FACILITY FOR CONVEYING AND STORING TRANSPORT GOODS

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a system for conveying and storing transport goods. The system comprises a frame having at least one transport aisle and a plurality of storage channels leading into the transport aisle. One or more transport goods can be stored consecutively in the storage channels. The system further comprises a transport carriage that is movable along the transport aisle and is designed to move the transport goods along the transport aisle and to store them in the storage channels or to retrieve them from the storage channels. The transport aisle comprises two rails for the transport carriage that run in the longitudinal direction of the transport aisle.

[0002] Systems of this type are known, for example, from documents DE 200 080 73 U1, DE 299 050 13 U1, DE 20 2006 010 489 U1, or in principle. In such systems, the frame typically has several levels arranged one above the other, each of which may have at least one transport aisle and several storage channels. A transport carriage running on the rails of a transport aisle can remove a load from the storage channel or store it therein. For this purpose, the transport carriage can, for example, have a lifting carriage that can be moved from the transport carriage into the storage channel and is designed to raise and lower the load (cf. DE 20 2017 004 863 D1). EP 3 613 680 A1 discloses an automatic storage and retrieval system according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0003] After loading the goods onto the transport trolley, they can then be transported along the transport aisle to a removal point. This removal point can be accessible, for example, by a forklift or can have an elevator that can be used to move the goods to a lower level, from where they can be removed from the rack.

[0004] The number of rack levels is limited by the height of the warehouse in which the system is located. With a given warehouse height, the problem can arise that a certain residual height remains between an upper rack level and the warehouse ceiling, which is not sufficient to accommodate another level. In such a case, the remaining height of the warehouse remains unused, reducing the overall capacity and thus the profitability of the warehouse. This is particularly annoying if the remaining height is only slightly less than the height of an additional rack level. Furthermore, the warehouse height cannot be planned and built to any desired height, as fire safety regulations stipulate a maximum ceiling height that must not be exceeded, at least when ceiling sprinkler systems are used.

[0005] Against this background, the object of the present invention is to provide a system for conveying and storing transported goods that allows for better utilization of a given ceiling height. This object is achieved by the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the subclaims.

[0006] In the system according to the invention, at least one of the rails has or is formed from a downwardly open U-profile, wherein the transport aisle further comprises at least one cross brace connecting the rails to one another, extending in the transverse direction of the transport aisle. The cross brace extends through an inner leg of the U-profile and further extends toward, and preferably to, an outer leg of the U-profile.

[0007] First, some of the terms used in this description will be explained. The transported goods can, in particular, be a pallet, such as a Euro pallet, on which goods or transport containers filled with goods are placed.

[0008] In the context of the invention, a U-profile refers to a profile extending along a longitudinal direction whose cross-section is U-shaped, i.e. has two legs connected to one another by a web. It is possible, but not necessarily required, for the legs to run parallel to one another and / or for the web to be perpendicular to the legs. If the U-profile is open at the bottom, this means that the web points upwards and the legs point downwards. The web can thus form a running surface for the transport trolley. The transport trolley can in particular have wheels for rolling on the rails. The running surface formed by the top of the web can be flat or have a different shape adapted to the wheels of the transport trolley.

[0009] An inner leg of the U-profile is the leg of the U-profile that is aligned with the opposite rail.

[0010] Within the scope of the invention, it was recognized that a space-saving yet highly stable rail construction can be realized by means of downwardly opening U-profiles. In particular, the U-profile is stiffened and stabilized due to the cross bracing passing through the leg of the U-profile. The cross bracing can also be connected to the outer leg of the U-profile and / or to the inner leg of the U-profile by means of a joint, thereby further increasing stability. At the same time, a free space can be created within the U-profile and beneath the cross bracing, which can be used for add-on components that would otherwise take up additional space beneath the rails in prior art rail constructions.

[0011] In particular, it was common practice in the prior art to construct the rails using C-profiles that were open inward (i.e., toward the opposite rail). In this case, the upper webs of the C-profiles served as the running surface for the rollers of the transport carriage. Additional attachments were mounted below the lower webs of the C-profile, thus requiring additional installation space.

