Mobile storage unit, storage facility incorporating such a unit, and logistics facility incorporating such a storage facility.

Abstract

Mobile storage unit (1) comprising - a box (6) formed of four panels, parallel in pairs, two panels being vertical and two panels being horizontal, said box (6) having at least one open vertical face (7,8) located between two vertical panels, - at least two pairs of angle brackets (5), the two angle brackets of the same pair being horizontal, parallel, located at the same height, one angle bracket being placed on the first vertical panel, and the other angle bracket being placed on the second vertical panel, - at least two shelves (4) capable of sliding on one of said pairs of angle brackets (5), characterized in that said mobile storage unit (1) also comprises at least one means of movement (2,3) allowing at least one shelf (4) to be inserted into said box (6) or at least one shelf (4) to be removed from said box (6) by sliding it on a pair of angle brackets (5), said at least one means of movement (2,3) which can be moved vertically to be placed at the level of a shelf (4).

Description

Title of the invention: Mobile storage unit, storage installation incorporating such a unit, and logistics installation incorporating such a storage installation. technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of logistics. It concerns in particular the storage of articles, especially in the manufacturing, logistics, or distribution sectors. More specifically, it targets storage installations including a mobile storage unit that allows the transfer of containers of varying sizes between two storage racks, or between a storage rack and a workstation. Previous art

[0002] In the field of logistics, there is a wide variety of solutions for managing containers.

[0003] A container allows for the storage of a multitude of identical products that may be of varying sizes. These products can be of all kinds: raw materials, components, semi-finished products, finished products. The stored products may be intended for delivery to professional or individual customers, production lines, or for temporary storage within logistics platforms.

[0004] The weight of these containers, once filled, can vary from a few kg to several hundred kg. Their volume can also vary from a few cm³ to several m³. The floor space they occupy can vary from a few cm² to approximately one m². Finally, they can contain from a few individual parts (motors, cans, etc.) to several million individual parts (hardware, seals, etc.).

[0005] There are three main types of container: pallets, parcels and bins.

[0006] The term "pallet" refers not only to the support that constitutes the pallet itself (which is approximately one meter long and 15 cm thick) but also, colloquially, to the support itself combined with its load. These pallets are made, for example, of wood or plastic. The products are simply placed on the pallets and may be secured by strapping or wrapping. While several sizes exist, the so-called "Euro pallet" is the most widely used standard worldwide, measuring 80 cm x 120 cm x 14.5 cm. Pallets of different sizes, known as "non-standard" pallets, exist but are not considered within the scope of this patent.

[0007] Parcels consist of boxes, usually made of cardboard, such as those used for transporting goods. Parcels are often. They can also sometimes be They are opened and closed to extract part of their contents. Their dimensions range from one to several tens of centimeters in each direction.

[0008] Finally, the bins are designed to store bulk products. They generally have an open top and / or a front opening to facilitate handling of the products they contain. They can be made of cardboard or plastic. These bins may also have a lid and subdivisions. For example, they contain mechanical parts such as screws or bolts, which are stored individually.

[0009] Various solutions exist today for managing either pallets, parcels (and in this case also containers), or containers exclusively. These solutions allow both the storage of these containers and their transfer to a work area where, for example, an operator will pick the number of products ordered by a customer for shipment.

[0010] In the case of pallets, these are stored in pallet racks. A non-automated pallet rack is 4 to 17 meters high. The racking is divided into bays, each capable of holding 1 to 4 pallets per level, depending on the configuration. The height between two levels depends on the average size of the pallets to be stored, from less than 1 meter to more than 2 meters. The depth of a pallet rack is defined by the depth of the pallets: 1.20 meters. Pallets are loaded and unloaded using a forklift, operated by a human operator.

[0011] Automated pallet racking systems also exist: pallets are then transferred using autonomous forklifts, without operators, or even using robots capable of moving vertically and horizontally within the racking. Some of these automated versions can reach up to 40m in height, thus allowing the storage of up to thirty pallets vertically.

[0012] One of the drawbacks of these solutions lies in the fact that the height of the different levels is fixed during the racking assembly. Thus, if the pallets are shorter than the defined levels, the space between the top of the pallet and the level above is wasted. Conversely, if the pallet is too large, it cannot be stored in the racking system. Furthermore, pallet racking is poorly suited to storing individual packages or bulk bins. The risk of having multiple different SKUs on a single pallet is that errors may occur during order picking. Finally, pallet transfers are carried out individually, requiring a forklift or transport robot for each single pallet.

[0013] Packages or containers can be stored on fixed shelves, the height of which generally cannot exceed 3 meters for operator safety reasons. These shelves have shelves of varying sizes. Packages or containers are loaded and unloaded manually. These solutions pose problems ergonomics for goods stored at height or at ground level, imposing working positions at risk of MSDs (Musculoskeletal Disorders).

