Generation of data during the transfer of autonomously travelling hanging bags into a hanging-bag store

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling a hanging article store (1) for stored goods (3) to be stored in a hanging fashion, wherein the hanging article store (1) comprises a number of levels (9, 13) in each of which a network (49), in particular a rail network (49), is provided, and comprises multiple self-propelled transport vehicles (61) each having an article carrier (5), fastened or able to be fastened in a hanging fashion thereto, for receiving a stored good (3), said article carriers (5) being movable independently of one another along the network (49), characterised by: providing a stored good (3) to be placed into storage at a transfer point (53) of the hanging article store (1) and providing a transport vehicle (61) having an article carrier (5) at the transfer point (53), loading the article carrier (5) with the stored good (3) at the transfer point (53), generating an article identifier (501) identifying the stored good (3) and / or generating a carrier identifier (503) identifying the article carrier (5) and / or generating a vehicle identifier (502) identifying the transport vehicle (61) and / or generating a length identifier (505) identifying a length (515) of the article carrier (5), wherein, when the article carrier (5) is in a state laden with the stored good (3), the length (515) depends on the stored good (3), placing the stored good (3) into storage in the hanging article store (1) by vertically transporting the transport vehicle (61) including the article carrier (5) laden with the stored good (3) from the transfer point (53) into a level (9, 13) of the hanging article store (1), in which level there is a fixed or fixable storage space (509) for the stored good (3), and horizontally transporting the transport vehicle (61) including the article carrier (5) laden with the stored good (3) in the particular level (9, 13) as far as the fixed or fixable storage space (509), wherein the storage space (509) is or has been fixed depending on the article identifier (501) and / or vehicle identifier (502) and / or carrier identifier (503) and / or length identifier (505).

Description

[0001] GENERATION OF DATA WHEN TRANSFERRING AUTONOMOUSLY DRIVING HANGER BAGS TO A HANGER BAG WAREHOUSE

[0002] Description

[0003] Field of the invention

[0004] The invention relates to a method for controlling a hanging goods warehouse for goods to be stored in a suspended manner, wherein the hanging goods warehouse comprises a number of levels, in each of which a network, in particular a rail network, is provided, and a plurality of self-propelled transport vehicles, each with a goods carrier attached or attachable thereto for receiving a stored item, which are movable independently of one another along the network. Furthermore, the invention relates to a hanging goods warehouse for carrying out the method, as well as a hanging goods warehouse for goods to be stored in a suspended manner, which comprises a number of levels, in each of which a net is provided, and a plurality of self-propelled transport vehicles, each with a goods carrier attached or attachable thereto for receiving a stored item, which are movable independently of one another along the network.

[0005] State of the art

[0006] In automated warehouses, production facilities, and goods transport, such as in mail order, it is necessary to load and unload goods into containers as automatically as possible. The goods can be stored in these containers before delivery and are then transported to the station where they are packaged for further transport to the customer. Transport within the warehouse is usually carried out via overhead conveyors. The containers are usually bags, which are made like fabric bags and are suspended from a rail system with a type of wire hanger at the top. A container of this type is, for example, from the

[0007] WO 2014 / 012965 A1 is known. The side wall elements are controlled via a rod assembly so that the side wall elements, which are connected to one another via a connecting area, can be folded open. In the area of ​​a loading station, the containers are also transferred into a horizontal or inclined position. Comparable containers for conveying goods and associated overhead conveyor systems are known, for example, from DE 102004 018 569 A1, EP 2 130 968 A1 or EP 2 196 415 A. The transport pockets described therein consist of flexible materials in the form of a loop in which the goods to be conveyed are held. For loading, these transport pockets are opened from above in order to be able to place the goods into the loop. Unloading takes place by either removing the goods from the side of the loop or ejecting it, or, for example, according to EP 2 130 968 A1, the loop is opened downwards.Furthermore, from DE 103 54 419 A1 a conveyor carrier is known which has a relatively rigid and flat plastic wall with a cutout for loading and unloading with conveyor material.

[0008] Other material containers are made like hanging, flat plastic trays that are covered on one side with elastic materials, which clamps the material in place.

[0009] It is known to load such containers mechanically and unload them manually. The transport cycle is determined by the slowest process, which also depends on the quantity of transported goods. In particular, a large number of individual items can slow down loading and / or unloading. For example, the unloading and / or reassembly of disassembled transport containers can determine the maximum possible transport cycle. EP 2 686 258 B1 relates to an overhead conveyor system with a transport pocket for automatically unloading a loaded piece of goods and with an unloading station. The transport pocket has a horizontal base on which the piece of goods can be stored for transport purposes.The base interacts with a lifting device which is designed to raise the base of the transport bag loaded with at least one piece of cargo, when the transport bag is in an unloading position, in a vertical direction in such a way that the at least one piece of cargo can be pushed out centrally through an end face of a base body of the transport bag by means of a pushing device, wherein the pushing device has a slide which engages through another end face of the base body into an interior of the base body where the at least one piece of cargo is located when the base is raised. For unloading, the two opposite open end faces, the base which can be lifted in the vertical direction and the slide of the pushing device which extends through one of the end faces are therefore required.DE 202017 100 206 U1 discloses a material container for an overhead conveyor system for transporting material, which container is adjustable between an open position and a closed position. The material container has a base that is mechanically associated with an ejection device. By means of the ejection device, the base can be adjusted between a transport position, in which the material can be stored within the material container, and an ejection position, in which the material can be removed from the material container.

[0010] DE 10 2018 105 795 A1 discloses a method for loading or unloading a conveyed material held on a flexible material of a conveyed material container by means of a station such as an unloading station and / or a loading station of an overhead conveyor system, as well as a conveyed material container, unloading station, and overhead conveyor system according to the method. The conveyed material container is brought close to the station, where an attractive force is then exerted between the station and the conveyed material container to couple the flexible material of the conveyed material container. The thus coupled conveyed material container is tilted, and the conveyed material is ejected from the conveyed material container in a sliding motion.

[0011] DE 102018 128 417 A1 describes a method for transporting and sorting a sorting pocket suspended from a rolling adapter rolling on a rail network of a sorting system for transporting a piece of goods. The method comprises providing the rail network of the sorting system, providing the rolling adapter of the sorting pocket rolling on the rail network, providing electrical drive energy for the rolling adapter, converting the provided electrical drive energy by means of the rolling adapter itself into kinetic energy for transporting the sorting pocket, and providing devices according to the method. The rolling adapters serve to suspend and move the sorting pockets.For this purpose, they each have a chassis with two coaxially rotating wheels, a suspension arranged between the wheels and carried by them, on which the sorting pocket is suspended, an electric drive for driving the wheels and a control device or partial control device for autonomously or at least semi-autonomously controlling the rolling adapter along a travel path selected from a plurality of travel paths.

[0012] DE 102019 215 304 B3 discloses a device for feeding overhead goods into an overhead conveyor system. This device comprises a feed unit for individually feeding the overhead goods into a conveyor system of the overhead conveyor system with a variably adjustable transport distance, wherein the feed unit has a first stop element for stopping the overhead goods, as well as a detection unit for detecting the thickness of the individual overhead goods, a storage device for storing transport units comprising a plurality of transport units, a plurality of storage sections configured to store transport units, a feed section connected to the storage sections via a respective first switch, a measuring device arranged on the feed section, which is configured to determine an extension of a respective transport unit, and a controller,which is connected to the measuring device and the first switches and is configured to select a storage section for storing the transport unit based on the extent of the transport unit determined by the measuring device.

