Order sorting device and method for optimizing storage space

Abstract

The invention relates to an order picking device (1), in particular a storage elevator, having at least one retrieval and / or storage point (14) for stored goods (10) and / or stored goods carriers (8), the invention also relates to a method for calculating a height distribution (38) of stored goods (10) on a stored goods carrier (8), a computer program product and a computer readable storage medium. The order picking device (1) has stored goods carriers (8) which are stored one above the other in a storage location (4) and on which stored goods (10) are placed. The aim of the invention is to optimize the utilization of the storage space provided by the order picking device (1). For this purpose, the order picking device (1) has at least one detector device (24) for determining a height distribution (38) of the stored goods (10) or the stored goods carrier (8) and for providing data (28) representing the height distribution (38). The detector device (24) comprises a plurality of reflected light sensors (25) arranged parallel to each other. The method includes determining a position dependent height (26) of the stored cargo (10) using a plurality of reflected light sensors (25) arranged parallel to each other.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an order picking device having stored goods carriers which are stored one above the other in storage places and on which stored goods are placed, a method for calculating the height distribution of stored goods, a computer program product and a computer-readable data medium.

[0002] For example, DE 42 33 688 A1 and DE 195 01 718 A1 disclose an order picking device in the form of a storage system in which the maximum height of the stored goods on a storage goods carrier is first measured and then stored in one of a plurality of storage locations arranged one above the other with a grid spacing according to the maximum height. Thus, the distance between two storage goods carriers stored one above the other can be minimized.

[0003] This system has proven successful in practice. However, it has been observed that the order picking devices often do not actually utilize the available storage space.

[0004] It is therefore an object of the present invention to optimize the utilization of storage space in an order picking device.

[0005] This object is firstly achieved by an order picking device having at least one retrieval and / or storage point for stored goods and / or carriers for stored goods, wherein the order picking device has at least one detector device for determining the height distribution of the stored goods or the carriers for stored goods and for providing data representing the height distribution, and wherein the detector device includes a plurality of reflected light sensors arranged parallel to each other.

[0006] The object is also achieved by a method for calculating the height distribution of stored goods on a stored goods carrier, the method comprising determining the position-dependent heights of the stored goods using a plurality of reflected light sensors arranged parallel to one another.

[0007] The overall stack height is the theoretical or calculated height of the storage goods carriers stacked directly on each other in at least one storage rack. In order to calculate the overall stack height, the storage goods carriers can be virtually located in a grid interval predefined by the order picking device or the storage system. The overall stack height is obtained, for example, by the sum of the maximum heights of the storage goods on the storage goods carriers of at least one storage rack or the entire order picking device or the entire storage system, wherein the height and / or grid interval of the storage goods carriers can also be taken into account. When the overall stack height of the storage goods carriers obtained by the redistribution of the storage goods with reduced loss space is compared with the overall stack height of the stowed storage goods carriers (i.e., the overall stack height of the storage goods carriers in the (current) state before the redistribution of the storage goods with reduced loss space), only the same storage goods carriers are taken into account. The reflected light sensors are arranged parallel to each other, and therefore their observation directions determined by the light beams emitted by the reflected light sensors are positioned parallel to each other.

[0008] The invention also relates to a computer program product comprising commands which, when executed by a computer, prompt the computer to execute the method according to the invention for calculating the height distribution of stored goods on a stored goods carrier, and to a computer-readable data medium on which the computer program product is stored.

[0009] By using the device according to the invention and the method according to the invention, the utilization of the storage space can be optimized. This is possible because, in contrast to the systems of the prior art mentioned at the outset, it is no longer the maximum height of the stored goods that is determined, but rather the height distribution, i.e. the height profile in at least one spatial direction.

[0010] The invention can be enhanced by the following improvements, which are advantageous in each case individually and can be combined with each other in any way. The detailed features discussed below can be used without distinguishing between order picking devices, methods and computer program products. If method features are involved, the device can easily be designed to perform the method steps.

[0011] The method may comprise the following method steps, in particular for a single stored storage goods carrier or for all stored storage goods carriers: determining a height distribution of the storage goods placed on the stored storage goods carriers based on the height measurement data; determining a lost space reduced storage goods redistribution based on the determined height distribution, in which at least a part of the storage goods in the order picking device is distributed differently than on the stored storage goods carriers, and the overall stacking height of the storage goods carriers with the lost space reduced storage goods redistribution is smaller than the overall stacking height of the same stored storage goods carriers, and / or generating an image data set representing a depiction of the storage goods carriers stored in a storage location with a height distribution of the storage goods on a specific storage goods carrier at its storage location in the order picking device. The method may in particular be a computer-implemented method.

[0012] According to an advantageous embodiment, the reflected light sensor can be pointed vertically downwards. The pointing relates to the viewing direction and the emitted light. This has the advantage that during the detection of the height of the stored goods, no shadows are cast which could interfere with or distort the measurement.

[0013] The reflected light sensors may preferably be arranged along at least one line. Thus, the height distribution of the stored goods can be determined using a single measurement along a section over the entire stored goods carrier. Preferably, a relative movement is performed between a plurality of reflected light sensors and the stored goods carrier, so that the height distribution over the stored goods carrier can be determined. Thus, an overall three-dimensional image of the stored goods on the stored goods carrier can be obtained. The height distribution may consist of individual height distributions determined in the measuring step.

[0014] Preferably, the order picking device has a conveying path along which the stored goods and / or stored goods carriers are conveyed between at least one retrieval and / or storage point and a storage location, wherein the plurality of reflected light sensors are arranged transversely to the conveying path. Each of the plurality of reflected light sensors can be oriented in such a way that the measuring direction of the respective reflected light sensor is preferably perpendicular or transverse to the conveying path.

[0015] In a further advantageous embodiment of the order picking device, the plurality of reflected light sensors may be located on the top side of the conveying path.

[0016] According to another advantageous embodiment, the plurality of reflected light sensors can be located on the top side of the retrieval point or storage point. This has the advantage that the stored goods located on the stored goods carrier can be measured before being stored in the order picking device and can be distributed differently on the stored goods carrier before storage, optionally based on a redistribution of the stored goods that reduces lost space.

[0017] Additionally, during storage and retrieval, the storage cargo may be located on a storage cargo carrier and passed through a retrieval or storage opening, wherein a plurality of reflected light sensors may be located at the retrieval or storage opening.

[0018] Therefore, in one embodiment of the order picking device, when a pallet or storage goods carrier for loading storage goods is moved out of the device and after the load is moved back into the device, the height of the storage goods located on the storage goods carrier can be measured when storing.

[0019] In another embodiment of the order picking device, the tray can also remain in the device and the user can place the stored goods on the tray through an opening. The opening is not a retrieval or storage opening. The storage opening is not passed until the tray is moved further into the device. During entry, the height distribution of the stored goods or the stored goods carrier can be determined.

[0020] The order picking device may advantageously have a reflected light sensor with a scanning range of up to 750 mm. In other embodiments, the reflected light sensor may have a scanning range of greater than 1000 mm, for example for order picking devices with a retrieval or storage opening greater than 1000 mm in height.

[0021] The reflected light sensor can have background suppression. To this end, the reflected light sensor can operate, for example, according to a triangulation process.

[0022] It is particularly advantageous when the reflected light sensors of the detector arrangement are spaced apart from one another by a distance of more than 10 mm and less than 100 mm. This allows the height distribution of the stored goods on the stored goods carrier to be detected with a sufficiently high resolution (measuring points per unit length). Thus, in addition to the height of the stored goods, its extension along at least one spatial direction oriented perpendicular to the vertical direction can also be determined.

[0023] The loaded storage goods carrier or loaded pallet by means of which the storage goods in the order picking device are transported and stored can have a deflection with the corresponding loading. In the prior art, even in the case of no deflection of the storage goods carrier or pallet, a clearly defined safety area under the storage goods carrier or pallet remains free.

