Safety systems and automated storage systems for automated storage systems

Abstract

The present invention relates to a safety system (1) for an access station (5) of an automated storage system (3) that is accessible by an operator (9) through an access plane (7), wherein the automated storage system (3) has a transport device (17) for transporting stored item carriers (11) into and out of a storage area (13) of the access station (5), and the safety system (1) has a primary monitoring device (23) for monitoring the access plane (7), and the primary monitoring device (23) is configured to generate a primary alarm (51) when an object (30) or an operator (9) crosses the access plane (7). The present invention further relates to a storage system (3) equipped with the above safety system (1), and a method for operating the storage system (3). To avoid wasted time without compromising safety, according to the present invention, the safety system (1) is configured to generate a stop signal (53) after the generation of the primary alarm (51). The safety system (1) is further configured to form a secondary alarm (61) after a primary alarm (51) has been formed. The safety system (1) first forms a primary alarm (51), then a secondary alarm (61), and then an emergency stop signal (69).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a safety system for an access station in an automatic storage system that is accessible to an operator through an access plane, the automatic storage system having a conveying device for carrying storage item carriers into and out of a storage area of the access station, the safety system having a primary monitoring device for monitoring the access plane, the primary monitoring device being configured to form a primary alarm when an object or an operator crosses the access plane, particularly an object that should not be present on the access plane in the standard operation of the storage system or in a specific situation, for example when an operator crosses the access plane. The present invention further relates to a storage system having a safety system of the above-described type in which a storage item carrier is carried into or out of a storage area of an access station, and a primary alarm is formed when an object or an operator crosses the access plane to which the operator has access, and to a method of operating the storage system.

Background Art

[0002] Safety systems for automatic storage systems of the above-described type are known. Generally, such safety systems are defined by labor protection regulations. Such safety systems must prevent injury to the operator and / or damage to the storage system or stored items when the operator intervenes in the access station while the storage item carrier is in motion. The primary monitoring device can form a primary alarm as long as an object, such as the hand or arm of an operator, is present on the access plane. The primary alarm usually results in an emergency stop or emergency shutdown of the conveying device or the storage system.

[0003] The term "emergency stop" should be understood hereafter in the sense of standards EN60204, EN ISO13850, and ISO 13849. The term "emergency stop" also includes emergency shutdown. That is, as used below, "emergency stop" refers to a state in a conveying or storage system where the conveying or storage system transitions to a safe state and is stopped and / or completely switched off. Alternatively, an emergency stop may also involve stopping only the individual movements that pose a hazard to individual components.

[0004] In an emergency stop state, the automatic restart of the transport or storage system is prevented when the primary alarm is cleared (for example, by the departure of the object or operator). Unlocking the emergency stop state typically requires a predetermined procedure, such as unlocking the emergency stop switch, resetting the equipment, and / or logging the cause of the emergency stop state.

[0005] If a primary alarm is triggered during the operation of an automated storage system based on such provisions of a known safety system, a significant amount of time is lost even though there is no actual danger to the operator and / or the storage system. This can occur, for example, if the operator passes over the access plane for only a short time, consciously or unconsciously. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] Therefore, the objective of the present invention is to make the automated storage system operate more efficiently without compromising safety. In particular, it is desirable that safety standards be complied with. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The above problems are solved by configuring the safety system described above such that the primary monitoring device is configured to generate a primary alarm when an object or operator crosses the access plane, the safety system is configured to generate a stop signal after the primary alarm is generated, and the safety system is configured to generate a secondary alarm after the primary alarm is generated, and then an emergency stop signal is generated after the primary alarm is generated.

[0008] Regarding the storage system mentioned at the beginning, the above-mentioned problems are solved by the fact that the storage system includes a safety system according to the present invention, and the operation of the conveying device of the automated storage system is dependent on secondary and primary alarms.

[0009] With respect to the method according to the present invention, the above problem is solved by the fact that a primary alarm is generated when an object or operator crosses the access plane, a stop signal is generated after the primary alarm is generated, a secondary alarm is generated after the primary alarm is generated, and an emergency stop signal is generated after the primary alarm is generated and then the secondary alarm is generated.

[0010] The safety system can monitor the access station and detect, for example, a person or object in a storage area within the access station. In particular, the safety system can detect a person or object crossing the access plane. Therefore, for example, a secondary alarm can be used to confirm that a person is still present in the storage area after the primary alarm has been triggered.

[0011] Such a case can occur, for example, when an operator completely traverses the access plane and remains within the storage area. In this case, a secondary alarm is generated.

[0012] In contrast, if, for example, the operator's hand accidentally crosses the access plane, causing the operator to be briefly located on the access plane but not subsequently within the storage area, a secondary alarm will not be generated. These two distinct cases can be distinguished by the safety system.

[0013] The storage system mentioned at the beginning may include, in particular, a storage lift, a vertical conveyor, and an access station equipped with a buffer module, such as a rotary table or a Paternoster. In particular, the storage lift may be a Kardex LR35 type "Vertical Buffer Module". The conveying device can be configured to transport one or more storage item carriers from the storage system to the access station.

[0014] The solutions according to the present invention can be further improved by various configurations, each advantageous in itself and arbitrarily combined with one another. These configurations and their associated advantages are described below. In this case, each feature of the following advanced configurations can be used without distinction as to a safety system or storage system, or as a method. Therefore, when it is a feature of a method, the apparatus is configured to perform the method steps without problems. Conversely, components of the apparatus can also be part of the method.

[0015] The primary monitoring device can be configured to detect the duration of crossing the access plane and to generate a secondary alarm depending on the detected duration of the crossing. Therefore, for example, a secondary alarm can be generated after a predetermined period has elapsed following a crossing of the access plane. This period can be selected to prevent the secondary alarm from being generated by accidental, short-term movements of an operator crossing the access plane. For this purpose, the primary monitoring device may have or be connected to a timer.

[0016] Furthermore, or additionally, the extent or scale of the cross-passage of the access plane can be detected by the primary monitoring device, and a secondary alarm can be formed depending on the detected extent of the cross-passage of the access plane. A secondary alarm can be formed if the extent of the cross-passage has, for example, two or more predetermined surfaces and / or predetermined linear dimensions in the horizontal and / or vertical directions. Here, dimensions may be those that extend transversely along the measurement direction, for example, with respect to the photointerrupter of the primary monitoring device.

