SE468088B

SE468088B - Stock-handling process and plant for realizing the process

Info

Publication number: SE468088B
Application number: SE9102958A
Authority: SE
Inventors: S Larsson
Original assignee: Rema Control Ab
Priority date: 1991-10-11
Filing date: 1991-10-11
Publication date: 1992-11-02
Also published as: SE9102958L; FI924372A; FI101874B; FI101874B1; SE9102958D0; FI924372A0

Abstract

In a process and a plant for the stock-handling of mutually differing products 13A transported on a truck 11A from a place of origin 10 to a storage location, the entire store region 30 is covered by a wireless-working positioning system and each truck is provided with a sensor 14A for detecting the load caused by the product and the change therein, as well as with a transmitter 19A. When a reduction in load arises as the result of the product having been unloaded at the storage location, a signal indicating the position of the truck determined by the positioning system is transmitted to a database system 17 equipped with a receiver 17A. In the database system, this information is put together with information which has also been inputted and which identifies the product, so that when the product identification is subsequently called up, the storage location is given in reply. <IMAGE>

Description

468 088 2 lagret där de lossas på en fri lagringsplats, eventuellt även i skikt ovanpå varandra. Paketspecifikationen lämnas i en kopia till försäljningsavdelningen, eventuellt inmatas via en datalänk direkt i databassystemet. 468 088 2 the bearing where they are unloaded in a free storage place, possibly also in layers on top of each other. The package specification is provided in a copy to the sales department, possibly entered via a data link directly in the database system.

När en beställning inkommer, letar man upp det paket som motsvarar kundens önskemål, och det hämtas med en truck och lastas på en godsvagn e.d. För att härvid återfinna ett visst, av databasen angivet paket, måste paketet antingen "manuellt" letas fram bland ett ibland stort antal andra paket, eller relativt stora lagerutrymmen måste stå till förfogande, sä att alla paket med en viss specifikation kan lagras inom ett visst område.When an order arrives, you look for the package that corresponds to the customer's wishes, and it is picked up by a truck and loaded on a freight wagon or similar. In order to find a certain package specified by the database, the package must either be "manually" searched among a sometimes large number of other packages, or relatively large storage spaces must be available, so that all packages with a certain specification can be stored within a certain area.

Föreliggande uppfinning har till uppgift att åstadkomma ett förfarande och en anläggning för lagerförvaring av pà en truck från uppkomststället till lagringsplatsen transporterade sinsemellan olika produkter sä, att de snabbt kan hittas utan att det erforderliga lagerutrymmet behöver vara så stort som vid nämnda lagring områdesvis.The object of the present invention is to provide a method and a plant for storage storage of various products transported on a truck from the place of origin to the storage site so that they can be found quickly without the required storage space having to be as large as in said storage area.

Uppfinningen kännetecknas av de särdrag som framgår av bifogade patentkrav.The invention is characterized by the features which appear from the appended claims.

När i en enligt uppfinningen inrättad anläggning inkom- mer en beställning på en viss produkt (t.ex. ett virkespaket med en viss specifikation), får truckföraren som skall hämta produk- ten i lagret en exakt information från databassystemet om var i lagret produkten finns, och om flera olika produkter skall häm- tas, så kan de tas i rätt ordning.When an order for a specific product (eg a timber package with a specific specification) arrives at a facility set up according to the invention, the truck driver who is to pick up the product in the warehouse receives exact information from the database system about where the product is in the warehouse. , and if several different products are to be picked up, they can be taken in the correct order.

Uppgiften som identifierar en viss produkt kan utgöras av uppgiften om uppkomsstället, d.v.s. pàlastningsstället posi- tion, när färdigprodukterna av olika slag har var sitt uppkomst- ställe, och motsvarande signal (med signal menas i föreliggande beskrivning och i närslutna patentkrav "trådlös överföring av c- uppgift") kan då utlösas resp avges helt automatiskt.The information that identifies a particular product may consist of the information about the place of origin, i.e. the loading point position, when the finished products of different types have their own point of origin, and the corresponding signal (by signal is meant in the present description and in related claims "wireless transmission of c-task") can then be triggered or emitted completely automatically.