[0024] In an advantageous embodiment, the order picking device can be designed to detect the deflection of a storage goods carrier or a pallet and / or to calculate a value representative of the deflection.

[0025] In order to detect the deflection, for example, a reflected light sensor can detect the base of the storage goods carrier or pallet. Alternatively or additionally, the order picking device can be designed to detect changes in the height of the storage goods already present on the storage goods carrier. In addition, the sensor detecting the deflection can be located at the pallet. Strictly as an example and not limited to this, the sensor can be a strain sensor, which can be fixed to the bottom side of the pallet. Alternatively or additionally, a photoelectric barrier can detect the deflection, and / or the deflection can be detected from below, for example by means of a photoelectric barrier or a light sensor on the bottom side of the pallet pointing vertically. Alternatively, other types of sensors can be used, in particular sensors that can monitor the bottom side of the pallet base. Such a sensor can be, for example, a proximity sensor, a mechanical limit switch, a position switch or some other sensor.

[0026] In order to calculate a value representing the deflection, the order picking device can be designed to detect a weight value. To this end, the order picking device can have scales, for example. In addition, the order picking device can be designed to calculate the deflection as a function of the weight value.

[0027] According to the invention, it is thus possible to detect whether a deflection exists and how much a storage cargo carrier or pallet deflects compared to an unloaded state. This deflection can be quantitatively and / or qualitatively incorporated into the determination of a storage cargo redistribution that reduces lost space.

[0028] The order picking device may also be designed to reduce the size of a safety area disposed below the storage goods carrier in response to the flexure.

[0029] Thus, for example, the absence of flexing can be determined and the safety area below the storage goods carrier, which therefore remains idle and not flexed, can be used to arrange the storage goods in the order picking device with even less lost space. Without flexing, the storage goods carrier can be closer to the storage goods carrier located below it, or closer to the storage goods located below it. Thus, the previously used safety area is opened up, which safety area substantially contributes to the overall lost space, and storage space can be created via this safety area. This allows a more compact loading of the order picking device with less lost space.

[0030] In order to avoid that the storage goods carrier, without deflection, collides with the storage goods located below it, the safety area can be reduced by 50%, preferably by 75%, more preferably by 90%, so that even if this results in less lost space, the safety area is still retained. For example, the size of the safety area can correspond to the distance from two grid points of the order picking device. If the order picking device determines that the storage goods carrier is not deflected, the safety area can be reduced to a size corresponding to the distance from the grid points. This reduces the lost space without completely eliminating the safety area.

[0031] If a deflection of a storage cargo carrier or pallet is detected, in one embodiment, the size and position of the deflection relative to the storage cargo carrier can be determined. Similar to the height distribution of the storage cargo, the deflection can be considered as a deflection distribution that extends inversely to the height distribution of the storage cargo carrier or pallet.

[0032] The two storage cargo carriers can preferably be located one above the other in such a way that the height profile of the lower storage cargo carrier is substantially complementary to the deflection profile of the upper storage cargo carrier.

[0033] As mentioned above, the deflection profile can be determined by one or more reflected light sensors, by sensors mounted on the bottom of the tray, or by other sensors. Alternatively or additionally, other optical sensors (such as measuring gratings present in the retrieval and storage openings) can be used to determine the deflection.

[0034] The order picking device can be further improved by having a data processing system, which is designed to calculate a redistribution of stored goods with reduced lost space based on the height distribution provided by the detector device, wherein at least a portion of the stored goods in the order picking device is distributed differently on the stored goods carriers than on the stored stored goods carriers, and wherein the overall stacking height of the stored goods carriers in the redistribution of stored goods with reduced lost space is less than the overall stacking height of the same stored stored goods carriers.

[0035] Alternatively or additionally, the data processing system can be designed to generate an image data set which represents a depiction of storage goods carriers stored in a storage point with a height distribution of the storage goods on the respective storage goods carriers at their storage locations in the order picking device.

[0036] The data processing system may be designed to detect the height profile while travelling through the retrieval and storage opening.

[0037] The order picking device may provide the image data set to the user in a graphical, optical or acoustic manner and / or may provide the user with processing instructions for reloading the stored goods from a stored goods carrier to another stored goods carrier of the order picking device according to a redistribution of the stored goods that reduces lost space. Alternatively or additionally, the order picking device may be designed to control a robot to reload the stored goods from one stored goods carrier of the order picking device to another stored goods carrier according to a redistribution of the stored goods that reduces lost space. As an alternative or in addition, the image data set may be tactilely represented to a visually impaired person, for example.

[0038] The order picking device can have a first and a second operating state, wherein, in the first operating state, the order picking device is designed to determine the height distribution of stored goods or stored goods carriers with the help of multiple reflected light sensors, and in the second operating state, the order picking device is designed to provide and / or output an alarm signal when at least one reflected light sensor detects an object between the stored goods carrier and the reflected light sensor.

[0039] In the first operating state, the order picking device may therefore be designed to calculate processing instructions based on the height distribution.

[0040] According to an advantageous embodiment, a height distribution can be determined along two spatial directions of the storage goods placed on the stored storage goods carrier based on the height measurement data. A two-dimensional height distribution allows a more accurate representation and calculation of lost space and thus improves storage space optimization. The two spatial directions preferably extend perpendicularly to each other. Together with the height, this can generally result in a three-dimensional depiction of the storage goods carrier on which the storage goods are placed.

[0041] The height measurement data may be two-dimensional so as to determine the height distribution along two spatial directions. Thus, for example, the height measurement data may include two separate data sets, each containing height measurement data along one spatial direction. Alternatively, the height measurement data may also be present in a single data set containing height measurement values ​​as a function of two spatial directions, the height measurement values ​​representing the height of the stored goods.

[0042] The height measurement data for determining the height distribution of the data processing system (also referred to as data processing means) can be retrieved from a memory. The memory can be part of the data processing means or part of an external device which is accessible only by the data processing means. Thus, the memory can be, for example, part of some other or higher-level data processing means. Such a data processing means can, for example, be designed for managing a plurality of separate order picking means or storage systems which are connected to one another, for example via a conveyor system.

[0043] The or each spatial direction along which the height distribution is determined preferably extends parallel to an edge of the storage goods carrier. Preferably, a first spatial direction extends parallel to a front edge of the storage goods carrier, which, for a stored storage goods carrier, extends parallel to a loading side of the storage rack or storage location. The loading side of the storage rack is the side of the storage rack through which the storage goods carrier is moved into or out of the storage location. As a second spatial direction, this spatial direction may alternatively or additionally extend perpendicularly to the loading side, preferably parallel to a horizontal narrow side of the storage goods carrier.

[0044] The method for calculating a height distribution comprises determining location-dependent heights of stored goods, the method preferably further comprising the method steps of providing height data representing the location-dependent heights to a data processing system and calculating said height distribution based on the height data.

[0045] The method may be further improved in that the method step of determining the position-dependent height of the stored goods includes relative movement of a plurality of reflected light sensors arranged parallel to one another with respect to the stored goods.

[0046] This has the advantage that a two-dimensional height distribution and thus a three-dimensional depiction of the storage goods carrier can be determined.

[0047] The computer-readable data medium according to the invention, on which the computer program product is stored, may be temporary or permanent. The computer-readable data medium may be, for example, a magnetic, optical or electric memory and may be, but is not limited to, a disk, a magnetic strip, a CD, a DVD, a ROM or a RAM, a hard disk or an SSD.

[0048] The method may in particular be a computer-implemented method. The method or the data processing device may be designed to determine a three-dimensional depiction of the arrangement of the storage goods on the storage goods carrier. For example, the image data set may be two-dimensional or three-dimensional. The image data set may include a depiction of a storage location, in particular a storage rack. The three-dimensional depiction allows a user to create a more accurate image of the occupancy of the storage goods carrier.

