RU2574308C2 - Plant with order completion station - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: process engineering.

SUBSTANCE: claimed plant comprises the first cycle. The latter comprises the first input conveyor (31) whereon the store containers with goods are fed, and the first device for accumulation of a definite amount of store containers fed on output conveyor (31). The first device for accumulation of a definite amount of containers includes the first shaft (35) comprising the set of movable loading seats to take and to transfer downward the store container. Said shaft (35) makes the means for vertical accumulation and discharge, in preset order, of said store containers pre-arranged at loading seats. The station comprises also the first lifter (34) to feed store containers fed by the first output conveyor (31) to said first shaft (35).

EFFECT: higher efficiency.

17 cl, 21 dwg

Description

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

The invention relates to the field of logistics and warehouse equipment. As you know, a warehouse is a building for storing goods and shipping them to the consignee. The following operations are performed at the warehouse: receipt of orders, storage of goods, formation or acquisition of orders, sending orders and inventory management.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a station for generating (picking) orders, especially (but not exclusively) when such a station forms part of a warehouse automation system including a storage area and one or more order picking stations.

The present invention can be applied to all types of order picking and especially for:

- picking orders by selecting products or goods from storage containers, when the operator (or warehouse robot) receives a selection list (on paper, on the terminal screen or verbally), which indicates for each parcel (hereinafter “shipping container”), which must be shipped, the amount of goods of each type that are in storage containers and must be collected together in parcels that must be sent to the recipients; and

- picking orders by installing warehouse containers containing goods on pallets when the operator (or warehouse robot) receives a selection list (on paper, on the terminal screen, verbally or in the form of a computer file), which indicates for each pallet (hereinafter “shipping container”) to be shipped, the number of containers of each type (eg cardboard boxes) that must be collected on or removed from the pallet for shipment.

As a rule, there are two types of stations used to complete orders: mobile stations and stationary stations.

Mobile stations operate on the principle of "person to goods", in which the employee completing the order moves to the location of the goods and selects the ordered quantity of these goods there.

In stationary stations, the principle of “goods to person” is used, in which storage containers (for example, cardboard boxes or trays), each of which contains goods of a given type, are automatically removed from the storage area and delivered on freight carts to the person completing the order, who can select the right amount of goods from each trolley.

This difference between mobile and stationary stations is also true for the case of placing orders on pallets. That is, the employee completing the order will be moved to the necessary storage containers, which must be loaded onto the dispatch pallet, or warehouse containers will be automatically delivered to this employee (for example, using a stacker crane).

The present invention is intended for use in stationary stations picking orders.

In the present description, the term "lift" means any system used to capture one or more goods (container or storage containers or for dispatch) at one level and install them at another level.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

To implement the principle of “goods to people”, stationary stations used for completing orders usually have a special configuration and must perform several of the following functions (the list below is not exhaustive):

- receipt of goods of two types, namely, warehouse containers containing products that will be used to collect orders, and shipping containers in or on which goods should be placed that are shipped in accordance with orders;

- the movement of both types of cargo, namely storage containers (except for the case of the formation of pallets, when the storage container itself is mounted on a pallet, forming a shipping container) and shipping containers after they are filled or loaded (in the case of pallets) in accordance with orders;

- synchronization of flows of two types of cargo, one for storage containers, and the other for transportation containers;

- accumulation of a certain amount of cargo, that is, a certain number of storage containers and / or shipping containers on the way to the operator (or warehouse robot) in accordance with the configuration of the component station;

- weighing one or both types of cargo (such weighing provides control of the correctness of the completion operation);

- classical picking (the operator selects goods from storage containers that pass in front of him and places the selected goods in shipping containers) and picking in the opposite order (operator selects goods from warehouse containers that pass in front of him and these containers, after changing their contents become shipping containers);

- exception (the ability to remove a warehouse container from an automated warehouse);

- replenishment of goods (the possibility of re-placing the warehouse container in an automated warehouse for storage);

- inventory (for example, warehouse containers are selected from an automated warehouse, and then they are passed through a picking station to obtain accurate data on available goods, after which they are again placed in an automated warehouse for storage);

- other.

The figure 1 presents a top view of one of the variants of the known configuration of the warehouse automation system, which provides the acquisition of parcels and which contains:

- a storage zone 7 containing several (two in the considered example) blocks formed by passages (or passages) 7a, 7a 'passing along the sides of the shelves 7b, 7c, 7b', 7c 'with goods located at several levels of storage of goods. Each rack is divided in length into several storage places, each of which is designed to accommodate one container (for example, a tray or a cardboard box) for storing goods. At each level, each passage provides the ability to move a cargo trolley, which provides the movement of storage containers: removing them and placing them in storage. Carts can be moved horizontally at a given storage level, as well as vertically from one level to another using lifts located at one end of the aisle;

- a group of conveyors that provide transportation of warehouse containers from the storage area to the stations picking orders and vice versa. In the example shown in FIG. 1, three subgroups of conveyors can be distinguished: the first subgroup (indicated by reference number 9) is located directly at the outlet of the storage zone 7 and contains conveyors running along the axis of the storage racks; the second subgroup (indicated by reference number 6) contains conveyors located behind the conveyors of the first subgroup perpendicular to them; the third subgroup (indicated by reference number 8) contains conveyors located behind the conveyors of the second subgroup perpendicular to them and along one of the racks (7b) of the storage area 7. The surface height of the conveyor belts used in subgroups 6, 7 and 8 is usually in the range from 750 mm to 1750 mm;

- several stations 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e and 10f of order picking (six in the example under consideration), each of which passes perpendicular to the conveyors of the above third subgroup 8 and is served by one operator 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e and 1f. The following describes in detail an example configuration of one of the picking stations;

- a central computer control system (not shown) providing control of the entire warehouse automation system (storage area, group of conveyors and order picking stations). It also manages the order lists associated with each shipping container (package), and accordingly determines the order of the order lines forming this list according to the location of the warehouse containers in the goods storage area, free carts and conveyors in the storage area, as well as the needs for the goods various shipping containers (parcels) that need to be prepared, one by one at the picking station. The work of the control system is aimed at optimizing all movements of goods and containers and the time of picking shipping containers (parcels), as well as ensuring the synchronization of the arrival of a filled shipping container at a picking station and warehouse containers containing goods specified in the order list and associated with these containers.

