System for storing and retrieving items

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for storing and retrieving items, comprising: at least one preparation zone (2) for preparing order containers (63) containing one or more items; a plurality of storage racks (10), separated by one or more aisles (11), each rack comprising a plurality of storage spaces (12) distributed over a plurality of storage columns and over one or more storage rows; a plurality of vehicles (61) which are movable horizontally on the ground and in a vertical direction so as to be able to move along the storage columns; an assembly and disassembly area (3) which is located outside the racks (10) and the at least one aisle (11) and in which order containers (63) are placed on or in storage containers (62) and order containers (63) are removed from storage containers (62), respectively; wherein the storage containers (62) and the order containers (63) are structured relative to one another such that the order containers (63) can be placed on or in the storage containers (62), and at least some of the storage spaces (12) are filled with storage containers (62) that do not contain an order container (63) and at least some of the storage spaces (12) are filled with storage containers (62) containing one or more order containers (63).

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] ITEM STORAGE AND RECOVERY SYSTEM

[0003] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The invention relates to the technical field of systems for storing and retrieving items in storage racks, as well as associated storage and retrieval methods.

[0005] TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0006] An item storage and retrieval system comprises: on the one hand, an area for preparing order containers containing one or more items for customers, the order containers, once filled and closed, then being shipped to customers outside the item storage and retrieval system, o the contents of an order container corresponding to the particular order of a customer, who may have ordered a single item or several items, possibly several different items, and even possibly several different types of items, each type of item totaling one or more identical items, and on the other hand, storage racks where storage containers containing such items are stored, o each storage container generally containing only one type of item, often in several copies,several and even often many storage containers all containing the same type of item, several copies per storage container, even if several and even many different types of items can be stored in all the storage containers stored in all the storage racks of the item storage and retrieval system, vehicles, moving at the storage racks so as to be able to access the different storage places inside the storage racks, in order to be able to either place a storage container in a storage place or retrieve a storage container located in a storage place, to bring some of the items contained in the storage containers to the preparation area,so that these items can be extracted from the storage containers and then placed in order containers for delivery, for example, to customers outside the item storage and retrieval system.

[0007] Typically, when different items need to be placed in an order container, several vehicles will retrieve the different storage containers containing these different items from the storage racks, bring these storage containers back to the preparation area, where the quantity of each type of item is taken from a storage container corresponding to this type of item, to then be placed in an order container which, once filled with all the items it must contain, is closed, then shipped to a customer outside the item storage and retrieval system. Finally, the storage containers are then brought back to the storage racks where these storage containers are stored again, until the preparation area again needs the items that these storage containers contain.

[0008] This mode of operation must also take into account the following events, which typically occur in customer order management:

[0009] - a late order change from one or more customers, including, for example, for a given customer: o the addition of one or more items in all or part of the order containers intended for that customer, o and / or the removal of one or more items from all or part of the order containers intended for that customer, o the replacement of one or more items with another or several other items in all or part of the order containers intended for that customer,

[0010] - a stock shortage for one or more items intended to fill certain order containers, requiring a wait for the replenishment of stocks of this or these out-of-stock items,

[0011] - a change in priority or order in the preparation of certain order containers for the same customer or for different customers, possibly a simple delay in the shipment of one or more order containers already filled and closed, as well as other unforeseen circumstances requiring: o to stop the filling of one or more order containers before they are filled and can be closed, o to finish filling these order containers later, and to also close them later.In summary, at a given time, a certain number of order containers, destined for one or more external customers, most often still open (i.e. not closed, a closed order container being ready to be shipped) and incomplete (i.e. not completely filled, an unfilled container still having to receive one or more missing items before it can be sent to the corresponding external customer), must be kept for a certain time, at the level of the item storage and retrieval system, before they can be finished being filled, and finally shipped to their external customers.

[0012] According to a conventional prior art, an additional dedicated area, or buffer zone, is provided for the temporary storage of these incomplete order containers, separate from both the preparation area and the storage racks. In addition to the fact that this area takes up additional space in the workshop, it also requires additional special management, in particular at the level of all the vehicles going to and from it, this additional special management being added to the already existing main management of the back and forth of vehicles between the preparation area and the storage racks, thus making the system overall quite complex.

[0013] In fact, all vehicles circulate on the ground, between the preparation area, the dedicated temporary conservation buffer zone, the storage racks, and possibly the aisles separating these storage racks, which particularly complicates the overall management of all vehicle movement flows.

[0014] This increased complexity of management is possibly associated with a different fleet of vehicles which have been adapted to capture, transport, deposit and recover order containers.

[0015] This classic prior art thus presents several drawbacks:

[0016] - a dedicated temporary conservation buffer zone, which takes up space: o on the one hand in itself, to store open and incomplete order containers, o and on the other hand because of the space taken up by the flow of vehicles back and forth between this dedicated temporary conservation buffer zone and the preparation area,

[0017] - additional specific management of the additional flow of back-and-forth vehicles between this dedicated temporary conservation buffer zone and the preparation zone, which, in addition to the already existing main management of the main flow of back-and-forth vehicles between the preparation zone and the storage racks, significantly complicates this already existing main management of the main flow, while possibly requiring adaptation of the vehicles to pick up, transport, deposit and retrieve the order containers.

[0018] OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a system for storing and retrieving items, as well as an associated method for storing and retrieving items, overcoming all or part of the aforementioned drawbacks.

[0020] More particularly, the invention aims to provide a technique that is both simple and effective for managing these unforeseen events: firstly, it involves using the free storage spaces inside the storage racks to carry out this temporary storage of blocked order containers, in particular open and incomplete (but also possibly already closed), without being able to be filled, closed and actually shipped to external customers; then, to take full advantage of the functionalities and equipment of the vehicles allowing the storage containers to be deposited and retrieved in or out of the storage spaces located in the storage racks, it involves placing the order containers in storage containers before sending them to the storage racks; it is also a matter of providing an assembly and disassembly area outside the storage racks,where the storage containers and the order containers they contain can be assembled and disassembled respectively, the vehicles going to and returning from storage racks while moving on the ground, carrying only storage containers, these storage containers being able to contain articles and / or order containers, and more precisely being able to contain: o one or more articles, o or, one or more order containers:,

[0021] ■ partially filled, themselves containing one or more items, not necessarily the same number of items in each order container,

[0022] ■ or being empty,

[0023] ■ or a combination of partially filled and empty order containers. Significant space savings are achieved by taking advantage of the remaining free spaces in the storage racks, rather than using a dedicated area located outside this rack.

[0024] This significant space saving, without significantly complicating the management of vehicle movement flows, and without modifying the functionalities and equipment of the vehicles already providing shuttles with the storage racks, is achieved in particular thanks to:

[0025] - the undifferentiated use of storage spaces in storage racks for storage containers, whether they directly contain items, or order containers possibly containing items,

[0026] - transport by vehicles circulating on the ground, between the storage racks and the areas outside the storage racks, always carrying storage containers, whether these storage containers contain articles, order containers, or both at the same time,

[0027] - assembly and disassembly between storage containers and order containers being carried out only outside the storage racks, after movement on the ground of the vehicles making the round trips to the storage racks.

