Mobile storage system for handling storage devices on floor area

Abstract

A storage system (10) for handling storage devices (15) on a floor area while occupying minimal floor space includes a set of transport assemblies (20) each adapted to transport one or more storage devices (15) and arranged together in a two-dimensional compact puzzle-type configuration. Each transport assembly (20) includes a carrier (30) and at least four autonomous rolling devices (40) connected to the carrier (30), each rolling device (40) including drive means, communication means, and sensors, and performing autonomous operation when controlled by a central control unit (50) included in said storage system (10), the central control unit (50) including a computer program product for arranging and rearranging the set of transport assemblies (20) in the two-dimensional compact puzzle-type configuration according to position information of each carrier (30) stored in a database (70) connected to the central control unit (50) and control commands sent to the rolling devices (40).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a storage system and method for storing items, and more particularly to a mobile storage system for handling storage devices on a floor area while occupying minimal floor space. [Background technology]

[0002] Storing goods requires the allocation of space. Real estate is limited and prices are high in areas close to urban areas where people live. At the same time, businesses want to shorten lead times, especially in online sales. The space required for storage, combined with fast retrieval, comes with high costs, which poses challenges especially for small and medium-sized stores. Inventory management is usually a trade-off between compact storage and easy access to goods.

[0003] Another perspective is that order picking is labor intensive. Typically, order picking represents 55% of all operating costs in a typical warehouse. This has motivated picking systems where, instead of pickers spending a lot of time picking inventory between shelves, the inventory is delivered to pickers by robots at the picking stations.

[0004] Currently, there are various large-scale storage systems in which the containers are stacked and stored in rows in a grid structure. The containers are picked and handled by robots that run along the grid structure and deliver them to picking stations. Such systems are expensive and suitable for large-scale storage.

[0005] There are also storage systems aimed at smaller scale storage, which generally have limited storage space. Examples of such systems include robotic mobile fulfillment systems based on a moving platform that transports packages, and puzzle-type storage systems. Puzzle-type storage systems are inspired by the well-known game 15-puzzle, in which the objective is to arrange 15 numbered tiles in a 4×4 grid in a sequential order so that the tile adjacent to the only free slot can be slid into place.

[0006] US Patent No. 5,399,633 describes an example of a puzzle-type storage system based on moving platforms that run on wheels to handle loads such as palletized or binned goods. Each platform contains several complex mechanical parts.

[0007] Patent document 2 describes an example of a robot system with an automatic pallet that travels on a track. In this solution, the track must be installed in the area where the pallet operates, and the pallet cannot move outside the track.

[0008] Prior art systems for transporting storage devices over a floor area are relatively complex and expensive. If the moving platform is damaged, the entire platform must be replaced. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2003 / 068657 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 1998 / 31579 [Patent Document 3] Norwegian Patent Application No. 20201025 [Patent Document 4] European Patent No. 3355148 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] The present invention alleviates the shortcomings of prior art systems by providing a more flexible and cost-effective solution. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] Applicant has recently developed robotics technology that enables autonomously driven wheels. The present invention combines a puzzle-type mobility platform enabled by autonomous wheels into a compact, adaptable and cost-effective storage system.

[0012] The present invention is defined by a storage system adapted to handle storage devices on a floor area while occupying minimal floor space. The storage system includes a set of transport assemblies, each adapted to transport one or more storage devices, the set of transport assemblies arranged together in a two-dimensional compact puzzle-type configuration.

[0013] Each transport assembly includes a transport body and an interface element mounted on the transport body, each interface element adapted to receive and connect to an autonomous rolling device. At least four autonomous rolling devices are connected to each carrier, each of which includes drive means, communication means and sensors and performs autonomous operation when controlled by a central control unit included in the storage system.

[0014] The central control unit includes a computer program product for positioning and repositioning each transport assembly of the set of transport assemblies in a two-dimensional compact puzzle-type configuration according to position information of each transport body stored in a database connected to the central control unit and control commands sent to the rolling devices.

[0015] Further features of the storage system are set out in the claims.

[0016] The invention is further defined by a method for providing a storage system that handles storage devices on a floor area while occupying minimal floor space, the method including providing a set of transport assemblies, each adapted to transport a storage device, and arranging the transport assemblies together in a two-dimensional compact puzzle-type configuration.

[0017] The method is further defined by providing each transport assembly by mounting an interface element on the transport body, each interface element being adapted to receive and connect an autonomous rolling device, connecting at least four autonomous rolling devices to each transport body, each rolling device being autonomously driven and controlled with driving means, communication means and sensors, providing a computer program product in a central control unit for controlling the movement of each transport assembly by sending control commands according to received input instructions, and arranging and rearranging each transport assembly of the set of transport assemblies in a two-dimensional compact puzzle-type configuration according to position information of each transport body stored in a database connected to the central control unit and the control commands sent to the rolling devices.

