Method for Order Preparation and Packaging

Abstract

A method for order preparation and packing comprises: - a transporting step of transporting at least one storage container (16) for at least one item to an order preparation station (121) by at least one vehicle of a first set (17) of self-guided vehicles configured to move on a floor; - a selecting step of selecting a first cardboard box (241) intended to form a package of goods for one of the orders; - a transporting step of transporting the selected first cardboard box to the order preparation station (121) by at least one vehicle of a second set (18) of self-guided vehicles configured to move on a floor; - a taking-out step of taking out at least one item from one of the storage containers (16) and placing the at least one taken-out item in the selected first cardboard box (241). The method includes the above steps. The transporting step is performed by moving the vehicle in a driving zone (Z1) provided on a ramp (21) for accessing the order preparation station. The taking-out step is performed in a parking zone (Z3) accessible from a ramp (21) having at least two adjacent parking spaces (23, 25) intended to receive the first set of vehicles and the second set of vehicles respectively. Such a method includes a step of adjusting the height of at least one of the adjacent parking spaces (23, 25) according to the dimensions of the first cardboard box (241) and / or the storage container (16).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of storage or warehouse logistics, in particular to the automation of the logistics chain.

[0002] More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a method for preparing and packing at least a part of an order.

[0003] In particular, the present disclosure is applicable to the automation of the management of flows within a storage warehouse and / or a storage facility, such as the automation of the management of flows within a warehouse for the preparation of orders in a logistics chain, the automation of the sorting of items within a storage facility or a warehouse, or the automation of an order delivery service at a pick-up location ("drive unit").

Background Art

[0004] Throughout the logistics chain, the management of flows within a warehouse or a storage facility and the handling of products play an important role.

[0005] Conventionally, order pickers / packers move around the warehouse to pick each product of an order from its location on the shelf unit.

[0006] This system means that pickers / packers have to move long distances during the working day, which can cause fatigue and loss of time if the routes are not optimized.

[0007] Another problem is that pickers / packers have to memorize the layout of the warehouse very well so as not to waste time.

[0008] In order to make movement less tiring, improve the management of picking, and shorten the time taken for order preparation, it has been envisaged to organize the warehouse in "Goods to man" mode (according to which products are transported to order pickers / packers by mechanized means).

[0009] Thus, it is known to use a conveyor to transport products from the storage zone of a warehouse to an order preparation station and from the order preparation station to a shipping station. It is also known to use robots to carry products from the storage zone of products, and the robots are guided on a travel rail installed on the floor of the warehouse.

[0010] Patent Document 1 describes such a technique. According to this technique, a robot is guided to an order preparation station on a guide rail or a toothed wheel mechanism in the order of orders determined by a centralized order management system. A similar technique is also described in Patent Document 2.

[0011] However, this known technique has the problem that the implementation is complex and expensive, and requires a large-sized warehouse due to the space occupied only by the travel rail or the conveyor.

[0012] Furthermore, once storage containers are loaded onto a conveyor or robots are engaged onto a travel rail or ramp to access an order preparation station, it is no longer possible to change the order in which they are delivered to order pickers / packers, which means that the order in which orders are prepared cannot be changed in a short time. Specifically, robots or storage containers are necessarily presented to the operator in the order in which they are engaged to the mechanical means for transporting them to the order preparation station. Therefore, when the priorities are changed, there is no room to change the order in which orders are prepared, and such an order preparation method lacks flexibility.

[0013] To overcome these problems, the use of mobile robots, particularly AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles), has been proposed to retrieve products from the shelf units and transport them to the order preparation stations. Another idea is to use robots to transport the products belonging to the orders grouped at the order preparation station to the order shipping station. These robots preferably move around autonomously, providing greater flexibility in the organization of the order preparation station. Examples of such mobile robots can be found in particular in Patent Documents 6 to 8.

[0014] Therefore, Patent Document 3 proposes a technique for preparing orders according to the rendezvous (waiting) preparation principle, in which the order preparation station can be designed on-site at any location in the warehouse according to the requirements and quantity of the orders to be prepared.

[0015] One problem with this known technique is that the operation of transferring the products from the robots arriving at the order station to the robots assigned to transport the products belonging to the order to the shipping station is difficult for the operator, which may cause the products to drop or collide, making the work of the order picker / packer difficult and even affecting their health, and may lead to musculoskeletal problems in the long term. Specifically, such mobile order preparation stations provide the advantage of being able to be designed "on-site", but have the problem of not being ergonomic.

[0016] In addition to order preparation, another important step is the packing of said order. In this regard, there are two different types of procedures. The first is known as "Pick, Zone, Pack" and consists of taking items in the warehouse and transporting them to a preparation station where they are sorted into multiple orders, placed together in a collection container, and then packed into cardboard boxes. The second is known as "Pick and Pack" and consists of collecting all the items belonging to the same order directly into a cardboard box. This latter method is particularly advantageous as it combines the picking and packing operations and thus makes it possible to save a significant amount of time in order preparation by omitting the step of transferring the items combined in the collection container to a cardboard box for order shipping.

[0017] Thus, for example, there is a known technique where an order picker / packer takes out the items transported to an order preparation station by a mobile robot and places them in a cardboard box placed on a table equipped with a conveyor or rack, and the mobile robot can grip this cardboard box from below using, in particular, a forklift-based system where protrusions slide into the openings of the rack. Summary of the Invention Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0018] The first problem with these known techniques is that the operator has to make large movements to place each item into the cardboard box, which represents a loss of time. Furthermore, these operations of transferring the items into the cardboard box are often cumbersome for the operator, and as a result, there is a risk that the product may fall or collide, making the work of the order picker / packer difficult and potentially affecting their health. Another problem with this known "pick and pack" technique is that, unlike the collection containers used in the "pick zone pack" technique, the dimensions of the cardboard boxes for order shipping can vary greatly depending on the size and number of the items ordered. Therefore, the operator has to adapt to these cardboard boxes of various dimensions, which means that the operator has to perform a wider range of movements, making the work more difficult and time-consuming.

