission goods in a space-
saving manner. Storage support with or without storage goods deposited
thereon constitute a toad unit. The dynamic compact storage consists of a
storage frame in which one or more storage planes arranged in superposed
relationship and their associated vertically and horizontally disposed
transport
shafts and transport paths, as the case may be, form a functional unit. The
storage frame is structured for the reception of load or functional units of
different dimensions. One or more functional units of the same dimensions
I S form a functional area. The arrangement of different functional areas for
load
carriers of different dimensions and the association of correspondingly
dimensioned vertical and horizontal transport devices make it possible to
arrange the different load units within the basic storage frame in any desired
quantity and geometric arrangement, based upon their geometric dimensions
(length x height x width) as well as related maximum weights and to transport
them between receiving and delivery sites of the storage and to sort and
prepare them as ready-made load units for trucks or other transportation
devices. A modular structure of the different functional areas is made
possible by arranging the load or functional units in a defined raster
dimension. The raster dimension within the storage frame is defined by the
by the geometric dimensions of the largest possible load unit consisting of
storage support and storage goods. It is thus possible to arrange a multiple
of smaller load units in a storage frame in a functional area which may be
defined arbitrarily. The dimensions of the load or functional units may
preferably be selected so as to make it possible to nest, at a minimum loss of
space, as many combinations of load and functional units as possible in the
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larger functional areas and functional units. The individual functional areas
or
functional units form a complex geometric structure in which a smaller
functional unit may be fractally inserted into the storage frame of a larger
functional area. The functional units of the functional areas are logistically
connected to each other by corresponding transport devices and, moreover,
the functional units and functional areas advantageously logistically
connected with at least one commissioning area. Furthermore, at feast one of
these functional areas is connected to a receiving and delivery area.
A special advantage resides in the constant geometric nesting of the
fractal storage elements (load support, storage goods, structure of the basic
storage frame and of the storage frame in the functional areas). In this
manner it is made possible at a later time to incorporate further functional
units or enlargements of functional areas into the operational compact
storage.
It is particularly advantageous that it is not necessary to enlarge the
basic storage frame. Only the storage frames in the functional areas are
restructured in accordance with the functional unit to be enlarged and the
transport paths yr shafts are adjusted correspondingly. A later addition of
transport devices for increasing the efficiency of one yr more functional
areas
is also possible without enlarging the basic storage frame. The modular
construction of the entire compact storage permits such an enlargement of
the storage yr individual functional areas as welt as an increase in
efficiency
by simple means.
A further advantage is provided by the storage administration system
conceived for this storage. In case of a capacity enlargement the
administrative system is capable of learning in respect of its administrative
routine. Enlarging the capacity of the storage is automatically recorded upon
start-up of the corresponding transport systems by a so-called teach-in
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process and is made available in the storage administration computer for all
further administrative routine operations. This eliminates complex
programming operations with involved start-up operations.
A further advantage is provided by equipping the individual functional
units or functional areas with a sufficient number of vertical conveyor
devices.
Short transportation paths to the operational areas in the commissioning zone
result from associating each functional unit or functional area with several
vertical conveyor devices connected by interfaces with a commissioning zone
andlor the receivingldelivery areas. At these operational areas or work
stations, storage goods may be removed from larger storage supports and
stored on smaller storage supports. It is also possible at the same work
station to reverse this operation by assembling smaller goods to a larger Ivad
or to a functional unit.
A further advantage of the storage in accordance with the invention
resides in the fact the individual functional units and their storage frame
may
be moved within the storage from one functional area to another functional
area or to an intertace provided with a commissioning zone andlor goods
receiving or delivery area. To accomplish this, at least one transport path is
placed within the storage in respect of a functional area of functional units
so
that the functional unit may be transported in the manner of a moveable rack
by a horizontal transport device to another functional area where there are,
for instance, smaller load or functional units where it may then be taken up
or
delivered by the associated horizontal and vertical transport devices at that
location. In this manner it is possible to maintain a smaller number of
functional areas required for the smaller toad and functional units and of
transport devices used there. This is of particular advantage if there are
many articles which are only seldom required for the commisioning or
assembly. In their moveable rack, these articles may be dynamically
available at any Location in the storage and they may be fed to the functional
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areas as required with smaller load or functional units.