[0014] Solutions exist that combine standardized storage shelves with transport robots, allowing individual shelves to be moved to a work area without operator intervention. In this solution, the first shelf level is sacrificed to allow a robot to slide underneath the shelf and lift it for relocation. The main advantage of these solutions is that they eliminate the need for operators to go to the desired shelf.

[0015] In both cases, the severe height restriction necessitates the construction of platforms to utilize all available space in high-bay warehouses. However, these platforms, the staircases providing access to the different floors, and the conveyor systems required to transfer goods all represent wasted space.

[0016] US patent 2023 / 0406636 A1 describes such an installation comprising storage shelves, workstations, and robots for transporting a shelf to a workstation. The main drawback of this invention lies in the fact that the shelves are intended for the same type of container. If a shelf is needed for a workstation, the entire shelf is transported, including packages or bins not needed at the workstation, rendering them temporarily unavailable for other operations.

[0017] Some solutions, called "stacker cranes," allow for the handling of standard plastic bins, sometimes with up to two or three different bin sizes. Typically, a central mast transfers the bins one by one to a workstation. Some variations allow for storage at two depths to increase storage capacity. One of the limitations of this system is that a failure of the single mast causes the entire installation to shut down while the fault is being repaired, which can be very detrimental to customer deliveries or production lines.

[0018] Another solution is also known, proposing a container storage system of the bin type. In this case, the bins are made of plastic and are of identical dimensions. The storage system consists of stacked shelves of the same height. Each shelf has the same number of locations, or slots, for storing a bin. This storage system includes rails placed vertically along the structure. Autonomous mobile robots can move along the structure, following the rails to retrieve a bin and move it to a work area. This system also allows the bin to be returned to its storage slot once it has been used. This system limits the risk of impact in the event of a robot failure, in which case another robot can take over. However, this system prevents the use of double-depth storage, limiting the overall storage capacity of the warehouse.

[0019] Another solution exists in which identical-sized plastic bins are stacked vertically, one on top of the other, across a grid. Robots moving across the grid's surface can stack or unstack the bins and transport them to a work area. To reach a bin at the bottom of a stack, it is first necessary to move all the bins above it. This system offers a better warehouse occupancy rate compared to other solutions using plastic bins, but remains limited: the bin stacks cannot exceed 6 m in height, and a technical space of 2 m is required above the grid. Thus, this solution is suitable for buildings 8 m high, which is not a particularly common height: the aisles have simply been moved above the structure.This system also presents potentially long transfer times between a storage area and a work area, as containers are transported individually and access to them is difficult, especially when a container is located at the bottom of a stack.

[0020] Finally, all solutions that exclusively handle standard-sized bins have a major drawback: they remain poorly suited to parcel storage. When one or more parcels are stored in a bin, the bin generally ends up being only partially full. And of course, no solution specifically designed for storing parcels and / or bins allows for the storage of pallets.

[0021] Thus the various solutions available at present have either the disadvantage of not being suitable for managing different types of containers together (pallets, parcels and bins), or the disadvantage of having transport times between a storage rack and a workstation that are not optimal, or the disadvantage of posing problems of ergonomics or access to goods in the event of a breakdown, and in all cases a low utilization of the total available volume. Description of the invention

[0022] The invention overcomes the difficulties encountered in managing containers of different sizes within a logistics unit, by proposing equipment with a different and advantageous structural design in terms of:

[0023] - occupancy rate of available space, - container transport time, - ability to move multiple containers simultaneously, - Impact in case of failure of one of the container transfer robots, - Capacity to accommodate all types of containers: pallets, parcels and bins, - Ergonomics for users, - investment costs and operating costs, - implementation times and project costs.

[0024] According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a mobile storage unit comprising: - a box formed of four panels, parallel in pairs, two panels being vertical and two panels being horizontal, this box having at least one open vertical face located between two vertical panels, - at least two pairs of angle brackets, the two angle brackets of the same pair being horizontal, parallel, located at the same height, one angle bracket being placed on the first vertical panel, and the other angle bracket being placed on the second vertical panel, - at least two shelves capable of sliding on a pair of angle brackets, - at least one means of movement allowing at least one shelf to be inserted into the box or at least one shelf to be removed from the box, by sliding it on a pair of angle brackets, this means of movement being able to be moved vertically to be placed at the level of a shelf.

[0025] In other words, the invention relates to a movable buffer storage unit in which tablets can be removed or inserted. In this buffer unit, each tablet rests on a pair of angle brackets, on which it can slide to enter or exit the unit. Containers are arranged on each tablet, such that when a tablet is inserted into or removed from a mobile storage unit, the containers on that tablet are also inserted or removed. Finally, the selection of the tablet to be removed, or of the location where a tablet will be received, is made by positioning a tablet-moving mechanism in relation to the desired location.