[0017] The above spread can be defined by the coverage of the access plane or the shading of the monitored access plane. The dimensions or corresponding thresholds compared to this spread can be selected to prevent the operator from completely traversing the access plane.

[0018] Furthermore, the primary monitoring device may be configured to cumulatively or additionally detect temporal changes in the passage across the access plane, particularly the detected temporal changes in the spread, and to form a secondary alarm depending on the detected temporal changes in the passage across the access plane. Thus, the safety system can identify the entry of an operator by, for example, immediately expanding or at least changing the spread over a predetermined period of time as soon as the operator's torso, not just their head, passes across the access plane. Temporal changes relate to changes in the position, velocity, acceleration, and / or temperature of the detected object or operator, and the primary monitoring device may have corresponding sensors to detect the aforementioned changes.

[0019] The primary monitoring device can be configured to compare the duration and / or spread and / or temporal changes of detected obstruction or crossing with a pre-set target value or threshold, and to generate a secondary alarm if a deviation from the threshold exists, i.e., if there is a difference between the measured values ​​of duration and / or spread and / or temporal changes and their respective thresholds.

[0020] The pre-set thresholds can be arbitrarily changed by the operator, for example, in a computer or data processing device connected to the safety system. A secondary alarm can preferably be triggered when the measured values ​​of the duration and / or spread and / or temporal variation of the crossing deviate from a set tolerance range that can be arbitrarily changed by the operator around the respective threshold.

[0021] In an advantageous embodiment, a secondary alarm can be triggered if a set threshold is exceeded above, i.e., if the measured duration and / or spread and / or temporal change of crossing is greater than the respective threshold. Therefore, if the threshold is exceeded below, the secondary alarm is not triggered.

[0022] The safety system can be configured to couple the extent and / or duration and / or temporal changes of detected crossings, setting a higher threshold for the duration of a crossing when the extent is small in comparison, for example, when a hand crosses the access plane, and a lower threshold for the duration of a crossing when the extent is large in comparison, for example, when an operator crosses the access plane. Here, for example, if an operator intervenes into the access station to retrieve a stored item, a brief hand crossing may occur, but this does not trigger a secondary alarm, although a secondary alarm can be generated in contrast (if an operator could cross during the same period).

[0023] The safety system can be configured to include a secondary monitoring device that monitors a spatial area not identical to the access plane, and the secondary monitoring device can be configured to generate a secondary alarm if an object is present within that spatial area.

[0024] The secondary monitoring device can monitor a spatial region different from the access plane. Particularly preferably, the spatial region is located between the access plane and the storage region. Thus, the secondary monitoring device can confirm that there is no human presence in the spatial region monitored by the secondary monitoring device, for example, after the end of the primary alarm. The advantages mentioned here also apply to embodiments in which the spatial region monitored by the secondary monitoring device is not located between the access plane and the storage region.

[0025] The security system can be configured to activate the secondary monitoring device after the formation of the primary alarm. Activating means that, in this case, the corresponding monitoring device and / or the corresponding alarm is sharply activated, and / or the monitoring or the formation of the alarm is enabled. At that time, the activated monitoring device is in a state where it can form a primary alarm and / or a secondary alarm. The secondary monitoring device can be configured to exclusively monitor the spatial region after activation.

[0026] In one configuration, the security system can detect the duration of the traversal of the access plane and activate the secondary monitoring device depending on the detected duration of the traversal. With this configuration, for example, it can be ensured that the operator is not boarding the access station even when the above-mentioned pre-set period has elapsed or when the threshold value has been exceeded. Thereby, while ensuring the safety of the operator, at the same time, the operation is not impaired.

[0027] The safety device can be configured to detect the scale of the traversal and activate the secondary monitoring device depending on the detected spread or scale of the traversal of the access plane.

[0028] The security system can further detect the temporal change in the detected scale of the traversal. The security system can activate the secondary monitoring device depending on the detected temporal change in the traversal.

[0029] The safety system can activate the secondary monitoring device depending on the detected duration and / or spread and / or temporal variation of the detected crossing.

[0030] The spatial region that is not the same as the access plane and is monitored by the secondary monitoring device may be a region spaced apart from the access plane. However, this is not essential. The spatial region may cross the access plane or may include the access plane. Here, the spatial region preferably extends in a different spatial direction and thus extends over a relatively large volume and is not the same as the access plane in this case. The spatial region itself may be a single plane or may define such a single plane. In this case, the spatial region is spaced apart from the access plane, or is inclined with respect to the access plane or extends in a transverse direction with respect to the access plane.

[0031] The stop signal formed after the formation of the primary alarm can trigger the conveyor so that the storage article carrier moving at the access station is stopped. Thereby, it is not always necessary to trigger an emergency stop.

[0032] Here, the emergency stop signal can be made to occur following the stop signal when a secondary alarm is triggered after the primary alarm has been triggered. The triggering of the secondary alarm after the primary alarm can occur, for example, in a situation where an operator is on board the access station. This can occur, for example, when the operator discovers a defect within the access station or when another object has fallen into the access station.

[0033] When an operator boards the access station, a primary alarm is triggered when the operator first crosses the access plane. The primary alarm ends once the operator has completely crossed the access plane. However, in this case, a secondary alarm may be triggered by the secondary monitoring device. If the presence of a person or object is detected within the access station, an emergency stop signal will be generated. This goes beyond simply stopping the transport device, as already mentioned above.

[0034] To enable time-efficient operation of the automated storage system, the safety system is preferably configured to generate a restart signal when a primary alarm is cleared and no secondary alarm is generated until the primary alarm is cleared.

[0035] A restart signal allows the conveying device to resume movement that had been stopped previously by a stop signal. In this case, the procedure for releasing the storage system after an emergency stop can be omitted, thus improving time efficiency without having to compromise on operational safety.

[0036] Alternatively, a restart signal can be generated if a secondary alarm is not formed within a defined period after the primary alarm is cleared, for example, a few seconds later, or if the secondary alarm does not become active after the primary alarm is cleared. This eliminates the possibility of an operator being inside the access station after the primary alarm is cleared.