Identifikationssignalen kan annars utlösas manuellt. t.ex. genom inknappning av en identifieringskod (t ex ovan nämnd: paketnummer), eller "halvmanuellt", t.ex. genom avläsning av streckkoden.The identification signal can otherwise be triggered manually. for example by entering an identification code (eg above mentioned: package number), or "semi-manually", e.g. by reading the barcode.

Vid avhämtningen på lagringsplatsen för leverans kan automatiskt kontrolleras att rätt produkt har hämtats på så sätt, att vid den belastningsökning, som förorsakas såväl av den första v! 4eQ ﬂs° k: U 3 pàlastningen på lagringsplatsen, som av den andra pálastningen pá lagringsplatsen utsändes till databassystemet även produktens vikt, och vid den andra pálastningen jämförs bàda värden och en larmsignal utlöses om fel produkt hämtades och/eller hämtningen skedde pà fel lagringsplats. Hänsyn bör härvid givetvis tas till normala viktförändringar (uttorkning under lagringstiden).When picking up at the storage location for delivery, it can be automatically checked that the correct product has been picked up in such a way that during the load increase, which is caused both by the first v! 4eQ ° s ° k: U 3 the load at the storage site, which of the second load at the storage site was sent to the database system also the weight of the product, and at the second load both values are compared and an alarm signal is triggered if the wrong product was retrieved and / or retrieved at the wrong storage location. This should of course be taken into account in normal weight changes (dehydration during the storage period).

I sàgverksdriften jämförs paketets vikt vid den andra pálastningen med den i paketspecifikationen upptagna vikten.In the sawmill operation, the weight of the package at the second loading is compared with the weight included in the package specification.

Trucken resp belastningsavkännaren är då anordnad att ej endast ange "pàlastning" - "lossning", utan vid pálastningen även "hur mycket", d.v.s. produktens vikt, och sändaren, mottaga- ren och databassystemet är anordnade att även överföra och lagra även denna viktuppgift.The truck or load sensor is then arranged to indicate not only "loading" - "unloading", but at the loading also "how much", i.e. the weight of the product, and the transmitter, receiver and database system are arranged to also transmit and store this weight data as well.

Identifikationssignalen kan också utsändas när paket i lagret flyttas om, t.ex. för att få tillgång till andra paket.The identification signal can also be transmitted when packages in the warehouse are moved, e.g. to access other packages.

Positioneringssystem medgivande att bestämma truckarnas läge med en precision, som med god marginal är tillräcklig för föreliggande uppfinning, är kända och finns på marknaden. T.ex. kan ett system med ett antal "radiofyrar" (eller IR-strålningen utsändande fyrar) användas, som placeras ut inom lagerutrymmena.Positioning systems allowing to determine the position of the trucks with a precision which by a good margin is sufficient for the present invention are known and available on the market. For example. For example, a system with a number of "radio beacons" (or IR radiation emitting beacons) can be used, which are placed within the storage spaces.

Ett annat av bolaget GP&C International Systems AB framställt och för föreliggande ändamål användbart positioneringssystem arbetar med hjälp av geostationära satelliter.Another positioning system manufactured by the company GP&C International Systems AB and useful for the present purpose works with the help of geostationary satellites.

Uppfinningen kommer nu att förklaras närmare med hjälp av ett utföringsexempel enligt bifogad schematisk ritning.The invention will now be explained in more detail with the aid of an exemplary embodiment according to the accompanying schematic drawing.

Vid ett första uppkomstställe 10, d.v.s. utmatningsan- den av en rullbana eller en transportör, finns färdigprodukterna, i det visade exemplet virkespaket 13A, l3B, i en kö för avhant- ning av en gaffeltruck 11A med en gaffel ll'A.At a first point of origin 10, i.e. discharge spirits of a roller conveyor or a conveyor, the finished products are, in the example shown, timber packages 13A, 13B, in a queue for handling a forklift truck 11A with a fork 11'A.

