Transport device for storing and retrieving products in a shelf warehouse and method for storing and retrieving products in a shelf warehouse

Abstract

A transport device for storing and retrieving products in a shelf warehouse having at least one shelf aisle and at least one shelf, has a satellite vehicle that can be moved along the shelf by means of a propulsion device and has a support surface on which a product can be supported. The product can be lifted relative to the satellite vehicle by means of a lifting device. A carrier vehicle that can be moved along the shelf aisle by means of a drive device, has a receiving area on which the satellite vehicle can be arranged. The carrier vehicle has a first sensor device, by means of which a current position of the satellite vehicle on the receiving area and / or a current position of the product located on the satellite vehicle can be detected. A control device sends correction signals to the propulsion device of the satellite vehicle if the deviation is greater than a predetermined value.

Description

[0001] Transport device for storing and retrieving products in a rack warehouse and method for storing and retrieving products in a rack warehouse

[0002] The invention relates to a transport device for storing and retrieving products in a rack warehouse which has at least one rack aisle and at least one rack compartment extending perpendicular to the rack aisle, wherein the transport device has a satellite vehicle which can be moved along the rack compartment by means of a travel drive device and has a support surface on which a product can be placed and which has a lifting device with which the product can be raised and lowered relative to a chassis of the satellite vehicle by means of a lifting drive device, wherein the transport device has a carrier vehicle which can be moved along the rack aisle by means of a drive device and which has a receiving space on which the satellite vehicle can be arranged with or without a product stored on it.

[0003] Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for storing and retrieving products in a rack warehouse which has at least one rack aisle and at least one rack compartment extending perpendicular to the rack aisle, wherein the satellite vehicle with the product arranged on the support surface drives onto the receiving space of the carrier vehicle by means of the travel drive device and is stopped there.

[0004] A corresponding transport device is known from EP 2 780 260 B1 and is used to quickly place products, for example pallets with containers placed on them, into shelf compartments in a rack warehouse or to retrieve them from them. The shelf compartments are designed with multiple depths, i.e. several products can be arranged in a row perpendicular to the rack aisle in one shelf compartment. To retrieve a product, the carrier vehicle, which carries the satellite vehicle on its pick-up station, travels along the rack aisle to the position in which the shelf compartment from which the product is to be retrieved is located. Once the correct position in the rack aisle has been reached, the drive device of the satellite vehicle is activated and this leaves the carrier vehicle and moves into the shelf compartment until it is positioned below the product to be retrieved.The lifting device is then activated and the product is lifted within the shelf compartment so that it now sits on the support surface of the satellite vehicle. The satellite vehicle is then moved along the shelf compartment back to the carrier vehicle using the drive device until it sits in its receiving space. The lifting device is then lowered, causing the product to be lowered and placed on a revolving conveyor on the carrier vehicle. The conveyor is assigned its own drive device, by means of which the product can be moved on the carrier vehicle and aligned with it as desired. The carrier vehicle then travels together with the satellite vehicle and the picked-up product along the shelf aisle, preferably to the end of the aisle.

[0005] The carrier vehicle's revolving conveyor and its drive system make the construction very complex and expensive. Furthermore, these two components increase the weight of the carrier vehicle, which is disadvantageous both in terms of energy consumption and operating speed.

[0006] The invention is based on the object of creating a transport device for storing and retrieving products in a shelf warehouse of the type mentioned, in which the alignment of the product relative to the carrier vehicle is possible in a structurally simple manner.

[0007] In addition, a method for storing and retrieving products in a rack storage system is to be created, with which a product or a load can be handled quickly and easily.

[0008] This object is achieved with a transport device having the features of claim 1. It is provided that the carrier vehicle has a first sensor device with which an actual position of the satellite vehicle on the receiving location and / or an actual position of the product located on the satellite vehicle, for example a pallet and / or a box or a carton, can be detected and which transmits the corresponding first position signals to a control device in which the respective actual position can be compared with a desired position, the control device being designed such that it emits correction signals to the drive device of the satellite vehicle if the deviation between the actual position and the desired position is greater than a predetermined value.

[0009] The invention is based on the basic idea of ​​detecting the position of the satellite vehicle and / or the product on the carrier vehicle and making any necessary corrections solely by means of the satellite vehicle's travel drive device. An additional rotating conveyor and its additional drive device can thus be dispensed with.

[0010] Preferably, an optical sensor device is used as the first sensor device, which for example has at least one camera and / or at least one light barrier and / or at least one optical scanner and in particular a laser scanner.

