CENTRAL BELT SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PICKING ITEMS

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a central belt system for picking articles into order containers transported by a container conveyor, comprising at least one central belt which has a conveying direction in the direction of the container conveyor, wherein the central belt has at least a first and a second belt region in the transverse direction to the conveying direction, and comprising first and second article chutes each assigned to the first and second belt regions for ejecting articles into the respective first and second belt regions. State of the art

[0002] Central belt systems are known from the state of the art (DE 10 2012 006 150 A1), in which articles are ejected from article chutes arranged on both sides of a central belt according to an order onto the respective side of the central belt and are picked together into an order container of a container conveyor.

[0003] This also applies to document EP0183074 A1, which shows the preamble of claims 1 and 8. Such

[0004] However, central conveyor systems are only partially suitable for applications where many small orders from a wide product range need to be picked, as the ejection times from the item chutes severely limit throughput. This is especially true when the same items must be ejected frequently in succession.

[0005] In particular, when a large number of small orders from a wide product range are to be picked, as is the case in the electronic commerce of pharmaceuticals, such serial systems quickly reach their performance limits. Disclosure of the invention

[0006] The present invention therefore has the object of providing a central belt system of the type mentioned at the outset, which can achieve a high throughput in order picking with a simple design.

[0007] The invention achieves the stated object in that the central belt system has a control system for ejecting articles from the first article shafts in accordance with a first order during a first time window and for ejecting articles from the second article shafts in accordance with a second order during a second time window, wherein the first and second article shafts have an identical article spectrum and the first and second time windows are synchronized with one another, and in that at least a first and second order bundle are provided on the container conveyor in order to pick the articles from the first and second belt areas on the central belt into the respective first and second order bundles on the container conveyor.

[0008] According to the invention, the central belt system has a control system for ejecting articles from the first article chutes according to a first order during a first time window and for ejecting articles from the second article chutes according to a second order during a second time window, thus enabling parallel processing of at least two orders on a single central belt. The articles from the first article chutes are ejected into a first belt area and the articles from the second article chutes are ejected into a second belt area on the central belt. The first and second orders are therefore each processed in their own time window without mixing up or mutual influence of the articles in the first and second belt areas. A reliable central belt system is thus created which enables parallel picking of the orders.

[0009] This creates a central belt system with a higher order throughput, as the first and second article chutes have an identical range of articles, meaning the same products are ejected simultaneously into the first and second belt areas on the central belt. This enables parallel processing of orders from the same range of articles on a single central belt. In addition to higher throughput, the central belt system also offers a simple and cost-effective design, as the system eliminates the need for multiple independent and cost-intensive central belts.

[0010] Furthermore, at least a first and a second order container are provided on the container conveyor, so that the articles from the first and second belt areas are picked independently of one another into the first and second order containers on the container conveyor.

[0011] The first and second time windows for ejecting articles from the first and second article chutes into the first and second belt areas are synchronized with one another, further increasing the throughput of the central belt system. The controller synchronizes the first and second time windows in such a way that simultaneous picking of the articles from the first and second belt areas into the respective first and second order bundles on the container conveyor is possible. The central belt system according to the invention can thus eject articles according to a first and second order onto a first and second belt side of the central belt during the synchronized first and second time windows and pick these articles into a first and second order bundle on the container conveyor.

[0012] The advantages of the central belt system according to the invention are particularly evident in the processing of small orders. For example, if two orders consisting of the same items are to be processed, the central belt system according to the invention can provide significant time savings compared to serial processing of the orders. Particularly for orders with a few items or several identical items, the ejection times of the items from the item chutes predominate, resulting in downtimes or delays on the central belt. The control of the central belt system according to the invention, on the other hand, can ensure that orders are distributed between the first and second item chutes in such a way that downtimes or delays on the central belt are avoided.

[0013] If the central belt also has a separating device for separating the first and second belt sections, the central belt system can reliably ensure that there is no mixing between the articles in the first and second belt sections. Such mixing can occur, in particular, when articles are ejected from the article chutes into one belt section with a certain impulse, which causes the articles to move at least partially into the other belt section. This can be reliably counteracted with the separating device according to the invention.

