Method for feeding a plurality of items into a picking device

Abstract

According to the present invention, a) the unique identifier (EI) of the item (6) to be introduced is identified by the reading device (80), b) it is determined by the unique identifier whether the dimensions of the item (6) are known, c) the item with known dimensions is placed in the placement area (21, 31) according to a predetermined placement rule, d) steps a) to c) are repeated until it is detected that the last item has been placed in the placement area (21, 31), e1) the placed item (6) is moved in the introduction direction, e2) a removal system is formed based on the dimensions of the placed items, the removal system including at least one removal instruction, f1) the removal instruction is processed, f2) it is confirmed whether to process further removal instructions, and steps f1) and f2) are repeated until all removal instructions in the removal system have been processed.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for feeding a plurality of items, particularly pharmaceutical packages, into a picking device. [Background technology]

[0002] In order to be able to store pharmaceutical packages in a space-saving manner, automatic picking devices are frequently used in pharmacies. Pharmaceutical packages can be stored randomly in known picking devices suitable for pharmacies, i.e., pharmaceutical packages are not stored in predetermined storage locations in the device, but in storage locations that just have enough storage space. This avoids excess empty space and saves floor space per m 2 This allows for a significant increase in the number of medicine packages stored per unit. Medicines or medicine packages that are handed over relatively infrequently (so-called slow-moving items) are usually stored in a disorderly manner.

[0003] When a pharmaceutical package is to be delivered, it is identified and possibly measured using a known delivery method and placed in a predetermined placement area of ​​the delivery device of the picking device. The pharmaceutical package is then moved to an access area of ​​a gripper of a handling device in the picking device, as known for example from Patent Document 1, where the gripper picks up the pharmaceutical package and moves it to a storage location specified by the control device. This means that only one pharmaceutical package is processed per delivery process at any one time.

[0004] It is also known to first arrange identical pharmaceutical packages in a loading area in the same way and then move them together to a picking device, where they are grasped together by a gripper and delivered together to one or more storage locations. This method is used in particular for so-called fast-moving items (pharmaceutical packages with high delivery rates), which are usually stored in a spatial system that allows for fast delivery. The transfer of identical pharmaceutical packages is much faster than the transfer of different pharmaceutical packages, because in these cases the same process must be repeated for each pharmaceutical package. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] European Patent Application Publication No. 3431421 [Non-patent literature]

[0006] [Non-Patent Document 1] https: / / www.securpharm.de / wp-content / uploads / 2018 / 08 / securPharm_Codierung_Regeln_DE_V2_03.pdf Summary of the Invention

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for transporting multiple non-identical items in a shorter time.

[0008] This object is achieved by a method according to claim 1. In the method for transferring a plurality of items to a picking device, the method includes at least one shelf row with a plurality of storage locations, a control device, a transfer device, and a gripper for the items. The method includes: a) determining a unique identifier for the items to be transferred by a reading device connected to the control device; the unique identifier includes at least one unique product code that uniquely identifies the items to be transferred; for example, if a pharmaceutical package is being transferred, the unique identifier may include a PZN as the product code; the PZN is an eight-digit, "non-descriptive" number that uniquely identifies the pharmaceutical by its name, dosage form, active ingredient strength, and package size; the reading device can be connected to the picking device's control device by wire or wirelessly, or can be connected to it as described above for the reading process.

[0009] In the next step b), the read unique identifier is used to identify in the database whether the dimensions (height, width, depth) of the item are known, and then in step c), the item with known dimensions is placed in the loading area of ​​the loading device according to a predetermined loading regulation.

[0010] The placement area is an area with at least one marking that indicates to the user where on the loading device the items should be placed. The markings can be marks on the loading device itself, such as light barriers, markings or illuminated areas on the sides of the loading device itself, or other markings. However, this placement cannot be performed in an arbitrary manner but must be performed according to a predetermined placement rule, which, for example, requires that the items be placed in the placement area vertically "from left to right" perpendicular to the loading device. In this way, the control device can be sure to recognize the order and orientation of the placed items, which is essential for subsequent method steps.

[0011] According to step d), steps a) to c) are carried out as often as necessary until it is detected that the last item has been placed in the placement area. How exactly the placement of the last item is detected is not per se important to the invention, but an example is given below. How often steps a) to c) are carried out depends on the dimensions of the items to be placed, the width of the loading device and the placement regulations. The method according to the invention aims to enable the placement of a number of different items according to the invention.