In one embodiment, each picking station contains (the reference numbers below refer to the elements of the station indicated by reference 10a):

- the first group of conveyors for warehouse containers, formed by two horizontal sections of conveyors: one section (output section 2) for moving warehouse containers from the third subgroup 8 of conveyors to operator 1a and another section (reverse section 3) for moving them in the opposite direction; and

- the second group of conveyors for shipping containers formed by two horizontal sections of conveyors: one section (output section 4) for moving shipping containers from the third subgroup 8 of conveyors to operator 1a and another section (reverse section 5) for moving them in the opposite direction.

The output sections 2 and 4 formed by classic horizontal conveyors of the first and second groups of conveyors provide the accumulation of a certain number of containers before they are presented to the operator (or warehouse robot).

The warehouse container goes along the following route: it is loaded onto a trolley in the zone 7 for storing goods, then subsequently transported by conveyors of the first 9, second 6 and third 8 subgroups, then the output conveyor 2, after which this container is presented to the operator. After the warehouse container is delivered to the operator, it returns to its place along the return route: it is transported by conveyors of the reverse section 3, then sequentially by conveyors of the third 8, second 6 and first 9 subgroups and delivered by truck to its place in storage zone 7.

It should be noted that the storage containers must be presented to the operator in some order. The same applies to predefined shipping containers. Further, as already indicated, the flow of warehouse containers must be synchronized with the flow of shipping containers. Typically, for a given shipping container served to the operator (for example, to his left), several storage containers containing goods that need to be selected for the given shipping container will be moved in front of the operator.

In order to ease the restrictions imposed on the storage area, it is accepted that containers (storage containers or shipping containers) need not be removed from the storage area in the order in which they should approach the operator. Therefore, it is necessary between the storage area and the picking station where the operator is located to perform the operation of forming the desired sequence of containers. In the example shown in figure 1, this operation is performed on the second subgroup 6 of conveyors, which is used as a buffer: storage containers move around these conveyors in a ring, and when some storage container must arrive on the conveyors of the output section 2 (to form the desired sequence of warehouse containers arriving at the picking station), this container is transferred to the conveyors of the output section 2, and the remaining storage containers circulate along the conveyor ring of the second uppy 6. This operation is performed for each of the storage containers, which should act in a certain order on the order picking station.

In the classic version, the order of receipt of containers is determined in advance (that is, determined for each container before it arrives at the picking station) by the control system, and if necessary is determined again when routing containers from the exit from the goods storage zone to the picking station where the operator is located ( for example, to account for the malfunction of any of the elements of the system).

The surface height of the conveyor belts used in the first and second subgroups is usually 750 mm.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, the conveyor section 5 for returning warehouse containers is common for order picking stations 10a and 10b (the two neighboring stations are symmetrically relative to each other, and the common section 5 defines the axis of symmetry). This remark also applies to neighboring picking stations 10c and 10d, as well as to neighboring stations 10e and 10f. As a result, the area occupied by picking stations is reduced.

Unfortunately, such a solution that uses the classic horizontal conveyor scheme (as described with reference to Figure 1) has several drawbacks.

First of all, the described system occupies too large an area and uses little vertical space (the usual height of conveyors is 750 mm). For example, the surface area required for six such picking stations (as in Figure 1) is approximately 100 m ² .

Another disadvantage is that the classic horizontal order picking conveyors have such a density on the surface that access to them is significantly difficult for maintenance.

Another drawback of the described technical solution is that without further increasing the area occupied by picking stations (by increasing the length of the output section of the first and second groups of conveyors) it is impossible to increase the number of containers that can accumulate on the way to the operator (or warehouse warehouse) .

Another drawback of some configurations is that the large area occupied by picking stations prevents access to the carts located in the storage area for maintenance. Sometimes, for the maintenance of these carts, you have to access the rear storage area through the beam system (indicated in figure 1 by reference number 11).

Another disadvantage is the impossibility of providing optimal processing in the case when the same container must be presented to the operator several times in the same sequence of containers. For example, for two different orders, the operator must select a product from a specific storage container and place this product in the first shipping container, and then some time later, when several other storage containers pass before it, it must select another product of the same storage container and place this product into a second shipping container. In fact, in the example under consideration, a second subgroup 6 of conveyors is used to supply the aforementioned specific storage container to the output section 2 of the first group of conveyors of the picking station (for example, 10a). This is not an optimal solution, since the time interval between two consecutive arrivals of this container to the operator cannot be small, because in this case this container must be transported by conveyors of the container return section 3, then by the conveyors of the second subgroup 6 of conveyors and, finally, by the conveyors of the output section 2 In practice, if this time interval is too long, then two containers with the same goods that are necessary for picking will be called from the goods storage area two orders. Thus, the number of movements of containers from the storage area of goods will increase. That is, the efficiency of the system is reduced. Moreover, to manage this increased number of movements by warehouse automation mechanisms, it is usually necessary to increase the number of passes in the storage area (so as not to exceed the maximum capabilities provided by the lift or lifts located at the end of each passage).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention proposes a picking station under the control of a control system, comprising a first circuit, which includes a first output conveyor to which warehouse containers of goods arrive, and a first device for accumulating a certain number of warehouse containers received on the first exit conveyor. The first container storage device comprises:

at least one first shaft containing vertically movable loading places, each of which can receive and transport at least one storage container, said at least one shaft forming means for accumulating vertically and arranging in a predetermined sequence of storage containers pre-placed on loading places; and

- at least one first elevator capable of moving vertically along the at least one first shaft to the loading points specified in accordance with a predetermined sequence, allowing the supply of storage containers coming from the first output conveyor to the specified loading places of the specified at least at least one first mine.