[0037] An effective primary monitoring device for monitoring the access plane may have at least one light curtain, particularly perpendicular to the access plane. Instead of a light curtain, the primary monitoring device may have a light grid, one or more light keys, a system for optical ranging and velocity measurement, also known as “LiDAR” (Light detection and ranging), an ultrasonic sensor device, or one or more cameras.

[0038] The light curtain may have light fingers, in which case the safety system can be configured to detect the duration of blocking of at least one light finger.

[0039] Furthermore, the safety system can be configured to detect the number of blocked light fingers, which can be advantageously used to detect the extent of the blockage. Here, extent can be defined by the number of interrupted or blocked light fingers, particularly by the number of adjacent light fingers in a blocked state. For example, it is possible to detect when a head crosses the access plane and a hand, separated from the head, crosses the access plane at the same time. Since the head and hand can each block multiple adjacent light fingers, they can each be detected as one extent. To distinguish between two distinct extents, and to store, for example, two independent measurements and compare them to a threshold for extent, the safety system can detect whether there are any unblocked light fingers between the head's crossing and the hand's crossing.

[0040] In another configuration, the temporal change in the number of blocked light fingers is detected. This allows for the detection of changes in the number of blocked light fingers, and for example, a secondary alarm can be formed if the number of blocked light fingers increases. The safety system can be configured to detect two or more combinations of the above characteristics and use this to form a primary and / or secondary alarm. Thus, the spread, for example, the number of blocked adjacent light fingers, is associated with the duration of the detected crossing, thereby forming a secondary alarm. When the spread is small, i.e., when the number of blocked light fingers is small, the safety system may have a larger threshold for duration than for a large spread with a large number of blocked light fingers.

[0041] An advantageous configuration of a secondary monitoring device for monitoring a spatial area may include at least one light curtain and / or at least one photointerrupter having a measuring plane oriented horizontally. Instead of the light curtain and / or photointerrupter, the secondary monitoring device may include at least one light key, a LiDAR system, an ultrasonic sensor device, or one or more cameras.

[0042] To reduce the number of components, the safety system may have at least one spatial monitoring device that integrates a primary monitoring device and a secondary monitoring device. In other words, the spatial monitoring device may be configured to monitor both the access plane and at least one section corresponding to the spatial region located between the access plane and the storage area, i.e., at least the secondary monitoring region.

[0043] The spatial monitoring device can be configured to compare a set target state at the access station with the actual state identified by the spatial monitoring device and to form primary and / or secondary alarms depending on the result. The spatial monitoring device may have one or more cameras, ultrasonic sensor devices, LiDAR, one or more light grids, or other sensor devices suitable for monitoring spatial volume.

[0044] The safety system can be configured to generate a large item signal after a secondary alarm is formed in the absence of a simultaneous primary alarm. This is the case, for example, when a large item, i.e., a large storage item, is moved into the access station and this large item is detected by the secondary monitoring device. Since a primary alarm has not been triggered prior to this, and has not been triggered at least within a predetermined period, it is possible to eliminate the situation in which a secondary alarm is generated by an object or person entering the access station through the access plane.

[0045] The oversized item signal can be used to transition the storage system to the oversized item state. In the oversized item state, the storage item carrier can be restarted, blocked, or stopped without an emergency stop after a primary alarm. In this state, the primary alarm for an emergency stop is triggered because the safety system cannot distinguish whether a secondary alarm has been formed by the oversized item or by a person or other object present in the access station.

[0046] Another advantageous configuration would be a security system in which data generated by primary and / or secondary monitoring devices, particularly spatial monitoring devices, is evaluated by a machine learning system, such as artificial intelligence, and based on the data thus supplied, it can identify whether a human is present within the access station.

[0047] The storage system according to the present invention can be further improved by transitioning the storage system to a stopped state in which the transport device is stopped when a stop signal is sent by the safety system. In particular, the storage system can transition from a previously active operating state to a stopped state when a stop signal is sent. In the stopped state, the transport device is preferably stopped in a state in which it is ready to restart. In other words, an emergency stop state is not immediately formed by the stop signal alone.

[0048] Preferably, the storage system is configured such that, upon the issuance of an emergency stop signal, the safety system prevents the conveyor from restarting. In other words, in the emergency stop state, the restart of the storage system must first be enabled by the normal post-emergency stop measures. Rapid restart of the conveyor or storage item carrier at the end of the primary alarm is prevented in the emergency stop state.

[0049] The storage system can be configured to transition to a large item state when a large item signal is sent by the safety system. In the large item state, switching from the stopped state to the restart state can be prevented. As mentioned above, this takes into account the fact that the safety system may not be able to distinguish between large items and people in the access station, depending on the configuration. For safety reasons, restarting is prevented in the large item state, and the storage system can operate in the conventional manner where a primary alarm causes an emergency stop.

[0050] The storage system can be further improved by having a primary monitoring device that monitors the access plane, which includes at least one light curtain having a measuring plane that extends along the access plane and is oriented vertically. Preferably, the light curtain is at least partially located on the access plane. Depending on the type of access station and its orientation relative to the operator, the light curtain may have an orientation different from the vertical orientation.

[0051] A secondary monitoring device that monitors the spatial region between the access plane and the storage region preferably has at least one light curtain having a measuring plane that extends within the spatial region, preferably within the central region of the spatial region and is oriented horizontally.

[0052] Other orientations are possible instead of the horizontally oriented measuring plane. Similarly, a photointerrupter or light grid can be used instead of a light curtain. Other possible configurations are listed above in relation to safety systems.

[0053] In particular, in the case of light curtains, light grids, or photointerrupters, the detection light or measuring plane can preferably be positioned at a distance of 20 cm to 50 cm above the storage area of ​​the access station. Preferably, the measuring plane is positioned at a distance of 30 cm to 40 cm above the storage area, or above the storage item carriers stored in the storage area.

[0054] Preferably, the spatial area or measurement plane covered by the secondary monitoring device starts at a distance of 15 cm to 35 cm from the access plane, particularly preferably at a distance of 20 cm to 30 cm. This eliminates the possibility of a human being being present between the primary and secondary monitoring devices, and especially between them and the measurement plane.