[0019] Furthermore, generally, the management of a fleet of mobile robots within a storage facility or on a store floor is a complex task, and there is always a demand for improving efficiency with respect to the flexibility of the flow, the simplicity of the work, especially packing, and the speed of product transfer for composing orders and transporting them to the shipping station. Therefore, a solution that meets these requirements is called for.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0020] The present disclosure meets this demand by proposing a method for order preparation and packing, the method comprising: - transporting, by at least one vehicle of a first set of self-guided vehicles configured to move on a floor, at least one storage container for at least one item to an order preparation station; - selecting a first cardboard box intended to form a package of goods for one of the orders; - transporting, by at least one vehicle of a second set of self-guided vehicles configured to move on a floor, the selected first cardboard box to the order preparation station; - removing at least one item from one of the storage containers and placing the removed item(s) in a selected first cardboard box; comprising.

[0021] Also, the carrying step is performed by moving the vehicle in a driving zone provided on an inclined path for accessing the order preparation station, and the removing step is performed in a parking zone accessible from the inclined path and having at least two adjacent parking spaces intended to receive a first set of vehicles and a second set of vehicles respectively. Further, such a method includes a step of adjusting the height of at least one of the adjacent parking spaces according to the dimensions of the first cardboard box and / or the storage container(s).

[0022] According to another aspect, a system for order preparation and packaging, - at least one order preparation station; - a first set of self-guided vehicles configured to move on the floor and carry at least one storage container for at least one item to the order preparation station(s); - a second set of self-guided vehicles configured to move on the floor and carry at least one cardboard box intended to form a package of goods for one of the orders to the order preparation station(s), A system comprising is provided.

[0023] Furthermore, the order preparation station(s) is / are - an inclined path for the vehicle to access the order preparation station(s), the inclined path having at least one driving zone for the vehicle; - a parking zone accessible from the inclined path and having at least two adjacent parking spaces intended to receive a first set of vehicles and a second set of vehicles respectively; Adjusting means for adjusting the height of at least one of the adjacent parking spaces according to the dimensions of the cardboard box(es) and / or storage container(s); comprises.

[0024] According to another aspect, there is provided a computer program product comprising program code instructions for performing the method defined herein when the program is executed by a processor.

[0025] Also proposed is a persistent computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon such a program.

[0026] Such a recording medium may be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium may include storage means such as ROM, such as a CD-ROM or a microelectronic circuit ROM, or a magnetic recording medium such as a USB key or a hard disk.

[0027] Furthermore, such a recording medium may also be a transmissible medium, such as an electrical signal or an optical signal, which may be transmitted wirelessly or by other means via an electrical cable or an optical cable such that the computer program contained therein is remotely executable. The program according to the present invention can in particular be downloaded via a network, for example the Internet.

[0028] Alternatively, the recording medium may be an integrated circuit in which a program suitable for or adapted for use in the execution of the above order preparation method is incorporated.

[0029] The features described in the following paragraphs may optionally be implemented independently of one another or in combination with one another.

[0030] The parking spaces are at different heights.

[0031] Adjacent parking spaces face the position of the operator or the robotic arm.

[0032] At least one of the adjacent parking spaces is inclined with respect to the horizontal.

[0033] If an error occurs when selecting the first cardboard box, the method - selects a second cardboard box intended to form a package of the ordered goods; - moves a second set of vehicles carrying the first cardboard box from a first parking space among the first adjacent parking spaces to a second parking space among the adjacent parking spaces to free the first parking space; - transports the selected second cardboard box to the freed first parking space by at least one vehicle of the second set; - removes the item(s) placed in the first cardboard box and places the removed item(s) in the second cardboard box. including.

[0034] The selection of the first and / or second cardboard box - the number of items constituting the order; - the dimensions of the items constituting the order; - the nature of the items constituting the order; - the fragility of the items constituting the order; - the size of the elements for wedging and / or protecting the items constituting the order inserted into the cardboard box; - the dimensions of the available cardboard boxes; considers at least one parameter belonging to the group consisting of.

[0035] The selection of the first and / or second cardboard box includes sending one piece of information representing the selected cardboard box to a unit for managing the inventory of cardboard boxes.

[0036] Such a method further includes determining the placement of one or more items that make up an order inside the first and / or second cardboard box according to the order in which storage container(s) for one item or multiple items that make up the order are presented in the parking zone.

[0037] At least some of the vehicles in the first set of vehicles are also vehicles belonging to the second set of vehicles, or vice versa.

[0038] Such a method includes transporting the vehicle that transports the selected first or second cardboard box to the means for closing the cardboard box at the order shipping station.

[0039] In the case of a change in the order in which an order is prepared, the method includes freely moving at least one vehicle of the first set of vehicles and / or the second set of vehicles in at least two mutually perpendicular directions from the parking zone or the driving zone to a temporary storage zone for vehicles provided on the slope and vice versa.

[0040] Such a method includes - temporarily storing at least one vehicle of the second set in the temporary storage zone until the order associated with the cardboard box carried by the temporarily stored vehicle takes priority; - moving the temporarily stored vehicle from the temporary storage zone to the driving zone in a first moving direction and moving the temporarily stored vehicle from the driving zone to the parking zone in a second moving direction perpendicular to the first moving direction; and includes.

[0041] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer by reading the following description of one embodiment of the present invention provided as a purely non-limiting exemplary example and referring to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0042]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0043] The general principles of the technology forming the subject matter of the present disclosure are based on a "pick and pack" type order preparation method, whereby the items constituting an order are collected from the storage area of the warehouse and directly combined in a cardboard box for shipping the order at the order preparation station. In particular, the method for such order preparation and packing is based on the design of an ergonomic order preparation station, and autonomous robots can access through an access ramp inclined so as to be placed in a parking zone including a plurality of adjacent parking spaces, and its height is adjustable.

[0044] Therefore, in order to improve the ergonomics of the order preparation station and facilitate handling by order pickers / packers or robot arms, it is possible to adjust the position with respect to the height of the parking space according to the dimensions of the storage container and / or cardboard box carried by the robot.

[0045] Next, an example of an embodiment of such an order preparation method will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0046] Throughout this specification, the term vehicle or robot, excluding aircraft, means any motorized machine equipped with at least two wheels for moving on the floor (and thus, in some cases, having two, three, four or more running wheels) and intended to carry a load. The terms robot and vehicle are used interchangeably. Examples of such vehicles are described, for example, in Patent Documents 4 and 5 in the name of the applicant of this application.

