Processes for automated handling of products stored in warehouses

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for automated handling of products stored in a storage warehouse (30). The process involves placing the products in transport trays (14) located at a product receiving station (10), separating and placing the products according to product type. The transport trays (14) are then transported from the product receiving station (10) to an intermediate automated warehouse (20) by a first automated vehicle (50) and stored in a predetermined location within the intermediate automated warehouse (20). When the storage warehouse (30) is ready to receive the products placed in the transport trays (14), a request to retrieve the transport trays (14) is sent to the intermediate automated warehouse (20). Following this request, the transport trays (14) are transported from the intermediate automated warehouse (20) to the storage warehouse (30) by an automated vehicle (50) that may or may not be identical to the first automated vehicle (50). The products are then picked up from the transport trays (14) and placed in a collection tray located in the storage warehouse (30). The collection trays are then stored in a predetermined location within the storage warehouse (30).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a process for automated handling of products stored in a storage warehouse. [Background technology]

[0002] In the context of the logistics of a production company, it is particularly important to handle as efficiently as possible the flow of products within the plant between the product receiving station and the warehouse where these products are stored in anticipation of their future use (herein referred to as the "storage warehouse").

[0003] In particular, it is desirable that the products to be stored be sent to the storage warehouse with suitable timing and preparation to allow them to be stored immediately after they reach the product receiving station and are uploaded to the computer system that handles the storage warehouse, in order to avoid the products being stopped or remaining in areas of the plant other than the storage warehouse.

[0004] However, the applicant has recognized that, typically, especially in medium to highly automated enterprises with medium to large automated warehouses, the insertion and removal of products into and from storage warehouses is controlled by specialized warehouse management software. In these cases, the timing at which products to be stored arrive at and are handled at product receiving stations differs from the storage timing imposed by the warehouse management software. Therefore, it is common to find products held and / or stacked near storage warehouses within a factory, waiting to be picked up and placed in the warehouse, which not only impairs the organization and optimization of space within the factory, but also impairs the warehouse operator's ability to easily and quickly identify the location of various products to be stored according to the storage instructions imposed by the warehouse management software.

[0005] The applicant recognizes that similar drawbacks to those mentioned above may also arise when product storage operations are performed in whole or in part by warehouse operators, such as in enterprises that do not have automated warehouses or that have automated warehouses but where the products are handled by warehouse operators before being delivered to the automated warehouses, and these operators are not always in a position to immediately handle the products arriving from the product receiving stations.

[0006] Applicant also recognizes that the aforementioned drawbacks are accentuated by the following factors: The products arriving at the product receiving station are of different types and therefore must be stored in different locations within the storage warehouse. The aforementioned products arrive at the product receiving station and / or storage warehouse at different times. Once loaded into the computer system that handles the warehouse, the aforementioned products must be removed from the product receiving station as quickly as possible so that other products can be handled at the product receiving station.

[0007] All these factors mean that product handling times at product receiving stations vary from case to case and cannot be predicted in advance, making it nearly impossible to reconcile these times with those imposed by warehouse management software.

[0008] Therefore, the applicant has considered how to handle the flow of products within a plant between product receiving stations and storage warehouses in an automated and efficient manner while overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks caused by inconsistencies in product handling times between product receiving stations and storage warehouses.

[0009] The applicant has recognized that in order to achieve efficient handling of stored products, it is prudent to first arrange products arriving at a product receiving station in transport trays according to product type, so that identical products can be stored at storage warehouse locations.

[0010] The applicant has also recognized that in order to achieve automated handling of stored products, it is advisable to move the products between the product receiving station and the storage warehouse by means of an automated vehicle handled by warehouse management software. In this way, as soon as a product at a product receiving station is uploaded to a computer system handling the storage warehouse, the warehouse management software can send an automated vehicle to that product receiving station so that said product can be removed from that product receiving station in a timely manner.

