MAST FOR A SHELF OPERATING DEVICE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a mast for a storage and retrieval machine as described in claim 1.

[0002] DE 196 31 511 A1 describes a lightweight mast or lifting mast for a storage and retrieval machine, in which metal sheets are screwed over the entire surface of four support elements on the outside. Two different support element profiles are used for this purpose: the two support elements for the guide rail are designed as double profiles, and the two other support elements are designed as single profiles, so that fastening grooves are arranged on each side. This makes it possible for the guide rail and the metal sheets to be fastened to the double profile on the outside, since the double profile has two fastening grooves, whereas the single profile only has one fastening groove for attaching a metal sheet on the outside.

[0003] A disadvantage of this design is that the lightweight mast construction can only be used for storage and retrieval machines for container storage or light goods, as the flexural and torsional rigidity is only sufficient for low payloads. Another disadvantage is the large number of different sheet metals and profiles required to construct the mast.

[0004] Furthermore, EP 3088347 A1 discloses a storage and retrieval machine in which the mast consists of two external supports connected via crossbeams with gusset plates for rigid connection. A disadvantage of this is that the very solid supports prevent a flexible mast structure. Furthermore, the mast width is determined by the fixed profiles, and increasing the mast cross-section in width is only possible with a new, wider profile.

[0005] The object of the invention is to create a mast for a storage and retrieval machine in which, on the one hand, the above-mentioned disadvantages are eliminated and, on the other hand, the basic structure of the mast is so highly flexible and modular that it can cover the various requirements of light goods and pallet storage and retrieval machines with the same mast structure in a lightweight design.

[0006] This object is achieved by the invention. Advantageous measures and embodiments are described in the subclaims.

[0007] The problem is solved by a mast for a storage and retrieval machine, in which connecting plates are fastened to two opposite side walls of the mast, alternately on the inside and outside of the support elements or supports, in order to increase the bending and torsional rigidity. For this purpose, the support element has corresponding fastening grooves on the inside and outside. The advantage here is that by alternately fastening a connecting plate on the outside and inside of the support elements, the bending rigidity is significantly improved, so that even heavy goods, as is usually the case with pallets, can be transported into or removed from high-bay racks using such a mast. A further advantage is that thanks to the modular design of the mast, using support elements and connecting plates, the cross-section of the mast can be varied and adapted to the requirements for bending and torsional rigidity.the moment of inertia can be adjusted without the need for other support elements.

[0008] Advantageous designs include full-surface metal sheets on the outside and preferably on the inside of the support elements of the other two end walls of the mast. This allows the metal sheets and connecting plates for the side wall to be attached to the inside thanks to the special design of the support element, particularly the aluminum profile, thus significantly increasing torsional rigidity.

[0009] Designs in which the fastening grooves for the side wall and the end wall are arranged at a 90° angle to each other on the inside of the support element are advantageous. This makes it possible for the first time to fasten the sheets and connecting plates on the inside of the support elements, both on the end face and on the side wall.

[0010] In the prior art profiles, the fastening grooves are also arranged at a 90° angle, but the two fastening grooves are not aligned with each other, so only one sheet can be mounted, as the other fastening groove is covered by the sheet. Thus, in the prior art, it is only possible to form a second layer of sheet metal either on the front wall or the side wall.

[0011] An advantageous design is one in which one of the two connecting plates for the outside of the side wall or for the inside of the side wall is straight, while the other connecting plate is beveled. This ensures that the connecting plate on the inside is connected to the connecting plate on the outside, so that the connecting plate on the outside can be connected, in particular screwed, to the connecting plate on the inside. Preferably, the connecting plates for the outside of the side wall are straight, and the connecting plates for the inside of the side wall are beveled in the area between the support elements.

[0012] A design in which the straight and bent connecting plates are trapezoidal or similarly shaped, with the short and long sides attached to the support elements, is advantageous. This ensures that the screw connection of the internal and external connecting plates is angled, thereby increasing the flexural rigidity.