Thus, the main idea of the present invention is to implement inside the station picking orders of vertical accumulation of warehouse containers using (at least) one structure (in the form of a mine), which also performs the function of arranging warehouse containers in a given order. The proposed solution has several advantages and advantages, in particular:

- provides a reduction in the area occupied by stations picking orders;

- improves access to the elements of the station picking orders for maintenance (reduced density of passing conveyors);

- provides an increase in the number of containers that can accumulate, without increasing the area occupied by the picking station; and

- improves access to trolleys used in the goods storage area for maintenance.

In the first embodiment, the first circuit also contains:

- first means for presenting to the operator or warehouse robot storage containers exiting said at least one first shaft;

- first means for removing containers, allowing the transfer to the specified at least one first elevator of at least some of the warehouse containers, after they have been presented to the operator or warehouse robot;

- the first return conveyor, which receives the storage containers from the first means for removing containers using the specified at least one first lift.

Thus, in this first embodiment, the storage containers are presented to the operator or the storage robot at the exit of the at least one shaft, and the at least one first lift is used at the entrance and exit of the shaft.

The picking station according to the first embodiment may also contain a second circuit, which includes:

- the second output conveyor, which receives the shipping containers;

- a second device for accumulating a certain number of shipping containers received on the second output conveyor, which contains:

- at least one second shaft containing vertically movable loading places for containers, each of which can receive and transport at least one transport container, said at least one second shaft forming means for vertical accumulation and sequential delivery shipping containers previously placed on loading places;

- at least one second elevator, providing the possibility of the arrival of shipping containers coming from the second output conveyor into said at least one second shaft;

- second means for presenting to the operator or warehouse robot the shipping containers leaving the at least one second shaft.

In other words, the above principle of storage container storage can also be applied to shipping containers.

The second circuit in the first embodiment may also contain:

- second means for removing containers, allowing the transfer to the specified at least one first lift of at least some of the shipping containers, after they have been presented to the operator or warehouse robot;

- a second return conveyor, to which transport containers come from the second means for removing containers using the specified at least one second elevator.

In a second embodiment of the invention, the first circuit also comprises stacking means enabling stacking containers that extend from said at least one first shaft onto pallets or other supporting structures.

Thus, in the second embodiment, at the exit of said at least one first shaft, stacking of containers at several levels is provided.

In a second embodiment, the order picking station may also comprise means for reading an identifier printed on a predetermined storage container exiting the first output conveyor, and the control system enables:

- assignment of one of the loading places in the specified at least one first mine in accordance with the read identifier and the specified sequence that determines the order in which the storage containers should leave the specified at least one first mine;

- management of the specified at least one first lift to ensure the installation of a given storage container at a given loading location.

Thus, the specified at least one first shaft provides the ability to change the sequence of supply of storage containers. As already indicated, as a rule, warehouse containers arrive at the picking station (that is, they are delivered from the storage area) not in the order in which they should be delivered to the operator or the container stacker. The possibilities for changing the supply sequence are determined by the number of storage containers that may be temporarily contained in the at least one mine.

In the first embodiment, the order picking station may also comprise means for reading an identifier printed on a predetermined shipping container exiting the second output conveyor, and the control system enables:

- assignment of one of the loading places in the specified at least one second shaft in accordance with the read identifier and the specified sequence that determines the order in which the shipping containers should leave the specified at least one second shaft;

- control the specified at least one second lift to ensure the installation of a given transportation container at a given loading location.

Thus, the specified at least one second shaft provides the ability to change the sequence of supply of shipping containers.

In the first embodiment, the control system provides the ability to control the specified at least one first elevator to free one of the loading places in the specified at least one shaft and to occupy the vacated space with a storage container emerging from the first means for removing containers.

Thus, the same warehouse container can be presented to the operator several times without problems. In this case, an annular container route is used passing through said at least one first shaft. Thus, it is possible to re-present one warehouse container to the operator at a short time interval (that is, there is no need to call two warehouse containers with goods of the same type from the storage area, and, accordingly, the number of movements carried out by the warehouse mechanisms is reduced, as a result of which there is no need to increase the number of passes in the storage area).

In a preferred embodiment, the order picking station comprises at least one first structure for intermediate storage of containers, comprising stationary loading places, each of which can receive at least one storage container, and the control system enables the control of said at least one first lift for temporary storage warehouse containers in this design.

Thus, said at least one first construction (hereinafter also referred to as a rack) for intermediate storage of containers allows expanding the capabilities of said at least one first shaft for intermediate storage of containers (and, accordingly, the ability to rearrange warehouse containers) and can be installed both at the entrance of this mine, and at its exit. That is, the number of consecutive representations to the operator of the same storage container can be increased.

In one embodiment, each elevator can transport at least two containers horizontally next to each other and / or stacked on top of each other. Thus, the utilization of each lift is optimized, and the throughput for transporting containers increases.

In the present embodiment, at least one shaft may interact with at least two elevators. As a result, the use of this mine will be optimized.

In another embodiment, at least one elevator may interact with at least two shafts. As a result, the use of this lift will be optimized.

In a first embodiment, said at least one first shaft and said at least one second shaft comprise at least one shared shaft, into which storage containers and shipping containers can flow.

In addition, the control system makes it possible to control the first and second means for presenting the containers in such a way that they cooperate to present the operator or the storage robot with storage containers and transport containers leaving the at least one shared mine.

Thus, the shared mine is used for both storage and shipping containers, as a result of which its use is optimized (for example, when the flow of storage containers is much larger than the flow of shipping containers or vice versa).

In one embodiment, the at least one shaft comprises two toothed belts provided with synchronized protrusions. This design is easy to manufacture, and its cost is low.

In a preferred embodiment, each conveyor (output conveyor, return conveyor) extends from above, at least two meters above the ground. Thus, the area occupied by the picking station is reduced.

In the first embodiment, the control system can be used to control the first means for presenting the containers in such a way that it forms the first carousel to move the storage containers in a circle, as a result of which the specified storage container will be presented to the operator or warehouse robot at least twice without having to repeat this a container through said at least one first shaft.