[0026] The mobile storage unit therefore has a parallelepiped volume delimited by four vertical planes parallel in pairs. This casing may have one or two open faces, to allow the tablets to be inserted and removed, either from a single face or from two opposite faces.

[0027] According to various embodiments, the vertical panels between the open faces can be solid or open. In the case of an open panel, it can, for example, be made from two vertical uprights and two horizontal crossbars. The crossbars and uprights are joined together to form a frame that acts as an open panel.

[0028] The mobile storage unit can include a variable number of tablets depending in particular on its capacity and the number of operations it is intended to perform, and in practice up to about ten.

[0029] Several containers of the same type or of different types can be placed on the same shelf, namely a pallet, parcels and / or bins.

[0030] The tablets may have a variable structure and thickness, depending on the weight they will have to support.

[0031] The term "sliding" also refers to rolling, in cases where the shelves are equipped with casters or rollers facilitating movement of the shelf along the corner brackets. In this case, the shelves are equipped with casters placed on each of the two sides parallel to the vertical panels of the cabinet, and which roll along the corner brackets.

[0032] According to another embodiment of the invention, the horizontal panel located at the bottom of the mobile storage unit's casing has rollers on its upper surface, also positioned horizontally and whose axis of rotation is parallel to the open face of the casing. These rollers facilitate the insertion of a shelf into the casing, or its removal from it, particularly when the shelf supports heavy containers, such as a pallet. The pair of angle brackets on which the shelf rests is positioned as low as possible in the casing so that its underside rests on the rollers. Some or all of these rollers may be equipped with individual motors, or be driven by a belt system, to facilitate the insertion or removal of a shelf.

[0033] The mobile storage unit is also equipped with a means of movement, that is to say a means of inserting a shelf into the box or removing a shelf from the same box, by sliding this shelf on the pair of corner brackets, where it is placed.

[0034] This means of movement can also be moved vertically to be positioned at the level of the shelf that it will remove from the box or at the level of a pair of corner brackets of the box on which it will place a shelf.

[0035] According to another aspect of the invention, this means of movement comprises at least one connecting element to the casing, at least one means for attaching to a shelf, and at least one deployable device, the latter being connected to the connecting element to the casing and to the means for attaching to a shelf. The deployable device allows the means for attaching to a shelf to which it is connected to be pulled or pushed.

[0036] The deployable device, by way of example, may consist of a system of jacks, a mechanical scissor mechanism, or a mechanism using rigid chains. One end is connected to the linking element with the housing, while the other end is connected to the attachment point on a shelf.

[0037] The linking element of the means of movement with the box is located along the vertical face of the box opposite the face through which the tablets will be inserted or extracted.

[0038] The tablet attachment means allows a tablet to be temporarily secured to the means of movement, when it is inserted into or removed from the mobile storage unit.

[0039] The means of attaching to a tablet, in a non-exhaustive manner, may consist of hooks, pegs, clips, or magnetic devices.

[0040] When the tablet transport means is not in use, the deployable device is retracted so that it, along with the tablet attachment means and the connection element to the housing, is located along the face opposite the open face of the housing, through which a tablet is inserted or removed. In this configuration, the transport means can be moved vertically without being obstructed by the tablets.

[0041] To allow a tablet to be inserted or removed from the housing, the tablet movement means moves vertically, i.e., up or down, so that the connecting element with the tablet is positioned substantially at the height of the tablet.

[0042] If a shelf needs to be removed from the housing, the connecting element of the movement device comes into contact with the shelf and becomes fixed to it. Then, the deployable device extends to push the shelf out of the housing.

[0043] Conversely, if the aim is to insert a tablet into the housing, the deployable mechanism of the means of transport extends so that the tablet connection element can be secured to the tablet. Then, the deployable mechanism retracts to pull the tablet and insert it into the housing.

[0044] Once the tablet has been inserted or removed, the tablet attachment system detaches from the tablet, and the means of transport returns to its initial configuration.

[0045] According to a variant of the invention, the mobile storage unit may include two means of moving a tablet, each of the means of moving comprising at least one linking element with the casing, at least one means of attaching to a tablet and at least one deployable device, this deployable device being connected to the linking element with the casing and to the means of attaching to a tablet.

[0046] The connecting element of each of these two means of movement is located on the face of the box opposite the face from which the means of movement can insert or extract a tablet.

[0047] In other words, the presence of two means of moving a tablet allows a tablet to be inserted or removed through each of the two open faces of the mobile storage unit casing.

[0048] According to a variant of the invention, the mobile storage unit has two means of moving a tablet, these being able to be temporarily joined to each other via at least one of their respective means of attaching to a tablet.