[0011] In a possible embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the satellite vehicle with the product first drives onto the receiving location of the carrier vehicle and stops there, whereupon the actual position of the product and / or the satellite vehicle is recorded and then a one-time or multiple correction of the position of the satellite vehicle and the product is carried out by activating the travel drive device of the satellite vehicle.

[0012] Alternatively, the actual position of the satellite vehicle and / or the product can be recorded while the satellite vehicle is moving with the product to the carrier vehicle's receiving area. As soon as the target position is reached, the drive mechanism of the satellite vehicle is stopped. If necessary, a final check can be performed to determine whether the target position was actually reached correctly.

[0013] Since any position correction of the product and the satellite vehicle is carried out by activating the drive mechanism of the satellite vehicle, the first sensor device is connected in terms of control technology to the drive mechanism of the satellite vehicle. The first sensor device transmits position signals to the control device, which in turn acts on the drive mechanism of the satellite vehicle by means of any correction signals. It can be provided that the control device is located on the carrier vehicle, so that the correction signals are preferably transmitted wirelessly from the control device to the drive mechanism of the satellite vehicle or to another control device connected upstream therefrom.

[0014] Alternatively, it can be provided that the control device is arranged on the satellite vehicle and that thus the 1st sensor device transmits the 1st position signals wirelessly to the control device.

[0015] In a further development of the invention, it can be provided that the satellite vehicle has a second sensor device with which the actual position of the satellite vehicle on the receiving site can be detected and which transmits the corresponding second position signals to the control device with which the actual position can be compared with the desired position. Such a configuration can be used, for example, if the first sensor device only detects the actual position of the product and it is additionally desired to also detect the actual position of the satellite vehicle. If the first sensor device detects both the actual position of the product and the actual position of the satellite vehicle, the second sensor device arranged on the satellite vehicle can be used for additional position detection and thus for greater positioning accuracy.

[0016] The second sensor device can also be designed as an optical sensor device and can, for example, have at least one camera and / or at least one light barrier and / or at least one optical scanner and in particular a laser scanner.

[0017] The target position of the product and / or the satellite vehicle can be reached by means of a control system and thus by detection and correction carried out continuously or at short time intervals. Alternatively, it is possible to detect the actual position of the product and / or the satellite vehicle and calculate a correction value by which the satellite vehicle with the load on the carrier vehicle must be moved. Since precise servo motors are usually used as drive devices, the control device in this case can calculate and initiate an angle as a correction value by which the servo motor is adjusted. This leads to a corresponding rotation of the wheels of the satellite vehicle and thus its corrective movement.

[0018] The second sensor device of the satellite vehicle can additionally be used to control and monitor the movement of the satellite vehicle in the shelf compartment. In one possible embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the control device specifies a desired position for the satellite vehicle in the shelf compartment and controls the travel drive device of the satellite vehicle accordingly. During and at the end of the travel movement of the satellite vehicle, it can be monitored whether the satellite vehicle has already reached the desired position.

[0019] Further sensor devices can be provided on the satellite vehicle and / or on the carrier vehicle, which, for example, record the weight of the product or of the satellite vehicle with the product stored on it or the total weight of the carrier vehicle with the satellite vehicle and the product stored on it and, if necessary, compare it with a predetermined target value.

[0020] In extreme applications, for example in shelf storage for frozen food, where temperatures usually range from -25 ° C to -30 ° C, or in shelf storage where the products have to be kept in a warm environment of, for example, +30 ° C, thermal expansion and shrinkage of the components occur due to the extreme temperatures. This can lead to inaccurate position corrections that then have to be corrected again. To avoid this, a further development of the invention can provide for a third sensor device to be provided which records the temperature in the environment of the carrier vehicle and / or the satellite vehicle and transmits corresponding temperature signals to the control device. The control device takes the ambient temperature into account when calculating the correction values ​​for the drive device of the satellite vehicle.

[0021] The method according to the invention is characterized in that the satellite vehicle with the product arranged on the support surface drives onto the receiving space of the carrier vehicle by means of the drive device and is stopped there. Possibly already while the satellite vehicle is driving onto the receiving space of the carrier vehicle and at least after the satellite vehicle has stopped, the actual position of the satellite vehicle on the receiving space and / or the actual position of the product located on the satellite vehicle is detected by means of the first sensor device. The first sensor device transmits corresponding 1.Position signals are sent to the control device, whereupon the respective actual position is compared with the desired position by means of the control device, and correction signals are sent from the control device to the drive mechanism of the satellite vehicle if the deviation between the actual position and the desired position is greater than a predetermined value. Depending on the correction signals, the drive mechanism is activated, and the position of the satellite vehicle on the receiving site is changed by means of the drive mechanism in accordance with the correction signals. A corresponding correction can be made once or several times in succession.