[0047] Preferably, such robots or vehicles are autonomous in their movement and can change direction very quickly within a limited floor area. For example, such a robot or vehicle is equipped with drive wheels attached to a vertical shaft, and when the drive wheels rotate around this vertical shaft, it pivots just enough to change the direction of movement without rotating the body of the robot, and thus can effectively change its direction of movement in place.

[0048] In one embodiment, such a robot can move not only two-dimensionally on the floor but also three-dimensionally by supporting itself on the shelf units to climb these shelf units in search of collection containers or storage containers stored in the shelf units in the warehouse.

[0049] The term "container" refers to any device configured to be carried by a robot and to contain one or more items, objects or products. Hereinafter, the term "container" may also refer to a bin or basket, wooden box, chest, cardboard box, etc.

[0050] Also, in this specification, it should be noted that the term "corrugated box" refers to a container in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape or any other known suitable shape, i.e., a box made of corrugated cardboard. This box is generally made by folding and / or assembling various corrugated cardboard sheets, for example, using adhesive tape. This box may be closed by, for example, at least one flap or lid. The term "corrugated cardboard" refers to a material based on paper or paper-like material, which may be, to name just a few examples, simple cardboard, corrugated paper, porous or laminated cardboard.

[0051] Furthermore, the terms "item" and "product" may be used interchangeably. They simply refer to an object, particularly a commercial object, that is stored in a workplace, store, or warehouse and is intended to be delivered to the end customer who ordered it, either alone or in combination with one or more other items.

[0052] Finally, a temporary storage zone may, without departing from the context of the present disclosure, be a zone intended to store orders waiting for delivery at the "drive unit".

[0053] FIG. 1 shows a robotic logistics warehouse 10 of an online trading company. This warehouse is composed of three areas: a storage area 11, an order preparation and packing area 12 equipped with an order preparation and packing station 121, and a shipping area 13 equipped with a cargo shipping station 131 having means for closing the corrugated box 132.

[0054] The storage area 11 is composed of a plurality of shelf units 14, which are composed of a plurality of tiers of shelves supported by columns 15 and are arranged in continuous parallel rows. Storage containers 16 that can accommodate all similar items or a plurality of different items belonging to the same range of products are stored on these shelves. Furthermore, some of these shelf units are reserved for the temporary storage of cardboard boxes pre-packed with one or more items belonging to the same order, and other shortage items are placed on those shelves so that they can be transported to the preparation and packing station 121 to complete the packing of the order they are assigned to, or it should be noted that they are waiting to be transported to the shipping station 131.

[0055] For example, the first fleet of self-guided vehicles 17 equipped with four wheels for traveling on the floor transports the storage containers 16 between the storage area 11 and the order preparation and packing station 121.

[0056] When the vehicle 17 receives an instruction to go and pick up a bin 16 containing one or more items belonging to an order on a shelf unit, the vehicle 17 travels on the floor to the base of the shelf unit 14 where this bin 16 is stored, ascends along this shelf unit to the shelf where this bin 16 is stored, supports itself on the shelf unit facing the latter, and then captures the bin. The vehicle 17 returns between two shelf units and, when back on the floor, transports the bin 16 to the order preparation station 121.

[0057] Therefore, this first set 17 includes the first set of self-guided vehicles configured to travel on the floor, intended to take out the storage containers holding one or more items stored in the shelf units and transport them to the order preparation station.

[0058] The second fleet of self-guided vehicles 18 transports cardboard boxes selected to form packages of goods that will hold orders. These vehicles 18 retrieve the selected cardboard boxes from a unit for managing the inventory 110 of cardboard boxes for delivering cardboard boxes, transport the selected cardboard boxes to the order preparation and packing station 121, and the cardboard boxes in which one or more items taken out from the storage bins 16 belonging to the same order and transported to the order preparation station 121 are already placed are transported by the vehicle 17 from the order preparation station 121 to the means for closing the cardboard box 132 at the shipping station 131.

[0059] Accordingly, this second set 18 includes a second set of self-guided vehicles configured to travel on the floor, intended to transport cardboard boxes containing at least some of the items belonging to the same order from the order preparation station 121 to the shipping station 131 for shipping the order, to the temporary storage zone, or to a conveyor connected to the shipping station for shipping the order.

[0060] In this particular embodiment of the invention, the selected cardboard boxes are cardboard boxes of a rectangular parallelepiped shape known per se, open at their upper surface and provided with four flaps for closing the opening of the cardboard box. These cardboard boxes can have various dimensions depending on the number and size of the different items they are to contain.

[0061] The vehicles 17 or 18 may be used, as needed and depending on the availability of other vehicles in these fleets at any given time, to transport the storage container 16 to the order preparation and packing station 121 and, intermittently, to transport cardboard boxes to the shipping station 131 or vice versa.

[0062] This allows the same vehicle to be used for transporting storage containers as well as collection containers, and thus, depending on the need, a first set or a part of the second set of vehicles can be formed, resulting in great flexibility in managing the vehicle fleet. Therefore, at least some of the vehicles in the first set of vehicles can also belong to the vehicles in the second set of vehicles, or vice versa, thereby reducing the total number of vehicles used to transport storage containers and collection containers.

[0063] The second set of vehicles may be a subset of the first set of vehicles, or vice versa.

[0064] At the start of the preparation of one order or part of a plurality of orders, - The first cardboard box 241 is allocated, and its ID is recorded in the centralized management system in association with the order number. - The vehicle belonging to the second set 18 takes out this first cardboard box 241 from the shelf unit. - This vehicle 18 transports the taken-out cardboard box 241 to the order preparation station 121 and places it in the first parking space facing the position of the operator or the robotic arm.

[0065] Similarly, a storage container containing at least one item constituting one order or part of a plurality of orders is allocated to the vehicle belonging to the first set 17, and the ID of the vehicle and the ID of the storage container are associated and recorded in the centralized management system. The vehicle 17 takes out the storage container allocated to it from the shelf unit and transports it to the second parking space of the order preparation station 121. This second parking space is adjacent to the first space where the collection container is placed and faces the position of the operator or the robotic arm.

[0066] Next, the operator or the robotic arm may remove one or more items constituting the order from the storage container placed in the second parking space and place them in the cardboard box placed in the first parking space adjacent thereto.

