DE29717641U1 - Automatic order picker for automatic order picking of articles arranged on shelves - Google Patents

Description

• *~mm · ·

P1079

p+p MATERIAL FLOW SYSTEMS GMBH

Industrie-Ring 5 D-04639 Schmölln-Nitzschka

Picking machine for automatic picking of items arranged on shelves

The invention relates to a picking machine for the automatic picking of articles arranged in shelves, whereby selected articles can be fed via a pusher unit to a driven conveyor belt and from there on the conveyor belt to an output point.

A picking machine of the aforementioned type known from DE 35 33 382 A1 has shelves with shafts or shelves arranged one above the other and next to the other, which extend in the transverse direction of the shelf and are inclined in their longitudinal direction relative to the horizontal and in which articles of the same type can be stored one behind the other. At the lower end of each slanted transverse shaft there is a pusher, which together determines a computer-controlled pusher unit. If controlled by the computer, a selected pusher of a selected slanted shaft is activated, whereby picked articles are delivered to a conveyor belt and when an article at the bottom of the shaft is removed, the remaining articles can slide down in the slanted shaft or on the slanted shelf. The conveyor belt runs parallel in the longitudinal direction of the shelf. With two parallel shelves, the conveyor belt runs between the two shelves at a lower point. The items are inserted by hand by an operator into the individual slanted shafts from the rear of the shelf, i.e. from the side of the shelf facing away from the conveyor belt.

The disadvantage is that articles are picked in free fall from the lowest point in the shaft onto the conveyor belt below, which can damage the articles. In addition, a picked article can only be delivered to a limited extent onto a passing conveyor belt due to the scattering during a free fall. The known device is comparatively incompact and

requires a large width or a large shelf depth due to the transverse sloping shafts.

The object of the invention is to create an order picking machine of the type mentioned at the beginning, which is very compact, in particular narrow, and with whose help even sensitive articles can be picked in a simple manner, reliably and quickly without damage.

The problem underlying the invention is solved by an order picking machine of the type specified in claim 1.

The automatic picking machine is advantageously further developed by the features of the dependent claims 2 to 20.

The essence of the invention is that the rack has inclined shelves arranged one above the other, the vertical projection of which runs in the direction of the longitudinal extension of the conveyor belt, whereby individual shelves with lower article support, preferably each shelf, has a parallel article slide of the same incline, which is arranged above the conveyor belt and the lower end of the article slide is in the contact-free area of the conveyor belt. The incline of the shelves therefore runs in the direction of the conveyor belt and not across as in the aforementioned prior art. The shelves or the article slides are essentially located in an area which, according to the aforementioned prior art, corresponds to the fall space of the picked articles above the conveyor belt. The invention therefore effectively uses the fall space for storing articles and for the articles to slide off while avoiding free fall, whereby the articles cannot be damaged, i.e. even sensitive articles, e.g. made of glass, can be picked. Since there are no transverse shafts or shelves, but lengthways

If running shelves are provided, the picking machine according to the invention requires only a small installation depth.

An advantageous design of an order picking machine provides for the shelf with the lower article holder to be made of an angled sheet folded in a zigzag shape in the longitudinal direction or a zigzag-shaped plastic part.

The shelf with lower article support can also preferably be a corrugated sheet or wave-shaped plastic part, whereby the waves have transverse peaks and valleys which form horizontal transverse grooves at different heights for storing the articles.

The shelf with lower article support is in particular a flat sheet metal or flat plastic part with plug-in, preferably longitudinally adjustable cross dividers, which determine the article support.

It is particularly useful if the shelf is designed as one piece with the article slide, with a longitudinal bevel running between the shelf and the article slide, and the article slide also being flat and lying parallel to the flat shelf at a slightly lower level.

The shelves preferably have a shelf-fixed plug-in fastening rail at the lower end and at the upper end, which preferably runs parallel to the conveyor belt and in particular horizontally in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor belt. In this case, the distance between two adjacent shelves is preferably adjustable in order to take account of articles of different heights with a compact design of the overall arrangement.

For articles of different heights, it is preferable to equip the plug-in cross dividers at least partially with plug-on extension parts.

Picking items of different dimensions can also be stored on a shelf if, in particular, the shelf is composed longitudinally of at least two differently configured folded or corrugated sheets or plastic parts, preferably plugged together.

The shelf can be assigned a lateral push-out unit that can be moved or slid in the longitudinal direction of the shelf and is height-adjustable.

