Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G06Q10/00—Administration; Management
  • G06Q10/08—Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
  • G06Q10/087—Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the field of manufacturing or producing lists of objects constituting physical orders, that is to say gathering and sending ordered products to sponsors.
• the present invention relates more particularly to a product distribution method allowing, by handling and moving the products to quickly gather products each having a means of identification of the barcode type before their shipment, so that each final gathering of product corresponds to a list of products corresponding itself to a physical order, said products coming from one or more suppliers or from one or more stocks.
• the present invention also relates to equipment for implementing the method according to the invention.
• the products received are sorted by reference. Then the preparer takes each reference one by one and will place the products on the order shipping supports corresponding. Once all the references have been broken down all the orders are ready.
• This method is in some particular cases very productive.
• the prior art also knows equipment for the distribution of products, by identifying each product by reading an identification means of the barcode type.
• US patent US 5,881,890 which relates to equipment for the distribution of mail. It consists of furniture with a plurality of locations each associated with a signaling means, each signaling means being unequivocally and definitively controlled as a function of the identification of the product being handled. Each location corresponds to one and only one type of product, and each type of product is associated with a single location.
• This method is remarkable in that it operates: - at least one step of computer processing of the content of said commands consisting in grouping said commands into a plurality of groups of commands according to at least one determined condition, and in unbundling the content of each control group into a plurality of control subgroups;
• step (s) of grouping together said products m being an integer greater than or equal to 1, consisting in carrying out a manual or automatic withdrawal of each of said products, in reading the means of identification of each product removed and in temporarily store each product taken in a location associated with a product group, in order to obtain an exact match between the product groups and the order groups, then
• n being an integer greater than or equal to 1, consisting, for each group of products, in making a manual or automatic withdrawal of each of said products, in reading the means of identification of each product taken and temporarily storing each product taken in a location associated with a sub-group of products, in order to obtain an exact agreement between the sub-groups of products and the sub-groups of orders, then
• a final separation step consisting, for each sub-group of products, of carrying out a manual or automatic withdrawal of each of said products, of reading the means of identification of each product removed and of temporarily storing each product collected in an associated location to an order.
• the method according to the invention proposes to carry out groupings on the one hand of the products which must be matched with the orders and on the other hand of the orders to be fulfilled, in order to arrive at a reduced number of groups respectively exactly matching products and orders; that is, the first product group includes exactly all of the products needed to fulfill orders from the first order group, etc.
• a step of prior identification of said products consisting in carrying out a manual or automatic, unordered removal of each of said products and in reading the means of identification of each product removed .
• the non-executable commands are preferably removed from the set of commands.
• the available products are then preferably assigned to an order according to at least one defined rule.
• the numbers n and m are preferably optimized in order to be as small as possible, taking into account the capacity for product selection by the human operator or automaton.
• the unbundling of the content of each group of commands into a plurality of subgroups of commands is operated according to at least one determined condition.
• the regrouping, unbundling, final separation and possibly prior identification stages are preferably carried out in a workshop consisting of at least one sorting station equipped on the one hand with an identification reader, of the reader type.
• barcode connected to a computer system for the identification of each product by reading an identification means of the barcode type, and on the other hand a piece of furniture having a plurality of locations for storage in said product locations according to the instructions expressed by said computer system, each of said locations being identified by signaling means controlled by said computer system.
• the steps of regrouping, unbundling, final separation and possibly prior identification are carried out in a single workshop using an identical device for each stage.
• the present invention also relates to equipment for implementing the product distribution method according to the invention, so that each final product gathering corresponds to a list of products which itself corresponds to a physical order, characterized in that that it comprises at least one workshop consisting of at least one sorting station equipped on the one hand with an identification reader, of the barcode reader type, connected to a computer system for the identification of each product by reading a means of identification of the barcode type, and on the other hand a piece of furniture having a plurality of locations for storage in said locations of the products according to the instructions expressed by said computer system, each of said locations being identified by a signaling means controlled by said computer system, said computer system implementing the computer processing step and said workshop allowing the implementation of the consolidation, unbundling, final separation and possibly identification steps .
• the signaling means implemented in the present invention can in no way be assimilated or confused with the indicator used in US patent 5,881,890.
• the indicator is definitively associated with a binomial "product -location ”.