[0067] If all the items constituting the order are placed in the cardboard box 241, it may be transported by the vehicle 18 to the shipping station, or onto a conveyor for transporting it to this shipping station, or to a device for closing the cardboard box for shipping.

[0068] Such order preparation techniques advantageously enable the rapid and simultaneous preparation of multiple orders composed of items stored in various different storage locations within a workplace, store, or warehouse, as will be more clearly understood when reading the descriptions of FIGS. 2 to 4 below.

[0069] FIG. 2 shows the order preparation and packing station 121 in a detailed external perspective view.

[0070] This order preparation and packing station 121 is equipped with a robotic arm 26 known per se, which can also replace a human operator. The base 261 of the robotic arm is fixed or rotates around a shaft fixed to the floor. In another embodiment, the base of the robotic arm is slidably mounted on at least one rail. This increases the magnitude of the movement of the robotic arm, which can prove to be advantageous in a configuration where the parking zone of the order preparation station comprises three or more adjacent parking spaces for receiving cardboard boxes or storage containers, as will be shown in more detail below.

[0071] The storage container 16 is carried to this order preparation and packing station 121 by a vehicle 17 of a first set of self-guided vehicles taking, for example, an access ramp 21 inclined to the left. A vehicle 18 of a second set of self-guided vehicles leaves through the right side of the access ramp 21 in this particular embodiment of the invention. In this example, the access ramp 21 is a lifting ramp that enables robots 17, 18 moving around on the floor of the warehouse by traveling from the storage area 11 to the order preparation area 12 to climb up to the order preparation station 121. In another example where the robots move around on the upper floors of the warehouse, the access ramp 21 can also enable the robots to descend from this upper floor to the order preparation station 121.

[0072] Such robots 17, 18 are autonomous in their movements and can move two-dimensionally particularly on the ramp 21.

[0073] As can be seen in more detail in FIG. 4, which is a side view of the order preparation station 121 shown in FIG. 2, the access ramp 21 comprises the following two distinct zones. - A vehicle running zone referred to as Z1. - A zone referred to as Z2 for temporary storage of vehicles.

[0074] Thus, the robots 17, 18 can move freely between the running zone Z1, the temporary storage zone Z2, and a parking zone Z3 described later according to the priority of the orders assigned to them.

[0075] The temporary storage zone Z2 is substantially horizontal and enables the temporary storage of at least two vehicles, for example, a vehicle of the first set 17 and a vehicle of the second set 18. Also, it may be dimensioned to enable the simultaneous storage of more vehicles if necessary.

[0076] The presence of the temporary storage zone Z2 in the order preparation station advantageously enables temporarily storing some of the items of the order being prepared, for example, while waiting for the replenishment of items ordered at a warehouse or storage facility but out of stock, or when it is necessary to delay the shipment of the order.

[0077] This zone Z2 may be provided with means for charging the batteries of the vehicles 17, 18 while these vehicles are temporarily parked within the zone Z2. This may consist of, for example, induction charging modules, also called pads, which enable charging the vehicle's battery while parked on an inclined path. This saves time and space as it eliminates the need to provide an additional charging station or at least reduces the capacity and / or number of other charging stations. These charging means may also be arranged in the driving zone Z1. For example, the charging pads 28 are provided at the edges of the inclined path 21 respectively to charge the batteries of the robots 17 or 18.

[0078] The vehicle driving zone Z1 is provided with at least two arrival paths and at least two departure paths for the vehicles, indicated by the arrows in FIG. 2, to enable very smooth movement of the vehicles 17, 18 and thus enable simultaneous management of the preparation of multiple orders. For example, the inclined path 21 has a width greater than or equal to the width of four vehicles, preferably greater than or equal to the width of six vehicles, to enable the vehicles 17, 18 to move up and down simultaneously on the access inclined path 21 with multiple vehicles passing by each other. Thus, the vehicle 17 carrying the first storage container and the vehicle 18 carrying the first cardboard box can simultaneously ascend the access inclined path 21 to access the order preparation station where the preparation of the order they are assigned starts when the preparation of the order they are assigned is completed, while the vehicle 17 carrying the second storage container and the vehicle 18 carrying the second cardboard box can simultaneously descend.

[0079] The order preparation station further includes a parking zone (referred to as Z3) accessible by vehicles 17 and 18 from the inclined road 21. The upper end of the inclined road 21 is covered by a grid 27 that separates the parking zone Z3 from the driving zone Z1 and the temporary storage zone Z2 for vehicles 17 and 18. Further, an opening 29 is formed in this grid within the reach of the robot arm 26 to enable vehicles 17 and 18 to access the parking spaces within this parking zone Z3. In the example of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, a parking zone Z3 including exactly two parking spaces is shown, and thus the opening 29 is sized to allow the simultaneous passage of two vehicles. However, depending on the width of the inclined road 21, the parking zone may be provided with a greater number, for example four or six, of parking spaces. In this case, the opening 29 of the grid 27 is of course configured to allow the simultaneous passage of four or six vehicles depending on the number of parking spaces.

[0080] The presence of three or more adjacent spaces 23, 25 within the parking zone Z3 advantageously makes it possible to shorten the time taken for order preparation. Thus, it is possible to arrange a plurality of storage containers (for example, a container for ping pong balls and a container for ping pong bats) for transporting different items required for one order in the parking zone Z3. The ping pong balls are taken out from the first container and placed in the cardboard box 241, and then the ping pong bat is immediately taken out from the second container, and there is no need for the container for the ping pong bat to wait in place of the container for the ping pong balls within the parking space reserved for the storage container. It is also possible to provide a plurality of cardboard boxes 24 in the parking zone, which is advantageous when the same items are required for the preparation of a plurality of orders. For example, when three customers order ping pong balls, three cardboard boxes 24 may be arranged in the parking zone Z3 together with the storage container containing the ping pong balls. In that case, it is possible to take out the ping pong balls from the storage container 16 and quickly and continuously arrange them in each of the three cardboard boxes 24.

[0081] To improve the ergonomics of the order preparation station 121, the spaces adjacent to each other in the parking zone Z3 preferably face the operator or the robotic arm 26 and are within their reach. Thus, the operator does not need to walk around or move the electric arm on the floor to transfer the items of the order between the storage container 16 and the cardboard box 24. This transfer is achieved in a short time by the simple and ergonomic movement of the operator's arm or the robotic arm 26.