[0028] To this end, the present invention proposes a system for storing and retrieving items, comprising: at least one area for preparing order containers containing one or more items, several storage racks: separated by one or more aisles, each comprising several storage places distributed over several storage columns and over one or more storage lines, the storage places being able to receive storage containers containing the items, several vehicles: movable horizontally at ground level, and in a vertical direction so as to be able to move along the storage columns, having a mechanism for gripping, depositing and transporting the storage containers, characterized in that: the storage containers and the order containers are structured relative to each other so as to be able to place the order containers on or in the storage containers,at least a portion of the storage places is filled with storage containers containing one or more items without containing an order container, at least a portion of the storage places is filled with storage containers containing one or more order containers possibly containing at least one item, and in that the storage and retrieval system also comprises: an assembly and disassembly area, located outside the racks and the aisle(s), where the order containers are placed on or in the storage containers and respectively where the order containers are removed from the storage containers.,

[0029] To this end, the present invention also proposes a system for storing and retrieving articles, comprising: at least one area for preparing order containers containing one or more articles intended for customers, several storage racks: separated by one or more aisles, each comprising several storage places distributed over several storage columns and over one or more storage lines, the storage places being able to receive storage containers containing the articles, several mobile vehicles: horizontally, in two distinct directions, at ground level, so as to be able to move between the preparation area and the racks, transporting the storage containers containing the articles without containing an order container, so as to be able to reach the storage columns in the racks, in a vertical direction,so as to be able to move or climb along the storage columns to reach the storage places and descend along the storage columns, and comprising a mechanism adapted to: place a storage container towards a storage place, to store this storage container, to pick up a storage container from a storage place, to retrieve this storage container, characterized in that: the storage containers and the order containers are structured relative to each other so as to be able to place the order containers on or in the storage containers, at least a part of the storage places is filled with a storage container containing one or more articles without containing an order container,at least a portion of the storage spaces is filled with a storage container containing one or more order containers including: at least one order container containing at least one item, and / or at least one order container containing no item, and in that the storage and retrieval system also comprises: an assembly area, located outside the racks and the aisle(s), where the order containers are placed on or in the storage containers before being transported by the mobile vehicles moving horizontally, at ground level, a disassembly area, located outside the racks and the aisle(s), where the order containers are removed from the storage containers after being transported by the mobile vehicles moving horizontally, at ground level, the vehicles being movable horizontally, at ground level,so as to be able to move on the one hand between the assembly area and the racks and on the other hand between the racks and the disassembly area, also transporting the storage containers containing the order containers, including: at least one order container containing at least one item, and / or at least one order container containing no item.,

[0030] The storage containers and the order containers are structured relative to each other in such a way that the order containers can be placed on or in the storage containers, so that the order containers are placed on or in the storage containers, in particular when these storage containers are received by the storage places and when these storage containers are transported by the vehicles.

[0031] To this end, the present invention also provides a method of storing and retrieving articles, using a storage and retrieval system as described above.

[0032] To this end, the present invention also proposes a method for storing and retrieving articles, characterized in that: at least one vehicle will store in one of the racks and / or will retrieve from one of the racks at least one storage container containing one or more articles but not containing any order container, at least one vehicle will store in one of the racks and / or retrieve from one of the racks at least one storage container containing one or more order containers possibly containing at least one article.

[0033] To this end, the present invention also proposes a method for storing and retrieving articles, characterized in that: at least one vehicle will store in one of the racks and / or will retrieve from one of the racks at least one storage container containing one or more articles without containing an order container, at least one vehicle will store in one of the racks and / or retrieve from one of the racks at least one storage container containing one or more order containers including: at least one order container containing at least one article, and / or at least one order container containing no article, at least one vehicle moves between the preparation area and the racks, transporting at least one storage container containing at least one article without containing an order container, at least one vehicle transports, from the assembly area, at least one storage container containing at least one order container,at least one vehicle transports, to the disassembly area, at least one storage container containing at least one order container.,

[0034] To this end, the present invention further provides a subassembly of an item storage and retrieval system, which may be provided separately from the rest of the item storage and retrieval system, and which comprises:

[0035] - a storage rack area of ​​an item storage and retrieval system, comprising: several storage racks: separated by one or more aisles, each comprising several storage places distributed over several storage columns and over one or more storage lines, the storage places being able to receive storage containers containing the items, several vehicles: movable horizontally at ground level, and in a vertical direction so as to be able to move along the storage columns, having a mechanism for gripping, depositing and transporting the storage containers, characterized in that: the storage containers and the order containers are structured relative to each other so as to be able to place the order containers on or in the storage containers,at least a portion of the storage spaces is filled with storage containers containing one or more items without containing an order container, at least a portion of the storage spaces is filled with storage containers containing one or more order containers possibly containing at least one item.,

[0036] According to preferred embodiments, the invention comprises one or more of the following features which can be used separately or in partial combination with each other or in total combination with each other, with any of the previously mentioned objects of the invention.

[0037] Preferably, either the assembly area and the disassembly area are juxtaposed directly next to each other, so that the vehicles can pass directly from the disassembly area to the assembly area, before leaving again towards the racks or towards the preparation area, or the assembly and disassembly area comprises an assembly area and a disassembly area which are juxtaposed next to each other, so that the vehicles can pass directly from the disassembly area to the assembly area, before leaving again towards the racks or towards the preparation area, or the assembly and disassembly area comprises an assembly area and a disassembly area which are integrated with each other, so as to form a single assembly and disassembly area, the same device preferably carrying out both the disassembly and the assembly.

[0038] Thus, the overall space saving is further improved, by integrating assembly and disassembly operations in the same place, and the management of vehicle movement flows is further simplified, by limiting or even eliminating vehicle movements between assembly and disassembly, while coupling an assembly and a disassembly for the same vehicle movement, which overall reduces vehicle movements and therefore further simplifies the management of their movement flows.

[0039] Preferably, said single assembly and disassembly zone is structured so that a sequence including disassembly followed by assembly is carried out with a vehicle, the object of this sequence, remaining at least horizontally immobile, and preferably remaining completely immobile, between the disassembly and assembly of this sequence.

[0040] Thus, the overall space saving is further improved, by integrating assembly and disassembly operations in the same place, and the management of vehicle movement flows is further simplified, by limiting or even eliminating vehicle movements between assembly and disassembly, while coupling an assembly and a disassembly for the same vehicle movement, which overall reduces vehicle movements and therefore further simplifies the management of their movement flows.