The pusher unit conveniently has a horizontal, transversely movable driven ram for moving one or more articles in a transverse channel of a shelf onto the article slide, whereby the order picking machine has only a single pusher unit with a single ram.

Preferably, two opposing shelves spaced apart from one another are provided, with the push-out unit being arranged longitudinally in the middle of the shelf aisle between them and being movable or shiftable in the longitudinal direction of the shelves and being height-adjustable. The transversely movable ram of the push-out unit can alternately serve both opposing shelves.

The push-out unit can have a height-adjustable work platform, in particular according to the type, profile and inclination of the shelves, whereby articles can be intermediately stored on the work platform and pushed into selected shelf compartments or cross grooves of the shelves, in particular by the drive

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of the transversely movable ram.

The delivery point for the picked items preferably has a transverse platform which is arranged at the outlet of the conveyor belt and automatically picks up and, in particular, temporarily stores picked items from a driven conveyor belt.

The transverse platform can be a further driven conveyor belt which runs transversely to the outlet of the conveyor belt and is preferably driven intermittently.

The transverse platform can also be a transverse chute, which is located at the outlet of the conveyor belt.

The cross platform or cross conveyor belt or cross slide are connected to a collection station on which item containers of a picking order can be arranged, in particular on another conveyor belt, whereby picked items can be automatically placed into an aligned item container from the cross platform or the cross conveyor belt or the cross slide.

The central single pusher unit is preferably movable or shiftable to an article input point, which is preferably located at the longitudinal end of a shelf that is opposite the longitudinal end of the output point. In this respect, the pusher unit can also be referred to as an input unit, with the help of which articles can be fully automatically stored at a specific location on a shelf and later retrieved or picked again using the same device.

It should be noted that the angle of inclination or the slope of the shelves with respect to the horizontal is relatively small, especially

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in particular, it can be chosen well below 45°. It is sufficient to choose the slope so large that the items can slide down the item slide. This means that the individual shelves can be made relatively long regardless of the height of the room, which means that large numbers of items of the same type can be stored on a single shelf. The width of a shelf can be chosen so that an item, preferably several items, can be accommodated in a single (horizontal) cross channel of a shelf, whereby the items can be ejected onto the item slide individually, several at a time, or all together using the pusher. The "first in, first out" principle applies, i.e. the items stored in a cross channel first are also ejected or picked first. A particular advantage is that the individual items do not weigh down on one another or are stacked on top of one another, and therefore there is no increased risk of damage to the item packaging if they are ejected. The shifting unit/input unit is a motor-driven robot that can be moved preferably on a longitudinal rail parallel to the shelf front. The height-adjustable carriage or the work platform with ram does not need to be measured for each retrieval process in order to redefine the position of the ram or to align the ram exactly with the item to be rammed. Rather, a "rough adjustment" is sufficient.

The special feature of the order picking machine is therefore that the shelves are not inclined towards the rack aisle or away from the rack aisle, but in the direction of travel of the conveyor or collection belt and the robot.

In summary, the advantages are as follows:

The article or goods are automatically pushed from the aisle side into the corner or cross channel of a shelf and, if the package length is known, are picked by pushing them further beyond the corner.

Only one combined storage and picking unit is necessary.

First in, first out is strictly adhered to.

The goods from the upper levels are also picked gently through the slide without being damaged.

- The goods are not grabbed, but only pushed (regardless of the item).

The external shape of the goods or packaging can be freely chosen without the "angle" or cross channel having to be adjusted. The goods automatically align themselves with the angle in the shelf due to their own weight. Round objects can also be picked.

Arrangement on both sides with only one removal/feeding unit is possible.

The invention is described in more detail below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a picking machine in a schematic perspective view along a shelf front,

Fig. 2 a cotransmission machine with two opposing shelves in a schematic plan view,

Fig. 3 the output point of the order picking machine according to Fig. 2 in a schematic perspective view, and

Fig. 4 to 6 a shelf with article slide in different design variants.

According to Fig. 1, an order picking machine 1 is provided for the automatic order picking of articles 3 arranged in shelves 2, in which selected articles 3 can be fed via a pusher unit 4 to a driven conveyor belt 5 and from there on the conveyor belt to an output point A.

The shelf 2 has inclined shelves 6 arranged one above the other, the vertical projection of which runs in the direction of the longitudinal extension of the conveyor belt 5.

All shelves 6 have the same slope and have article supports in the form of plug-in cross dividers 8.