[0012] After detecting the placement of the last item, in step e1), the placed item is moved in the loading direction by the loading device, and (step e2)) a pick-up configuration for the gripper is formed based on the dimensions of the placed item, the pick-up configuration including at least one pick-up instruction, each pick-up instruction including one or more items, and the order of steps e1) and e2) is not important and they can also be performed or started simultaneously.

[0013] After the pick-up arrangement has been formed and the items have been moved in the loading direction to the intended pick-up position (step f1), the pick-up order is processed by using the gripper to move and load the number of items corresponding to the current pick-up order from the loading device.

[0014] Thereafter (step f2)), it is checked whether further pick-up orders should be processed and steps f1) and f2) are executed until all pick-up orders in the pick-up regime have been processed.

[0015] As already mentioned above, the control device recognizes the exact placement of all items based on the identification of each item's unique identifier, the known dimensions of each placed item, and the placement rule. Depending on the item's dimensions, numerous "placement patterns" are possible in the placement area, and the gripper's removal must be adapted accordingly. For example, if five items are placed in the placement area from left to right, with the middle item being the widest in the direction of insertion, a conventional jaw gripper would likely not be able to remove all of the items in one gripping motion, and only the three "right" items would be reliably removed. In this case, the removal system formed by the present invention would include two removal orders, allowing three items to be removed according to the first removal order and two items to be removed according to the second removal order. Therefore, a minimum of one removal order is processed, and a maximum of as many removal orders as there are placed items.

[0016] While free placement of items (apart from placement restrictions) does delay the delivery of items after the last item is detected, the delivery time can be used to place additional items, so that if there are multiple pick-up instructions, the delay in delivery does not slow down the overall process, but rather the ability to place multiple non-identical items accelerates the overall process. Additionally, the method of the present invention is less tedious and more user-friendly, as the user does not need to pay attention to specific placement due to size restrictions when placing items.

[0017] As can be seen from the above description of the method according to the present invention, only articles whose dimensions are known can be loaded using the method. The dimensions of the article are determined by a unique identifier in a database. If, after determining the unique identifier, the corresponding dimensions cannot be found in the database, for example because no unique identifier has yet been saved, the article cannot be loaded immediately. This can be indicated to the user, for example, by a signal, and the user can then store the article, for example, for further processing. Alternatively, the unknown dimensions can be made clear, for example, by not marking the loading area. In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the present invention, if the dimensions of the article are unknown, they are measured and stored in a database together with the unique identifier from which the dimensions are determined. This measurement can be performed, for example, "externally," at a measuring device connected to the control device.

[0018] In order to speed up the loading of items with unknown dimensions and make it as easy as possible for the user (and therefore as error-free as possible), in a preferred embodiment, it is provided that, if the dimensions are unknown, the items placed in the loading area are loaded according to steps e1) to f2), the items with unknown dimensions are placed in the loading area, automatically measured, and the dimensions are saved in a database, thereby measuring the items. In this case, the item with unknown dimensions is interpreted as marking the preceding item as the "last" item, thereby initiating the loading of the preceding placed item according to the invention. This allows items that have not yet been measured to be measured during loading, and further items can be added and loaded according to the invention.

[0019] As already mentioned above, how precisely the placement of the last item is detected is not important to the invention itself. In a preferred, technically very simple embodiment, it is provided that the placement of the last item is detected by the user transmitting a corresponding input to the control device.

[0020] Alternatively, it may be contemplated that the placement of the last item is determined by a sensor assigned to the placement surface, which may be more user-friendly but may be more technically complex.

[0021] According to the present invention, it is important that the items are placed according to the placement rule (e.g., from left to right and with the long side perpendicular to the loading direction). The placement rule can be adjusted to suit the structure of the picking device and the loading device, as well as the user's preferences (e.g., left to right, right to left). However, it is possible that the user may place the items incorrectly, i.e., not according to the placement rule. To enable possible types of incorrect placement to be identified without significant effort, in a preferred embodiment, after detecting that the last item has been placed in the loading area, the width of one of the placed items is determined and compared with the maximum width of the placed items. If a deviation exceeding a limit value occurs, a signal is generated. For example, if all placed items are less than 5 cm wide and 10 to 15 cm long, and the items must be placed with their long side perpendicular to the loading device according to the placement rule, a determined width > 5 cm may simply mean that the user has placed the items incorrectly. If this is detected, the user may be asked to make corrections or to rearrange all the items.