I Till varje paket 13 hör ett antal data, paketspecifika- tionen, och paketspecifikationerna är i en motsvarande kö lagram i ett styrsystem 12 av vilket styrs den verksamhet, som resulte- rar i färdigprodukterna, och i vilket inmatats motsvarande styr- signaler S.To each packet 13 belongs a number of data, the packet specification, and the packet specifications are in a corresponding queue layer in a control system 12 by which the activity resulting in the finished products is controlled, and in which corresponding control signals S are input.

Trucken 11A är utrustad med dels en lastavkännare 14A som anger ökning och minskning av den belastning som inverkar pá gaffeln ll'A, och dels ett datasystem 15A, en mottagare 18A av signaler fràn ett antal geostationära satelliter som 16 vilka 468 oss 4 ingår i ett positioneringssystem, en sändare 19A och, i förekom- mande fall, en avkännare 21A av lastgaffelns 11'A höjdlâge.The truck 11A is equipped with a load sensor 14A which indicates an increase and decrease of the load acting on the fork 11A, and a computer system 15A, a receiver 18A of signals from a number of geostationary satellites such as 16 which 468 us 4 are included in a positioning system, a transmitter 19A and, where applicable, a sensor 21A of the height position of the load fork 11'A.

Lastavkännaren kan eventuellt vara anordnad att ange storleken av belastningsökningen, d.v.s. vikten av den pálastade produkten, och trucken kan vidare vara försedd med ett brytardon 22A med vilket man kan avbryta utsändning av signaler genom sän- daren 19A. Brytardonet kan vara t.ex. en mekanisk arretering av det slag som används i vågor och som sätter lastavkännaren 14A ur spel, eller en elektrisk brytare som slår av sändaren 19A.The load sensor may optionally be arranged to indicate the magnitude of the load increase, i.e. the weight of the product loaded, and the truck may further be provided with a switching device 22A with which the transmission of signals through the transmitter 19A can be interrupted. The switch device can be e.g. a mechanical detent of the kind used in waves which puts the load sensor 14A out of action, or an electrical switch which turns off the transmitter 19A.

Syftet med brytardonet är att trucken skall kunna an- vändas även för andra ändamål utan att härvid utsända några sig- naler.The purpose of the switchgear is that the truck can also be used for other purposes without transmitting any signals.

När paketet 13A lastats på trucken 11A, alstrar lastav- kännaren 14A en puls som tillförs truckens datasystem 15A och av sändaren 19A utsänds en signal som antingen anger endast att en belastningsökning har skett, eller även hur stor den är (viktan- givelse), och som vidare innefattar den via mottagaren 18A inkom- .na informationen om truckens läge (i vilket av flera förefintliga uppkomsställena trucken befinner sig). Denna signal mottages av en mottagare 17A som är ansluten till ett databassystem 17.When the package 13A is loaded on the truck 11A, the load sensor 14A generates a pulse which is applied to the truck's computer system 15A and by the transmitter 19A a signal is emitted which either indicates only that an increase in load has taken place, or even how large it is (weight indication), and which further includes the information received via the receiver 18A about the position of the truck (in which of several existing points of origin the truck is located). This signal is received by a receiver 17A connected to a database system 17.

I databassystemet 17 föranleder den mottagna signalen att en förfrågan efter till ifrågavarande pakets hörande paket- data sändes till styrsystemet 12, vilket dels svarar med de data P (i förekommande fall inkl vikt) som finns däri på samma köplats som det pàlastade paketet 13A har i uppkomsstället 10 är, och kvitterar dessa paketdata i sin paketkö.In the database system 17, the received signal causes a request for the packet data belonging to the packet in question to be sent to the control system 12, which partly corresponds to the data P (if applicable including weight) contained therein in the same queue place as the loaded packet 13A. origin 10 is, and acknowledges this packet data in its packet queue.

