Lateral guide element and storage system for storing goods or goods arranged in containers

Abstract

The invention relates to a lateral guide element (100) which can be pushed onto and mounted on a shelf (210) of a storage system (200), wherein the lateral guide element (100) has a main body (110) which can be pushed onto the shelf (210) and has a latching region (111) for mounting of the lateral guide element (100) on the shelf (210) without tools, and wherein the lateral guide element (100) has a guide region (119) extending away from the main body (110) for guiding goods or goods arranged in containers (218) onto the shelf (210).

Description

[0001] NEDCON BV

[0002] Nijverheidsweg 26

[0003] NL-7005 BJ Doetinchem NETHERLANDS 17.12.2024

[0004] Side guide element and goods storage for storing goods or goods arranged in containers

[0005] The invention relates to a side guide element and a warehouse for storing goods or goods arranged in containers with corresponding side guide elements.

[0006] Warehouses are used to store goods or goods arranged in containers. To store the goods, warehouses typically have numerous shelves on which the goods or containers can be placed. The shelves can be mounted between the warehouse's crossbeams. The goods or containers can be transported to the respective shelf, for example, using a shuttle or crane, and then pushed onto the shelf. To achieve efficient and space-saving storage, the goods or containers must be pushed onto their designated shelves with as much precision as possible, while preventing any unwanted lateral movement of the goods or containers, especially when sliding them onto the shelves. To achieve precise guidance and thus prevent lateral movement of the goods or containers, a sliding mechanism is used.To prevent containers from slipping onto the shelves, side guides can be mounted on the shelves. These side guides are usually attached to the shelves using screws or bolts, which makes installation quite complex.

[0007] The invention is based on the task of providing a side guide element and a storage unit which are characterized by reduced assembly effort.

[0008] The solution to this problem is achieved according to the invention with the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0009] The side guide element according to the invention can be slid onto and mounted on a shelf of a warehouse, wherein the side guide element has a base body that can be slid onto the shelf, which has a locking area for tool-free mounting of the side guide element on the shelf, and wherein the side guide element has a guide area extending away from the base body for guiding goods or goods arranged in containers onto the shelf.

[0010] According to the invention, the side guide element no longer needs to be mounted or fastened to the shelf using screws or bolts. Instead, the side guide element can be mounted without tools, i.e., without the aid of any tool or assembly tool, such as a screwdriver. The side guide element is designed so that it can be slid onto the shelf and locked into place. This significantly reduces the effort and time required to mount a side guide element on a shelf and thus on a storage unit. The side guide element has a base body. The side guide element can be slid onto the shelf via this base body. The base body can have a base plate which, when the side guide element is mounted, rests flat on a section of the shelf. The base plate can be elongated.For tool-free mounting or attachment of the side guide element to the shelf, the base body has a locking area. Using this locking area, the side guide element can be snapped or clipped onto the shelf. Furthermore, the side guide element has a guide area extending away from the base body for the precise guidance of goods or goods arranged in containers onto the shelf, by allowing the goods or containers to slide along this guide area. The guide area preferably extends over the shelf in such a way that it prevents the goods or containers from shifting laterally when being inserted onto the shelf.

[0011] The locking area preferably has a first locking section, which can be mounted on a top surface and / or a long side of the shelf. The side guide element can be mounted tool-free to the top surface of the shelf, facing the goods or container, via this first locking section. The top surface can be flat or have a raised section. The raised section can be located on an edge of the shelf. If the shelf has a correspondingly raised section, the side guide element can preferably be mounted to this raised section using its first locking section. The side guide element can then be hooked onto the shelf, for example, onto the raised section, via the first locking section. Alternatively, the first locking section can also be positioned to lock onto a long side of the shelf.The long side of the shelf preferably extends perpendicular to the top of the shelf.