[0014] The aforementioned advantages can be realized particularly when the separating device is designed as a separating curtain or as a separating bar on the central belt. For example, the separating bar can be a bar connected to the central belt and moving with it, while the separating curtain can be a curtain separate from the central belt, reliably separating the belt sections.

[0015] If a tray is also provided to transport the first and second order containers together on the container conveyor, the items from the first and second orders, which are each picked into the first and second order containers, can be transported together in one tray on the container conveyor. This creates a structurally simple central belt system.

[0016] The throughput of the central belt system can be further increased if the control system is designed to synchronize the first and second stop positions of the tray on the container conveyor. By synchronizing the first and second time windows, in which articles are ejected from the first and second article shafts into the first and second belt areas, simultaneous picking of the articles from the first and second belt areas into the first and second order containers on the container conveyor is possible. If the first and second time windows are also synchronized with a stop position of the tray that contains the two order containers on the container conveyor, the first and second orders can be picked in parallel while the tray is at a single stop position. This means that there is no longer any need for the tray to have multiple stop positions to fulfill the orders, which in turn would result in delays orDowntimes can be reliably avoided.

[0017] Furthermore, the central belt system according to the invention can have third and fourth article chutes assigned to the first and second belt areas for ejecting articles into the first and second belt areas.

[0018] This can be particularly advantageous if the first and second article slots contain items from category A (e.g. fast-moving items) and the third and fourth article slots contain items from category B (e.g. medium- or slow-moving items that are ordered less frequently).

[0019] For example, it is conceivable that the first and second article chutes contain an identical range of articles from Category A, while the third and fourth article chutes contain a different range of articles from Category B. For example, less frequently picked Category B articles can be kept in stock in additional third and fourth article chutes, and the orders can be assigned by the control system to the first or second belt area for processing, thus providing a particularly flexible and efficient central belt system.

[0020] The invention further aims to provide a more efficient method for picking articles via a central belt according to the preamble of claim 8.

[0021] The invention solves the problem by the features of claim 8.

[0022] The method according to the invention thus allows articles to be ejected onto a first and second belt side of the central belt during the first and second time slots according to a first and second order, and these articles can be picked into a first and second order container on the container conveyor. In particular, there is no mixing between the articles in the first and second belt areas, and a completely independent, parallel fulfillment of the orders is enabled. An efficient and simple picking process can thus be created.

[0023] The different order containers are preferably transported together in a tray on the container conveyor.

[0024] The first and second time windows in which the articles are ejected from the first and second article chutes into the first and second belt areas are synchronized with each other, so that the method enables efficient and essentially simultaneous processing of the first and second orders.

[0025] This is especially true when the first and second time slots for ejecting items from the first and second item chutes are synchronized with a stop position of the container conveyor. This has been shown, among other things, to improve process efficiency by reducing waiting times on the central conveyor between orders, since the items can be ejected from the respective item chutes onto the central conveyor in parallel according to the first and second orders and picked from the central conveyor into the first and second order containers on the container conveyor. Brief description of the drawings

[0026] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in more detail below with reference to the drawings. They show: Fig. 1: a schematic plan view of the central ligament system according to a first preferred embodiment, and Fig. 2: a schematic cross-sectional view of the central ligament system from Fig. 1 . Ways to implement the invention

[0027] Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a central belt system 1 according to the invention for picking articles 2 in order containers 4.1, 4.2 transported by a container conveyor 3. A schematic cross-sectional view of the central belt system 1 is also shown in Fig. 2 shown.

[0028] The central belt system 1 has a central belt 5, on which articles 2 are transported in the conveying direction 6 to the container conveyor 3. In the transverse direction 7 to the conveying direction, the central belt 5 has at least a first belt section 8.1 and a second belt section 8.2, with at least first article chutes 9.1 being assigned to the first belt section 8.1 and at least second article chutes 9.2 being assigned to the second belt section 8.2. Articles 2 are stored in the article chutes 9.1, 9.2 and can be ejected, as needed, into the respective assigned belt section 8.1, 8.2 on the central belt 5. Between the belt sections 8.1, 8.2, a separating device 15 for separating the belt sections 8.1, 8.2 is provided on the central belt 5. The separating device 15 is provided as a separating curtain 15. In a further embodiment, the separating device 15 can also be designed as a separating web.

