EP2558384A1

EP2558384A1 - System for storing and transporting transporting containers

Info

Publication number: EP2558384A1
Application number: EP11715477A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Michael Ten Hompel; Winfried Schroer; Thomas Albrecht
Original assignee: Dematic GmbH
Current assignee: Dematic GmbH
Priority date: 2010-04-15
Filing date: 2011-04-13
Publication date: 2013-02-20
Also published as: DE102010015054A1; CA2795022A1; SG184402A1; AU2011239980A1; KR20130084597A; WO2011128384A1

Abstract

System (1) for storing and transporting transporting containers (7), comprising at least one vehicle (3), equipped with a rail-compatible travelling mechanism and a separate floor-compatible travelling mechanism, and a rack system (2) with rail-mounted and floor-level travelling paths (5, 4) for the vehicle (3), wherein the vehicle (3) is equipped with a sensor and control system such that it can both move autonomously on the rail-mounted and floor-level travelling paths (5, 4) and change the travelling paths.

Description

STORAGE AND TRANSPORT SYSTEM FOR TRANSPORT CONTAINERS

Storage and transport system for transport containers od. Like. Specified in the preamble of claim 1 genus.

Storage and transport systems are available in a very diverse and different design and construction. It is known, for example, to equip the lanes of high-bay warehouses with rails in each storage level to provide horizontally movable on these rails, container transporting vehicles. Such solutions, for example, DE 39 07 623 A or DE 102 54 647 A, to name just a few examples.

Storage systems for offloading containers using satellite vehicles show e.g. DE 10 2007 010 191 A1 or DE 20 2007 051 238 A1.

As described in these references, such systems require a preliminary determination of the order of storage or dispensing of the respective ones

Container, in particular in front of the shelving systems dispensing and

Receiving devices must be provided to hold certain buffers or collecting and sorting lines, to only some disadvantages of these known

To name systems. If the containers in such systems have to cope with their storage or removal cross and longitudinal routes, it is necessary to the

Transfer points of the respective sections of particular machine elements that can implement the container, such as turntables or the like.

Automatic order picking will be partially contradictory

Requirements made. In addition to a performance that is as high as possible so that the picking staff is continuously utilized, expressed in number of / stored containers per unit time, there is a desire for a short reaction time of the system, ie orders should be as short as possible after they were generated, also be processed. Moreover, it is advantageous if the outsourced containers are delivered to the Vorzone in exactly the desired sequence, otherwise a sorting must take place, either manually or with additional technical effort the goods delivered from the warehouse are sorted out.

On the one hand, standard storage and retrieval machines with one or more load handling devices are known for the lower performance range, but their performance is often insufficient when using a single device, it will then mehrgassige systems installed with correspondingly expensive conveyor technology in the front zone of the shelves, on the other hand, high-capacity container storage systems known, which operate on the principle that a large number of movements occur parallel to each other, example Sistore (DE 39 07 623) or Rotastore. These systems depend on selecting from a list of orders as long as possible their outfits / warehouses so that they can optimize their routes and their stops. This contradicts the requirement for a short reaction time. The direct generation of the desired at the picking station sequence is also not possible. High-performance storage systems of conventional design are characterized by the fact that relatively complex Vorzonen are required to the necessary

To fulfill distribution functions. These Vorzonen are cost-intensive, need area and can after commissioning bad or not at all changing

Boundary conditions are adjusted. Another problem is often the accessibility of such complex conveyor systems in case of failure and maintenance.

The object of the invention is to provide a transport and storage system that is highly flexible and on additional buffer sections, collection lines u. Like. As well as the direction of the container transport changing components can do without.

With a storage and transport system of the type described, this object is according to the invention by at least one equipped with a rail and a floor landing gear vehicle and a shelving system with

rail-bound and lane-bound routes for the vehicle solved. In other words, the vehicles have separate landing gear for the

rail-bound and lane-bound routes.

This makes it possible, with a corresponding storage and transport system for the respective vehicles ground-based as well as rail-bound Use of routes, which leads to a number of advantages.

With the invention, for example, storage systems with high input and

Auslagerleistung be realized that manage without any fixed installation in the Vorzone of the warehouse and at the same time meet the demand for short reaction times and correct Auslager-sequence to a high degree. The transfer points can be arranged flexibly and at any distance from the warehouse. In addition, high-performance order picking are possible in which only a minimum of active mechanics is installed within the shelf and build very compact by using flat transverse tunnels, which also provides the invention in an embodiment also.

Embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims. It may, as already briefly indicated above, be provided that the shelving system is equipped with tunnel-like corridor routes especially transverse to the rail-bound routes, the rail-bound routes in particular form the shelves of the shelving system. In other words, the front side members of the multi-layer shelving system carry or form the rail-bound routes.