[0041] Preferably, the assembly area comprises a device capable of placing the control container on or in the storage container, by lowering the control container towards the storage container, while carrying the control container from below, the disassembly area comprises a device capable of removing the control container from the storage container, by raising the control container from the storage container, while carrying the control container from below, or the assembly and disassembly area comprises at least one device capable on the one hand of placing the control container on or in the storage container, by lowering the control container towards the storage container, while carrying the control container from below, and on the other hand capable of removing the control container from the storage container, by raising the control container from the storage container,while carrying the order container from below.,

[0042] Thus, the structure of the assembly and disassembly area is simplified, limiting the assembly and disassembly elements and their movements, while maintaining its efficiency, and while performing assembly and disassembly reliably.

[0043] Preferably, the assembly area device comprises a tool that is only movable in a vertical direction and that cooperates with a horizontal movement of the vehicle only, to place the order container on or in the storage container, the disassembly area device comprises a tool that is only movable in a vertical direction and that cooperates with a horizontal movement of the vehicle only, to remove the order container from the storage container, or the assembly and disassembly area device comprises at least one tool that is only movable in a vertical direction and that cooperates with a horizontal movement of the vehicle only, to place the order container on or in the storage container, and that is only movable in a vertical direction and that cooperates with a horizontal movement of the vehicle only, to remove the order container from the storage container.

[0044] Thus, the structure of the assembly and disassembly area is simplified, limiting the assembly and disassembly elements and their movements, while maintaining its efficiency, and while performing assembly and disassembly reliably.

[0045] Preferably, before the order container is placed on or in the storage container, the assembly area device comprises a tool that moves only horizontally to bring the order container above the storage container, just after the order container is raised above the storage container, the disassembly area device comprises a tool that moves only horizontally to retrieve the order container, or, before the order container is placed on or in the storage container, the assembly and disassembly area device comprises at least one tool that moves only horizontally to bring the order container above the storage container, and which, just after the order container is raised above the storage container, moves only horizontally to retrieve the order container.

[0046] Thus, the structure of the assembly and disassembly area is simplified, limiting the assembly and disassembly elements and their movements, while maintaining its efficiency, and while performing assembly and disassembly reliably.

[0047] Preferably, the tool of the assembly area is a stop, preferably a bar, which pushes the control container horizontally to bring it above the storage container, the tool of the disassembly area is a stop, preferably a bar, which pushes the control container horizontally to recover it after it has been raised above the storage container, or the tool of the assembly and disassembly area is a stop, preferably a bar, which pushes the control container horizontally to bring it above the storage container, and which pushes the control container horizontally to recover it after it has been raised above the storage container.

[0048] Thus, the structure of the assembly and disassembly area is simplified, limiting the assembly and disassembly elements and their movements, while maintaining its efficiency, and while performing assembly and disassembly reliably.

[0049] Preferably, the tool in the assembly area is associated with a conveyor, to begin horizontally moving the order container, the tool in the disassembly area is associated with a conveyor, to continue horizontally moving the order container, the tool in the assembly and disassembly area is associated with a conveyor, to begin horizontally moving the order container before assembly and to continue horizontally moving the order container after disassembly, the conveyor being connected to a shipping area for the order containers to the customers of these order containers.

[0050] Preferably, the preparation area comprises a robotic articulated arm which can: pick up an item from a storage container to place it in an order container, advantageously while the storage container is on one vehicle and the order container is on another vehicle, pick up an item from an order container to place it in a storage container, advantageously while the storage container is on one vehicle and the order container is on another vehicle.

[0051] Thus, the order container as well as the storage containers containing the articles intended to be placed in this order container, being all gathered in the same place, at the preparation area, and at the same time, the filling and closing of the order container can be carried out in a manner that is both rapid and fluid, either for the entire contents of the order container, or at least for the major part (at least 50%, or even at least 80%) of the contents of the container in which case the rest of the contents of the order container can be finished a little later by an operator at another time, for example at night for the robotic articulated arm and during the day for the operator.This time-shifted processing is made possible by the fact that an incomplete order container can now be easily stored on or in a storage location in a storage rack temporarily before then being brought back to the preparation area for completion. Preferably, the preparation area is structured to receive two streams of items: a first stream of items from the storage racks, a second stream of items from outside the item storage and retrieval system.

[0052] This significantly improves the overall flexibility of handling operations, and more specifically the preparation of order containers for customers.

[0053] Preferably, the storage racks are distributed into at least two rack zones connected to each other by a buffer storage rack which comprises several buffer storage places distributed over one or more storage columns and over one or more storage lines, a vehicle coming to deposit a storage container comprising at least one order container on one side of this buffer rack, a vehicle coming to recover this storage container comprising this or these order containers on the other side of this buffer rack.

[0054] Thus, the presence of this buffer rack allows a multi-channel exchange zone between two well-separated storage rack zones, each preferably having its own dedicated fleet of vehicles. For example, a first fleet of vehicles moves in a first storage rack zone without moving in a second storage rack zone, while a second fleet of vehicles moves in the second storage rack zone without moving in the first storage rack zone. This option will be rather interesting for storage zones comprising clearly differentiated storage sub-zones.

[0055] Preferably, vehicles can drive in the aisle(s), and / or vehicles can drive under the racks, and vehicles can preferably also change direction under the racks.

[0056] Thus, the overall space saving is further improved, by reducing the width of the aisles between the storage racks, and the management of vehicle movement flows is further simplified, by using the dead zones which are located under the storage racks, these dead zones, being intrinsically wider due to the relatively large width of the storage racks containing many storage spaces, allow for smoother vehicle movements.

[0057] Preferably, the order container is a bin or a box, the storage container is: a tray on which the items can be placed in bulk directly, or a tray on which an intermediate bin can be placed in which the items can be placed in bulk.

[0058] Thus, the structure of the order containers and storage containers is very simple, while allowing assembly and disassembly between the order containers and the storage containers which also remain very simple, while allowing the storage containers to continue to perform their classic main function of being stored in the storage racks by containing the articles either directly or via an intermediate tray placed on or in the storage container. The shape of the storage containers in trays with edges allows assembly and disassembly between order containers and storage containers which is simpler, faster and smoother, than when the storage containers are trays and the order containers are completely retracted inside the storage containers.

[0059] The combination of: on the one hand the assembly and disassembly area offset from the storage racks so that the vehicles move horizontally on the ground, and on the other hand the shape of the storage container as a tray rather than a bin, which allows easy gripping from below of the order container placed on or in the storage container, allows for particularly marked simplicity and fluidity in carrying out assembly and disassembly, which overall, to have this very interesting functionality of undifferentiated storage, in the storage racks, of storage containers containing articles or storage containers containing order containers (the order containers either containing articles or being empty), which, in the systems of the prior art, did not exist,since two completely separate areas were required to store the storage containers containing the items on the one hand, and the storage containers containing the order containers on the other hand, it only adds a really small additional complexity to the item storage and retrieval system.