[0049] The method and apparatus may be designed to generate markings at positions in a drawing in an image data set where stored goods (which are located on a stored goods carrier different from the stored goods carrier in a redistribution of stored goods that reduces lost space) are represented in the depiction. Such markings indicate to the user the specific stored goods to be rearranged. This allows for an improvement and increase in the efficiency of the human-machine interface. The markings may be optical or visual markings, for example, representations of stored goods to be rearranged, whose color is different from the color of stored goods that are not to be rearranged, and / or representations of temporary changes, such as flashing, of stored goods to be rearranged.

[0050] The order picking device may in particular be a storage system.In the following discussion, both terms are used synonymously.

[0051] A further improvement can be achieved when the method and device cause, for example, a storage cargo carrier on which storage cargo is placed (in a redistribution of storage cargo that reduces lost space, the storage cargo is located on a storage cargo carrier different from the stored storage cargo carrier) to be automatically transported to a service opening of the storage system.

[0052] The service opening, also called retrieval and / or storage point, is an opening or location that provides a connection from the interior of the storage system to its external environment. The service opening can be a simple opening in the housing of the storage system. The service opening can also have a shaft-like design and can be defined, for example, by storage locations at the top, bottom and / or sides. The service opening can also protrude from the housing of the storage system and have additional elements, such as one or more workbenches, one or more dockable transport vehicles for one or more storage cargo carriers or one or more platforms, which can also be located outside the housing. Finally, the service opening can also be designed as a completely open transfer area, at which storage cargo and / or storage cargo carriers for storage and / or retrieval are received into the storage system and / or transferred from the storage system.

[0053] According to another embodiment, the method and the device can be designed to facilitate automatic simultaneous transport from at least two storage goods carriers to the service opening, wherein, according to a redistribution of the storage goods that reduces lost space, the storage goods located on one of the at least two storage goods carriers should be located on another of the at least two storage goods carriers. Such an embodiment allows very rapid redistribution of the storage goods to reduce lost space.

[0054] At least two storage goods carriers can be present in the service opening at the same time. The at least two storage goods carriers can be located one above the other and / or one after the other in the service opening. Storage goods carriers arranged adjacent to each other, in particular when they have a rectangular outline, can be arranged in a common plane with their short edges facing each other and / or their long edges facing each other. This measure also reduces the time required for redistributing the storage goods.

[0055] The at least two storage goods carriers located in the service opening do not have to be storage goods carriers on which storage goods are exchanged. The storage goods carrier in the service area can also be used, for example, to temporarily store storage goods of some other storage goods carriers in the service area, which are stored on the third storage goods carrier in a manner of redistributing the storage goods with reduced lost space in the next step.

[0056] The service opening in which at least two storage goods carriers can be received offers the advantage that, for example, a first storage goods carrier is stored at the bottom in the service opening. When the operator removes the storage goods to be rearranged during the redistribution of the storage goods from the storage goods carrier, which reduces the lost space, the conveying device can convey the second storage goods carrier to be rearranged thereon into the service opening, for example above the first storage goods carrier. The operator can rearrange the storage goods to be rearranged on the second storage goods carrier while the conveying device conveys the first storage goods carrier to the storage location again. The two storage goods carriers can be offset above and below each other in the service opening so that there is no overlap or only a partial overlap between them.

[0057] The above-mentioned "prompt" about the transmission of storage goods carriers is understood to mean the output of control commands, for example to a control device, the transmission of movement coordinates, for example to a control device, the retrieval of a control program for controlling the transmission and / or the control of the transmission itself, i.e. direct control if the controller is integrated into the device. By means of this feature, those storage goods carriers can be automatically provided to the operator at the service opening, for which at least partial rearrangement of the storage goods on other storage goods carriers leads to optimization of the storage space. A conveying device for the transmission can be provided. The data processing device can be designed to calculate the order in which the storage goods carriers are automatically transmitted to the service opening according to the redistribution of the storage goods with reduced lost space.

[0058] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the method and the device can be designed to mark in the service opening, in particular optically and contactlessly, the stored goods which, in a redistribution of the stored goods with reduced lost space, are located on a different stored goods carrier than the stored goods carrier which is currently located in the service opening. For example, a display designating the stored goods to be rearranged can be activated directly or indirectly at the service opening. Thus, a laser pointer, a light beam or a light cross can be controlled directly or indirectly so that it is directed onto the stored goods which, in a redistribution of the stored goods with reduced lost space, are located on a different stored goods carrier than the stored goods carrier which is now in the service opening, i.e. the stored goods have to be reloaded.

[0059] According to another embodiment, the method and the device can be designed to directly or indirectly control a robot, which automatically reloads the stored goods from one storage cargo carrier to another storage cargo carrier according to the redistribution of the stored goods with reduced lost space. For reloading, the stored goods to be rearranged can be automatically temporarily stored, for example, on a workbench, on a platform or in a buffer storage space, for example in a storage rack or a storage cargo carrier. The temporary storage space is preferably located near the service opening. When at least two storage cargo carriers can be present in the service opening at the same time, as described above, one of the storage cargo carriers can also be used as a temporary storage space.

[0060] Direct control occurs when the robot, conveyor or transfer device is directly controlled by a data processing device or a computer-implemented method. Indirect control means that an external control device is caused by the method and / or device to perform such control itself. Of course, the control can also be part of the data processing device or storage system.

[0061] The storage system may be a storage elevator, a paternoster, a horizontal carousel, a vertical carousel, or a small parts warehouse, a high-bay warehouse, or some other storage system with aisle conveyors. The data processing device or the storage system may have at least one height measuring system as a detector device for detecting height measurement data. Preferably, the detector device (i.e. the height measuring system) is arranged in the storage system, for example in a service opening, in a storage shaft between storage racks containing storage locations and / or in a transition area between a service opening and a storage shaft.

[0062] The detector device is in particular a height measuring system.

[0063] In addition to a plurality of reflected light sensors, the height measuring system can have at least one light barrier, a light curtain, at least one camera and / or at least one scanner (for example in particular a 3D scanner, such as a LiDAR device) or a combination thereof.

[0064] Preferably, in particular during the transport of the storage goods carrier in the storage system, for example in the service opening or in the storage channel, the height measurement data of the storage goods carrier are detected by a plurality of reflected light sensors in the storage system. Detecting the height measurement data in the storage system can result in a compact method. Detecting the height measurement data during the transport of the storage goods carrier in the storage system also avoids time losses. Alternatively or additionally, the height measurement system or a part thereof can be moved relative to the storage goods carrier during the detection of the height measurement data. For this purpose, for example, the storage goods carrier can be fixed relative to the storage location. For example, a scanner, a light curtain or a corresponding light barrier for detecting the height measurement data, which is movably mounted in the service opening, can be moved along the storage goods carrier located in the service opening.

[0065] According to another advantageous embodiment, the height measuring system can at the same time be part of a security system for monitoring the service opening, which security system is designed, for example, to optically monitor a security area and trigger an alarm when an object passes through the security area. This corresponds to a second operating state of the order picking device.

[0066] The size representing the lost space of the stored storage cargo carriers can also be determined or calculated based on the height distribution of the stored storage cargo carriers. The representation of this size can be included in the depiction, for example as a visual element, i.e., a number, a graphical illustration, a logo, a progress bar or a loading bar, or a combination thereof. In particular, the depiction can include a representation of the difference in lost space, which is generated by comparing the lost space when the storage cargo is redistributed with reduced lost space with the lost space for the currently stored storage cargo carriers. This allows the operator to evaluate the effectiveness of the storage cargo redistribution that reduces lost space.

[0067] In order to enhance the calculation of the storage cargo redistribution with reduced lost space, a total lost space may be determined, which represents the sum of multiple lost spaces of different stored storage cargo carriers. In particular, the depiction may include the difference in overall stack height, and / or the difference between the total lost space for the storage cargo redistribution with reduced lost space and the overall stack height, and / or the total lost space of the currently stored storage cargo carriers.

