WO2022248903A1

WO2022248903A1 - A directing system for automatic shuttles

Info

Publication number: WO2022248903A1
Application number: PCT/IB2021/054477
Authority: WO
Inventors: Massimiliano CAMBONI
Original assignee: System Logistics S.P.A.
Priority date: 2021-05-24
Filing date: 2021-05-24
Publication date: 2022-12-01
Also published as: EP4347435A1

Abstract

A directing system for directing automatic shuttles, comprising: a longitudinal portion (11) of a path (R) for a shuttle (S), parallel to a longitudinal direction (Y); a transversal portion (12) of the path (R) for a shuttle (S), parallel to a transversal direction (X), inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction (Y); a connecting device (20), which connects the longitudinal portion (11) and the transversal portion (12) and is provided with an operating structure (21), arranged to receive and support a shuttle (S) and to rotate the shuttle (S) around a rotation axis (Z), perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (Y) and to the transversal direction (X), at least by an angle equal to the angle of inclination between the longitudinal direction (Y) and the transversal direction (X).

Description

A DIRECTING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC SHUTTLES

The present invention relates to a directing system for automatic shuttles. The invention relates in particular, but not exclusively, to the shuttles used in automatic storage and sorting plants.

As is known, such plants comprise a plurality of positions for the storage of objects of various shapes and sizes. The various positions are generally distributed inside shelvings which have numerous floors or levels, until reaching relatively high heights from the ground. The shelvings are distributed longitudinally inside the plant along mutually parallel aisles, which can reach substantial lengths. Furthermore, transversally to the shelvings, at the ends of the shelvings themselves, there can be one or more loading and unloading stations for objects which must be positioned in the shelves, or which have been picked up from the shelves and must be taken to another destination.

Automatic shuttles which move along predetermined paths are normally used for the movement of objects along the shelvings and for picking up and storing the objects in the respective storage positions thereof. Such paths are formed by tracks which are arranged parallel and transversally to the shelvings, along the lanes which separate the shelvings and transversally to the latter, in the end areas where the loading and unloading stations are present.

The shuttles are provided with gripping members, structured to pick up or deposit the objects in the respective storage positions thereof. Such gripping members are capable of operating along a transversal direction with respect to the shelvings and the longitudinal direction of the lanes along which the shuttles move.

In the current plants, the shuttles are provided with two sets of wheels, oriented perpendicular to one another. A first set of wheels is oriented to roll along the longitudinal tracks. The second set of wheels is oriented to roll along the transversal tracks. Each shuttle is provided with a device for activating the first or second set of wheels in the intersection areas between the longitudinal tracks and the transversal tracks, to move along one or along the other.

Moving along the longitudinal or transversal tracks, the shuttles do not change the orientation thereof, i.e., they do not rotate around a vertical axis. Consequently, the gripping members do not rotate around a vertical axis either, but keep the same orientation. This means that, while the gripping members are oriented perpendicular along the longitudinal tracks with respect to the movement direction of the shuttle, and can therefore operate, the gripping members are oriented parallel to the movement direction of the shuttle along the transversal tracks, and can therefore not operate correctly or, in any case, special precautions are necessary to allow the gripping members to also operate along the transversal tracks.

Furthermore, the second set of wheels involves an increase in shuttle costs. The object of the present invention is to offer a directing system for directing automatic shuttles which makes it possible to overcome the drawbacks of the currently available shuttles.

An advantage of the directing system according to the present invention is that it allows the shuttle to be rotated in the movement direction, so that the gripping members also rotate together with the shuttle, remaining operative in a direction perpendicular to that of movement of the shuttle.

Another advantage of the directing system according to the present invention is that it requires only one set of wheels.

Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the appended figures in which: figure 1 shows an isometric view of the directing system according to the present invention; figure 2 shows a view from above of the directing system of figure 1 ; figures 3 to 7 show a series of operating steps for directing a shuttle (S), in a storage plant provided with a directing system according to the present invention.

The directing system according to the present invention is particularly, but not exclusively, suitable for use in an automatic storage and sorting plant. The plant comprises at least one storage structure (30), which has at least one longitudinal side (31 ), parallel to a longitudinal direction (Y), and at least one transversal side (32), parallel to a transversal direction (X). For example, the storage structure is a shelving, provided with a plurality of overlapping shelves. Each shelf is arranged to support a plurality of objects placed in predetermined positions.

The plant further comprises at least one path (R) which has at least one portion which is parallel to the longitudinal side (31 ) of the storage structure (30), and at least one portion which is parallel to the transversal side of the storage structure (30). At least one shuttle (S) is movable along the path (R) and along the sides (31 ,32) of the storage structure (30). Such a shuttle (S) is provided with autonomous propulsion, known in the art, to be able to move in the two directions along an advancement direction (A). For example, the propulsion comprises a set of wheels, at least one of which is connected to an electric motor. The shuttle (S) is further provided with a movable tool (T), configured to access the storage structure (30) and the objects supported thereby. For example, the tool (T) is a gripping means movable along a direction (A) perpendicular to the advancement direction of the shuttle (S), by means of which the shuttle picks up an object and loads it on board, or unloads an object previously loaded on board. Both the shuttle (S) and the tool (T) are well known in the art, and therefore will not be described in further detail.