Each shelf is assigned a parallel article chute 7 of the same incline, which is arranged above the conveyor belt, with the lower end of the article chute 7 lying in the contact-free area of the conveyor belt 5.

The shelves 6 are held at the lower end and at the upper end in shelf-fixed plug-in fastening rails (not shown), which preferably run parallel to the conveyor belt .5 and in particular horizontally in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor belt 5.

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The distance d between two adjacent shelves 6 is adjustable on the upper and lower plug-in fastening rails.

The shelf 2 is assigned a lateral push-out unit 4 which can be moved or slid in the longitudinal direction of the shelf and which can be adjusted in height.

The pusher unit 4 has a horizontally transversely movable ram 10 for moving one or more articles in a transverse channel of a shelf 6 onto the article slide 7.

The individual shelves 6 of the order picking machine according to Fig. 1 are in particular flat sheets of metal or flat plastic parts according to Fig. 4, whereby the plug-in cross dividers 8 can be adjusted in the longitudinal direction of each shelf 6 according to an article width. The cross dividers 8 together with the shelf 6 form angles or cross grooves, which run horizontally across the conveyor belt 5 and each determine the article hold for an article of different configuration to be picked up.

Individual plug-in cross dividers 8 are provided with plug-on extension parts 15 to prevent larger articles from spilling over in the ejection area to the article chute 7.

In particular, the shelf according to Fig. 4 is formed in one piece with the article slide 7, with a longitudinally extending bevel 9 being provided between the shelf and the article slide.

The article slide is also flat and parallel to the flat shelf at a slightly lower level

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located.

The article slide has an upwardly facing bevel 20 on its rear longitudinal edge, which ensures that the article is guided on the slide.

As shown in Fig. 5 and 6, the shelf can also be an angled sheet folded in a zigzag shape in the longitudinal direction or a zigzag-shaped plastic part, whereby zigzag shapes of different sizes, which determine an article hold, can be provided.

A single shelf 6 can be composed, in particular plugged together, of at least two differently configured folded sheets according to Figs. 5 and 6 or of corrugated sheets or plastic parts in the longitudinal direction, whereby the waves have transverse peaks and valleys. In such transverse channels, primarily round or cylindrical articles of different diameters can be stored.

As can be seen in particular from Fig. 2, an order picking machine added to a shelf of an order picking machine according to Fig. 1 has two opposing shelves 2 spaced apart from one another, with the pusher unit 4 being arranged longitudinally in the middle of the shelf aisle between them and being movable or displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the shelves 3 and being height-adjustable.

The only ejection unit 4 of the automatic order picking machine has a transversely movable ram 10, which can be operated alternately and thus can serve both opposing shelves 2 alternately in order to eject articles stored there onto the article chutes 7 remote from the shelf aisles, under which the associated conveyor belts 5 are located.

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The aforementioned issuing point A has a transverse platform 12, which is arranged at the outlet of each conveyor belt 5 and automatically receives and, in particular, temporarily stores commissioned articles 3 of a driven conveyor belt.

Preferably, the two transverse platforms 12 according to Fig. 3 are further conveyor belts which run transversely to the outlet of the two conveyor belts 5 and are intermittently driven in opposite directions by a single drive motor when an article container 14 is positioned accordingly at a collection station 16, preferably in the form of a transverse third conveyor belt, wherein a filling funnel 21 can be arranged in front of the article container 14.

The transverse platform 12 can also be designed in the form of a transverse slide, although in this case no intermediate storage of the picked articles is possible, but only an immediate sliding into the positioned article container 14.

The single pusher unit 4 is not only suitable for retrieving or picking articles from the shelves in the direction of the article chute, but also for storing them in the shelves. For this purpose, the pusher unit in particular, which can then also be referred to as an input unit, can be moved to an article input point B, which is located at the longitudinal end of the shelf 2, which is opposite the longitudinal end of the output point A.

The pusher/input unit 4 has a height-adjustable work platform 11, which is designed according to the type, profile and inclination of the shelves 6, e.g. also as an angle. In the angle or in the half-tube or the like, possibly in several angles or half-tubes, articles 3 can then be entered and temporarily stored at the input point B.

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be used.

The pusher/input unit 4 then moves with the entered or temporarily stored articles 3 to the corresponding storage location of a shelf and inserts the articles 3 into the shelf by moving the plunger 10 or a cross arm of the plunger.

