Hybrid Storage System Vertical Space Utilization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storage systems face challenges in achieving high material throughput while minimizing space requirements, particularly in high-bay warehouses where throughput capacity is limited and area storage systems require significant space.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid storage system combining area storage with high-bay storage, where continuous conveyors and movable storage and retrieval devices facilitate the transfer of goods between storage lines and high-bay shelves, allowing for efficient loading, unloading, and rearrangement of goods across multiple levels to optimize space usage and throughput.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If high-bay warehouse with storage and retrieval device is used, then storage capacity per floor space is improved, but material throughput capacity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system is divided into multiple independent storage levels (first level, second level, third level) that can operate semi-independently. Each level has its own storage lines and can handle material flow separately, allowing parallel operations that increase overall throughput while maintaining high vertical space utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from traditional two-dimensional floor-based storage to three-dimensional vertical storage by stacking multiple storage levels one above another. This enables the system to exploit vertical space for high storage density while using multiple levels to parallelize material flow and increase throughput capacity.
2Productivity
If area storage system with multiple storage lines is used, then material throughput is improved, but space requirement deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of expanding area storage horizontally with more storage lines, the system stacks storage lines vertically across multiple levels. The first level, second level, and third level each contain storage lines, but they are arranged vertically rather than horizontally, reducing the floor space footprint while maintaining high throughput capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple storage lines from different levels (first level, second level, third level) are merged into a unified system that shares common loading devices and retrieval devices. This consolidation allows the system to achieve high throughput through parallel processing across levels while minimizing the total space required compared to having separate systems.
3Adaptability or versatility
If storage lines are interrupted for transfer car access, then product distribution between storage lines is improved, but space requirement and structure complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Loading devices and retrieval devices serve as intermediary elements that can access storage lines from the aisle without requiring interruptions in the storage line structure. These intermediaries enable product distribution between different storage lines and levels while maintaining continuous storage lines, thus avoiding the need for physical interruptions that would increase space requirements and structural complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a storage system for storing and providing goods with a flat storage area (1), comprising: - several first storage lines (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, ..., 1.n) which have a longitudinal extension and are arranged one behind the other in a first plane (10) transversely to the longitudinal extension of the storage lines and form a first storage line aisle (11); - several second storage lines (2.1, 2.2, 2.3, ...; 2.n) which have a longitudinal extension and are arranged one behind the other in the first plane (10) transversely to the longitudinal extension of the storage lines and form a second storage line aisle (12); - the two storage line aisles (11, 12) are arranged on both sides of a rack aisle (3); - the storage lines (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, ..., 1.n; 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, ...; 2.n) The storage aisles (11, 12) open into the aisle (3) and are connected at the sections facing away from the aisle (3) to a loading device (4) for loading and/or unloading goods, and to at least one high-bay warehouse (2), - the high-bay warehouse (2) is arranged next to the aisle (3) with at least one second high-bay level (20, 21, 22, ..., 2n) vertically spaced from the first level (10), - at least one storage and retrieval machine (5) is arranged to be movable in and along the aisle (3), - the storage and retrieval machine (5) is designed to transport goods between the storage aisles (11, 12) and between the area storage (1) and the high-bay warehouse (2).