[0012] Since the storage space on a level usually begins directly below the rails of the level above, the add-on components reduce the maximum storage height that can be stored on the lower level in the current state of the art. With the downwardly open U-profiles according to the invention, a certain amount of construction height can be saved by placing the add-on components in the free space of the U-profile on each level. In individual cases, this can lead to additional space being created, allowing an additional level to be used in a warehouse. In this way, storage capacity can be increased by 25%, for example, if five levels can be implemented instead of four.

[0013] The add-on components can be, for example, lighting devices extending along the rails or fastening rails for tools or protective equipment. Such lighting devices or fastening rails are usually required for manual maintenance operations in the area of ​​the transport aisles. In order to enable manual maintenance operations, it was generally known in the prior art to equip the transport aisle in the area between the rails with a walking surface, for example consisting of grating elements, which allow a user to reach the location of the malfunction on foot via the respective transport aisle and to rectify the malfunction manually. The lighting can ensure safe working; moreover, during maintenance operations it is regularly necessary for the user to be able to store their protective equipment and tools safely.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the cross bracing is carried through a through-opening located in the inner leg of the U-profile, wherein the through-opening is arranged, starting from an underside of the U-profile, at a height that is between 5% and 80% of a leg length of the U-profile, preferably between 10% and 60%, more preferably between 20% and 40% of the leg length. The underside of the U-profile is formed by the lower end of the inner leg. It has been shown that selecting the through-opening at the above-mentioned height of the leg, on the one hand, leads to good stiffening of the U-profile and, on the other hand, leaves sufficient space for attachments arranged below the cross bracing.

[0015] In one embodiment, the U-profile has a width measured along the transverse direction of the transport aisle that lies between 20 mm and 100 mm, preferably between 40 mm and 80 mm, more preferably between 50 mm and 70 mm. The U-profile can also have a thickness that lies between 2 mm and 10 mm, preferably between 3 mm and 8 mm, more preferably between 4 mm and 6 mm. The total height of the U-profile can be between 80 mm and 200 mm, preferably between 100 mm and 160 mm, more preferably between 120 mm and 140 mm. By choosing the aforementioned dimensions, high stability can be achieved in an economical manner.

[0016] In one embodiment, a free space is provided within the U-profile and below the cross brace, in which a lighting device, preferably extending longitudinally, is arranged to illuminate a rack level located below the transport aisle. The lighting device can be a light bar. This ensures sufficient lighting in the event of necessary maintenance work in the area of ​​a rack level located below the U-profile.

[0017] Furthermore, a free space can be provided within the U-profile and below the cross brace, in which a longitudinally extending fastening device for attaching protective equipment and / or tools is arranged. The fastening device can be, for example, a downwardly opening C-profile retaining rail or a wire rope.

[0018] In an advantageous embodiment, the cross brace is connected to the inner leg of the U-profile by a joint. This can be achieved, for example, by first creating a through-hole in the inner leg of the U-profile that corresponds to the cross brace. After the cross brace has been passed through the through-hole, the peripheral surface of the through-hole is joined, in particular welded, to the cross brace. This measure can further improve stability.

[0019] In one embodiment, the transport aisle has a plurality of longitudinally spaced cross braces connecting the rails. Furthermore, it can be provided that each two adjacent cross braces support a running surface element. In particular, the running surface element can be placed on the cross braces. The running surface elements can, in particular, be gratings. The running surface elements can create a continuous running surface running along the transport aisle, through which the transport aisle is easily accessible to a user in the event of disruptions.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the cross bracing is formed by a hat profile having an upwardly facing cover, two side walls projecting downwards from the cover, and two support surfaces projecting from the side walls in the longitudinal direction of the transport aisle. The cover preferably projects beyond the side walls and the support surfaces in the transverse direction of the transport aisle. More preferably, the projecting part of the cover is passed through the inner leg of the U-profile and connected to an outer leg of the U-profile by means of a joint. The hat profile is therefore preferably not passed completely through the leg of the U-profile. Rather, preferably only the cover of the hat profile is passed through the leg. The side walls and the support surfaces of the hat profile can rest against the inner leg of the U-profile or, alternatively, be connected to it by a joint.The hat profile can have a width between 80 mm and 300 mm, preferably between 120 mm and 200 mm, more preferably between 140 mm and 160 mm. The height of the hat profile can be between 15 mm and 60 mm, preferably between 20 mm and 50 mm, more preferably between 30 mm and 40 mm. The width of the lid can be between 40 mm and 160 mm, preferably between 60 mm and 100 mm, more preferably between 75 mm and 95 mm.