With this design, it is possible to use for opening up the shelf aisles usually arranged transversely to these driveways through the tunnel-like design of the airspace over these routes completely from the first shelf level as a shelf, which at the same parking capacity of a shelf to a more compact Construction leads.

As is well known, each vehicle according to the invention with its own

Lifting devices equipped and in design with a

computer-linked control and drive unit, so that the vehicles are fully automatically both on-ground and rail-bound movable and activated. Thus, a FTS functionality (driverless transport system) of the

Vehicles provided.

The vehicle is thus equipped for locomotion within the rack rail system and in the surface (on the floor) with two suspensions, the On the drive side consist of two motors and associated power electronics. The two engines are connected via one gearbox with the right and left drive wheels of the two chassis. The motors can rotate independently of each other with the same or different speeds. When traveling within the rail system, the two motors will always rotate at the same speed. When driving on the floor identical speeds lead to

Driving straight ahead, while cornering is made possible by different speeds ("speed difference steering") .According to the invention it is also provided that each vehicle is equipped with at least one sensor for detecting obstacles and / or for detecting position markers so-called

Laser scanners that provide angles and distance from located obstacles.

By means of these sensor devices, fully automatic control processes can be achieved. With corresponding stationary sensor marks, it is possible, for example, to detect through the corresponding reflection the center of the lane or a preferred railway lane, for example to enable automatic threading from the lane-bound journey into the rail-bound journey.

The current position of the vehicle can be based on a known

Start position can be determined using coupling navigation algorithms. The information required for the distance traveled and the direction thereby observed is obtained by measuring the revolutions of the two motors. Because of various error influences, the current vehicle position calculated in this way increases with respect to the real position

If the route has ever-increasing deviations, this method alone can not be used to carry out a long journey over the free area until it enters the rail system of the rack or a picking station with sufficient accuracy. "Sufficient" here means that the vehicle is centered between the vehicle right and left rail meets with an accuracy better than about +/- 2 cm A lateral offset (positioning error) of this magnitude can be compensated by mechanical insertion bevels, while larger deviations to sticking in the entrance or even to could cause mechanical damage to the vehicle.

For this reason, at the end of a trip, i. at a distance of about 3 meters from the target (eg the entrance to the rail system), switched to another - more accurate - relative positioning method: With the help of a laser scanner, which is mounted on the front of the vehicle, two left and right immediately Reflector marks mounted next to the rail entrance detected and measured in their position relative to the vehicle. From these measured values, which change constantly as the vehicle approaches the entrance, it is possible, by means of suitable evaluation algorithms, to make a target trip to the center of the entrance with sufficient accuracy.

The peculiarity of the method is that, although the measured values of the laser sensor have no accuracy required for the task, by skillful filtering of the measured values and by fusion of the sensor readings with the - also faulty - based on the measurement of wheel revolutions motion information of the vehicle sufficiently accurate

Position determination is enabled.

Generalization is thus at the entrance of the vehicle in the rail, i. when changing from ground gear to the rail chassis, by means of suitable

Filter algorithms from principle error-prone readings of Wegme- and distance measuring a sufficiently accurate for the task

Obtained position information, so that a damage-free retraction is possible.

Visible can be achieved by the invention that the order removed transport container for the final delivery and / or for sorting can be arbitrary, since the control options of both hall-and rail-bound vehicles a sequence change is easily possible, such as by overtaking a vehicle with leading position in front of a vehicle with rear position in the sorting system.

The invention also provides that with the same drive a drive is such that the speed of the rail-bound ride is higher than that

Speed of the bounded ride. The steering kinematics can, for example be realized by means of speed difference control, of course, other possibilities are included according to the invention.

The power supply via energy storage, which are charged via sliding lines or non-contact, for example by an inductive energy transfer system while driving on the shelf, with other solutions are possible, such as fast charging at individual starting positions or storage change systems. The rail chassis not only allows the direct operation of

Shelving systems, also rail-bound sections can be integrated in the driving course to individual routes, for example. To be able to travel at a higher speed or to get from shelf sections to spatially separated shelf sections, such as suspended rails, so that

For example, sections of a manufacturing area, which are placed on the ground, can be run over by such rail systems in the appropriate amount. This also makes it possible, for example, to realize traffic without intersection, by using unused spaces above production facilities or else to connect spatially separate shelf sections via suspended rails. It can also be run over sections of production areas, which are placed on the ground, with such a rail system in the appropriate amount.

For converting the vehicles can also be provided in the aisles or at appropriate locations also storage or lifting A / erteilwagen systems. The vehicles are thus vehicles that operate only one level or individual shelves on the shelf from the rails. If necessary, change the levels using the specified lifts, which can be positioned as desired. Such vehicles are also known as satellite vehicles.