Thus, an additional opportunity is provided (in addition to the possibility of reintroducing the storage container into the at least one shaft) to present the operator with the same storage container several times. Thus, it is possible to re-present one warehouse container to the operator at a short time interval (that is, there is no need to call two warehouse containers with goods of the same type from the storage area, and, accordingly, the number of movements carried out by the warehouse mechanisms is reduced, as a result of which there is no need to increase the number of passes in the storage area).

In the first embodiment, the control system can provide the ability to control the second means for presenting the containers in such a way that it forms a second carousel for moving the transport containers in a circle, as a result of which the specified transport container will be presented to the operator or warehouse robot at least twice without having to repeat this container through the specified at least one second shaft.

Thus, the same shipping container can be presented to the operator several times.

In one of the options, the control system provides the ability to select the mode of picking orders from the group containing:

- the first mode, in which for the same transportation container presented to the operator or the warehouse robot, the first carousel provides the possibility of sequentially presenting several warehouse containers to the operator or warehouse robot;

- the second mode, in which for the same warehouse container presented to the operator or warehouse robot, the second carousel provides the possibility of sequential presentation to the operator or warehouse robot of several shipping containers;

- the third mode, in which for a given storage container and a given transportation container, the first carousel provides the ability to present the specified storage container to the operator or warehouse robot, and the second carousel allows the operator or storage robot to present the specified shipping container.

The present invention also provides a warehouse automation system comprising a storage area and at least one of the above-described order picking station (in one embodiment).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description of an illustrative non-limiting embodiment and from the accompanying drawings, which show:

- figure 1 is a top view of a well-known warehouse automation system containing a classic scheme of picking stations, in which the function of accumulating containers is performed by a group of horizontal conveyors;

- figure 2 is a top view of a warehouse automation system containing order picking stations according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

- figure 3A, 3B are perspective and top views, respectively, of one of the picking stations of the orders of figure 2 according to the first embodiment of the invention;

- figures 4A-4H - illustrations of the operation of the picking station, presented in figures 3A, 3B;

- figure 5 is a special version of the mine used in the picking station, presented in figures 3A, 3B;

- figure 6 is a diagram of the formation of carousels for the circular movement of containers inside the picking station shown in figures 3A, 3B;

- figures 7A, 7B are a full perspective view and a partial top view of a picking station according to a second embodiment of the invention;

- figures 8A, 8B are a full perspective view and a partial top view of a picking station according to a third embodiment of the invention;

- figures 9A, 9B are a partial perspective view and a partial top view of a picking station according to a fourth embodiment of the invention;

- figure 10 is a perspective view of a picking station according to a fifth embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In all the figures of the present description, the same elements and steps are indicated by the same reference numbers.

Figure 2 shows a top view of a warehouse automation system similar to the system shown in Figure 1, with the exception of order picking stations (classic stations in Figure 1 and stations in the first embodiment of Figure 2). In figure 2, as in figure 1, schematically shows the zone 7 of the storage of goods and a group of conveyors, including three subgroups indicated by reference numbers 8, 9 and 6, which provide the movement of containers from the storage area to the stations picking orders and vice versa. The picking stations of the first embodiment are indicated by reference numerals 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e and 20f. There is one operator 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e and 1f at each station, and these stations are connected to the conveyors of the third subgroup 8. The design and operation of these order picking stations are described in detail below with reference to Figures 3A, 3B and 4A-4H. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the surface area required to accommodate the six acquisition stations of the present invention is about 42 m ² . Thus, the gain in the area occupied by the picking stations of the present invention is 58% compared with the area occupied by the known stations (Figure 1).

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, to further reduce the area occupied by picking stations, a combination of some elements, for example, relating to the return of storage containers to the storage area, between two neighboring stations is used. In this embodiment, this applies to pairs (20a, 20b), (20c, 20d) and (20e, 20f)) of neighboring order picking stations. In this case, two neighboring stations of the above pairs of stations are symmetrical about the axis of symmetry passing along their common part.

As shown in figures 3A, 3B, in the first embodiment of the invention, the picking station contains two circuits: the first for storage containers, and the second for shipping containers. Synchronization and control of these two circuits is carried out by a central computer control system (not shown), which provides control of the entire warehouse automation system.

The first circuit for (for storage containers), shown on the left in figures 3A, 3B, contains:

- the output conveyor 31, which receives the warehouse containers from the zone 7 of the storage of goods;

- input support platform 32, equipped with a roller conveyor with electric drive. It receives containers from the output conveyor 31;

- an intermediate support platform 33, equipped with a roller conveyor with an electric drive. It receives storage containers from the entrance area 32;

- lift 34;

- shaft 35, into which the lift 34 delivers storage containers coming into it from an intermediate support platform 33. Figure 3A shows four storage containers 314a-314d in shaft 35;

- a receiving support platform 36, equipped with a roller conveyor with an electric drive, combined with a vertical transportation system, which can be independent or uses the technical means of the mine 35. Storage containers from the mine 35 are supplied to it. Figure 3A shows that the receiving supporting platform 36 is located warehouse container 314e;

- an intermediate support platform 37, equipped with a roller conveyor with electric drive. It receives storage containers from the receiving base platform 36;

- a support platform 38 for presenting the container to the operator, equipped with a roller conveyor with an electric drive combined with a horizontal transportation system for transferring the container to the intermediate support platform 39 for removing containers. It receives storage containers from an intermediate support platform 37 for presentation to the operator (in figure 3A, on the base 38 there is a storage container 314f). It may have a conveyor surface height of 750 mm;

- an intermediate support platform 39 for removing containers, equipped with a roller conveyor with electric drive. It receives warehouse containers from the reference platform 38, used to present the containers to the operator;

- a support platform 310 for removing containers, equipped with a roller conveyor with an electric drive. It receives storage containers from an intermediate reference platform 39;

- an intermediate support platform 311, equipped with a roller conveyor with an electric drive. The elevator 34 feeds storage containers onto it from a support platform 310 to remove containers;

- output support platform 312, equipped with a roller conveyor with electric drive. It receives storage containers from an intermediate reference platform 311;

- a return conveyor 313, to which containers are supplied from the output support platform 312 for their return to the zone 7 of the storage of goods.

