LIFTING SYSTEM AND AUTOMATED STORAGE SYSTEM WITH SUCH A LIFTING SYSTEM

Description

Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to a load lifting system in the field of intralogistics. More specifically, one application concerns a lifting system for an automated storage system for items. State of the art

[0002] In such an automated item storage system, traction means are used to raise or lower loads in a racking system, for example to move a load from one storage level to another.

[0003] Among the known means of traction are cables, chains, and belts. The latter have the advantage of being flexible, requiring little maintenance, and being quiet.

[0004] A belt is generally made up of: of a flexible body, for example made of elastomer, polyurethane or thermoplastic, and of a set of traction cables embedded in the flexible body, said cables may be made of stainless steel, fiberglass, composite, etc.

[0005] Some applications may also require hooking means that attach to the body of the belt to hook the load to be lifted, which may be an automatically guided trolley to move it from a load entry level to a storage level, for example.

[0006] Among the existing configurations of such fastening means, we know of cleats arranged to be fixed to metal inserts embedded in the flexible material or passing through it from one side to the other. Each cleat is fixed by one or more screws to the metal inserts. Document GB1176268 discloses such a configuration, in particular a traction assembly comprising a belt having a flexible body and a plurality of traction cables embedded in the body, and at least one traction cleat, configured to carry a fastening device intended to be fixed to said cleat.

[0007] One disadvantage of this configuration is that the material of the flexible body is stressed during traction and because of the presence of the inserts this material is weakened, thus limiting the weight of the load that can be mounted.

[0008] Another drawback is that the passage of the inserts and / or fixing screws can cut some traction cables, which can further weaken the belt.

[0009] The objective of the present invention is to propose a load lifting system that solves the problems described above. Summary of the invention

[0010] To this end, the invention relates to a load lifting system adapted for an automated item storage system, the lifting system comprising a traction assembly including: a belt having a flexible body and a plurality of traction cables embedded in the body, at least one traction cleat, configured to carry a fastening device intended to be fixed to said cleat, in which the cleat has a direct mechanical connection with all or part of the plurality of traction cables.

[0011] By direct mechanical link we mean the fact that no other element is used to achieve the mechanical link between the cleat and the traction cables, for example no stitching or other accessory means are used to fix the cleat to the cables.

[0012] A traction cable may consist of a core alone (e.g. metallic) or a core and a sheath (e.g. elastomeric material), in which case the direct mechanical link may be via the cable sheath.

[0013] Thanks to the direct connection between the cleat and the traction cables, the forces generated when pulling a load are borne by the traction cables. Consequently, the material of the flexible body is not stressed and therefore not weakened. It thus becomes possible to lift heavy loads, such as an automatically guided trolley, without risking belt breakage.

[0014] In some embodiments, the traction cables pass through the cleat. This configuration has the advantage of being easy to manufacture. For example, the cleat can be molded directly onto the traction cables so that the cleat material covers a portion of the cables.

[0015] Advantageously, a crimp can be added to reinforce the retention of the cleat around the cables.

[0016] In some examples, the batten is surrounded by tension cables. This configuration provides very high strength because the stresses are borne by the tension cables.

[0017] In some examples, the attachment device can be a cleat. This is fixed to a batten, for example by screwing.

[0018] In some embodiments, the belt body may comprise two sections. The first section includes tension cables with initial connecting rings, while the second section includes tension cables with secondary connecting rings configured to interlock with these initial connecting rings. A connecting block forms a pivot point between the two sections, passing through both the initial and secondary rings. This configuration offers two advantages: ease of manufacture and robustness. The belt sections are manufactured separately and then assembled using a connecting block, also manufactured separately. Furthermore, the fact that the tension cables encircle the connecting block via the connecting rings increases the overall strength of the tension assembly.

[0019] In some embodiments, the cleat may have a first end and a second end, each protruding from opposite sides of the belt body. The attachment device is shaped like a bracket configured to be fixed to these two ends of the cleat. This fastening is simple to implement and robust, as no drilling is required in the cleat for screws, and the attachment at the protruding ends provides added strength.

