WO2006040166A1

WO2006040166A1 - Adjustable flow track system incorporating a pick tray

Info

Publication number: WO2006040166A1
Application number: PCT/EP2005/011041
Authority: WO
Inventors: Harold Pfeiffer
Original assignee: Interroll Holding Ag
Priority date: 2004-10-14
Filing date: 2005-10-13
Publication date: 2006-04-20

Abstract

A flow track system comprising a plurality of flow track members, each flow track member comprised of generally parallel, spaced apart support members having a plurality of axles transversely disposed therebetween, the axles having mounted thereon a plurality of free turning rollers, the support members having an impact feed plate mounted at a first end and a discharge stop plate mounted at a second end, the feed plate and discharge plates having a sleeve formed therein for slidable, rotatable engagement with a securing bolt and having formed on each end thereof a plurality of engagement stops to selectively set the distance that the in feed plate and the discharge plate extend beyond the ends of the parallel, spaced apart support members allowing for the adjustment of fit between the pallet beams. The weight of the track locks the in feed plate and the discharge plate position.

Description

"ADJUSTABLE FLOW TRACK SYSTEM INCORPORATING A PICK TRAY"

Description

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to warehouse storage assemblies and more particularly to a modular flow track system which incorporates a pick tray at its discharge end for positioning a container which will be selectively emptied as opposed to being transferred in full .

Description of the Prior Art

The storage of containers, boxes, and other storage items has always presented the warehouse engineer with difficult choices. One objective of the warehouse engineer is to store as many items as possible in a given storage space while still being able to provide normal and efficient access thereto. The problem with high density storage design is that the shortening of the height of the tiers of adjacent pallet racks provides classification of materials within a given floor space at the expense of severely restricting access to the containers disposed upon the racks.

It is not uncommon to find that material handling personnel are often thwarted in their attempts to access containers disposed behind other containers in a row of containers stored on a given pallet rack tier.

In recent times, flow tracks have become popular as a means of loading and unloading containers on pallet racks.

These flow tracks allow materials to move easily over the rollers of the tracks, thus making it convenient to load and unload containers. However, it is still a requirement of accessability that these pallet rack tiers be spaced a minimum height distance in order to allow for ease of flow and for proper handling. One of the early disadvantages with the use of flow tracking was that the tracks had to be bolted to the pallet frames for support. This is both a laborious set up, an inconvenience, and a waste of tier height space. The height of the flow tracks themselves increased overall height of the storage tiers. The addition of only a few inches to each tier eliminates a whole tier after only approximately five tiers have been constructed.

The attachment problem was solved with the development of a flow track with an extremely low profile. This type of flow track required no mechanical attachment to the pallet rack beams and added minimal overall height to each tier. See U.S.

Patent 6,102,185, and U.S. Patent 6,132,158 for an explanation of the low profile flow track.

Applicant has improved upon the low profile concept of the flow track by providing a flow track in which the end plates are adjustable without tools so as to allow the hand adjustment of the overall length of the flow track depending upon the configuration of the pallet rack support frames. See U.S. Patent 6,641,352.

The current generation of flow track as described in the aforesaid patents is effective in what is commonly referred to as the ,,full case pick". However, it leaves something to be desired when used in „split case" pick applications which requires the picker to access into the carton of the contents.

The case is typically poorly positioned and offers limited access for each type of pick. The difference between a full case pick and a split pick is best exemplified with respect to a liquor warehouse. Each flow track is stocked with cases of liquor which move under the influence of gravity on the rollers of the flow track to the discharge end. Warehouse workers when filing an order remove cases destined for particular locations and integrate them into a delivery load. Where a particular liquor store seeks to purchase a full case of a particular brand of liquor, a full case pick occurs in which the warehousemen remove an entire case from the flow track and integrates it with that particular store's delivery. However, where a store does not desire a full case of particular liquor, but rather, only several bottles, a split case pick occurs. In this situation the warehousemen must have access to an open case of the particular liquor so that he can remove the required number of bottles and integrate those bottles with the particular delivery. While the example is given with respect to a liquor warehouse, the same application is applied to warehouses of any nature where less then full cases of product are ordered or must be delivered.