[0013] A design in which the connecting plates are preferably attached to the support elements and the connecting plates are attached to each other with screws is advantageous. This enables a simple assembly, as the individual parts only need to be screwed together.

[0014] It is advantageous to have guide rails for a vertically movable pallet truck attached to two adjacent support elements. This allows the attachment to be made directly to the support elements or the aluminum profile.

[0015] A design in which the support element has a contact surface for the guide rail, with a fastening groove for securing the guide rail arranged in the contact surface, is advantageous. This ensures stable fixation of the guide rail.

[0016] A design in which the guide rail is secured on one side by the contact surface of the support element and on the other side by positively clamped connecting plates is advantageous. This ensures that the guide rail is securely held even under heavy loads from the lift truck.

[0017] A design in which the support element is formed by an aluminum profile is advantageous. This special profile design makes it possible for the first time to mount connecting plates and sheets on the inside. Furthermore, it also allows the guide rail to be securely fastened while simultaneously mounting a connecting plate on the outside to clamp the guide rail.

[0018] A design in which the mounting grooves for the guide rail and the side wall are arranged at a 90° angle to each other on the outside of the support element is advantageous. This allows the guide rail to be mounted on one side and the connecting plate on the other.

[0019] A design in which the connecting plates for the side wall are attached over the entire surface on both the outside and inside is advantageous. This allows for a different design of the mast with the support element, particularly the aluminum profile, which also provides high flexural rigidity due to the design of the connecting plates on the outside and inside.

[0020] A design in which the connecting plates for the outer side are folded between the support elements and the connecting plates for the inner side are straight, or vice versa, is advantageous. This creates a reversed design.

[0021] A design in which the support elements, especially the aluminum profiles, are of the same design is advantageous. This ensures that only a single profile is required.

[0022] Finally, a design in which the connecting sheets are designed as full-surface sheets is advantageous. This creates two parallel cladding surfaces.

[0023] The invention is explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings, whereby the invention is not limited to this embodiment.

[0024] They show: Fig. 1: A simplified, schematic illustration of a storage and retrieval machine with a mast; Fig. 2: A simplified, schematic illustration of part of the mast with sheets and connecting plates mounted thereon; Fig. 3: A simplified, schematic illustration of the connecting plate to be mounted on the outside of the profiles or support elements; Fig. 4: Another simplified, schematic illustration of the connecting plates to be mounted on the inside of the profiles or support elements; Fig. 5: A simplified, schematic illustration of a section through the mast.

[0025] By way of introduction, it should be noted that in the various embodiments, identical parts are provided with identical reference symbols or component designations, whereby the disclosures contained in the entire description can be applied mutatis mutandis to identical parts with identical reference symbols or component designations. Furthermore, the positional information chosen in the description, such as top, bottom, side, etc., refers to the described figure and, if the position changes, is to be applied mutatis mutandis to the new position. Individual features or combinations of features from the illustrated and described embodiments can also represent independent inventive solutions in their own right.

[0026] In the Fig. 1 bis 5 a storage and retrieval machine 1 with a mast 2 for storing goods 3 in a high-bay warehouse (not shown) is shown, wherein preferably a pallet warehouse is used, ie a lifting truck 4 transports a pallet 5 loaded with goods 3 into or out of the high-bay warehouse.

[0027] For this purpose, the pallet truck 4 is moved up or down along the mast 2. The pallet truck 4 is designed to pick up and place, preferably, a pallet 5 in the high-bay warehouse. Furthermore, the storage and retrieval machine 1 has a chassis 6 to enable the mast 2 to be adjusted along a rail 7 using the pallet truck 4.

[0028] According to the invention, it is now provided that the mast 2 is constructed in a lightweight design, wherein for this purpose several, in particular four, identical supports or support elements 8 are used, which are formed from a self-developed extruded aluminum profile 9, which are connected with connecting plates 10, 11 and plates 12.