In an embodiment not illustrated, the plant comprises a plurality of storage structures (30), arranged with the longitudinal sides parallel to the longitudinal direction (Y) and separated from one another by corridors (L). In this case, the path (R) comprises a plurality of longitudinal portions, arranged along the corridors (L), and at least one transversal portion which intersects the longitudinal portions at one end, in an external end area which is transversal with respect to the corridors (L). In the depicted embodiment, there is only one structure (30) and a path (R) which comprises two longitudinal portions, parallel to the longitudinal sides (31 ) of the structure (30), and a transversal side.

The path (R) preferably lies on a horizontal plane, and is therefore coplanar to a shelf of the storage structures (30). A plurality of overlapping paths (R) can be arranged, each of which is coplanar to a shelf of the storage structures (30). One or more elevators, of a type known in the art, can be used to connect the various paths (L) together.

The directing system for directing automatic shuttles according to the present invention is particularly useful to allow directing a shuttle (S) which must pass from a longitudinal portion to a transversal portion of the path (R), or vice versa.

The directing system comprises at least one longitudinal portion (11 ), parallel to the longitudinal direction (Y), and at least one transversal portion (12) parallel to the transversal direction (X), inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction (Y). Preferably, but not necessarily, the longitudinal direction (Y) and the transversal direction (X) are perpendicular to one another. Preferably, but not necessarily, the longitudinal direction (Y) and the transversal direction (X) lie on a horizontal plane.

The directing system according to the present invention comprises a connecting device (20), structured to connect the longitudinal portion (11 ) and the transversal portion (12) of the path (R). The connecting device (20) is provided with an operating structure (21 ), arranged to receive and support a shuttle (S) and to rotate the shuttle (S) around a rotation axis (Z), perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (Y) and the transversal direction (X). The operating structure (21 ) is configured to be able to rotate the shuttle (S) at least by an angle equal to the angle of inclination between the longitudinal direction (Y) and the transversal direction (X).

Essentially, the operating structure (21 ) is arranged to rotate the shuttle (S) coming from the longitudinal portion (11 ) in the direction of the transversal portion (12), or vice versa. Thereby, the shuttle does not require the provision of a directing system thereof, such as a system comprising two sets of wheels of the type currently used in the available automatic shuttles. The shuttle (S) is therefore simpler and lighter, as well as less expensive than the currently available shuttles. This obviously involves a lower overall cost of the storage plant, which must be provided with numerous shuttles (S).

In the embodiment depicted, the operating structure (21 ) comprises a rotating platform (22), arranged to rotate around the rotation axis (Z) at least by an angle equal to the angle of inclination between the longitudinal direction (Y) and the transversal direction (X). The rotating platform (22) is configured to receive a shuttle (S), coming from one of the longitudinal portion (11 ) and the transversal portion (12), and to rotate around the rotation axis (Z), so as to orient the shuttle (S) in the direction of the other of the longitudinal portion (11 ) and the transversal portion (12). In particular, the shuttle (S) proceeds along an advancement direction (F) which, depending on the portion (11 ,12) travelled by the shuttle, can be parallel to the longitudinal direction (Y) or the transversal direction (X). The rotating platform (22) is configured to rotate between at least two positions, i.e., a first position, in which the advancement direction (F) of the shuttle (S) is parallel to the longitudinal direction (Y), and a second position, in which the advancement direction (F) of the shuttle (S) is parallel to the transversal direction (X).

In the embodiment depicted, the path (R) is formed by parallel tracks, of a type known in the art, oriented according to the various longitudinal and transversal portions. The longitudinal portion (11 ) and the transversal portion (12) of the directing system according to the present invention are also in the form of tracks, arranged to connect to the tracks of the path (R). The directing system according to the present invention is used in the path (R) with the longitudinal portions (11 ) arranged parallel to the longitudinal side of the storage structure (30) and the transversal sides (12) arranged parallel to the transversal side of the storage structure (30).

The rotating platform (22) is in turn provided with tracks (22a) arranged to align with the tracks of the portions (11 ,12), so that the shuttle (S) can engage and leave the platform (22) autonomously, without the need for further loading/unloading devices. In the first position of the platform (22), the tracks (22a) are parallel to the longitudinal direction (Y), while in the second position of the platform (22), the tracks (22a) are parallel to the transversal direction (X).

In the embodiment depicted, the rotating platform (22) is rotatably associated with a base (23) around the rotation axis (Z). To obtain the rotatable connection, it is possible to use a coupling (26) comprising a cylindrical pin, concentric to the rotation axis (Z), integral with the rotating platform (22), rotatably inserted in a seat, integral with the base (23). The pin and seat could of course be reversed.

