CN1154332A - Case picking system - Google Patents

Abstract

A storage area lift or elevating apparatus comprising a vertical mast connected to a supporting means, which is capable of supporting the mast in a substantially vertical orientation, a platform coupled to the mast in a manner allowing the platform to be positioned up and down along the mast, and an elevating means positioned on the platform for allowing a cargo bearing surface to be adjusted with respect to the surface of the platform were an operator may be positioned.

Description

Goods picking system

The present invention relates generally to a storage and retrieval system and, more particularly, to a system for manually storing and retrieving items from a stock storage source.

Currently, automated storage areas typically store items in storage racks comprised of one or more vertical storage units. The storage units are divided into rows and columns that define a single storage location. These access points may be sized to stack individual or groups of units. Such as boxes and pallets. Similarly, the automated conveyors in these warehouses are also generally sized to pick, transport and present full size sheets. Often times, loose items, any item smaller than a single unit (i.e., a single unit space) such as boxes, packages, luggage, and individual cans, bottles, boxes, etc. … … need to be transported, picked up, or stored in such storage areas. When it is desired to transport these loose objects within these storage areas, they are picked up. That is, the items must be manually picked from a storage location or manually placed into a storage location. This is typically done by picking up a quantity of loose items from one or more locations and then placing them on a pallet and transporting them to another location. The process of manually picking up these loose items is time consuming and labor intensive. Furthermore, the manual lifting of the articles required for such manual handling procedures, and stooping and reaching for picking up the articles, often results in worker injury, resulting in lost work time and associated costs.

Heretofore, a variety of automated systems have been proposed for retrieving items from storage areas. Such systems typically include a guided cart having a vertical mast and an elevator that is adjustable along the mast. Such techniques are proposed in U.S. patents 5,361,481(Lloyd et al.), 5,397,211(Lloyd et al.), 5,170,863(Devroy), 5,170,713(Parenski), 5,141,081(Kregel et al.), 5091,685(Sorenson et al.)5,067,592(Miskin et al.), 5,056,625(Miskin et al.), 5,048,642 (Lloyd), 5,044,859(Sorensen et al.), 5,015,140(Klring.), 4,967,130(Sorenson et al) and 4,773,807(Kroll et al). While such systems are suitable for many applications, they do not provide for operation where access to the items is at least partially manual. Other automated systems include carousel-type storage racks that are horizontally movable. Us patent 3,554,391(Goodell) relates to a circular storage rack with a conveyor system and two types of operator lift platforms, one type inside the storage unit and several on the outside. The operator lift located outside includes a number of parallel columns that are fixed to the floor forming a fixed mast supporting a lift adapted for supporting vertical movement of an operator. Wherein said elevator mounts a platform providing an area for the placement of articles. The platform lift in Goodell does not have any adjustable storage surface because the operator lifts the articles to deposit one article on another, which presents difficulties to the operator. It is readily seen that a system such as this would result in wasted time and unnecessary expense, particularly in situations where the items to be picked up are heavy and/or bulky.

We have substantially reduced, overcome one or more of the foregoing problems.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a system for storing and retrieving items from a storage rack. The apparatus for storing and picking up therein is designed so that a worker does not need to lift the article, bend down or reach for the article when transferring the article out of the storage rack.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a loose item storage and pickup system in an automated storage area. The system includes a lift device that provides workers with full access everywhere to the storage area, wherein such a lift device is secured to a carrier and includes an area occupied by a worker. A liftable cargo support surface secured to the elevator and movable with the area occupied by the workers, and means for allowing an operator to control the movement of the platform, carrier and cargo support surface.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device that assists workers in providing lifting racks in warehouses. The apparatus is characterised in that it is capable of lifting or moving a worker to the vicinity of such a shelf, whilst providing a storage surface which is liftable relative to the plane on which the worker stands, so that the storage surface can be guided to be raised or lowered without lifting, depending on the height of the articles stacked in the temporary storage location.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device to assist workers in a warehouse which has a horizontally movable storage carousel or conveyor, which features a device that is capable of moving vertically relative to the carousel while providing a storage surface that can be raised and lowered relative to the plane on which the workers are standing.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent upon a study and understanding of the invention as described.

The present invention is a device for storing picked-up articles in an article storage area having a certain height. The device comprises a substantially vertical mast, which is fixed to support means capable of holding it in a substantially vertical orientation. A platform movably attached to the mast is movable up and down the mast. The platform provides an area for one or more workers to stand or sit down. The platform also provides an adjustable cargo support surface that is secured to a lifting device that is connected to the platform. The height of the cargo supporting surface is adjusted by the lifting device relative to the platform position, and the adjustable cargo supporting surface can be placed at a position which just enables a worker to convey the cargo from the storage position and the cargo supporting surface or does not need to lift the cargo when the cargo is conveyed out, and does not need to bend down or stretch out to reach the object.

The present invention is described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Wherein,

figure 1 is a top view of the device of the invention in a storage area,

figure 2 is a side view of the device of the present invention in front of a storage rack.

The invention is described in detail below, before explaining the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

Fig. 1 and 2 show one embodiment of an access system of the present invention comprising a plurality of storage racks 10 divided into rows 12 and columns 14. These rows and columns define a number of storage locations 13 where items may be stored. The storage rack may be constructed of concrete, metal, wood or a combination of these materials, but any suitable construction material may be used. Furthermore, these storage racks can be moved horizontally or vertically. These movable storage racks may move in a continuous loop or in a back and forth manner.