[0029] For this purpose, connecting plates 11, 12 are fastened to two opposite side walls 13 of the mast 2 alternately on the outer side 14 and inner side 15 of the support elements 8 or supports to increase the bending stiffness, for which purpose the support element 8, in particular the aluminum profile 9, has corresponding fastening grooves 16, 17 on the inner side 15 and outer side 14, ie that an externally mounted connecting plate 11 is followed by an internally mounted connecting plate 12, whereupon in turn an externally and internally mounted connecting plate 11, 12 is fastened alternately until the mast 2 is completely closed, as shown in Fig 2 can be seen. Furthermore, on the other two end walls 18 of the mast 2, sheets 12 are fastened over the entire surface on the outer side 19 and preferably on the inner side 20 of the support elements 8, ie, one sheet 12 adjoins the next sheet 12 both on the outside and on the inside. In order that the sheets 12 for the end walls 18 can be mounted on the inner side 20, it is necessary that a fastening groove 21 for the sheets 12 is arranged on the support element 8 rotated by 90° to the fastening grooves 17 for the side wall 13, i.e. that the two fastening grooves 17, 21 for the end wall 18 and the side wall 13 are aligned with one another and have an angle of 90°, so that on the inner side 15, 20 the connecting sheets 11 for the side wall 13 and the sheets 12 for the end wall 18 can be fastened, in particular screwed, from one side with fastening means, in particular screws.Here, the sheets 12 and connecting sheets 11 are fastened from the same side but rotated by 90°, which is possible for the first time due to the special design of the support element 8, in particular the self-developed aluminum profile 9.

[0030] Furthermore, the support element 8 also has a fastening groove 22 on the outer side 19 for the sheet 12 of the end wall 18. For the outer side 19, a visible surface 23 extending at an angle of 90° is formed, to which the fastening grooves 16, 22 for the side wall 13 and end wall 18 adjoin. To enable the installation of a guide rail 24 for the lifting carriage 4, a further fastening groove 25 is formed at an angle of 90° to the fastening groove 16 of the side wall. The guide rail 24 is fastened in such a way that the fastening groove 25 simultaneously serves as a contact surface 26, and is fastened, in particular screwed, to the contact surface 26 via fastening means 25. The guide rail 24 is preferably mounted in front of the outer connecting plates 10, since the connecting surface 10 additionally clamps the guide rail 24 in a form-fitting manner, as shown in Fig. 5 is evident.

[0031] To install the mast 2, the connecting plates 10, 11 are attached to the support elements 8 on the inside 15 and outside 16 by means of fastening means, which are not shown for the sake of clarity, but the corresponding holes 27 in Fig. 2 are shown, fastened, in particular screwed, ie that a connecting plate 10 is fastened on the outer side 14 and the next connecting plate 11 on the inner side 15, whereby this is continued alternately until the mast 2, in particular the support elements 8, are covered with the connecting plates 10, 11. Furthermore, the connecting plate 11 for the inner side 15 is formed folded and thus has a folding element 28, as shown in Fig. 4can be seen. The folding element 28 is arranged between the support elements 8 and rests against the externally mounted connecting plate 10, so that the connecting plates 10 and 11 can be screwed together using the folding elements 28. By screwing the connecting plates 10, 11 together, the flexural rigidity of the side wall 13 is greatly increased. Furthermore, the folding element 28 also closes the free space between the connecting plates 10, 11. Subsequently or alternately to the assembly of the connecting plates 10, 11, the plates 12 are fastened to the end walls 18, with one plate 12 being fastened to the next plate 12, i.e. over the entire surface, on the outer side 19. The plates 12 preferably have recesses 29 in order to reduce the weight. In order to further increase the flexural rigidity, it is advantageous if the sheets 12 are also fastened over the entire surface on the inner side 20 of the support elements 8.This is possible due to the special design of the fastening groove 21 on the support element 8, in particular the aluminum profile 9.

[0032] Preferably, the sheet metal 12 for the end wall 18 is rectangular, whereas the connecting sheets 10, 11 are trapezoidal or similarly shaped. For this purpose, the short side and the opposite long side are attached to the support elements 8, in particular to the aluminum profile 9, so that the two intermediate sides are provided with the beveled elements 28 for screwing the latter to the connecting sheet metal 10. For this purpose, the beveled element 28 is bent in an L-shape, forming a surface parallel to the externally mounted connecting sheet metal 10, thus enabling a screw connection.