[0022] Further features of the method can be gathered from the above and the following description of the transport device. Further details and features of the invention can be seen from the following description of an embodiment with reference to the drawing. They show:

[0023] Fig. 1 The transport device with a carrier vehicle and a satellite vehicle,

[0024] Fig . 2 the satellite vehicle driving onto the carrier vehicle and

[0025] Fig . 3 the satellite vehicle on the carrier vehicle .

[0026] Fig. 1 shows a transport device 10 for storing and retrieving products (loads) in a rack warehouse. The rack warehouse has a rack aisle R (only indicated) and a rack compartment F extending perpendicular to the rack aisle R, which is also only indicated. A carrier vehicle 11 is supported on rails 17 via wheels 13 and can be moved bidirectionally along the rack aisle R by means of a drive device 14, as indicated by the double arrow A.

[0027] A satellite vehicle 20 can be moved bidirectionally along the shelf aisle F by means of a travel drive device 25, as indicated by the double arrow B, and is supported on the shelf aisle by wheels 23. On its upper side, the satellite vehicle 20 has a support surface 21, on which a product P, shown only in dashed lines in Fig. 1 for reasons of clarity, can be placed. The majority of the support surface 21 is formed by a plate-shaped lifting device 22, which can be lifted by means of a lifting drive device 27, so that the product P resting on the support surface 21 can be raised and lowered relative to a chassis 28 of the satellite vehicle 20, as is also indicated by the double arrow H.

[0028] On the carrier vehicle 11, a receiving space 15 is formed, onto which the satellite vehicle 21 can be driven with or without the product P supported thereon, so that the satellite vehicle 20 and the product P are arranged completely on the carrier vehicle 21 without protruding laterally from it.

[0029] A first sensor device 16 with a plurality of sensors 19 is arranged on the carrier vehicle 11, with which an actual position of the satellite vehicle 20 on the receiving station 15 and an actual position of the product P located on the satellite vehicle 20 can be detected.

[0030] The first sensor device 16 transmits corresponding first position signals to a control device 18, which is also arranged on the carrier vehicle 11. The first first position signals are evaluated in the control device 18, and it is determined whether the satellite vehicle 20 and the product P are correctly seated on the carrier vehicle 11.

[0031] A second sensor device 29 with a plurality of lateral sensors 29 is formed on the satellite vehicle 20, with which the actual position of the satellite vehicle 20 on the receiving station 15 of the carrier vehicle 11 can be detected. The second sensor device 24 is wirelessly connected to the control device 18 and transmits corresponding

[0032] 2. Position signals. In the control device 18, the 2. position signals are evaluated in addition to the 1. position signals in order to determine whether the satellite vehicle 20 and the product P are correctly arranged on the carrier vehicle 11.

[0033] A third sensor device 26 is provided on the carrier vehicle 11, which detects the temperature in the environment of the carrier vehicle 11 and the satellite vehicle 20 and transmits corresponding temperature signals to the control device 18.

[0034] While the satellite vehicle 20 with the product P moves onto the receiving station 15 of the carrier vehicle 11, the actual position of the load L is continuously determined by means of the first sensor device 16 and the actual position of the satellite vehicle 20 is continuously determined by means of the second sensor device 24, and corresponding first and second position signals are transmitted to the control device 18. The control device 18 checks continuously or at short time intervals whether the satellite vehicle 20 and the product P have reached their respective target positions within predetermined limit values.If necessary, correction signals are transmitted from the control device 18 to the travel drive device 25 of the satellite vehicle 20, so that the satellite vehicle 20 changes its position on the carrier vehicle 11 and thus also the position of the product P by means of the travel drive device 25 in such a way that both the satellite vehicle 20 and the product P are arranged in or near the respective desired position.