[0068] In order to calculate a storage redistribution that reduces lost space, for example, it is only necessary to minimize the overall stack height and / or the total lost space. Monte Carlo simulations or machine learning programs that have been trained using such simulations can be used for such minimization.

[0069] It is also advantageous when a warning signal is generated depending on whether the lost space and / or the total lost space or a size representative thereof exceeds a predetermined limit value. The limit value can be changed by the user.

[0070] The transport of the storage cargo carriers in the storage system can be carried out according to the height distribution, the loss space and / or the total loss space. For example, when the loss space of the storage cargo carrier exceeds a predetermined limit value, the transport of the storage cargo carrier from the service opening and / or the transport to the storage location can be automatically prevented or stopped. For example, after determining the height distribution or calculating the loss space, the storage cargo carriers with loss space above the limit value can be automatically transported back to the service opening without being stored.

[0071] Further advantages arise when the method and the device are designed to automatically identify the stored goods on the stored goods carrier. The identification of the stored goods can be performed via height distribution and / or by querying a database.

[0072] For example, a database in which the positions of the storage goods on the individual storage goods carriers are stored can be consulted. The positions of the storage goods can be related to the height distribution so that the storage goods are assigned to the various heights in the height distribution in each case.

[0073] In another embodiment, data representing at least one dimension of the stored goods may be read out from a database. By using these data, the calculation may be enhanced and the stored goods to be rearranged may be more easily identified and displayed. The identification of the stored goods facilitates the display in the service opening, for example by using an indicator or on a display. Furthermore, based on the query data from the database, additional data may be provided in the depiction that allows the operator to identify the stored goods.

[0074] The database may be part of the data processing apparatus or may be an external database accessible by the data processing apparatus.

[0075] When a robot that allows optical recognition of stored goods is activated to automatically rearrange stored goods, an image or height distribution of the stored goods to be rearranged can be delivered to the robot. For example, such an image can be generated by a height measurement system. This measure prevents incorrect rearrangement by the robot.

[0076] Finally, the present invention relates to a computer program product, which comprises instructions, which, when a computer executes the computer program product, cause the computer to execute the method in one of the above-mentioned embodiments. The computer program product can be stored on a computer-readable data medium or can be part of a computer-readable data medium.

[0077] A data medium signal transmitted by a computer program product as described above.

[0078] Any type of computer (e.g. a standard industrial PC) can be used as a data processing device. The data processing device has a processor, which can consist strictly of hardware, strictly of software, or a combination of hardware and software. A CPU, an array processor, a vector processor unit, an ASIC, a GPU, an FPGA, any other processor and / or any combination of these elements can be used as a processor.

[0079] The storage system is an automatic storage system designed to automatically deposit storage goods for storage and automatically retrieve storage goods for retrieval as a result of a control command.

[0080] The invention will be explained below by way of example based on embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the sake of simplicity, the same reference numerals are always used for elements that correspond to one another in terms of function and / or design.

[0081] According to the above embodiments, for any of the embodiments described below, when the technical effect of a feature is not relevant to a specific application, the feature may be omitted. In addition, according to the above embodiments, features whose technical effects are relevant to a specific application may be added.

[0082] In the attached picture:

[0083] Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a storage system;

[0084] Figure 2 An example illustration of a height distribution is shown;

[0085] Figure 3 A schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a storage system;

[0086] Figure 4 Shows Figure 3 part of Figure 3 Schematic diagram in the observation direction IV;

[0087] Figure 5 An example illustration of a height distribution is shown;

[0088] Figure 6 A schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a storage system;

[0089] Figure 7 An example illustration of a height distribution is shown;

[0090] Figure 8 A schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a storage system;

[0091] Fig. 9 A schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a storage system;

[0092] Fig.10 An example diagram showing a depiction of a storage area of ​​a storage system generated according to a height distribution;

[0093] Fig.11 An example illustration of a flow chart is shown;

[0094] Fig.12 shows a schematic diagram of a height measurement system;

[0095] Fig.13 schematically illustrates the optimization of storage space utilized during flexing of a storage cargo carrier;

[0096] Fig.14 schematically illustrates the optimization of storage space utilized during flexing of a storage cargo carrier;

[0097] Fig.15 schematically illustrates optimization of storage space utilized when no deflection is detected; and

[0098] Fig.16 The storage volume utilizing the safety area as an undeflected storage cargo carrier is schematically shown.

[0099] First reference Figure 1 An embodiment of the present invention is explained by way of example.

[0100] Figure 1 A cross section of an order picking device 1, in particular an automated storage system 1, is shown. The storage system can be a storage elevator as shown here by way of example. However, the storage system 1 can also be a paternoster, a horizontal carousel, a vertical carousel or a storage system with channel conveyors, such as a high-bay warehouse or a small parts warehouse.

[0101] The storage system 1 has a storage area 2 in which storage locations 4 arranged one above the other are arranged. The storage locations 4 can have different heights and can be arranged at grid spacings 6. In the storage locations 4 there can be storage goods carriers 8 on which various storage goods 10 are stored. The storage goods carriers 8 can be fixedly placed in the storage locations 4 or they can be moved to the storage locations 4 for storage and can be removed from the storage locations 4 for retrieval.

[0102] Any type of storage goods can be stored on the storage goods carrier 8. The storage goods 10 on the storage goods carrier 8 can have different heights. The storage system 1 can also have a conveying device 12, which is used to convey the storage goods carrier 8 to the service opening 14 for automatic storage and / or retrieval of the storage goods from the service opening. For a bucket elevator or a horizontal or vertical carousel conveyor, the conveying device 12 moves the storage goods carrier 8 along a circular route through the service opening 14, or towards or away from the service opening 14. The service opening 14 connects the storage area 2 to the external environment of the storage system 1 and can also be called a storage and / or retrieval point.

[0103] In the case of a storage elevator or a tunnel conveyor, the conveyor device 12 can be moved in a storage tunnel 16 which is arranged between two storage racks 18 which are opposite to each other with respect to the storage tunnel 16. In this case, the conveyor device 12 can be moved, for example, along at least two, preferably mutually orthogonal spatial directions 20. The conveyor device can additionally rotate about a vertical axis (not shown).

[0104] As an alternative or in addition to the conveyor device 12, the transfer device 22 can be located in the service opening 14 and, in the case of storage, move a storage cargo carrier 8 from the service opening 14 to the conveyor device 12 and / or in the case of retrieval, move a storage cargo carrier from the conveyor device 12 to the service opening 14.

[0105] The storage system 1 may have any given number of service openings 14. Individual service openings may be used only for storage, only for retrieval or for both. The service opening 14 may have a well-shaped design. For example, storage locations may be present above, below and / or to the side of the service opening. However, the service opening may also be a simple opening in the housing 15 of the storage system, which allows access to the storage area.

[0106] The storage system 1 can have a height measuring system 24, which can be used to measure the height 26 of the stored goods 10 alone on the stored goods carrier 8 or the height of the stored goods carrier 8 together with the stored goods 10 present thereon at a plurality of positions along at least one spatial direction 20. These spatial directions do not necessarily have to match the movement directions of the conveying device or transfer device 22.

[0107] The height measurement system 24 is designed to generate in particular digital height measurement data 28, which can be output to a data processing system or data processing device 30. The data processing system can be referred to as data processing device 30. The height measurement data 28 contain the height 26 measured at a position in coded form for different positions along the spatial direction 20. The data processing device 30 can also be used to control the conveying device 12 and / or the transfer device 22.

[0108] like Fig.12 Schematically shown, the height measurement system 24 comprises a plurality of reflected light sensors 25. These sensors have a scanning range 25a which may preferably be at least 750 mm, more preferably 1000 mm or more. In addition, the reflected light sensors 25 are arranged at a distance 25b from each other along a line. The distance 25b may be greater than 1 cm and less than 10 cm. The reflected light sensors 25 have the advantage that they do not cast shadows which may interfere with or hinder the height measurement.