[0022] The unique identifier includes at least one product code of the item, to which the dimensions of the item are linked, although the unique identifier need not be limited to a product code.

[0023] For example, many items have expiration dates. In a preferred embodiment in which the unique identifier includes such an expiration date, it is contemplated that the expiration date of an incoming item is compared with the expiration date of the same item, and to the extent the incoming item has an earlier expiration date, the storage location of the incoming item is optimized and / or the order of removal is adjusted to prioritize removal of items with earlier expiration dates.

[0024] The items may also include individual serial numbers, which can be stored in a database. In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, in which the unique identifier includes a unique serial number, it is contemplated that the unique serial number is verified using the database, and the entry method is stopped if the verification is incorrect. In this way, for example, counterfeit items can be identified. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] The method according to the invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a picking device capable of carrying out the method according to the invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a detailed view of the front area of ​​the picking device. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4a] 1A-1C are diagrams of various placement and removal situations. [Figure 4b] 1A-1C are diagrams of various placement and removal situations. [Figure 5a] 1A-1C are diagrams of various placement and removal situations. [Figure 5b] 1A-1C are diagrams of various placement and removal situations. [Figure 6a] 1A-1C are diagrams of various placement and removal situations. [Figure 6b] 1A-1C are diagrams of various placement and removal situations. [Figure 7a] This shows the placement and removal of items in an improper arrangement that does not comply with placement regulations. [Figure 7b] This shows the placement and removal of items in an improper arrangement that does not comply with placement regulations. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a method according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a picking device 1 capable of carrying out the method of the present invention. The picking device 1 is described below only by way of example to facilitate understanding of the following detailed description of the method of the present invention. The picking device shown in Figures 1 to 3 stores pharmaceutical packages as articles, and the term pharmaceutical package will also be used below (as an example of the term article).

[0027] The picking device 1 includes a frame structure 2 to which a plurality of covering elements 3 are attached. For clarity, the numerous covering elements and some components of the frame structure 2 have been omitted. The picking device 1 includes a first shelf row 10 with a plurality of shelves arranged one above the other, extending in a horizontal plane, and each having a plurality of shelf floors 12 with a plurality of storage locations (only three shelf floors 12 are shown in FIG. 1 , with additional shelf floors being arranged above, below, and to the side of the shown shelf floors 12). Each shelf 11 of the first shelf row 10 is formed by a shelf wall 13 and a plurality of the aforementioned shelf floors 12. In the illustrated example, all front edges (loading edges) of the shelf floors are arranged in a vertical plane, which facilitates the loading and unloading of articles or pharmaceutical packages onto and from the shelf floor. The illustrated shelf floors are configured for random storage of pharmaceutical packages.

[0028] In the picking device shown, a second shelf row 10' is provided opposite the first shelf row 10, but this is only suggested for clarity, and only the individual elements of the support frame for this shelf row and the shelf floor 12' with storage spaces 14 for sorting and storage are shown. The storage spaces in the picking device are provided for the entry of fast-moving items and are not relevant to the present invention.

[0029] The picking device shown as an example includes two loading devices 20, 30 arranged one above the other and integrated into the first shelf row 10, and therefore shelf floors 12 are provided above and below the two loading devices 20, 30. The loading devices 20, 30 protrude from the front of the picking device, and include placement areas 21, 31, respectively, on the protruding portions of the loading devices, on which pharmaceutical packages can be placed for loading. In Fig. 1, two pharmaceutical packages 6 are placed on the placement area 21 of the upper loading device 20.

[0030] The loading areas 21, 31 are not components per se but special areas of the loading device where the pharmaceutical packages are placed according to the loading regulations. The loading areas can be configured, for example, by markings on the loading device configured as a belt conveyor. Alternatively, a light barrier can mark the loading areas. Finally, it is conceivable that movable fences demarcate the loading areas.