[0013] EP 3 972 917 B1 shows an overhead conveyor system, comprising - hanging bags, each of which comprises a bag body made of a flexible material and which can be switched between a transport position and a loading position and is designed to transport goods, - a loading station which comprises an actuating device by means of which the bag body can be adjusted from the transport position into the loading position and from the loading position into the transport position, and at which a hanging bag can be loaded with goods when the bag body is in the loading position, - an overhead conveyor device for transporting a hanging bag into the loading station and for transporting the hanging bag away from the loading station, with a measuring device which is designed to determine an extension of the bag body in a transport direction of the loaded hanging bag in the transport position of the bag body.

[0014] EP 3 800 146 B1 relates to a device for feeding overhead goods into an overhead conveyor system. This device comprises: a. a feeding unit for individually feeding the overhead goods into a conveyor system of the overhead conveyor system with a variably adjustable transport distance, wherein the feeding unit has a separating element for separating the overhead goods; b. a detection unit for detecting the thickness of the individual overhead goods.

[0015] WO 2021 / 219361 A1 relates to a method for operating a transport device with a storage device and to a corresponding transport device with a storage device. The method comprises the following steps: providing the transport device with the storage device for storing transport units, comprising a plurality of transport units, a plurality of storage sections, and a feed section to the storage sections. Furthermore, the transport device comprises an optical sensor arranged on the feed section and evaluation electronics connected to the optical sensor.The method further comprises determining measurement data with the optical sensor from a transport unit moving past the optical sensor and processing the measurement data obtained from the optical sensor with the evaluation electronics in order to determine the spatial extent in at least one dimension of the transport unit moving past; and selecting a storage path for storing the transport unit moving past based on the determined spatial extent of the transport unit moving past.

[0016] CH 715 506 A1 describes a storage device for storing transport units. This device comprises a plurality of transport units, a plurality of storage sections configured to store transport units, a feed section connected to the storage sections via a respective first switch, a measuring device arranged on the feed section and configured to determine the extent of each transport unit, and a controller connected to the measuring device and the first switches and configured to select a storage section for storing the transport unit based on the extent of the transport unit determined by the measuring device.

[0017] DE 102008035651 A1 relates to a tray-like storage goods carrier with a hanging receptacle arranged on an underside of the storage goods carrier, onto which storage goods can be suspended, wherein the storage goods carrier can be displaced into storage racks. The storage racks have at least two storage locations arranged one above the other in a vertical direction for receiving the storage goods carrier and one loading and / or unloading station at which the at least one storage goods carrier can be arranged and accessed from outside the storage device. The storage goods carrier is movable by a conveyor device along a transport path from a loading and / or unloading station to the storage locations. Furthermore, a storage device of the aforementioned type with at least two storage columns and a method are disclosed in which storage goods are automatically stored one above the other with several storage locations. This allows a storage area for goods to be stored in a suspended manner to be utilized particularly efficiently.Furthermore, it is known to provide objects such as stored goods or merchandise with machine-readable codes that can be used to electronically record the properties of the stored goods or merchandise. DE 202012 008 937 U1 discloses a device for recognizing a code on an article or its packaging, preferably at the goods receipt of a picking system. The code data is mechanically read with at least one optical reader and further processed, decoded, and stored in an electronic data processing unit. The optical reader has a camera to which three light sources are assigned.

[0018] Summary of the invention

[0019] Based on this prior art, the present invention is based on the object of improving storage processes in a hanging goods warehouse with a large number, in particular with more than one million, autonomously or at least semi-autonomously movable goods carriers in order to increase the performance.

[0020] The object is achieved with the method mentioned at the outset by carrying out the following steps: Providing a storage item to be stored at a transfer point of the hanging goods warehouse and providing a transport vehicle with a goods carrier at the transfer point, loading the goods carrier at the transfer point with the stored goods, generating a goods identifier identifying the stored goods and / or a carrier identifier identifying the goods carrier and / or a vehicle identifier identifying the transport vehicle and / or a length identifier identifying a length of the goods carrier, wherein the length in a state of the goods carrier loaded with the stored goods depends on the stored goods, and storing the stored goods in the hanging goods warehouse by vertically transporting the transport vehicle including the goods carrier loaded with the stored goods from the transfer point to a level of the hanging goods warehouse,in which a fixed or determinable storage location for the stored goods is located, and horizontally transporting the transport vehicle, including the goods carrier loaded with the stored goods, on the respective level to the fixed or determinable storage location, wherein the storage location is or will be determined depending on the goods identifier and / or vehicle identifier and / or carrier identifier and / or length identifier. The method according to the invention enables simple and very flexible storage of the stored goods at desired storage locations in the hanging goods warehouse. The storage locations can be determined, for example, depending on one or more of the identifiers. This makes it possible, for example, to store certain categories of stored goods in specific areas of the hanging goods warehouse.by defining the storage locations for the goods of the respective category in the same area. Similarly, by knowing the vehicle identifiers, similar transport vehicles can be stored in the same area, which is particularly advantageous for different vehicle types. Furthermore, it is possible, for example, to optimally utilize the available space in the hanging goods warehouse based on the length identifiers. For example, the length of a storage line in the network or rail network can be known, and the number of transport vehicles stored in the storage line can be determined in such a way thatthat the sum of the lengths of the product carriers is, if possible, within the range of the length of the storage line. This allows the product carriers to be stored in a space-optimized manner, butt-to-end, or without any significant distance from a neighboring product carrier, and the corresponding storage can be planned in advance. By knowing the carrier identifiers, for example, similar product carriers can be stored in a desired area.

[0021] For the purposes of this application, an identifier is understood to mean any characteristic data item, in particular a sequential or descriptive number. In the case of a descriptive number, this can, for example, contain information about a storage location and / or properties of the stored goods. Thus, an identifier can also be understood to mean a multitude of summarized individual data items.

[0022] It is of course advantageous to generate not only the goods identifier at the transfer point, but also one or more identifiers at the same time, i.e. carrier identifiers and / or vehicle identifiers and / or length identifiers. These multiple identifiers can be processed together, in particular combined to form a data array. This advantageously provides combined information, for example about the length of the goods carrier on the one hand, as well as the stored goods contained therein and an identification of the goods carrier and / or the transport vehicle itself. Using the information about the length of the goods carrier, storage requirements can be calculated, for example. Due to the autonomous or at least semi-autonomous travel of the transport vehicles in the network or rail networks, they can be stored in a space-saving manner according to an individual length of the goods carrier, which may depend on the stored goods being picked up.Due to the existing length, storage locations with an individual length can be allocated, so that the space requirement can be calculated even before the autonomous or at least semi-autonomous transport vehicles, including the loaded goods carrier, actually arrive at their storage location.

[0023] This means that when the goods are being stored at the transfer point, it is possible to determine how much storage space the goods carrier, which has just been recorded in the data and loaded with the stored goods, will require. The length of a goods carrier can be calculated using known dimensions of the stored goods or by measurement. If a measurement is taken, a random position of the stored goods within the material can be taken into account. If a prediction is made, a maximum value can be assumed. This makes it possible to quickly load the goods carriers and store them in a storage location with minimal space requirements. This results in less space being required compared to fixed storage locations within the hanging goods warehouse. The process can be carried out at one transfer point or in parallel at several transfer points and / or repeatedly for a large number of goods carriers.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, the following additional steps are performed: Retrieving the stored goods from the hanging bag warehouse by horizontally transporting the transport vehicle, including the goods carrier loaded with the stored goods, from the specified storage location on the respective level of the hanging bag warehouse; vertically transporting the respective transport vehicle, including the goods carrier loaded with the stored goods, from the respective level to an unloading station of the hanging bag warehouse; and unloading the stored goods from the goods carrier at the unloading station. This allows one or more of the desired stored goods to be retrieved quickly and easily.

