Picking station and method for automatically picking and automatically packaging products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11912504-B2
Application number	US-201917416176-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2019
Priority date	Jan 4, 2019
Publication date	Feb 27, 2024
Grant date	Feb 27, 2024

Abstract

A picking station ( 19 ) as well as a storage and order-picking system ( 1 ) for automatic picking and automatic packaging of articles ( 10 a . . . 10 p ) is specified. An automated packaging machine ( 25 ) and a goods-out conveyor system ( 20 ) as well as different types of picking zones ( 24 a . . . 24 f ), in which the articles ( 10 a . . . 10 p ) for an order are picked and prepared for the packaging process, are included thereby. In particular, the articles ( 10 a . . . 10 p ) are stacked on top of each other to form an article stack ( 41 ) and are subsequently discharged onto an automated feed conveyor system ( 26 ) leading to the automated packaging machine ( 25 ) or directly into the automated packaging machine ( 25 ). Moreover, a method for operating the picking station ( 19 ) described and/or the storage and order-picking system ( 1 ) described is specified.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A picking station ( 19 ) for automatic picking and automatic packaging of articles ( 10 a . . . 10 p ), comprising:
an automated retrieval conveyor system ( 17 ) connected to an automated article storage ( 7 ) and comprising an overhead conveyor system with transport loading aids ( 13 . . . 13 c ) for transporting articles ( 10 a . . . 10 p ) and an automated unloading device ( 36 ) for unloading an article ( 10 a . . . 10 p ) from a transport loading aid ( 11 a . . . 11 c , 13 . . . 13 c );
an automated packaging machine ( 25 );
a goods-out conveyor system ( 20 ) connected to the automated packaging machine ( 25 ) in order to transport packaged articles ( 10 a . . . 10 p ) away from the automated packaging machine ( 25 ); and
a) a first automated article discharging device ( 27 a ) and an automated feed conveyor system ( 26 ), wherein the automated feed conveyor system ( 26 ) connects the first automated article discharging device ( 27 a ) and the automated packaging machine ( 25 ) in order to transport articles ( 10 a . . . 10 p ) from the first automated article discharging device ( 27 a ) to the automated packaging machine ( 25 ), the first automated article discharging device ( 27 a ) having a first bottom shelf ( 28 a ) with a first closable bottom opening ( 34 a ) and a second bottom shelf ( 28 b ) with a second closable bottom opening ( 34 b ), wherein the first bottom shelf ( 28 a ) is arranged above the second bottom shelf ( 28 b ), and the second bottom shelf ( 28 b ) is arranged above the automated feed conveyor system ( 26 ), and wherein the automated unloading device ( 36 ) is assigned to the first automated article discharging device ( 27 a ) in order to transport an article ( 10 a . . . 10 p ) from a transport loading aid ( 11 a . . . 11 c , 13 . . . 13 c ) to the first bottom shelf ( 28 a ), and/or
b) an automated reloading device ( 29 ), a bottom shelf ( 30 ) of the reloading device and an automated feed conveyor system ( 26 ), wherein the automated feed conveyor system ( 26 ) extends in the operating range of the automated reloading device ( 29 ) and is connected to the automated packaging machine ( 25 ), wherein the automated unloading device ( 36 ) is assigned to the bottom shelf ( 30 ) of the reloading device arranged in the operating range of the automated reloading device ( 29 ) in order to transport an article ( 10 a . . . 10 p ) from a transport loading aid ( 11 a . . . 11 c , 13 . . . 13 c ) to the bottom shelf ( 30 ) of the reloading device and/or
c) a second automated article discharging device ( 27 b ) assigned to the automated packaging machine ( 25 ) and having a third bottom shelf ( 28 c ) arranged above a loading position ( 47 ) of the automated packaging machine ( 25 ) and having a closable third bottom opening ( 34 c ), wherein the automated unloading device ( 36 ) is assigned to the third bottom shelf ( 28 c ) in order to transport an article ( 10 a . . . 10 p ) from a transport loading aid ( 11 a . . . 11 c , 13 . . . 13 c ) to the third bottom shelf ( 28 c ), and wherein a dispatch package ( 23 ) prepared for closing can be provided at the loading position ( 47 ), and/or
d) the automated unloading device ( 36 ) is assigned to the automated packaging machine ( 25 ) and is arranged in such a manner, that a transport loading aid ( 11 a . . . 11 c , 13 . . . 13 c ) can be positioned above a loading position ( 47 ) of the automated packaging machine ( 25 ) in order to discharge an article ( 10 a . . . 10 p ) from a transport loading aid ( 11 a . . . 11 c , 13 . . . 13 c ) into a dispatch package ( 23 ) provided at the loading position ( 47 ) and prepared for closing.