[0055] The operation of the storage system can be performed more efficiently when the storage system transitions to a jump state instead of a restart state, that is, when it is identified that access to the storage item carrier is being made to move the storage item carrier toward the storage area. In the jump state, the storage item carrier exits the access station, and in particular subsequently, another storage item carrier carrying the next storage item to be removed or the next storage item to be brought in becomes capable of moving into the access station.

[0056] A storage item carrier that has traveled into an access station can already be accessed even before it has fully reached its end position within the access station. This triggers a primary alarm by the primary monitoring device. In the restart state, after the primary alarm has subsided, the storage item carrier continues to travel along its original path, specifically to its end position. In contrast, in the jump state, if it is determined that further access to the storage item carrier is no longer necessary, the storage item carrier can be removed from the access station without being driven to its end position beforehand.

[0057] To identify that a stored item to be retrieved has already been retrieved or that a stored item to be stored has already been stored, the safety system may receive a corresponding confirmation signal formed, for example, by an operator's hand scanner or another identification device. The other identification device may be, for example, a camera, a barcode scanner, a 2D code scanner, or a confirmation switch in the area of ​​the access station.

[0058] According to another advantageous embodiment of the safety system, the spatial region monitored by the secondary monitoring device is not located between the access plane and the storage region, but is located in front of or behind the access plane, in particular, such that the measuring plane of the spatial region extends parallel to the access plane.

[0059] Preferably, for this purpose, the secondary monitoring device has at least one light curtain, and its measuring plane extends parallel to the measuring plane of at least one light curtain of the primary monitoring device. In this case, the measuring plane of the secondary monitoring device can be positioned in front of the measuring plane of the primary monitoring device relative to the operator. Therefore, the measuring plane of the secondary monitoring device can be positioned further away from the access station than the measuring plane of the primary monitoring device. Alternatively, the arrangement order can be reversed.

[0060] In the operation of such safety systems, it is possible to estimate whether a person has boarded and / or exited the access station based on the time elapsed between the trigger of the primary monitoring device and the trigger of the secondary monitoring device.

[0061] The present invention will be described in detail below by illustrative reference to the drawings based on advantageous embodiments. The combination of features shown as examples in each embodiment may be supplemented by other features depending on the characteristics of the safety system and storage system according to the present invention required for a particular application, as described above. Similarly, individual features in the described embodiments may be omitted if their function is not particularly important in a specific application, as described above. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are always used for components having similar functions and / or similar structures. The drawings show the following: [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0062] [Figure 1] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an access station of the storage system of the present invention equipped with the safety system of the present invention in a first advantageous embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view showing an access station according to a second advantageous embodiment of the safety system of the present invention for a storage system of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view showing an access station according to a second advantageous embodiment of the safety system of the present invention for a storage system of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram showing the steps of a possible method for operating the storage system. [Figure 5] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an access station of the storage system of the present invention equipped with the safety system of the present invention in a third advantageous embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an access station according to a fourth advantageous embodiment of the safety system of the present invention for a storage system of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram showing a light curtain according to an advantageous embodiment of the safety system of the present invention for a storage system of the present invention. [Figure 8] This is a schematic diagram illustrating steps of a possible method for operating a storage system according to an advantageous embodiment of the safety system of the present invention. [Figure 9] This is a schematic diagram illustrating steps of a possible method for operating a storage system according to another advantageous embodiment of the safety system of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0063] Hereinafter, embodiments of the safety system 1 and the storage system 3 of the present invention will be described with reference to the figures.

[0064] Safety system 1 may include, in particular, a data processing device configured to receive and process data from primary and secondary monitoring devices and to form corresponding alarms and signals. The data processing device may be a processor, a computer, or other suitable device, or may include these. In particular, the data processing device may be part of the control system of the storage system. In this case, the data processing device may also be implemented as software within the control system.

[0065] The storage system 3 has an access station 5 that can be accessed by an operator 9 from the outside via an access plane 7. At the access station 5, the storage item carrier 11 can be stored in the storage area 13 of the access station 5. The storage item carrier 11 stored in the storage area 13 is located at an end position 15 for the storage item carrier 11.

[0066] The storage system 3 has at least one transport device 17 for transporting one or more storage item carriers 11 into and out of the storage area 13. The transport device 17 is shown schematicly only in Figure 1. Similarly, the dashed line schematically shows a storage item carrier 11 that is traveling towards the access station 5 by the transport device 17 but has not yet reached the end position 15. The direction of movement 19 is indicated by an arrow denoted by reference numeral 19.

[0067] The storage item carrier 11 can store the storage items 21. The storage items 21 can be transported to the access station 5 by the transport device 17 for retrieval by the operator 9. Alternatively, the operator 9 may store the storage items 21 at any location on the storage item carrier 11.

[0068] The safety system 1 has a primary monitoring device 23 that monitors the access plane 7. The primary monitoring device 23 preferably has a light curtain 25. Alternatively, the primary monitoring device 23 may have a light grid, a photointerrupter, a light key, or other suitable means for monitoring the access plane.

[0069] The measuring plane 26 of the light curtain 25 extends preferably perpendicular, and particularly parallel, to the access plane 7. Blocking of the light curtain 25 preferably results in the formation of a primary alarm by the primary monitoring device 23. The safety system 1 further includes a secondary monitoring device 27 that monitors a spatial area 29 located between the access plane 7 and the storage area 13. The secondary monitoring device 27 can form a secondary alarm if an object 30, particularly an object 30 that should not be in the spatial area 29, is present in the spatial area 29.

[0070] The spatial region 29 is preferably selected such that a human being is present inside the access station 5 but outside the spatial region 29. In other words, the spatial region 29 is selected to trigger the secondary monitoring device 27 to form a secondary alarm when the operator 9 is present inside the access station 5 and also within the spatial region 29.

[0071] Preferably, the secondary monitoring device 27 has a light curtain 31, and its measuring plane 33 (shown by a dashed line in Figure 1) extends horizontally, and especially parallel to, the storage area 13.

[0072] The measuring plane 33 of the light curtain 31 preferably extends perpendicularly to the measuring plane 26 of the light curtain 25, but this is not essential. An embodiment of the safety system 1 in which the measuring plane 33 extends parallel to the measuring plane 26, i.e., perpendicularly, will be described later with reference to Figure 3.