[0029] In a further embodiment, the central band 5 can have a third or further band area, which, however, is not shown in more detail in the figures.

[0030] The central belt system 1 also has a controller 10, which controls the article chutes 9.1, 9.2, the central belt 5, and the container conveyor 3 via control signals 11. The controller 10 ensures that, during a first time window 12.1, articles 2 are ejected from the first article chutes 9.1 into the first belt area 8.1 on the central belt 5 according to a first order 13.1, and during a second time window 12.2, articles 2 are ejected from the second article chutes 9.2 into the second belt area 8.2 on the central belt 5 according to a second order 13.2.

[0031] The first and second article chutes 9.1, 9.2 contain the same range of articles. All articles 2 that can be processed by orders 13.1, 13.2 are therefore identically located in the first and second article chutes 9.1, 9.2. Depending on the current capacity utilization of the conveyor areas 8.1, 8.2 and article chutes 9.1, 9.2, the controller 10 can assign the pending orders either as the first or second order 13.1, 13.2 for ejecting articles 2 from the first or second article chutes 9.1, 9.2.

[0032] At least one first order container 4.1 and one second order container 4.2 are provided on the container conveyor 3. The articles 2 of the first order 13.1 ejected from the first article chutes 9.1 into the first belt area 8.1 are picked into the first order container 4.1. Similarly, the articles 2 of the second order 13.2 ejected from the second article chutes 9.2 into the second belt area 8.2 are picked into the second order container 4.2. The order containers 4.1, 4.2 are also provided in a common tray 16 on the container conveyor 3, so that they are transported together and occupy a common stop position 17 in front of the central belt 5.

[0033] The first and second time slots 12.1, 12.2 are synchronized with each other, so that they fall within a higher-level time slot 14, in which the first and second orders 13.1, 13.2 are processed. This higher-level time slot 14 is in turn synchronized with the stop position 17 of a tray 16 on the container conveyor 3, so that the articles 2 according to the first and second orders 13.1, 13.2 are ejected in parallel onto the central belt 5 during the time slot 14 and picked into the respective order containers 4.1, 4.2.

[0034] In a further embodiment, not shown in detail in the figures, a third or additional order container can also be provided on the container conveyor 3. For example, the third order container can be used for manual picking of products during time window 14.

[0035] In the Fig. 1In the embodiment shown, the central belt system 1 also has third article shafts 9.3 assigned to the first belt area 8.1 and fourth article shafts 9.4 assigned to the second belt area 8.2. The third and fourth article shafts 9.3, 9.4 have a different article range. Article 2 from the third article shafts 9.3 can be ejected into the first belt area 8.1 and article 2 from the fourth article shafts 9.4 can be ejected into the second belt area 8.2 on the central belt 5. In this way, orders containing articles from the article range of the first and second article shafts 9.1 and 9.2 and articles from the article range of the third article shaft 9.3 can be picked into the first belt area 8.1 into the first order containers 4.1. Likewise, orders containing articles from the article range of the first and second article shafts 9.1 and 9.2 and articles from the article range of the fourth article shaft 9.4 are picked into the second order containers 4.2 on the second conveyor belt area 8.2. The controller 10 is configured to allocate the orders accordingly.

[0036] In a further embodiment, which is not shown in detail in the figures, the first and second article shafts 9.1, 9.2 can contain article 2 of a category A and the third and fourth article shafts 9.3, 9.4 can contain article 2 of a category B. Articles 2 of category A can be fast-moving products, for example, while the articles of category B can be medium- or slow-moving products.

[0037] It should be noted that the first article chutes 9.1 on the central belt 5 can be arranged opposite the second article chutes 9.2, but do not have to be. Likewise, the third article chutes 9.3 on the central belt 5 can be arranged opposite the fourth article chutes 9.4, but do not have to be arranged opposite each other. It would also be possible for only third article chutes 9.3 and no fourth article chutes 9.4 to be provided. Furthermore, it would be possible for the first article chutes 9.1 and the second article chutes 9.2, with the identical article spectrum, to each form only part of a central belt machine, and for the remaining part of the article chutes of these central belt machines to form the third and fourth article chutes 9.3 and 9.4.