In an effort to facilitate the „split picks" it has become common practice to add additional frame structure to the discharge end of the particular flow tracks and having affixed thereto angled tray members which allow for the carton to be tilted on an angle for support and thus allow the warehousemen access into the carton for performing the split pick. While this practice to facilitate the problem improves the ability to pick the product it also produces several severe disadvantages. First a set up for split picks requires a tray spanning the entire bay so that the bay must be set up without the ability for a full pick. Still further, current designs have a problem dealing with longer track runs where the product being conveyed has an opportunity to gain speed during its travel and actually overshoot the tray stop. This results in a safety hazard as the carton is launched into an aisle occupied by warehousemen. Finally, the additional special pallet rack frames with trays and erection hardware add cost to the entire warehouse process and reduce aisle space.

Applicant's pick tray allows the warehousemen to convert a single flow track to a flow track incorporating a pick tray as opposed to having to convert an entire bay of flow tracks. Still further, Applicant's pick tray is easily assembled on the flow track system which is the subject of U.S. Patent 6,641,352. Applicant's pick tray overcomes the problems associated with the prior art and also allows the warehousemen to determine which individual flow tracks are required to have a pick tray and to modify the selected flow tracks by incorporating Applicant's pick tray.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide for a novel flow track system that incorporates a pivotal pick tray at the discharge end.

A further object of the present invention is to provide for a novel flow track system which incorporates a novel pick tray at the discharge end which does not require any additional framing or sport hardware.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide for a novel flow track system incorporating a pick tray at the discharge end which insures that a container will not^' overshoot the tray stop. A still further object of the present invention is to provide for a novel flow track system incorporating a novel pick tray which is inexpensive in cost and inexpensive in assembly allowing any flow track to be modified to incorporate a pick tray. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A flow track system comprising a plurality of flow track members, each flow track member comprised of generally parallel, spaced apart support members having a plurality of axles transversely disposed therebetween, the axles having mounted thereon a plurality of free turning rollers, the discharge end of the flow track having mounted thereon a pick tray in pivotal relationship with the flow track for slidable receipt and retention of a package or carton on the flow track allowing ease of access to the contents of the package or carton for selective removal of the contents.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects of the present invention will become evident particularly when taken in light of the following illustrations wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a typical flow track; Figure 2 is a side view of a typical flow tract system; Figure 3 is a side view of the discharge end of a flow track system incorporating the pick tray in a first position;

Figure 4 is a side view of the discharge end of a flow track system incorporating the novel pick tray in a second position;

Figure 5 is a side view of the discharge end of a flow track system having packaging positioned on the flow track system and engaged with a stop member of the pick tray; Figure 6 is a side view of the discharge end of a flow track system with a package in initial engagement with the pick tray; and

Figure 7 is a side view of the discharge end of a flow track system with a package engaged on the pick tray and ready for split pick.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to Figure 1 there is illustrated a perspective view of a low profile flow track 10. Flow track 10 comprises a frame having two parallel, spaced apart side rails 12, and a pair of distally disposed end plates 14. A plurality of rotatably affixed rollers 16 are spaced along and secured for rotation within the side rails 12 on a plurality of axles 13 (not shown) . The side rails 12 are bolted together by spanning rods 21.

A plurality of flow tracks 10 would be installed on a pallet rack tier 18. The tier 18 comprises vertical frame post 17 that support horizontal beams 19. In the configuration of Figure 2, the flow track 10 drops upon bracket hangers 21 which overlap the support beams 19 and requires no mechanical attachment thereto.

The pallet rack tier 18 would be the fabricated and constructed based upon the configuration of the warehouse space, the type of product 23 that would be stored on the pallet rack tier and the manner of ingress and egress to the rear of the pallet rack tier for loading and the front of the pallet rack tier for unloading.

Figure 3 is a side view of the discharge end of a flow track system 10 incorporating the pick tray of the present invention in a first position. In this configuration, the side rails 12 would be modified with the incorporation of a track support bracket 30 mounted to the outer side wall of rails 12 by means of fasteners 32 cooperable with apertures formed in the side wall of rails 12. The bracket 30 extends outwardly from the discharge end of the rails 12 to engage the upper surface of horizontal support beams 19 which form part of the structure of the pallet rack tier 18.

The forward nose 34 of bracket 30 is angled so as to accommodate the pivoting motion of pick tray 40 as hereafter described.

The other modification to rails 12 is the fitting of a travel stop pin 36 extending preferably between side rails 12.

The pick tray 40 itself comprises a planar load surface 42, a portion of which 44 overlaps the flow track 10 and a portion of which 46 extends outwardly beyond the horizontal support beams 19. That portion of the pick tray 44 which overlaps the flow track 10 terminates with a downwardly depending end wall 48, the dimensions of which approximate the width between side rails 12. Downwardly depending end wall 48 terminates with a horizontal finger 50 which extends towards the discharge and of the flow track 10. The portion 42 of the pick tray 40 which extends beyond the support beam 19 terminates with an upstanding perpendicular wall 52 terminating with a finger hold 54 extending away from the pallet rack tier 18. The lateral edges 56 and 58 of pick tray 40 are formed with depending perpendicular side walls 60 and 62.