Alternativt kan vid pálastningen på uppkomststället produkten identifieras endast genom att uppkcmstställets position utsändes (pá samma sätt som det senare kommer att beskrivas för lossningen), eller genom att en identifieringsuppgift utsändes som åstadkommits genom inknappning av en kod eller avläsning av en streckkod. Identifiering genom inknappning eller avläsning kan också åstadkommas senare än vid pålastningen, dock senast vid lossningen.Alternatively, during loading at the place of origin, the product can be identified only by transmitting the position of the place of origin (in the same way as will be described later for the unloading), or by transmitting an identification task accomplished by entering a code or reading a bar code. Identification by keying in or reading can also be achieved later than during loading, but no later than during unloading.

I databassystemt 17 finns nu paketets 13A alla data P tillsammans med informationen om att paketet har hämtats av truc- ken 11A.The database system 17 now contains all the data P of the package 13A together with the information that the package has been retrieved by the truck 11A.

Databassystemet 17 kan vara anordnat att sända informa- 'a 5 4-”8 888 tion tillbacka till trucken 11A om lämplig lagerplats i lagret 30 för paketet 13A. I detta syfte är databassystemet 17 försett med, resp anslutet till en sändare 17B, truckens mottagare 18A är an- ordnad att motta signaler även fràn denna sändare 17B, och truc- ken är försedd med ett indikerings- eller displayorgan 20A för visning av den mottagna informationen.The database system 17 may be arranged to send information back to the truck 11A about suitable storage space in the warehouse 30 for the package 13A. For this purpose, the database system 17 is provided with or connected to a transmitter 17B, the receiver of the truck 18A is arranged to receive signals also from this transmitter 17B, and the truck is provided with an indicating or display means 20A for displaying the received the information.

När trucken 11A lämnar paketet 13A på en lagringsplats, avger lastavkânnaren 14A pà nytt en signal (nu föranledd av be- lastningsminskningen) till truckens datasystem 15A, denna gång med innebörden att positionsangivelse skall inhämtas från posi- tioneringssystemet, utsändas och inmatas - L - i databassystemet 17. Det bör observeras att lossningen på lagringsplatsen är det enda tillfälle då minskning av belastningen inträffar inom lagret 30.When the truck 11A leaves the package 13A at a storage location, the load sensor 14A again emits a signal (now caused by the load reduction) to the truck's computer system 15A, this time with the meaning that position information is to be obtained from the positioning system, transmitted and input - L - i database system 17. It should be noted that unloading at the storage site is the only time when load reduction occurs within the warehouse 30.

Således har för paketet 13A en av X- och Y-koordinater bestämd position L i lagret 30 inmatats i databassystemet. När produkterna i lagret staplas över varandra (se paket 13C), behövs också Z-koordinaten, d.v.s. höjden, och denna kan erhållas genom att lastgaffelns höjdläge avkännes av givaren 21A och motsvarande uppgift utsändes tillsammans med uppgiften om de två andra koor- dinaterna.Thus, for the packet 13A, a position L determined by X and Y coordinates in the memory 30 has been entered into the database system. When the products in the warehouse are stacked on top of each other (see package 13C), the Z-coordinates are also needed, i.e. height, and this can be obtained by sensing the height of the load fork by the sensor 21A and sending the corresponding information together with the information about the other two coordinates.

Databassystemet 17 kan också pä det tidigare anförda sättet övervaka att rätt paket hämtas, samt kvittera leveransen och framställa de härför erforderliga handlingar när paketet hämtas av trucken 118 för bortförande från lagret.The database system 17 can also, in the manner previously stated, monitor that the correct package is picked up, as well as acknowledge the delivery and produce the necessary documents when the package is picked up by the truck 118 for removal from the warehouse.