It should also be noted that independently protectable features contained in the subclaims should have corresponding independent protection despite the formal reference to the main claim. Furthermore, all inventive features contained in the entire application documents fall within the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims (20)

Protection claims 1. Automatic co-missioning machine (1) for the automatic co-missioning of articles (3) arranged in shelves (2), in which selected articles (3) can be fed via a pusher unit (4) to a driven conveyor belt (5) and from there on the conveyor belt to an output point (A), characterized, that the shelf (2) has inclined shelves (6) arranged one above the other, the vertical projection of which runs in the direction of the longitudinal extension of the conveyor belt (5), and individual shelves (6) with lower article support, preferably each shelf, has a parallel article slide (7) of the same incline, which is arranged above the conveyor belt and the lower end of the article slide (7) lies in the contact-free area of the conveyor belt (5) (Fig. 1). 2. Order picking machine according to claim 1, characterized in that that the shelf (6) with lower article holder is an angled sheet metal folded in a zigzag shape in the longitudinal direction or a zigzag-shaped plastic part (Fig. 5 and 6). 3. Order picking machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the shelf (6) with the lower article holder is a corrugated sheet or wave-shaped plastic part, whereby the waves have transverse peaks and valleys. 4. Order picking machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the shelf (6) with lower article holder is a flat A sheet metal or flat plastic part with pluggable, in particular lengthwise adjustable cross dividers (8) which determine the article hold. 5. Order picking machine according to claim 4, characterized in that the shelf is formed in one piece with the article slide (7), with a longitudinal bevel (9) running between the shelf and the article slide, and the article slide is also flat and lies parallel to the flat shelf at a slightly lower level (Fig. 4). 6. Order picking machine according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that that the shelves (6) have a shelf-fixed plug-in fastening rail at the lower end and at the upper end, which preferably runs parallel to the conveyor belt (5) and in particular horizontally in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor belt. 7. Order picking machine according to claim 6, characterized in that the distance (d) between two adjacent shelves (6) is adjustable. 8. Order picking machine according to one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that that the pluggable cross dividers (8) at least partially have plug-on extension parts (15). 9. Order picking machine according to one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that that a shelf (6) consists in the longitudinal direction of at least two differently configured folded or corrugated sheets chen or plastic parts, in particular snapped together. 10. Order picking machine according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that that the shelf (2) is assigned a lateral push-out unit (4) which can be moved or displaced in the longitudinal direction of the shelf and which is height-adjustable (Fig. 1). 11. Order picking machine according to claim 10, characterized in that that the ejector unit (4) has a horizontally transversely movable plunger (10) for moving one or more articles in a transverse channel of a shelf (6) onto the article slide (7). 12. Automatic commissioning machine according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that that two opposing shelves (2) spaced apart from one another are provided, the push-out unit (4) being arranged longitudinally in the intermediate shelf aisle and being movable or displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the shelves (3) and being height-adjustable (Fig. 2). 13. Order picking machine according to claim 12, characterized in that that the transversely movable ram (10) of the ejector unit (4) can alternately serve both opposing shelves (2). 14. Order picking machine according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that that the ejector unit (4) has a height-adjustable work platform (11), in particular according to the type, profile and inclination of the shelves (6). t I I I ' II · *** · · 15. Order picking machine according to claim 14, characterized in that that articles (3) can be temporarily stored on the work platform (11) and stored in selected shelf compartments or transverse grooves of the shelves (6), in particular by driving the transversely movable plunger (10). 16. Order picking machine according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that that the output point (A) has a transverse platform (12) which is arranged at the outlet of the conveyor belt (5) and automatically receives and in particular temporarily stores picked articles (3) from a driven conveyor belt . 17. Order picking machine according to claim 16, characterized in that that the transverse platform (12) is a further driven conveyor belt which runs transversely to the outlet of the conveyor belt (5) and is preferably driven intermittently. 18. Order picking machine according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that that the output point (A) has a cross chute which is located at the outlet of the conveyor belt (5). 19. Order picking machine according to one of claims 16 to 18, characterized in that that the transverse platform (12) or the transverse conveyor belt or the transverse slide is connected to a collection station (16) on which article containers (14) of a picking order can be arranged, where- for articles picked from the cross platform or
the transverse conveyor belt or the transverse slide
automatically inserted into the article container (14)
are. 20. Order picking machine according to one of claims 15 to 19, characterized in that that the push-out unit (4) is movable or displaceable to an article input point (B), which is preferably located at the longitudinal end of a shelf (2) which is opposite the longitudinal end of the output point (A).