Appropriately, at least two tunnel areas are provided within a shelf to allow a circulation operation without oncoming traffic. The tunnels can be designed very flat according to the height of the vehicles and have a width such that not only buffer sections in front of and behind the May result in lifts, so that due to the directional flow of the vehicles, the lifts are used in double play, ie, while a coming from upper shelf levels vehicle in the lower lift position leaves the lift, at the same time drives a vehicle that wants to climb up on the other side the lift table. This makes it possible to achieve high throughput rates of the lifts.

Also, the tunnels can be designed so that an above-mentioned overtaking of the vehicles is possible in order to achieve a certain sorting at the same time.

For loading and unloading the transport vehicles may be provided a transfer device, which is assigned in particular to the rail chassis of the vehicle and is adapted to this. In other words, the load-carrying means of the vehicles is used in rail operation, since then a precise definition of the vehicle to the transfer point is possible.

Further features, details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and from the drawings. These show in Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a warehouse with land-borne vehicles,

2 is a side view approximately along line II-II in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a transport vehicle in spatial

Representation before threading into a rail system,

4 is a bottom view of the transport vehicle in a spatial representation,

Fig. 5 shows an enlarged Einfädelbereich for the vehicles of lane-bound driving in rail-bound travel and in

Fig. 6 is a load change station for loading and unloading of the vehicle and

Fig. 7 shows another embodiment during threading. The generally designated 1 storage and transport system is essentially of a shelf, for example, a high-bay, generally designated 2, formed, which is acted upon by 3 designated vehicles, wherein in the plan view of FIG. 1, the vehicles designated 3 the Use the corridor level as a driving plane, while the designated 3a vehicles are positioned in the rail system of the shelf 2 movable.

The vehicles 3 thus travel on the shelf 2 itself on rails in the respective floor for supply and disposal of the shelves located in this floor, while they drive on the ground in the corridor. For this they have separate chassis.

Visible, the vehicles on the corridor surface also overtake each other (see vehicles 3b and 3c in Fig. 1 above). The shelving system 2 has u.a. tunnel-like corridor routes, generally designated 4, as well as rail-bound

Routes, generally designated 5, on, with the rail-bound routes 5, the shelves 6 on the shelf for on the vehicles

transported, generally designated 7 container tap.

As can be seen from Fig. 2, allow the floor-bound tunnel-like

Routes 4, that the overlying airspace can be used with other shelves 6 to accommodate the corresponding container 7.

In some preferred places, in which rail-bound routes are integrated, there are lift systems, designated 8, which serve to change the level of the vehicles.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, details of the vehicles 3 are indicated. For example, the intended for rail travel wheels 9 and for the land ride

provided therefrom separate wheels 10 and 10 a, wherein the common drives are not shown here.

In Figs. 3 and 4 are also also only symbolically indicated

Load receiving means 1 1 shown, which make it possible, the containers 7, whether empty or filled, to record and settle in the shelf spaces 6 or elsewhere. In Fig. 3 are still rails 5a of the rail-bound driving ranges indicated as well as lateral guide wheels 12 to facilitate the threading and the method in the rails.

In the slightly enlarged view of FIG. 5, as an outline of FIG. 1, it is indicated that the vehicles 3 are equipped with sensors 13 which

For example, reflective stationary control marks 14 and 14a can detect in order to distinguish between these marks by a corresponding arithmetic operation

Middle position of a rail-bound lane, indicated in Fig. 5 with 15 to reach.

With the control computers of vehicles 3 with data for threading supplying

Sensors 13, other controls can be made possible, so that the floor-bound ride of the vehicles on calculated virtual routes (tracks) are set accordingly. By means of these sensors, the distances of individual vehicles can be determined side by side or in front of each other, which is shown in dotted lines in FIG. 5, wherein the target point-averaging beams are provided with the reference numeral 16.

In the variant shown in FIG. 7, the current position of the vehicles 3 'is determined starting from a known starting position S (compare direction of travel arrow in FIG. 7) using dead reckoning algorithms. The information required for the distance traveled (see direction of travel arrow in Figure 7) and the case observed direction is determined by measuring the

Revolutions of the two motors of the ground gear or the wheels 10 and 10a won.

Because of various error influences, the current calculated in this way

Vehicle position relative to the real position with increasing distance driving has increasingly large deviations, with this method alone a longer trip on the free area to the entrance to the rail system 5 of the shelf 2 or a picking station or load change station (see Figure 6) not with sufficient Accuracy here means that the vehicle is the middle between the right and the left rail with a Accuracy meets better than about +/- 2 cm. A lateral offset

(Positioning error) on this scale can be due to mechanical

Be inserted chamfers (see Figure 3), while larger deviations to sticking in the driveway when threading into the rack aisle 15 or

Driving on the local rail ends 5a or too mechanical

Damage to the vehicle could result.