[0109] The data processing device 30 is designed, for example, to determine, based on the height measurement data 28, a storage location 4 in which a storage goods carrier 8 with a measured height 26 is suitable for loading, or to store the storage goods carrier 8 in the grid interval 6 in the storage area 2 in such a way that the distance to the storage location 4 located above it is as small as possible taking into account the height 26.

[0110] The data processing device 30 may be a standard computer, such as a PC. The data processing device has one or more processors 31, such as a CPU, a vCPU, an ASIC, a VPU, an array processor or a combination thereof, on which software having the functions described below is executed. Some or all of the functions may also be performed by hardware.

[0111] exist Figure 1 In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, at least a part of the height measuring system 24 is located at the end of the service opening 14 facing the storage area 2, or in a transition zone 32 between the service opening 14 and the storage area 2. The height measuring system 24 comprises a plurality of reflected light sensors 25, but may additionally have a grating, a plurality of gratings, a light curtain, a plurality of light curtains, a camera, a plurality of cameras, a scanner and / or a plurality of scanners or a combination thereof. The (one or more) scanners may in particular generate three-dimensional data. For example, a lidar scanner may be used. For example, by using a laser beam and / or a light beam, a light curtain may scan a measuring plane through which the storage cargo carrier is conveyed and / or which moves relative to the storage cargo carrier. Figure 1 The light curtain or light barrier 34 is shown strictly by way of example.

[0112] The height measuring system 24 can simultaneously be used as a safety system to enhance work safety. For example, when the safety system is armed, an alarm signal can be output when an object passes through the light curtain 34. For example, the safety system can be armed when the storage cargo carrier 8 is stationary in the service opening 14 and is being loaded or unloaded.

[0113] When the storage goods for storage on the storage goods carrier 8 are transported from the service opening 14 to the storage location 4 by means of the transfer device 22 and / or the conveying device 12, the storage goods carrier is guided past the light curtain or light barrier 34 or is transported through the light curtain or light barrier, as indicated by the arrow 36. During this movement, the height 26 is measured at successive points in time and thus at various positions along the storage goods carrier 8. Based on the height measurement data 28 measured along the direction 36, the data processing device 30 determines a height distribution 38, as shown in FIG. Figure 2 Line 40 is used to symbolically indicate the height grid in which the grating is measured.

[0114] In the height profile 38, the profile of the height 26 in the direction 36 is shown at different positions. The direction 36 preferably extends parallel to the edge of the base area of ​​the storage goods carrier 8, which in the present case is rectangular.

[0115] For each storage cargo carrier, a lost space 42 can be calculated as a function of the height distribution 38 and the positions of the storage locations 4 or their vertical distances from one another. The lost space 42 is the free space above the storage cargo 10 of the storage cargo carrier 8 up to the storage location 4 or the storage cargo carrier 8 located above it. For example, if a storage cargo 10 having a large height 26 but only a small base area is located on the storage cargo carrier 8, but adjacent to it are very low storage cargo 10, the lost space 42 above the storage cargo carrier 8 is relatively large. If all the storage cargo 10 on the storage cargo carrier 8 have approximately the same height and there are no gaps between the storage cargo 10, the lost space 42 is relatively small.

[0116] For example, for Figure 2 The one-dimensional height profile 38 shown makes it very easy to calculate the measure of the lost space 42 as the content of the rectangular area 44 above the second highest stored good 10 in the height profile 38 up to the height of the highest stored good 10 or down to the bottom side of the stored good carrier 8 or storage location 4 located above it. This calculation can be refined by adding in each case the rectangular area 46 above the second highest, third highest, etc. stored good. The sum of the spaces 44 and 46 results in the total lost space 43, as indicated by the cross-hatching.

[0117] As further described below, the height distribution 38 can also be determined in two directions, preferably along two mutually perpendicular directions. In this case, similarly to the above, considering the second spatial direction, the loss space 42 can be determined to be equal to the volume. This height distribution is referred to as a two-dimensional distribution hereinafter.

[0118] The data processing device 30 may be designed to generate an image data set 48 and provide it at an output of a digital interface such as HDMI or Bluetooth, for example. The image data set 48 may be represented in the form of an image 52 on a display 50, which may be part of the data processing device 30, for example. The image data set 48 represents a depiction of storage goods carriers 8 stored in a storage location 4, and the height distribution of storage goods 10 on a specific storage goods carrier. Each storage goods carrier 8 is preferably shown in a diagrammatic manner at a storage location 4 in the storage system 1 or at a storage rack 18 in the storage system 1 where the storage goods carrier is stored. The depiction 54 is therefore a true representation of the loading state of the storage system 1 or the storage rack 18.

[0119] Fig.10 Schematically shown in FIG. 54 is a depiction of a storage area 2 and includes a representation of storage goods carriers 8 in a storage rack 18, for example.

[0120] The height distribution 38 determined by the height measurement system 24 and the data processing device 30 using the height measurement data 28 is displayed for each storage goods carrier 8. Furthermore, further information about the storage goods 10 can be displayed in the depiction 54, such as a goods number and / or a brief description.

[0121] The determined lost space 42 may also be marked in the depiction 54, for example by having the lost space 42 in the depiction 54 have a different color and / or texture than areas above the stored goods 10 that are not determined to be lost space 42 and are not stored goods 10. The lost space 42 may also be provided with a time-variable marking such as blinking.

[0122] The depiction 54 allows the user of the storage system 1 to recognize inefficient utilization of the available storage space and, if necessary, to redistribute the storage goods 10. This measure is facilitated by the additional display of the lost space 42.

[0123] In addition, if Fig.10 As shown by the cross-hatching in , stored cargo 10a that causes lost space 42 and will be redistributed to other stored cargo carriers to minimize lost space 42 can be marked in depiction 54. Stored cargo 10a that is above a predetermined height that can be changed by an operator, for example, and / or below a predetermined but changeable height can be marked.

[0124] It is also possible to mark only lost volumes 42 in the depiction 54 that are greater than a predefined limit value, which limit value can preferably be changed by the operator.

[0125] The data processing device 30 can be designed to determine a total loss space 43. This total loss space 43 results from the sum of the individual loss spaces 42. For example, the total loss space 43 can be calculated for each storage rack 18 or each storage system 1. In the first case, the loss spaces 42 of the storage racks 18 are added, and in the second case, the loss spaces 42 of the entire storage system 1 are added. When calculating the total loss space 43, any loss space 42 can be taken into account, or only loss spaces 42 that meet certain criteria and, for example, have a predetermined minimum size that is preferably changeable by the operator. The geometry of the loss space 42 can also be taken into account. For example, only loss spaces 42 with sufficient width or base area that are above a predetermined limit value that is preferably changeable by the operator can be taken into account.

[0126] The depiction 54 can contain a one-dimensional or two-dimensional height distribution 38, i.e. a height distribution that has been measured along one or along two spatial directions. For example, the depiction 54 can contain a perspective representation of a two-dimensional height distribution 38, in which case the storage goods 10 can be represented in three dimensions on each storage goods carrier 8.

[0127] Indicia 55 indicating efficiency of space utilization in storage area 2 or in total lost space 43 may be present in depiction 54 or image data set 48. Indicia 55 provides a quick indication to the user whether it is necessary to redistribute storage goods 10. Indicia 55 may be a function of, for example, the ratio or difference of total lost space 43 to the total storage space provided by storage system 1 or the ratio or difference of overall stack height to the total height of storage space provided by storage system 1.

[0128] The data processing device 30 can also be designed to calculate the overall stack height. The overall stack height is the height of the storage goods carriers 8 stacked directly on top of each other in the storage system 1 or in the storage rack 18, for example in the grid compartments 6.