[0038] It should be noted that more than three order containers, or even just the two order containers 4.1 and 4.2, can be accommodated on a tray. Furthermore, it would be possible to divide the central conveyor into three or more conveyor areas using additional separators, and to pick from the first and second article chutes into all of these conveyor areas.

Claims

1. A central belt system (1) comprising a container conveyor (3) and comprising order packages (4.1, 4.2) transported on the container conveyor (3), comprising at least one central belt (5) which has a conveying direction (6) toward the container conveyor (3), with the central belt (5) having at least a first and a second belt area (8.1, 8.2) in the transverse direction (7) to the conveying direction (6), and comprising first and second article chutes (9.1, 9.2) associated with the respective first and second belt areas (8.1, 8.2) and each having articles (2) according to a range of articles and designed for ejecting the articles (2) into the respective first and second belt areas (8.1, 8.2), respectively, characterized in that the central belt system (1) has a control (10) in order to eject articles (2) from the first article chutes (9.1) during a first time window (12.1) according to a first order (13.1) and to eject articles (2) from the second article chutes (9.2) during a second time window (12.2) according to a second order (13.2), with the first and second article chutes (9.1, 9.2) having an identical range of articles and the first and second time windows (12.1, 12.2) being synchronized with one another, and that at least a first and a second order package (4.1, 4.2) are provided on the container conveyor (3) in order to order-pick the articles (2), which have been ejected onto the central belt (5) in parallel and independently of one another, from the first and second belt areas (8.1, 8.2) on the central belt (5) in parallel into the respective first and second order packages (4.1, 4.2) on the container conveyor (3).

2. The central belt system according to claim 1, characterized in that the central belt (5) has a separating device (15) for separating the first and second belt areas (8.1, 8.2).

3. The central belt system according to claim 2, characterized in that the separating device (15) is designed as a separating curtain (15) or a separating web.

4. The central belt system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a tray (16) is provided in order to transport the first and second order packages (4.1, 4.2) jointly on the container conveyor (3).

5. The central belt system according to claim 4, characterized in that the control (10) is designed for synchronizing the first and second time windows (12.1, 12.2) for ejecting the articles (2) from the first and second article chutes (13.1, 13.2) with a stop position (17) of the tray (16) on the container conveyor (3).

6. The central belt system according to claim 5, characterized in that the central belt system (1) has third and fourth article chutes (9.3, 9.4) associated with the respective first and second belt areas (8.1, 8.2) for ejecting articles (2) into the respective first and second belt areas (8.1, 8.2).

7. The central belt system according to claim 6, characterized in that the first and second article chutes (9.1, 9.2) contain articles (2) of a category A, and the third and fourth article chutes (9.3, 9.4) contain articles (2) of a category B.

8. A method of order-picking articles (2) via a central belt (5) with a container conveyor (3), and order packages (4.1, 4.2) transported on the container conveyor (3), wherein articles (2) are, in each case, ejected from first and second article chutes (9.1, 9.2) into a first and a second belt area (8.1, 8.2) on the central belt (5), characterized in that the first and second article chutes (9.1, 9.2) each have articles according to an identical range of articles and that articles (2) are ejected from the first article chutes (9.1) into the first belt area (8.1) during a first time window (12.1) according to a first order (13.1) and articles (2) are ejected from the second article chutes (9.2) into the second belt area (8.2) during a second time window (12.2) according to a second order (13.2), wherein the first and second time windows (12.1, 12.2) are synchronized with each other, and wherein the articles (2), which have been ejected onto the central belt (5) in parallel and independently of one another are order-picked from the first and second belt areas (8.1, 8.2) in parallel into a respective first and second order packages (4.1, 4.2) on the container conveyor (3).

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the different order packages (4.1, 4.2) are transported jointly in a tray (16) on the container conveyor (3).

10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the first and second time windows (12.1, 12.2) for ejecting the articles (2) from the first and second article chutes (9.1, 9.2) are synchronized with a stop position (17) of the container conveyor (3).