For this reason, at the end of a trip, i. at a distance of about 3 meters before entering the rail system 5 or the Regalgasse 15 (or other appropriate destination), to another - more accurate - relative

Switched location method.

With the aid of a laser scanner 21, which is mounted on the front side of the vehicle 3 'and which "monitors" the area (hatched in FIG. 7) in front of the vehicle, two are mounted on the left and right immediately adjacent to the rail entrance

Reflector marks 14, 14A detected and in their position relative to the vehicle

3'vermessen. The laser scanner 21 provides the control computer of the vehicles angle and distance of obstacles, here the reflector marks 14, 14A. From these measurements, which change in the further approach of the vehicle 3 'to the entrance of the rack aisle 15 to constantly, by means of suitable

Auswertealgorithmen a target ride to the center of the entrance (indicated by a dashed line) performed with sufficient accuracy.

The laser scanner 21 can also be used to detect and avoid obstacles. These can emerge unexpectedly, especially on the ground, since grounding, e.g. People or other vehicles can move.

In Fig. 6, a possibility of a load change station 20 is shown to the

Vehicles to equip 3 with corresponding containers T or to receive containers 7 of these.

Within a frame 18, a double lift 17 is positioned, with the right part of the double lift 17 and the left part 17a in the example shown. At the upper lift positions of the lift 17 and the lift 17a are roller conveyors 19 and 19a connected, wherein the right in Fig. 6 front roller conveyor 19 is inclined downhill on the lift 17, while the slightly higher positioned rear

Roller conveyor 19a sloping to a sorting and loading area 21 is inclined, such that the container designated T can run to the left, while the designated container 7 can run in the example shown to the right.

In the respective lower position, the lifts 17 and 17a are aligned with the loading area of the vehicle 3 so that containers 7 can be delivered or containers T can be received.

It should be noted that the station shown here can also be designed in other ways. The example presented represents an integration possibility in the existing rail system with the rails 5a for the then

rail-bound vehicles 3 is.

Of course, the described embodiment of the invention is still to be modified in many ways, without departing from the spirit.

Claims

claims:

1 . Storage and transport system (1) for transport containers (7)

or the like,

marked by

at least one equipped with a rail chassis and a separate ground gear vehicle (3) and a shelving system (2) with rail-bound and lane-bound routes (5,4) for the vehicle (3), wherein the vehicle (3) with a sensor and control system such is equipped so that it can move autonomously on both the rail-bound and lane-bound routes (5,4) and change the routes.

2. Storage and transport system according to claim 1,

characterized,

that the shelving system (2) is equipped with tunnel-like corridor routes (4), in particular transversely to the rail-bound routes (5), wherein the

rail-bound routes (5) in particular the aisles of the

Form multi-tier shelving system (2), wherein the rail of the rail-bound routes (5) from the shelf (2) are formed in each floor

3. Storage and transport system according to claim 1 or 2,

characterized,

that each vehicle (3) is equipped with its own load-carrying means (1 1).

4. Storage and transport system according to one of the preceding

Claims,

characterized,

that each vehicle (3) is equipped with a computer-connected control and drive unit.

5. Storage and transport system according to one of the preceding

Claims,

characterized,

in that each vehicle (3) has at least one sensor (13, 21)

is equipped to detect obstacles and / or to detect Position markers (14).

6. Storage and transport system according to one of the preceding

Claims,

marked by

a common drive for the ground-based and the rail-bound drive, wherein a drive is such that the speed of the rail-bound ride is higher than the speed of the floor-bound ride.

7. Storage and transport system according to one of the preceding

Claims,

characterized,

that the steering kinematics is realized by means of speed difference control.

8. Storage and transport system according to one of the preceding

Claims,

characterized,

that the energy supply takes place via energy storage, e.g. above

Ladder cables are charged during travel in the rail (5a).

9. Storage and transport system according to one of the preceding

Claims,

characterized,

that in the aisles or at appropriate places storage and retrieval equipment or elevator A / erteilwagen systems (8) are provided.

10. Storage and transport system according to one of the preceding

Claims,

characterized,

in that at least two tunnel regions (4, 4a) are provided within a shelf (2).

1 1. Storage and transport system according to one of the preceding

Claims,

characterized, in that a transfer device is provided for loading and unloading the vehicles (3).

12. Storage and transport system according to claim 1 1,

characterized,

in that the transfer device is assigned in particular to the rail chassis of the vehicle (3) and is adapted to this.