[0012] The first locking section of the locking area can have at least one locking hook which, in a mounted state of the side guide element, can engage a section, in particular a raised section, of the shelf or engage in an opening on the top or the longitudinal side of the shelf. The at least one locking hook enables particularly simple, tool-free, and detachable mounting of the side guide element to the shelf. Preferably, the first locking section has two or more locking hooks which can be arranged one behind the other along the length of the side guide element or in the direction in which the side guide element is pushed onto the shelf.

[0013] Furthermore, the locking area can have a second locking section which, when the side guide element is mounted, can hook onto the underside of the shelf. When the side guide element is mounted to the shelf using the first and second locking sections, it can be tensioned to the shelf, as it can be attached at two different points on the shelf. The underside of the shelf faces away from the goods or containers stored on it.

[0014] The second locking section can have at least one locking arm that extends away from the base body in the opposite direction to the guide area. The at least one locking arm preferably has a web-shaped body, at the free end of which a hook can be formed for engaging behind or underneath the underside of the shelf. The free end of the web-shaped body can have a U-shape in cross-section due to the hook. The at least one locking arm can extend with its web-shaped body along a longitudinal side of the shelf, so that the locking arm overlaps or engages the longitudinal side of the shelf.

[0015] Preferably, the second locking section can have two or more locking arms. These two or more locking arms can preferably be of different lengths. The two or more locking arms can be arranged one behind the other along the length of the side guide element or in the direction in which the side guide element is pushed onto the shelf. If the locking arms have different lengths, the side guide element can be mounted on shelves of different heights, thus providing the side guide element with particularly high flexibility in its application. Depending on the height of the shelf, the locking arm of the appropriate length can then hook onto or lock into the underside of the shelf, or engage behind it.

[0016] The side guide element can be designed to be elastic or flexible, at least in part. Preferably, at least one locking arm can be designed to be elastic. Due to its elasticity, the locking arm can deflect laterally when the side guide element is slid onto the shelf. If the locking arms are of different lengths, the shorter arms, which do not reach the underside of the shelf, can then be deflected laterally so that they do not obstruct the mounting of the side guide element to the shelf.

[0017] The side guide element can be made of a plastic material, in particular injection molded. The plastic material is preferably an elastic plastic material.

[0018] To prevent the side guide element from being pushed too far onto the support, at least one limiting rib can be formed on the base body to act as a stop against a crossbeam of the storage rack. The limiting rib can be located on one or both end faces of the base body or the side guide element. In the assembled state, the limiting rib can extend over or around the crossbeam. If a limiting rib is arranged on each end face, then two limiting ribs are provided on the base body. This allows for a highly variable arrangement of the side guide element on the shelf in various insertion directions.

[0019] The guide area is preferably designed in the form of a guide rib. The guide rib preferably extends along the entire or at least a large part of the length of the side guide element. The guide rib can form a guide wall along which the goods or containers slide and are thus guided when being inserted into and removed from the shelves.

[0020] Preferably, at least one end section of the guide rail may be angled. Angled means that the end section extends at an angle greater than 0° from the main plane of the guide rail. The angled end section may form a guide chamfer, which allows the goods or container to be guided precisely to the desired position on the shelf, even if tilted. Preferably, both end sections of the guide rail may also be angled.

[0021] The problem according to the invention is further solved by means of a warehouse for storing goods or goods arranged in containers, with several shelves arranged between crossbeams onto which the goods or goods arranged in containers can be slid for storage. The warehouse is characterized in that side guide elements, as described above, are slid onto and mounted on the shelves for inserting the goods or goods arranged in containers.