The system also includes at least one elevator or lift device 15 for moving at least one worker and the stored items to a suitable location adjacent the storage rack so that the items are transferred out of and into the storage location. In one embodiment, the lift includes a platform 16 that is maneuvered vertically along a substantially vertical mast 18. The elevator allows a worker on the platform to move in a vertical direction by the elevator device 21. In systems that include a stationary mast lift, the storage racks are typically movable. The shelves can be moved by any means known in the industry in this regard. Typically, the racks are powered. So that any one of the access positions can be brought to a position adjacent to the fixed mast lift. Alternatively, the lift may be connected to any device capable of supporting the mast, including a base attached thereto or located on the ground or a vehicle 20 that is movable horizontally in one or two directions above the floor of the storage area.

Several types of vehicles known in the art are suitable for the present invention. Such carriers include vehicles driven by electric or internal combustion engines, as well as vehicles that may be partially or fully automatically guided. (AGVs) these electrically guided vehicles may be guided by any known guidance system, including: a magnetic field, a radio signal, or an optical signal. The vehicles may also be guided by tracks provided in or on the floor of the access area.

Above the platform surface is at least one area 24 reserved for a worker and at least one height adjustable cargo support surface 22. The cargo support surface is provided with a device 26 for moving the cargo support surface to a desired height relative to the working area. Various known lifting devices are suitable for one purpose. The apparatus includes a press and jacks which may be mechanical, electro-mechanical, hydraulic or a combination of these. The lifting device may be operated by a worker on the platform to operate the controller 31 so that the cargo support surface can be quickly and accurately raised to the desired height by an electric-hydraulic scissor jack. The control pads may also be used to manipulate the platform height, and also the movement of the vehicle over the ground. The platform is often comprised of at least one work area, suitable for the activities of at least one worker, at least partially surrounded by a protective railing 30.

The mast may be any rigid structure that can support the platform in a substantially horizontal orientation. Various types of structures and materials may be suitable for this purpose such as single or multi beam steel structures, sleeve structures and wood and/or concrete structures.

There are many ways known in the art to attach a platform to a vertical mast so that the platform can be moved along the mast while ensuring safety. These may include, but are not limited to, manually or electrically assisted ratchet systems, chain drive systems, wire rope pendants, gear and rack systems. These powered systems may be powered by a separate power source for platform movement or by a power source for moving the cargo support surface and/or also the transporter. The power source may be any type of power source suitable for this purpose, including a reciprocating or unidirectional electric motor or gas turbine.

The device of the present invention may additionally include a control system that allows all or part of the movable components to be controlled remotely or on the device. The control means of the apparatus may be located in one or more of the zones described below, or may be a vehicle, a platform or some remote location. Typically, the elevator is equipped with a console that is accessible by an operator on the platform. Such a console would typically allow the operator to control all of the movements of the device and may include the ability to control the storage racks.

The storage system may also be equipped with an inventory control system that monitors the location, quality, and type of items within a particular location within the storage area or within the entire storage area. Such a control system may control all or part of the devices in the storage area. Such control systems also control the guided movement of the cargo support surface based on the inventory of the storage area, typically to the point that the cargo support surface can be continuously adjusted to maintain the desired height.

In operation, both the storage racks and the equipment are placed in the appropriate locations for the storage and/or pickup operations. The platform is adjustable to a position on the mast adjacent to a suitable access location and the cargo support surface is adjusted by the lift device so that the transfer pallet placed on the cargo support surface is positioned just below the bottom surface of the article to be transferred from the storage location. When it is desired to transfer an item from the cargo support surface to a storage location, the cargo support surface is adjusted so that the bottom surface of the item being moved is flush with the top surface to which the item is to be transferred.

The invention may also be practiced by operating a fixed carrier lift so that workers on the platform can reach a particular column of storage locations. The platform is then adjusted in a vertical direction until the worker can reach a particular storage location. Finally, the item support surface may be adjusted to the upper surface of the item support surface, which may be the top of a pallet or the top of an item stacked on the item support surface, at the same height as the belly of the worker. This allows the worker to transfer the article by sliding it to the desired location without having to bend over, reach for the article or lift the article. As the articles are stacked on the cargo support surface, the surface height is lowered by the lifting device, whereby the surface is level with the operator's abdomen.

Of course, these operational steps may be completed in any order and/or simultaneously. These steps may be repeated multiple times depending on the operation to be performed.

Claims (13)

1. An apparatus comprising a mast attached to a support means for supporting the mast in a substantially vertical orientation, a platform movably connected to said mast being movable at the height of said mast, wherein said platform is capable of supporting at least one person and at least one cargo lift, wherein said cargo lift is secured to said platform and comprises a cargo support disposed on a lifting means for raising and lowering said cargo support surface relative to said platform.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said lifting means is a mechanical jack.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said lifting means is a scissor jack.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support means is a vehicle moving along a floor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said platform is maintained in a substantially horizontal orientation.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cargo supporting surface is maintained in a substantially horizontal orientation.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mast is formed from steel beams.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said platform is manually positioned along said mast.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said platform is divided into a work area and a cargo area.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the work area is at least partially surrounded by a railing.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said platform is provided with control means for controlling the height of said lifting device.

12. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said control means controls said lifting device such that when a layer of one or more articles is placed on said cargo support surface, said lifting device is adjustable downwardly so that the surface of said cargo layer is flush with the bottom of the articles to be transferred to said cargo layer.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said control means controls said lifting means so that when a first layer of one or more articles disposed on said cargo support surface is removed, said lifting means is adjustable upwardly so that a bottom surface of a second layer of one or more articles is flush with a surface on which the second layer of articles to be conveyed is disposed.

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