[0031] Between the first shelf row shown and the second shelf row, which is only suggested, a handling device 50 is provided with a gripper 60 which is horizontally and vertically movable on guides, which will be described in more detail with reference to Figure 3. The gripper 60 is movable along horizontal guides 55 and vertical guides 56, which are only suggested, in the path between the two shelf rows.

[0032] The picking device further includes a discharge device 40, here configured as a belt conveyor and shown simply between the second shelf row and the right-hand outer wall of the picking device. The discharge device moves the pharmaceutical packages to be transferred to the discharge device to a pick-up area 41 of the discharge device. The pharmaceutical packages can reach the discharge device by, for example, moving them to the discharge device using an operating device 50, possibly via an auxiliary discharge path (not shown). In the case of an inclined storage space, the pharmaceutical packages can be easily transferred to the discharge device by activating a release device located at one end of the storage space. In such a case, the pharmaceutical packages simply fall onto the discharge device by gravity.

[0033] 1, a control device 70 is arranged in the front area of ​​the picking device and is connected to the handling devices, sensors and sensor systems, and usually to the loading and unloading devices. In the center of the front area of ​​the picking device, a door opening 4 is provided to allow access to the device for maintenance purposes and in the event of a malfunction.

[0034] 1 further symbolically suggests a reading device 80, which can be connected to the control device 70 via a cable 81 or a wireless connection 82. A unique identifier (eindeutiger identifizierers: EI) of each pharmaceutical package (suggested by a circle on each pharmaceutical package) is identified by the reading device 80 before it is placed in the loading area. The exact state of the unique identifier, and thus the reading device, is not important to the invention. What is important is that each pharmaceutical package that is delivered using the method according to the invention includes such a unique identifier, and that the unique identifier uniquely identifies the pharmaceutical package. The exact structure or information content of the unique identifier has already been briefly described above and will be explained in more detail with reference to the method according to the invention.

[0035] Figure 2 shows a detailed view of the front area of ​​an exemplary picking device, in which the placement areas of the loading devices 20, 30 can be seen in particular. In Figure 2, two pharmaceutical packages 6 are placed in the placement area 31 of the lower loading device 30. In the example shown, placement detection sensors 22, 32 are indicated above the placement areas 21, 31, respectively, which monitor detection areas 23, 33 of the placement areas 21, 31.

[0036] As soon as an article is placed on or at least partially enters the detection area 23, 33, a corresponding signal is transmitted to the control device 70, thereby marking the "last" article. The distance that the pharmaceutical package must enter the detection area to trigger said signal can be adjusted in the control device, or in the placement detection sensor, or in the sensor system itself.

[0037] FIG. 2 further suggests an input and / or output device 5 above the upper loading device 20, which can display and / or input information about the pharmaceutical packages being loaded.

[0038] FIG. 3 shows a plan view of an exemplary picking device, with most of the support frame 2 omitted for clarity. On the left, the loading device 20 is visible, extending significantly into the picking device from the exterior area. Four pharmaceutical packages 6 are positioned in the loading device's picking area 25d, indicated by dashed lines, in a placement that corresponds exactly to the placement of the pharmaceutical packages in the placement area. This illustration also shows that the loading device is integrated into the first shelf row 10, since the shelf floor 12 and shelf wall 13 are indicated above the loading device 20 in the "upper" area. On the right, the unloading device 40 with its picking area 41 is visible, with a second shelf row 10', indicated only, continuing toward the interior of the picking device. Between the first and second shelf rows 10 and 10', a horizontally and vertically movable handling device 50 with a gripper 60 is positioned, with horizontal guides 55 typically extending the entire length of the picking device to allow the handling device to reach all shelf rows of the device. The gripper 60 comprises a loading table 61 with a front edge 62 via which the pharmaceutical package is transferred onto the loading table 61 by means of indicated clamping jaws 63 .

[0039] Figures 4a to 6b show various placement situations of multiple pharmaceutical packages 6(1) to 6(4), with Figures 4a to 6a showing the placement area after all pharmaceutical portions have been placed, and Figures 4b to 6b showing the pharmaceutical portions in the removal area 25, with Figures 4b to 6b additionally showing the clamping jaws 63 of the gripper (not shown).

