Cross Conveyance in High-Bay Racking for Sorted Retrieval
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current order fulfillment methods in high bay racking storage facilities require complex control and sorting outside the aisles, leading to increased technical complexity, space requirements, and costs, while compromising reliability and throughput.
Innovation Solution
The method involves directly connecting lifts to picking stations within the aisles, eliminating the need for a front-zone for sequencing, and using cross conveyance locations within the racking units to transfer storage units between aisles, allowing for independent and tightly coupled aisles that improve performance and reduce technical complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complex control and sorting outside the aisles is used, then sorted retrieval from storage is achieved, but technical complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sorting function from the external front-zone and relocates it within the aisle structure itself. Cross conveyance locations are integrated into the racking units, allowing storage units to be transferred between aisles at multiple levels without requiring external sorting infrastructure. This eliminates the need for complex external control and sorting systems while maintaining sorted retrieval capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces vertical dimensionality for cross conveyance by providing multiple cross conveyance locations at different levels within the same aisle. Instead of horizontal sorting outside the aisle, storage units can be transferred between aisles at various vertical positions, enabling sorted retrieval through vertical rather than horizontal organization.
2Reliability
If complex control and sorting outside the aisles is used, then sorted retrieval from storage is achieved, but space requirements and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sorting function with the storage structure by integrating cross conveyance locations directly into the racking units. The sorting infrastructure is combined with the shelving structure, eliminating separate sorting areas and reducing the overall space required for the storage system while maintaining sorted retrieval capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The cross conveyance locations are nested within the racking units, with conveyance mechanisms integrated into the vertical structure of the shelves. This nested arrangement allows sorting functionality to be contained within the existing storage footprint rather than requiring additional external space.
3Productivity
If aisles are independent and tightly coupled to picking station, then front-zone for sequencing is eliminated, but system configuration complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the storage system into independent aisle modules, each with its own cross conveyance locations and direct connection to the picking station. This modular segmentation allows each aisle to operate independently while maintaining tight coupling to the picking station, improving throughput through parallel operation of multiple aisles without requiring complex centralized control.
4Reliability
If cross conveyance locations are provided in each level of storage racking units, then sorted retrieval within single aisle is enabled, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cross conveyance mechanism is designed as a universal component that can be implemented at multiple levels within the same racking unit using the same basic structure. Each level's cross conveyance location uses the same design principles and components, allowing standardized manufacturing processes to be applied across all levels and reducing overall manufacturing complexity despite the multi-level implementation.
Data Source
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AI summary
Method of order fulfilling by making order and/or product units (T) available from a storage facility (1) in a desired sequence at a picking station (10) wherein the storage facility comprises: • - a storage racking comprising a plurality of multilevel storage racks in which order and/or product units are stored, wherein the storage racks are disposed back-to-back in pairs and have an aisle (2) between pairs; • - at least one automatic storage and retrieval device (5) of the shuttle type provided per aisle and per level for each storage racking aisle (2), wherein the order and/or product units are stored and retrieved from the storage racks by the automatic storage and retrieval device (5); • - at least one lift (8) used, in order to transfer the order and/or product units to the at least one storage-exit conveyor (6); • - at least one storage-entry conveyor (4) per lift (8) provided for feeding order and/or product units into the storage racking; • - at least one storage-exit conveyor (6) per lift (8) provided for retrieval of order and/or product units from the storage racking; • - at least one fully or semiautomatic picking station (10) for picking from product units into order units for fulfilling orders, to which order and/or product units are fed; • - wherein order and/or product units (T) are exchanged directly between two adjoining storage racks (R) from a source storage rack to an adjacent destination storage rack via cross conveyance locations (Q) in the storage racks themselves; wherein • - each lift (8) is directly connected to a picking station (10) in a picking level by the storage-entry conveyor (4) and the storage-exit conveyor (6).