Material or article handling – Plural – static structures for supporting discrete loads and... – Load-underlying members
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-21
2001-02-13
Werner, Frank E. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Plural, static structures for supporting discrete loads and...
Load-underlying members
C198S347100, C193S0350SS, C414S273000, 36
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186724
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a storage device for packaged goods comprised of a storage area having a plurality of parallel storage tracks for the packaged goods whereby in each one of the storage tracks only one type of goods is positioned, a feeding area at one end of the storage tracks with means for feeding new packaged goods into the respective storage tracks, and an order filling area at the upper end of the storage tracks with removal devices for a computer-controlled transfer of individual packaged goods from the storage track onto a transporting device arranged downstream.
Storage devices which are designed to automatically fill orders from a client have gained wide use in all areas of commerce and especially also in wholesale grocery sales. However, the storage technology, i.e., the static storage of individual packaged goods, is of reduced importance while the dynamic processes and also the transfer (handling) of goods has gained in importance. The goal of modern storage technology is to reduce the residence time of individual packaged goods in the storage facility and to thus reduce the capital overhead that results from large numbers of stored goods.
The known storage devices for automatically filling orders received from a client are multi-shelf systems with storage tracks or aisles that are arranged adjacent to one another and above one another. The shelves of the thus formed storage tracks are provided with roller tracks of freely rotatable rollers and are positioned at a slight downward slant so that at the upper end of the storage track, the so-called loading or supply side, the packaged goods to be transported will move automatically by their own weight along the roller track to the opposite end of the storage track, the removal end or order filling side. The supply of packaged goods onto the supply side is, in general, performed manually by placing the individual packaged goods, received on a pallet, onto the respective designated storage track. Also, the order filling process at the removal side is also usually performed by hand.
However computer-controlled and movable removal devices in the form of conveying devices are also known which can move along the aisles of the shelves at the order filling side. They can thus fill an order by removing the individual packaged goods from the respective storage track and moving it to a central collecting location. The conveying devices can be moved by respective guides in two coordinate directions so that the transporting device can have access to storage tracks arranged atop one another as well as adjacent to one another.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a storage device of the aforementioned kind with which the transfer rate for the packaged goods can be increased, i.e., the residence time of packaged goods in the storage facility can be reduced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This object is solved in that each of the storage tracks is provided with its own, independently operated removal device.
With a storage device embodied as suggested an increased transfer rate can be achieved in comparison to known systems because each one of the storage tracks is provided with its own, individually operated removal device which operates independent of the other removal devices of the storage device. It is preferably operated and controlled by a computer. The inventive storage device in this manner provides for an increased transfer rate with which, when used to the full extent, it would be even possible to remove packaged goods from all storage tracks simultaneously in order to fill an order received from a client.
The transport of the goods that have been removed by the individual removal devices from the respective storage track is performed, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, by a transport device that is continuously driven and extends transverse to the longitudinal direction of the storage tracks along the removal devices.
The individual storage tracks can be embodied by known roller tracks slanted slightly from the supply side to the order filling side of the device whereby freely rotatable rollers are provided. The rollers can be braked individually or in groups.
According to a preferred embodiment, each one of the removal devices is comprised of a horizontal conveyor and a lifting mechanism for at least partially lifting the horizontal conveyor. When actuated, the lifting mechanism will bring the horizontal conveyor into contact with a respective one of the packaged goods so that it is engaged by the horizontal conveyor and is moved in the direction of the transport device arranged downstream.
The number of drive elements and movable individual parts can be reduced by providing a common drive shaft for a plurality of the horizontal conveyors, whereby the drive shaft extends transversely to the storage tracks.
According to a preferred embodiment of the storage device, comprised of storage tracks in the form of roller tracks, it is suggested that the horizontal conveyor can be lifted by the lifting mechanism up to a level in which the effective transport surface of the horizontal conveyor is positioned above the support surface of the roller track on which the packaged goods are resting. In this manner, it is prevented that the packaged goods positioned at the leading edge of the storage track will be positioned in a non-defined position in the area between the storage track and the removal device, i.e., the horizontal conveyor.
In order to ensure safe engagement of the packaged goods, it is also suggested that each of the storage tracks at the end facing the order filling side is provided with an abutment that projects upwardly past the support surface for the packaged goods so that the leading one of the packaged goods is positioned at the abutment, whereby the horizontal conveyor of the removal device can be lifted by the lifting mechanism to a level such that the effective transport surface of the horizontal conveyor is above the abutment surface.
In order to prevent that during removal of the leading one of the packaged goods the packaged goods that follow will be engaged by the conveying movement of the horizontal conveyor, according to a further embodiment of the invention a stop is provided at the removal device at a side facing the storage track, whereby the stop is moved into a retaining position by actuation of the lifting mechanism and thus will retain the following one of the packaged goods to thus prevent it from being transported onto the removal device. In an improved embodiment, it is suggested that the stop is lifted together with the horizontal conveyor.
For a constructively simple realization of the lifting mechanism, it is suggested to design the horizontal conveyor such that it is pivotable about its end, which is projecting into the storage track, about a rotary axle that is at the same time the drive shaft.
In order to eliminate an individual power source for lifting the horizontal conveyor, including the packaged goods supported thereon, it is then suggested to derive the required force directly from the rotary movement of the common drive shaft. According to a preferred embodiment, it is suggested to provide a magnetic clutch for deriving the movement for at least a partial lifting of the horizontal conveyor from the rotary movement of the common drive shaft, whereby the magnetic clutch of each one of the removal devices can be controlled and actuated independently of the other magnetic clutches. The advantage of this embodiment is that, for actuation of the lifting mechanism, only relatively minimal amounts of current are to be supplied for the electrically activated magnetic clutch. The required lifting power, on the other hand, is derived from the drive movement of the common drive shaft by employing the magnetic clutch.
Preferably, the magnetic clutch has an annular member that surrounds the drive shaft. The magnetic clutch is supported by an articulated lever at the underside of the housing of the horizontal conveyor.
The in
Dynamic Systems Engineering bv
Robert W. Becker & Associates
Werner Frank E.
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