[0073] Instead of the light curtain 31, the secondary monitoring device 27 may have other components. Figure 2 shows, as an example, the secondary monitoring device 27 with a photointerrupter 35 extending horizontally and parallel to the access plane 7 through the access station 5.

[0074] The secondary monitoring device 27 can be configured to generate signals representing the height 37 and / or height profile 39 of the stored item carrier 11, in particular the height 37 and / or height profile 39 of the stored items 21 present on the stored item carrier 11. In particular, in this case, the secondary monitoring device 27 can be placed in the upper area of ​​the access station 5, from which it can monitor the spatial area 29 to determine the height 37 or height profile 39.

[0075] The safety system 1 can be configured to take into account the height profile 39 of the stored items 21 when controlling the secondary monitoring device 27. For example, the safety system 1 can be configured to use the secondary monitoring device 27 to monitor only the areas within the access station 5 where it is known that no stored items 21 are present, based on the height profile 39. If the secondary monitoring device 27 has, for example, multiple photointerrupters 35, only each photointerrupter 35 may be activated, or only the signals of photointerrupters present in areas where it is known that no stored items 21 are present, based on the height profile, may be evaluated. The photointerrupters 35 may be part of a light curtain 31 in particular. The height profile 39 can be formed by the secondary monitoring device 27 or by other devices suitable for such monitoring. Alternatively, a stored height profile 39 may be used.

[0076] The secondary monitoring device 27, located in the upper area of ​​the access station 5, is shown by a dashed line in Figure 1. Such secondary monitoring devices may preferably include one or more cameras, a LiDAR system, one or more light keys, an ultrasonic sensor device, or other suitable technical means.

[0077] Instead of the above-described embodiments of the primary monitoring device 23 and the secondary monitoring device 27, the safety system 1 may also have at least one spatial monitoring device that integrates the primary monitoring device 23 and the secondary monitoring device 27. In other words, the spatial monitoring device 41 can be configured to monitor both the access plane 7 and the spatial area 29.

[0078] Such a spatial monitoring device 41 can constitute the second embodiment described above of a secondary monitoring device 27, which is located in the upper area of ​​the access station 5 and has one or more cameras, lidars, light keys, ultrasonic means, or other technical means for monitoring the spatial area 29.

[0079] These spatial monitoring devices 41 can create images of the inside of the access station 5 and images of the storage item carrier 11 located inside, particularly three-dimensional images.

[0080] The spatial monitoring device 41 can also be used by the safety system 1 to compare, for example, the target state inside the access station 5 with the actual state formed by the spatial monitoring device 41, and to generate at least one primary alarm 51 if the actual state deviates from the target state.

[0081] Figure 1 shows the operating state 43 of the storage system 3. In this operating state 43, the alarm will not be activated if neither the light curtain 25 nor 31 is blocked.

[0082] Figure 2 shows the stopped state 45 of the storage system 3. The stopped state 45 becomes active when operator 9 blocks the light curtain 25. This causes the primary monitoring device 23 to generate a primary alarm 51, which also triggers the formation of a stop signal.

[0083] Next, a stop signal causes the storage system 3 to transition to a stopped state 45. Various signals and states will be described in more detail below in relation to how the storage system 3 is operated.

[0084] Figure 1 shows a simple lift door 47 that can close the access station 5. For this purpose, the lift door 47 can travel vertically.

[0085] In one advantageous configuration, the access station 5 is opened by the lifting door 47 only when the storage item carrier 11 has already reached the access station 5 by the transport device 17 and is positioned on the path to the end position 15. Preferably, the primary monitoring device 23 is switched on only when the access station 5 is opened by the lifting door 47. Alternatively, the primary monitoring device 23 may be switched on before the lifting door 47 is opened or while the lifting door 47 is open. In this way, it is also possible to detect if the operator 9 intervenes inside the access station 5 while the lifting door 47 is open.

[0086] Figure 3 shows another advantageous embodiment of the safety system 1. Here, the spatial region 29 monitored by the secondary monitoring device 27 is not located between the access plane 7 and the storage region 13, but is located in front of or behind the access plane 7, and in particular, the spatial region 29 can extend parallel to the access plane 7.

[0087] In Figure 3, the secondary monitoring device 27 has a light curtain 31, and its measuring plane 33 extends parallel to the measuring plane 26 of the light curtain 25 of the primary monitoring device 23. Although this is merely an example, the measuring plane 33 of the secondary monitoring device 27 is located in front of the measuring plane 26 of the primary monitoring device 23, as viewed from the operator 9. Therefore, the measuring plane 33 is further away from the access station 5 than the measuring plane 26 of the primary monitoring device 23. Alternatively, the arrangement order could be reversed.

[0088] During operation, it is possible to infer whether a person has boarded and / or exited the access station 5 based on the time elapsed between the trigger of the primary monitoring device 23 and the trigger of the secondary monitoring device 27.

[0089] Referring to Figure 4, the operation of the storage system 3 according to the present invention will be described in detail below. In this case, Figures 1 to 3 will also be used.

[0090] In operating state 43, the primary monitoring device 23 and the secondary monitoring device 27 are active. In this state, the stored item carrier 11 can be moved toward the end position 15 at the access station 5 by the transport device 17.

[0091] During this operation, if operator 9 intervenes within the access plane 7, the primary monitoring device 23 detects the interruption 49. Subsequently, the primary monitoring device 23 generates a primary alarm 51. If the primary alarm 51 is active, this causes the safety system 1 to generate a stop signal 53.

[0092] The stop signal 53 causes the storage system 3 to transition to a stopped state 55, in which the transport device 17 is stopped. In other words, the stored item carrier 11 remains ahead of the end position 15, in the path leading to the end position 15.

[0093] When the operator 9 leaves the access plane 7 and the light curtain 25 is released, the safety system 1 can generate a restart signal 59 by canceling the blockage 49 57 here, unless a secondary alarm 61 is generated during the stopped state 55 or for a predetermined duration thereafter.

[0094] The restart signal 59 causes the storage system 3 to transition to the restart state 63. In the restart state 63, the transport device 17 resumes transporting the storage item carrier 11 that was previously stopped.

[0095] At this time, the conveying device 17 can continue conveying the stored article carrier 11, particularly in the direction toward the end position 15.