• the signaling means is not associated with a location. The same product will trigger the activation of a signaling means associated with a location A, then, for the next product of the same nature, the activation of another signaling means, associated with a location B different from the location AT.
• said signaling means are not unequivocally associated with a specific location and with a specific product
• the computer system comprises a digital table in which are recorded at least the identifier of a order, the composition of an order, an identifier of a location associated with the order, and a digital flag indicating for each of the products making up the order whether it has already been stored or not, the computer system controlling the activation of one of said means of signaling a location as a function of the identifier of a product by said means of identification, and of the belonging of the product to the composition of a group of commands or of a subgroup of commands or of a command associated with a location.
• the equipment according to the invention preferably comprises at least one reception workshop for the implementation of the possible step of prior identification and a breakdown workshop for the implementation of the regrouping, unbundling and final separation, the workshops each consisting respectively of at least one sorting station equipped on the one hand with a microcomputer or the like connected to said computer system and connected to an identification reader, of the barcode reader type, for identification by reading an identification means of the barcode type of each product, and on the other hand a piece of furniture having a plurality of locations for storage in said locations of the products according to the instructions expressed by said micro- computer.
• Said locations of said piece of furniture preferably each have a tracking module, comprising for example at least one light source, each tracking module being connected directly or through other tracking modules to said computer system, preferably by 'Intermediate of said microcomputer, said locating means being implemented by the computer system, preferably by means of said microcomputer, to express an instruction to store a product identified in said location thus identified.
• a tracking module comprising for example at least one light source, each tracking module being connected directly or through other tracking modules to said computer system, preferably by 'Intermediate of said microcomputer, said locating means being implemented by the computer system, preferably by means of said microcomputer, to express an instruction to store a product identified in said location thus identified.
• Said locations of said piece of furniture preferably comprise each a control means, each control means being connected directly or by means of other control means to said computer system, preferably by means of said microcomputer, the setting implementation of said control means being controlled by the computer system, preferably through of said microcomputer, in order to ensure that an identified product has been correctly stored.
• the equipment preferably comprises sets of locations, constituting for example rows of locations or columns of locations, each set of locations comprising a means of identification of the barcode type.
• Each set of locations is preferably made up of at least one rail supporting a guide system for fixing the tracking modules.
• Each set of locations preferably comprises a plurality of infrared transmitters and a plurality of infrared receivers, the infrared transmitters and the infrared receivers being positioned respectively back-to-back.
• Each location preferably has an identification means of the barcode type, for example in the form of a self-adhesive label.
• Said piece of furniture preferably has a means of identification of the barcode type, for example in the form of a self-adhesive label.
• the equipment further comprises, preferably, transport bins for transporting products from or to the workshop (s), each transport bin comprising a means of identification of the barcode type, by example in the form of a self-adhesive label.
• the present invention provides an IT solution based on software and a whole set of hardware means to enable orders to be met in large numbers, in a very short period of time and with very high reliability.
• the hardware solution of the present invention incorporates features allowing it to be modular and adaptable easily and quickly to many different situations.
• the present invention makes it possible to manage the production of orders for products coming from stocks and / or just-in-time.
• PF be all the products arriving in just-in-time flow necessary for the creation of orders, the PF set can be empty.
• the method according to the invention can be broken down into ten tasks:
• Task 1 Search for theoretically executable commands
• PSI PS.
• Task 2 Registration and classification into 2 subsets of products arriving in just-in-time flow
• This subset can itself be composed of x subsets, for example one per supplier plus one or more subsets of the products remaining from a previous operation.
• This identification procedure can be simultaneous with other operations (see Task 7).
• Task 3 Calculation of executable orders after receipt of just-in-time products
• Task 4 Calculation of the pick up of products in stock, pick up
• this pickup can be done by subassemblies PS2_1, PS2_2, .., PS2_Y each being calculated to optimize the paths in the warehouse or take into account the technical constraints of the products or other criteria.
• PS3 be all the products picked up, possibly broken down into sub-sets PS3_1, PS3_2, ... PS3_y,
• Task 5 calculation of definitively executable commands
• the sets C4, and P4 are the sets of data, orders and products which will be processed by the Tasks which follow and constitute the “logistic couples” orders-products, couples represented mathematically by injective relationships from C4 to P4.
