Intermediate Collection Points Decouple Sorter Output
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing order-picking systems are limited in their ability to efficiently distribute articles to a large number of destinations due to the design of the picking plant, which restricts the total output and requires significant investment for additional sorter end places.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of intermediate collection points between the sorter and order containers allows for decoupling, enabling sorter trays to pass continuously and increasing picking output by allowing more order containers to be served with sorter end places, with options for chute, gravity chute, or conveyor designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the sorter has more end places to serve more destinations, then the number of order containers that can be processed increases, but the investment cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces intermediate collecting points as mediators between the sorter and order containers. These collecting points receive articles from the sorter and then distribute them to multiple order containers, allowing the system to serve more destinations without increasing the number of sorter end places. This intermediary structure resolves the contradiction by decoupling the sorter capacity from the number of accessible destinations.
2Productivity
If the number of sorter end places is increased to process more order containers, then the total output of the system increases, but the investment cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate collecting points enable multiple order containers to be served from a limited number of sorter end places. The collecting points act as buffers that receive articles from the sorter and then distribute them to multiple destinations, thereby increasing total output without requiring proportional increases in sorter end places or investment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the distribution function by separating the sorting function (at the sorter) from the distribution function (at the collecting points). This segmentation allows the sorter to focus on its core function with limited end places, while the collecting points handle the multiplication of destinations, thereby increasing productivity without proportionally increasing sorter complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the sorter is designed to handle a large number of destinations, then more order containers can be served, but the design complexity of the picking plant increases
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate collecting points serve as intermediaries that simplify the overall plant design. Instead of designing a complex sorter that directly serves many destinations, the system uses simple collecting points that receive from the sorter and distribute to multiple order containers, reducing the design complexity of the picking plant while maintaining high adaptability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This arrangement significantly increases picking output by enabling the distribution of articles to a greater number of destinations without the need for extensive investment in additional sorter end places, facilitating economic automation of inverse picking processes.
Implementation Method 1
The collection point is designed as a gravity chute with discharge function
Implementation Method 2
the order containers being directed over a roll conveyor
Data Source
AI summary
The invention refers to an order picking plant for order picking of articles into order containers. The order picking plant comprises a picking station and a sorter. Between the sorter and order container a number of collection points are provided. Further, the invention relates to a process where the articles are stored intermediately in a collection point between sorter and order container.