[0060] Preferably, the order container is a bin, and either the order container and the storage container are stackable with each other, or the intermediate bin and the order container are stackable with each other.

[0061] Thus, the structure of the control containers and storage containers is relatively simple, while allowing assembly and disassembly between the control containers on the one hand and the storage containers on the other hand, which also remains relatively simple.

[0062] Preferably, the order container is a bin or box, the storage container is a tray with a rim so as to horizontally retain the order container, the height of the rim being less than 50% of the height of the order container, or less than 30% of the height of the order container, or less than 20% of the height of the order container, the rim being able to be on one or more sides of the tray or the rim being able to go completely around the tray, and preferably, the height of the rim is greater than 5% of the height of the order container, or greater than 10% of the height of the order container, or greater than 20% of the height of the order container.

[0063] Thus, the structure of the order containers and storage containers is very simple, while allowing assembly and disassembly between the order containers and the storage containers which also remain very simple, while allowing the storage containers to continue to perform their classic main function of being stored in the storage racks by containing the articles either directly or via an intermediate tray placed on or in the storage container. The shape of the storage containers in trays with edges allows assembly and disassembly between order containers and storage containers which is simpler, faster and smoother, than when the storage containers are trays and the order containers are completely retracted inside the storage containers.

[0064] The combination of: on the one hand the assembly and disassembly area offset from the storage racks so that the vehicles move horizontally on the ground, and on the other hand the shape of the storage container as a tray rather than a bin, which allows easy gripping from below of the order container placed on or in the storage container, allows for particularly marked simplicity and fluidity in carrying out assembly and disassembly, which overall, to have this very interesting functionality of undifferentiated storage, in the storage racks, of storage containers containing articles or storage containers containing order containers (the order containers either containing articles or being empty), which, in the systems of the prior art, did not exist,since two completely separate areas were required to store the storage containers containing the items on the one hand, and the storage containers containing the order containers on the other hand, it only adds a really small additional complexity to the item storage and retrieval system.

[0065] Preferably, the rim is notched, so as to allow a fork with one or more fingers to be placed under the control container itself placed on or in the tray, to then raise the control container above the tray so that the control container is no longer horizontally held by the rim.

[0066] Thus, at the level of the assembly carried out between, on the one hand, the order containers and, on the other hand, the storage containers, as well as at the level of the disassembly carried out between, on the one hand, the order containers and, on the other hand, the storage containers, the cooperation between, on the one hand, the storage containers and, on the other hand, the assembly and disassembly equipment of the assembly and disassembly area is reinforced and facilitated.

[0067] Preferably, for at least some of the storage containers, the storage containers are large enough that only one order container can be placed on or in the same storage container, and / or for at least some of the storage containers, the storage containers are large enough that one or two order containers can be placed on or in the same storage container, and / or for at least some of the storage containers, the storage containers are large enough that between one and six order containers can be placed on or in the same storage container.

[0068] Thus, the types of combinations that can be made between, on the one hand, order containers and, on the other hand, storage containers are more numerous and richer.

[0069] Preferably, the ratio between, on the one hand, the number of storage containers being stored in the racks and containing at least one order container, and on the other hand the number of storage containers being stored in the racks and containing the articles without containing an order container, remains, during the cruising speed of the storage and retrieval system: less than 20%, or less than 10%, or less than 5%, and, preferably, greater than 0.1%, or greater than 0.5%, or greater than 1% or greater than 3%.

[0070] Thus, the main function of storing, in the storage racks, the articles intended to be integrated into order containers, is fully ensured, while an additional function of using the free storage places, in these same storage racks, for storing open and incomplete order containers, can also be ensured, with practically no disruption to the main storage function.

[0071] Preferably, the total number of storage containers stored in the racks remains, during the cruising speed of the storage and retrieval system: greater than 1000 storage containers, or greater than 10000 storage containers, or greater than 100000 storage containers, and / or the total number of vehicles circulating in the storage and retrieval system remains, during the cruising speed of the storage and retrieval system: greater than 20 vehicles circulating, or greater than 50 vehicles circulating, or greater than 100 vehicles circulating. Thus, the invention used is all the more interesting: that the size of the set of storage racks is large, and that the number of vehicles moving to or from this set of storage racks is large.

[0072] Preferably, a storage container has a floor area preferably greater than 200cm 2 , and preferably less than 2000cm2 .

[0073] Preferably, a vehicle preferably has a weight: greater than 10kg, or greater than 30kg, and / or less than 200kg, or less than 100kg.

[0074] Preferably, the vehicles are robots or robotic vehicles, which are piloted (remotely controlled) or remotely controlled, by a system for managing the movement flows of these robots or robotic vehicles.

[0075] Preferably, the vehicles comprise wheels enabling them to move on the ground, horizontally in two distinct directions and to change direction on the ground, either by pivoting around an axis or by having pivotable wheels or by having several sets of wheels fixed in several directions (one set of wheels oriented in the direction of the length of the robot and one set of wheels oriented in the direction of the width of the robot, for example, with a clutch and declutch system enabling switching from one set of wheels to the other, each set of wheels advantageously comprising four wheels).

[0076] Preferably, the vehicles comprise gears, for example toothed wheels, enabling them to climb autonomously, and descend autonomously, along the storage columns of the storage racks in order to reach the storage places in the storage columns of the storage racks.

[0077] Preferably, the vehicles comprise a tool, for example an articulated gripping arm, allowing them, on the one hand, to place a storage container on or in a storage space when they are at the height of this storage space along the storage column in the storage rack, and on the other hand to retrieve a storage container from a storage space when they are at the height of this storage space along the storage column in the storage rack.

[0078] Preferably, at least a portion of the order containers are partially filled at a first time in the preparation area, before being stored in the storage racks, and then returned to the preparation area to finish being filled at a second time different from the first time, the first and second times being advantageously separated from each other by one or more hours.Thus, the order container as well as the storage containers containing the articles intended to be placed in this order container, being all gathered in the same place, at the preparation area, and at the same time, the filling and closing of the order container can be carried out in a manner that is both rapid and fluid, either for the entire contents of the order container, or at least for the major part (at least 50%, or even at least 80%) of the contents of the container in which case the rest of the contents of the order container can be finished by a human operator a little later at another time, for example at night for the robotic articulated arm and during the day for the human operator.This time-shifted processing is made possible by the fact that an incomplete order container can be easily stored on or in a storage location in a storage rack temporarily before being then returned to the preparation area for completion.

[0079] Preferably, at least a portion of the order containers, once these order containers are filled and closed, ready to be shipped to the customers, returns to the preparation area so as to be reopened and closed after: one or more items are changed by one or more different items, in one or more of these order containers, and / or one or more items are added, in one or more of these order containers, and / or one or more items are removed, in one or more of these order containers.

[0080] In this way, even late customer development and changes can be managed with great flexibility.