[0096] Alternatively, if it is confirmed that a planned intervention with the storage item carrier 11 has occurred, the storage system 3 can be moved to the jump state 65 by having the storage item carrier 11 exit the access station 5 again, rather than transporting it to the end position 15. This could be, for example, when the operator 9 has taken a storage item 21 from the storage item carrier 11 before it is located at the end position, or when the storage item 21 has been placed on the storage item carrier 11.

[0097] The following describes another flow starting from the stopped state 55. If the object or operator 9 enters the spatial area 29 during or after the stopped state 55, a secondary alarm 61 is triggered by the safety system 1.

[0098] Since the secondary alarm 61 is generated simultaneously with or following the primary alarm 51, it can be assumed that the operator 9 or object has moved into the interior of the access station 5 through the access plane 7.

[0099] Therefore, an emergency stop signal 69 is generated, and this emergency stop signal 69 causes the storage system 3 to transition to an emergency stop state 71.

[0100] The following describes another flow related to Figures 1-4 during the operation of storage system 3. This flow is shown on the right side in Figure 4.

[0101] While the storage system 3 is operating in state 43, entry 67 into the spatial area 29 is detected by the secondary monitoring device 27. Therefore, the secondary monitoring device 27 generates a secondary alarm 61.

[0102] Since the primary alarm 51 was not triggered prior to and / or simultaneously during the pre-set period, it can be assumed that the object and operator 9 did not reach the access station 5 via the access plane 7.

[0103] Alternatively, it can be assumed that when the storage item carrier 11 travels into the access station 5, the storage item 21, a so-called large item with a large height 37, reaches the spatial area 29, thereby blocking the light curtain 31 or photo interrupter 35 of the secondary monitoring device 27.

[0104] Since the primary alarm 51 was not activated, the safety system 1 generates a large item signal 73. The transmission of the large item signal 73 can cause the storage system 3 to transition to the large item state 75.

[0105] In the large item state 75, the possibility of restarting the conveying device 17 or the restart state 63 is prevented.

[0106] When the light curtain 25 of the primary monitoring device 23 is blocked 49 in the large item state 75, a primary alarm 51 is generated, which directly leads to the generation of an emergency stop signal 69, thereby causing the storage system 3 to transition to the emergency stop state 71.

[0107] According to another advantageous embodiment, the primary monitoring device 23 may be configured to generate a primary alarm 51 when there is a crossing 76 onto the access plane 7.

[0108] For example, as shown in Figures 5, 8, and 9, the duration 77 of the blocking 49 of the light curtain 25 can be measured. If this duration 77 exceeds a preset threshold 79 (Figure 8), the primary monitoring device 23 can trigger a secondary alarm. The threshold 79 can be arbitrarily changed by the operator 9, for example, in the data processing device or the computer of the safety system 1.

[0109] Blocking 49 or crossing 76 can occur either by the operator 9 or by the object 30. Figures 5, 6, and 7 illustrate crossing 76 by the operator 9. The illustrated embodiment also applies to crossing 76 or blocking 49 of the access plane 7 by the object 30.

[0110] Figure 5 shows, for example, the blocking 49 of the light curtain 25 by a part of the operator's body 81, in this case the head 83.

[0111] In addition to detecting the duration 77 of the blockage 49 or crossing passage 76, the primary monitoring device 23 may detect and store the extent 85 of the blockage 49 or crossing passage 76. For example, this detection and / or storage may be performed in the data processing device 87 of the safety system 1.

[0112] A secondary alarm 61 can be triggered when the spread 85 exceeds a predetermined threshold 79. For example, the threshold 79 may correspond to a linear dimension slightly larger than, for example, the operator's head 83 in the direction of measurement, for example, transverse to the light curtain 25, to ensure that accidental blocking of the light curtain 25 due to the tilt of the head 83 or other body part 81 does not form a secondary alarm 61. The threshold 79 may have the dimensions of an arbitrarily formed surface, for example, the length and width of a rectangular surface, or the diameter of a circular surface, and these thresholds 79 can be stored in the data processing device 87. For example, the threshold 79 may be selected to be smaller than the dimensions of an average human, in particular the horizontal and / or vertical dimensions of the torso 89 of the operator 9, thereby ensuring that the entry of the operator 9 into the access station 5 can be reliably detected.

[0113] Alternatively or additionally, a comparison can be made between the temporal change 91, particularly the temporal change 91 of the spread 85, and the threshold 79 for the temporal change 91.

[0114] A secondary alarm 61 can be triggered when the threshold 79 is exceeded upwards. Similarly, a secondary alarm 61 can be triggered when the measured duration 77 and / or spread 85 and / or temporal change 91 deviate from their respective thresholds 79, that is, when there is a positive or negative difference between the measured duration 77 and / or spread 85 and / or temporal change 91 and their respective thresholds 79. The data processing device 87 of the safety system 1 can be configured to detect deviations from the threshold 79, and / or upward and / or downward exceedances of the threshold 79.

[0115] In an alternative embodiment, the safety system 1 can activate the secondary monitoring device 27 if there is a deviation from the threshold 79, thereby initiating monitoring of the spatial area 29 by the secondary monitoring device 27.

[0116] The monitoring device monitors the corresponding monitoring plane or monitoring area and is activated or activated when conditions are met that can trigger a primary and / or secondary alarm. In the inactive state, for example, an alarm cannot be formed by the passage 76 across the monitoring plane.

[0117] Next, if an operator 9 is detected in the spatial region 29, particularly in the storage region 13, a secondary alarm 61 is triggered.

[0118] Figure 5 specifically shows the stopped state 55 of the storage system 3. If the operator 9 pulls back the corresponding body part 81, for example, the head 83, so that the light curtain 25 is no longer blocked, and this occurs within a set period, the secondary alarm 61 is not triggered. In other words, if the duration 77 of the blocking 49 or crossing 76 of the light curtain 25 does not exceed a threshold 79 stored in the data processing device 87, the secondary alarm 61 is not formed. Here, the safety system 1 can behave similarly with respect to the detected spread 85 and / or temporal change 91. Thus, the storage system 3 can transition to the restart state 63 and the storage item carrier 11 can be moved again.

