EP3501673B1 - Cleaning machine and method for its operation - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cleaning device for the automated cleaning of essentially flat shelf bottoms of shelves. These are shelves that can be managed by robots. These are extensively known in the prior art and automatically managed shelves are used extensively in industry and trade. For this purpose, logistics robots are used according to so-called pick-by-robot processes. Such shelves, which are used, for example, in production processes as intermediate storage, as storage for goods from large commercial warehouses and the like, include a large number of shelves. Such shelves can be many meters high and very long overall. Corresponding halls can accommodate shelves with hundreds or even thousands of shelf compartments. So-called aisles are formed between the shelves and, depending on the system of the logistics robot, are provided with appropriate rails or other infrastructure so that the logistics robot can independently drive in front of a shelf compartment to carry out loading or unloading processes there.

In a known type of pick-by-robot shelving system, the shelves are divided so that the logistics robot can move into the middle between two shelf parts and carry out lifting and lowering movements there.

In particular when using corresponding shelving systems as intermediate storage in production processes, it has been found that contamination can have a significant impact on subsequent production processes. It may be necessary to clean up thousands of intermediate products. The robot controls for the pick-by-robot system ensure that the workload is well distributed. In this way, shelving compartments are always free and can collect dust or falling dirt, which can then in turn contaminate intermediate products that are stored later. Dirt can also be loosened and fall down during the loading and unloading of corresponding shelf compartments and thus in turn contaminate the products stored underneath.

For the reasons set forth, it is desirable to clean the shelves. With several hundred or thousands of shelves, this can degenerate into a permanent activity, with coordination with the automatic logistics processes of the camp is difficult.

The document US-A1-2016/214144 discloses a cleaning device with a wiping unit which comprises a strip-shaped cloth which is guided from a supply roll via the wiping unit to a storage roll.

The document WO-A1-2008/061951 discloses a cleaning device for the automated cleaning of flat shelves.

Proceeding from the prior art described above, the object of the invention is to provide a cleaning device and a method for the automated cleaning of shelves, with which automated cleaning of shelves can be carried out using a logistics robot.

On the device side, a cleaning device with the features of patent claim 1 is proposed. Further advantages and features emerge from the dependent claims.

With regard to the method, a method with the features of claim 11 is proposed. Further advantages and features emerge from the relevant description.

According to the invention, a cleaning device is proposed which comprises a carrying unit for arrangement on a robot which is provided for the automatic management of a corresponding shelf. This means that it can be positioned in front of a shelf and can move in and out of it. The support unit is designed in such a way that it can be arranged on a corresponding robot. Furthermore, the cleaning device has a functional assembly which is arranged on the carrying unit and has a holder for a wiping unit. The functional assembly is arranged on the support unit in such a way that the wiping unit can be pulled over a shelf surface touching a shelf surface when the robot moves in and/or out of a shelf compartment.

The invention makes use of the fact that the automatically managed shelving system already has a corresponding controller and robotics that is suitable for being positioned in front of a shelf, for moving in and out of it and for doing lifting and lowering movements, in which it are loading and unloading movements. Typically, a corresponding robot in front of a shelf positioned, drives into it, makes a lifting movement to lift a product stored on the shelf and drives out to unload the shelf. Conversely, the robot can enter the shelf compartment with a product in a higher position, there one Make a lowering movement to deposit the product on the shelf and exit again in the lowered position.

The invention now includes a support unit that can perform these movements with the robot, but is dimensioned so that it is not deposited in the shelf. However, it has protruding wiping units that wipe the shelves when performing these movements. In this case, it is preferred if the robot carries out a loading movement, that is to say it enters the shelf compartment in a raised position with the carrying unit and the wiping units arranged thereon. The robot then makes a lowering movement and moves out of the shelf compartment again, with the wiping units automatically wiping over the shelves and picking up the dirt there.

The holder for the wiping units preferably has a stamping surface. This can be a padded, flat surface over which, for example, a wiping cloth can be stretched so that its function is supported.

According to the invention, the wiping unit comprises a cloth. According to the invention, this is in the form of a strip.