The elevator 34, providing the movement of containers vertically, can, for example, be equipped with a roller conveyor with an electric drive, providing movement of the containers horizontally to place them in the right place of the mine.

Mine 35 is a device for accumulating vertically storage containers and arranging them in the desired sequence. In the embodiment shown in figures 3A and 3B, the mine contains movable places (cells) for receiving storage containers and moving them down. One of the options for such a shaft is described below with reference to figure 5.

The second circuit (for shipping containers) is shown in figures 3A, 3B on the right.

In the example under consideration, the second circuit is symmetrical to the first circuit, with the output conveyor 31 and the return conveyor 313 being shared between the first and second circuits.

In one alternative, the output conveyor and the return conveyor can be duplicated to increase the flow of containers. In this case, the first circuit (for storage containers) and the second circuit (for shipping containers) will use different output and return conveyors.

In the considered embodiment (Figures 3A, 3B), the second circuit in addition to the output conveyor 31 and the return conveyor 313 contains the following components: inlet support platform 32 ', intermediate support platform 33', elevator 34 ', shaft 35' (figure 3A shows that there are no containers in the shaft 35 '), a receiving support platform 36', an intermediate supporting platform 37 ', a supporting platform 38' for presenting containers to the operator (Figure 3A shows that the transport container 315 is located on the supporting platform 38 'of the second circuit), intermediate reference pl schadku 39 ', support surface 310' for removing the containers, an intermediate support surface 311 'and a downstream support surface 312'. These elements of the second circuit are not described in detail, since they are similar to the corresponding elements of the first circuit, except that the elements of the second circuit are used for shipping containers instead of storage containers in the first circuit.

The supporting platform 38 for presenting containers to the operator may be further provided with a weight control system that enables the operator to verify the correct selection of goods (and their quantity) from storage containers entering the supporting platform 38. Similarly, the supporting platform 38 'for presenting containers to the operator may be It is additionally equipped with a weight control system that allows the operator to verify the correct loading of goods (and their quantity) into shipping containers to the reference platform 38.

In the first embodiment, shown in figures 3A and 3B, two circuits (one for storage containers and the other for shipping containers) are symmetrical to each other, and each circuit contains one lift, designed for one load (that is, one container) and one mine. Other options may be proposed without departing from the scope of the present invention. They can be specifically targeted at:

- application of the invention in one circuit (that is, only for storage containers or only for shipping containers). In this case, another circuit is performed according to the classical scheme;

- the use of two (or more) mines for one of the circuits. Thus, the number of intermediate places and, accordingly, the number of containers that can be accumulated before being presented to the operator can be increased;

- ensuring the interaction of two (or more) lifts with one shaft in a given circuit. Thus, the intensity of the input / output containers for this mine.

- ensuring the interaction of two (or more) shafts with one lift, and the shafts can be part of the same circuit or different circuits. Thus, the number of elevators picking station is reduced.

- the use of (at least) one shaft common to both circuits (that is, both storage and shipping containers will pass through this shaft). As a result, the use of this mine will be optimized. Returning to the example shown in Figures 3A, 3B, it can be noted that if the second circuit shaft 35 ′ is also used for storage containers, the intermediate second reference platform 37 ′ located in front of the container presentation to the operator is provided, for example, with a transport system for horizontal movement in the direction of the intermediate reference platform 37 of the primary circuit, so that the control system can present to the operator (on the reference platform 38 of the primary circuit) a storage container fed along the shaft 35 'in of the circuit. Similarly, the primary loop shaft 35 may also be used to accumulate shipping containers;

- the use of at least one lift capable of simultaneously moving several containers. Thus, the number of movements of the lift is reduced. For example, several containers may be located horizontally side by side (a lift on one level) and / or several containers may be located vertically side by side (a lift on several levels);

- adaptation of the number of loading places vertically in each mine to the number of containers that must be accumulated before the sequential presentation to the operator;

- adaptation of the number of containers that can be placed at each loading place of the mine.

In figures 4A-4H illustrates the operation of the picking station, presented in figures 3A, 3B. More specifically, the following is a description of the operation of the first circuit (for storage containers) for the route that the storage container 40 passes. The operation of the second circuit (for shipping containers) is not described in detail since it works similarly to the first circuit (these two circuits are symmetrical to each other and contain identical components).

4A, the container 40 is shown on a hoist 34, which is opposite the intermediate support platform 33. It is assumed that the container 40 is first delivered by the output conveyor 31 from the storage area 7 to the input support platform 32 and then to the intermediate support platform 33, which is adjacent to the entrance area 32.

Figure 4B shows that the lift 34 has lowered and is opposite the free space in the shaft 35 (in this case, this is the fifth place, counting from the bottom, and the four lowest places are occupied by containers 41-44). Management of the use of loading places in the mine 35 is carried out by a control system. For example, the input supporting platform 32 (or the intermediate supporting platform 33 located after it) is equipped with an identifier reading system available on the storage container located on this platform (received from the output conveyor 31). After receiving the identifier from the reading system, the control system selects one of the free loading places in the shaft 35 in accordance with the read identifier and a given sequence that determines the order in which the storage containers should leave the shaft 35.

Then, the control system controls the elevator 34 to ensure the installation of the storage container at a predetermined loading location.

Figure 4C shows that a container 40 is loaded into the shaft 35 (on an empty seat, fifth, if counted from below).

Figure 4D shows that the container 40 is unloaded from the shaft 35 and is located on the receiving support platform 36. All this is done in five stages: in the first four stages, the container 40 passes in the shaft 35 from the fifth position to the first position (if you count from the bottom), and then in the fifth stage, the container 40 is unloaded from the shaft 35 and installed on the receiving support platform 36.

4E, the container 40 is shown located on a support platform 38 for presenting the container to the operator. On the supporting platform 38, the container enters from the intermediate supporting platform 37.