[0040] 4a to 6a show various loading situations, specifically according to the loading rule "from left to right, with the long edge against the upper marking line of the loading area." In each of the figures, the loading area 21 of the loading device 20 is shown diagrammatically. The loading device 20 includes a conveyor belt 22, on which two marks 26, 27 define the loading area 21. In the case of such loading area marks, the conveyor belt includes multiple marks that move in the loading direction / longitudinal direction of the loading device together with the loaded pharmaceutical portions. This is not necessary, for example, in the case of light barrier marks. In the illustrated example, the loading device includes a side wall 29 against which the first pharmaceutical package 6(1) abuts or can abut. Subsequent pharmaceutical packages abut against the one on the left until the loading area is nearly full. The right edge 23a of the conveyor belt 21 is "open."

[0041] In Figure 4a, the pharmaceutical portions are "narrowing" from left to right (relative to the loading or longitudinal direction of loading device 20). In Figure 5a, the pharmaceutical packages are "widening" to the right, and in Figure 6a, the second pharmaceutical package from the left (6(2)) is the widest.

[0042] Figures 4b to 6b show the same pharmaceutical packages in the removal area 25, where the loading device 20 is also open at the left edge 23b. Figures 4b to 6b show essentially the situation from Figure 3, but additionally show the clamping jaws 63 of a gripper (not shown).

[0043] Based on the dimensions of the loaded pharmaceutical packages 6(1)-6(4), the construction of the gripper (clamping jaws), and the removal direction (the gripper accesses the pharmaceutical packages from the "right"), only pharmaceutical packages such as those shown in Figure 4a can be reliably moved by the gripper in a gripping action onto the gripper loading table (not shown). The widest pharmaceutical package 6(1) is reliably held by the clamping jaws and reliably pushes pharmaceutical packages 6(2)-6(4) onto the loading table.

[0044] The control device knows all the basic conditions mentioned above, as well as the dimensions of all the loaded pharmaceutical packages and their positions. Based on these, a removal scheme is created which, in the case of Figure 4b, can be very simple and may only include one removal order to move all pharmaceutical packages to the loading table. However, depending on the storage space available, in such cases it may be beneficial or necessary to remove pharmaceutical packages that can be removed in one removal process in two steps / removal orders (for example, if 6(3) needs to be brought in before 6(1)).

[0045] In the situation shown in Figure 5a, the medicine packages are wider on the right side. If the clamping jaws were to move all of the medicine packages to the loading table, there would be no guarantee that any medicine packages would remain. In this case, the removal system would include four removal instructions, each of which specifically removes one medicine package.

[0046] A further situation is shown in Figure 6a where the pharmaceutical packages are arranged in a "messy" fashion. The correct arrangement (and the remaining basic conditions) shows that the pharmaceutical packages can be reliably removed using a removal scheme that includes two removal instructions (first pharmaceutical packages 6(2)-6(4), then pharmaceutical package 6(1)).

[0047] 7a illustrates a loading situation in which the pharmaceutical package is not positioned according to the loading specification. That is, pharmaceutical package 6(2) is not placed with its long edge aligned with mark 26. As a result, the control device (which assumes that the loading specification is always followed) may be unable to load pharmaceutical package 6(2) because the storage location for the pharmaceutical package was determined based on the orientation of the pharmaceutical package corresponding to the loading specification. Furthermore, attempts to remove pharmaceutical package 6(2) may damage the clamp jaws and cause them to swing more than necessary (and possible).

[0048] Thus, in the illustrated example, the picking device includes a measuring device 90, which is located on the left edge of the loading device 20, thereby enabling the maximum "width" of a pharmaceutical package to be determined "from the left." In the situation shown in FIG. 7a, it can be seen that the placement of the pharmaceutical package may not perfectly match the placement specifications, i.e., the maximum width (of pharmaceutical package 6(2)) is larger than it actually is (dotted pharmaceutical package 6(2)). However, incorrect placement of, for example, pharmaceutical package 6(4) cannot be detected in this way. In an alternative example, the measuring devices could be located on the left and right sides, but again, this may result in situations where incorrect placement cannot be detected.