This makes it possible to provide the cloth rolled up on a supply roll. It can then be guided over the wiping unit and wound onto a storage roll.

In this way it is possible to drive the bearing roller and in this way to always advance the cloth a little during the cleaning process. In this way, a new piece of cloth is used as needed or, for example, with each shelf.

In order to prevent the cloth from being unwound unintentionally, it is proposed to brake the supply roll, for example with a so-called hysteresis brake.

Furthermore, according to the invention, the cloth is guided over at least one deflection roller. This is conical to ensure that the cloth is always centered either outwards or inwards.

According to a further advantageous proposal, the functional group has at least two holders for wiper units. This makes it possible, depending on the given structural condition of the shelf and its shelves, to bring the holder with the wiping units into the shelf and to have them take effect without the wiping units having to be repositioned in the case of very wide or, for example, divided shelves.

The wiping units are advantageously adjustable in relation to the carrying unit. Furthermore, the holder for the wiping units can advantageously be displaceable or movable relative to the functional assembly or the support unit. This makes it possible to move in and wipe even with unfavorable shelf constructions. It is essential here that the support unit is moved into the shelf and the wiping units can be positioned on the shelf in order to automatically guide the wiping units over the shelves when the support unit is pulled out of the shelf.

The functional assembly advantageously has a tank for a cleaning medium. This can be applied to the cloth and/or to the shelf. For this purpose, the functional assembly can have nozzles, which are acted upon by cleaning medium via lines.

Advantageously, the functional assembly can also have a collecting unit for wiping residues, so that for example collecting plates or the like are positioned below the wiping units.

The invention provides a cleaning device that can be optimally used for cleaning shelves using the infrastructure and hardware that is present in automatic shelving units.

Since the control of the rack logistics automatically knows which shelves are free, a corresponding cleaning process can be carried out at any time. The logistics can also provide for certain aisles or shelving walls to be kept empty until they are cleaned, so that a certain shelving area can always be cleaned and then taken over again for management.

On the method side, the method includes that the cleaning device with the carrying unit is arranged on a robot for shelf management. This robot is then moved by the central controller to a loading position in front of a shelf. It then moves into the shelf and thus brings the cleaning device into the shelf. In an end position, the robot is lowered in the direction of a parking position, but without being lowered to such an extent that the cleaning device is parked. The wiping units are arranged on the support unit in such a way that in this position they rest on a shelf surface. If the cleaning device is pulled out of the shelf in this position, the shelves of this shelf are cleaned automatically.

The robot moves over another shelf and repeats the steps of retracting, lowering and pulling out.

According to the invention it can be provided that in the lowered position the wiping units carry out a corrective movement, for which purpose they are moved by a controller and by means of appropriate motors, stepping motors or the like. An optical measuring device or a digital image evaluation can also be provided, so that images recorded by a camera can be analyzed in order to carry out an optimal positioning of the wiping units. The optical monitors can also be used to record the cleaning status of the respective shelf compartment.

According to the method, it is provided that the cleaning cloth is unwound from a supply roll and wound onto a storage roll, being guided over a wiping unit on the way by deflection rolls.

In this way, the cloth can be renewed when it is dirty or the cloth can be advanced according to a specified rhythm. The unwinding length of the cloth is queried / checked using a sensor on a deflection roller.

Water can be used as the cleaning medium, optionally with the appropriate chemicals, depending on the products that are stored on the shelf. Other advantageous options are, in particular, controls and adjustments to the retraction and extension speed, the motor running time, the spraying time of the nozzles, the Level monitoring of the tank, the unrolled quantity/supply of the wipe and the consumables in total, runtime monitoring, maintenance intervals, etc..

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Ausführungsbeispiels für eine erfindungsgemäße Reinigungsvorrichtung;

Fig. 2

eine Draufsicht auf eine Vorrichtung gemäß Fig. 1 und

Fig. 3

eine Frontansicht auf die Vorrichtung gemäß Fig. 1.

Further advantages and features result from the following description based on the figures. show:

1

a perspective view of an embodiment of a cleaning device according to the invention;

2

a plan view of a device according to FIG 1 and

3

a front view of the device according to FIG 1 .