• Tasks 1 to 4 above may not have been executed or partially executed either because some sets were empty or because it is considered that the quality of stocks or supplier deliveries does not impose not the comparison of the sets.
• the C4 subset is broken down according to criteria most often linked to logistical constraints (delivery area, deadlines, constraints on the products, size of orders, etc.) into n subsets: C4_l, C4_2, .. . C4_N1
• each of these subsets is itself broken down into subsets C4_l_l, C4_l_2, ... C4_1_N2, on the same criteria or different criteria.
• n + 1 levels of decomposition the whole numbers Ni, N2, ... and n are essential parameters of the invention because they are adjusted to take into account the ventilation capacity of the products considered by a human operator or an automat.
• N is of the order of 10, at last level, it can reach 100. With automata N can be larger.
• the parameter n can be from 0 to 5.
• Task 7 first selection-bursting on the products
• This Task 7 can be performed, but it is not compulsory, at the same time as Task 2 for products arriving in just-in-time flow and therefore proceed as follows:
• the importance of the invention is therefore to be able to constitute multiple subsets of PS3 or PF3 and therefore to give flexibility to the process.
• Task 10 last separation
• the products are broken down to each of the unit orders, which then only have to be packaged for dispatch.
• n ° 1 Preparation times and shipments in 4 to 8 hours
• n ° 3 Very large number of references The potential referencing is very important.
• n ° 4 Use of the just-in-time process Many products are not available in large stocks anyway and are produced on demand.
• Figure 1 illustrates a front view of a reception or bursting workshop
• Figure 2 illustrates a side view of the workshop of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 illustrates a front view of a transport container
• Figure 4 illustrates a side view of the tray of Figure 3
• Figure 5 illustrates a front view of a tracking module without control
• Figure 6 illustrates a front view of a tracking module with control
• Figure 7 illustrates a partial front view of a piece of furniture comprising rows of tracking modules with control
• FIG. 8 illustrates a diagram of the connection of rows of tracking modules
• Figure 9 illustrates a front view of a connecting rail for a row of tracking modules
• Figure 10 illustrates a front view of a section of platform equipped with two tracking modules without control connected to a connecting rail
• Figure 11 illustrates a front view of a tracking module without control having connectors at its ends
• Figure 12 illustrates a front view of an example of wiring two tracking modules
• Figure 13 illustrates a front view of a tracking module positioned in a cabinet
• Figure 14 illustrates a side view of the module of Figure 13
• Figure 15 illustrates a block diagram of the method according to the invention.
• the invention as described relates to equipment of a platform for the preparation / manufacture of orders, for example for the distribution of orders bringing together several different products, according to criteria specific to each recipient.
• the problem is to organize rigorously, quickly and without any error the grouping of products on intermediate storage furniture, from which the products will be collected for the preparation of each package, according to a composition determined by an order form. , usually digital.
• Equipment for transporting for example trays or carts with an identifier
• moving for example a conveyor belt
• This equipment is controlled by a computer system receiving information from different means of identifying markers affixed to products as well as transport equipment.
• the equipment according to the invention for the production of a plurality of controls, illustrated by FIGS. 1 and 2, comprises:
• the workshop is a physical area in which one or more storage devices are arranged, and, if necessary, the associated computer control means.
• the reception workshop (10) is distinct from the bursting workshop (20). It is nevertheless possible that the same workshop simultaneously or successively performs the reception and bursting functions.
• Each reception (10) and bursting (20) workshop respectively comprises: on the one hand a microcomputer (11, 21) or the like connected to said computer system (1) and on the other hand a piece of furniture (13,
• An identification reader (12, 22), of the barcode reader type, is connected to each microcomputer (11, 21) of each workshop, for identification by reading an identification means of the code type- bars of each product.
• identification readers (12, 22) are directly connected to the computer system, that is to say without the intermediary of the microcomputers (11, 21).
• Each piece of furniture (13, 23) consists of a cabinet comprising a frame and a plurality of locations (14, 24) for storing the products P according to the instructions expressed by said microcomputer. These locations (14, 24) form rows or columns.
• the locations form boxes of identical dimensions; however, it is possible to produce in a single piece of furniture boxes having dimensions of different widths or heights.