[0049] A preferred embodiment of the method according to the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 8. The method itself can be implemented, for example, using a picking device such as that shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. First, in step 100, an univocal identifier EI of the item 6 to be delivered is determined using a reading device 80 connected to the control device 70. The univocal identifier includes at least one univocal product code that univocally identifies the item to be delivered. For example, if a pharmaceutical package is being delivered (as will be assumed below), the univocal identifier can include a PZN as a product code. The PZN is an eight-digit, "non-descriptive" number that univocally identifies the pharmaceutical product by its name, dosage form, active ingredient strength, and package size. This univocal identifier can be constructed in accordance with the "Regulations for the Coding of Medicinal Products Subject to Verification on the German Market." A detailed description of these regulations can be found, for example, in "Non-Patent Document 1." However, the type and method of construction of the univocal identifier are not critical to the present invention. All that matters is that the unique identifier is unique to the item, so that item-specific information can be stored and retrieved via that identifier.

[0050] Next, in step 110, the unique identifier is used to identify whether the dimensions of the item are known in a database. The database may be stored on the control device itself, but it is conceivable that it could be a cloud-based database accessible to multiple picking devices. The method according to the invention only allows items (medicinal packages) whose dimensions are known to be introduced, as this is necessary to enable the item to be properly removed from the introduction device in the subsequent method steps. If the dimensions are unknown, these must be identified and stored in step 120. The measurements may be performed by a user, for example, using a separate measurement station. Alternatively, the measurements may be performed automatically using the picking device, as will be described below.

[0051] If the dimensions are known (as is typical), in step 130, the objects with known dimensions are placed in the placement areas 21, 31 of the loading devices 20, 30 according to a predetermined placement rule. This means that, according to the present invention, the user cannot place the objects arbitrarily; they must do so according to a placement process, since only in this way is it guaranteed that the control device "knows" which objects are placed where and how in the placement area. For example, the placement rule can specify that the objects are placed in the placement area "from left to right," with the long side perpendicular to the subsequent loading direction, i.e., the longitudinal direction of the loading devices (see FIGS. 1 to 3 , where the loading direction corresponds to the longitudinal orientation of the loading devices 20, 30). If the placement rule is not heeded when placing the (differently sized) objects, the control device will have no information about how the objects are positioned, i.e., the gripper will not be able to reliably pick up the objects. Indeed, it is conceivable to install a sensor system that identifies the objects by size after they have been placed, for example, based on an image taken from above. However, when two items of the same size but different dimensions are placed on the table, identifying them by image is difficult and prone to errors.

[0052] The above steps 100 to 130 are now repeated until it is detected that the last item has been placed in the placement area 21, 31. The user may indicate this with a signal, or a sensor system may be provided that covers a specific portion of the placement area, i.e., as soon as an item is placed therein, it is recognized as the "last item."

[0053] It is also conceivable that the identification of an item with unknown dimensions is interpreted in such a way that an already placed item with known dimensions is marked as the "last" item, i.e., so that all already placed items are processed according to the steps described below.As soon as the placement area is free, the item with unknown dimensions can then be placed in the placement area and automatically measured.

[0054] Measurements can be performed in many ways known to those skilled in the art, for example using top and side mounted laser arrays or other techniques known in the logistics industry.

[0055] To make the measurement as cheap as possible, the height can be determined, for example, using an ultrasonic sensor under which the item moves for measurement. To do this, measurements are taken whenever the item moves under the ultrasonic sensor, and the "highest" value is taken as the height of the item.

[0056] To determine the width of the article (width refers to the expansion in the infeed direction), a light barrier can be attached to the infeed device, for example, acting perpendicular to the infeed device. When an article moves from the placement area in the infeed direction (further into the picking device), a first signal change (positive edge) occurs at the light barrier. At this signal change, the position of the infeed device (e.g., infeed belt) is stored. When the article leaves the light barrier, a further signal change (negative edge) occurs. The position is also stored in this case. The difference between the two positions is the width of the article.

[0057] To determine the depth (here, the longest side of the item), one or two ultrasonic sensors can be used. As with the height measurement, to determine the depth, the item moves in the loading direction in front of an ultrasonic sensor located on or to the side of the loading device, and a value is always determined. That is, one or more extreme values ​​determine the depth of the item. If the item is placed at a stop next to the loading device, an ultrasonic sensor on the opposite side is sufficient. If two ultrasonic sensors are used, the item can be positioned in the loading area in any way (in a predetermined orientation).