[0081] Preferably, the vehicles travel under the racks, and the vehicles change direction preferably under the racks as well, advantageously without rotating around themselves.

[0082] Thus, the overall space saving is further improved, by reducing the width of the aisles between the storage racks, and the management of vehicle movement flows is further simplified, by using the dead zones which are located under the storage racks, these dead zones, being intrinsically wider due to the relatively large width of the storage racks containing many storage spaces, allow for smoother vehicle movements.

[0083] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, given by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0084] [Fig. 1] Figure 1 schematically represents an example of an article storage and retrieval system according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0085] [Fig. 2] Figure 2 schematically represents an example of a storage rack area and an order container preparation area of ​​an item storage and retrieval system according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0086] [Fig. 3] Figure 3 schematically represents an example of a zoom on a storage column in a storage rack of an item storage and retrieval system according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0087] [Fig. 4] Figure 4 schematically represents an example of a vehicle moving in an article storage and retrieval system according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0088] [Fig. 5] Figure 5 schematically represents an example of an assembly and disassembly area of ​​an article storage and retrieval system according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0089] [Fig. 6] Figure 6 schematically represents an example of assembly and disassembly areas of an article storage and retrieval system according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0090] [Fig. 7] Figure 7 schematically represents another example of a storage container that can be assembled with a control container according to another embodiment of the invention.

[0091] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0092] Figure 1 schematically represents an example of an article storage and retrieval system according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0093] The item storage and retrieval system comprises a storage area 1 comprising several storage racks, an order preparation area 2, an assembly and disassembly area 3 comprising a disassembly area 4 and an assembly area 5.

[0094] Vehicles circulate in a circulation zone 6 on the ground. This circulation zone 6 on the ground symbolizes a zone of passage of vehicles and communication between the other zones 1, 2 and 3, but the vehicles circulate on the ground as well in circulation zone 6, as in storage zone 1 (in aisles 11 and / or under racks 10), and in preparation zone 2, and in assembly and disassembly zone 3. The solid arrows represent flows of vehicles transporting storage containers containing articles without containing order containers. The dotted arrows represent flows of vehicles transporting storage containers containing order containers containing articles. These vehicles are automatic guided vehicles (AGVs).They will be referred to more simply in this Application as “vehicles” or may also be called piloted robotic vehicles or also be called remote-controlled robotic vehicles. These piloted robotic vehicles cross traffic zone 6 to move between the different zones 1, 2 and 3 of the item storage and retrieval system.

[0095] The item storage and retrieval system enables the storage and retrieval of items in a storage area 1. These items are placed in storage containers which are placed on or in storage spaces in the storage area 1. These items are also placed in order containers for customers outside the item storage and retrieval system, these order containers being placed on or in storage containers which are also placed on or in storage spaces in the storage area 1.

[0096] At the order preparation area 2, the items are placed in order containers for customers outside the item storage and retrieval system. The order containers are either brought to the order preparation area 2 directly from outside the item storage and retrieval system, or brought to the order preparation area 2 in storage containers themselves transported by piloted robotic vehicles.

[0097] Order containers, once partially or completely filled, and even closed, when stored either in storage area 1 or in the shipping area (not shown in the figures) can still be brought back into the storage containers transported by the piloted robotic vehicles, then reopened, before seeing their contents completed, modified, or lightened, depending on possible late modifications in customer orders.

[0098] The storage of not only storage containers, but also order containers, in storage area 1 facilitates and improves the flexibility of processing customer orders, including late changes, or even just before the actual shipment of these order containers.

[0099] The transport of order containers, inside or on storage containers, by piloted robotic vehicles, allows on the one hand a simplified structure of the vehicle, and on the other hand to have only one type of these vehicles in the fleet of vehicles for the entire system of storage and retrieval of articles.

[0100] At the assembly and disassembly area 3 comprising a disassembly area 4 and an assembly area 5, a vehicle carrying a storage container containing a first order container begins by arriving at the disassembly area 4. At the disassembly area 4, the first order container is removed from the storage container carried by the vehicle, to be sent to the shipping area towards the outside of the item storage and retrieval system. Then, the vehicle carrying its storage container moves towards the assembly area 5, by a horizontal movement of minimized amplitude due to the close proximity of the disassembly area 4 and the assembly area 5. Finally, at the assembly area 5, a second order container is placed in the storage container carried by the vehicle which can leave towards the order preparation area 2 or towards the storage area 1.

[0101] Figure 2 schematically represents an example of a storage rack area and an order container preparation area of ​​an item storage and retrieval system according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0102] The storage area 1 comprises several storage racks 10 separated by several aisles 11. The aisles 11 are reclined and cross the storage area 1 in two orthogonal directions with intersections between aisles 11 inside the storage area 1. The racks 10 extend over several storage columns and over several storage lines, the intersection of the lines and columns being the storage spaces 12, each column comprising a stack of storage spaces 12, each line comprising a row of storage spaces 12. Seen from above, this resembles a checkerboard city, the aisles 11 being the streets and the storage racks 10 being the buildings, and the storage spaces 12 being the apartments of the buildings. The storage racks 10 are carried by pillars 13.

[0103] The storage spaces 12 do not descend to the ground, and spaces 14 located under the racks 10, in particular between the pillars 13, allow the vehicles 61 to circulate in these spaces 14, under the racks 10, passing between the pillars 13, and this even while carrying storage containers 62 whether these contain articles or order containers 63. The vehicles 61 can even change direction under the racks 10. This ability of the vehicles 61 to circulate and change direction under the racks 10, by pivoting or not, makes it possible on the one hand to reduce the width of the aisles 11, and therefore to increase the density of the storage spaces 12 for the same volume of the storage area 1, and on the other hand to smooth the circulation of the vehicles 61 inside the storage area 1 in order to limit the risks of slowing down, congestion or blockage, of the vehicles 61 inside the area storage area 1 as well as around storage area 1.

[0104] The order preparation zone 2 comprises, in a first direction, order preparation tables 20 on which the order containers 63 are arranged, empty or in the process of being filled, or in the process of having their filling modified, and in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, vehicle circulation corridors 61 carrying storage containers 62 containing the articles to be placed in the order containers 63.

[0105] An operator 22 can place, in the order containers 63 located on his preparation table 20, the articles from the storage containers 62 of the vehicles 61 which pass in front of his preparation table 20 in the corridor 21. The same vehicle carrying a storage container 62 containing a given type of articles, can thus, by circulating along one or more corridors 21, pass in front of several preparation tables 20 and allow several operators 22 to take the articles contained in his storage container 62 to place them in their order containers 63 at each of the preparation tables 20. Thus, the arrival of the vehicle 61 at the preparation zone 20 will have been largely profitable.In summary, on the one hand, the same operator 22 sees several vehicles 61 carrying several storage containers 62 containing several different types of articles pass in front of his preparation table 20, thus allowing him to fill his order containers 63, and on the other hand, the same vehicle 61 carrying a storage container 62 containing the same type of articles passes in front of several preparation tables 20 to distribute his type of articles to a maximum of different order containers 63.The vehicles 61 circulating in the corridors 21 carry storage containers 62 which can contain either articles to be placed in the order containers 63, or order containers 63 (placed by the operator 22) to be taken either to the storage area 1 or to the assembly and disassembly area 3, or which return either from the storage area 1 or from the assembly and disassembly area 3 while transporting order containers 63 (themselves placed in or on their storage containers 62) so that their contents can be modified by the operator 22.