[0011] The applicant also recognized that the drawbacks caused by the inconsistency in product handling times at the product receiving station and the storage warehouse can be overcome by providing an intermediate automated warehouse within the plant that can temporarily store products from the product receiving station and send them to the storage warehouse only when the storage warehouse is ready to store them. This intermediate automated warehouse thus absorbs the timing difference between the product receiving station and the storage warehouse. The intermediate automated warehouse receives products from the product receiving station and then releases them according to a storage order imposed by the warehouse management software. Thus, the intermediate automated warehouse functions as an automated sequencer. Summary of the Invention

[0012] The present invention therefore relates to a process for the automated handling of products stored in a storage warehouse.

[0013] Preferably, the products are placed in a carrier tray located at the product receiving station.

[0014] Preferably, the products are placed in the carrier tray by separating them from one another according to product type.

[0015] Preferably, after placing these products in the carrier trays, the carrier trays are transferred from the product receiving station to an intermediate automated warehouse.

[0016] Preferably, the transfer is performed by a first autonomous vehicle.

[0017] Preferably, the transport trays are stored in predetermined locations within the intermediate automated warehouse.

[0018] Preferably, when the storage warehouse is ready to receive the products contained in said transport trays, a request is sent to the intermediate automated warehouse to retrieve the transport trays.

[0019] Preferably, following transmission of this withdrawal request, the transport tray is transferred from the intermediate automated warehouse to the storage warehouse.

[0020] Preferably, this transfer is performed by an autonomous vehicle that may or may not be coincident with the first autonomous vehicle.

[0021] Preferably, the products are picked up from the transport tray and placed in a collection tray located in the storage warehouse.

[0022] Preferably, the collection trays are stored in predetermined locations within the storage warehouse.

[0023] Thanks to the provision of intermediate automated warehouses and the use of self-driving vehicles, it is possible to automate all operations from loading products into the computer system handling the storage warehouse to delivering the products to the storage warehouse, and to sequence the products to be sent automatically to the storage warehouse according to the storage sequence imposed by the warehouse management software, regardless of the product handling time at the product receiving station.

[0024] The present invention can have at least one of the preferred features described below, either individually or in combination.

[0025] Preferably, the products are identified at the product receiving station by reading a product identification code associated with each of the products or a plurality of identical products, which may occur before or after placing the products in the carrier tray, preferably before placing the products in the carrier tray.

[0026] Preferably, said product identification code is printed on a package insert associated with each of said products or a plurality of identical products.

[0027] Preferably, the quantity of the associated product is indicated on the package insert.

[0028] The package insert may be prepared by an operator present at the product receiving station or by the supplier of the product(s).

[0029] Preferably, the products are placed in respective containers by product type, and then the containers are placed on a carrier tray. Alternatively, containers can be placed on a carrier tray, and only then are the products placed in the containers to separate the products by product type. Such an operation can be performed before or after, preferably after, the product identification.

[0030] The products contained in a container placed on a carrier tray may be the same as or different from the products contained in another container placed on the same carrier tray.

[0031] Preferably, the package insert is placed in the container housing the associated product, in such a way that a visual check or verification of the contents of the container can be performed at any time.

[0032] Preferably, the delivery tray is identified, and in this way the computer system handling the storage warehouse uniquely associates specific products and quantities of these products with specific delivery trays.

[0033] Preferably, the identification of the transport tray occurs before the transport tray is transferred from the product receiving station to the intermediate automated warehouse.

[0034] Preferably, the identification of the carrier tray is performed by reading a tray identification code associated with the carrier tray.

[0035] Preferably, the position of each container relative to the carrier tray is identified.

[0036] Preferably, the identification of the position of each container relative to the carrier tray is performed after placing said container on the carrier tray.

[0037] Preferably, the location of each container relative to the delivery tray is identified by reading a container positioning identification code associated with the delivery tray near the respective container. In this manner, the computer system handling the storage warehouse uniquely associates each container (and therefore the products and quantities of those products contained therein) with a specific location within the delivery tray.

[0038] Preferably, a request for intervention is transmitted to request said first autonomous vehicle.

[0039] This action can be performed before transferring the carrier tray from the product receiving station to the intermediate automated warehouse, before or after placing said products on the carrier tray, preferably after placing said products on the carrier tray.