[0020] In exemplary embodiments, the belt body may comprise a plurality of portions configured to be fixed to one another to form the belt, at least one portion includes a cleat.

[0021] The invention also relates to an automated storage system for items comprising a lifting system as described above and an automatically guided trolley comprising a hooking means configured to cooperate with a hooking device fixed to a cleat of a traction assembly as described above.

[0022] Advantageously, the automated item storage system may include shelving with a plurality of item storage levels, in which said lifting system connects said storage levels and is capable of permitting the passage of an automatically guided trolley from one storage level to another. Brief description of the figures

[0023] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description in relation to the accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting examples, in which: [ Fig.1 ] there figure 1represents a first example of a traction assembly according to the invention; [ Fig. 2 ], [ Fig.3 ] THE figures 2 And 3 show a second example of a traction assembly according to the invention; [ Fig. 4 ] there figure 4 shows a third example of a traction assembly according to the invention; [ Fig. 5 ] there figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a traction assembly conforming to that of the figure 4 including a rider; Fig. 6 ] there figure 6 shows a fourth example of a traction assembly according to the invention; [ Fig. 7 ] there figure 7 shows an automated storage system according to the invention.

[0024] In the following description, elements with an identical structure or analogous functions may be designated by the same references. Detailed description

[0025] There figure 1schematically represents a first simplified example of a traction assembly 10 according to the invention. The traction assembly 10 as shown on the left of the figure 1 , understand : a belt having a flexible body 20 (for example made of elastomer) and a plurality of traction cables 30 embedded in the body 20, at least one traction cleat 40, configured to carry a fastening device intended to be fixed to said cleat (not shown in the figure 1 ). According to the invention, the cleat 40 has a direct mechanical connection with all or part of the plurality of cables 30.

[0026] In particular, in this embodiment as presented in the cross-sectional view along the XX axis (to the right of the figure 1 ), traction cables 30 pass through the cleat 40.

[0027] Such a configuration can, for example, be obtained by pouring material into a linear gutter or mold.

[0028] THE figures 2 And 3 show a traction set 11 which differs from the traction assembly of the figure 1 mainly by the fact that the cleat 40 is surrounded by traction cables 30 which form loops 31 around the cleat.

[0029] The other components may be similar to those presented previously in relation to the example of the figure 1 .

[0030] There figure 4 shows a third embodiment in which the traction assembly 100 includes a flexible body comprising at least two portions 201, 202 intended to be connected together. For ease of understanding, only the traction cables 300 are shown; the material surrounding them is not visible in the figure 4 However, it is represented on the figure 5 .

[0031] The 300 traction cables of the first section 201 include first connecting rings 301; the 300 traction cables of the second section 202 include second connecting rings 302.

[0032] The connecting rings are configured to fit together and a 400 block forms a connecting axis between the two portions by passing through the first 301 and the second 302 rings.

[0033] As shown in figure 5 , the cleat 400 may include a first end 401 protruding from one side of the flexible body and a second end 402 protruding from the opposite side.

[0034] The hanging system may include a hanging device 500 having the form of a rider configured to be fixed to said two ends 401, 402 of the cleat 400.

[0035] Other forms of attachment devices are obviously possible for the example above, but also for all the variants of traction assemblies described in this application.

[0036] There figure 6 shows a third embodiment in which the traction assembly 1000 has a belt 2000 whose body comprises a plurality of portions 2001, 2002, 2003. The belt portions are configured to be fixed to one another to form the belt. In this embodiment, a portion 2002 may include a cleat 4000, which may have an opening suitable for receiving a pin, as can be seen in the figure 6 The belt can obviously comprise a plurality of portions similar to portion 2002.

[0037] In this case, the sections containing a cleat are manufactured separately and added to the belt as needed. This allows for a modular belt. For example, if the section containing a cleat (which is therefore under significant stress during traction) shows signs of fatigue, it can simply be replaced. This simplifies maintenance.