[0129] The data processing device 30 can determine the storage cargo redistribution with reduced loss space based on the determined height distribution 38 or height measurement data 28. In the storage cargo redistribution with reduced loss space, at least a portion of the storage cargo 10 in the storage system 1 is distributed on other storage cargo carriers 8 that are different from when the height distribution is determined. After the storage cargo redistribution with reduced loss space, the overall stacking height of these storage cargo carriers 8 is less than the total stacking height before the storage cargo redistribution with reduced loss space. Therefore, in the storage cargo redistribution with reduced loss space, the storage cargo 10 is redistributed on the same storage cargo carriers 8 so that the storage cargo carriers 8 can be arranged more compactly above each other. The number of storage cargo carriers remains the same. The overall stacking height is not necessarily a variable for calculating the storage cargo redistribution with reduced loss space. However, the storage cargo redistribution with reduced loss space is characterized by a reduction in the overall stacking height.

[0130] Fig.10 The overall stacking height 56 ​​of the storage goods carriers 8 is schematically shown. If the storage goods 10a are redistributed, the storage goods carriers 8 in the storage rack 18 can be stacked more compactly on top of each other. In the storage goods redistribution with reduced lost space, preferably, storage goods 10 of approximately the same height are located on the same storage goods carrier 8. The overall stacking height 56 ​​of the stored storage goods carriers 8 is reduced, and, for example, after the storage goods redistribution with reduced lost space, at least one further additional storage goods carrier 8 can be accommodated in the storage rack 18. For example, a Monte Carlo simulation or a machine learning program (e.g. a network trained based on such or similar simulations) is suitable for calculating the storage goods redistribution with reduced lost space.

[0131] Figure 3 A storage system is shown in which a height measuring system 24 is located in a storage shaft 16. During the transport of storage goods carriers 8 in the storage shaft 16 by the conveying device 12 in a conveying direction 36, height measurement data 28 are determined.

[0132] As an example, a grating or light curtain 34 is shown perpendicular to the end face 57 of a storage rack 18 adjacent to the storage shaft 16. The grating or light curtain 34 crosses the storage shaft 16 transversely from one storage rack 18 to another storage rack. When the storage goods carrier 8 with the storage goods 10 is conveyed in the vertical direction, the interruption of the light curtain and the instantaneous position of the conveying device 12 or the storage goods carrier 8 (which is continuously provided to the data processing device 30) can determine the height 26. In addition to the grating or light curtain 34 or as an alternative, another grating or another light curtain 34a can be used. The other grating or another light curtain 34a is preferably oriented perpendicular to the grating 34. The measuring plane 58 of the grating or light curtain 34 can be oriented parallel to the measuring plane 58a of the grating or light curtain 34a. In the embodiment shown, the other grating 34a or another light curtain 34a is a detector device 24 (also called height measurement system 24). The detector device is composed of a plurality of reflected light sensors 25.

[0133] and Figure 1 In comparison, due to the different orientations of the grating 34 and the further grating 34a (ie, the detector device 24) relative to the moving direction 36 of the storage cargo carrier 12, the grid pattern 40 for height measurement has a different Figure 1 In this case the grid pattern 40 is a width grid or a depth grid.

[0134] when Figure 3 When the two light grids or light curtains 34 , 34 a are used together, due to the different orientations (in the present case perpendicular to each other), a two-dimensional height distribution 38 can be determined, since the height measurement data 28 are present in two different directions in the measurement plane 58 . Figure 6 Another embodiment for determining two-dimensional height measurement data is shown.

[0135] exist Figure 6 In the design of the height measuring system 24, there are light curtains or light barriers 34, 34a, which are spaced laterally from the path 36a, 36b traveled by the storage goods carriers 8 during storage. Each light curtain or each light barrier 34, 34a is oriented perpendicular to the conveying direction. One light barrier or one light curtain 34a corresponds to, for example Figure 1 The light curtain 34 in FIG. 1 can also be part of a safety system which, in the unarmed state, measures a height profile 38a along a direction 36a. Figure 6 The direction 36a in corresponds to Figure 1 Direction 36. Although Figure 6The two light curtains or gratings 34, 34a in the embodiment are spaced apart from each other and detect height measurement data in different, for example mutually perpendicular spatial directions 36a, 36b and in mutually perpendicular measuring planes 58, 58a at different times, but they can be used to determine a shared two-dimensional height distribution 38, such as Figure 7 Therefore, the data processing device 30 can calculate the distribution of the stored goods 10 on the stored goods carrier 8 based on the two one-dimensional partial height distributions 38a, 38b. When the light curtain or grating 34, 34a is used together, it can also be used Figure 3 The embodiments in the Figure 7 The height distribution shown in .

[0136] The lost space 42 above the storage cargo carrier 8 can be calculated more accurately using the two-dimensional height distribution 38. Based on the two-dimensional height distribution 38, the base area 59 of the storage cargo 10 can also be determined, so that it can be accurately determined whether the storage cargo that caused the lost space 42 can actually be exchanged with the storage cargo 10 on another storage cargo carrier 8. That is, such an exchange is only possible if there is enough base area on the storage cargo carrier 8 to receive the corresponding other storage cargo.

[0137] When light curtains or light barriers are mentioned above, the purpose is to use them in particular for detecting a non-contact operating system for height measurement comprising a plurality of reflected light sensors. These reflected light sensors can each have a light beam and / or a laser beam. The plurality of reflected light sensors can scan the measuring plane 58 so fast that the height changes produced during the sampling period can be ignored compared to the transport speed of the storage goods carrier 8.

[0138] A disadvantage of light curtains or light barriers 34 measuring in the measuring plane 58 is that stored goods arranged behind one another can cast shadows on one another. To avoid this, the height measuring system 24 can have one or more cameras, for example one or more CCD cameras, one or more light sensors, or one or more scanners 60, which generate two-dimensional height measurement data 28 in the form of images. This is particularly useful in Figure 8 For example, a LiDAR scanner or camera that projects a raster onto the storage goods 10 or the storage goods carrier 8 may be used as the camera or scanner 60. In this case, the height measurement data 28 may be implicitly included in the image data 62. The image data 62 may represent a black and white image or a color image in any given color space.

[0139] The image data 62 can further be used to identify individual storage goods 10. For example, the data processing device 30 can be designed to recognize a code 66 on the storage goods 10, on the storage goods carrier, or on the small parts container or compartment, and retrieve data corresponding to the code 66 from the database 64. For example, a QR code or a bar code can be attached to the storage goods 10 or the storage goods carrier or the small parts container or compartment and recognized by the height measurement system 24. Information from the database 64 (such as package dimensions, a brief depiction of the storage goods 10, the weight of the storage goods 10, and / or the position of the storage goods 10 on the storage goods carrier 8) can be determined by using the code 66. The code 66 allows the storage goods 10 to be identified by the data processing device 30. For this purpose, the data processing device 30 can have a code reader 68, which is implemented as hardware and / or software and recognizes the code in the image data 62. The database 64 can be part of a high-level storage management system 70 that controls and / or manages multiple storage systems 1 as a high-level control entity.

[0140] Once the height distribution 38 of the storage goods carriers 8 and their storage locations 4 for height-dependent storage has been determined, the data processing device 30 can calculate the lost space 42 and / or the total lost space 43 and / or the overall stacking height 56. In a variant, an acoustic and / or optical warning signal 72 can be output or its output can be caused as soon as at least one of the parameters of the lost space, the total lost space 43 and / or the overall stacking height 56 ​​exceeds a predetermined limit value, which can preferably be changed by the operator. Alternatively or additionally, the data processing device 30 can indirectly or directly cause the storage goods carriers 8 to be automatically transported back into the service opening 14 or not to be transported out of the service opening 14, so as not to waste storage space and to cause an immediate reloading of the storage goods.