[0106] The operator 22 may be a human operator 22 and / or a robotic articulated arm 22 which is, on the one hand, adapted to place, in the order containers 63 located on the preparation tables 20, the articles contained in the storage containers 62 carried by the vehicles 61 circulating along the corridors 21, and on the other hand, adapted to place the order containers 63 in the storage containers 62 carried by the vehicles 61 before these vehicles 61, still carrying storage containers 62 but this time containing order containers 63, go either to the storage area 1 or to the assembly and disassembly area 3.Preferably, the operator 22 comprises both a robotic articulated arm 22 which works for example at night to fill the order containers 63 with the majority of the articles that they must contain, these order containers 63 being temporarily stored in the storage area 1 before returning to the preparation area 2 to be completed with the minority of articles still missing, this time by the human operator 22 who works for example during the day, in any case advantageously at a time other than the robotic articulated arm 22.

[0107] Figure 3 schematically represents an example of a zoom on a storage column in a storage rack of an item storage and retrieval system according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0108] An aisle 11 separates two racks 10. Each column is delimited and surrounded by four pillars 13. Along the column of the rack 10, in the vertical direction of the height of the column, the storage places 12 are arranged, one above the other. At each storage place 12, on or in the storage place 12, a storage container 62 is deposited or stored by a vehicle 61.

[0109] The storage container 62, once placed on or in the storage place 12, rests on two supports 16, preferably two brackets 16, by its two opposite edges, in the direction of its length. Between the two brackets 16, there is an empty space by which the vehicle 61 can grasp the storage container 62 to place it or to retrieve it. The arrow shows the direction of movement of a storage container 62 when it is retrieved by the telescopic arm of a vehicle 61, this telescopic arm being shown in detail in Figure 4. The vehicle 61 also has gears 610, advantageously of the toothed wheel type, which engage racks 15 located along the column in the direction of the height of the column, to climb and descend along the column.

[0110] Preferably, these gears 610 are retractable (for traveling on the ground) and deployable (for climbing), so as to allow the vehicle 61 to engage its four gears 610, located at the four corners of the vehicle 61, in four racks 15, two racks 15 located along a first column and two other racks 15 located along a second column opposite the first column. The vehicle 61 climbs and descends along the column, and upon reaching the desired storage location 12, places or retrieves the desired storage container 62 there. In Figure 3 at the references 610, we see more of the exterior bodywork elements protecting the gears 610, than the gears 610 themselves in the deployed position. Figure 4 schematically represents an example of a vehicle moving in an article storage and retrieval system according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0111] In the central part of the vehicle 61, there is a telescopic arm 611 which pushes or pulls the storage container 62, depending on whether this storage container 62 must respectively be deposited or retrieved from its storage place. This telescopic arm 611 extends and retracts in a direction parallel to the length of the vehicle 61. The distal end 612 of the telescopic arm 611 carries the storage container 62.

[0112] Protrusions 613 project upwards from this distal end 612 to engage in corresponding orifices in the bottom of the storage container 62, so that the distal end 612 can hook into the bottom of the storage container 62. This allows, on the one hand, that the deployment of the distal end 612 of the telescopic arm 611 out of the vehicle 61 can push the storage container 62 to place it in its storage place 12, while on the other hand the retraction of the distal end 612 of the telescopic arm 611 towards the interior of the vehicle 61 can pull the storage container 62 to retrieve it from its storage place 12.

[0113] The vehicle 61 may comprise another means for gripping and handling the storage container 62, such as, for example, an articulated arm which would grip the storage container from above (for example, through orifices located in the upper part of the side faces of the storage container 62) and carry it either like a crane, or by sliding it on the brackets 16 (in FIG. 3).

[0114] Figure 5 schematically represents an example of an assembly and disassembly area of ​​an article storage and retrieval system according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0115] The assembly and disassembly area 3 comprises at least one installation, or two installations, such as that shown in Figure 5. A handling table 31, resting on pillars 32, comprises a lifting tool 30, preferably of the fork type 30, movable vertically, and preferably movable only vertically. The order container 63 arrives by a conveyor 35 on a rolling plane 36. The order container 63 also leaves by the conveyor 35 on the rolling plane 36. At the handling table 31, a rolling plane 33 comprises rollers 34 aligned horizontally next to each other.

[0116] During the disassembly phase, the vehicle 61, which carries a storage container 62 in the form of a tray 620 with a crenellated edge 629, therefore having crenellations, arrives so that the fingers of the fork 30 (which is arranged at the corresponding adequate height), while remaining stationary, come to engage in the crenellations of the crenellated edge 629 of the tray 620, by the sole horizontal movement of the vehicle 61 which therefore comes to fit the crenellations of the crenellated edge 629 of the tray 620 onto the fingers of the fork 30. The fork 30 then lifts and raises an order container 63 located on or in a storage container 62 carried by a vehicle 61 up to the level of the rolling plane 33 of the table 31. Once arrived at the level of the rolling plane 33 of the table 31, the order container 63 is taken over by the bar 37, movable horizontally according to the direction of the arrow, which pushes it onto the rolling plane 33 of the handling table 31.Then, the order container 63 passes from the rolling plane 33 of the handling table 31 to the rolling plane 36 of the conveyor 35, to go for example to the shipping area to customers outside the article storage and retrieval system.

[0117] During the assembly phase, the order container 63, coming for example from the shipping area to customers outside the item storage and retrieval system, arrives at the level of the rolling plane 33 of the table 31, after having passed from the rolling plane 36 of the conveyor 35 to the rolling plane 33 of the handling table 31. Once arrived at the level of the rolling plane 33 of the table 31, the order container 63 is taken over by the bar 37, movable horizontally in the opposite direction to the assembly phase, this bar 37 pushing it onto the rolling plane 33 of the handling table 31, until it arrives on the fork 30 (located at the corresponding adequate height).Then, the fork 30 supports and lowers the control container 63 until it is brought onto or into a storage container 62 carried by a vehicle 61, here onto the platform 620, the fingers of the fork 30 coming to position themselves in the notches of the notched edge 629 of the platform 620 (arriving from above). Then, the vehicle 61, which carries a storage container 62 in the form of a platform 620 with a notched edge 629, which now supports the control container 63, moves away from the handling table 31 by moving horizontally on the ground, so that the notches of the notched edge 629 of the platform 620 are removed from the fingers of the fork 30 which remains stationary during this disengagement operation.