[0082] Furthermore, these adjacent spaces that are accessible from the ramp 21 providing access to the order preparation station are preferably arranged at a human height, so that as a result, the operator does not need to bend to handle the items constituting the order. This reduces the magnitude of the movements required by the operator and thus the risk of musculoskeletal problems.

[0083] To further improve the ergonomics of the order preparation station, the respective parking spaces 23 and 25 of the robots 18 and 17 may be height-adjustable or at different heights so as to conform to the dimensions of the storage container and the cardboard box. Thus, for example, if the storage container and the cardboard box have different height dimensions, it is possible to independently adjust the heights of the upper openings of the storage container and the upper openings of the cardboard box so that these openings are arranged at substantially the same height. This is particularly advantageous for the parking space intended to receive the cardboard box for shipping the order, as the dimensions can clearly vary from order to order depending on the number or size of the items ordered by the customer. When multiple orders are prepared in parallel and thus multiple shipping cardboard boxes are parked in the adjacent spaces of the parking zone, it is possible to individually adjust the height of the parking space for each collection cardboard box according to the dimensions of the collection cardboard box selected according to the quantity of the items ordered.

[0084] Therefore, when the height of the cardboard box 24 is smaller than the height of the storage container 16, the parking space for receiving the cardboard box 24 is higher than the parking space for receiving the storage container 16 so that the upper opening of the cardboard box 24 is at the same height as the upper opening of the storage container 16.

[0085] By enabling the height of the parking space for the collection cardboard box to be adjusted to the height of the collection cardboard box, it is ensured that its upper opening is always arranged at the correct level for the operator or the robotic arm, thereby improving the ergonomics of the order preparation station. Such height adjustment may be performed by a toothed rack for adjustment or by using electric lifting means controlled by a centralized management system according to the dimensions of the collection cardboard box selected from the shelf units. These dimensions are known to the centralized management system from the ID of the collection cardboard box associated with the ID of the order being prepared.

[0086] The robotic arm 26 attached to the fixed base 261 is intended to pick items from the storage container 16 brought in by the vehicle 17 within a predetermined parking space 25 (shown by a dotted line in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 which is an end view of the order preparation and packing station 121) at the end of the ramp 21 and place them into the cardboard box 241 conveyed by the vehicle 18 within a predetermined parking space 23 (shown by a dotted line in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3) at the end of the ramp 21.

[0087] This cardboard box 241 selected to form the package of the order being processed was taken out by the vehicle 18 from the unit for managing the inventory 110 of cardboard boxes. The selection of the specifications of this cardboard box from the set of available specifications of the cardboard boxes stored in the unit for managing the inventory 110 of cardboard boxes was made by a dedicated software application based on the number of items constituting the order, their dimensions, their properties, their shapes, or their fragility, and on how these items need to be wedged to ensure they are properly protected. Such a software application can receive all of this information as input parameters, which are stored, for example, in the database of the warehouse's centralized management system in relation to the items ordered. The packing optimization algorithm calculates the optimal dimensions of the cardboard box 241 to be selected from all of these input parameters and from the inventory 110 of cardboard boxes in the inventory management unit. When the vehicle 18 selects the optimal cardboard box 241, the information representing the selected cardboard box is sent to the unit for managing the inventory of cardboard boxes, and as a result, one unit is subtracted from the managed inventory of cardboard boxes. Also, the ID of the cardboard box 241 may be stored in the central management system in association with the ID of the order.

[0088] Such a software application may also determine the optimal arrangement of the items constituting the order within the selected cardboard box 241, for example, according to their respective shapes and fragility, or according to the available wedging and protective elements, and control the order of presentation of the storage containers of the items within the parking zone Z3 according to the determined optimal arrangement.

[0089] In another embodiment, such an application may also determine the optimal arrangement of the items constituting the order within the selected cardboard box 241 according to the order of presentation of the storage containers of the items constituting the order within the parking zone Z3, as determined by the central management system for managing the fleet of robots 17, 18.

[0090] In another embodiment, the selection of the cardboard box 241 is performed by the operator with full autonomy or with the assistance of a dedicated software application.

[0091] The first parking space 25 and the second parking space 23 for vehicles are preferably adjacent to each other and face the robotic arm 26. Therefore, the movement of the arm 26 for each item to be handled is limited to taking an item out of the storage bin 16, rotating the arm to place the arm above the cardboard box 24, placing the item into the cardboard box 24 through a substantially vertical movement, and returning to its initial position. This enables these operations to be repeated at high speed. The same applies to configurations having three, four or six adjacent parking spaces, only the magnitude of the movement of the arm increasing.

[0092] Thus, as can be easily understood, in this particular variant of the embodiment of the invention in which the operations performed by the robotic arm are performed by the operator, in addition to the time savings provided by this configuration, the risk of developing musculoskeletal problems is significantly reduced for the operator, similar to the risk of an item falling to the floor if it slips out of the operator's hand.

[0093] The first parking space 25 and the second parking space 23 are constituted by two substantially adjacent planes that form a parking zone Z3 which constitutes a part extending the upper portion of the inclined path 21. In a configuration having four or six parking spaces, the zone Z3 takes the form of an inclined plane extending the upper portion of the inclined path, and its width substantially corresponds to the width of four or six vehicles depending on the number of parking spaces.

[0094] Therefore, the items to be taken out can be easily placed at the operator's height, which also facilitates placing them into the cardboard box 24.

[0095] As can also be seen in Fig. 4, the parking zone referred to by Z3 is inclined with respect to the horizontal. When the access ramp 21 is an up-and-down ramp, this parking zone Z3 has, in particular, an inclination angle with respect to the horizontal with a sign opposite to that of the inclination of the access ramp 21. Accordingly, the respective parking spaces 23 and 25 for the vehicles 18 and 17 are within a plane 31 inclined with respect to the horizontal at the upper end of the ramp 21, facilitating access by the robot arm to the items in the storage container 16 and facilitating their placement in the cardboard box 24.

[0096] The design of such an access ramp 21 has the technical effect of providing a highly ergonomic order preparation station, and also provides great flexibility in the management of cardboard boxes 24 of different dimensions, as well as great flexibility in adapting in case of errors in the selection of the cardboard box suitable for the order. Thereby, the time taken for order preparation can be significantly shortened, and the processing efficiency of multiple orders can be optimized.