[0049] According to one embodiment of this invention, the presence of two means for moving the shelves facilitates the removal of a shelf from the housing, particularly when the shelf is especially heavy. To this end, the first means of movement, whose attachment to the housing is located along the open face opposite the face from which the shelf is to be removed, is used to push the shelf. To facilitate the removal of the shelf from the housing, the second means of movement, located along the front from which the shelf is to be removed, is positioned lower than the first means of movement. It is attached to the first means of movement via their respective shelf attachments.The first means of movement will push the tablet, while the second will simultaneously pull it for, for example, the first 20% to 50% of the tablet's travel. Once the first 20% to 50% of the travel has been completed, the two means of movement are separated. The remainder of the tablet's movement out of the mobile storage unit is ensured solely by the first means of movement pushing the tablet. As the tablet is extracted from the enclosure, it slides along the second means of movement.

[0050] Following the same principle, the two means of movement can be used to insert a heavy tablet into the housing. In this case, the second means of movement is attached to the first means of movement only during the last 20 to 50% of the tablet's travel in order to complete its insertion. The second means of movement is always used as a support for the tablet during its insertion into the housing.

[0051] According to one embodiment, each of the two means of movement has, on its upper face, a pair of slides. The slides are parallel, spaced at a distance corresponding to the width of a shelf. This pair of slides facilitates the positioning of a shelf when it slides along a means of movement and passes over that means of movement.

[0052] According to a second aspect, the invention also relates to a storage installation comprising: - at least one mobile storage unit as described above, - at least one storage rack, comprising at least two pairs of angle brackets, the two angle brackets of the same pair being horizontal, parallel, located at the same height, and spaced at a distance identical to the distance separating the two angle brackets of the same pair, placed on a mobile storage unit, - at least one transport trolley capable of moving vertically and horizontally, a mobile storage unit in relation to a storage rack, in order to make a pair of angle brackets of the mobile storage unit coincide with a pair of angle brackets of the storage rack, in order to be able to move a shelf between the mobile storage unit and the storage rack.

[0053] In other words, the invention relates to a set of shelving units accommodating a plurality of shelves and the mobile buffer unit, and it allows for the simultaneous storage, in the same storage shelving unit, of containers of variable size (of the pallet, parcel, or bin type), which makes it possible to optimize the occupancy rate of a warehouse.

[0054] This invention also allows individual transfer of storage tablets between two storage racks.

[0055] A storage rack can be used to store pallets, parcels, or containers. A single shelf of a storage rack can hold different types of containers.

[0056] The transport trolley allows a mobile storage unit to be moved vertically and / or horizontally and / or diagonally in relation to a storage rack, in order to align a pair of angle brackets of the mobile storage unit with a pair of angle brackets of a storage rack, so as to be able to transfer a shelf from the mobile storage unit to the storage rack or vice versa.

[0057] According to one embodiment of the invention, at least one shelf has a depth less than half the depth of at least one storage rack, such that at least two shelves can be stored one behind the other on the same pair of angle brackets of this at least one storage rack. Obviously, by choosing shelves of appropriate depth, the number of shelves on the same level can be increased beyond two.

[0058] According to another variant of the invention, the mobile storage unit has means for adjusting its inclination and / or position relative to a storage rack.

[0059] These means allow, for example, when a pair of angle brackets of the mobile storage unit is positioned substantially opposite a pair of angle brackets of a storage rack, the position and / or inclination of the mobile storage unit to be modified to precisely align the angle brackets of the mobile unit with those of the rack, so that the shelf can be transferred from one to the other, minimizing the risk of malfunction. The mobile storage unit is equipped with means for moving the container forward or backward, laterally, and raising or lowering it. The mobile storage unit is equipped with means for modifying the inclination of the container along the three axes of an orthonormal coordinate system.

[0060] According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a logistics installation comprising: - at least one storage facility as described above, - at least one workstation, separate from at least one storage facility, comprising at least one pair of angle brackets, the two angle brackets of the same pair being horizontal, parallel, located at the same height, and suitable for receiving a shelf.

[0061] A workstation comprises at least one pair of angle brackets, the brackets of the same pair being horizontal, parallel, and located at the same height. The angle brackets of a workstation may, for example, be fixed to vertical panels or to vertical crossbeams.

[0062] In other words, a logistics installation according to the invention comprises at least one storage rack, at least one mobile storage unit, and at least one transport trolley capable of moving a mobile storage unit horizontally and / or vertically. The corner brackets of a workstation are spaced at a distance identical to the distance separating a pair of corner brackets from the mobile storage unit.

[0063] Thus, in a logistics installation, it is possible, using a mobile storage unit, to move a shelf from a storage rack to the mobile storage unit and then from the mobile storage unit to a workstation, or vice versa.

[0064] According to a variant of the invention, the workstation can be integrated into one of the storage racks of the storage installation.

