Method of handling parcels by using shuttle carts, nesting racks, and lift trolleys having trays

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017129705-A1
Application number	US-201715409563-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 19, 2017
Priority date	Aug 5, 2015
Publication date	May 11, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of handling articles in a logistics center uses an unloading zone for unloading the articles arriving at the center and an article stowage zone where the articles are stored in ordered manner, nesting racks coupled to shuttle robot carts, and also trays placed on lift trolleys coupled to the shuttle robot carts, and at least one vertical tray rack for storing the trays loaded with the articles in superposed manner in the stowage zone. If an article is loaded on a nesting rack in the unloading zone, the shuttle robot cart stores the article with the nesting rack in a lower portion of the tray rack.

First claim

1 . A method of handling articles in a logistics center having an unloading zone for unloading the articles arriving at the center and an article stowage zone where the articles arriving at the center are stored in mutually ordered manner with a view to them leaving the center in order following a certain sequence, which method comprises:
moving articles from the unloading zone to the stowage zone with nesting racks coupled to shuttle robot carts, moving articles from the unloading zone to the stowage zone using trays placed on lift trolleys coupled to the shuttle robot carts, and storing the trays loaded with the articles in superposed manner in the stowage zone using at least one vertical tray rack, in that if an article is loaded on a nesting rack in the unloading zone, the shuttle robot cart stores the article with the nesting rack in a lower portion of the tray rack, and if an article is loaded on a tray placed on a lift trolley, the shuttle robot cart stores the article with the tray above the nesting rack in an upper portion of the tray rack that is provided with horizontal runners.

2 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein storing includes using the shuttle robots to actuate the lift trolleys in such a manner as to position the trays dynamically and heightwise in the tray rack so as to minimize empty space between two consecutive trays.

3 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein storing the trays includes using a plurality of tray racks disposed in one or more rows in the stowage zone.

4 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the articles are parcels.

5 . A logistics center for handling parcels, which logistics center comprises:
a loading/unloading point for loading/unloading the parcels and a stowage zone that is designed for receiving parcels waiting for loading, and that is subdivided into various segments, each of which corresponds to a shipment of said parcels, racks on legs of the nesting type and of different height and width formats suitable for nesting by being superposed on one another, independently self-propelled motor-driven shuttle carts, each shuttle cart being suitable for docking with a rack under the control of a central processing unit, lift trolleys for carrying trays and suitable for being docked with the shuttle carts, and one or more tray racks, each tray rack having a lower portion suitable for storing a nesting rack loaded with parcels and an upper portion suitable for storing trays loaded with parcels, above the nesting rack.

6 . A logistics center according to claim 5 , wherein the tray racks are wheeled.

7 . A logistics center according to claim 6 , wherein the wheeled tray racks are arranged to be docked with and moved by a shuttle cart.

Assignees

• Solystic

Inventors

• Luc Chirol
• Miette Emmanuel

Classifications

• G06Q10/087

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

• B65G1/1378

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

• B07C3/02

  Apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution · CPC title

• B65G1/137 Primary

  with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed · CPC title

• B07C3/08

  using arrangements of conveyors {(transport of sheets B65H; transport in general B65G)} · CPC title