The same elements are provided with the same reference symbols in the figures.

The figures show the cleaning device 1. The support unit 2 consists of frame elements 3. In the front area, a front panel unit 4 is formed by several frame elements combined with one another. Supply rolls 5 and bearing rolls 6 are arranged on the support unit 2, the bearing roll 6 being driven by a motor 14 in order to wind up the cloth. The cloth runs from the supply roll 5 via the deflection rollers 7 and 8, the wiping stamp 9 to the bearing roller 6, where it is wound up. In this way, a constant feed can ensure that a fresh cloth is always presented for the respective shelf element (not shown). The deflection roller 8 is tapered to ensure that the cloth always runs inwards or outwards.

On the front panel 4, a wiping stamp 9 is formed, which is padded accordingly behind the cloth. Centering rollers 10 are arranged in the front region in order to introduce the cleaning device 1 into the gap between the two partial elements of a divided shelf. After lowering, the cloth is then pressed onto the shelves by the wiping stamp 9 and the shelf is cleaned when it is pulled out.

A spray unit 11 consisting of a spray bar 17 and nozzles 18 ensures that coming from the tank 12 cleaning medium is sprayed onto the rule floors before they are wiped.

The rollers 5 and 6 as well as 7 and 8 are mounted on shafts 13, so that in the exemplary embodiment shown, corresponding cleaning units are formed on both sides of the carrying unit 2.

The centering rollers 10 are held by positioning holders 15, which in turn are fixed in a grooved beam 16.

The support unit 2 can be placed and fixed on the surface of a farm robot as it is. The movement sequence of the robot, positioning in front of a shelf unit, retracting, lowering and pulling out, causes the shelves to be sprayed when retracting via the nozzles 18, and when extending the wiping stamp 9 wipes the respective cloth element over the shelves and cleans them.

The described embodiments are only illustrative and not restrictive, the invention being limited by the claims.

Reference sign

1

cleaning device

2

carrying unit

3

frame elements

4

front panel

5

supply roll

6

bearing roll

7

pulley

8th

pulley

9

wipe stamp

10

centering rollers

11

spray unit

12

tank

13

waves

14

engine

15

positioning holder

16

groove beam

17

spray bar

18

jet

19

Sensor (to check the unwinding length of the cloth)

Claims (11)

1. Cleaning machine (1) suitable for automated cleaning of flat shelves of racks managed with logistics robots, comprising a supporting unit (2) for arrangement on a managing logistics robot that can move in and out of a shelf compartment and at least one function module having a holder for a wiping unit and arranged on the supporting unit (2), said wiping unit comprising a strip-like cloth which is guided from a supply roll (5) via said wiping unit to a storage roll (6) and the cloth being guided over a tapered deflection roller (7, 8) and the wiping unit being designed in such a way that it can be pulled over the shelf surface while touching the shelf surface.
2. Cleaning machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the holder has a piston surface.
3. Cleaning machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the supply roll (5) is braked.
4. Cleaning machine according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the function module comprises at least two holders for wiping units.
5. Cleaning machine according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the function module includes a tank (12) for cleaning agent.
6. Cleaning machine according to claim 5, designed in such a way that the cleaning agent is applied to the cloth.
7. Cleaning machine according to any of claims 5 or 6, designed in such a way that the cleaning agent is applied to the shelf.
8. Cleaning machine according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the function module includes nozzles (18).
9. Cleaning machine according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the function module includes a collecting unit for wiping residues.
10. Cleaning machine according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the function module is movable with respect to the supporting unit (2).
11. Method for automated cleaning of substantially flat shelves of racks managed with logistics robots using a cleaning machine (1) with the features of at least one of claims 1 to 10, wherein

    a) the cleaning machine (1) with the supporting unit (2) is arranged on a logistics robot for managing shelves,

    b) the logistics robot is moved in front of a shelf in a loading position,

    c) the cleaning machine (1) is moved into the shelf compartment and lowered in an end position towards a placement position so that each wiping unit rests on a shelf surface,

    d) the cleaning machine (1) is pulled out from the shelf compartment,

    e) the steps b, c and d are repeated for another shelf compartment.

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