[0040] Preferably, after placing the products in the transport tray and before transferring the transport tray from the product receiving station to the intermediate automated storeroom, an optical tray completion code associated with the transport tray is read.

[0041] Preferably, the transport tray may be provided with a first service optical code that identifies the possibility of being emptied by the robotic arm.

[0042] Preferably, the first service optical code is read.

[0043] Preferably, the reading of the first service optical code can be performed before or after identifying the transport tray, more preferably after identifying the transport tray, and in any case before transferring the transport tray from the product receiving station to the intermediate automated warehouse.

[0044] Preferably, the first service optical code is also printed on the package insert.

[0045] Preferably, before placing the products in the carrier tray, the first service code is read from the package insert.

[0046] Preferably, after reading the first service optical code from the transport tray, the transport tray is transferred from the intermediate automated warehouse to a robotic input station of the storage warehouse, the robotic input station being equipped with at least one robotic arm.

[0047] Preferably, the carrier tray may also be provided with a second service optical code that identifies it as being capable of being emptied only by an operator.

[0048] In this case, this second service optical code is read before the transport tray is transferred from the product receiving station to the intermediate automated warehouse.

[0049] Preferably, after reading the second service optical code, the delivery tray is transferred from the intermediate automated warehouse to a non-robotic input station in the storage warehouse in the presence of an operator who removes the products from the delivery tray and places them in a collection tray.

[0050] Preferably, after storing at least a portion of the products in the collection tray, the transport tray is transported from the storage warehouse to an intermediate automated warehouse by an automated vehicle that may or may not be matched to the first automated vehicle.

[0051] Preferably, before placing the products in the carrier trays, the carrier trays are transferred from the intermediate automated warehouse to a product receiving station.

[0052] Preferably, the transfer is performed by an autonomous vehicle that may or may not be matched to the first autonomous vehicle.

[0053] Preferably, prior to the transfer of the carrier tray from the intermediate automated warehouse to the product receiving station, the call is made by an operator activating a call button.

[0054] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, given by way of illustrative and non-limiting examples, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0055] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a simplified schematic layout of an area of ​​a plant in which a process for automated handling of products stored in a storage warehouse according to the present invention is implemented. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a plan view from above of a carrier tray used in the process of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a side view of the carrier tray of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a plan view from above of a package insert used in the process of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a plan view from above of a collection tray used in the process of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a side view of the collection tray of FIG. 5. [Figure 7]3 shows the frame of the carrier tray of FIG. 2 analyzed by the process control software of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0056] In FIG. 1, reference number 100 indicates an area of ​​a plant in which a process for automated handling of products stored in a storage warehouse according to the invention is implemented.

[0057] The stored products may be supplied from external suppliers, or from other areas of the same plant, or from other plants of the same company or group of companies. In a non-limiting example, the products are components or parts of a packing machine, for example a cigarette packing machine.

[0058] The aforementioned products are first processed at a product receiving station 10, where the products are placed into containers 16 (FIG. 2) that are placed on transport trays 14 for temporary storage in an intermediate automated warehouse 20.

[0059] In addition to the product receiving station 10 and the automated intermediate storehouse 20, the plant area 100 is provided with a storage storehouse 30, where the aforementioned products are ultimately stored for pick-up when required.

[0060] The storage warehouse 30 is preferably an automated warehouse.

[0061] Each product, or each of a plurality of identical products, present at product receiving station 10 is accompanied by an attached document 18, shown in Figure 4. This document 18 indicates the number and type of product associated with it. This information is also contained in a product identification code 40 printed on document 18 itself. Preferably, this product identification code 40 is an optical code that can be read by an optical reader, and more preferably, is a bar code.

[0062] The insert 18 may be prepared by an operator present at the product receiving station 10 or may be prepared directly by the product supplier and delivered to the product receiving station 10 along with the product itself.

[0063] In some embodiments as shown herein, a first service optical code 47 is also printed on the package insert 18, which identifies the possibility of handling the respective product by the robotic arm 34 located at the robotic input station 32a (FIG. 1) of the storage warehouse 30. However, embodiments are envisioned in which the package insert 18 does not have the aforementioned first service optical code 47.