The arrangement in accordance with the invention within the storage of
the transport devices also results in additional advantages. Different
horizontal and vertical transport devices may be constructed in such a
manner that they may receive load or functional units of different dimensions.
To this end, the transport devices are provided with two yr more appropriately
placed grippers, pallet handling devices or the like for the load supports
which
either operate simultaneously or individually. A particular characteristic of
the
structure of individual functional units and their storage frame is that two
or
more load or functional units may be moved simultaneously within the
storage. In this connection, it is possible to move the load support either in
a
coupled state yr in an uncoupled state. The transport is carried out either by
synchonously operating transport devices or by transport devices which can
accept several load or functional units.
The particular advantage of this arrangement resides in the fact that
two smaller load supports may be used for storing a larger article. 'This
leads
to a reduction in the number of the required types of toad supports and, at
the
same time, of the number of transport devices specially designed for a
particular type of load support.
An embodiment of the invention has been depicted - in a purely
schematic manner - in the drawings and will be described in greater detail
hereafter.
In the drawings
Figure 1 is a perspective view of tf,e storage structure showing the
different functional areas;
Figure 2 is a top elevational view of an individual storage plane
with an associated area for receiving / delivering or
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commissioning goods;
Figure 3 is a sectional perspective presentation of functional units
consisting of smaller load units which may be provided
and delivered by small as well as large transport devices;
Figure 4 is a sectional side elevation of the compact storage;
Figure 5 is a top elevational view of the feeding to a work station
at the interface;
Figure 8 is a sectional view of the feeding to a work station at the
interface according to Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a horizontal transport device structured to receive toad
units of different sizes;
Figure 8 depicts two simultaneously operating vertical transport
devices for receiving two small toad supports with a large
article thereon.
Figures 1 to 4 depict the basic structural form in different presentations
of a compact storage. For reasons of clarity, the basic storage frame which
commonly is a steel structure, has not been shown.
Within the storage frame, the compact storage is provided with
superposed storage planes 'I which are connected to each by vertical
transport devices 3 arranged in vertically disposed transport shafts 2. In the
storage planes 1, there are provided horizontally disposed transport paths 4
for horizontal transport devices 5. In the storage planes 1, laterally of the
transport paths 4, there are provided storage channels 6 where the storage
goods may be stored in load supports. The load supports with or without
stored goods placed thereon form a load unit 7. The load supports have not
been shown in detail. Preferably, pallets are used which are moveable as
pallet trains or individually on rollers along rails or guide skids. Vertical
transport devices 3 and horizontal transport devices 5 equipped with means
for handling the pallets are provided as transport devices, so that the
pallets
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may be moved individually or in a connected state. Within the storage
channels 6, the Ivad supports may be moved in different ways. In the
embodiment shown, a pallet is used as a toad support which is moved in the
storage channel 6 connected as a pallet train to several other pallets. To
this
S end the horizontal and vertical transport devices 3, 5 are equipped with an
appropriate technology such that they connect or disconnect the incoming or
outgoing pallet from the pallet train or deliver at, or receive from, the
beginning of the channel an individual pallet. However, it is also possible to
move the load supports in the storage channel 6 by satellite vehicles of the
t 0 horizontal or vertical transport devices 3, 5 (not shown), Roller tracks
are
also possible and movement of the stored goods or of the load support by
gravity is also conceivable. A further variant which has not been shown
relates to transport devices installed in the storage channels 6 and provided
with their own drives or with drives activated by the horizontal or vertical
15 transport devices 3, 5.
The compact storage is subdivided into functional areas 8 for load
supports of different dimensions with associated vertical and horizontal
transport devices 3, 5 dimensioned in accordance with the load supports.
20 The raster dimension within the functional areas 8 is determined by the
geometric dimensions of the largest possible load unit 7 made up of a load
support and goods stored thereon
VlT~thin the storage frame, several superposed storage planes 1 and
25 their associated vertically and horizontally disposed transport shafts 2 yr
transport paths 4 define a functional unit 9. The storage frame is structured
to receive load or functional units 9 of different dimensions. One or more
Ivad
or functional units 9 of identical or different dimensions arranged in
superposition andlor side by side and which may be services by the same
30 horizontal and vertical transport devices define a functional area 8. The
storage frame is provided with at (east one functional area 8 incorporating
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load and functional units 9 of larger dimensions and with at least one
functional area 8 for load and functional units 9 of smaller dimensions.