[0119] Figure 6 shows one embodiment of a storage system 3 equipped with a safety system 1, in which the operator 9's blocking 49 or crossing 76 of the access plane 7 has a spread 85 greater than the corresponding threshold 79 (Figure 8). This corresponds to a case where the operator 9 attempts to board the access station 5 to intervene in a stored item 21 that is far from the access plane 7 and out of the operator 9's reach. Therefore, the spread 85 may also change over time 91 during entry.

[0120] In one embodiment of the safety system 1, for example, in the embodiment shown in Figure 5, a secondary alarm 61 can be triggered when the threshold 79 is exceeded, and consequently, an emergency stop signal 69 (Figures 4 and 8) can be generated.

[0121] In the illustrated embodiment, the safety system 1 can activate the secondary monitoring device 27 after it is confirmed that the threshold 79 has been exceeded. Subsequently, the secondary monitoring device 27 detects an operator 9 entering or having entered the access station 5 in the spatial area 29, which generates a secondary alarm 61, triggering an emergency stop signal 69. In this case, the storage system 3 is in an emergency stop state 71 in which all operations are stopped, and in order to resume operations, the storage system 3 must be released again.

[0122] Figure 7 schematically shows one embodiment of a storage system 3 equipped with a safety system 1, in which the safety system 1 has a light curtain 25, which is blocked by the body portion 81 of the operator 9. In particular, the light fingers 93 of the light curtain 25 are blocked. As a result, the storage system 3 is in a stopped state 55. The storage system 3 can be restarted and continue operating as long as the duration 77 (Figure 5) and / or spread 85 of the detected blockage 49 or crossing passage 76 does not exceed a preset threshold 79 (Figure 8). Alternatively, the spread 85 can also be detected by a camera, LiDAR sensor or other distance sensor.

[0123] In this diagram, since the operator's body part 81 is immediately pulled back, the storage system 3 can be enabled to restart, and the safety system 1 can generate a restart signal 59 (Figures 4 and 8). In this illustrated example, the secondary monitoring device 27 is activated when the spread 85 changes.

[0124] Figure 8 shows the steps of a method for operating a safety system 1 for a storage system 3 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In operating state 43, for example, the primary monitoring device 23 is active.

[0125] When the access plane 7 is crossed 76, that is, when the light curtain 25 of the primary monitoring device 23 is blocked 49, the safety system 1 generates a primary alarm 51. The primary alarm 51 generates a stop signal 53, and in response the storage system 3 transitions to a stopped state 55. Blocking 49 or crossing 76 can be detected by the primary monitoring device 23. In particular, the duration 77, spread 85, temporal change 91, especially the spread 85 of blocking 49 or crossing 76 and / or a combination of two or more of the aforementioned characteristics are detected. In this embodiment, all three characteristics of blocking 49 described above are detected and each is compared with a threshold 79. In an alternative embodiment, only one of the three characteristics of crossing 76 or blocking 49 described above may be detected, and only a single threshold 79 may be stored in the safety system 1.

[0126] When all detected values ​​fall below the corresponding threshold 79, a restart signal 59 is sent to the storage system 3, and the storage system 3 transitions to the restart state 63.

[0127] In response, if at least one of the detected values ​​exceeds the threshold 79, a secondary alarm 61 is generated (the secondary alarm 61 is generated after the primary alarm 51 is generated), an emergency stop signal 69 is generated, and the storage system 3 transitions to an emergency stop state 71. In this case, the storage system 3 can only be returned to the operating state 43 by manually resetting the emergency stop state 71, and all operations of the storage system 3 are stopped.

[0128] Figure 9 shows another embodiment of how to operate the safety system 1 for the storage system 3 according to the present invention. The safety system 1 has a primary monitoring device 23 and a secondary monitoring device 27. If there is an obstruction 49 or crossing 76 of the light curtain 25 of the primary monitoring device 23, a primary alarm 51 is generated, as in Figure 8, followed by a stop signal 53, which causes the storage system 3 to transition to a stopped state 55. In this embodiment, the duration 77, spread 85 and / or temporal change 91 of the detected obstruction 49 or crossing 76 is detected by the primary monitoring device 23 and compared with the respective thresholds 79. As long as the detected values ​​are below the respective thresholds 79, the safety system 1 can generate a restart signal 59, which invokes a restart state 63.

[0129] In this embodiment, if at least one of the three characteristics of the traverse 76 exceeds a threshold 79, the secondary monitoring device 27 is activated as an additional safety instance. If there is an entry 67 into the spatial area 29, a secondary alarm 61 is triggered, which generates an emergency stop signal 69 and an emergency stop state 71. If, after a predetermined period 95, no entry 67 into the spatial area 29 monitored by the secondary monitoring device 27 is confirmed or detected, a restart signal 59 is generated, and the storage system 3 can be set to a restart state 63. In other words, if the operator 9 immediately exits the entry state 67 after the settable predetermined period 95 has elapsed, the restart signal 59 can be generated. Therefore, the storage system 3 can be restarted if the spatial area 29 remains unchanged after the generation of the primary alarm 51 and until the period 95 has elapsed.

[0130] In another embodiment, the secondary monitoring device 27 can be operated independently of the primary monitoring device 23 by the operator 9 or the safety system 1 as needed, that is, in one configuration, the secondary monitoring device 27 can be operated in parallel with the primary monitoring device 23. This embodiment is particularly advantageous when a large item condition 75 is desired, as described with reference to Figure 7. [Explanation of symbols]

[0131] 1. Safety System 3. Storage System 5 Access Stations 7. Access Plane 9 Operator 11. Storage item carrier 13 Storage Area 15 End position 17 Conveying device 19 Direction of motion 21 Stored items 23 Primary monitoring device 25 Light Curtain 26 Measuring plane 27 Secondary monitoring device 29 Spatial domain 30 Objects 31 Light Curtain 33 Measuring plane 35 Photo Interrupter 37 Height 39 Height Profile 41 Space monitoring device 43 Operating status 45 Stopped state 47 Lifting door 49 Blocked 51 Primary Alarm 53 Stop Signal 55 Stopped state 57 Deleted 59 Restart signal 61 Secondary Alarm 63 Restart state 65 Jump state 67 Approach 69 Emergency stop signal 71 Emergency Stop Condition 73 Large goods signal 75 Large item condition 76 Crossing 77 Duration 79 threshold 81 body parts 83 Head 85 Spread 87 Data Processing Devices 89 Torso 91. Temporal changes 93 Light Finger 95 period