[0065] The workstation can be used to prepare customer orders. It can also be used to replenish the storage shelves of the logistics unit. Brief description of the figures

[0066] [Fig.1] is a first perspective view of the mobile storage unit according to the invention.

[0067] [Fig.2] is a second perspective view of the mobile storage unit according to the invention shown in [Fig.1], presenting two means of moving a tablet and for which two panels of the box have been removed.

[0068] [Fig.3] is a perspective representation of different types of containers.

[0069] [Fig.4] is a perspective representation of the first means of locomotion of a tablet integrated into the mobile storage unit [Fig.1].

[0070] [Fig.5] is a perspective representation of the first means of locomotion shown in [Fig.4] when deployed, and attached to a tablet which it moves in the mobile storage unit.

[0071] [Fig.6] is a perspective representation of an example of a storage installation according to a second aspect of the invention, this storage installation comprises a mobile storage unit as shown in [Fig.1].

[0072] [Fig.7] is a profile representation of the first stage of a first example of transfer of a tablet from a mobile storage unit as shown in [Fig.1] to a storage rack.

[0073] [Fig.8] is a profile representation of the second stage of a first example of transfer of a tablet from a mobile storage unit as shown in [Fig.1] to a storage rack.

[0074] [Fig.9] is a profile representation of the third stage of a first example of transfer of a tablet from a mobile storage unit as shown in [Fig.1] to a storage rack.

[0075] [Fig. 10] is a profile representation of the fourth step of a first example of transferring a tablet from a mobile storage unit as shown in [Fig. 1] to a storage rack.

[0076] [Fig. 11] is a profile representation of the fifth step of a first example of transferring a tablet from a mobile storage unit as shown in [Fig.1] to a storage rack.

[0077] [Fig. 12] is a profile representation of the sixth step of a first example of transferring a tablet from a mobile storage unit as shown in [Fig.1] to a storage rack.

[0078] [Fig. 13] is a top view representation of the first step of a second example of transferring a tablet from a mobile storage unit as shown in [Fig.1] to a storage rack.

[0079] [Fig. 14] is a top view representation of the second stage of a second example of transferring a tablet from a mobile storage unit as shown in [Fig.1] to a storage rack.

[0080] [Fig. 15] is a side view representation of the second step of a second example of transferring a tablet from a mobile storage unit to a storage rack shown in [Fig. 14].

[0081] [Fig. 16] is a top view representation of the third step of a second example of transferring a tablet from a mobile storage unit as shown in [Fig.1] to a storage rack.

[0082] [Fig. 17] is a side view representation of the third step of a second example of transferring a tablet from a mobile storage unit to a storage rack shown in [Fig. 16].

[0083] [Fig. 18] is a top-view representation of the fourth stage of a second example of transferring a tablet from a mobile storage unit as shown in [Fig.1] to a storage rack.

[0084] [Fig. 19] is a profile view representation of the fourth stage of a second example of transferring a tablet from a mobile storage unit to a storage rack shown in [Fig. 18].

[0085] [Fig.20] is a top-view representation of the fifth stage of a second example of transferring a tablet from a mobile storage unit as shown in [Fig.1] to a storage rack.

[0086] [Fig.21] is a side view representation of the fifth stage of a second example of transferring a tablet from a mobile storage unit to a storage rack shown in [Fig.20].

[0087] [Fig.22] is a perspective representation of an example of a logistics unit according to the invention Detailed description of the invention

[0088] An example of a mobile storage unit 1 according to the invention is shown in [Fig. 1]. This mobile storage unit 1 consists of a box 6, a multitude of pairs of angle brackets 5, on which three shelves 4 are placed, and two means for moving a shelf 2 and 3.

[0089] The enclosure 6 comprises four parallel panels arranged in pairs, two panels being vertical and the other two horizontal. The enclosure 6 also has two open faces 7, 8, located respectively at the front and rear of the enclosure. According to this example, the enclosure 6 also comprises four vertical uprights 9, only three of which are visible in [Fig. 1], extending between the lower and upper panels of the enclosure.

[0090] The first means of movement of a tablet 2 is capable of moving vertically along the second open face 8, while the second means of movement of a tablet 3 is capable of moving vertically along the open face 7.

[0091] As will be described in relation to the following figures, the first means of moving a shelf 2 allows a shelf to be inserted or extracted from the box 6 through the first open face 7 and the second means of moving a shelf 3 allows a shelf to be inserted or extracted from the box 6 through the second open face 8.

[0092] Parcels and bins are arranged on the two upper shelves 4. A pallet is placed on the lower shelf 4.

[0093] The enclosure 6 also includes a device 10 for facilitating the movement of a shelf. This device 10 is located between the lower panel of the enclosure 6 and the shelf 4 on which a pallet is placed.

[0094] Figure 2 is another perspective representation of the mobile storage unit 1 shown [Fig.1].