[0058] As soon as it is detected that the last item has been placed in the placement area, in step 200a the placed item(s) 6 are moved in the placement direction by the placement device 20, 30. In parallel, in step 200b, a pick-up configuration for the gripper 60 is formed based on the dimensions of the stored item(s), whereby the pick-up configuration comprises at least one pick-up order, whereby each pick-up order comprises one or more items.

[0059] As already explained with reference to Figures 4a to 6b, the method according to the invention allows a user to place a number of different items in the placement area, which can then be automatically loaded. While it is true that the user must take into account the loading regulations when placing the items in the placement area, the method according to the invention does not require the items to be loaded in a specific order in terms of size, since a removal regime is determined and used. This significantly speeds up loading, since the user simply needs to grab any item from the number of items and place it in the placement area.

[0060] In FIG. 4a, the picking arrangement includes a picking instruction that allows the gripper to pick all placed items together, i.e., move them to the placement table using their clamping jaws. In FIG. 4b, the picking arrangement may include four picking instructions, each containing one item. That is, if multiple items are to be picked, the items are picked by the gripper from "right to left," since it cannot be guaranteed that the "left" item will not be picked up along with them as it moves onto the placement table. In FIG. 6a, the picking arrangement preferably includes two picking instructions. The first instruction includes the three items on the right, and the second instruction includes the item on the left.

[0061] After the items are moved onto the placement table of the gripper, they are placed in a storage location determined by the controller according to work steps known to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. The system comprises at least one shelf row (10) having multiple storage spaces, a control device (70), loading devices (20, 30), and an article gripper (60). A method for loading multiple items into a picking device (1), a) The reading device (80) connected to the control device (70) identifies the unique identifier (EI) of the item (6) being brought in, b) The unambiguous identifier determines in the database whether the dimensions of the article (6) are known, c) Articles of known dimensions are placed in the loading areas (21, 31) of the loading device (20, 30) in accordance with the prescribed loading regulations. d) Steps a) to c) are repeated until it is detected that the last item has been placed in the previously described placement area (21, 31). e1) The previously described article (6) is moved in the loading direction by the loading device (20, 30), e2) Based on the dimensions of the articles placed in the preceding section, a retrieval system is formed for the gripper (60), the retrieval system includes at least one retrieval indicator, each retrieval indicator includes one or more articles, f1) The retrieval instruction is processed by moving the number of items corresponding to the current retrieval instruction from the loading device (20, 30) using the gripper (60) and loading them into the device. f2) It is confirmed whether to process further removal instructions, and steps f1) and f2) are repeated until all removal instructions for the removal system have been processed. A method for loading multiple items into a picking device (1).

2. If the dimensions of an item are unknown, the item is measured, and the dimensions are stored in the database. A method for transporting a plurality of articles as described in claim 1 into a picking device (1).

3. The article placed in the aforementioned placement area is brought in according to steps e1) to f2), the article whose dimensions are unknown is placed in the aforementioned placement area and measured, and the dimensions are stored in the database, thereby enabling the article to be measured. A method for transporting a plurality of articles according to claim 2 into a picking device (1).

4. The system is characterized in that the placement of the last item is detected when the user transmits the corresponding input to the control device. A method for transporting a plurality of articles as described in claim 1 into a picking device (1).

5. The last item to be placed is identified by a sensor assigned to the aforementioned placement surface. A method for transporting a plurality of articles as described in claim 1 into a picking device (1).

6. After detecting that the last item has been placed in the previously designated area, the width of one of the previously designated items is identified and compared with the maximum width of the previously designated items. If a deviation exceeding a limit value occurs, a signal is issued. A method for transporting a plurality of articles as described in claim 1 into a picking device (1).

7. In a method of bringing multiple articles into a picking device (1), wherein the unique identifier of the article includes an expiration date, The expiration dates of the items being delivered are compared with those of other items of the same type, and as long as the delivered items have an earlier expiration date, the storage location of the delivered items is optimized, and / or the delivery order is adjusted so that items with earlier expiration dates are delivered preferentially. A method for transporting a plurality of articles as described in claim 1 into a picking device (1).

8. In a method for loading multiple items into a picking device (1), wherein the aforementioned unique identifier includes a unique serial number, The aforementioned unique serial number is verified using a database, and if the verification is inaccurate, the delivery method is stopped. A method for transporting a plurality of articles as described in claim 1 into a picking device (1).

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