As shown in FIG. 4F, the container 40 is located on the lift 34. Before that, it passes through the intermediate support platform 39 and the support platform 310 to remove the containers.

After this, two situations are possible, shown in figures 4G and 4H.

Figure 4G (case of sequence reorganization) shows that the container 40 is located on the elevator 34, which is located opposite the free loading place in the shaft 35, so that the container 40 moves to this place (in this example, this is again fifth in terms of bottom). The use of loading places in the mine 35 is controlled by a control system that enables the container to be moved from a specific location in the mine to another location to change the location of the container in sequence after it is presented to the operator.

In figure 4H (the case of the return of the container to the storage area 7), the container 40 is located on the elevator 34 opposite the intermediate supporting platform 311, so that the container 40 can be unloaded to this platform 311 and then moved to the output supporting platform 312 with the subsequent return to the storage area with using the return pipeline 313.

The figure 5 presents a schematic view of one of the options for the mine indicated by reference number 35 in figures 3A, 3B, which is part of the station picking orders. The shaft 35 contains two gear belts 51, 52 with protrusions 53, which rotate simultaneously in the direction of the arrows 55 and 56, respectively. Mine 35 also includes a mechanism 54 for synchronizing the protrusions 53 of both belts. At the stage of lowering the protrusions, each pair of protrusions opposite each other on different belts forms a loading place for the container in the shaft 35. These places for containers can move from top to bottom in the shaft, for example, in steps of 500 mm. A container 57 or 58, coming from the lift 34, can be placed at the loading place. When these containers reach the bottom of the shaft 35, the pair of pins forming the loading place diverges, freeing the container that was on them and unloading it on the receiving support platform 36.

Other mine options may be proposed without departing from the scope of the present invention. A special system for moving vertically rigid boxes can be provided, each of which corresponds to one loading place in the mine.

In one of the options shown in figure 6, inside the order picking station (figure 3A, 3B) for the circular movement of containers using the carousel.

To implement the first carousel, which ensures the circular movement of warehouse containers, the control system transmits the appropriate commands to the mechanisms for moving containers (roller conveyors with electric drive and, possibly, horizontal transportation systems), which are equipped with the following components of the primary circuit (for warehouse containers): intermediate supporting platform (in figure 6 it is closed by a container 60) in front of the platform 38 for presenting containers to the operator, platform 38 for presenting containers to the operator, prom diate support platform 39 and support platform 310 for removing containers. The first carousel may allow the circular movement of storage containers in the direction of arrow 61. In another embodiment, the circular movement may be in the opposite direction. In another embodiment, both directions of circular motion are used. The first carousel makes it possible to repeatedly present to the operator (or warehouse robot) one storage container 60 without having to re-pass this container through the shaft 35.

To implement the second carousel for the circular movement of shipping containers, the control system transmits the appropriate commands to the container handling mechanisms (electric roller conveyors and, possibly, horizontal transportation systems), which are equipped with the following components of the secondary circuit (for shipping containers): intermediate support platform 37 ' in front of the platform 38 'presentation of containers to the operator, a support platform 38', an intermediate support platform 39 'and a support platform 310' for Alenia containers. This second carousel may allow the circular movement of the shipping containers in the direction of arrow 62. In another embodiment, the circular movement may be in the opposite direction. In another embodiment, both directions of circular motion are used. The second carousel allows the operator (or warehouse robot) to repeatedly be presented with one transport container 63 without having to re-pass this container through the shaft 35 '.

Depending on the use (or non-use) of the control system of the first and second roundabouts, various modes of operation of the picking station are possible, in particular one of the "one-one" modes in which the warehouse and transportation containers are simultaneously presented to the operator:

- the first mode, in which for a given transportation container presented to the operator, the first carousel provides the possibility of sequentially presenting several storage containers (that is, storage containers containing goods to be taken in front of the operator pass sequentially). For example, for each item in the list of orders associated with the presented shipping container, a storage container is presented;

- the second mode, in which for a given storage container presented to the operator, the second carousel provides the possibility of sequentially presenting several shipping containers (that is, shipping containers are placed in front of the operator in which the selected goods should be placed). For example, when a given warehouse container is located in front of the operator, several shipping containers are presented to him in sequence, each of which is associated with a list of orders that contain a position related to the type of goods in a given warehouse container;

- the third mode, in which for a given storage container and a given transportation container, the first carousel allows the operator to supply the specified storage container (by moving around the storage containers), and the second carousel allows the operator to supply the specified shipping container (by moving around the shipping containers) .

Typically, an order book contains many lists of orders, each of which refers to one shipping container. Each order item contains:

- order number (corresponding to the list to which this item belongs, and accordingly to the shipping container);

- reference number (corresponding to a warehouse container containing the desired type of goods); and

- quantity (the corresponding number of goods of the desired type, which must be selected).

To ensure the first mode, the control system reorganizes the positions of the order book, which consists in the first stage in sorting the positions by order number. Thus, after the reorganization, all items with the same number will follow one after another (that is, it will be possible to move around the circle of storage containers for one shipping container). The reorganization may additionally contain a second stage, in which, preserving the grouping by order number, two items having different order numbers but the same reference number are placed one after the other (as a result, the number of movements of warehouse containers decreases).

Table A below shows an example of an order book after the first stage of reorganization to ensure the implementation of the first regime.

Table a

Position number Reference number Order number amount 21 12 8 2 twenty 12 7 one 19 four 7 5 eighteen one 6 four 17 four 6 four 16 5 6 5 fifteen 9 6 5 fourteen 13 6 one 13 13 5 four 12 one 5 four eleven 6 5 5 10 eleven 5 one 9 5 5 5 8 2 four one 7 5 four 3 6 8 four 5 5 fifteen 3 four four fourteen 3 3 3 7 2 one 2 one 2 one one eleven one 3

Table B below shows an example of an order book after the second stage of reorganization to ensure the implementation of the first regime (there are no entries in the "Number" column).