[0097] Specifically, as can be seen in Figs. 2 to 4, using the first cardboard box 241 brought in by the second set of vehicles 18, by instructing an operator or the robot arm 26 to place a part of the items constituting the order, it is possible to start preparing the order at the order preparation station 121, and these items are stored in various storage containers pre-conveyed to the order preparation station 121 by a plurality of vehicles among the first set 17 of vehicles.

[0098] If the dimensions of the first cardboard box 241 are not finally suitable for the quantity of items constituting the order (for example, because the customer added additional items to the order after the first cardboard box 241 was selected, or an initial error occurred in the selection of the cardboard box specifications by the operator), a second cardboard box 242 of more appropriate dimensions is selected and transported to the parking space in the parking zone Z3 by the vehicles of the second set 18. The first and second cardboard boxes are preferably arranged in adjacent parking spaces.

[0099] For example, in an embodiment where the parking zone Z3 includes two adjacent parking spaces, the vehicle of the second set 18 that has brought in the first cardboard box 241 moves from the first parking space 25 to the second parking space 23, releasing the first parking space 25. Next, the vehicle of the second set 18 transports the second cardboard box 242 to the released first parking space 25. Then, the operator or the robotic arm 26 can take out the items placed in the first cardboard box 241 and place them in the second cardboard box 242. When all the items have been taken out of the first cardboard box 241, the vehicle 18 that transports it may vacate its place in the parking space 23 for the vehicle 17 that transports the storage container 16 containing the items missing from the order. Then, the missing items are taken out of the storage container 16 and placed in the second cardboard box 242. When all the items constituting the order are placed in the second cardboard box 242, the latter may be transported to a device for closing the cardboard box at the order shipping station before being shipped to the end customer.

[0100] Thus, such a method makes it possible to correct errors regarding the size of the cardboard box selected by the operator or software application. Specifically, when the items of an order are arranged continuously within the selected cardboard box, if the operator or software application, for example, when trying to place a new item in the cardboard box, notices that the first selected cardboard box is actually too small and cannot hold all the items provided in this cardboard box, the operator or application can select another larger cardboard box that is taken out by a vehicle of a second set and transported to a second space, and the vehicle of the second set that transports the first selected cardboard box receives an instruction to vacate the space for the vehicle that transports the newly selected cardboard box and leave the second space to move to the first space.

[0101] Next, an operator or a robotic arm may take items out of the initially selected cardboard box and place them inside the newly selected cardboard box.

[0102] Furthermore, with the help of the first cardboard box 241 brought in by the second set of vehicles 18, it is also possible to start the first order at the order preparation station 121 by putting some of the items constituting the first order into the operator or robotic arm 26, and these items are stored in various storage containers that have been previously transported to the order preparation station 121 by a plurality of vehicles among the first set 17 of vehicles.

[0103] When the preparation of the second order is prioritized, or when the preparation of the first order cannot be completed because one of the items in the order is missing, the vehicles of the second set 18 vacate their place in the first parking space 23 to another vehicle of the second set 18 that transports the second cardboard box 24 for the preparation of the second order, and transport the first cardboard box 24 containing some of the items of the first order to the temporary storage zone Z2 and wait for the completion of the first order.

[0104] If the first and second cardboard boxes are not of the same height, it is possible to adjust the height of the parking space where the vehicle 18 carrying the second cardboard box is placed so that the second cardboard box is arranged ergonomically as much as possible. This adjustment may be automatically performed, for example, by scanning a barcode or QR code placed on the second cardboard box using a scanning device arranged in or near the parking zone Z3. Such a code contains, for example, information regarding the height of the cardboard box. The electric system for adjusting the height of the parking space sets the optimal position of the cardboard box facing the operator or robotic arm according to the height of the cardboard box estimated from scanning the barcode or QR code.

[0105] Subsequently, the preparation of the second order can be initiated by a request to an operator or a robotic arm to place the items of the second order contained in the storage container carried by the vehicle of the first set 17 to the order preparation station 121 into the second cardboard box 24. When some or all of the items of the second order are placed within the second cardboard box, the second cardboard box can be sent to the temporary storage zone Z2 (if the preparation of this second order is not complete, for example, due to a shortage of items), to the shipping station (if the preparation of this second order is complete), or to a conveyor connected to the shipping station.

[0106] In summary, it is possible to assume at least three operating modes for preparing an order by the system of FIGS. 2 to 4.

[0107] Example 1: Preparation of a "simple" order consisting of a single item After allocating a vehicle of the first set 17 to a storage container containing a single item of the order, this vehicle transports the storage container to the order preparation station 121, and the vehicle travels through the driving zone Z1 of the access ramp 21 to the parking zone Z3, where it parks in the second predetermined parking space 25. The operator or robotic arm 26 picks up the item and places it into the cardboard box 24 arranged in the first predetermined parking space 23. This collection container is transported by a vehicle of the second set 18 of the vehicle through the driving zone Z1 to the parking zone Z3. Subsequently, the collection container may be transferred to a temporary storage area (for example, to wait for "driving" the pickup of an order by the end customer) or to the shipping station.

[0108] If multiple "simple" orders for multiple customers consist of the same item, it is also possible to arrange a plurality of cardboard boxes 24 in a plurality of adjacent spaces in the parking zone Z3 using storage containers that accommodate the single item ordered. In this case, the height of each parking space for these cardboard boxes is preferably adjusted according to their respective heights. The operator or robotic arm takes the item and continuously places it in each cardboard box, and the upper openings of each of them are all adjusted to the same level. These cardboard boxes may then be transferred to a temporary storage area or a shipping station.

[0109] Example 2: Preparation of a "simple" order consisting of a plurality of different items stored in different locations within a warehouse The preparation of the order proceeds substantially the same as in Example 1. Since the order consists of a plurality of items, in this case, a plurality of vehicles of the first set 17 are prepared to go and pick up storage containers each containing one of the items that make up the order, and after assigning one storage container to be taken out from each of them one by one, they are successively presented to the second predetermined parking space 25. Then, the operator or robotic arm 26 continuously takes out the various items that make up the order and places them in cardboard boxes arranged in the first predetermined parking space 23, which are brought in by the vehicles of the second set 18 of vehicles.