• the locations may have a vertical background, but this is not compulsory. When there is no vertical bottom, the P products can be placed on one side of the cabinet and removed on the opposite side.
• each piece of furniture is made up of vertical uprights (131) and transverse uprights (132) connecting said vertical uprights (131).
• Each piece of furniture is, moreover, preferably mounted on casters (133), in order to allow the pieces of furniture to be moved inside a workshop or from one workshop to another.
• Each piece of furniture (13, 23) has an identification means (138) of the barcode type, positioned, for example, on the front face of the piece of furniture, as illustrated in FIG. 1.
• the computer (11, 21) is preferably positioned on a shelf (135) adjacent to the piece of furniture (13, 23) used in the workshop.
• the equipment according to the invention also comprises a plurality of transport trays or carriages (30), illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, for the transport of products P from or to the workshop (s) ) of reception (10) and of the bursting workshop (s) (20).
• Each transport trolley has rollers (33) and an identification means (38) of the barcode type, positioned, for example on its front face, as visible in FIG. 3.
• the locations (14, 24) of the cabinet (13, 23) each comprise a locating module (15, 25), as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, preferably positioned above each location (14, 24).
• Each tracking module (15, 25) has a unique address, which allows it to be controlled from the computer system (1), via the computer (11, 21).
• the locations (14, 24) preferably form sets of locations, constituting for example rows of locations (17, 27) or columns of locations, as illustrated in FIG. 7.
• Each tracking module (15, 25) comprises at least one light source (151).
• This light source can be a LED or LED, associated with a specific location.
• the computer (11, 21) calculates an instruction for depositing an identified preliminary product, in a given location, it activates the light source (151) corresponding to said location. The operator is thus informed of the location where he must deposit the product he has just identified using a bar reader, without ambiguity.
• Each tracking module (15, 25) is connected to said microcomputer (11, 21), the tracking modules (15, 25) of a piece of furniture (13, 23) being used by this microcomputer to express an instruction to store a product identified in the location identified.
• the computer causes the light source to switch on, this means that the product which has been identified by reading its barcode must be positioned in the location of the tracking module whose light source has been switched on.
• the light source (151) will remain on until the bar code reader recognizes a new product presented by the operator.
• the computer (11, 21) then deactivates the light source (151) which has been on until then, and controls the lighting of the light source (151) corresponding to the new product to be stored in the furniture, at a location identical or distinct from the previous.
• the locations (14, 24) each include means for controlling (16, 26) the positioning of a product in this location.
• This control means is preferably included in the tracking module (15, 25).
• This control means preferably consists of an infrared transmitter and an infrared receiver. Each receiver is positioned substantially opposite a transmitter, on the other side of the opening of the location. More specifically, in a row of locations (17, 27), the infrared emitters (161) each emit a coded beam (163), received by a receiver (162) belonging to the row of locations (17, 27) underlying, as can be seen in Figure 7.
• the distance between the transmitters or receivers of a row of locations (17, 27) is of the order of 7 cm.
• the beam of the transmitter or transmitters sweeps substantially the entire entrance to the location.
• the control means is positioned in such a way that it is not possible to deposit a product P in the controlled location without this means being implemented.
• modules located at the upper end of the cabinet (13, 23) are configured differently from the others: detection is not activated.
• each control means (16, 26) is controlled by an electronic detection and signaling card (164), positioned in the row of locations (17, 27) and connected to the microcomputer (11, 21), to ensure that an identified product has been correctly stored.
• Each location assembly comprises an identification means (178) of the barcode type, positioned for example on the side of the cabinet (13, 23), as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 8, and connection means for being connected to the computer (11, 21), as illustrated in FIG. 8.
• Each row of locations (17, 27) consists of a horizontal rail (171) or strip supporting a guide system (172) for fixing the tracking modules (15, 25), at least one distribution bar ( 173) for the routing of the electric current necessary for the implementation of the light source and possibly of the control means when there is one (low voltage of the order of 5 Volts), and an insulating support (174 ), as illustrated in FIG. 9.
• the horizontal rails (171) thus each form what is called a "bus". These buses participate in the possibility of modulating the characteristics of the equipment according to the invention. They are fixed on the transverse uprights (132), but could be fixed on the vertical uprights (131) of the cabinet (13, 23).