[0064] The product receiving station 10 includes a plurality of product loading stations 12 where various operators place products to be stored into their respective containers 16 and onto carrier trays 14 .

[0065] The carrier trays 14 without containers 16 are temporarily stored in an intermediate automated warehouse 20 from which they are transported to the product loading station 12. Once the containers 16, at least partially filled with product, have been loaded, the carrier trays 14 are returned to the intermediate automated warehouse 20.

[0066] The transfer of each transport tray 14 from the intermediate automated warehouse 20 to the product loading station 12 is performed after an operator calls an automated vehicle 50, which starts from a parking area 52 where multiple automated vehicles 50 are present, first reaches the intermediate automated warehouse 20, retrieves the transport tray 14 from the intermediate automated warehouse, and then reaches the product loading station 12. This call is made by the operator, for example, by activating a call button (not shown) specially provided at the product loading station 12.

[0067] 2 and 3, each carrier tray 14 has a substantially parallelepiped shape and includes a bottom wall 14a, four side walls 14b, and an upper periphery 15 opposite the bottom wall 14a that defines a top opening 14c that allows access to an essentially parallelepiped-shaped compartment 14d.

[0068] In the context of this specification and the appended claims, spatial references such as "upper," "top," "above," etc., and "bottom," "below," etc., should be understood to refer to the operational position of the transport tray 14 when it is resting by its bottom wall 14a.

[0069] Compartment 14d accommodates containers 16, ten in the non-limiting example of FIG.

[0070] The container 16 has a substantially parallelepiped shape.

[0071] The containers 16 are arranged side by side within the carrier tray 14. In the non-limiting example of Figure 2, the containers 16 are arranged in two rows of five containers 16 along each long side of the carrier tray 14.

[0072] Preferably, the container 16 is an open-fronted storage box.

[0073] The operator places the products in the carrier trays 14 and separates them according to product type. Thus, each container 16 contains the same type of product. Containers 16 in the same carrier tray 14 may contain identical or even different products. Some containers 16 may contain a single product if the product is large.

[0074] The products may be placed into their respective containers 16 before the containers 16 are placed into the carrier tray 14 or after the containers 16 are placed into the carrier tray 14 .

[0075] The product is identified at the product receiving station 10 by reading the product identification code 40 printed on the package insert 18 .

[0076] After the product is loaded into the container 16, the package insert 18 is also placed within the container 16 along with its associated product.

[0077] The product identification code 40 can be read before or after the product is placed in the container 16 and before or after the container 16 is placed in the carrier tray 14 .

[0078] Each carrier tray 14 has a respective tray identification code 42 .

[0079] The tray identification code 42 is preferably located either on the upper periphery 15 of the carrier tray 14 or on the side wall 14b of the carrier tray 14 so that it is visible when the carrier tray 14 is viewed from above.

[0080] Preferably, the tray identification code 42 is an optical code that can be read by an optical reader, and more preferably a bar code.

[0081] Associated adjacent the tray identification code 42 is an alphanumeric code that allows visual identification of the carrier tray 14 by an operator.

[0082] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, two tray identification codes 42 are provided on the upper periphery 15 of the carrier tray 14. These are located adjacent to one long side of the carrier tray 14, opposite the top opening 14c. This arrangement identifies a row into which the first five containers 16 should be placed, starting from the left (or from below, based on the position of the carrier tray 14 in FIG. 2) and moving to the right (or upward, based on the position of the carrier tray 14 in FIG. 2). The second row of containers 16 is arranged in the same order as the containers 16 in the first row. For example, referring to FIG. 7, ten containers 16 are arranged consecutively at positions numbered I through X, with position I located adjacent to the tray identification code 42 on the left (or below, based on the position of the carrier tray 14 in FIG. 7), positions II through V located alongside each other along the row between the two tray identification codes 42, and positions VI through X located adjacent to positions I through V, respectively, along the row adjacent to the row of positions I through V.

[0083] Before or after filling the carrier tray 14 with containers 16 at least partially filled with product, the carrier tray 14 is identified by an operator by reading one of the tray identification codes 42 .