[0095] Two of the four panels of the box 6 have been removed, and only a shelf 4 remains which rests on a pair of angle brackets 5.

[0096] The second means of moving a shelf 3 consists of a means of attaching to a shelf 20, a deployable device 21 and a connecting element with the box 19. The connecting element with the box 19 is inserted into the two vertical uprights 9 located at the front of the box, which allows the means of moving 3 to be moved vertically along the open face 7. The top of the vertical uprights 9 located at the front of the box 9, above the means of moving 2 and 3, have not been shown in [Fig.2] for reasons of simplicity.

[0097] The attachment means for a shelf 20 is fixed to the shelf 4. The device 21 is deployed in order to extract the shelf 4 from the housing 6 through the second open face 8

[0098] Similarly, the first means of moving a tablet 2 can be moved vertically along the second open face 8. According to the same mode of operation, the first means of moving a tablet 2 allows a tablet to be inserted or extracted through the first open face 7.

[0099] The vertical movement of the two means of movement 2 and 3 can be done, for example, by means of individual motors associated with belts or roller chains, not shown in this figure, possibly associated with counterweight systems to facilitate their movement.

[0100] The device 10 located at the bottom of the box, above its lower panel, is equipped with rollers 11, whose axis of rotation is parallel to the two open faces 7 and 8.

[0101] When a shelf 4 is placed on a pair of angle brackets 5, in contact with the shelf movement aid device 10 and therefore with the rollers 11, its extraction or insertion is carried out via the movement means of a shelf 2 or 3. This operation is facilitated by the rolling of the shelf on the rollers 11.

[0102] Figure 3 shows, by way of example, different types of containers that can be managed by the invention, namely pallets 31, packages 32 and containers 33. The term pallet refers both to the support 34, generally made of wood or plastic, and to this support associated, for example, with the boxes placed on it.

[0103] The packages 32 consist mainly of cardboard boxes equipped with flaps that can be opened or, more often, closed.

[0104] Finally, the containers 33 consist of crates, for example made of plastic or cardboard, having at least one open side to facilitate the handling of the products they contain. They may, where appropriate, have a lid

[0105] The first means of moving a tablet 2 is shown in more detail in [Fig. 4], in its undeployed state. It consists of a connecting element with the housing 12, and a means of attaching it to a tablet 13.

[0106] According to an alternative embodiment shown in this figure, the means for attaching to a tablet 13 comprises two hooks 16 which will allow it to be secured to a tablet.

[0107] According to another embodiment also shown in this figure, the linking element with the box 12 has two slides 15, facilitating the sliding of a shelf above the means of movement 2, the shelf passing between the two slides when it is inserted or extracted from the box.

[0108] Figure 5 more particularly represents the same means for moving a tablet 2 as Figure 4, but connected to a tablet 4 and deployed. The pair of hooks 16 secures the tablet 4 to the attachment means 13. In this example, the deployable device 14 is a mechanical scissor, one end of which is connected to the attachment means for a tablet 13, and the other end is connected to the linking element with the housing 12. The securing device 17 secures this means of moving a tablet to another means of moving a tablet, via their respective attachment means for a tablet. The securing device 17 in this example is a cleat, inserted into the attachment means for a tablet 13.Other solutions are possible for the device for securing the means of movement together (17), and for the components (16) for securing the tablet to the attachment means, for example, clamps, hooks or electromagnetic systems.

[0109] An example of a storage installation 300, according to the invention, is shown in [Fig. 6]. It comprises a mobile storage unit 1, also shown in [Fig. 1], three storage racks 100 and a trolley 200.

[0110] The mobile storage installation 1 comprises a plurality of pairs of angle brackets 5, each pair of angle brackets being suitable for receiving a shelf.

[0111] Each of the storage racks 100 comprises a plurality of pairs of angle brackets 1 8, each pair of angle brackets being suitable for receiving a shelf.

[0112] The angle brackets of the same pair 1 8 are spaced apart by a distance identical to the distance separating two angle brackets of the same pair 5, so that a shelf can be placed either on the pair of angle brackets 5 or on the pair of angle brackets 18.

[0113] The trolley 200 allows the mobile storage unit 1 to be moved in relation to one of the storage racks 100, so as to position substantially a pair of angle brackets 5 opposite a pair of angle brackets 1 8 to be able to transfer a shelf between the mobile storage unit 1 and a storage rack 100.

[0114] A first example of the transfer of a tablet 4 between a mobile storage unit 1 and a storage rack 100 is shown in figures [Fig.7], [Fig.8], [Fig.9], [Fig.10], [Fig.11], and [Fig.12],

[0115] According to [Fig.7], the tablet 4 is located in the mobile storage unit 1, on a pair of angle brackets 5. The tablet movement means 2 and 3 are at rest, not deployed, located respectively along the rear and front faces of the housing 6. The tablet movement means 3 is positioned lower than the movement means 2 in order to allow the tablet 4 to pass through the front face of the housing 6, while allowing the tablet 4 to slide on the movement means 3.