[0025] Preferably, the product identifier and / or bag identifier and / or vehicle identifier and / or length identifier are transmitted to a central control device of the hanging goods warehouse, the storage location is determined by means of the central control device depending on the received product identifier and / or carrier identifier and / or vehicle identifier and / or length identifier, and the stored goods are placed in the specified storage location by controlling the vertical transport and the horizontal transport by means of the central control device. This allows the identifiers to be recorded decentrally at the transfer point and processed centrally by the control device. All important information for process monitoring is available in the control device. Storage can therefore be essentially automated.

[0026] According to an advantageous embodiment of the method, the following steps are carried out: detecting a machine-readable goods code of the stored goods and / or a machine-readable carrier code of the goods carrier and / or a machine-readable vehicle code of the transport vehicle and / or the length of the goods carrier at the transfer point by means of a detection device, preferably optically or by means of near-field communication, generating the goods identifier from the detected goods code and / or the carrier identifier from the detected carrier code and / or the vehicle identifier from the detected vehicle code and / or the length identifier from the detected length by means of a computing unit downstream of the detection device and transmitting the generated goods identifier and / or carrier identifier and / or vehicle identifier and / or length identifier to the central control device.

[0027] The codes can be any machine-readable code, for example an optically readable code such as a barcode or QR code. The codes are preferably so-called SMART codes, which are usually square in shape with square pixels and three characteristic additional squares arranged in three of the four corners. It is conceivable that the codes are identified from an optically captured image based on characteristics such as the three squares, and that the code is then read from an image section thus found. Optical capture allows the identifiers to be generated easily and automatically. In the context of the present application, however, a machine-readable code is also understood to mean a contactless code that can be read using near-field communication.The code can, for example, be provided in the form of a passive transponder on the stored goods, goods carrier or transport vehicle. It can be read out using a suitable reading unit. Standardised communication technologies such as RFID (radio-frequency identification) or NFC (near field communication) could be used purely as examples. It is conceivable that several codes are read by means of a single reading device. However, several separate reading devices could also be used, e.g. one reading device each for a specific code. If there are several optical reading devices, these can be designed as identical parts, in particular each with its own processing unit. When the length of the goods carrier is recorded optically, the goods carrier can be recorded as a whole or in sections and, for example, from a specific angle, for example from the side.The length can be determined from the image data obtained in this way. This can be done, for example, using suitable analysis software that can be implemented in the processing unit.

[0028] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method, the following steps are carried out: storing a plurality of stored goods at a respective specified storage location according to the steps of claim, and retrieving the plurality of stored goods according to the steps of claim, wherein the transport vehicles including the loaded goods carriers are sorted during retrieval and fed to the unloading station in a specified order, wherein the order is preferably determined by the central control unit as a function of the goods identifier and / or carrier identifier and / or vehicle identifier and / or length identifier. As a result, stored goods can be easily arranged in a desired order during the retrieval process, which order is predetermined, for example, for a specific packaging. Since the sorting takes place during retrieval, time can be saved compared to known methods.

[0029] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method, the following steps are carried out: autonomous driving and propulsion of the transport vehicles, at least for horizontal transport along the network, in particular the rail network, in a period between the receipt of a first control signal from the central control device and the receipt of a subsequent second control signal from the central control device. This reduces the control effort, since the transport vehicles move predominantly independently in the network, in particular the rail network, and only receive control signals from the central control device at irregular intervals. The method is preferably carried out in a hanging bag warehouse, wherein a hanging bag is used as the goods carrier, a bag identifier as the carrier identifier and preferably a bag code as the carrier code. The method has proven to be particularly advantageous in hanging bag warehouses.The hanging pockets can be made of a flexible and / or foldable material into which the stored goods can be accommodated. This material adapts to the respective stored goods, thereby influencing the length of the hanging pocket. Of course, other forms of hanging goods storage are also conceivable, i.e., other types of goods supports, such as garment hangers that can be attached to the transport vehicle to hold a piece of clothing, or even holding devices for containers such as packages, liquid containers, etc. Regardless of the specific design of the hanging goods storage, the basic system of the process remains the same.

[0030] The problem is further solved by a hanging goods storage system for implementing the previously described process. This results in the advantages described above.

[0031] Finally, the object is achieved with the hanging goods warehouse mentioned at the outset in that a transfer point is provided for transferring a storage item to be stored in the hanging goods warehouse to a goods carrier attached to a transport vehicle, that means are provided for generating a goods identifier identifying the stored item and / or means for generating a carrier identifier identifying the goods carrier and / or means for generating a vehicle identifier identifying the transport vehicle and / or means for generating a length identifier identifying a length of the goods carrier, wherein the length of the goods carrier in a state loaded with the storage item depends on the stored item, that a first means for vertically transporting the transport vehicle including the goods carrier loaded with the storage item from the transfer point to a level of the hanging bag warehouse,in which a fixed or determinable storage location for the stored goods is located, and that a central control device is provided which is designed to control the first means for vertically transporting the goods carrier and the respective transport vehicle in such a way that the stored goods can be stored at the fixed or determinable storage location, wherein the storage location is fixed or determinable depending on the goods identifier and / or carrier identifier and / or vehicle identifier and / or length identifier. The same advantages arise that were already described above for the method. This also applies to the dependent claims specified below.

[0032] According to an advantageous embodiment, the hanging goods warehouse comprises an unloading station for unloading a stored item to be retrieved from the goods carrier and a second means for vertically transporting the transport vehicle including the goods carrier loaded with the stored item to be retrieved from the level of the hanging bag warehouse in which the defined or definable storage location is located, to the unloading station, wherein the central control device is designed to control the second means for vertically transporting the goods carrier and the transport vehicle of the goods carrier loaded with the stored item in such a way that the transport vehicle including the goods carrier loaded with the stored item can be fed from the defined or definable storage location to the unloading station.

[0033] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the hanging goods warehouse, it is provided that a plurality of stored goods, each held on a goods carrier, can be stored by means of a plurality of transport vehicles at defined storage locations on one level, or on different levels, and can be retrieved from the storage locations and fed sequentially to the unloading station, wherein the central control device is designed to control the second means for vertically transporting the goods carrier and the plurality of transport vehicles such that the plurality of transport vehicles, including the loaded goods carriers, can be sorted during retrieval and fed to the unloading station in a defined order, wherein the order is preferably defined or can be defined depending on the goods identifier and / or carrier identifier and / or vehicle identifier and / or length identifier.

[0034] An embodiment of the hanging bag warehouse is characterized in that the means for generating the goods identifier and / or the means for generating the carrier identifier and / or the means for generating the vehicle identifier and / or the means for generating the length identifier has at least one detection device connected upstream of a computing unit for detecting a machine-readable goods code of the stored goods and / or a machine-readable carrier code of the goods carrier and / or a machine-readable vehicle code of the transport vehicle and / or the length of the goods carrier, wherein the computing unit is connected to the central control device in terms of data technology.