[0118] The vehicle 61 may also comprise a notched upper rim 619 so that it is possible to position, if necessary, the fingers of the fork 30 in the notches of the notched upper rim 619 to lift this time, not only the control container 63, but the entire combined assembly of the storage container 62 (here the platform 620) and the control container 63.

[0119] Figure 6 schematically represents an example of assembly and disassembly zones of an article storage and retrieval system according to an embodiment of the invention. The operation is similar to that of Figure 5. During the disassembly phase, symbolized by the arrow 31a, a vehicle 61 carrying a tray 620 arrives at a first handling table. This vehicle 61 can deploy its outer surface upwards to lift the tray 620 until this tray

[0120] 620 arrives at a position 620a located exactly at the level of a fork 30a already in the high position. The cooperation between the plate 620a and the fork 30a is as in Figure 5. Then, this fork 30a rises a little more to bring the order container 63 to the level of the rolling plane of the first handling table where it is taken care of by a bar 37a moving horizontally as in Figure 5. The order container 63 arrives at position 63a on the rolling plate of the first handling table where it will leave for the shipping area as in Figure 5.

[0121] During the assembly phase, symbolized by the arrow 31b, the order container 63 arrives on the rolling platform of a second handling table from the shipping area as in Figure 5, to fall onto the fork 30b then located at the rolling platform of the second handling table, pushed by the bar 37b as in Figure 5. Then, this fork 30b descends a little further to bring the order container 63b onto the platform 620a at the deployed position 61a towards the top of the vehicle 61. The cooperation between the platform 620a and the fork 30b is as in Figure 5. Then, this vehicle 61 withdraws from the fork 30b, as in Figure 5. Finally, this vehicle 61 can retract its outer surface downwards to lower the platform 620 until the vehicle 61 can leave again towards the circulation area 6 (see Figure 1).

[0122] A more detailed and complete description of the assembly and disassembly system, described in connection with Figures 5 and 6, can be found in patent application FR 2315138 which was filed on December 22, 2023 by the same Applicant as the present patent application and which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0123] Figure 7 schematically represents another example of a storage container that can be assembled with a control container according to another embodiment of the invention.

[0124] Instead of being in the form of a tray with a crenellated edge as in figures 5 and 6, the storage container 62 is here in the form of a tub comprising openings 621 in the upper part of its two long side faces (an opening

[0125] 621 on each side), as well as orifices 622 in its bottom. The protrusions 613 of the distal end 612 of the telescopic arm 611 (of figure 4) are inserted into the orifices 622 in the bottom of the bin 62, as in figure 4. The control container 63 is also a bin 63 comprising orifices 630 allowing an articulated arm to come and grip it (from above) by inserting protrusions into these orifices 630. The bin 63 and the bin 62 are stackable with each other, as shown by the vertical arrow.

[0126] Of course, the present invention is not limited to the examples and embodiments described and shown, but it is susceptible to numerous variants accessible to those skilled in the art.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. System for storing and retrieving items, comprising: at least one preparation area (2) for order containers (63) containing one or more items, several storage racks (10): o separated by one or more aisles (11), o each comprising several storage places (12) distributed over several storage columns and over one or more storage lines, o the storage places (12) being able to receive storage containers (62) containing the items, several vehicles (61): o movable horizontally at ground level, and in a vertical direction so as to be able to move along the storage columns, o having a mechanism (611) for gripping, depositing and transporting the storage containers (62),characterized in that: the storage containers (62) and the order containers (63) are structured relative to each other so that the order containers (63) can be placed on or in the storage containers (62), at least a portion of the storage places (12) is filled with storage containers (62) containing one or more items without containing an order container (63), at least a portion of the storage places (12) is filled with storage containers (62) containing one or more order containers (63) optionally containing at least one item, and in that the storage and retrieval system also comprises:, - an assembly and disassembly area (3), located outside the racks (10) and the aisle(s) (11), where the order containers (63) are placed on or in the storage containers (62) and respectively where the order containers (63) are removed from the storage containers (62).

2. System for storing and retrieving items, comprising: at least one preparation area (2) for order containers (63) containing one or more items intended for customers, several storage racks (10): o separated by one or more aisles (11), o each comprising several storage places (12) distributed over several storage columns and over one or more storage lines, o the storage places (12) being able to receive storage containers (62) containing the articles, several mobile vehicles (61): o horizontally, in two distinct directions, at ground level, ■ so as to be able to move between the preparation area (2) and the racks (10), transporting the storage containers (62) containing the articles without containing an order container (63), ■ so as to be able to reach the storage columns in the racks (10), o in a vertical direction, ■ so as to be able to move or climb along the storage columns to reach the storage places (12) and descend along the storage columns, and comprising a mechanism (611) adapted for: • place a storage container (62) towards a storage place (12), to store this storage container (62), • picking up a storage container (62) from a storage location (12), to retrieve this storage container (62), characterized in that: the storage containers (62) and the order containers (63) are structured relative to each other so as to be able to place the order containers (63) on or in the storage containers (62), at least a part of the storage locations (12) is filled with a storage container (62) containing one or more items without containing an order container (63), at least a part of the storage locations (12) is filled with a storage container (62) containing one or more order containers (63) including: o at least one order container (63) containing at least one item, o and / or at least one order container (63) containing no item, and in that the storage and retrieval system also comprises: - an assembly area (3, 5), located outside the racks (10) and the aisle(s) (11), where the order containers (63) are placed on or in the storage containers (62) before being transported by the mobile vehicles (61) moving horizontally, at ground level, - a disassembly area (3, 4), located outside the racks (10) and the aisle(s) (11), where the order containers (63) are removed from the storage containers (62) after being transported by the mobile vehicles (61) moving horizontally, at ground level, the vehicles (61) being movable horizontally, at ground level, so as to be able to move on the one hand between the assembly area (3, 5) and the racks (10) and on the other hand between the racks (10) and the disassembly area (3, 4), also transporting the storage containers (62) containing the order containers (63), including: o at least one order container (63) containing at least one item, o and / or at least one order container (63) containing no item.

3. System for storing and retrieving articles according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, where appropriate: either the assembly area (3, 5) and the disassembly area (3, 4) are juxtaposed next to each other, so that the vehicles (61) can pass directly from the disassembly area (3, 4) to the assembly area (3, 5), before leaving again towards the racks (10) or towards the preparation area (2), or the assembly and disassembly area (3) comprises an assembly area (3, 5) and a disassembly area (3, 4) which are juxtaposed next to each other, so that the vehicles (61) can pass directly from the disassembly area (3, 4) to the assembly area (3, 5), before leaving again towards the racks (10) or towards the preparation area (2), either the assembly and disassembly area (3) comprises an assembly area (3, 5) and a disassembly area (3, 4) which are integrated with each other,so as to form a single assembly and disassembly zone (3), the same device preferably carrying out both the disassembly and the assembly., 4. System for storing and retrieving articles according to claim 3, characterized in that: said single assembly and disassembly zone (3) is structured so that a sequence including a disassembly followed by an assembly is carried out with a vehicle (61), object of this sequence, remaining at least horizontally immobile, and preferably remaining totally immobile, between the disassembly and the assembly of this sequence.