[0116] Of course, the angle brackets of pair 5 are spaced apart by the same distance as the angle brackets of pair 18.

[0117] According to [Fig.8], which represents the second stage of the transfer, the tablet attachment means 20 of the second means of movement 3 comes to be positioned under the tablet attachment means 13 of the first means of movement 2, thanks to the deployable device 21.

[0118] The tablet attachment means 20 of the second means of transport 3 is secured to the tablet attachment means 13 of the first means of transport 2 by means of the fastening device 22 between the second and first means of transport. The fastening device 22 is part of the tablet attachment means 20 of the second means of transport 3.

[0119] Figure 9 represents the third stage of the tablet transfer. The tablet attachment means 13 of the first movement means 2 is moved by means of the deployment of the deployable device 14 and becomes attached to the tablet 4. While the tablet movement means 2 pushes the tablet 4, via the deployable device 14, the tablet movement means 3 pulls on this tablet. This pulling of the tablet 4 by the movement means 3 is achieved by means of its deployable device 21, which retracts and pulls on the tablet attachment means 20, itself connected to the tablet attachment means 13 of the first movement means 2, by means of the locking device 22.

[0120] Figure 10 represents the fourth stage of the tablet transfer. The second means the movement of a tablet 3 detaches from the first means of movement to a tablet 2, and returns to its initial position along the open front face of the box 6.

[0121] The means of transport 2 continues to push on the tablet 4 via its deployable device 14. The tablet 4 is extracted from the housing 6, by sliding on the means of transport of a tablet 3

[0122] Figure 11 represents the fifth step in the transfer of the tablet. The tablet 4 is pushed out of the mobile storage unit 1 by means of the deployable device 14 of the first means of movement 2. It slides onto the pair of angle brackets 5, then onto the second means of movement 3 and then onto the pair of angle brackets 18, of the storage rack 100.

[0123] Figure 12 represents the sixth step in the transfer of the shelf. The shelf 4 is in place on the pair of angle brackets 18 in the storage rack 100. The shelf attachment means 13 of the second movement means 3 has been detached from the shelf 4 and has returned to its initial position. This is achieved by retracting the deployable device 14 of the second movement means of a shelf 3.

[0124] A second example of transferring a tablet 4 between a mobile storage unit 1 and a storage rack 100 is shown from a top view in Figures [Fig. 13], [Fig. 14], [Fig. 16], [Fig. 18] and [Fig. 20]. This same example is shown from a side view in Figures [Fig. 15], [Fig. 17], [Fig. 19] and [Fig. 21].

[0125] According to [Fig.13], which corresponds to the first step of this second example, a mobile storage unit 1 is transported by a forklift 2001e along several storage racks 100. A shelf 4 on which containers are placed is positioned on a pair of angle brackets 5 in the mobile storage unit 1.

[0126] Figure 14 shows the second stage of this second example, viewed from above. The mobile storage unit 1 is positioned opposite the storage rack 100. The storage rack 100 has a pair of angle brackets 18, the spacing of which is substantially the same as that of the pair of angle brackets 5 of the mobile storage unit 1. A shelf 23 is already placed on the pair of angle brackets 18 of the storage rack 100. Its depth is equal to half the depth of the storage rack 100 and is the same as the depth of the shelf 4 located in the mobile storage unit 1. The forklift 200 has positioned the mobile storage unit so that the pair of angle brackets 5 is located opposite the pair of angle brackets 18.

[0127] Figure 15 shows the second step of this second example, viewed from the side. The forklift 200 has positioned the pair of angle brackets 5 at the same height as the pair of angle brackets 18. The means for moving a shelf 3, located at the front of the mobile storage unit 1, is positioned below the shelf 4, while the means for moving a shelf 2 is positioned at the same level as this same shelf 4.

[0128] Figure 16 shows the third step of this second example, viewed from above. The means for moving a tablet 2 is attached to the tablet 4 via the means for attaching it to a tablet 13. The deployable device of the means for moving a tablet 2 pushes the tablet 4 out of the mobile storage unit 1 by sliding it on the pair of angle brackets 5 and insert it into the storage rack 100 by sliding it onto the pair of angle brackets 18.

[0129] Fig. 17 represents the third step of this second example, seen from the side. The shelf 4 is pushed by the shelf placement means 2, via the deployable device 14, by sliding on the pair of angle brackets 5, then on top of the shelf movement means 3 and then on the pair of angle brackets 18 of the storage rack 100.

[0130] Figure 18 shows the fourth step of this second example, viewed from above. Shelf 4 is positioned in the storage rack 100 in front of shelf 23. The attachment means for shelf 13 of the movement means 2 is detached from shelf 4.