[0141] The data processing device 30 can be designed to indirectly or directly cause the automatic transport of a storage cargo carrier 8 with storage cargo 10a, which will be rearranged on another storage cargo carrier 8 during a storage cargo redistribution process that reduces lost space. This will be referred to below. Fig. 9 To indirectly prompt, the data processing device 30 sends a control command 74 to the conveying device 12 and / or the transfer device 22 ( Fig. 9 The control unit 76 (not shown in FIG. 1 ) then takes over the actual control of the conveying device 12 and / or the transfer device 22. For direct prompting, the data processing device 30 is designed to control the conveying device 12 and / or the transfer device 22 itself.

[0142] The data processing device 30 is preferably designed to automatically determine the transport sequence of the storage goods carriers 8 with the storage goods 10a to be rearranged, so that only a minimum number of storage goods 10a to be rearranged need always be stored in the temporary storage space 78 (for example, the delivery station 80).

[0143] If the rearrangement is performed manually, i.e., by an operator 82, it is advantageous for an indication system 84 (e.g., a laser pointer) to designate the storage item 10a to be rearranged in the service opening 14. The light beam 86 marking the storage item 10a to be rearranged may also be generated by the height measurement system 24, if the height measurement system 24 includes a scanner or camera 60 designed to automatically project one or more light beams or patterns (e.g., a cross) onto predefined locations.

[0144] As soon as the stored goods 10a in the process of redistribution of stored goods with reduced lost space are to be rearranged and there is a stored goods carrier 8 with the stored goods 10a to be rearranged in the service opening 14, the operator 82 can accordingly identify the stored goods 10a marked by the light beam 86 and deposit it, for example, on the workbench 80. According to the control command of the operator 82, for example by touching the mark on the touch-sensitive display 88, the stored goods carrier 8 is then transported back into the storage area 2 without the stored goods 10a to be rearranged. The operator 82 may have placed the stored goods 10a previously placed for rearrangement on the stored goods carrier 8.

[0145] Then, the next storage goods carrier 8 having the storage goods 10a to be exchanged with the temporarily stored storage goods 10a is automatically transported to the service opening 14. These steps are continued until all storage goods 10a to be rearranged have been rearranged.

[0146] In addition to or in lieu of the indicator system 84, a display 88 may be provided to facilitate the operator 82 to identify the storage goods 10a to be rearranged, and / or to control the storage system 1. Thus, for example, the display 88 may show the height distribution 38 or some other depiction of the storage goods 10a on the storage goods carrier 8 in the service opening 14, wherein the storage goods 10a to be rearranged are marked. At the same time, further information about the storage goods 10a to be rearranged may be displayed, such as information from the storage management system 70 or the database 64.

[0147] Of course, in the process of redistributing the stored goods with reduced lost space, during the rearrangement of the stored goods 10a, a plurality of stored goods 10a may also be removed from the stored goods carrier 8, and only a portion of these removed stored goods 10a may be placed on the next provided stored goods carrier 8. Which stored goods 10a are to be placed may be displayed on the display 88.

[0148] The rearrangement during the redistribution of the storage goods with reduced lost space can also be performed fully automatically, for example using a robot 90 that performs the same activities as the operator 82. The robot 90 can be provided with a camera 92 that detects the storage goods 10a to be transferred based on image data on the storage goods carrier 8 in the service opening 14 and / or based on the light beam 86 directed thereto. In addition, the robot 90 can be provided with a control signal that contains in coded form the position of the storage goods 10a to be rearranged on the storage goods carrier 8. This position can be contained in the database 64, for example.

[0149] The robot 90 can be controlled directly by the data processing device 30 or indirectly by a control unit 76 installed therebetween, which control unit can, for example, also activate the conveying device 12 and / or the transfer device 22. The data processing device can be designed, for example, to send a control signal 94 to the robot 90, which causes the robot to rearrange or temporarily store the storage goods 10a to be rearranged.

[0150] Fig.11 An overview of a method for storage space optimization is provided. In step 100, height measurement data 28 are determined. Then in step 102, based on the height measurement data 28, a height distribution 38 of the stored goods 10a on the stored goods carriers 8 is determined. Steps 100 and 102 are repeated for a plurality of stored goods carriers 8 of the storage system 1, preferably for all stored goods carriers 8. This can occur at any time in the storage system 1 when a stored goods carrier 8 is transported past the height measurement system 24 and / or is located in the service opening 14.

[0151] In step 104, an image dataset 48 is generated and presented in optional step 106. In optional step 108, the lost space 42, the total lost space 43 and / or the overall stack height 56 ​​of at least a portion of the storage cargo carrier 8 is determined based on the height measurement data 28 or the height distribution 38.

[0152] In step 110, a lost space reduced storage cargo redistribution is calculated based on the lost space 42, the total lost space 43, and / or the overall stack height 56, and / or as a function of the height measurement data 28 and / or the height distribution 38. In step 104, when generating the image data set 48, the stored cargo 10a to be rearranged during the lost space reduced storage cargo redistribution may be considered, so that the stored cargo 10a to be rearranged in the image data set 48 may be represented differently from the stored cargo 10 not to be rearranged in the depiction 54 by the image data set 48. If a lost space reduced storage cargo redistribution is not determined, the stored cargo 10a to be rearranged may also be marked in the depiction 54 as a function of the height distribution 38, the height measurement data 28, or as a function of the lost space 42, the total lost space 43, and / or the overall stack height 56 ​​determined in step 108.

[0153] When a redistribution of the stored goods that reduces the lost space is determined, in an optional step 112, the stored goods carriers 8 with the stored goods 10a to be rearranged can be automatically transported, or their transportation can be prompted, preferably in the order of the rearrangement. In step 114, the rearrangement is performed manually or fully automatically by the robot 90.

[0154] Instead of automatic transport 112 , transport of the storage goods carrier 8 may be initiated manually at any time, for example based on the depiction 54 represented in step 106 . This is schematically indicated by step 116 .

[0155] Figures 13 to 15 The deflection 120 of the storage goods carrier 8 is shown schematically, but not to scale. The order picking device 1 (not shown here) can be designed to determine the deflection 120 of the storage goods carrier 8 and / or to calculate a value representing the deflection 120. The order picking device 1 can therefore have a deflection module 118, which is only Fig.13 It is schematically shown in FIG.

[0156] Such a deflection module 118 can qualitatively determine whether the storage cargo carrier 8 is deflected, and / or can quantitatively determine the size, i.e., degree, of the deflection 120. The deflection module 118 can have a scale or can be a scale. By using a scale, the weight value of the storage cargo 10 located on the storage cargo carrier 8 can be detected, and the deflection 120 as a function of the weight value can be calculated. In other embodiments (not shown), the sensor can be located at the bottom of the storage cargo carrier 8 or below the storage cargo carrier 8 and is designed to determine the deflection 120.

[0157] Depending on the geometry of the storage cargo carrier 8, different deflection distributions 122 can be obtained. For example, Fig.13The storage cargo carrier 8 in the embodiment of the present invention can have a central reinforcement 128, so that two flexures are formed, in each case from the reinforcement to the edge of the storage cargo carrier 8. In the absence of such a reinforcement (which is an example), the flexure 120 can extend over the entire storage cargo carrier 8, which in Fig.15 Shown in.

[0158] like Fig.14 and 15 As shown, the order picking device 1 can be designed to use the deflection distribution 122 determined by the deflection module 118 to optimize the storage space, and arrange the upper storage cargo carrier 124 with the corresponding deflection distribution 122 above the lower storage cargo carrier 126, wherein the lower storage cargo carrier 126 has a height distribution 38 of the storage cargo 10 that is roughly complementary to the deflection distribution 122 of the upper storage cargo carrier 124.

[0159] Even if it is determined that the storage goods carrier 8 has no deflection 120, this can also be used to optimize the storage space. Fig.16 It is schematically shown in FIG.