The raster dimension within the storage frame is determined by the
S geometric dimensions of the largest possible load unit 7 consisting of load
support and the goods stored thereon. A multiple of smaller load and
functional unites 9 may be nested into the storage frame of a functional area
8.
At )east one vertical and one horizontal transport device 3, 5 are
associated with the functional areas 8 for load and functional units 9 of
smaller and larger dimensions. At least one transport path 10 leading a an
intertace 11 is associated with the functional areas 8. Load and functional
units 9 of smaller and larger dimensions may be assembled at the interfaces.
The interface 11 shown schematically in Fig. 1 is structured as a
commissioning area or as a goods receiving I goods delivery area.
In the embodiment shown, the functional areas 8 for the larger load
supports are structured with separate transport devices designed tv
accommodate the functional area 9. This functional area 8 is logistically
connected to the remaining storage facility by the interface of the
commissioning area 11 which has only been shown schematically in Figure 1.
One or more functional areas may be formed with transport devices
universally adjustable to load supports of different dimensions.
r
A further particular characteristic of the subject of the invention has
been shown in Figure 3. A modularly graduated dimensioning of the load or
functional units 9 makes it possible to form a functional unit of greater
dimensions 15 by a plurality of smaller load and functional units 14 and to
arrange it at any position in the functional area 16 of such a larger load or
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functional unit 15. It is also possible arbitrarily to arrange only one
individual
Toad or functional unit 15 composed from load or functional units of smaller
dimensions in a storage space in a functional area of larger dimensions 15.
Any number of load or functional units 14 may be geometrically
structured such that they may be precisely nested into a larger functional
unit
and logistically connected with the receiving or delivery area and/or the
commissioning area as well as with the remaining storage facility by
appropriately dimensioned vertical and horizontal transport devices 3, 5.
Individual load or functional units 14 of smaller dimensions may be
transported within the storage facility to functional areas 16 with load or
functional units of larger dimensions and may be logistically connected with
the remaining storage facility by the transport devices at those areas. The
larger functional unit 7 5 is then structured as a moveable rack the planes of
which have he same spacing as the transport'paths of the functional area
with the toad or functional units 14 of smaller dimensions.
The performance of a cornmisioning order is described with reference
to Figure 2. For this purpose it is assumed that it involves a two-step
process. In the first step a load or functional unit of larger dimensions is
transported from the functional area 8 to a work station in the commissioning
area. To this end, a particular stored good A provided on the large load
support is called up by the storage administration system. The horizontal
transport device 5 moves in the transport path 4 to the beginning of the
appropriate storage channel 6 and withdraws a toad unit structured, for
instance, as a pallet, with the stored good arranged thereon. The pallet is
transported to the vertical transport device 3 and by way of the transport
shaft
2 and the transport path 10 it arrives at the interface 11, i.e. the
commissioning area, which may be located on the same plane or any other
plane.
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The items located on this larger load or functional unit are separated at
this location and placed on smaller load supports. These load units are
thereafter moved by way of the corresponding transport path 10 for storage to
a functional area for load or functional units of smaller dimensions. Mence,
the commissioning area constitutes an interface 11 between two different
functional areas. The commissioning becomes possible as soon as all the
requisite articles have arrived in the required quantity at the functional
area
for toad or functional units of smaller dimensions. Small load supports are
transported from the functional area for smaller load or functioning units to
a
I O work area or work station in the commissioning area in exactly the same
steps as described in connection with large stored goods. The packaged
items located on the smaller load or functional units are collected on a
larger
load support and are thereafter transported by the corresponding transport
devices to the functional area for the larger load or functional units or to
the
storage output area directly.
The same work station may be utilized for separating as well as
commissioning. The special advantages of such commissioning reside in its
high flexibility and efficiency. Any number of customer orders with an
arbitrary number of positions may be flawlessly assembled in any desired
sequence. This may involve stored goods of any dimensions.
