Automated storing and commissioning system for small-piece goods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9701474-B2
Application number	US-201314434600-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2013
Priority date	Oct 9, 2012
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

An automated storing and picking system for packaged goods is provided. The system includes storage shelves with storage areas, at least one storage and retrieval apparatus, and at least one conveyor belt. At least one blocking device having a barrier is arranged downstream of a receiving section of the conveyor belt. A control device controls the storage and retrieval apparatus and the conveyor belt such that the packaged goods belonging to a first pack are transported to a first dispensing location and the packaged goods belonging to a subsequent pack are transported to a second dispensing location and/or are subsequently transported to the first dispensing location, such that the first pack lies downstream of the subsequent pack on the conveyor belt. The control device controls the blocking device to accumulate the first pack behind the barrier, release the first pack for transport, and to then accumulate the subsequent pack behind the barrier.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automated storage and picking system for small packaged goods, comprising:
a storage shelf with a plurality of storage areas for the organized storage of small packaged goods;
a storage and retrieval apparatus, configured to be movable adjacent to the storage shelf, the storage and retrieval apparatus configured for retrieving one or more small packaged goods from the plurality of storage areas and transporting the one or more small packaged goods to at least one of a first and a second dispensing point; and
a belt conveyor having a belt and configured to receive the one or more small packaged goods on at least one receiving section of the belt conveyor, each receiving section assigned to one of the first and the second dispensing point, wherein the belt conveyor is configured to transport the one or more small packaged goods to a dispensing device;
a delivery device arranged between each dispensing point and assigned receiving section, each delivery device configured to convey one or more of the packaged goods delivered by the storage and retrieval apparatus from its corresponding dispensing point to its assigned receiving section;
a holding device arranged downstream of at least one receiving section in the direction of transport of the belt conveyor, the holding device having a barrier configured to be positioned above the belt, the barrier configured to prevent further transport of the packaged goods being transported thereon even if the belt continues to move; and
a control device configured to control the storage and retrieval apparatus and the belt conveyor so that packaged goods belonging to a first pack are transported to the first dispensing point and packaged goods belonging to a subsequent pack are one of transported to the second dispensing point and transported to the first dispensing point at a later time, such that the packaged goods of the first pack lie downstream of the packaged goods of the subsequent pack on the belt conveyor, wherein the control device is configured to control the holding device to:
position the barrier above the belt, blocking the further transport of the packaged goods, until the packaged goods of the first pack have collected behind the barrier;
release the holding device so that the first pack is further transported; and
position the barrier back above the belt so that the packaged goods of the subsequent pack collect behind the barrier.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the barrier comprises a pivotable plate configured to be pivotable about a pivot axis arranged transversely to a direction of movement of the belt.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the pivotable plate is pivotable along its upper edge about a horizontal pivot axis, wherein the pivotable plate is configured to be pivoted upward in the direction of movement of the belt to release the packaged goods, and is configured to be pivoted downward opposite the direction of movement of the belt to block further transport.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of belt conveyors are configured to operate in parallel, wherein receiving sections of each of the plurality of belt conveyors are assigned to dispensing points, wherein each belt conveyor has at least one holding device.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein each belt conveyor is configured to transport the packaged goods to the same dispensing device.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the dispensing device has delivery devices for further transport adjoining the ends of each belt conveyor, each delivery device configured to convey the packaged goods of a pack to one of a plurality of receiving bins positioned in succession at the dispensing device.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the delivery devices comprise at least one of drop tubes, chutes and spiral chutes.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of holding devices are spaced one in front of the other and arranged on the belt conveyor so that a plurality of packs can be collected on the belt conveyor.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least two storage shelves are arranged in parallel in a longitudinal direction such that an aisle is formed between the storage shelves, wherein the storage and retrieval apparatus is configured to move within the aisle, wherein the belt conveyor is arranged adjacent to one of the storage shelves on a side facing away from the aisle.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein a plurality of belt conveyors are arranged adjacent to one of the storage shelves and one above the other in the longitudinal direction, each of the plurality of belt conveyors having one or more holding devices.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein at least two storage and retrieval apparatuses are configured to move independently of one another within the aisle.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein first through fourth storage shelves are arranged in parallel in the longitudinal direction, wherein an outer aisle for at least one storage and retrieval apparatus is formed between each of the first and second storage shelves and the third and fourth storage shelves, and an aisle for accommodating a plurality of belt conveyors arranged one above the other is formed between the second and third storage shelves, wherein, delivery devices are provided between the dispensing points for the at least one storage and retrieval apparatus that borders the outer aisles and the designated receiving sections of the belt conveyors.

13. A method for operating an automated storage and picking system for small packaged goods, the method comprising:
providing the automated storage and picking system for small packaged goods of claim 4 ;
operating the plurality of belt conveyors in parallel;
assigning the receiving sections to designated dispensing points;
providing at least one holding device for each of the plurality of belt conveyors;
collecting packs of the small packaged goods on at least two belt conveyors, at the at least one holding device of each belt conveyor; and
releasing the holding devices of the different belt conveyors in synchronization once a pack has been collected at each.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
providing a plurality of holding devices, spaced one in front of another, on one of the plurality of belt conveyors; and
collecting a plurality of packs on the one of the plurality of belt conveyors having the plurality of holding devices.

15. A storage and picking system, comprising:
a storage shelf having storage areas for packaged goods;
a storage and retrieval apparatus configured to:
move adjacent the storage shelf to retrieve a plurality of packaged goods from the storage areas of the shelf; and
to transport the retrieved packaged goods to a dispensing point;

a belt conveyor having a belt, wherein a receiving section of the belt conveyor is assigned to the dispensing point, the belt conveyor configured to transport the retrieved packaged goods;
a delivery device arranged between the dispensing point and the assigned receiving section, the delivery device configured to deliver the retrieved packaged goods from the dispensing point to the assigned receiving section of the belt conveyor;
a holding device arranged downstream of the receiving section, the holding device comprising a movable barrier positioned above the belt;
a dispensing device configured to receive the retrieved packaged goods from the belt conveyor; and
a control device configured to control the storage and retrieval apparatus and the belt conveyor, wherein the movable barrier is configured to block the further transport of the retrieved packaged goods u

Assignees

• Carefusion Germany 326 Gmbh

Inventors

• Hellenbrand Christoph

Classifications

• G07F17/0092

  for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles (medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00) · CPC title

• B65G47/29

  by temporarily stopping movement {(stopping elements B65G47/88)} · CPC title

• B65G1/1376 Primary

  the orders being assembled on a commissioning conveyor · CPC title

• B65G47/04

  for feeding articles · CPC title

• B65G2205/00

  Stopping elements used in conveyors to stop articles or arrays of articles · CPC title