[0131] Figure 19 represents the fourth step of this second example, seen from the side. The deployable device 14 retracts and the attachment means for a tablet 13 returns to the mobile storage unit 1, passing over the tablet transport means 3.

[0132] Figure 20 represents the fifth step of this second example, viewed from above. The forklift 200 moves the mobile storage unit 1 along the storage racks 100.

[0133] Figure 21 represents the fifth step of this second example, viewed from the side. The first means of moving a tablet 2 has returned to its initial position within the mobile storage unit 1.

[0134] An example of a logistics installation 500, according to the invention, is shown in [Fig. 22]. It comprises a storage installation 300, also shown in [Fig. 6], and a workstation 400.

[0135] The storage installation 300 comprises a mobile storage unit 1, a trolley 200 and several storage racks 100,

[0136] The angle brackets of the same pair 5, 18 and 24 respectively within the mobile storage unit 1, the storage racks 100 and the workstation 400 are spaced at the same distance so that via the trolley 200 and the mobile storage unit 1, a shelf can be transferred between a storage rack 100 and the workstation 400.

Claims

Demands

1. Mobile storage unit (1) comprising - a box (6) formed of four panels, parallel in pairs, two panels being vertical and two panels being horizontal, said box (6) having at least one open vertical face (7,8) situated between two vertical panels, - at least two pairs of angle brackets (5), the two angle brackets of the same pair being horizontal, parallel, situated at the same height, one angle bracket being placed on the first vertical panel, and the other angle bracket being placed on the second vertical panel, - at least two shelves (4) capable of sliding on one of said pairs of angle brackets (5), characterized in that said mobile storage unit (1) also comprises at least one means of movement (2,3) allowing at least one shelf (4) to be inserted into said box (6) or at least one shelf (4) to be removed from said box (6) by sliding it on a pair of angle brackets (5), said at least one means of movement (2,3) which can be moved vertically to be placed at the level of a shelf (4).

2. Mobile storage unit (1) according to claim 1 characterized in that the means of movement (2,3) comprises at least one linking element with the box (12,19), at least one means of attachment to a shelf (13,20) and at least one deployable device (14,21) allowing the means of attachment to a shelf (13,20) to be pushed or pulled horizontally, said deployable device (14,21) being connected to the linking element with the box (12,19) and to the means of attachment to a shelf (13,20).

3. Mobile storage unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 2 characterized in that the deployable device (14,21) is a mechanical scissor, one end of which is connected to the linking element with the box (12,19) and the other end is connected to the attachment means to a shelf (13,20).

4. Mobile storage unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that it comprises two means of movement (2, 3), one of the means of movement being located along one of the two open faces (7, 8) of the container (6) while another is located along the opposite face (7, 8) of said container, each means of movement comprising at least one linking element with the box (12,19), at least one means of attachment to a shelf (13,20) and at least one deployable device (14,21) allowing the means of attachment to a shelf (13,20) to be pushed or pulled horizontally, said deployable device (14,21) being connected to the linking element with the box (12,19) and to the means of attachment to a shelf (13,20).

5. Mobile storage unit (1) according to claim 4 characterized in that = the two means of moving a tablet (2,3), can be temporarily joined together.

6. A storage installation (300) characterized in that it comprises: - at least one mobile storage unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, - at least one storage rack (100), comprising at least two pairs of angle brackets (18), the two angle brackets of each pair being horizontal, parallel, located at the same height, and separated by a distance identical to the distance separating the two angle brackets of each pair (5), placed on a mobile storage unit (1), - at least one transport trolley (200) capable of moving said at least one mobile storage unit (1) vertically and horizontally in relation to a storage rack (100) in order to align a pair of angle brackets of the mobile storage unit (1) with a pair of angle brackets (18) of the storage rack (100), so as to be able to move a shelf (5, 23) between the mobile storage unit (1) and the storage rack (100).

7. Storage installation (300) according to claim 6 characterized in that at least one shelf (5,23) has a depth less than or equal to half the depth of at least one storage rack (100).

8. Storage installation (300) according to claim 6 or 7 characterized in that at least one mobile storage unit (1) comprises means for adjusting its inclination and position,

9. Logistics installation (500) characterized in that it comprises - a storage installation (300) according to claims 6 to 8, - at least one workstation (400), separate from the at least one storage installation, comprising at least one pair of angle brackets (24), the two angle brackets of the same pair being horizontal, parallel, situated at the same height, and suitable for receiving a tablet (4,23).

10. Logistics installation (500) characterized in that it comprises - a storage installation (300) according to a claim of 6 to 8, - at least one workstation (400), integrated into the at least one storage installation, comprising at least one pair of angle brackets (24), the two angle brackets of the same pair being horizontal, parallel, located at the same height, and suitable for receiving a shelf (4,23).

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