[0035] Once the desired positioning of the satellite vehicle 20 and the product P has been achieved, the lifting device 22 and thus the support surface 21 of the satellite vehicle 20 together with the product P are lowered until the product P rests on support surfaces 30 of the carrier vehicle 11. The support surfaces 30 are provided with an anti-slip coating so that the product P is securely held. The carrier vehicle 11 then moves with the satellite vehicle 20 and the product P along the rack aisle R to a desired location and in particular to the end of the rack aisle.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Transport device (10) for storing and retrieving products in a rack warehouse, which has at least one rack aisle (R) and at least one rack compartment (F) extending perpendicular to the rack aisle (R), wherein the transport device (10) has a satellite vehicle (20) which is movable along the rack compartment (F) by means of a travel drive device (25) and has a support surface (21) on which a product (P) can be placed and which has a lifting device (22) with which the product (P) can be raised and lowered by means of a lifting drive device (27) relative to a chassis (28) of the satellite vehicle (20), wherein the transport device (10) has a carrier vehicle (11) which is movable along the rack aisle (R) by means of a drive device (14) and which has a receiving location (15) on which the satellite vehicle (21) can be placed with or without a product placed thereon. (P), characterized in that the carrier vehicle (11) has a 1.Sensor device (16) with which an actual position of the satellite vehicle (20) on the receiving location (15) and / or an actual position of the product (P) located on the satellite vehicle (20) can be detected and. which transmits the corresponding 1st position signals to a control device (18) in which the respective actual position is comparable with a desired position, wherein the control device (18) is designed such that it outputs correction signals to the travel drive device (25) of the satellite vehicle (20) if the deviation between the actual position and the desired position is greater than a predetermined value.

2. Transport device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first sensor device (16) is an optical sensor device.

3. Transport device according to claim 2, characterized in that the first sensor device (16) has at least one camera and / or at least one light barrier and / or at least one optical scanner.

4. Transport device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the control device (18) is arranged on the carrier vehicle (11) and is wirelessly connected to the travel drive device (25) of the satellite vehicle (20).

5. Transport device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the control device is arranged on the satellite vehicle (20) and is wirelessly connected to the first sensor device (16).

6. Transport device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the satellite vehicle (20) has a second sensor device (24) with which the actual position of the satellite vehicle (20) on the receiving site (15) can be detected and the corresponding second position signals are transmitted to the control device (18), in which the actual position of the satellite vehicle (20) is comparable with the target position.

7. Transport device according to claim 6, characterized in that the second sensor device (24) is an optical sensor device.

8. Transport device according to claim 7, characterized in that the second sensor device (24) has at least one camera and / or at least one light barrier and / or at least one optical scanner.

9. Transport device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a third sensor device (26) is provided which detects the temperature in the environment of the carrier vehicle (11) and / or the satellite vehicle (20) and outputs corresponding temperature signals to the control device (18).

10. Method for storing and retrieving products in a rack warehouse having at least one rack aisle (R) and at least one shelf compartment (F) extending perpendicular to the rack aisle (R), with a transport device according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the satellite vehicle (20) with the on the support surface (21) arranged product (P) by means of the vehicle Drive device (25) drives onto the receiving location (15) of the carrier vehicle (11) and is stopped there, wherein at least after stopping the satellite vehicle vehicle (20) the actual position of the satellite vehicle (20) on the receiving location (15) and / or the actual position of the product (P) located on the satellite vehicle (20) is detected by means of the 1st sensor device (16) and the 1st sensor device (16) sends corresponding 1st position signals to the control device (18), whereupon the respective actual position is compared with the desired position by means of the control device (18), and correction signals are sent from the control device (18) to the travel drive device (25) of the satellite vehicle (20) if the deviation between the actual position and the desired position is greater than a predetermined value, whereupon the position of the satellite vehicle (20) on the receiving site (15) is changed by means of the travel drive device (25) in dependence on the correction signals.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that an optical sensor device is used as the first sensor device (16).

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that at least one camera and / or at least one light barrier and / or at least one optical scanner is used as the first sensor device (16).

13. Method according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the control device (18) is arranged on the carrier vehicle (11) and is wirelessly connected to the drive device (25) of the satellite vehicle (20) is connected.

14. Method according to one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the control device is arranged on the satellite vehicle (20) and is wirelessly connected to the first sensor device (16).

15. Method according to one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that the satellite vehicle (20) has a second sensor device (24) with which the actual position of the satellite vehicle (20) on the receiving site (15) is detected and the corresponding second position signal is transmitted to the control device (18), in which the actual position is compared with the desired position.

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that an optical sensor device is used as the second sensor device (24).

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that at least one camera and / or at least one light barrier and / or at least one optical scanner is used as the second sensor device (24).

18. Method according to one of claims 10 to 17, characterized in that a third sensor device (26) is provided which detects the temperature in the environment of the carrier vehicle (11) and / or the satellite vehicle (20) and outputs corresponding temperature signals to the control device (18).

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