[0035] In a preferred alternative, the at least one processing unit can have its own IP address, via which the data connection to the central control unit can be established. Standards for transmitting the identifiers can be accessed via the IP address. Furthermore, the at least one processing unit can be maintained, monitored, and controlled wirelessly or via a cable connection by the central control unit.

[0036] According to a preferred embodiment, the detection device comprises at least one camera for optically detecting an optically readable product code and / or an optically readable carrier code and / or an optically readable vehicle code and / or the length, wherein preferably one camera is provided for detecting each of the codes and each camera is followed by a separate computing unit with a separate IP address. A barcode or QR code, or generally a SMART code, is preferably used as the optically readable code. Alternatively or additionally, the detection device can comprise at least one reading unit for contactlessly reading a contactlessly readable product code and / or a contactlessly readable carrier code and / or a contactlessly readable vehicle code 514, preferably based on near-field communication, in particular NFC or RFID.The detection device can be a digital camera chip, which is, for example, located on a common circuit board directly upstream of a programmable computing device or computer. Such units consisting of a camera and a computer can advantageously be designed as identical parts, for example for each identifier to be generated, in particular simply with different programming. However, it is also conceivable for several optical detection devices to be connected upstream of a common computing unit. The computing unit can be a small computer that can be procured inexpensively on an industrial scale, can be connected and programmable. The image processing required to generate the identifiers can be carried out decentrally, for example by suitable software implemented in the respective computing unit.The result can be used arbitrarily, for example, centrally, without requiring any centralized computational effort. It can also reduce the data traffic required to transmit raw data, especially image data.

[0037] If, for example, several cameras are provided, several identifiers can be determined separately from one another. Despite the separate design, central control and coordination of the data determination carried out directly at the transfer point can be carried out via the separate IP addresses using the central control device. For example, the plausibility of the goods identifier, the carrier identifier and the length identifier can be checked, for example whether known dimensions of the stored goods and the determined length identifier result in a plausible value for the length of the goods carrier. Using decentralized detection, very fast processing can be achieved, for example a determination process can be carried out in less than 50 ms, in particular less than 30 ms, preferably in approximately 30 ms. The separate computing units can be programmed simply and easily, for example using memory cards.They can be designed simply because they only have to perform one task. They can be easily replaced for maintenance purposes. If necessary, only the IP address needs to be reassigned or reconfigured. They can also be deployed in separate locations, while still performing the overall task of incoming goods registration. Their use is also scalable to multiple transfer stations. After incoming goods registration, the hanging pockets can be guided to the storage location using the central control unit.

[0038] It is advantageous if the transport vehicles are designed to be moved and driven autonomously, at least for horizontal transport along the network, in particular the rail network, in a period between the receipt of a first control signal from the central control device and the receipt of a subsequent second control signal from the central control device.

[0039] Furthermore, it may be advantageous if the plurality of transport vehicles comprises at least two different vehicle types, wherein the vehicle types preferably differ in at least one of the following parameters: drive power, load capacity, fastening device for the goods carrier, length in the direction of movement, height in the vertical direction. This allows, for example, a more powerful transport vehicle to be used for heavy goods than for lighter goods. Similarly, a correspondingly larger transport vehicle could be used for larger goods than for smaller goods, etc.

[0040] It is advantageous if the hanging goods warehouse has means for the automated loading of a goods carrier with stored goods at the transfer point, preferably comprising a stationary or mobile first handling robot, and / or means for the automated unloading of stored goods from a goods carrier at the unloading station, preferably comprising a stationary or mobile second handling robot. This allows loading and unloading to be automated. The handling robots can be controlled, for example, via the central control device.

[0041] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the first means for vertically transporting the goods carriers comprises a first vertical conveyor and / or the second means for vertically transporting the goods carriers comprises a second vertical conveyor, wherein the first vertical conveyor and / or the second vertical conveyor are preferably designed as a ring conveyor system, in particular as a continuously conveying ring conveyor system. A continuously conveying ring conveyor system is understood to mean, for example, a known "paternoster". The vertical transport can take place continuously or intermittently. Intermittent can mean that the carrying units of the ring conveyor system, which are designed to accommodate one or more transport vehicles, are each stopped on a level of the hanging goods warehouse for a certain period of time so that a number of transport vehicles can drive from the network, in particular the rail network, onto the carrying unit.The carrier unit can then be moved to the next level and stop there again for a certain period of time, allowing a number of transport vehicles to travel from the carrier unit onto the network, in particular the rail network, of the respective level. The ring conveyor system can be controlled by the central control device. The central control device can be configured to coordinate the movement of the ring conveyor system and the movement of the transport vehicles, for example, for the advantageous sorting described above to establish a predetermined sequence of stored goods.

[0042] According to a preferred embodiment, the hanging goods warehouse is designed as a hanging bag warehouse, wherein the goods carrier comprises a hanging bag, the carrier identifier being a bag identifier, and the carrier code preferably being a bag code. However, as already explained, other embodiments are also conceivable. Mixed operation with different goods carriers is also conceivable.

[0043] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the hanging goods warehouse, a number of fixed or fixable first goods identifiers and / or first carrier identifiers and / or first vehicle identifiers and / or first length identifiers can be assigned or assignable to a first level of the hanging goods warehouse or a first area of ​​a level, and a number of fixed or fixable second goods identifiers and / or second carrier identifiers and / or second vehicle identifiers and / or second length identifiers can be assigned or assignable to a second level or a second area of ​​the level.The central control device can be designed to define the storage locations for stored goods with first goods identifiers and / or first carrier identifiers and / or first vehicle identifiers and / or first length identifiers on the first level or in the first area of ​​the respective level, and to define the storage locations for stored goods with second goods identifiers and / or second carrier identifiers and / or second vehicle identifiers and / or second length identifiers on the second level or in the second area of ​​the respective level. This makes it possible, for example, to store stored goods of a certain category or hanging carriers of a certain length or type in a designated level or area of ​​a level. For example, there could be levels with different heights and each level could have goods carriers of a matching height stored there. This allows the best possible use of the available space.

[0044] Further advantages emerge from the subclaims and the following description of a preferred embodiment.

[0045] Short description of the characters

[0046] The invention is explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment shown in the figures. They show:

[0047] Figure 1: a schematic three-dimensional view from the side at the front and top of a hanging bag storage system; Figure 2: a schematic side view of a hanging bag for the system shown in Figure 1

[0048] Hanging bag storage;

[0049] Figure 3: a schematic side view of several of the hanging pockets shown in Figure 2 on a rail network;

[0050] Figure 4: a three-dimensional view from the side above of a transfer point for transferring stored goods into the hanging bag storage; and

[0051] Figure 5: a flowchart of a method for controlling and operating the hanging pocket storage system shown in the preceding figures.

[0052] Description of preferred embodiments

[0053] Before describing the invention in detail, it should be noted that it is not limited to the specific components of the device or the specific method steps, as these components and methods may vary. The terms used herein are intended only to describe particular embodiments and are not intended to be limiting. Furthermore, when the singular or indefinite articles are used in the description or claims, this also refers to the plural of these elements, unless the overall context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0054] Figure 1 shows a schematic three-dimensional view obliquely from the side, front and top, of a hanging bag storage system 1. The hanging bag storage system shown is merely a preferred, but not restrictive, embodiment of the hanging bag storage system 1 according to the invention.