[0038] The traction system according to one of the combinations of characteristics described above can advantageously be used in a load lifting system.

[0039] There figure 7 shows an example of an automated item storage system including a lifting system as described above.

[0040] The storage system in this example comprises a stock consisting of a three-dimensional rack 1 and a plurality of automatically guided trolleys 4. The rack 1 comprises a plurality of storage levels 2, each storage level 2 potentially including locations for storing items, for example, in the form of shelves 2A. Each storage level 2 may further include an aisle 2B in which a trolley 4 can travel to deposit or retrieve an item A. In other embodiments not shown, a storage level 2 may include a plurality of aisles for the movement of automatically guided trolleys 4.

[0041] The racking 1 may further include one or more columns 3 (for example, in the form of wells) connecting the plurality of storage levels 2 and allowing the movement of automatically guided trolleys 4 from one level 2 to another, or between a storage level 2 and an input / output level. For example, the input / output level may be the lowest level (at ground level), but it may also be the highest level (the roof). In examples not shown, the lowest level may be an input (or output) and the highest level an output (or input).

[0042] The lifting system as described above can be arranged in column 3 and can comprise a plurality of traction assemblies according to the invention. Each traction assembly comprises a belt and at least one cleat, as well as one or more attachment devices fixed to the cleat. The attachment device can have different shapes, for example, the shape of a bracket as shown in the figure. figure 5 or the shape of a cleat.

[0043] To enable the lifting of the trolleys, each automatically guided trolley 4 includes hooking means configured to cooperate with the hooking devices.

[0044] Column 3 also includes motorization means enabling the belts to be moved along the column, thus causing the vertical movement of the trolleys 4 from one storage level to another.

Claims

1. Lifting system for loads, which lifting system is suitable for an automated storage system for items, the lifting system comprising a traction assembly (10; 11; 100; 1000) which includes: - a belt having a flexible body (20; 200; 2000) and a plurality of traction cables (30; 300; 3000) embedded in the body (20; 200; 2000), - at least one traction cleat (40; 400; 4000) designed to support a hooking device (500; 5000) intended to be attached to said cleat, wherein the cleat (40; 400; 4000) has a direct mechanical connection to all or part of the plurality of traction cables (30; 300; 3000).

2. Lifting system according to claim 1, wherein the traction cables (30) pass through the cleat (40).

3. Lifting system according to claim 1, wherein the traction cables (30, 31; 300, 301, 302) surround the cleat (40).

4. Lifting system according to either of claims 2 or 3, wherein the hooking device is a catch.

5. Lifting system according to claim 3, wherein the belt body (200) comprises two portions (201, 202), the first portion (201) comprising traction cables (300) having first connecting rings (301), the second portion (202) comprising traction cables (300) having second connecting rings (302) which are designed to fit together with said first connecting rings, the cleat (400) forming a connecting pin between the two portions and passing through the first rings (301) and second rings (302).

6. Lifting system according to claim 5, wherein the cleat (400) comprises a first end (401) and a second end (402), each projecting from an opposite side of the belt body (200), the hooking device (500) being in the shape of a support frame designed to be attached to said two ends (401, 402) of the cleat (400).

7. Lifting system according to claim 1, wherein the belt body (2000) comprises a plurality of portions (2001, 2002, 2003) designed to be attached to one another to form the belt, at least one portion (2002) comprising a cleat (4000).

8. Automated storage system for items, which storage system comprises a lifting system according to any of claims 1 to 7 and an automatically guided carriage (4) comprising a hooking means designed to cooperate with a hooking device (500, 5000) attached to a cleat (40; 400; 4000) of a traction assembly (10; 11; 100; 1000).

9. Automated storage system for items according to claim 8, comprising a rack (1) having a plurality of levels (2) for storing articles (A), wherein said lifting system connects said storage levels (2) and is capable of allowing an automatically guided carriage (4) to pass from one storage level (2) to another.