[0018] Further features of the method are set out in the claims.

[0019] The present invention is also defined by a computer program product which, when executed on a central control unit, controls the movement of autonomously operating rolling devices connected to a carrier and which together constitute a carrier assembly of a storage system, the carrier assemblies being arranged as a set of carrier assemblies in a two-dimensional compact puzzle-type configuration, and the movement of the autonomously operating rolling devices being controlled by the computer program according to position information stored in a database and input commands received from the control device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a storage system with a storage device mounted on a transport assembly. [Diagram 2] FIG. 13 illustrates a two-dimensional puzzle-type configuration with a set of transport assemblies. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a conveying body included in a conveying assembly. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 illustrates another example of a carrier included in a carrier assembly. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 illustrates a communication arrangement between the rolling devices of the transport assembly and a central control unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: The present invention relates to a storage system for handling storage devices which occupy a minimum of floor space.

[0022] The storage system is configured by providing a set (or suite or group) of transport assemblies, each adapted to transport a storage device. The transport assemblies comprise at least four autonomously driven rolling devices arranged together in a two-dimensional compact puzzle-type configuration and connected to the carrier. Each rolling device is given a unique ID. In this way, every rolling device can receive unique movement instructions and transmit individual status information.

[0023] The central control unit sends control commands to the rolling devices to move and reposition each transport assembly of the set of transport assemblies.

[0024] Relocation of the transport assembly is initiated by requesting a particular storage device from a delivery point. An algorithm in the central control unit is configured to provide an optimal route for the transport assembly carrying the requested storage device through the puzzle-type configuration to reach the delivery point. The delivery point may be an accessible location at the boundary of the puzzle-type configuration or may be a set location outside the puzzle-type configuration. In this case, the transport assembly with the requested storage device will leave the puzzle-type configuration and head to the set location.

[0025] 1 shows an example of a storage system 10 having storage devices 15 mounted on transport assemblies 20 arranged as a set of transport assemblies 20 in a two-dimensional compact puzzle-type configuration. By mounting and maintaining the transport assemblies 20 in close proximity to one another as shown in this example, minimal floor space is occupied.

[0026] The transport device 15 mounted on the transport assembly 20 can be any device for holding and storing items. Examples include bins, drawer systems, shelving systems, etc. Combinations of these can also be used, for example, the storage device 15 mounted on the transport assembly 20 can be a combination shelving system and drawer system.

[0027] 2 shows more clearly how the transport assemblies 20 are mounted in a two-dimensional configuration. As can be seen, one transport assembly 20 is missing. This allows each transport assembly 20 of the set of transport assemblies 25 to be repositioned to any position within the two-dimensional configuration. This is known as a puzzle-type configuration.

[0028] The figure shows a puzzle-type configuration with 15 numbered transport assemblies in a 4×4 grid, with only one slot empty into which an adjacent transport assembly can be slid. The objective is to arrange the numbered transport assemblies in order by moving tiles into the empty slot. How this order is established is well known from prior art puzzle-type systems and will not be described further here.

[0029] Removing more than one transport assembly 20 from a puzzle-type configuration allows for moving and repositioning more than one transport assembly 20 at a time, which requires fewer repositioning steps of the transport assemblies 20 and results in faster access to a required storage device 15. This is advantageous for larger puzzle-type configurations that include autonomous transport assemblies 20.

[0030] The storage device 15 is preferably secured to the transport assembly 20 by a connection means. The connection means can be any type of mechanism that secures the storage device 15 in a fixed position on the transport assembly 20. As an example, a gripper 55a is attached to the transport assembly 20 for secure connection to the transport assembly 20 and to hold the storage device 15 in a fixed position on the transport assembly 20. Other examples of connection means are screws, magnets 55b, or a frame 55c attached to the transport assembly 20 to hold the storage device 15 in place.

[0031] According to the present invention, the transport assembly 20 includes a transport body 30 and at least four autonomous rolling devices 40 connected to the transport body 30. Each rolling device 40 is autonomously controlled.

[0032] 3 shows an example of a rectangular conveyance body 30 in which a rolling device 40 is connected to a conveyance assembly 20 at each corner of the conveyance body 30. By connecting the autonomous rolling device 40 to each corner of an object such as the conveyance body 30, the conveyance body 30 can move autonomously under its own power, independent of an external robot that conveys the conveyance body 30, and does not have a conveyance body equipped with complex mechanical parts or driving means.