[0055] The hanging bag warehouse 1 has at least two levels 9, 13, here a total of four, wherein, for example, a first level 9 and a second level 13 are provided with reference symbols. More or fewer levels are conceivable, for example 10 levels or more, arranged vertically one above the other. Each of the levels 9, 13 of the hanging bag warehouse 1 can have a transfer buffer 7, 11, of which only a first transfer buffer 7 and a second transfer buffer 11 are provided with reference symbols. The hanging bag warehouse 1 shown serves to receive, store, sort and / or retrieve stored goods 3. The hanging bag warehouse 1 can optionally be designed as a pure storage or pure sorting device. The transfer buffers 7, 11 are preferably arranged vertically one above the other, which is symbolized by a line 27.However, it is also conceivable to arrange at least two of the transfer buffers 7, 11 one above the other and / or to arrange them obliquely to a vertical spatial direction along the line 27.

[0056] Along the imaginary line 27, along which the transfer buffers 7, 11 are preferably also arranged, a vertical conveyor of any design runs for vertically conveying the loaded or unloaded hanging pockets 5 between the levels 9, 13 and from a transfer point (loading point) 53 to the levels 9, 13 and in the opposite direction back to an unloading station 55, preferably a plurality of such vertical conveyors. In the illustrated embodiment, only one vertical conveyor is provided, which is designed both for vertically conveying the stored goods 3 to be stored and for vertically conveying the stored goods 3 to be retrieved, in particular for transporting the transport vehicles 61 described in more detail below.

[0057] However, it is advantageous if a first vertical conveyor is provided for vertically transporting the transport vehicles 61 from the transfer point 53 to levels 9, 13, and a second vertical conveyor is provided for vertically transporting the transport vehicles 61 from levels 9, 13 to the unloading station 55. The available vertical conveyors can be designed, in particular, as a continuously conveying ring conveyor system 23, e.g., as a known paternoster.

[0058] The transfer buffers 7, 11 are optionally and preferably arranged adjacent to the ring conveyor system 23 such that the stored goods 3 can be transferred from them into the ring conveyor system 23 and / or can be stored from there into the levels 9, 13 or the transfer buffers 7, 11 of the levels 9, 13.

[0059] A network 49, in particular a rail network 49, is provided on each level 9, 13. The rail network 49 can have connecting sections and branches such as crossings and / or switches. It is preferably a grid with straight rails connected to one another by crossings and / or switches. For example, with rectangular meshes.

[0060] Furthermore, a plurality of self-propelled transport vehicles 61 is provided, for example, several hundred up to several thousand transport vehicles 61. The transport vehicles 61 can be suspended from the rail network 49 and move independently and independently of one another along the rail network 49. The drive is thus particularly without drag chains. For this purpose, the hanging bag warehouse 1 is, for example, constructed without drag chains at least in part or entirely, preferably at least within levels 9, 13. A goods carrier 5 for receiving a stored item 3 is attached to each transport vehicle 61, preferably in a detachable or replaceable manner. In the example of the hanging bag warehouse 1 shown, the goods carrier 5 is designed as a hanging bag. The hanging bags 5 have, in particular, a flexible and / or foldable material in which a stored item 3 can be received.

[0061] Particularly preferably, the transport vehicles 61 are designed such that they travel autonomously through the network, in particular the rail network 49. Hanging pocket warehouses 1 with transport vehicles 61 that travel autonomously in a rail network are known and are described, for example, in DE 10 2018 128 417 A1.

[0062] Furthermore, hanging pocket warehouses with transport vehicles 61 that move autonomously in a network, in particular a transport network, which are formed by transport carriers that can be moved while adhering to a travel surface, are described in WO 2023 / 147620 A1, and this embodiment is hereby made the subject of this disclosure. In particular, the transport carrier and the transport network are made the subject of this disclosure. The transport vehicles 61 of the present application can therefore be designed like the transport carriers of WO 2023 / 147620 A1, and the network 49 of the present application can be designed like the transport network of WO 2023 / 147620 A1.

[0063] The transport network mentioned can comprise transport routes, and route markings can be provided along the transport routes of the transport network. The route markings are preferably arranged on a support structure, in particular on the travel surface. The transport carrier can be guided along the transport route. The route markings can comprise travel markings that are preferably tracked as the transport carrier moves. The (in particular optical or magnetic) travel markings can thus be designed as a guide or travel line on or in the travel surface of the support structure, along which the transport carrier is to travel (line-guided transport vehicle).For this purpose, it is particularly advantageous if the travel marking is detected by the transport carrier, in particular by a detection unit of the transport carrier, and the transport carrier is controlled by a travel control system such that the transport carrier is moved along the travel marking. The travel marking is preferably designed as a travel line running along the transport path with a first edge and a second edge.

[0064] A central control device 25 is also provided for monitoring and controlling the hanging bag warehouse 1. The control device 25 can preferably communicate with the transport vehicles 61, in particular to send control commands to the transport vehicles 61 and, if necessary, to receive signals from the transport vehicles 61. Furthermore, the control device 25 can exchange information with other functional units of the hanging bag warehouse 1, for example, to control the available vertical conveyors, in particular ring conveyor systems 23.

[0065] Figure 2 shows a schematic side view of a transport vehicle 61 with a hanging pocket 5 for the hanging pocket storage system 1 shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 shows a schematic side view of several of the transport vehicles 61 shown in Figure 2 with hanging pockets 5, suspended in the rail network 49. The transport vehicles 61 have wheels 57 and can be driven by a drive energy, only indicated by reference numeral 59, and a drive system utilizing this drive energy. The drive can be provided, for example, by a suitable electric motor.

[0066] In Figure 3, a double arrow 51 indicates a possible direction of movement of the transport vehicles 61 including hanging pockets 5 in the network 49, in particular the rail network 49. The transport vehicles 61 are in particular set up, programmed and / or designed for autonomous or semi-autonomous travel on the network 49, in particular the rail network 49. For this purpose, in addition to the drive, they can have their own control unit for controlling the longitudinal and lateral dynamics. Furthermore, the transport vehicles 61 preferably comprise a suitable (not shown) communication device for communicating with the central control device 25 of the hanging pocket warehouse 1, which is described in more detail below. The communication device can, for example, have a wireless receiving unit in order to receive control signals from the control device 25.

[0067] Figure 2 shows the hanging pocket 5 with the stored goods 3 held therein. The stored goods 3 are located within a U-shaped suspended material, particularly a flexible material. Loading and unloading can occur, in particular, from above or from the side.

[0068] Preferably, the transport vehicles 61, including the stored goods 3 located in the hanging pocket 5, are transferred to the respective vertical conveyor, e.g., into the ring conveyor system 23. Particularly preferably, the respective transport vehicle 61, including the hanging pocket 5 attached thereto, is driven, controlled, and / or moved autonomously before being made available and during making available in the transfer point 53, as well as during the transfer of the transport vehicle 61 to the hanging pocket warehouse 1.

[0069] In order to store the stored goods 3 in the hanging bag warehouse 1, the latter has the transfer point 53. At the transfer point 53, individual hanging bags 5 can be loaded with stored goods 3. Each hanging bag 5 is attached to a transport vehicle 61 and can thus be transferred to the hanging bag warehouse 1 after loading by moving the transport vehicle 61. Preferably, each hanging bag 5 is only loaded with one stored good 3. However, several are also conceivable, provided they fit in the corresponding hanging bag 5. At the transfer point 53, the stored goods 3 can optionally be buffered and transferred directly to the hanging bags 5, which for this purpose head for the transfer point 53 and then move autonomously to a storage location 509 of the hanging bag warehouse 1.