5. Item storage and retrieval system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, where appropriate: the assembly area (3, 5) comprises a device capable of placing the order container (63) on or in the storage container (62), by lowering the order container (63) towards the storage container (62), while carrying the order container (63) from below, the disassembly area (3, 4) comprises a device capable of removing the order container (63) from the storage container (62), by raising the order container (63) from the storage container (62), while carrying the order container (63) from below, or the assembly and disassembly area (3) comprises at least one device capable on the one hand of placing the order container (63) on or in the storage container (62), by lowering the order container (63) towards the storage container (62),while carrying the control container (63) from below, and on the other hand capable of removing the control container (63) from the storage container (62), by raising the control container (63) from the storage container (62), while carrying the control container (63) from below., 6. System for storing and retrieving articles according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, where appropriate: the device of the assembly area (3, 5) comprises a tool (30) which is movable only in a vertical direction and which cooperates with a horizontal movement only of the vehicle (61), for placing the order container (63) on or in the storage container (62), the device of the disassembly area (3, 4) comprises a tool (30) which is movable only in a vertical direction and which cooperates with a horizontal movement only of the vehicle (61), for removing the order container (63) from the storage container (62), or the device of the assembly and disassembly area (3) comprises at least one tool (30) which is movable only in a vertical direction and which cooperates with a only horizontal movement of the vehicle (61), to place the control container (63) on or in the storage container (62), and which is movable only in a vertical direction and which cooperates with a only horizontal movement of the vehicle (61), to remove the control container (63) from the storage container (62).

7. Article storage and retrieval system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that: before the order container (63) is placed on or in the storage container (62), the assembly area device (3, 5) comprises a tool (37) which moves only horizontally to bring the order container (63) above the storage container (62), - just after the control container (63) is raised above the storage container (62), the device of the disassembly area (3, 5) comprises a tool (37) which moves only horizontally to retrieve the control container (63), or, before the control container (63) is placed on or in the storage container (62), the device of the assembly and disassembly area (3) comprises at least one tool (37) which moves only horizontally to bring the control container (63) above the storage container (62), and which, just after the control container (63) is raised above the storage container (62), moves only horizontally to retrieve the control container (63).

8. Article storage and retrieval system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that: the preparation area (2) comprises a robotic articulated arm (22) which can: o pick up an article from a storage container (62) to place it in an order container (63), ■ advantageously while the storage container (62) is on one vehicle (61) and the control container (63) is on another vehicle (61), o enter an item in an order container (63) to place it in a storage container (62), ■ advantageously while the storage container (62) is on one vehicle (61) and the control container (63) is on another vehicle (61).

9. Item storage and retrieval system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that: the storage racks (10) are distributed into at least two rack zones (10) connected to each other by a buffer storage rack which comprises several buffer storage places distributed over one or more storage columns and over one or more storage lines, - a vehicle (61) coming to deposit a storage container comprising at least one order container (63) on one side of this buffer rack, a vehicle coming to recover this storage container (62) comprising this or these order containers (63) on the other side of this buffer rack.

10. Item storage and retrieval system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that: the order container (63) is a bin or a box, the storage container (62) is a tray (620) with a rim (629) so as to horizontally retain the order container (63), the height of the rim (629) being less than 50% of the height of the order container (63), or less than 30% of the height of the order container (63), or less than 20% of the height of the order container (63), the rim (629) being able to be on one or more sides of the tray (620) or the rim (629) being able to go completely around the tray (620), and preferably, the height of the rim (629) is greater than 5% of the height of the order container (63), or greater than 10% of the height of the order container (63), or greater than 20% of the height of the order container (63).

11. A method of storing and retrieving items, using a storage and retrieval system according to any one of the preceding claims.

12. Method for storing and retrieving articles, according to claim 11, characterized in that: at least one vehicle (61) will store in one of the racks and / or will retrieve in one of the racks at least one storage container (62) containing one or more articles but not containing any order container (63), at least one vehicle (61) will store in one of the racks and / or retrieve in one of the racks at least one storage container (62) containing one or more order containers (63) possibly containing at least one article.

13. Method for storing and retrieving articles, according to claim 11, characterized in that: at least one vehicle (61) will store in one of the racks and / or will retrieve from one of the racks at least one storage container (62) containing one or more articles without containing an order container (63), at least one vehicle (61) will store in one of the racks and / or retrieve from one of the racks at least one storage container (62) containing one or more order containers (63) including: o at least one order container (63) containing at least one article, o and / or at least one order container (63) containing no article, at least one vehicle (61) moves between the preparation area (2) and the racks (10), transporting at least one storage container (62) containing at least one article without containing an order container (63), at least one vehicle (61) transports, from the assembly area (3, 5),at least one storage container (62) containing at least one order container (63), at least one vehicle (61) transports, to the disassembly area (3, 4), at least one storage container (62) containing at least one order container (63)., 14. Method for storing and retrieving articles, according to any one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that: at least a part of the order containers (62) is partially filled at a first moment in the preparation area (2), before being stored in the storage racks (10), to then be brought back to the preparation area (2) in order to finish being filled at a second moment different from the first moment, the first and the second moment being advantageously separated from each other by one or more hours.

15. Method for storing and retrieving articles, according to any one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that: at least a part of the order containers (63), once these order containers (63) are filled and closed, ready to be shipped to the customers, returns to the preparation area (2) so as to be reopened and closed after: o one or more articles are changed by one or more different articles, in one or more of these order containers (63), o and / or one or more articles are added, in one or more of these order containers (63), o and / or one or more articles are removed, in one or more of these order containers (63).

16. Storage rack area of ​​an item storage and retrieval system, comprising: several storage racks (10): o separated by one or more aisles (11), o each comprising several storage places (12) distributed over several storage columns and over one or more storage lines, o the storage places (12) being able to receive storage containers (62) containing the items, several vehicles (61): o movable horizontally at ground level, and in a vertical direction so as to be able to move along the storage columns, o having a mechanism (611) for gripping, depositing and transporting the storage containers (62), characterized in that: the storage containers (62) and the order containers (63) are structured relative to each other so as to be able to place the order containers (63) on or in the storage containers (62),at least a portion of the storage spaces (12) is filled with storage containers (62) containing one or more items without containing an order container (63), at least a portion of the storage spaces (12) is filled with storage containers (62) containing one or more order containers (63) possibly containing at least one item.

Images