[0084] 2 and 3, the carrier tray 14 further includes a plurality of container positioning identification codes 46 on its upper periphery 15. Each of these codes 46 is positioned adjacent to a respective zone of the compartment 14d configured to receive a corresponding container 16.

[0085] Preferably, the container positioning identification code 46 is an optical code, more preferably a bar code, that can be read by an optical reader.

[0086] After each container 16 is placed in the carrier tray 14, the location of that container 16 relative to the carrier tray 14 (and therefore the location and amount of product contained therein) is identified by reading the container positioning identification code 46 adjacent to that container 16.

[0087] 3, the transport tray 14 further comprises a first service optical code 47 that identifies the possibility of being emptied by the robot arm 34 provided at the robot input station 32a of the storage warehouse 30 (FIG. 1). This code 47 is identical to the first service optical code 47 that may be printed on the package insert 18.

[0088] In the embodiment shown, the carrier tray 14 also includes a second service optical code 47a which identifies that it can also be emptied manually by an operator.

[0089] The first service optical code 47 and the second service optical code 47a are located on the side wall 14b of the carrier tray 14 where the tray identification code 42 is also located.

[0090] Thus, the transport trays 14 shown in the accompanying drawings are suitable for being emptied either by the robotic arm 34 or manually. An operator determines the type of transport tray 14 to be emptied, robotically or manually, by reading either the first service optical code 47 or the second service optical code 47a with an optical reader. All containers 16 housed in the transport tray 14 for which the first service optical code 47 is read are emptied by the robotic arm, just as all containers 16 housed in the transport tray 14 for which the second service optical code 47a is read are emptied manually.

[0091] There may be carrier trays 14 that contain only the first service optical code 47. These trays 14 should only be filled with products that come with package inserts 18 that also carry the first service optical code 47.

[0092] Additional carrier trays 14 may be provided that contain only the second service optical code 47a. These trays 14 should be filled only with products with package inserts 18 that do not have the first service optical code 47.

[0093] Any discrepancy in reading, such as, for example, reading a first service optical code 47 that is on an insert 18 placed within a container 16 but not on the carrier tray 14 on which the container 16 containing that insert 18 and the corresponding product is placed, or vice versa, or reading a first service optical code 47 on an insert 18 placed within a container 16 and a second service optical code 47a on the carrier tray 14 on which the container 16 containing that insert 18 and the associated product is placed, will generate an alarm signal to alert the operator to make appropriate checks.

[0094] 3, the transport tray 14 also includes an optical tray completion code 48 on the same side wall 14b where the tray identification code 42 is also located. An operator reads this optical code 48 to notify the computer system serving the storage warehouse 30 that the loading of the products into their respective containers 16, and the containers 16 onto the transport tray 14, is complete and therefore the transport tray 14 can be transferred to the intermediate automated warehouse 20.

[0095] This transfer is performed by the same autonomous vehicle 50 that transferred the transport tray 14 from the intermediate automated warehouse 20 to the product loading station 12, or by a different autonomous vehicle 50 that is specifically called by an operator, for example by activating the call button mentioned above. In this case, the autonomous vehicle 50 travels directly from the parking area 52 to the product loading station 12 without passing through the intermediate automated warehouse 20.

[0096] Reading the optical tray completion code 48 can also automatically call the autonomous vehicle 50.

[0097] The transfer of the transport trays 14 from the product receiving station 10 to the automated vehicle 50 and from there to the intermediate automated warehouse 20 is effected by moving respective conveyors, for example roller conveyors.

[0098] The intermediate automated warehouse 20 receives the transport trays 14 from the automated vehicle 50 and stores the transport trays 14 in a predetermined location therein until the storage warehouse 30 is ready to receive the products placed in the containers 16 of the transport trays 14.

[0099] When the computer system that handles the storage warehouse 30 detects that the storage warehouse 30 is ready to receive products stored in the transport trays 14 inside the intermediate automated warehouse 20, it sends a request to the intermediate automated warehouse 20 to retrieve the transport trays 14.

[0100] In response to this request, the automatically driven vehicle 50 moves from the parking area 52 to the intermediate automated warehouse 20, loads the transport tray 14, and then moves from the intermediate automated warehouse 20 to the input area 32 of the storage warehouse 30.