[0070] At the unloading station 55 of the hanging pocket warehouse 1, the stored goods 3 can be unloaded from the hanging pockets 5 and are available there, preferably in a predetermined or predeterminable sequence 15. For this purpose, the transport vehicles 61, in particular rail-guided or track-guided, can first be moved from a storage location 509 on one of the levels 9, 13 to the vertical conveyor, in particular the ring conveyor system 23, which occurs in particular autonomously or semi-autonomously. Subsequently, one or more of the transport vehicles 61, including the loaded hanging pockets 5, can be fed from the respective level 9, 13 to the unloading station 55 by means of the vertical conveyor. To establish the desired sequence of stored goods 3, the control device 25 can, on the one hand, control the corresponding transport vehicles 61 and, on the other hand, the vertical conveyor for the unloading station 55.The control device 25 can coordinate the movements of the transport vehicles 61 and the movement of the vertical conveyor in order to obtain the desired sequence.

[0071] It is conceivable for a column of hanging pockets 5 to move in the desired sequence 15 from the vertical conveyor, in particular the ring conveyor system 23, into the unloading station 55 or to be transferred from the ring conveyor system 23 to it, unloaded there, and then return again for further loading. The unloading station 55 can be arranged inside or outside one of the levels 9, 13, preferably in a lowest level. Alternatively, however, it is also conceivable for the hanging pockets 5 to be conveyed by means of the vertical conveyor, in particular the ring conveyor system 23, and unloaded at the unloading station 55 in the desired sequence and immediately transported empty back to the hanging pocket storage 1, i.e. without the respective hanging pockets 5 being directly available there, for example, to be transported further to the transfer point 53 after unloading.

[0072] The hanging pockets 5 can be unloaded manually by an operator at the unloading station 55. Alternatively, however, it is also conceivable to unload the hanging pockets 5 mechanized or by means of a handling robot (not shown), wherein the handling robot can comprise a stationary or mobile handling robot. The handling robot is preferably controllable by the central control device 25.

[0073] Figure 4 shows a three-dimensional view obliquely from above of a transfer point 53 for transferring stored goods 3 into the hanging bag warehouse 1. A portion of the network 49, in particular the rail network 49, can be seen, which at this point acts as an inlet for the transfer point 53. An inlet direction of the hanging bags 5 is symbolized in Figure 4 by an arrow 533. The rail-guided or track-guided transport vehicles 61, with hanging bags 5 attached to them, can travel over the network 49, in particular the rail network 49, under a loading table 535, which has a loading opening 537 for loading the hanging bags 5 from above.

[0074] The stored goods 3 can be inserted into the hanging pockets 5 from above through the loading opening 537. This process can be performed by an operator 539. Alternatively, however, it is also conceivable to carry out the loading of the hanging pockets 5 mechanized or by means of a handling robot (not shown), wherein the handling robot can comprise a stationary or mobile first handling robot. Furthermore, it is conceivable to load the hanging pockets 5 from the side.

[0075] In the embodiment shown here, the operator 539 starts the loading process by manually grasping one of the provided storage goods 3 and feeding it to a detection device 517. The operator 539 receives the storage goods 3 in a known manner, for example, through a mechanized infeed such as a conveyor belt, load carrier, shelf, or the like.

[0076] To record properties of the stored item 3, the item has, for example, a product code 511. The product code 511 can be an optically readable, machine-readable code, for example, a standard barcode or bar code in the case of consumer goods. However, it is also conceivable for the product code 511 to have any other optically readable code, for example a square smart code, such as a QR code. As a rule, the operator 539 receives the stored item 3 already provided with the product code 511. If the stored item 3 does not have a product code 511, this can also be affixed to the stored item 3 by the operator 539, e.g. in the form of a sticker or similar. Alternatively, the machine-readable product code can also be in the form of a contactless readable RFID or NFC transponder as mentioned above.

[0077] After starting the loading process, one or more identifiers can be generated, e.g. a goods identifier 501 and / or a bag identifier 503 (generally carrier identifier) ​​and / or a vehicle identifier 502 and / or a length identifier 505. For this purpose, the detection device 517 can have means for optical detection (in the case of optically readable codes) or means for contactless detection (in the case of near-field immunization) and an associated computing unit 507 for performing calculations.In the illustrated embodiment, the detection device 517 comprises a first camera 517a and a downstream first computing unit 507a for optically detecting the product code 511 and generating the product identifier 501, a second camera 517b and a downstream second computing unit 507b for detecting the pocket code 513 and generating the pocket identifier 503, and a third camera 517c and a downstream third computing unit 507c for optically detecting and measuring the length 515 of the hanging pocket 5 and generating the length identifier 505. The second camera 517b and the second computing unit 507b can optionally also be designed to detect the vehicle code 514 and generate the vehicle identifier 502. The generated identifiers 501, 502, 503 and 505 can be transmitted to the central control device 25 via a link, in particular a radio link and / or a cable link.

[0078] Alternatively, however, multiple codes and / or one or more codes and the length 515 of the hanging pocket 5 could be recorded by a common recording unit 517, e.g., by a camera. A corresponding transmission of the determined identifiers, here, for example, pocket identifier 503 and length identifier 505, to the central control device 25 is shown in dashed lines in Figure 4.

[0079] For data transmission, the recording device 517 can have one or more IP addresses, preferably a separate IP address for each separate computer.

[0080] After the transmission of the identifiers 501, 502, 503 and 505, the control device 25 can assign the hanging pocket 5 or the stored goods 3 received therein to a storage location indicated in the figure only by the reference number 509, which the transport vehicle 61 of the respective hanging pocket 5 then controls autonomously or at least semi-autonomously.

[0081] After loading, the hanging pocket 5 has an individual length 515 that depends on its position within the hanging pocket 5 and the properties of the load 3, which is symbolized in Figure 4 by a double arrow. Depending on the length 515, more or less space is required in the storage location 509. By measuring the hanging pocket 5, more precisely by generating the length identifier 505, it is possible to dimension and plan the storage location 509 individually for each hanging pocket 5. This allows optimal use of the storage space available in the hanging pocket warehouse 1. Figure 5 shows a flow diagram of a method for controlling and operating the hanging pocket warehouse 1 shown in the preceding figures. Reference is also made to the preceding figures.

[0082] In a first step 519, the stored goods 3 to be stored are provided at the transfer point 53. The stored goods preferably have a goods code 511. If the stored goods do not have a goods code 511, the operator can also provide a goods code 511 on the stored goods, for example by affixing a sticker containing the goods code. The transfer point 53 can be provided on a level, in particular on or at the lowest level, of the hanging bag warehouse 1 and can be loaded mechanized or manually by the operator 539. In a further step 521, a transport vehicle 61 with a hanging bag 5 attached to it is provided at the transfer point 53. This can be done, for example, by the transport vehicle 61 receiving a corresponding control command from the central control device 25. The transport vehicle 61 can then travel essentially autonomously to the transfer point 53 via a rail of the rail network 49, as shown in Fig.3 is indicated by the arrow. Step 521 can, of course, also occur before or simultaneously with step 519.

