System and method for processing a multiplicity of picking orders with a plurality of articles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12545514-B2
Application number	US-202218063201-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2022
Priority date	Dec 9, 2021
Publication date	Feb 10, 2026
Grant date	Feb 10, 2026

Abstract

A system for processing picking orders each having a plurality of articles, includes a replenishing storage, at least one reloading station connected to the replenishing storage for reloading of articles for hanging transportation, and a buffer storage connected to the reloading station with parallel circulating storages for hanging transports. A controller allocates orders to be picked to each circulating storage and generates a list and quantity of all articles per circulating storage, and supplies the articles present therein to the respective circulating storage. The controller checks each circulating storage to determine whether a) articles for the fulfilment of an original order are present, and/or b) articles for the fulfilment of another order to be treated preferentially are present, and/or c) articles for the fulfilment of another order to be treated preferentially are present in two or more circulating storages. Thereupon the articles are discharged from the respective circulating storage.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A system for processing a multiplicity of picking orders each with a plurality of articles comprising:
a replenishing storage for articles; at least one reloading station connected to the replenishing storage for reloading of articles for hanging transportation; a buffer storage connected to the at least one reloading station and comprising a multiplicity of parallel circulating storages for hanging transports, wherein at an intake and at an output of each circulating storage a respective switch is disposed and at the output a respective article identifier device is disposed; and a central controller arranged to allocate a multiplicity of orders to be picked to each circulating storage and to generate from these orders an overall list of all articles and the quantity thereof per circulating storage and to supply the articles present therein to the respective circulating storage with the aid of the overall list, wherein the hanging transports are introduced via a respective switch into the respective circulating storage; wherein the controller is arranged to regularly check each circulating storage to determine one or more of a), b), or c) below: a) whether all articles for the fulfilment of an original order are present, and thereupon actuates the switch at the output with the aid of the article identifier device located there in order to discharge the articles of the order, b) whether all articles for the fulfilment of another order to be treated preferentially are already present in the circulating storage, and thereupon actuates the switch at the output with the aid of the article identifier device located there to discharge the articles of this other order, and c) whether all articles for the fulfilment of another order to be treated preferentially are already present, distributed into two or more circulating storages, and thereupon actuates the switches at the output of the respective circulating storage with the aid of the article identifier identification devices located there to discharge the articles of this other order.

2 . The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the central controller is arranged to delete articles of fulfilled or discharged orders from the overall list of the respective circulating storage.

3 . The system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the central controller is arranged to preferentially treat orders during processing that have a higher or raised priority.

4 . The system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the other order to be treated preferentially is not present on the original overall list.

5 . The system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the central controller is arranged to regularly check the circulating storage during the introduction of articles.

6 . The system as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the replenishing storage is a shuttle storage.

7 . The system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the replenishing storage is supplied with mini-batches.

8 . The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the central controller is arranged to preferentially treat orders during processing that have a higher or raised priority.

9 . The system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the other order to be treated preferentially is not present on the original overall list.

10 . The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the central controller is arranged to regularly check the circulating storage during the introduction of articles.

11 . The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the replenishing storage is a shuttle storage.

12 . The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the replenishing storage is supplied with mini-batches.

13 . A method for processing a multiplicity of picking orders with a plurality of articles, said method comprising:
supplying, from a replenishing storage for articles, at least one reloading station connected to the replenishing storage for the reloading of articles for hanging transportation and wherein hanging transports are intermediately stored with a buffer storage connected to the at least one reloading station, wherein the buffer storage comprises a multiplicity of parallel circulating storages, and wherein a central controller is communicatively connected with a respective switch at an intake and at an output of each circulating storage; allocating via the central controller to each circulating storage a multiplicity of orders to be picked; generating via the central controller an overall list of all articles and the quantity thereof per circulating storage from these orders; actuating the switch at the intake for introduction of the allocated articles of the overall list into the respective circulating storage; and determining, by regularly checking with the central controller each circulating storage, whether one or more of a), b), or c) below: a) all articles for the fulfilment of an original order are present, and thereupon actuating the switch at the output with the aid of an article identifier device located there in order to discharge the articles of the order, b) all articles for the fulfilment of another order to be treated preferentially are already present in the circulating storage, and thereupon actuating the switch at the output with the aid of the article identifier device located there to discharge the articles of this other order, and c) all articles for the fulfilment of another order to be treated preferentially are already present, distributed into two or more circulating storages, and thereupon actuating the switches at the output of the respective circulating storage with the aid of the article identifier devices located there to discharge the articles of this other order.

Assignees

• Dematic Gmbh

Inventors

• Wolff Thomas
• Felker Juri

Classifications

• B65G1/0485

  Check-in, check-out devices · CPC title

• B65G1/1373 Primary

  for fulfilling orders in warehouses · CPC title

• G06Q10/087

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title

• B65G2201/0229

  Clothes, clothes hangers · CPC title

• B65G1/1378

  the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas · CPC title