[0033] Another example of a carrier 30 is shown in Fig. 4. In this embodiment, eight rolling devices 40 are connected to the carrier 30. This configuration is suitable for handling heavier loads. To handle even heavier loads, a version with twelve rolling devices 40 is possible.

[0034] For different configurations of the carrier with 4, 8 and 12 rolling devices, only 4 of the autonomous rolling devices 40 are required, for example at each corner of the carrier 30, providing a driving force in each direction when placed in a puzzle-type configuration. Further rolling devices can be passive devices without autonomous means.

[0035] In one embodiment, the carrier 30 includes an interface element 45 adapted to connect and disconnect each rolling device 40 to the carrier 30. The interface element 45 can be, for example, of the click-on / pull-out type for easy replacement of the rolling devices 40 as needed.

[0036] Further details of the carrier 30 and interface element 45 are described in US Pat. No. 6,399,323, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0037] FIG. 5 shows a communication arrangement between the autonomous rolling devices 40 of the transport assemblies 20 and a central control unit 50 included in the storage system 10 for controlling the movement of each rolling device 40 and thus the connected transport assemblies 20. The movement of each rolling device 40 can be controlled because each rolling device 40 is equipped with power means, drive means, communication means, and sensors and is autonomously controlled by the central control unit 50. The rolling devices 40 can rotate 360 ​​degrees around their own axis and can be driven in any direction. Furthermore, input from sensors and machine learning algorithms can be used to sense the environment. The control of the rolling devices 40 can be performed via a cloud computing system that can coordinate multiple rolling devices 40.

[0038] An example of an autonomous rolling device 40 with drive and communication means as well as power supply means is described in the applicant's US Pat. No. 5,399,633, which is incorporated herein by reference. Each rolling device 40 comprises a rolling element 60, for example a wheel, which may be in a fixed position located at the end of the housing of the rolling device 40, typically at the lower end of the housing, when in an installed position connected to the carrier 30 to be moved. In another version, the rolling device 40 may be movably arranged in the housing between an upper position and a lower position. The upper retracted position is a passive rest position in which the rolling element 60 is retracted in the rolling device 40, and the lower position is an extended working position for moving the rolling element 60 along a surface, for example a floor area. The power source is typically a rechargeable battery.

[0039] The central control unit 50 comprises a computer program product and communication means and controls the movement of each rolling device 40 according to the position information of each carrier 30 stored in a database 70 connected to the central control unit 50 and the control commands sent to the rolling devices 40 to position and reposition each carrier assembly 20 of the set of carrier assemblies 20 in a two-dimensional compact puzzle-type configuration. The central control unit 50 is further connected to a control device 80.

[0040] Various devices for controlling the rolling elements 60 may be disposed within the housing of the rolling device 40, including a wireless receiver and control electronics. The wireless receiver and the control electronics are in signal communication with each other, with the receiver configured to receive wireless control signals from the central control unit 50.

[0041] In order for a transport assembly 20 to move in the two-dimensional compact puzzle-type configuration, its current position must be known, which may be its position relative to other transport assemblies 20 in the puzzle-type configuration or its position relative to the floor area in which it is operating.

[0042] There are various ways to detect and obtain the position of the rolling device 40. One way is to use internal means such as motion detection sensors installed on the rolling device 40. Another way is to use external means such as a camera or Lidar to measure the distance of the rolling device 40 from a reference point. Another example is to use an RFID chip connected to the rolling device 40 or the device being moved, i.e. the transport assembly 30. Yet another way is to use an ultrasonic or Bluetooth transmitter connected to the rolling device 40 to determine the position of the rolling device 40. The exact position can then be determined by triangulation.

[0043] Internal sensors and position detection devices keep track of the position of the rolling device 40 within the area in which it is moving. Wheel encoders and inertial measurement units (IMUs) can be used as motion detection sensors, and odometry can be used to determine the current position based on the generated data from the sensors.

[0044] The wheel encoders are used to detect the rotation of the rolling elements 60, allowing estimation of the distance traveled from the starting position. The IMU is used to estimate the orientation and therefore the direction / angle of the rolling device elements.

[0045] Odometry is used to estimate the change in position over time based on data generated from the wheel encoders and IMU sensors. In this way, the current position of the rolling device 40 relative to a starting point can be estimated. The current position of the rolling device can be calculated using a predefined position, direction, and distance traveled. This is known as dead reckoning.