Claims

1. A safety system (1) for an access station (5) of an automated storage system (3) that is accessible by an operator (9) through an access plane (7), The automated storage system (3) includes a transport device (17) that transports the storage item carrier (11) into the storage area (13) of the access station (5) and transports it out of the storage area (13). The safety system (1) has a primary monitoring device (23) that monitors the access plane (7), The primary monitoring device (23) is configured to generate a primary alarm (51) when an object (30) or an operator (9) crosses the access plane (7). The safety system (1) is configured to generate a stop signal (53) after the formation of a primary alarm (51). The aforementioned safety system (1) is After the formation of the primary alarm (51), a secondary alarm (61) is formed. The system is configured such that a primary alarm (51) is first generated, followed by a secondary alarm (61), and then an emergency stop signal (69). Safety system (1).

2. The safety system (1) is configured to generate a restart signal (59) when the primary alarm (51) is deactivated and the secondary alarm (61) is not generated until the primary alarm (51) is deactivated. The safety system (1) according to claim 1.

3. The primary monitoring device (23) is - Detect the duration (77) of the traverse (76) of the access plane (7), and form and / or configure a secondary alarm (61) depending on the detected duration (77) of the traverse (76), - Detect the extent (85) of the crossing (76) of the access plane (7), and form and / or configure a secondary alarm (61) depending on the detected extent (85) of the crossing (76) of the access plane (7), - The system is configured to detect the temporal change (91) of the extent (85) of the crossing (76) of the detected access plane (7), and to form a secondary alarm (61) depending on the temporal change (91) of the crossing (76) of the detected access plane (7). The safety system (1) according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The safety system (1) further includes a secondary monitoring device (27) that monitors a spatial area (29) that is not identical to the access plane (7). The secondary monitoring device (27) is configured to generate a secondary alarm (61) when an object (30) or operator (9) is present within the spatial area (29). The safety system (1) according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The safety system (1) is configured to activate the secondary monitoring device (27) after the formation of a primary alarm (51). A safety system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and claim 4.

6. The aforementioned safety system (1) is - Detect the duration (77) of the crossing (76) of the access plane (7), and operate and / or configure the secondary monitoring device (27) depending on the detected duration (77) of the crossing (76), - Detect the extent (85) of the crossing (76) of the access plane (7), and operate and / or configure the secondary monitoring device (27) depending on the detected extent (85) of the crossing (76), - The system is configured to detect the temporal change (91) of the extent (85) of the detected crossing (76), and to activate the secondary monitoring device (27) depending on the temporal change (91) of the detected crossing (76). A safety system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 2 and claim 4 or 5.

7. The secondary monitoring device (27) exclusively monitors the spatial region (29) after it has been activated. A safety system (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 6.

8. The primary monitoring device (23) that monitors the access plane (7) has at least one light curtain (25) for the access plane (7), A safety system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The aforementioned light curtain (25) has light fingers (93), The aforementioned safety system (1) is - Duration (77) of blocking (49) at least one right finger (93), and / or - The number of the blocked light fingers (93), and / or - Temporal change (91) of the blocked light finger (93) Configured to detect, The safety system (1) according to claim 8.

10. The spatial area (29) of the secondary monitoring device (27) is located between the access plane (7) and the storage area (13). A safety system (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 9.

11. The secondary monitoring device (27) has at least one light curtain (31) and / or at least one photointerrupter (35) to monitor the spatial region (29). A safety system (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 10.

12. The secondary monitoring device (27) is configured to form signals representing the height (37) and / or height profile (39) of the stored article carrier (11). A safety system (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 11.

13. The safety system (1) includes at least one spatial monitoring device (41) that integrates the primary monitoring device (23) and the secondary monitoring device (27). A safety system (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 12.

14. Storage system (3), The storage system (3) comprises at least one access station (5) accessible by an operator (9) through an access plane (7), at least one transport device (17) for transporting one or more storage item carriers (11) into and out of the storage area (13) of the access station (5), and at least one safety system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13. The operation of the transport device (17) is performed in accordance with the primary alarm (51) and the secondary alarm (61). Storage system (3).

15. The storage system (3) transitions to a stopped state (55) in which the transport device (17) is stopped when a stop signal (53) is sent by the safety system (1). The storage system (3) according to claim 14.

16. The storage system (3) transitions to an emergency stop state (71) in which the restart of the transport device (17) is prevented when an emergency stop signal (69) is sent by the safety system (1). The storage system (3) according to claim 14 or 15.

17. When the safety system (1) sends a restart signal (59), the storage system (3) transitions from the stopped state (55) to a restart state (63) in which the transport device (17) continues transporting the stored item carrier (11) that was stopped. Storage system (3) according to claim 15 or 16.

18. The primary monitoring device (23) that monitors the access plane (7) has at least one light curtain having a measuring plane (26) that extends along the access plane (7) and is oriented vertically. Storage system (3) according to any one of claims 14 to 17.

19. The secondary monitoring device (27) that monitors the spatial region (29) has at least one light curtain (31) having a measuring plane (33) that extends within the spatial region (29) and is oriented horizontally or vertically. Storage system (3) according to any one of claims 14 to 18.

20. A method for operating the storage system (3), The storage item carrier (11) is moved toward or toward the storage area (13) of the access station (5), which is accessible to the operator (9) via the access plane (7). When the object (30) or the operator (9) crosses the access plane (7), a primary alarm (51) is activated. After the primary alarm (51) is formed, a stop signal (53) is formed. After the primary alarm (51) is formed, a secondary alarm (61) is formed. First, a primary alarm (51) is generated, followed by a secondary alarm (61), after which an emergency stop signal (69) is generated. method.

21. An operator (9) can access the access station (5) by passing through the access plane (7), and a primary alarm (51) is generated when an object (30) or the operator (9) crosses the access plane (7). A secondary alarm (61) is generated when the object (30) or the operator (9) is in a spatial region (29) that is not the same as the access plane (7). The method according to claim 20.

Images