[0083] The operator can grasp the provided storage item 3 in order to generate a product identifier 501 in a further step 523, which uniquely identifies the storage item 3. This can be done, for example, by reading the product code 511 using the detection device 517, e.g. optically or via near-field communication. The product identifier 501 can be generated from the product code 511, preferably by the computing unit 507 connected downstream of the detection device 517. In a further step 525, the storage item 3 is fed, for example through the loading opening 537, to the hanging pocket 5 waiting at the loading table 535, i.e. the hanging pocket 5 is filled or loaded with the storage item 23.

[0084] In a further step 527, for example, a bag identifier 503 can be generated that uniquely identifies the hanging bag 5. This can be done, for example, by reading in a bag code 513 provided on the respective hanging bag 5 or that can be attached thereto by the operator using the detection device 517, for example optically (see Fig. 3) or via near-field communication, and the computing unit 507 generates the bag identifier therefrom. In a similar manner, alternatively or additionally, a vehicle identifier 502 could also be generated in a step 529, for example by reading in a vehicle code 514 provided on the respective transport vehicle 61 or that can be attached thereto by an operator using the detection device 517, for example again optically (see Fig. 3) or via near-field communication, and the computing unit 507 generates the vehicle identifier 502 therefrom.

[0085] After being loaded with the stored goods 3, the hanging pocket 5 has the individual length 515 dependent thereon. In a further step 531, a length identifier 505 can advantageously be generated, which identifies the length 515 of the hanging pocket (in the direction of movement). This can be done, for example, by measuring the loaded hanging pocket 5, in particular optically. The measurement can be carried out using a suitable camera of the detection device 517 and a downstream computing unit 507. For this purpose, suitable image processing software can be implemented in the computing unit 507, for example, which can determine the length 515 from the image data recorded by the camera. The determined identifiers 501, 502, 503, 505 are transmitted from the respective computing unit 507 to the central control device 25, for example via a suitable wireless or wired data communication.

[0086] The stored item 3 to be stored is preferably paired with the provided hanging pocket 5 and / or with the transport vehicle 61 to which the hanging pocket 5 is attached, and / or with the length 515 of the hanging pocket by data-linking the available identifiers. This provides the central control device 25 with not only information about the stored item 3, but also, in particular, further information about the hanging pocket in which the respective stored item 3 is located and / or the transport vehicle 61 with which the stored item 3 is transported, as well as information about the length 515 of the filled hanging pocket 5. In addition to the pairing process of the stored item 3 with the hanging pocket 5, information about the individual length 515 of the hanging pocket 5 is also available in the form of the length identifier 505. Reference symbol layout

[0087] Hanging goods storage, hanging bag 533 Arrow storage 535 Loading table

[0088] Storage goods 537 loading opening

[0089] Goods carrier, hanging pocket 539 Operator first transfer buffer first level second transfer buffer second level

[0090] Series

[0091] Ring conveyor system central control device line

[0092] network, rail network

[0093] double arrow

[0094] handover point

[0095] unloading station

[0096] Wheels

[0097] Drive energy

[0098] Roll adapter

[0099] Product identifiers

[0100] Vehicle identification

[0101] Bag labels

[0102] Length identifier

[0103] Computing unit

[0104] storage area

[0105] Commodity code

[0106] Pocket code

[0107] Vehicle code

[0108] length

[0109] Recording device up to 531 V process steps

Claims

Patent claims 1. A method for controlling a hanging goods warehouse (1) for hanging goods (3), wherein the hanging goods warehouse (1) comprises a number of levels (9, 13), in each of which a network (49), in particular a rail network (49), is provided, and a plurality of self-propelled transport vehicles (61), each with a goods carrier (5) attached or attachable to it for receiving a stored item (3), which are movable independently of one another along the network (49), characterized by: Providing a storage item (3) to be stored at a transfer point (53) of the hanging goods warehouse (1) and providing a transport vehicle (61) with a goods carrier (5) at the transfer point (53), Loading the goods carrier (5) at the transfer point (53) with the stored goods (3), Generating a goods identifier (501) identifying the stored goods (3) and / or a carrier identifier (503) identifying the goods carrier (5) and / or a vehicle identifier (502) identifying the transport vehicle (61) and / or a length identifier (505) identifying a length (515) of the goods carrier (5), wherein the length (515) depends on the stored goods (3) when the goods carrier (5) is loaded with the stored goods (3), Depositing the stored goods (3) into the hanging goods warehouse (1) by vertically transporting the transport vehicle (61) including the goods carrier (5) loaded with the stored goods (3) from the transfer point (53) to a level (9, 13) of the hanging goods warehouse (1) in which there is a fixed or definable storage location (509) for the stored goods (3), and horizontally transporting the transport vehicle (61) including the goods carrier (5) loaded with the stored goods (3) in the respective level (9, 13) to the fixed or definable storage location (509), wherein the storage location (509) is determined depending on the goods identifier (501) and / or vehicle identifier (502) and / or carrier identifier (503) and / or length identifier (505) is or will be determined.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized by: Removing the stored goods (3) from the hanging goods warehouse (1) by horizontally transporting the transport vehicle (61) including the goods carrier (5) loaded with the stored goods (3) from the specified storage location (509) in the respective level (9, 13) of the hanging goods warehouse (1), vertically transporting the respective transport vehicle (61) including the goods carrier (5) loaded with the stored goods (3) from the respective level (9, 13) to an unloading station (55) of the hanging goods warehouse (1) and Unloading the stored goods (3) from the goods carrier (5) in the unloading station (55).

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by: Transmitting the goods identifier (501) and / or the carrier identifier (503) and / or length identifier (505) to a central control device (25) of the hanging goods warehouse (1), Determining the storage location (509) by means of the central control device (25) depending on the received goods identifier (501) and / or carrier identifier (503) and / or vehicle identifier (502) and / or length identifier (505) and Depositing the stored goods (3) at the specified storage location (509) by controlling the vertical transport and the horizontal transport by means of the central control device (25).

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by: Detecting a machine-readable goods code (511) of the stored goods (3) and / or a machine-readable carrier code (513) of the goods carrier (5) and / or a machine-readable vehicle code (514) of the transport vehicle (61) and / or the length (515) of the goods carrier (5) at the Transfer point (53) by means of a detection device (517), preferably optically or by means of near-field communication, Generating the goods identifier (501) from the detected goods code (511) and / or the carrier identifier (503) from the detected carrier code (513) and / or the vehicle identifier (502) from the detected vehicle code (514) and / or the length identifier (505) from the detected catch (515) by means of a computing unit (507) connected downstream of the detection device (517) and Transmitting the generated goods identifier (501) and / or carrier identifier (503) and / or vehicle identifier (502) and / or length identifier (505) to the central control device (25).

5. Method according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized by: Depositing a plurality of storage goods (3) at a respective fixed storage location (509) according to the steps of claim 1, Unloading the plurality of stored goods (3) according to the steps of claim 2, wherein the transport vehicles (61) including the loaded goods carrier (5) are sorted during unloading and fed to the unloading station (55) in a fixed sequence (15), wherein the sequence is preferably determined by the central control unit (25) depending on the goods identifier (501) and / or carrier identifier (503) and / or vehicle identifier (502) and / or length identifier (505).

6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by: autonomous driving and propulsion of the transport vehicles (61), at least for horizontal transport along the network (49), in a period between receipt of a first control signal from the central control device (25) and receipt of a subsequent second control signal from the central control device (25).

7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the method is carried out in a hanging goods warehouse (1), wherein a hanging bag is used as the goods carrier (5), a bag identifier is used as the carrier identifier (503) and a bag code is preferably used as the carrier code (513).