Table B

Position number Reference number Order number amount 21 12 8 19 12 7 twenty four 7 17 four 6 eighteen one 6 16 5 6 fourteen 9 6 fifteen 13 6 13 13 5 eleven 6 5 10 eleven 5 9 5 5 12 one 5 2 one 2 3 7 2 7 5 four 8 2 four 6 8 four 5 fifteen 3 four fourteen 3 one eleven one

To provide the second method, the control system reorganizes the items in the order book, in which these items are sorted by reference number, since the task is to bypass the shipping containers for one warehouse container). Thus, after the reorganization, all positions with the same reference number will go one after another in the list.

Table C below shows an example of an order book after a reorganization to ensure the implementation of the second regime (there are no entries in the "Number" column).

Table C

Position number Reference number Order number amount eighteen one 2 12 one 5 2 one 6 8 2 four 19 four 6 17 four 7 16 5 four 9 5 5 7 5 6 eleven 6 5 3 7 2 6 8 four fifteen 9 6 10 eleven one one eleven 5 21 12 7 twenty 12 8 fourteen 13 5 13 13 6 four fourteen 3 5 fifteen 3

In addition, it may be possible to switch the order picking system by the control system. The above description can be extended to the case in which the operator is replaced by a warehouse robot.

Figures 7A and 7B show a picking station according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7A is a full view showing the first and second contours (one, on the left, for storage containers, and another, on the right, for shipping containers). Figure 7B is a partial view showing only the first contour (left). This second option differs from the first option (figures 3A, 3B) only in that:

- each circuit also contains two structures (racks) for intermediate storage, which are indicated by the reference numbers 71 and 72 for the first circuit and 71 'and 72' for the second circuit and which contain stationary storage places designed for one warehouse container; and

- the control system provides the ability to control the lift 34 for temporary storage of warehouse containers in these structures of intermediate storage.

Each rack provides the ability to withstand containers that may be needed to complete orders in the near future. The stand may be provided with rollers connected by a belt. The elevator 34 is equipped with a sliding system of the friction drive. When installing a container on a rack or removing a container from it, the elevator drive system acts on the rack rollers connected by a belt. In one embodiment, each loading place of the rack is equipped with a roller conveyor with an electric drive, which is controlled by the control system when installing the container on the rack or removing the container from it. The number of racks and their height is selected in accordance with the needs in places for intermediate storage.

Various modifications of this second embodiment may be proposed without departing from the scope of the present invention. Only one rack can be used or the number of racks can be more than two.

Figures 8A and 8B show a picking station according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8A is a full view showing the first and second contours (one, on the left, for storage containers, and another, on the right, for shipping containers). Figure 8B is a partial view showing only the first contour (left). This third option differs from the second option shown in Figures 7A and 7B only in that each circuit contains shafts 81, 82 and 81 ', 82', and the lifts 84 and 84 'have double cargo platforms. Such lifts are used to transport two containers 80a, 80b horizontally adjacent to each other. Each of these two containers can be fed into one of two shafts.

Figures 9A and 9B show a picking station according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Figures 9A and 9B are partial views showing only the first contour (left). This fourth option differs from the third option shown in Figures 8A and 8B only in that each circuit contains only one shaft 91. The elevator 84 has double cargo platforms and is used to transport two containers 80a, 80b horizontally next to each other with a friend. Only from one of the two loading places on the platform of the elevator can the container be delivered to the shaft 91. The elevator is equipped with a roller conveyor with an electric drive to move the container from one of two positions to the second, from which the container can be fed to the loading place in the shaft.

Figure 10 shows a view of a picking station according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, in which multi-level stacking is possible (i.e., the possibility of installing storage containers on a pallet or other supporting structure at one or more levels). Unlike other options already considered, in this case there are no operations to extract goods from warehouse containers. In this case, the storage containers together with the goods in them are installed on a pallet without opening these containers.

The first circuit (for storage containers) contains:

- two output conveyors 101, 102, which receives warehouse containers from zone 7 of the storage of goods;

- four input supporting platforms (of which only two platforms 103 and 104 are visible, and the other two are hidden by shafts), each of which is equipped with a roller conveyor with an electric drive and on each of which containers coming from one of the output conveyors (two input supporting platforms to each output conveyor);

- four intermediate supporting platforms (of which only two platforms 107 and 108 are visible, and the other two are hidden by shafts), each of which is equipped with a roller conveyor with an electric drive and for each of which storage containers come from one of the four entrance supporting platforms;

- two lifts 111, 112 with double platforms for cargo, providing the possibility of transporting two containers 11 3A, 113b, located horizontally next to each other;

- four vertical shafts 114-117, each of which receives storage containers from one of the loading places of one of the elevators.

In this embodiment, the storage containers are fed into the shafts 114 and 115 by the hoist 111, and the shafts 116 and 117 are fed by the hoist 112 to the shafts 116 and. Each mine is a device for the vertical accumulation of storage containers and their location in the desired sequence.

The second circuit (for pallets) contains:

- a loading support platform 119, containing a support for pallets, equipped with a lifting table (for lowering the pallet 118 before loading a new level of storage containers), electric rollers (for moving an empty pallet to the support and removing the pallet after loading), as well as a guide system for leveling (to ensure the final level size of the storage containers loaded on the pallet, that is, to eliminate the gaps between the containers to ensure the normal processing of the pallet);

- a loading mechanism (not shown) providing the ability to load empty pallets onto loading support platform 119. Empty pallets can be fed using a conveyor system for accumulating pallets, providing the ability to maintain a stock of empty pallets;

- an unloading mechanism (not shown) used to unload the loaded pallets from the loading support platform 119. For example, after filling the pallet, it is removed using a conveyor to remove the filled pallets and move them to another area from which they can be shipped to the recipient.

For example, in the case of a pallet of standard sizes 800 × 1200 mm, the picking station shown in Figure 10 provides the ability to load (simultaneously or at different points in time) four storage containers with dimensions of 600 × 400 mm coming from four mines 114-117.