[0110] Thus, when the parking zone includes two parking spaces 23 and 25, the first vehicle 17 carrying the first storage container with the first item of the order accesses the parking zone Z3 by going up the access ramp 21 through the driving zone Z1. The first item is taken out by the robotic arm 26 and placed in a cardboard box arranged in the space 23 immediately adjacent to the parking space 25 of this first vehicle 17. Then, this first vehicle can return straight down the ramp 21 through the same route of the driving zone Z1 it went up, or through another downward route of this driving zone Z1. The vehicle can easily move from one route to the other by performing a movement in a direction perpendicular to the direction of these driving routes, for example by means of drive wheels that rotate on the spot. While this first vehicle is going down the ramp 21, the second vehicle 17 carrying the second storage container with the second item of the order goes up the access ramp 21 through the free driving route of the access ramp 21. The two vehicles can go up and down simultaneously, which results in a substantial time saving for order preparation. When reaching the top of the ramp 21, if the upward route it followed does not face the parking zone, the second vehicle 17 may move in a direction perpendicular to the upward direction until it faces the parking space. Then, it turns 90° again so as to move forward to its parking space in a direction parallel to the direction in which it came up the ramp 21.

[0111] Again, the robotic arm 26 removes a second item that constitutes an order from the storage container parked in the parking space 25 and places it in the cardboard box parked in the adjacent parking space 23. Next, the second vehicle 17 leaves the parking zone Z3, returns to the storage area 11 through the driving zone Z1, where it can return the storage container to the shelf unit 14. It may also leave the parking zone Z3 and head towards another order preparation station where the items it contains are required for the preparation of another order. Finally, if the items it contains can be used for the preparation of another order that is immediately constituted at the same order preparation station 121, it can leave the parking zone Z3 and be temporarily placed in the temporary storage zone Z2. Specifically, in this case, it is advantageous for the vehicle to stay at the order preparation station, avoiding unnecessary movements and thus shortening the time taken to process the order. Therefore, it is advantageous for the temporary storage zone Z2 to be able to store multiple vehicles if all of them can be used for the preparation of future orders.

[0112] When the preparation of the order is complete, since all the items that constitute the order have been collected, the cardboard box assigned to it may be transferred to the temporary storage area or the shipping station, where it may be closed before shipping.

[0113] On the one hand, when the parking zone Z3 includes three or more parking spaces, it is possible to simultaneously place in this zone the cardboard box conveyed by the vehicle 18 and the various storage containers conveyed by the first set of vehicles 17 and each containing items that make up an order. As a result, various items can be continuously and quickly removed from each storage container by the robotic arm and placed in the cardboard box, further speeding up the time taken to process the order. To improve ergonomics, the height of the parking space for each storage container or cardboard box is adjusted according to the dimensions of the latter. This adjustment may be automated or may be done manually by the operator. As soon as an item is removed from the storage container by the operator or the robotic arm, the vehicle carrying the item may leave the ramp and yield its place to another vehicle.

[0114] Example 3: Prepare part of an order containing multiple items, wait for this order, and during that time prepare another order that has become a priority In this example, as in Example 2, the preparation of order C1 is started. When another order C2 becomes a priority, the transfer of the items making up the order C1 being prepared to the cardboard box in the parking zone Z3 is interrupted, and this cardboard box is conveyed by the second set 18 of vehicles that convey it to the temporary storage zone Z2. As a result, the first predetermined parking space 23 for the second set 18 of vehicles carrying the cardboard box assigned to the priority order C2 is freed, and the preparation of the priority order C2 can be started by conveying the storage container containing the items making up order C2 to the second parking space 25 with the help of the vehicles of the first set 17 of vehicles. Preferably, before the preparation of order C2 starts, the height of the parking space for the cardboard box assigned to it is first adjusted, especially if the latter does not have the same specifications as the cardboard box assigned to the first order C1.

[0115] As a result, the vehicle 18 assigned to order C1 temporarily parks in the temporary storage zone Z2. During this time, the vehicle 17 that has brought the items constituting order C2 into the storage container travels through the driving zone Z1 and sequentially accesses the parking zone Z3. When the robotic arm 26 takes the items of order C2 from one of these vehicles 17, the latter can leave the ramp 21 through the driving zone Z1, while the next vehicle 17 climbs parallel through another route for accessing the ramp. When the preparation of order C2 is completed, the vehicle 18 assigned to order C1 leaves the temporary storage zone Z2 and returns to the parking zone Z3, and the preparation of order C1 can be resumed. The vehicle can move from one access route to another, or from the driving zone to the temporary storage zone, or from the temporary storage zone to the parking zone, by moving in at least two mutually perpendicular directions, i.e., a direction parallel to the access route and a direction perpendicular to the access route.

[0116] The above examples of the operating modes in no way limit the way vehicles, items, and orders are managed when implementing the method of the present disclosure. They are merely intended to illustrate the flexibility provided by the method with respect to the management of the inventory of vehicles and cardboard boxes, as well as with respect to the composition of orders.

[0117] Specifically, the structuring of the order preparation stations in the three zones, the possible height adjustment of the adjacent parking spaces for the vehicles, and the configuration of the access ramp with multiple routes for the vehicles to go up and down, combined with the high mobility of the vehicles, enable a high degree of flexibility in the management of the order sequence in which orders are prepared, and depending on the priority of the cardboard boxes for shipping and the changes in their dimensions, put them on standby and resume them as needed.

[0118] To reduce the loss of time when transporting various storage containers for constructing an order to the parking space 25, the vehicle 17 advantageously moves laterally by moving down the ramp through a downward path parallel to the upward path and waiting until a location in the parking space 25 is freed by the preceding vehicle after the items constituting the order are taken out from the storage container supported by this vehicle by the robot arm 26, and are arranged side by side in a row on the ramp 21.