2. The picking station ( 19 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a working area ( 32 ) for a picker ( 46 ),
an automated feed conveyor system ( 26 ) connected to the automated packaging machine ( 25 ) and extending in the operating range of the picker ( 46 ), and
a bottom shelf ( 33 ) of the picking working area arranged in the operating range of the picker ( 46 ), wherein the automated unloading device ( 36 ) is assigned to the bottom shelf ( 33 ) of the picking working area in order to transport an article ( 10 a . . . 10 p ) from a transport loading aid ( 11 a . . . 11 c , 13 . . . 13 c ) to the bottom shelf ( 33 ).

3. The picking station ( 19 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the automated unloading device ( 36 )
in case a), is arranged above the first bottom shelf ( 28 a ) and is configured to automatically discharge the article ( 10 a . . . 10 p ) from the transport loading aid ( 11 a . . . 11 c , 13 . . . 13 c ) onto the first bottom shelf ( 28 a );
in case b), is arranged above the bottom shelf ( 30 ) of the reloading device and is configured to automatically discharge the article ( 10 a . . . 10 p ) from the transport loading aid ( 11 a . . . 11 c , 13 . . . 13 c ) onto the bottom shelf ( 30 ) of the reloading device;
in case c), is arranged above the third bottom shelf ( 28 c ) and is configured to automatically discharge the article ( 10 a . . . 10 p ) from the transport loading aid ( 11 a . . . 11 c , 13 . . . 13 c ) onto the third bottom shelf ( 28 c ).

4. The picking station ( 19 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the automated unloading device ( 36 )
in case a), is configured to automatically discharge the article ( 10 a . . . 10 p ) from the transport loading aid ( 11 a . . . 11 c , 13 . . . 13 c ) onto a conveying device ( 37 ), and the conveying device ( 37 ) is configured to automatically discharge the article ( 10 a . . . 10 p ) onto the first bottom shelf ( 28 a );
in case b), is configured to automatically discharge an article ( 10 a . . . 10 p ) from the transport loading aid ( 11 a . . . 11 c , 13 . . . 13 c ) onto a conveying device ( 37 ), and the conveying device ( 37 ) is configured to automatically discharge the article ( 10 a . . . 10 p ) onto the bottom shelf ( 30 ) of the reloading device; and
in case c), is configured to automatically discharge the article ( 10 a . . . 10 p ) from the transport loading aid ( 11 a . . . 11 c , 13 . . . 13 c ) onto a conveying device ( 37 ), and the conveying device ( 37 ) is configured to automatically discharge the article ( 10 a . . . 10 p ) onto the third bottom shelf ( 28 c ).

5. The picking station ( 19 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the first automated article discharging device ( 27 a ) comprises shaft walls ( 35 ) surrounding the first bottom shelf ( 28 a ) and second bottom shelf ( 28 b ).

6. The picking station ( 19 ) according to claim 1 , wherein in case b), the picking station comprises a plurality of automated reloading devices ( 29 ) and the automated feed conveyor system ( 26 ) comprises multiple first feed conveying sections ( 31 a ) in the operating range of the plurality of automated reloading devices ( 29 ) and a second feed conveying section ( 31 b ) connecting the multiple first feed conveying sections ( 31 a ) and being connected to a third feed conveying section ( 31 c ) coupling with the automated packaging machine ( 25 ).

7. The picking station ( 19 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the reloading device ( 29 ) is configured as a gantry robot or an articulated-arm robot and/or comprises a suction gripper ( 43 ).

8. The picking station ( 19 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a printer ( 38 ), which in case a), is assigned to the second bottom shelf ( 28 b ), in case b), is assigned to the feed conveyor system

Assignees

• Tgw Logistics Group Gmbh

Inventors

• Lindley Timothy
• Kettlgruber Gerald
• Schroepf Harald Johannes

Classifications

• B65G1/1376 Primary

  the orders being assembled on a commissioning conveyor · CPC title

• B65B5/06

  Packaging groups of articles, the groups being treated as single articles · CPC title

• B65B35/50

  Stacking one article, or group of articles, upon another before packaging · CPC title

• B65G27/06

  Joints connecting load-carrier sections · CPC title

• B65G61/00

  Use of pick-up or transfer devices or of manipulators for stacking or de-stacking articles not otherwise provided for · CPC title