In one embodiment, the pallet may also have standard dimensions of 800 × 1200 mm, and storage containers have dimensions of 300 × 400 mm. Each mine provides space for the simultaneous loading of two adjacent containers (their total dimensions are 600 × 400 mm). Each lift has a lifting platform for four seats and provides transportation of four adjacent storage containers. Thus, in the considered embodiment, the picking station provides the possibility of loading (simultaneously or at different points in time) on one level of eight warehouse containers leaving groups of 2 × 2 from each of the four mines.

Other variations of a pallet picking station may be proposed without departing from the scope of the present invention. In particular, different modifications of the considered option can be used with a different number of shafts, hoists, containers that can be installed at one loading place of the mine, as well as with a different number of containers that can be transported simultaneously by each hoist, etc.

Claims (17)

1. Installation with a picking station under the control of a control system containing a first circuit, which includes the first output conveyor (31), which receives storage containers with goods, and the first device for accumulating a certain number of warehouse containers received on the first output conveyor wherein the first storage container storage device comprises:
- at least one first shaft containing vertically movable loading places, each of which can receive and transport at least one storage container, said at least one first shaft forming means for vertical accumulation and arrangement in a predetermined sequence warehouse containers previously placed on loading places; and
- at least one first lift capable of moving vertically along the at least one first shaft (35) to each of the loading places of this shaft, moreover
the order picking station also contains means for reading the identifier deposited on a given storage container coming out of the first output conveyor, and the control system provides the ability to:
- assignment of one of the loading places in the specified at least one first mine in accordance with the read identifier and the specified sequence that determines the order in which the storage containers should leave this mine and
- management of the specified at least one first lift to ensure the installation of a given storage container at a given loading location. 2. Installation according to claim 1, in which the first circuit also contains:
- first means for presenting to the operator or warehouse robot storage containers exiting said at least one first shaft;
- first means for removing containers, allowing the transfer to the specified at least one first elevator of at least some of the warehouse containers, after they have been presented to the operator or warehouse robot;
- the first return conveyor, which receives the storage containers from the first means for removing containers using the specified at least one first lift. 3. The installation according to claim 2, in which the picking station contains a second circuit, which includes:
- the second output conveyor, which receives the shipping containers into which the goods must be loaded;
- a second device for accumulating a certain number of shipping containers received on the second output conveyor, which contains:
- at least one second shaft containing vertically movable loading places for containers, each of which can receive and transport at least one transport container, said at least one second shaft forming means for vertical accumulation and sequential delivery shipping containers previously placed on loading places;
- at least one second elevator capable of moving vertically along the specified at least one second shaft to each of the loading places of this shaft,
- second means for presenting to the operator or warehouse robot the shipping containers leaving the at least one second shaft,
the order picking station also contains means for reading the identifier deposited on a given storage container exiting the second output conveyor, and the control system provides the ability to:
- assignment of one of the loading places in the specified at least one second mine in accordance with the read identifier and the specified sequence that determines the order in which the storage containers should leave this mine;
- control of the specified at least one second lift to ensure the installation of a given storage container at a given loading location. 4. The installation according to claim 3, in which the second circuit also contains:
- second means for removing containers, allowing the transfer to the specified at least one second elevator of at least some of the shipping containers after they have been presented to the operator or warehouse robot;
- a second return conveyor, to which transport containers come from the second means for removing containers using the specified at least one second elevator. 5. Installation according to claim 1, in which the first circuit also contains stacking means (119), which makes it possible to stack storage containers on pallets or other supporting structures emerging from said at least one first shaft. 6. The installation according to claim 2, in which the order picking station provides the ability to control the specified at least one first elevator to free one of the loading places in the specified at least one first shaft and to occupy the vacated space with a storage container leaving the first means for container removal. 7. The installation according to claim 1, in which the order picking station contains at least one first structure for intermediate storage of containers, containing stationary loading places, each of which can receive at least one warehouse container, and the control system provides the ability to control the specified at least one first elevator for temporary storage of storage containers in this structure. 8. Installation according to claim 1, in which each hoist can transport at least two containers located next to each other horizontally and / or mounted on top of each other. 9. The installation according to claim 1, in which at least one shaft can interact with at least two lifts. 10. Installation according to claim 1, in which at least one lift can interact with at least two shafts. 11. Installation according to claim 3, characterized in that said at least one first shaft and said at least one second shaft contain at least one shared shaft into which storage containers and shipping containers arrive, and that the control system provides controlling the first and second means for presenting the containers in such a way that they interact to present the storage containers and shipping containers leaving the indicated container to the operator or warehouse robot th at least one shared mine. 12. Installation according to claim 1, in which at least one shaft contains two toothed belts provided with synchronized protrusions. 13. Installation according to claim 1, in which each conveyor (31, 313) passes at the top, at a height of at least two meters from the ground. 14. The installation according to claim 2, in which the control system can be used to control the first means for presenting containers in such a way that it forms a first carousel for moving warehouse containers in a circle, as a result of which a given warehouse container can be presented to an operator or warehouse robot at least at least twice without the need to re-pass this container through the specified at least one first shaft. 15. The installation according to claim 3, in which the control system can be used to control the second means for presenting the containers in such a way that it forms a second carousel for moving the transport containers in a circle, as a result of which the specified transport container can be presented to the operator or warehouse robot at least at least twice without the need to re-pass this container through the specified at least one second shaft. 16. The installation according to 14 or 15, in which the control system provides the ability to select the mode of picking orders from the group containing:
- the first mode, in which for the same transportation container presented to the operator or the warehouse robot, the first carousel provides the possibility of sequentially presenting several warehouse containers to the operator or warehouse robot;
- the second mode, in which for the same warehouse container presented to the operator or warehouse robot, the second carousel provides the possibility of sequential presentation to the operator or warehouse robot of several shipping containers;
- the third mode, in which for a given storage container and a given transportation container, the first carousel provides the ability to present the specified storage container to the operator or warehouse robot, and the second carousel provides the ability to present the specified transportation container to the operator or storage robot. 17. A warehouse automation system comprising a storage area and at least one installation according to any one of claims 1-16.

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