[0021] In the embodiment described above, a plurality of hat profiles can be provided which are spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction and connect the rails to one another, wherein preferably two adjacent hat profiles each carry a running surface element, wherein the running surface elements further preferably rest on the support surfaces of adjacent hat profiles. Since the support surfaces of the hat profile are spaced apart from the cover of the hat profile by the side walls, the support surface for the running surface elements is lower than the cover. This allows running surface elements to be stored lower, so that the space above the running surface elements can be used for the transport trolley. A distance between the cross struts measured in the longitudinal direction of the transport aisle can be between 20 and 100 cm, preferably between 25 and 75 cm, more preferably between 30 and 50 cm.

[0022] In one embodiment, the cross brace can be inserted into a through-hole in the outer leg of the U-profile, with the joint being established between a peripheral surface of the through-hole and the cross brace. The strength of the joint can be increased because the cross brace can be fully bonded to the material of the leg of the U-profile.

[0023] An advantageous embodiment of the invention is explained below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. They show: Figure 1: a three-dimensional side view of a system according to the invention; Figure 2: a cross-sectional view of the system according to the invention of the Figure 1 ; Figure 3: an enlarged section of the Figure 2 ; Figure 4: an enlarged section of the Figure 1 ; Figure 5: a three-dimensional front view of a rail section of the Figure 1shown system; Figure 6: a three-dimensional view of a transport aisle section of the Figure 1 shown system; Figure 7: a plan view of the transport aisle section of the Figure 6 ; Figure 8: a sectional view along the Figure 7 shown line AA; Figure 9: a sectional view along the line Figure 7 shown line BB; Figure 10: an enlarged view of the Figure 8 shown section B; Figure 11: an enlarged view of the Figure 9 shown section C; Figure 12: an enlarged view of the Figure 7 shown section D.

[0024] Figure 1 shows a three-dimensional side view of a system according to the invention for conveying and storing pallets. The Figure 2 shows the layout of the Figure 1 in a cross-sectional view. Figure 3 shows the section marked with the letter A from the Figure 2in an enlarged view. The system comprises a frame 13 with a transport aisle 16 and a plurality of storage channels 17 opening vertically into the transport aisle 16. The transport aisle 16 has two parallel rails 15 that extend along the longitudinal direction of the transport aisle 16. The rails 15 are connected to one another by a plurality of cross braces 19. The cross braces 19 are aligned perpendicular to the rails 15 (i.e., run in the transverse direction of the transport aisle). A grating 18 is placed on each two adjacent cross braces 19, so that the plurality of gratings 18 create a continuous running surface.

[0025] Each of the storage channels 17 has two rails 22 which are slightly offset upwards compared to the rails 15 of the transport aisle (see Figure 2). For storage of the pallets 21 in a storage channel 17, they are placed on the rails 22. For example, containers filled with goods can be arranged on the pallets 21; for reasons of clarity, these containers are not shown in the figures.

[0026] The frame 13 also comprises a plurality of vertically aligned upright profiles 14, which are connected to the rails 15 (see also Figure 4 ). The transport aisle 16 and the storage channels 17 form one level of the frame 13. Above and below this level there are further levels, each of which has a further transport aisle and further storage channels and which are also not shown for reasons of clarity.