[0160] In the prior art, possible deflection 120 of the storage cargo carrier 8 is taken into account by reserving a safety area 130. This safety area 130 cannot be used for the storage of the storage cargo 10.

[0161] In one embodiment of the order picking device 1 , the safety area 130 provided below the storage goods carrier may be reduced based on the deflection 120 .

[0162] For example, if the deflection module 118 determines that the storage cargo carrier 8 is not deflected, the safe area 130 can be declared as a usable storage volume in whole or in part so that the storage cargo 10 of the lower storage cargo carrier 126 located thereunder can be located in the safe area. Fig.16 It is schematically shown in FIG.

[0163] The safety area 130 is located between the storage cargo 10 of the upper storage cargo carrier 124 and the lower storage cargo carrier 126. The safety area 130 extends to the lower storage cargo carrier 126, and one end of the safety area 130 is shown by a dotted line. Therefore, the storage cargo 10 of the lower storage cargo carrier 126 is always at a safety distance 130a from the upper storage cargo carrier 124. The safety distance 130a corresponds to the size of the safety area 130. If no deflection 120 is detected, the upper storage cargo carrier 124 can be moved from the first position 124a (with the safety area 130) to the second position 124b (without the safety area 130). In this position, corresponding to the previously established safety distance 130a, the available storage space increases.

[0164] Reference Number List

[0165] 1Storage system / order picking device

[0166] 2 Storage Area

[0167] 4 Storage Location

[0168] 6 grid intervals

[0169] 8 Storage Cargo Carrier

[0170] 10Storage of goods

[0171] 10 Goods to be redistributed

[0172] 12Conveying device

[0173] 14 Service openings / retrieval and / or storage points

[0174] 15 Shell

[0175] 16 memory channels

[0176] 18 Storage racks

[0177] 20 spatial directions

[0178] 22 Transfer device

[0179] 24Height measurement system / detector device

[0180] 25 Reflection light sensor

[0181] 25a Scanning range

[0182] 25b Distance

[0183] 26 Height

[0184] 28 Height measurement data

[0185] 30 Data processing device

[0186] 31 processors

[0187] 32 Transition area between service opening and storage area

[0188] 34 light curtain / grating

[0189] 34a Another light curtain / Another light grid

[0190] 36 Measurement direction of height distribution

[0191] 36a, 36b Different measurement directions in 2D height distribution

[0192] 38 Height Distribution

[0193] 38a, 38b Two-dimensional height distribution as part of a two-dimensional height distribution

[0194] 40 height / width / depth grids

[0195] 42 Loss of Space

[0196] 43 Total Loss Space

[0197] 44 Area / Volume

[0198] 46 Area / Volume

[0199] 48-image dataset

[0200] 50 Display

[0201] 52 images

[0202] 54Description

[0203] 55 Mark

[0204] 56 Overall stack height

[0205] 57 Storage rack end face

[0206] 58,58a Measurement plane

[0207] 59 Base area for storing goods

[0208] 60Camera / Scanner

[0209] 62 Image Data

[0210] 64 Database

[0211] 66 yards

[0212] 68 barcode reader

[0213] 70 Storage Management System

[0214] 72 alarm signal

[0215] 74 Control Commands

[0216] 76Control Unit

[0217] 78 Temporary storage space

[0218] 80 workbench

[0219] 82 operators

[0220] 84 indicator system

[0221] 86 beams

[0222] 88 Display

[0223] 90 Robot

[0224] 92 Robot Camera

[0225] 94 robot control signal

[0226] 100 Determine the height measurement data

[0227] 102Determine the height distribution

[0228] 104 Determine the image dataset

[0229] 106 means depiction

[0230] 108 Determine lost space, total lost space, and / or overall stack height

[0231] 110 Identify storage cargo redistribution that reduces lost space

[0232] 112 Automatic transfer for redistribution

[0233] 114 Rearrange

[0234] 116 Manually start transmission for rearrangement

[0235] 118 flexure module

[0236] 120 Flex

[0237] 122 Flexure Distribution

[0238] 124 Upper storage cargo carrier

[0239] 124a first position

[0240] 124b Second position

[0241] 126 Lower storage cargo carrier

[0242] 128 Central reinforcement

[0243] 130 Safe Area

[0244] 130a Safety distance

Claims

1. An order picking device (1), in particular a storage elevator, having at least one retrieval and / or storage point (14) for storing goods (10) and / or for storing goods carriers (8), wherein: The order picking device (1) has at least one detector device (24) for determining a height distribution (38) of the stored goods (10) or the stored goods carrier (8) and for providing data (28) representing the height distribution (38), wherein the detector device (24) comprises a plurality of reflected light sensors (25) arranged parallel to one another.

2. The order picking device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the reflected light sensor (25) points vertically downward.

3. The order picking device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the reflected light sensors (25) are arranged along at least one line.

4. An order picking device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a conveying path, along which the stored goods (10) and / or the stored goods carrier (8) are transported between the at least one retrieval and / or storage point (14) and the storage location, wherein the multiple reflective light sensors (25) are located at a position transverse to the conveying path.

5. The order picking device (1) according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of reflective light sensors (25) are located on a top side of the conveying path.

6. The order picking device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The plurality of reflected light sensors (25) are located on the top side of the retrieval or storage point (14).

7. The order picking device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising a data processing system (30) connected to the detector device (24), in, The data processing system (30) is designed to calculate a storage goods redistribution that reduces lost space based on the height distribution (38) provided by the detector device (24), wherein at least a portion of the storage goods (10) in the order picking device (1) is distributed differently on the storage goods carrier (8) than on the stored storage goods carrier (8), and wherein, in the storage goods redistribution that reduces lost space, the overall stacking height (56) of the storage goods carrier (8) is smaller than the overall stacking height (56) of the same stored storage goods carrier (8).

8. An order picking device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising a data processing system (30) connected to the detector device (24) or the order picking device (1) according to claim 7, wherein the data processing system (30) is designed to generate an image data set (48), which represents a depiction (54) of the storage goods carrier (8) stored in the storage location (4), having the height distribution (38) of the storage goods (10) on a specific storage goods carrier (8) at its storage location (4) in the order picking device (1).

9. The order picking device (1) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the data processing system (30) is designed to - providing the image data set (48) to the user (82) in a graphical, optical, acoustic or tactile manner and / or providing the user (82) with processing instructions for reloading the stored goods (10) from the stored goods carrier (8) onto another stored goods carrier (8) of the order picking device (1) based on a redistribution of the stored goods that reduces lost space; or - Based on the redistribution of the stored goods which reduces the lost space, the robot (90) is controlled to reload the stored goods (10) from one stored goods carrier (8) of the order picking device (1) to another stored goods carrier (8).

10. An order picking device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the order picking device (1) is designed to detect a deflection (120) of a storage goods carrier (8) or a pallet and / or to calculate a value representing the deflection (120).

11. The order picking device (1) according to claim 10, wherein the order picking device (1) is designed to reduce the size (130a) of the safety area (130) according to the deflection (120).

12. Using a plurality of reflected light sensors (25) in an order picking device (1) to determine the height distribution (38) of stored goods (10) or stored goods carriers (8).

13. A method for calculating a height distribution (38) of stored goods (10) on a stored goods carrier (8), comprising determining a position-dependent height (26) of the stored goods (10) using a plurality of reflected light sensors (25) arranged parallel to one another.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing height data (28) representing the location-dependent heights (26) to a data processing system (30), and calculating the height profile (38) based on the height data (28).

15. The method according to claim 13 or 14, wherein: The method step of determining the position-dependent height (26) of the stored goods (10) comprises: a relative movement of the plurality of reflected light sensors (25) arranged parallel to each other with respect to the stored goods (10).

16. A computer program product comprising instructions which, when the computer program product is executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method according to one of claims 13 to 15.

17. A computer-readable data medium on which a computer program product according to claim 16 is stored.

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