[0101] The other automated vehicle 50 mentioned above may or may not be the same vehicle that previously transported the same transport tray 14 to the intermediate automated warehouse 20.

[0102] At the input area 32 of the storage warehouse 30, the products placed in the containers 16 contained in the transport trays 14 are sorted according to their type and transferred to collection trays 38. The collection trays 38, not necessarily completely filled, are then deposited in predetermined locations within the storage warehouse 30.

[0103] The input area 32 can include multiple robotic input stations 32a, or both robotic input stations 32a and non-robotic input stations, as shown in Figure 1. In the latter case, the automated vehicle 50 transfers the transport tray 14 to either the robotic input station 32a or the non-robotic input station depending on whether the first service optical code 47 or the second service optical code 47a is read. The input area 32 can also include only non-robotic input stations.

[0104] Each robot input station 32a in the storage warehouse 30 includes a robot arm 34 and a supply conveyor 33a. The robot arm 34 is positioned next to the supply conveyor 33a.

[0105] The carrier trays 14 are transferred from the autonomous vehicle 50 to a supply conveyor 33a and transported by the supply conveyor to a detection station (not shown) where the carrier trays 14 are locked into a fixed position by removable locking elements.

[0106] A vision system comprising a camera and a pair of infrared emitters is provided at the detection station and is positioned to illuminate the carrier tray 14 from above and capture an image of the carrier tray 14, as shown in FIG.

[0107] This is done to detect the tray identification code 42 and to check that the container 16 and carrier tray 14 are in the correct position.

[0108] 7, dashed lines indicate areas in the image captured by the camera that indicate the correct positioning of the transport trays 14 (dashed lines defining the dashed rectangles 35d) and containers 16 (dashed lines on the short sides 35e of each container 16). For example, it can be expected that in the case of correct positioning, the aforementioned dashed lines will be green, and in the case of incorrect positioning, the aforementioned dashed lines will turn red. In the latter case, the computer system handling the storage warehouse 30 will alert the operator to the need to manually correct the position of the transport trays 14 and / or containers 16 until the dashed lines turn green.

[0109] The vision system further allows checking the correct spatial orientation of the carrier tray 14. This is done by identifying the location of a tray identification code 42 located on the upper periphery 15 of the carrier tray 14.

[0110] The robotic arm 34 grasps each of the products contained in the container 16 and releases them into a respective collection tray 38 .

[0111] 5 and 6, the collection tray 38 has a substantially parallelepiped shape and includes a bottom wall 38a, four side walls 38b, and an upper periphery 41 opposite the bottom wall 38a that defines an upper opening 38c. The upper opening 38c provides access to a substantially parallelepiped-shaped compartment 38d. In such compartment 38d, multiple separators 38e may be positioned, e.g., orthogonal to one another, to define multiple (e.g., six in the non-limiting example of FIG. 5) parallelepiped-shaped compartments 38f.

[0112] A tray identification code 43, preferably an optical code that can be read by an optical reader, is located on the upper periphery 41.

[0113] Once all the products removed from a container 16, or from several containers 16 containing the same product, have been placed in a collection tray 38, the collection tray is identified by reading the tray identification code 43.

[0114] Additionally, the collection tray 38 also includes a service optical code 49 that identifies it as suitable for use at the robotic input station 32a, and an optical tray completion code 49a. The service optical code 49 and the tray completion code 49a are located on the side wall 38b of the collection tray 38.

[0115] After the robotic arm 34 places the products in the collection tray 38, the collection tray is picked up and placed in a predetermined location within the storage warehouse 30.

[0116] The transport tray 14 from which the products placed in the collection tray 38 have been removed is transferred from the detection station of the storage warehouse 30 to the discharge conveyor 33c adjacent to the supply conveyor 33a, and then transferred from the discharge conveyor 33c to the intermediate automated warehouse 20 by an autonomous vehicle 50.

[0117] In the non-limiting example of FIG. 1, the inlet conveyor 33a and outlet conveyor 33c are substantially parallel to one another.