The pick tray 40 is of such construction that it can be stamped into configuration from a single piece of materials such as metal or heavy gauge plastic or the like such that it is of unitary design. Formed on the opposing side walls 60 and 62 of pick tray 40 are aligned apertures 64 for receipt of a pivot pin 66 which would extend through a side wall 60 of pick tray 40, and an aperture in bracket 30, and across the span of the flow track through an aperture in the opposing bracket 30 and the opposing side wall 62 of pick tray 40.

As will explained with respect to Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, the planar load surface 42 of pick tray 40 is pivotable about pivot pin 66, the extent of pivot being limited by the engagement of finger 50 of depending end wall 48 with travel stop pin 36 extending between side rails 12. The mounting of bracket 30 and pick tray 40 is accomplished so that the planar load surface 42 of pick tray 40 as illustrated in Figure 3, is below the upper tangent of fixed rollers 16.

Figure 4 illustrates the pivoting of pick tray 40 to its downward most position wherein finger 50 of end wall 48 is engaged with travel stop pin 36 and the planar load surface 42 of pick tray 40 is at an angle approximating the angled nose 34 of bracket 30.

Figures 5, 6, and 7 illustrate the flow track system of the present invention with the pick tray 40 in a downwardly pivoted position with cartons or cases 23 positioned on the flow track 10. In the position illustrated in Figure 5, the depending end wall 48 of pick tray 40 serves as a stop for the initial package 23 on the flow track 10 proximate the discharge end of the flow track and similar packages positioned on the flow track behind the initial package. In order to position the initial case or package 23 on the pick tray 40 the warehousemen need only engage the finger hold 54 of the front wall 52 of pick tray 40 and move it upwardly so that the load surface 42 of the pick tray 40 is now in parallel alignment with the flow track 10. The initial package 23, under the influence of gravity on the flow track 10 would then slide into position on load surface 42 of pick tray 40, its movement halted by its contact with the front -wall 52 of pick tray 40. The weight of the case or package 23 would cause pick tray 40 to pivot about the pivot pin 66 such that the pick tray 40 and the package or case 23 would be in a forward angled position. Depending upon the size, subsequent cases or cartons 23 would be halted on the flow track by either the rear wall of initial case or carton 23 positioned on the pick tray 40 or by the depending end wall 48 of pick tray 40.

In this configuration, the warehousemen can open the top of the case or carton 23 while in the angled position and conveniently remove the desired number of items from the case or package 23 thus accomplishing a „split pick".

The warehousemen would be able to make subsequent „split picks" from case or container 23 until its contents had been depleted. The warehousemen would then remove the empty case or container 23 from the pick tray 40, rotate the pick tray 40 back to a position substantially parallel with the flow track 10 and allow the subsequent case or package 23 under the influence of gravity to travel over the affixed rollers 16 of the flow track 10 and onto the load surface 42 of pick tray 40.

The pick tray 40 would then undergo a pivoting relationship about pivot pin 66 due to the weight of the package such that another case or package 23 was in position for accomplishing „split picks".

While the pick tray 40 and its assembly as illustrated are adaptable to all flow track systems, the assembly is particularly adaptable to the flow -track system as disclosed in U.S. patent 6,641,352 in that the apertures at the discharge end of side rails 12 for bracket 30 are already formed in the side rails to accommodate the adjustment feature disclosed and taught in the aforesaid patent .

While the present invention has been described with respect to the exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications or changes can be achieved without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore it is manifestly intended that the invention be limited only by the scope of the claims and the equivalence thereof.