[0027] On the rails 15 there is a transport carriage 20 which is movable along the transport aisle 16 and whose running wheels 24 are placed on the running surfaces of the rails 15. The transport carriage 20 is used to convey the pallets 21 along the transport aisle 16 and for this purpose has several drives arranged in the area 23 for driving the running wheels 24. In addition, the transport carriage is used to store or remove the pallets in or from the storage channels 17. For this purpose, the transport carriage 20 comprises a turntable 25 on which two rail elements 26 are arranged, on which in the Figures 1 and 2 a pallet 21 is placed thereon. The pallet can be raised or lowered by means of a lifting truck positioned on the turntable 25 below the pallet 21, which is not shown in the figures for reasons of clarity.

[0028] To store the pallet 21 placed on the rail elements 26 in a storage channel 17, the turntable 25 can be rotated by 90° so that the rail elements 26 are aligned in line with (or flush with) the rails 22 of the corresponding storage channel 17. After lifting the pallet 21, the pallet truck can then be moved into the storage channel 17 together with it to deposit the pallet there. A removal process works in reverse.

[0029] A pallet 21 located on the transport carriage 20 can also be moved from the lifting carriage along the longitudinal direction of the transport channel 16 to a removal point (in Figure 1 not shown) by moving the lifting carriage together with the loaded pallet 21 in the longitudinal direction of the transport channel through a recess 27 located between the drives 23.

[0030] The Figure 4shows an enlarged three-dimensional view of the connection between the rail 15 and a stud profile 14. This view shows that the cross braces 19 are formed by hat profiles. It can also be seen that the rails 15 consist of adjacent rail sections 15a, 15b, which are fixed at the ends to the stud profiles 14 by means of flange connections 28.

[0031] The flange connections 28 are attached to an outer leg of the U-profile by means of a welded connection (see also Figure 5) and bolted to the upright profile 14. The length of one rail section is 2.2 m in this case. The rail sections are manufactured with a length tolerance of less than 10 -4<. The positioning of the flange connections 28 on the rail sections 15a, 15b is also carried out with appropriate precision. This ensures that adjacent rail sections 15a, 15b fit snugly against one another when assembled, thus enabling smooth running of the transport carriage 20.

[0032] The rail sections 15a, 15b also have an abutting edge 36 in the area of ​​the running surface formed by the upper side of the U-profile, at which adjacent rail sections lie against one another (see also Figures 6 and 7). The abutting edge 36 forms an angle with the transverse direction of the transport aisle. In particular, the rail section 15b has a triangular projection in the region of the running surface, which engages in a corresponding recess in the rail section 15a. The angle between one leg of the triangle and the transverse direction is approximately 50° in the present case, although a preferred angle range can be between 20° and 80°. The angled abutting edge 36 can further improve the smooth running of the rollers of the transport carriage at the transition between two rail sections 15a, 15b.

[0033] By fastening the rail sections 15a, 15b to the upright profiles 14 as described above, a plurality of transport channels 16 arranged one above the other in several levels can be formed, forming a statically independent transport channel sub-rack. In particular, it can be provided that the storage channels 17 form a second storage channel sub-rack that is statically independent of the transport channel sub-rack and can, in particular, have its own upright profiles (not shown). The statically independent design of the two sub-racks prevents tensile loads from the transport aisles from being exerted on the storage channels.

[0034] Figure 5 shows part of the facility of the Figure 1in an enlarged three-dimensional front view. This view shows that the rail 15 or rail section 15a is formed from a downwardly open U-profile. The U-profile comprises an inner leg 30, an outer leg 31, and a web 32 located at the upper end of the U-profile, connecting the legs 30, 31.

[0035] Furthermore, it can be seen that the hat profiles 19 each have a cover 19a, which is passed through the inner leg 30. A through hole provided for this purpose in the leg 30 is designed in a slot-like manner according to the shape of the cover 19a. After passing through, the cover 19a was fixed to the inner leg 30 by means of a welded connection. The cover 19a is also inserted into an opening in the outer leg 31 and is also welded to the outer leg 31 (see also Figure 6 ).

[0036] Arranged within the U-profile and beneath the cover 19a is a fastening rail 29, formed by a downwardly opening C-profile. Using a suitable adapter, protective equipment and tools of a user performing maintenance work at a level below the level shown can be suspended from the fastening rail 29. Alternatively, a lighting strip (not shown) can be arranged beneath the cover 19a to illuminate the transport aisle of the lower level. In a preferred embodiment, the fastening rail 29 is accommodated in one of the two parallel rails 15, and the lighting strip is accommodated in the other of the two rails 15.