Special advantages result if the same horizontal storage devices 5 as
the ones in the compact storage facility which are provided with means for
handling the load supports are used for furnishing and clearing the work
station of larger load or functional units 22. .;
The horizontal transport devices are used at the same time for
furnishing the work 'station with empty load supports or load supports with
empty wooden pallets from stacfcing devices for toad supports 19 andlor
wooden pallets 20 positioned laterally of the horizontal transport device. The
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horizontal transport devices 5 may be similarly utilized to transport emptied
load supports andlor wooden pallets from the work station to the appropriate
stacking devices 19, 20.
The horizontal transport devices 5 may at the same time be utilized for
dynamically supplying and clearing commissioning sites located along the
transport device_ To this end, empty wooden pallets are initially moved by the
horizontal transport device 5 from a stacking device 20 to a receiving or
delivery place 23. The commissioning person uses the wooden pallet tv
IO collect individual packaged items from the larger load or functional units
positioned along the horizontal transport device. The wooden pallets partially
or completely assembled in this manner will be transported by the horizontal
transport device 5 to the work station either directly by way of the
receivingl
delivery place or placed for intermediate storage in storage channels 6
positioned along the horizontal transport device prior to further
commissioning. Commissioning by way of commissioning place 21
positioned along the horizontal transport device 5 is reasonably performed
whenever many packaged items of one article have to be commissioned.
The combination of this commissioning with the commissioning at the work
station constitutes a particularly efficient and cost-effective solution for
an
almost arbitrarily large variety of stored goods.
Figure 4 shows how individual functional units 9 may be arranged with
respect to each other. Since the functional areas are of a uniform raster
2S dimension, different functional units 9 may also be arranged in superposed
relationship by the corresponding horizontal and vertical transport devices 3,
5. This Leads to short transport paths 10 to and from the input and output
storage area or interface 11 in the commissioning area, This, in turn, results
in a very rapid separation and collection of goods.
Depending upon the volume of work to be performed at a work station,
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the operating demands regarding the delivery and removal of smaller load or
functional units vary strongly. In this connection there may be operations or
uses which necessitate a very high performance.
Figures 5 and 6 relate to the structure of a suitable work station. In
them, the transport paths 10 are shown for smaller load and functional units
towards and away from a work station at the interface 11.
One or more horizontal transport devices 5 are movable near the work
station in higher or lower transport paths 4 of the storage planes 1. The
horizontal transport devices 5 transport smaller load yr functional units 9 to
one yr more vertical transport devices 3 arranged in a side by side
disposition.
x5 In order to make possible the simultaneous transport of two load
supports with a larger loaded article (see Figure 8), yr of load supports
twice
as large, there are always provided two vertical transport devices 3 in a side
by side arrangement for supplying and clearing of the work station. To
increase efficiency, further pairs of vertical transport devices are provided
opposite this pair on the other side of the transport path 4 for horizontal
transport devices 5.
The vertical transport devices furthest removed from the work station
are provided with direct access to a conveyor lane 18 far transporting load or
functional units toward and away from the work station. The remaining
vertical transport devices deliver or receive load or functional units from
the
conveyor lane 18 by means of moveable transfer places 17. The transport
efficiency for the load and functional units transported to or away from the
work station may for all intents and purposes be arbitrarily increased or
adjusted to prevailing demands, by an appropriate number of vertical aid
horizontal transport devices. in this connection, it is of particular
advantage
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that the joining of material flows tv the transport lane 18 takes place
exclusively in a vertical direction. In this manner shifting of loaded goods
on
the load supports is prevented.
Figure 7 depicts a horizontal transport device 5 far transporting load
units 7 of different size.
Figure 8 depicts schematically that a large load unit 7 or voluminous
loaded goods may be moved on finro load supports by synchronously
operating vertical transport devices 3.
The dynamic compact storage operates with a storage administration
system which is provided with a teaming ability in respect of its storage
administration routine. The capacity of the storage is automatically
recognized at an initial operation or a subsequent increase in capacity is
automatically recognized at start-up of the additional transport devices. The
requisite administrative routines are detected and made available on the
basis of operating transport devices.
25
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