8. Hanging goods warehouse (1), set up, designed and / or programmed to carry out a method according to one of claims 1 to 7.

9. Hanging goods warehouse (1) for hanging goods (3), in particular according to claim 8, wherein the hanging goods warehouse (1) comprises a number of levels (9, 13), in each of which a network (49), in particular a rail network (49), is provided, and a plurality of self-propelled transport vehicles (61), each with a goods carrier (5) attached or attachable thereto for receiving a stored item (3), which are movable independently of one another along the network (49), characterized by: a transfer point (53) for transferring a stored item (3) to be stored in the hanging goods warehouse (1) to a goods carrier (5) attached to a transport vehicle (61), Means for generating a goods identifier (501) identifying the stored goods (3) and / or means for generating a carrier identifier (505) identifying the goods carrier (5) and / or means for generating a vehicle identifier (502) identifying the transport vehicle (61) and / or means for generating a length identifier (505) identifying a length (515) of the goods carrier (5), wherein the length (515) of the goods carrier (5) in a state loaded with the stored goods (3) depends on the stored goods (3), A first means for vertically transporting the transport vehicle (61) including the goods carrier (5) loaded with the stored goods (3) from the transfer point (53) to a level (9, 13) of the hanging goods warehouse (1) in which a fixed or determinable storage location (509) for the stored goods (3) is located, A central control device (25) which is designed to control the first means for vertically transporting the goods carrier (5) and the respective transport vehicle (61) in such a way that the stored goods (3) can be stored at the specified or specifiable storage location (509), wherein the storage location (509) is specified or specifiable depending on the goods identifier (501) and / or carrier identifier (503) and / or vehicle identifier (502) and / or length identifier (505).

10. Hanging goods storage (1) according to claim 9, characterized by: An unloading station (55) for unloading a storage item (3) to be displayed from the goods carrier (5), A second means for vertically transporting the transport vehicle (61) including the goods carrier (5) loaded with the stored goods (3) to be retrieved from the level (9, 13) of the hanging goods warehouse (1) in which the defined or definable storage location (509) is located, to the unloading station (55), wherein the central control device (25) is designed to control the second means for vertically transporting the goods carrier (5) and the transport vehicle (61) of the goods carrier (5) loaded with the stored goods (3) in such a way that the transport vehicle (61) including the goods carrier (5) loaded with the stored goods can be fed from the defined or definable storage location (509) to the unloading station (55).

11. Hanging goods warehouse (1) according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that: a plurality of storage goods (3), each held on a goods carrier (5), can be stored by means of a plurality of transport vehicles (61) at fixed storage locations (509) in one level (9, 13) or in different levels (9, 13) and can be retrieved from the storage locations (509) and sequentially fed to the unloading station (55), wherein the central control device (25) is designed to control the second means for vertically transporting the goods carrier (5) and the plurality of transport vehicles (61) in such a way that the plurality of transport vehicles (61) including the loaded goods carriers (5) during the Display and can be fed to the unloading station (55) in a fixed sequence (55), wherein the sequence is preferably fixed or can be fixed depending on the goods identifier (501) and / or carrier identifier (503) and / or vehicle identifier (502) and / or length identifier (505).

12. Hanging goods warehouse (1) according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the means for generating the goods identifier (501) and / or the means for generating the carrier identifier (505) and / or the means for generating the vehicle identifier (502) and / or the means for generating the length identifier (505) has at least one detection device (517) connected upstream of a computing unit (507) for detecting a machine-readable goods code (501) of the stored goods (3) and / or a machine-readable carrier code (513) of the goods carrier (5) and / or a machine-readable vehicle code (514) of the transport vehicle (61) and / or the length (515) of the goods carrier (5), wherein the computing unit (507) is connected in terms of data technology to the central control device (25).

13. Hanging goods warehouse (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that the computing unit (507) has its own IP address via which the data connection with the central control device (25) can be established.

14. Hanging goods warehouse (1) according to one of claims 12 or 13, characterized in that the detection device (517) comprises at least one camera for optically detecting an optically readable goods code (501), preferably a barcode or QR code, and / or an optically readable carrier code (513), preferably a barcode or QR code, and / or an optically readable vehicle code (514), preferably a barcode or QR code, and / or the length (515), wherein preferably one camera is provided in each case and a separate computing unit with a separate IP address is connected downstream of each camera and / or that the detection device (517) comprises at least one reading unit for contactlessly reading a contactlessly readable goods code (501) and / or a contactlessly readable carrier code (513) and / or a contactlessly readable vehicle code (514), preferably based on near-field communication, in particular NFC or RFID.

15. Hanging goods warehouse (1) according to one of claims 9 to 14, characterized in that the transport vehicles (61) are designed to be moved and driven autonomously, at least for horizontal transport along the network (49), in a period between the receipt of a first control signal from the central control device (25) and the receipt of a subsequent second control signal from the central control device (25).

16. Hanging goods warehouse (1) according to one of claims 9 to 15, characterized in that the plurality of transport vehicles (61) comprise at least two different vehicle types, wherein the vehicle types preferably differ in at least one of the following parameters: drive power, load capacity, fastening device for the goods carrier (5), length in the direction of movement, height in the vertical direction.

17. Hanging goods storage (1) according to one of claims 9 to 16, characterized by: Means for the automated loading of a goods carrier (5) with a storage item (3) at the transfer point (53), preferably comprising a stationary or mobile first handling robot, and / or Means for the automated unloading of a stored item (3) from a goods carrier (5) in the unloading station (55), preferably comprising a stationary or mobile second handling robot.

18. Hanging goods warehouse (1) according to one of claims 9 to 17, characterized in that the first means for vertically transporting the goods carriers (5) comprises a first vertical conveyor and / or that the second means for vertically transporting the goods carriers (5) comprises a second vertical conveyor, wherein the first vertical conveyor and / or the second vertical conveyor are preferably designed as a ring conveyor system (23), in particular as a continuously conveying ring conveyor system (23).

19. Hanging goods warehouse (1) according to one of claims 9 to 18, characterized in that the hanging goods warehouse (1) is designed as a hanging bag warehouse, wherein the goods carrier (5) comprises a hanging bag, wherein the carrier identifier (503) is a bag identifier and the carrier code (513) is preferably a bag code.

20. Hanging goods warehouse (1) according to one of claims 9 to 19, characterized in that a first level (9) of the hanging goods warehouse (1) or a first area of ​​a level (9, 13) is assigned or assignable to a number of fixed or fixable first goods identifiers (501) and / or first carrier identifiers (503) and / or first vehicle identifiers (502) and / or first length identifiers (505), and a second level (9) or a second area of ​​the level (9, 13) is assigned or assignable to a number of fixed or fixable second goods identifiers (501) and / or second carrier identifiers (503) and / or second vehicle identifiers (502) and / or second length identifiers (505), and in that the central control device (25) is designed toto define the storage locations (509) for stored goods (3) with first goods identifiers (501) and / or first carrier identifiers (503) and / or first vehicle identifiers (502) and / or first length identifiers (505) in the first level (9) or in the first area of ​​the respective level (9, 13) and to define the storage locations (509) for stored goods (3) with second goods identifiers (501) and / or second carrier identifiers (503) and / or second vehicle identifiers (502) and / or second length identifiers (505) in the second level (13) or in the second area of ​​the respective level (9, 13).

Images