[0037] The Figures 6 to 9 show different views of a section of the transport aisle 16 of the system according to the invention. Figure 6shows the section of the transport aisle 16 in a three-dimensional oblique view. Figure 7 shows a plan view of the section of the transport aisle 16. The Figure 8 shows a sectional view along the Figure 7 shown line AA. Figure 9 shows a sectional view along the line BB shown in Figure 7.

[0038] The section of the transport aisle 16 comprises two parallel rail sections 15a and five hat profiles 19 connecting the rail sections 15a. The hat profiles 19 are arranged at a distance of approximately 440 mm from each other along the longitudinal direction of the transport aisle and are perpendicular to the rail sections 15a. The hat profiles have a width (measured along the longitudinal direction of the transport aisle) of 152 mm and a height of 35 mm. The cover 19a of the hat profiles is each approximately 84 mm wide. The hat profiles are made of 4 mm thick sheet metal by means of edging.

[0039] The web 32 of the U-profile has a length of approximately 60 mm. This length corresponds approximately to the width of the U-profile (measured transversely across the transport aisle). The length of the legs 30, 31 of the U-profile (which corresponds to the height of the U-profile) is 130 mm. Starting from the lower end of the U-profile (i.e., the lower end of the legs), the cover 19a of the hat profile passes through the inner leg 30 at a height of approximately 42 mm. The U-profile is made of 5 mm thick sheet metal by beveling.

[0040] The Figures 7 to 9 Sections B, C and D marked by a circle are shown in the Figures 10 (section B), 11 (section C) and 12 (section D) are shown in enlarged view. In the Figures 10 and 11It can be seen that the through-opening for the cover of the hat profile 19a arranged in the inner leg 30 has a circular extension which serves to better thread the cover 19a of the hat profile during assembly.

[0041] In addition, the enlarged view of the Figure 11 that the hat profile 19 has two side walls 19b pointing downwards from the cover 19a and two support surfaces 19c projecting at the lower end of the side walls 19b in the longitudinal direction of the transport aisle. The gratings 18 (see Figure 1 ), which in the Figures 2 to 12 are not illustrated for the sake of clarity.

[0042] Finally, in the top view of the Figure 12Illustrated by a dashed line 19d is that the cover 19a of the hat profile 19 extends across its entire width through the leg 30 of the U-profile. The side walls 19b and the support surfaces 19c, however, rest against the wall of the inner leg 30. The cover 19a thus projects beyond the side walls 19b and the support surfaces 19c in the transverse direction of the transport aisle, with the extension of this projecting part of the cover 19a approximately corresponding to the width of the U-profile.

Claims

1. Installation for conveying and storing items (21) to be transported, comprising: - a frame (13) which has at least one transport aisle (16) and a plurality of storage channels (17) which open into the transport aisle (16) and into which an item (21) to be transported or a plurality of items (21) to be transported can be placed into storage one behind another, and - a transport car (20) which is movable in the longitudinal direction of the transport aisle (16) and which is designed to move the items (21) to be transported along the transport aisle (16) and to place them into storage in the storage channels (17) or remove them from storage in the storage channels (17), wherein the transport aisle (16) has two rails (15), running in the longitudinal direction of the transport aisle, for the transport car (20), wherein the transport aisle (16) furthermore has at least one cross strut (19) which runs in the transverse direction of the transport aisle (16) and connects the rails (15) to each other, characterized in that at least one of the rails (15) has a downwardly open U profile, wherein the cross strut (19) is guided through an inner limb (30) of the U profile and extends further as far as an outer limb (31) of the U profile.

2. Installation according to Claim 1, in which the cross strut (19) is connected to the outer limb (31) of the U profile by means of a joint.

3. Installation according to Claim 1 or 2, in which the cross strut (19) is guided through a passage opening located in the inner limb (30) of the U profile, wherein the passage opening, starting from an underside of the U profile, is arranged at a height which is between 5% and 80% of a limb length of the U profile, preferably between 10% and 60%, more preferably between 20% and 40% of the limb length.