[0118] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make many modifications and variations to the invention described above in order to meet their particular contingent needs, all of which in each case fall within the scope of protection defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A process for automated handling of products stored in a storage warehouse (30), comprising: placing said products in a carrier tray (14) provided at a product receiving station (10) and separating said products from one another according to product type; After placing the products on the transport tray (14), a first automated vehicle (50) transports the transport tray (14) from the product receiving station (10) to an intermediate automated warehouse (20); storing the transport tray (14) in a predetermined location within the intermediate automated warehouse (20); When the storage warehouse (30) is ready to receive the products stored in the transport trays (14), it sends a request to the intermediate automated warehouse (20) to retrieve the transport trays (14), and following the sending of the request to retrieve, transferring the transport trays (14) from the intermediate automated warehouse (20) to the storage warehouse (30) by an automated vehicle (50) that may or may not match the first automated vehicle (50); Picking up the products from the transport tray (14) and placing them in a collection tray (38) provided in the storage warehouse (30); storing the collection tray (38) in a predetermined location within the storage warehouse (30); The process includes:

2. 2. The process of claim 1, including identifying the products at the product receiving station (10) by reading a product identification code (40) associated with each of the products or a plurality of identical products before or after the products are placed in the transport tray (14).

3. 3. The process of claim 2, wherein the product identification code (40) is printed on a package insert (18) associated with each of the products or a plurality of identical products.

4. placing the product in a carrier tray (14); placing said products in respective containers (16) and separating said products according to said product types; placing the container (16) in the carrier tray (14); 4. The process of claim 2 or 3, comprising:

5. 5. The process of claim 4 when dependent on claim 3, further comprising placing the package insert (18) within the container (16) containing the product associated therewith.

6. 6. The process of claim 1, further comprising identifying the transport tray (14) by reading a tray identification code (42) associated with the transport tray (14) before transferring the transport tray (14) from the product receiving station (10) to the intermediate automated warehouse (20).

7. 7. The process of claim 6 when dependent on claim 4, further comprising, after placing the containers (16) in the transport tray (14), identifying the position of each container (16) relative to the transport tray (14) by reading a container positioning identification code (46) associated with the transport tray (14) near each container (16).

8. 8. The process of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting an intervention request to request the first autonomous vehicle (50) before or after placing the products in the transport tray (14) and before transferring the transport tray (14) from the product receiving station (10) to the intermediate automated warehouse (20).

9. 9. The process of claim 1, further comprising reading an optical tray completion code (48) associated with the transport tray (14) after placing the products in the transport tray (14) and before transferring the transport tray (14) from the product receiving station (10) to the intermediate automated warehouse (20).

10. 10. The process according to claim 1, wherein the transport tray (14) comprises a first service optical code (47) that identifies the possibility of being emptied by a robotic arm, and the process comprises reading the first service optical code (47) before or after identifying the transport tray (14) and before transferring the transport tray (14) from the product receiving station (10) to the intermediate automated warehouse (20).

11. 11. The process of claim 10 when dependent on claim 5, wherein the first service optical code (47) is also printed on the package insert (18), and the process includes reading the service first code (47) from the package insert (18) before placing the product in the carrier tray (14).

12. 12. The process according to claim 10 or 11, wherein after reading the first service optical code (47) from the transport tray (14), the transport tray (14) is transferred from the intermediate automated warehouse (20) to a robot input station (32a) of the storage warehouse (30).

13. 13. The process of claim 1, further comprising, after storing at least a portion of the products in the collection tray (38), transferring the transport tray (14) from the storage warehouse (30) to the intermediate automated warehouse (20) by an automated vehicle (50) that may or may not be matched to the first automated vehicle (50).

14. 14. The process of claim 1, further comprising transporting the transport tray (14) from the intermediate automated warehouse (20) to the product receiving station (10) by an automated vehicle (50) that may or may not match the first automated vehicle (50) before placing the products in the transport tray (14).

15. 15. The process of claim 14, wherein a call is made by an operator activating a call button prior to the transfer of the transport tray (14) from the intermediate automated warehouse (20) to the product receiving station (10).

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