[0022] Further advantages and details of the invention are explained below with reference to the drawings. These show:

[0023] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a section of a warehouse;

[0024] Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of one shelf level of the warehouse shown in Fig. 1;

[0025] Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of a side guide element of the warehouse mounted on a raised section of a shelf;

[0026] Fig. 4 shows a top view of a container being inserted onto a shelf of the warehouse shown in Fig. 1;

[0027] Fig. 5 shows a schematic sectional view through a shelf and a side guide element mounted on the shelf or the raised section of the shelf;

[0028] Fig. 6 shows a schematic sectional view through a further, higher shelf and a side guide element mounted on the shelf or the raised section of the shelf; Fig. 7 shows a schematic sectional view through a shelf and a side guide element mounted on the shelf or the shelf support in an alternative configuration;

[0029] Fig. 8 shows a schematic sectional view through a shelf and a side guide element mounted on the shelf or the raised section of the shelf in a further alternative embodiment;

[0030] Fig. 9 is a schematic side view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 6;

[0031] Fig. 10 shows a perspective view of the side guide element according to the invention;

[0032] Fig. 11 is a schematic top view of the side guide element shown in Fig. 10; and

[0033] Fig. 12 shows a perspective view of a side guide element according to the invention in an alternative embodiment.

[0034] Fig. 1 shows a section of a warehouse 200. The warehouse 200 has several levels, with several shelves 210 arranged on each level for storing goods or goods arranged in containers 218. The shelves 210 are each held between crossbeams 211 of the warehouse 200.

[0035] To facilitate the insertion and removal of goods or containers 218 onto the shelves 210, side guide elements 100 are mounted on the shelves 210. In the embodiment shown here, two side guide elements 100 are provided for each shelf 210, arranged opposite each other on the respective shelf 210. Viewed in the insertion direction R, the two side guide elements 100 are each located at the beginning of the shelf 210, so that even as the goods or containers 218 are being inserted onto the shelves 210, they are guided precisely and can be pushed onto the shelf 210 in the desired position, as can be seen particularly in Fig. 4.

[0036] Fig. 2 shows a section of a floor of a warehouse 200. The side guide elements 100 are designed as separate parts which can be mounted on a shelf 210 by sliding them on as needed and can also be detached or removed from the shelves 210.

[0037] Fig. 10 shows a side guide element 100 on its own. The side guide element 100 has a base body 110, which allows the side guide element 100 to be slid onto the shelf 210 and also mounted on the shelf 210. The base body 110 has a locking area 111 for tool-free mounting of the side guide element 100 to the shelf 210. Tool-free means that the side guide element 100 can be mounted and dismounted from the shelf 210 without the aid of a tool, such as a screwdriver. The side guide element 100 can, however, be slid onto the shelf 210 and locked or clipped into place.

[0038] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 10, the locking area 111 has a first locking section 112, via which the side guide element 100 can be attached or locked to a top surface 212 of the shelf 210. The top surface 212 is the side of the shelf 210 on which the goods or containers 218 are stored.

[0039] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 10, the first locking section 112 has two locking hooks 113A, 113B which, in the assembled state, engage a section 213 of the shelf 210 on the upper surface 212 of the shelf 210, as can be seen, for example, in Fig. 5. The section 213 forms a raised edge region of the shelf 210. The two locking hooks 113A, 113B are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the side guide element 100, i.e., viewed in the insertion direction R.

[0040] Furthermore, the locking area 111 has a second locking section 114. In the assembled state of the side guide element 100, the second locking section 114 engages with an underside 214 of the shelf 210.

[0041] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 10, the second locking section 114 has three locking arms 115A, 115B, 115C. The three locking arms 115A, 115B, 115C of the second locking section 114 are significantly longer than the locking hooks 113A, 113B of the first locking section 112. The three locking arms 115A, 115B, 115C are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the side guide element 100, or viewed in the insertion direction R.

[0042] The three locking arms 115A, 115B, 115C are of different lengths, with the middle locking arm 115B being longer than the two outer locking arms 115A, 115C, which are of the same length, in the embodiment shown here.

[0043] Each locking arm 115A, 115B, 115C has a web-shaped body 116A, 116B, 116C, on the free end section 117A, 117B, 117C of which a hook 118A, 118B, 118C is formed for engaging behind or underneath the underside 214 of the shelf 210. Due to the hook 118A, 118B, 118C, the free end section 117A, 117B, 117C of the web-shaped body 116A, 116B, 116C has a U-shape in cross-section, as can be seen, for example, in Fig. 5. With their web-shaped body 116A, 116B, 116C, the locking arms 115A, 115B, 115C extend along a longitudinal side 215 of the shelf 210.