4. Installation according to one of Claims 1 to 3, in which the U profile has at least one of the following features: - a width which is measured along the transverse direction and is between 20 mm and 100 mm, preferably between 40 mm and 80 mm, more preferably between 50 mm and 70 mm; - a thickness between 2 mm and 10 mm, preferably between 3 mm and 8 mm, more preferably between 4 mm and 6 m; - an overall height between 80 mm and 200 mm, preferably between 100 mm and 160 mm, more preferably between 120 mm and 140 mm.

5. Installation according to one of Claims 1 to 4, in which there is a clearance within the U profile and below the cross strut (19), in which an illumination device which preferably extends in the longitudinal direction is arranged, for illuminating a frame level located below the transport aisle (16).

6. Installation according to one of Claims 1 to 5, in which there is a clearance within the U profile below the cross strut (19), in which a fastening device (29) which extends in the longitudinal direction is arranged, for the suspension of protective equipment and / or tools.

7. Installation according to one of Claims 1 to 6, in which the cross strut (19) is connected to the inner limb (30) of the U profile by means of a joint.

8. Installation according to one of Claims 1 to 7, in which the transport aisle (16) has a plurality of cross struts (19) which are spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction and connect the rails (15) to each other, wherein preferably in each case two adjacent cross struts (19) carry a running surface element (18).

9. Installation according to one of Claims 1 to 8, in which the cross strut (19) is formed by a top hat profile which has a cover (19a), two side walls (19b) projecting downwards from the cover and two supporting surfaces (19c) projecting from the side walls (19b) in the longitudinal direction of the transport aisle, wherein the cover (19a) projects beyond the side walls (19b) and the supporting surfaces (19c) in the transverse direction of the transport aisle (16) and is guided through the inner limb (30) of the U profile and is connected to an outer limb (31) of the U profile by means of a joint.

10. Installation according to Claim 9, in which the top hat profile has at least one of the further features: - a width of the top hat profile is between 80 mm and 300 mm, preferably between 120 and 200 mm, more preferably between 140 mm and 160 mm; - a height of the top hat profile is between 15 mm and 60 mm, preferably between 20 mm and 50 mm, more preferably between 30 mm and 40 mm; - a width of the cover is between 40 mm and 160 mm, preferably between 60 mm and 100 mm, more preferably between 75 and 95 mm.

11. Installation according to either of Claims 9 and 10, in which the transport aisle (16) has a plurality of top hat profiles (19) which are spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction and connect the rails (15) to each other, wherein preferably in each case two adjacent top hat profiles (19) carry a running surface element (18), wherein the running surface elements (18) more preferably rest on the supporting surfaces (19c) of adjacent top hat profiles (19).

12. Installation according to one of Claims 1 to 11, in which a distance, measured in the longitudinal direction, between the cross struts (19) is between 20 and 100 cm, preferably between 25 and 75 cm, more preferably between 30 and 50 cm.

13. Installation according to one of Claims 1 to 12, in which the cross strut (19) is introduced into a passage opening (35) in the outer limb (31) of the U profile, wherein the joint is produced between a peripheral surface of the passage opening (35) and the cross strut (19).

14. Installation according to one of Claims 1 to 13, in which a rail (15) is formed from a plurality of rail sections (15a, 15b) arranged in a row in the longitudinal direction, wherein the installation preferably has a plurality of stand profiles (14), and a rail section (15a, 15b) is connected to two adjacent stand profiles (14) by means of two flange connections (28).

15. Installation according to Claim 14, in which adjacent rail sections (15a, 15b) have, in the region of a running surface of the rail (15), an abutting edge (36) at which adjacent rail sections (15a, 15b) butt against each other, wherein the abutting edge (36) encloses an angle with the transverse direction of the transport aisle that is between 20° and 80°, preferably between 30° and 70°, wherein the abutting edge (36) is further preferably formed by a projection of one rail section (15b), which engages in a corresponding recess in the other rail section (15a).