The operating structure (21 ) further comprises at least one actuator (24), interposed between the base (23) and the rotating platform (22), which is configured to exert a thrust on the rotating platform (22) directed along an eccentric direction with respect to the rotation axis (Z). In the illustrated embodiment, the actuator (24) comprises a pair of fluid or electric cylinders, each of which, at the ends thereof, is pivoted to the base (23) and to the platform (22). The extension and shortening of the cylinders cause the rotation of the platform (22) in the two directions of rotation around the rotation axis (Z), between the first and the second position.

The control of the operating structure (21 ), and in particular of the actuator (24), is carried out, in a manner known in the art, by a general control module of the plant, which keeps track of the position of all the objects present within the plant, as well as of all the storage positions available and of the position and load status of all the shuttles (S). The control module is arranged to manage the requests for picking up and depositing the various objects, and to guide each individual shuttle (S) accordingly, intervening on the propulsion, on the tool (T) and on the actuators of the operating structures (21) present in the plant.

The control module mentioned above is generically indicated as a single unit, but can in fact be provided with distinct functional modules (memory modules or operating modules), each set up to control a determined device or cycle of operations.

In essence, the general control module can consist of a single electronic device, programmed to carry out the functions described, and the various functional modules can correspond to hardware components and/or software routines being part of the programmed device.

Alternatively, or in addition, such functions can be performed by a plurality of electronic devices over which the aforesaid functional modules can be distributed.

The units can further rely on one or more processors for the execution of the instructions contained in the memory modules.

The units and the aforesaid functional modules can further be distributed over different local or remote computers on the basis of the architecture of the network in which they reside.

The directing system according to the present invention provides important advantages.

In fact, it allows to considerably simplify the structure of the shuttles, the provision of which can be reduced to a propulsion system lacking steering members or devices, but simply dedicated to advancing along a predetermined direction. This involves a significant reduction in the cost of the individual shuttles, and therefore of the plant which uses the shuttles. Furthermore, the directing can also be integrated in existing plants, in a simple and effective manner.

Claims

1 . A directing system for directing automatic shuttles, comprising: a longitudinal portion (11 ) of a path (R) for a shuttle (S), parallel to a longitudinal direction (Y); a transversal portion (12) of the path (R) for a shuttle (S), parallel to a transversal direction (X), inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction (Y); characterized in that it comprises a connecting device (20), which connects the longitudinal portion (11 ) and the transversal portion (12) and is provided with an operating structure (21 ), arranged to receive and support a shuttle (S) and to rotate the shuttle (S) around a rotation axis (Z), perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (Y) and to the transversal direction (X), at least by an angle equal to the angle of inclination between the longitudinal direction (Y) and the transversal direction (X).

2. The directing system according to claim 1 , wherein: the operating structure (21 ) comprises a rotating platform (22), arranged to rotate around the rotation axis (Z) at least at an angle equal to the angle of inclination between the longitudinal direction (Y) and the transversal direction (X); the rotating platform (22) is configured to receive a shuttle (S), coming from one of the longitudinal portion (11 ) and the transversal portion (12), and to rotate around the rotation axis (Z), in order to orient the shuttle (S) in the direction of the other of the longitudinal portion (11 ) and the transversal portion (12).

3. The directing system according to claim 2, wherein: the rotating platform (22) is rotatably associated with a base (23) around the rotation axis (Z); the operating structure (21 ) comprises at least one actuator (24), interposed between the base (23) and the rotating platform (22), which is configured to exert a thrust on the rotating platform (22) directed along an eccentric direction with respect to the rotation axis (Z).

4. The directing system according to claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal direction (Y) and the transversal direction (X) are perpendicular to one another.

5. The directing system according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal direction (Y) and the transversal direction (X) lie on a horizontal plane.

6. An automatic storage and sorting plant, comprising: at least one storage structure (30), which has at least one longitudinal side, parallel to a longitudinal direction (Y), and at least one transversal side, parallel to a transversal direction (X); at least one shuttle (S), movable along a path (R) which has at least one portion which is parallel to the longitudinal side of the storage structure (30) and at least one portion which is parallel to the transversal side of the storage structure (30); characterized in that it comprises at least one directing system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the longitudinal portion (11) is arranged parallel to the longitudinal side of the storage structure (30) and the transversal side (12) is arranged parallel to the transversal side of the storage structure (30).

7. The plant according to claim 6, comprising a plurality of storage structures (30), arranged with the longitudinal sides parallel to the longitudinal direction (Y) and separated from one another by corridors (L), wherein the path (R) comprises a plurality of longitudinal portions (11) arranged along the corridors (L) and at least one transversal portion (12) which intersects the longitudinal portions (11).

8. The plant according to claim 6, comprising a control module arranged to control the operation of the shuttles (S) and the directing systems present in the plant.