[0044] The locking arms 115A, 115B, 115C are elastically designed so that they can be deflected laterally when the side guide element 100 is pushed onto the shelf 210, as can be seen, for example, in Fig. 6.

[0045] The side guide element 100 is thus clamped to the shelf 210 in its assembled state on two sides, in particular on two opposite sides, the top 212 and the bottom 214 of the shelf 210 via the first locking section 112 and the second locking section 114.

[0046] The base body 110 is further equipped with two limiting webs 124A, 124B, which act as stops against a crossbeam 211 of the storage unit 200. The limiting webs 124A, 124B are located on the two end faces 122A, 122B of the base body 110 and the side guide element 100, respectively. Depending on the mounting direction of the side guide element 100, one of the limiting webs 124A, 124B can extend over or around the crossbeam 211, as can be seen, for example, in Fig. 3. The limiting webs 124A, 124B prevent the side guide element 100 from being pushed too far onto the shelf 210.

[0047] The two limiting webs 124A, 124B are arranged on a base plate 123 of the base body 110. The limiting webs 124A, 124B extend at a 90° angle from the base plate 123 on the end faces 122A, 122B. The base plate 123 allows the base body 110 or the side guide element 100 to rest flat on a section of the top surface 212 of the shelf 210, for example, on the raised section 213 of the top surface 212 of the shelf 210.

[0048] Towards the end faces 122A, 122B, the base plate 123 has a reduction or taper in cross-section, so that in the area where the limiting webs 124A, 124B connect to the base plate 123, the base plate 123 has a smaller width than in the middle of the base plate 123. This ensures that the limiting webs 124A, 124B do not impede the sliding of the side guide element 100 onto the shelf 210.

[0049] Resting area 111, with its first resting section 112 and its second resting section 114, is also connected to the base plate 123. Starting from the base plate 123, the first resting section 112, the second resting section 114, and the boundary ribs 124A and 124B extend in the same direction away from the base plate 123.

[0050] The side guide element 100 also has a guide area 119 extending away from the base body 110 and, in particular, from the base plate 123 of the base body 110. This guide area 119 serves to guide the goods or containers 218 when they are slid onto the shelf 210. The guide area 119 extends in the opposite direction to the locking area 111. The guide area 119 extends above the top surface 212 of the shelf 210.

[0051] The guide area 119 is designed in the form of a guide web 120. The guide web 120 extends at a 90° angle to the base plate 123. The guide web 120 extends over the entire or nearly the entire length of the side guide element 100.

[0052] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 10, the guide web 120 is straight over its entire length.

[0053] Fig. 11 shows the side guide element 100 shown in Fig. 10 in a top view, in which the tapering of the base plate 123 towards the end faces 122A, 122B is particularly visible. Fig. 12 shows an embodiment of the side guide element 100 which differs from the embodiment shown in Fig. 10 only in the shape of the guide web 120. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 12, the guide web 120 is not straight along its entire length, but the two end sections 121A, 121B of the guide web 120 are angled. The two end sections 121A, 121B are each extended at an angle > 0° away from the main plane of extension of the guide web 120. The angled end sections 121 A, 121 B each form an entry chamfer, over which the goods or the container 218 can be guided to the desired position on the shelf 210 even if it is tilted.

[0054] Fig. 5 shows a side view of a shelf 210 with a side guide element 100 attached to it. The side guide element 100 is engaged on the upper surface 212 of the shelf 210 via its first locking section 112 on the raised section 213, by means of the locking hooks 113A, 113B engaging behind or over the section 213. The shorter locking arms 115A, 115C of the second locking section 114 engage and thus secure the side guide element 100 to the underside 214 of the shelf 210. The hooks 118A, 1180 formed on the web-shaped bodies 116A, 1160 of the locking arms 115A, 1150 engage behind or under the underside 214 of the shelf 210.