• These horizontal rails (171) are preferably removably attached to the cabinet (13, 23) and are interchangeable. For managing the transmission of information, the horizontal rails (171) then include an address manager that can be programmed manually or automatically.
• FIG. 10 illustrates the positioning of two locating modules (15, 25) on a heddle (171), opposite a plate (141) of a location (14, 24). This plate is located in the upper rear part of the arm (171).
• Each tracking module (15, 25) is further equipped with a female connector (176), at each of its lateral ends, as visible in FIG. 11, in order to allow the modules to be connected to each other using cables (177) having male connectors at its ends and to the computer, as illustrated in FIG. 12.
• a locating module (15, 25) is defective, it is very easily and quickly replaced by an identical module. This operation just requires the disconnection of the old module, its unclipping from the support rail, the clipping of the new module from the support rail and then the connection of the new module.
• Each tracking module (15, 25) is protected from accidental impact by a protective cover (175), visible in FIG. 14, produced from a profile made of transparent plastic or comprising diffusion windows, for diffusion light emitted from the light sources (151) and from the infrared emitters where appropriate.
• Fixing the protective cover (175) on a horizontal rail (171) can be completed by screwing a screw (179) or any other fixing means.
• the geographical position of the light sources designating the locations is, of course, known to the computer system (1) or at least to the microcomputer (11, 21).
• an electronic switch indicates the position of each light source, or only the position of the first in each row, the others coming in sequences, or the equipment stores its address by reading a barcode associated with the location and / or the light source and a computer procedure allows addresses to be recorded.
• the number of light sources requires two-byte addressing. The address is left to the choice of the slider administrator and can easily be changed by him. This administrator only intervenes when installing new strips.
• the link between the microcomputer and the strips is operated using one of the microcomputer's serial ports, at 9600 baud, 8 parity bits, 1 stop bit, without flow control.
• FIG. 15 illustrates the essential steps for implementing the method according to the invention.
• the method according to the invention comprises the following steps:
• Step 3 l st step selection and combination (group formation)
• the system determines the command to which is assigned the product, this order is part of a group of 100 and a group of 10 groups of 100 orders (see basic processing step).
• the first sorting makes it possible to control the products and divide them a first time into 10.
• Step 4 n times the unit identification and selection stage This is the repetition of the 3 rd step allowing the preparation of groups of 100 final orders, that is to say including all the suppliers.
• the boxes of 100 orders are therefore available for ventilation.
• the system determines the order to which the product is assigned, this order is part of a group of 100 (see basic processing).
• the second sorting or even the following, makes it possible to treat the anomalies and to divide them a second time in 10.
• the preparers take the products one by one, scan them and ventilate them each in a box in the ventilation unit.
• the preparation is assisted by a system of lights each associated with each box.
• the control of the removal is carried out thanks to the tracking modules equipped with control means, or even in a variant, is done by scanning the barcode of one location.
• the system finds the command to which the product is assigned, this command is assigned to a location of the ventilation workshop. A light bulb lights up in the corresponding box. The system validates the removal of the product.
• the person responsible for packaging the products scans the ventilation box, the accompanying documents (name and address of the recipient, ...) are edited while this person packages the products. All that remains is to position the documents on the packaging for shipping.
• the system starts printing.
• the system displays on the scanning gun, or on any other means, the content of the order allowing the packer to control the order.
• the system can also analyze the details of the orders prepared (modification of the statutes), anomalies and rebuses to be put in stock.

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• 2001
  • 2001-12-03 FR FR0115599A patent/FR2833098A1/fr active Pending
• 2002
  • 2002-12-03 AU AU2002365645A patent/AU2002365645A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2002-12-03 EP EP02804244A patent/EP1451748A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2002-12-03 RU RU2004115331/09A patent/RU2302657C2/ru not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2002-12-03 WO PCT/FR2002/004154 patent/WO2003047975A2/fr active Application Filing
  • 2002-12-03 CA CA002469086A patent/CA2469086A1/fr not_active Abandoned
  • 2002-12-03 JP JP2003549179A patent/JP2005511448A/ja active Pending
• 2004
  • 2004-06-02 US US10/859,391 patent/US7752086B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related

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