[0046] A more accurate method for determining the position of the rolling device 40 is achieved by combining the above internal methods with external methods to determine the position. Combining data from various navigation systems with different physical principles can increase the accuracy and robustness of the overall solution. Combining physical and mathematical methods can reduce problems with noise and drift. For example, inertial measurement units (IMU and wheel IMU) can be combined with simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) with a monocular camera.

[0047] To determine the distance between the rolling devices 40, an Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip integrated into each rolling device 40 can be used. UWB is a very low energy required wireless technology used for short distance communication. Signals from the rolling devices 40 can be detected, for example, when they are 12 cm away from each other. The sensitivity of the detection and therefore the exact distance between the rolling devices upon detection can be set.

[0048] Combining sensor data derived from separate sources is known as sensor fusion, and the resulting data has less uncertainty than is possible when each source is used individually.

[0049] Since not all sensors are the same and will further generate some noise, the noise and variance can be modeled and the noise can be combined into a Kalman filter to reduce the noise and improve the accuracy of the odometry. First, the relative angle derived from the camera odometry and the IMU, i.e., the running direction of the rolling device 40, is fused through a Kalman filter to get the best angle. At the same time, the wheel encoder is fused along with the wheel rotation provided by the wheel IMU to drive the best translation distance. The output from the two methods is then fused to get the final filtered overall odometry, resulting in a more accurate determination of the position of the rolling device 40.

[0050] The database 70 connected to the central control server 50 may be a local database 70 installed at the central control server 50 or a remotely installed database 70 connected to the central control server 50 via the Internet, i.e., a cloud computing system. The database stores location information of each transport assembly 20 included in the storage system.

[0051] As an example, in a storage system with a total of 16 transport assemblies 20 arranged in a 4×4 puzzle-type configuration, each position occupied by a transport assembly 20 within the 4×4 floor area is given an x,y coordinate, i.e. 1.1, 1.2, ..., 4.3, 4.4. Each transport assembly 20 is given a unique identity and location. This identity and location information is stored in the database 70 and used to reposition the transport assemblies 20 according to instructions sent from the central control unit 50 to the rolling devices 50. The instructions may be in the form of a sequence indicating the order and in which direction the different transport assemblies should move. This sequence depends on the current location of the requested storage device 15 and its transport assembly 20 as well as the configured delivery points. The request is controlled from the controller 80.

[0052] In one embodiment, the selected autonomous rolling device 40 is set to operate as a master device that controls the movement of the other rolling devices 40 connected to the transport assembly 20 to be moved. At this time, the other rolling devices 40 operate as slave devices and respond to commands from the master device. The master device then sets a specific movement pattern for the slave devices according to the control signals received from the central control server 50 and sends control signals to the slave devices instructing them to follow the movement of the master device.

[0053] Commands sent from the central control unit 50 to the rolling devices 40 may be controlled from a controller 80, such as a PC or tablet, in communication with the central controller 50, as described above.

[0054] The controller 80 runs software to keep track of the storage devices 15 and, via input commands, can control which storage devices 15 are accessed at the delivery point. More complex systems keep track of the items stored in each storage device 15 and allow a user to search and select an item for retrieval. This requires that the items stored in a storage device 15 be linked to the storage device 15 and / or its transport assembly 20 and this information be entered into a database.

[0055] When a particular storage device 15 and stored items are requested, for example by selection from a menu or from a visual representation on the control device 80, all of the transport assemblies 20 reposition themselves until the requested storage device 15 is available at a designated delivery point, for example an opening in a wall of a room adjacent to the room in which the storage system 10 is installed.

[0056] Determining the current position of the rolling device 40, and therefore the x,y position of the transport assembly 20, is important for seamless relocation of the position of the transport assembly 20.

[0057] As mentioned above, there are various ways to determine the position of the rolling devices 40. One way, for example, is to use a camera mounted above the storage system 10 of the present invention. In this case, the movement and position of each transport assembly 20 can be recorded and x,y position information can be deduced by video tracking software running in the central control unit 50.

[0058] As mentioned above, another way of determining the location information of the transport assembly 20 is to have internal means within the rolling device 40 determine its location and transmit it along with its unique identification to the central control server 50. In this case, the identity of the rolling device 40 connected to each identified transport assembly 20 is registered in the database 70. From the location information transmitted from the rolling device 40, the central control unit 50 can calculate the x,y position.

[0059] The central control unit 50 of the storage system 10 operates a computer program product which, when executed, controls the movement of the autonomously operating rolling device 40 connected to the carrier 30. The movement is controlled according to updated position information of the rolling device 40 as well as input commands received from a control device 80, e.g. a tablet.