[0055] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, the shelf 210 is taller, so that the second locking section 114, with its central, longer locking arm 115B, is engaged or hooked onto the underside 214 of the shelf 210. Additionally, at a lower section of the shelf 210, the shorter locking arm 1150 is engaged or hooked onto the underside 214 of the shelf 210. The shorter locking arm 115A is deflected laterally and lies along the longitudinal side 215 of the shelf 210, as can also be seen in Fig. 9.

[0056] Fig. 7 shows an alternative locking mechanism for the first locking section 112 when the shelf 210 does not have a raised section 213 on its upper surface 212. Here, openings 216 are formed on the upper surface 212 of the shelf 210, into which the locking hooks 113A, 113B of the first locking section 112 can engage. A further alternative embodiment is shown in Fig. 8, in which the first locking section 112 engages not on the upper surface 212, but on the longitudinal side 215 of the shelf 210, by forming an opening 217 on the longitudinal side 215 into which the locking hook 113A, 113B can engage.

[0057] Reference symbol list

[0058] 100 side guide elements

[0059] 110 basic bodies

[0060] 111 Rest area

[0061] 112 First rest stop

[0062] 113A, 113B Latch hook

[0063] 114 Second rest area

[0064] 115A, 115B, 115C Raster arm

[0065] 116A, 116B, 116C Bridge-shaped body

[0066] 117A, 117B, 117C Free end section

[0067] 118A, 118B, 118C Hook 119 Guide area

[0068] 120 Guide bridge

[0069] 121A. 121B End section

[0070] 122A, 122B Front side 123 Base plate

[0071] 124A, 124B Boundary bridge

[0072] 200 warehouses

[0073] 210 shelves

[0074] 211 crossbeams

[0075] 212 Top

[0076] Section 213

[0077] 214 Underside

[0078] 215 Long side

[0079] 216 Opening

[0080] 217 Opening

[0081] R insertion direction

Claims

Patent claims 1. Side guide element (100) which can be slid onto and mounted on a shelf (210) of a storage unit (200), wherein the side guide element (100) has a base body (110) which can be slid onto the shelf (210) and which has a locking area (111) for tool-free mounting of the side guide element (100) onto the shelf (210), and wherein the side guide element (100) has a guide area (119) extending away from the base body (110) for guiding goods or goods arranged in containers (218) onto the shelf (210).

2. Side guide element (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking area (111) has a first locking section (112) which can be mounted on a top (212) and / or a longitudinal side (215) of the shelf (210).

3. Side guide element (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that the first locking section (112) has at least one locking hook (113A, 113B) which, in a mounted state, engages a section (213) of the top (212) of the shelf (210) or engages in an opening (216, 217) on the top (212) or the longitudinal side (215) of the shelf (210).

4. Side guide element (100) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the locking area (111) has a second locking section (114) which, in the assembled state, is hooked onto an underside (214) of the shelf (210).

5. Side guide element (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that the second locking section (114) has at least one locking arm (115A, 115B, 115C) which extends away from the base body (110) in the opposite direction to the guide area (119).

6. Side guide element (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that the second locking section (114) has two or more locking arms (115A, 115B, 115C) which are of different lengths.

7. Side guide element (100) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the at least one locking arm (115A, 115B, 115C) is elastically designed.

8. Side guide element (100) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at least one limiting web (124A, 124B) is formed on the base body (110) as a stop against a cross member (211) of the goods storage (200).

9. Lateral guide element (100) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the guide area (119) is designed in the form of a guide web (120).

10. Side guide element (100) according to claim 9, characterized in that at least one end section (121 A, 121 B) of the guide web (120) is angled.

11. Warehouse (200) for storing goods or goods arranged in containers (218), with several shelves (210) arranged between crossbeams (211), onto which the goods or goods arranged in containers (218) can be slid for storage, characterized in that side guide elements (100) according to one of claims 1 to 10 are slid onto and mounted on the shelves (210) for inserting the goods or goods arranged in containers (218).

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