[0033] It is of course possible for the sheets 12 for the end wall 18 to be fastened alternately inside and outside, whereby here too the inner sheet 12 is preferably folded in order to be able to screw it to the outer sheet 12.

[0034] Due to the special design of the profile 9, in particular the fastening grooves 17, 21 for the inner side 15, 20, it is possible for the connecting plates 10, 11 to be fastened over their entire surface, ie a connecting plate 10 or 11 is mounted to the next connecting plate 10 or 11 on the inner side 15, 20 and outer side 14, 19 of the profile 9 or support element 8.

[0035] Furthermore, with the structure according to the invention, it is possible for the sheets 12 and connecting sheets 10, 11 to be adapted to the requirements of the mast 2, wherein for this purpose an adaptation of the mast 2 in the direction of travel or telescoping direction is possible by means of the profiles 9 used, i.e. the mast 2 can be adapted in its width and / or length by adjusting the sheets 12 and / or connecting sheets 10, 11 while keeping the support elements 8, in particular profiles 9, the same. In this case, a defined stiffness of the master 2 can be determined based on the driving dynamics, the load to be transported and the height of the mast 2, so that the size and shape of the sheets 12 and connecting sheets 10, 11 can then be adapted. Furthermore, the required torsional stiffness of the mast 2 can be ensured by the arrangement of the fastening grooves 16, 17, 21, 22, 25 on the profile 9.

Claims

1. Mast (2) for a storage and retrieval machine (1), consisting of several, preferably four support elements (8) or supports, to which connecting plates (10, 11) are fastened in order to form a mast profile, characterized in that connecting plates (10, 11) are fastened in alternating fashion on the inside (15) and outside (14) of the support elements (8) or supports on two opposite side panels (13) of the mast (2) in order to increase the flexural and torsional rigidity, for which purpose the support element (8) comprises corresponding fastening grooves (16, 17) on the inside (15) and outside (14) of the support elements (8) or supports.

2. Mast (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that on the further two front panels (18) of the mast (2), metal sheets (12) are fastened over the entire surface on the outside (19) and preferably on the inside (20) of the supporting elements (8).

3. Mast (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the fastening grooves (17, 21) for the side panel (13) and the front panel (18) on the inside (15, 20) of the support element (8) are arranged at an angle of 90° to each other.

4. Mast (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one of the two connecting plates (10, 11) for the outside (14) of the side panel (13) or for the inside (15) of the side panel (13) is straight and the other connecting plate (10, 11) is folded.

5. Mast (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the straight and folded connecting plates (10, 11) are trapezoidal or similar in shape, whereby the short and long sides are attached to the support elements (8).

6. Mast (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connecting plates (10, 11) are preferably fastened to each other with screws on the support elements (8) and the connecting plates (10, 11).

7. Mast (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that guide rails (24) for a vertically movable pallet truck (4) are fastened to two support elements (8) positioned next to each other.

8. Mast (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support element (8) comprises a contact surface (26) for the guide rail (24), wherein a fastening groove (25) for fastening the guide rail (24) is arranged in the contact surface (26).

9. Mast (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the guide rail (24) is fastened on the one hand by the contact surface (26) of the support element (8) and is on the other hand clamped positively by connecting plates (10).

10. Mast (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the supporting element (8) is formed by an aluminum profile (9).

11. Mast (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fastening grooves (16, 25) for the guide rail (24) and the side panel (13) on the outside (14) of the support element (8) are arranged at an angle of 90° to each other.

12. Mast (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connecting plates (10, 11) for the side panel (13) are fixed over the entire surface of the outside (14) and the inside (15).

13. Mast (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connecting plates (10) for the outside (14) between the support elements (13) are folded and the connecting plates (11) for the inside (15) straight or vice versa.

14. Mast (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the supporting elements (8), in particular the aluminum profiles (9), are of the same design.

15. Mast (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connecting plates (10, 11) are designed as full-surface plates.