[0060] The configuration of the storage system can be set and monitored from the controller 80. In setting up the system, the number of transport assemblies 20 in operation as well as the configuration of the storage system 10, e.g., the layout of a set of transport assemblies 20 in a square or rectangular formation, are registered. Monitoring includes detection and warning of a faulty rolling device 40 or a low battery indication.

[0061] The battery may be charged wirelessly, for example by electromagnetic induction means installed on the floor where the rolling device 40 is operating. This allows continuous charging of the battery. This solution may also provide a continuous power supply to the autonomous rolling device 40 without a battery. In this embodiment, the electromagnetic induction power supply provided to the autonomous rolling device 40 may pass through a capacitor in the autonomous rolling device, which buffers the power and ensures that the drive means and communication means are given a continuous power supply. The battery of the autonomously operating rolling device 40 may also be charged by moving the transport assembly 20 away from the puzzle-type configuration and interacting with a charging station in the vicinity upon detection. Near-field communication (NFC) may be used as a detection means. This may be achieved by an NFC tape attached to the autonomous rolling device 40. When the charging station detects the NFC tape, it is activated and provides power to charge the autonomous rolling device 40.

[0062] The storage system 10 described herein is suitable for use in smaller facilities, such as small storage rooms, garages, inside trucks, etc. Its relatively simple construction makes it cost effective compared to similar prior art systems. Furthermore, it is very easy to replace the rolling devices 40 as needed. The storage system 10 can be easily reconfigured by adding or removing transport assemblies 20. The type of storage devices 15 mounted on the transport assemblies 20 can be easily changed and reconfigured as needed and depending on the physical constraints of the room in which it is operated.

Claims

1. A storage system (10) for handling storage devices (15) on a floor area while occupying minimal floor space, the system including a set (25) of transport assemblies (20) arranged together in a two-dimensional compact puzzle-type configuration, each adapted to transport one or more storage devices (15); Each transport assembly (20) comprises a transport body (30) and an interface element (45) mounted on said transport body (30), each interface element (45) adapted to receive and connect to an autonomous rolling device (40); At least four autonomous rolling devices (40) are connected to the carrier (30), each of the rolling devices (40) including a drive means, a communication means and a sensor, and performing autonomous operation when controlled by a central control unit (50) included in the storage system (10); The storage system includes a computer program product for arranging and re-arranging each transport assembly (20) of the set (25) of transport assemblies (20) in the two-dimensional compact puzzle-type configuration according to position information of each transport body (30) stored in a database (70) connected to the central control unit (50) and control commands sent to the rolling device (40).

2. The storage system (10) of claim 1, wherein the storage device (15) is one or more bins, a shelving system, or a combination thereof.

3. 2. The storage system (10) of claim 1, wherein the carrier (30) comprises connection means (55a, 55b, 55c) for fastening the storage device (15) to the carrier (30).

4. The storage system (10) of claim 1, further comprising a controller (80) connected to the central control unit (50).

5. 1. A method of providing a storage system (10) for handling storage devices (15) on a floor area while occupying minimal floor space by providing a set (25) of transport assemblies (20) each adapted to transport a storage device (15) and arranging said transport assemblies (20) together in a two-dimensional compact puzzle-type configuration, comprising: providing each transport assembly (20) by mounting an interface element (45) on the transport body (30), each interface element (45) adapted to receive and connect an autonomous rolling device (40), connecting at least four autonomous rolling devices (40) to each transport body (30), each rolling device (40) being autonomously driven and controlled with drive means, communication means and sensors; a computer program product in the central control unit (50) for controlling the movement of each transport assembly (20) by sending control commands according to received input instructions; A method for positioning and repositioning each conveying assembly (20) of the set (25) of conveying assemblies (20) in the two-dimensional compact puzzle-type configuration according to position information of each conveying body (30) stored in a database (70) connected to the central control unit (50) and control commands sent to the rolling device (40).

6. The method of claim 5, providing one or more containers, shelving systems, or combinations thereof as the storage devices carried by the transport assembly (20).

7. 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising fastening the storage device to the carriage assembly (20) by means of connection means (55a, 55b, 55c) provided on the carriage (30).

8. A method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, comprising transmitting instructions to said central control unit (50) from a control device (80) connected to said central control unit (50).

9. A computer program product which, when executed on a central control unit (50), controls the movement of autonomously operating rolling devices (40) connected to a carrier (30) and which together constitute a carrier assembly (20) of a storage system, said carrier assemblies (20) being arranged as a set (25) of carrier assemblies (20) in a two-dimensional compact puzzle-type configuration, and the movement of said autonomously operating rolling devices (40) being controlled according to position information stored in a database (70) and input commands received from a control device (80).

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