Claims

468 088 and Patentkrav

A method of retrieving products at at least one place of origin by means of at least one truck and placing them in a storage place in a storage area, inserting them into a database system, and retrieving them, characterized in that the I - database system is connected to a transmitter and a receiver of wirelessly transmitted signals, and the entire storage area and all points of origin are covered by a wirelessly operating positioning system; - each truck is operated by a truck driver and is equipped with a load sensor, a computer system, a computer connected to the computer system and for wireless transmission of e.g. the transmitter of the load sensor arranged transmitters, as well as a receiver for signals transmitted wirelessly from both the database and the positioning system; - the load reduction caused by a product unloading at the storage location and sensed by the load sensor triggers the transfer of the truck's current position, and thereby also the storage location in x and y coordinates from the positioning system to the truck's computer system, and transmission of a signal with this information to the database system to be entered into it; - at the latest at this unloading time, a task allowing identification of the respective product is entered into the database system, and this task is combined there with said position task; - when the product was picked up for delivery, data were sent from:: - the system to the truck, after a call by means of the said identification information, the said position information as a guide for the truck driver.

Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the entry of the identification data into the database system is triggered by the load increase sensed by the loading of a product at the point of origin, and sensed by the load sensor.

Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the identification information consists of a wirelessly transmitted signal, including the location of the origin or the magnitude of the increase in load, ie the weight of the loaded product. 468 D88 7

Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the identification information consists of a non-wirelessly transmitted code or, when the product is a timber package, of its specification.

Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the weight of the product, some other identification information, and / or the current loading information, ie the position information of the current loading location, is transmitted to the database system for control during the product retrieval, and that the database system generates an alarm signal if the wrong product is picked up and / or if picking up takes place at the wrong storage location.

Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the truck is provided with a display means, and that the information transmitted from the database system to the truck is displayed on the display means for the truck driver.

Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that, when the products are stored in layers on top of one another by means of a forklift truck, this truck is provided with a sensor of the height of the fork, and the signal emitted during unloading. also includes this task as z-coordinate.

Plant for carrying out the method according to one or more of the preceding claims, comprising at least one origin (10) for products (13A-C) to be stored, a storage area (30) with a plurality of storage locations, at least one truck (11A) for transporting the products from the place of origin to the storage site, and a database system (17) into which all stored products are inserted, characterized in that - the database system is provided with a transmitter (17B) and a receiver (17A) of wirelessly transmitted signals; a wireless operating, storage area and all positioning positioning system is provided for determining the position of each truck in x and y coordinates, - each truck is equipped with a load sensor (l4A), a computer system (l5A), a computer system connected to and for transmission of e.g. the output signals of the load sensor arranged as a wireless transmitter (19A), and a receiver (18A) which is arranged to receive wireless signals both from the positioning and from the database system, 468 088 8 - wherein the truck's computer system is arranged to unloading the product at the storage location, and the load reduction sensed by the load sensor triggering the transfer from the positioning system to the truck's computer system of the truck's current position, which is then equal to the storage location, in x and y coordinates, and transmitting a signal with this information to the database system for insertion therein, and - the database system is arranged to merge this location information with an identification of the respective product at the latest simultaneously with this entered information, and to send the associated location information to the truck's computer system after requesting the identification information.

Plant according to claim 8, characterized in that each truck is provided with a display means (20A) connected to its computer system for displaying the received information.

Plant according to Claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the load sensor is arranged to indicate the weight of the product to be stored. and database systems

11. ll. Plant according to any one or more of claims 8-10, wherein the truck is a forklift truck, characterized in that it is provided with a sensor (21A) of the height position of the fork (11'A), and that the computer system is arranged to transmit, and the database system to ra, and as z-coordinate forwarded, this information.

Plant according to one or more of Claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the load sensor is arranged to sense, and the database system to store, the size of the load increase, or at least the occurrence.

Installation according to one or more of Claims 8 to 12, characterized in that the positioning system is a system operating with stationary satellites (16). il '