[0119] List of Patent Documents Patent Document The following patent documents are cited for all legitimate purposes. Patent Document 1: US Patent Application Publication No. 2018 / 0305123 (Publication Number) Patent Document 2: US Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0270591 (Publication Number) Patent Document 3: US Patent Application Publication No. 2021 / 0221615 (Publication Number) Patent Document 4: International Publication No. WO2023001449 Pamphlet (Publication Number) Patent Document 5: French Patent Application Publication No. 3125514 (Publication Number) Patent Document 6: International Publication No. WO2017064428 Pamphlet (Publication Number) Patent Document 7: International Publication No. WO2018189110 Pamphlet (Publication Number) Patent Document 8: International Publication No. WO2022058569 Pamphlet (Publication Number)

Explanation of Reference Signs

[0120] 10 Warehouse, 11 Storage Area, 12 Order Preparation and Packing Area (Order Preparation Area), 121 Order Preparation and Packing Station (Order Preparation Station), 13 Shipping Area, 131 Package Shipping Station, 132 Cardboard Box, 14 Shelf Unit, 15 Support Column, 16 Storage Container (Bin), 17 Vehicle (Robot, First Fleet of Vehicles, First Set of Vehicles), 18 Vehicle (Robot, Second Fleet of Vehicles, Second Set of Vehicles), 21 Access Ramp, 23 Parking Space, 241 First Cardboard Box, 242 Second Cardboard Box, 25 Parking Space, 26 Robot Arm, 261 Base of Robot Arm, 27 Grid, 28 Charging Pad, 29 Opening, 31 Inclined Surface, 110 Inventory of Cardboard Boxes, Z1 Travel Zone, Z2 Temporary Storage Zone, Z3 Parking Zone, C1 Order, C2 Order

Claims

1. A method for order preparation and packing, comprising: - At least one storage container (16) for at least one item is carried to the order preparation station (12 １ ) by at least one vehicle of a first set (17) of self-guided vehicles configured to move on a bed - A first cardboard box (24) intended to form a package of goods for one of the orders １ ) and a selection step of selecting, - by at least one vehicle of the second set (18) of self-guided vehicles configured to move on the bed, the selected first cardboard box to the order preparation station (12 １ ) a transport step of carrying, - Take out at least one item from one of the storage containers (16) and place the taken out at least one item into the selected first cardboard box (24 １ ) a taking-out step of arranging; in the method, the transportation step is performed by moving the vehicle in a driving zone (Z1) provided on a ramp (21) for accessing the order preparation station; the picking step is performed in a parking zone (Z3) accessible from the ramp (21) having at least two adjacent parking spaces (23, 25) intended to receive the first set of vehicles and the second set of vehicles respectively; the first cardboard box (24 １ ), and / or at least one of the storage containers (16), adjusting at least one height of the adjacent parking spaces (23, 25) according to the dimensions thereof, A method characterized by the above.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least two of said parking spaces (23, 25) are at different heights.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least two adjacent parking spaces (23, 25) face the position of an operator or a robotic arm (26).

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one of the adjacent parking spaces (23, 25) is inclined (31) with respect to the horizontal.

5. when an error occurs when selecting the first cardboard box (24 １ ), the method is - A selection step of selecting a second cardboard box (24) intended to form a package of the ordered goods ２ ) and, - the first cardboard box (24 １ ) moving the vehicle of the second set (18) from the first parking space among the adjacent parking spaces to the second parking space among the adjacent parking spaces, and a moving step of releasing the first parking space - the selected second cardboard box (24 ２ ) being transported by at least one vehicle of the second set (18) to the released first parking space; - taking out the at least one item disposed in the first cardboard box (24 １ ), and placing the taken-out at least one item in the second cardboard box (24 ２ ); and a taking-out step The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by including.

6. The selection of the first cardboard box and / or the second cardboard box is - the number of items constituting the order, - the dimensions of the items constituting the order, - the nature of the items constituting the order, - the vulnerability of the items constituting the order, - the size of the elements for wedging and / or protecting the items constituting the order inserted into the cardboard box, - the dimensions of the available cardboard boxes, The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by considering at least one parameter belonging to the group consisting of.

7. The selection of the first cardboard box and / or the second cardboard box includes transmitting one piece of information representing the selected cardboard box to a unit for managing the inventory of cardboard boxes. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by including.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising the step of determining the arrangement of one or more of the items constituting the order inside the first cardboard box and / or the second cardboard box according to the order of the order in which at least one of the storage containers (16) for one or more of the items constituting the order is presented in the parking zone (Z3).

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that at least a part of the vehicles among the vehicles of the first set (17) is also a vehicle belonging to the vehicles of the second set (18), or vice versa.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by including a conveying step of conveying the vehicle that transports the selected first cardboard box or the second cardboard box to means for closing the cardboard box at the order sending station.

11. In the case of a change in the order of orders to be prepared, the method freely moves at least one of the vehicles among the vehicles of the first set and / or the second set in at least two mutually perpendicular directions from the parking zone (Z3), or from the driving zone (Z1), to the temporary storage zone (Z2) of the vehicle provided on the inclined road (21), and vice versa. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized by including this.

12. - A temporary storage step of temporarily storing at least one vehicle of the second set in the temporary storage zone (Z2), and temporarily storing until the order related to the cardboard box carried by the temporarily stored vehicle becomes a priority. A temporary storage step; - A moving step of moving the temporarily stored vehicle from the temporary storage zone (Z2) to the driving zone (Z1) in a first moving direction, and moving the temporarily stored vehicle from the driving zone (Z1) to the parking zone (Z3) in a second moving direction perpendicular to the first moving direction. The method according to claim 11, characterized by including this.

13. A computer program product including program code instructions for implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 12 when executed by a processor.

14. A program, when the program is executed by a processor, implements the method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, and a persistent computer-readable recording medium on which the program is recorded.

15. A system for order preparation and packing, - at least one order preparation station (12 １ ) and, - Move on the bed and transport at least one storage container (16) for at least one item to the at least one order preparation station (12 １ ) of a first set (17) of self-guided vehicles configured to do so, - A second set (18) of self-guided vehicles configured to move on the floor and carry at least one cardboard box (24) intended to form a package of goods for one of the orders to the at least one order preparation station; Comprising, in a system, At least one of said order preparation stations (12 １ ) is, - An inclined path (21) for the vehicle to access at least one of the order preparation stations, the inclined path comprising at least one driving zone (Z1) for the vehicle; - A parking zone (Z3) accessible from the inclined path, comprising at least two adjacent parking spaces (23, 25) intended to receive the vehicles of the first set (17) and the vehicles of the second set (18) respectively; - Adjusting means for adjusting at least one height of the adjacent parking spaces (23, 25) according to the dimensions of at least one of the cardboard boxes and / or at least one of the storage containers; A system, characterized in that it comprises.

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