List of Reference Numerals

10 flow track

12 side rails

13 axles

14 end plates

16 rollers

17 vertical frame post

18 pallet rack tier

19 horizontal support beams

21 spanning rods / bracket hangers

23 product to be stored

30 track support bracket

32 fasteners

34 forward nose

36 travel stop pin

40 pick tray

42 load surface

44 portion of pick tray overlapping flow track

48 end wall

50 finger

52 wall

54 finger hold

56, 58 lateral edges

60, 62 side walls

64 apertures

66 pivot pin

Claims

1. A flow track system incorporating a pick tray (40) and accommodating to a variety of storage frames and pallet racks, for the storage, transportation and dispensing of selected packaged material, the flow track system and incorporated pick tray comprising: a flow track conveyer member having elongated side rails (12) , a series of conveying elements (16) disposed between and spaced along said elongated side rails (12) , said elongated side rails (12) having mounted at one distal end, a feed plate member, engageable with a storage frame, said elongated rails (12) having mounted at a second distal end, a discharge storage frame engaging member, said second distal end positioned lower than said first distal end for the gravity flow of said packaged material, said second distal end having pivotally positioned thereon, a pick tray (40) ; said pick tray (40) comprising a planar member having an upper surface (42) and a lower surface juxtaposed upper surfaces of said elongated side rails (12) , said planar member having depending side walls (60, 62) formed thereon juxtaposed opposing outer sides of said elongated side rails (12) , a first end of said pick tray (40) having an upstanding L-shaped stop wall (52) , a second end of said pick tray (40) having a depending L-shaped finger stop (48) , said pick tray (40) pivotally secured to said second end of said flow track (10) by means of an axle (66) extending through said side walls (60, 62) of said pick tray (40) and said second distal ends of said elongated side rails (12), said pick tray (40) limited in its pivot rotation by means of a stop pin (36) extending between said elongated side rails (12) and engagable with said depending L-shaped finger stop (48) so as to limit the downward rotation of said first end of said pick tray (40) .

2. The flow track system and incorporated pick tray (40) in accordance with Claim 1 wherein said upper planar surface (42) of said pick tray (40) when said lower surface is juxtaposed said upper surface of said elongated side rails

(12) , allows said packaged material (23) on said conveying elements (16) to slidably transfer to said pick tray (40) , said pick tray (40) pivotally rotatable about said axle (66) from the weight of said packaged material (23) until said depending L-shaped finger stop (48) engages said stop pin (36) thereby angularly positioning said packaged material (23) for selective dispensing.

3. The flow track system and incorporated pick tray (40) in accordance with Claim 1 or 2 wherein said planar member (42) , said side walls (60, 62) , said upstanding L-shaped stop wall (52) and said depending L-shaped finger stop (48) are unitary construction.

4. The flow track system and incorporated pick tray (40) in accordance with Claims 1 to 3 wherein said pick tray (40) can be easily removed from said flow track system by removal of said pivot axel (66) to convert said flow track system to a bulk dispensing system.

5. A pick tray (40) for a flow track conveyer system for the storage, transportation and dispensing of selected packaged material wherein the flow track conveyer system comprises a flow track conveyer member having elongated side rails (12) , a series of conveying elements (16) disposed between and spaced along said elongated side rails (12), said elongated side rails (12) having mounted at one distal end a feed plate member, engagable with a storage frame, said elongated rails having mounted at a second distal end, a discharge storage frame engaging member, said second distal end positioned lower than said first distal end for gravity flow of said packaged material (23) , said second distal end having pivotally positioned thereon a pick tray (40) , said pick tray (40) comprising: a planar member having an upper surface and lower surface juxtaposed upper surfaces of said elongated side rails (12) , said planar member (42) having depending side walls (60,62) formed thereon juxtaposed opposing outer sides of said elongated side rails (12) , a first end of said pick tray having an upstanding L-shaped stop wall (52) , a second end of said pick tray having a depending L-shaped finger stop (48) , said pick tray (40) pivotally secured to said second end of said flow track conveyer system by means of an axle (66) extending through said side walls (60, 62) of said pick tray (40) and said second distal end of said elongated side rails (12) , said pick tray (40) limited in its pivot rotation by means of a stop pin (36) extending between said elongated side rails and engagable with said depending L-shaped finger stop (48) so as to limit the downward rotation of said first end of said pick tray.

6. The pick tray (40) in accordance with Claim 5 wherein said upper planar surface (42) of said pick tray (40) when said lower surface is juxtaposed said upper surface of said elongated side rails (12) , allows said packaged material (23) on said conveying elements (16) to slidably transfer to said pick tray (40) , said pick tray (40) pivotally rotatable about said axle (66) from the weight of said packaged material (23) until said depending L-shaped finger stop (48) engages said stop pin (36) thereby angularly positioning said packaged material (23) for selective dispensing.

7. The pick tray (40) in accordance with Claim 5 or 6 wherein said planar member (42), said side walls (60, 62), said upstanding L-shaped stop wall (52) and said depending L-shaped finger stop (48) are unitary construction.

8. The pick tray (40) in accordance with Claims 5 to 7 wherein said pick tray (40) can be easily removed from said flow track system by removal of said pivot axel (66) to convert said flow track system to a bulk dispensing system.