HUP0600657A2 - Storage system - Google Patents

Abstract

Horizontally movable support units (15) are arranged on a support structure (10). Modules (40) are arranged for accommodating and transferring the support units. The modules have centrally controlled transferring elements (34) enabling bi-directional movement of the support units in two horizontal directions being perpendicular to each other.

Description

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WAREHOUSE SYSTEM

TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to a storage system comprising a support structure, support units for carrying units to be stored, which are arranged to be movable in a horizontal direction, and moving elements for moving the support units. The invention relates in particular, but not exclusively, to a storage system designed as a modular parking system.

THE PRIOR ART

Currently known parking systems can be basically divided into two groups:

- high-bay warehouse systems, where vehicles placed on trays are loaded by a central loading machine into storage spaces built on two sides or in a circular shape, 15 and

- elevator system, where the trays can be moved around on a horizontal or vertical fixed track.

A common disadvantage of both versions is that their design requires a fixed geometry, therefore they can only be installed in buildings and interior spaces with a shape that corresponds to the geometry. The other problem is that in the event of a failure of the central machines, the release of vehicles is not possible until they are repaired. In high-bay warehouse system solutions, the large space requirement of the loader also worsens the utilization of the loading space.

A three-dimensional parking system is described, for example, in US 5,330,305,25. The known system comprises a large number of receiving stations arranged vertically one above the other and serving to receive motor vehicles. Next to the receiving stations is an elevator channel in which elevators move vertically for the vertical transport of motor vehicles. The system comprises self-propelled moving platforms 30 which provide for the transport of motor vehicles to and from the elevator. The platform comprises drive wheels, a drive motor and an energy storage unit. A further disadvantage of the known system is that the self-propelled platforms only allow the transport of motor vehicles in one degree of freedom, from the elevators.

-2 sideways. This can cause difficulties, for example, when several vehicles need to be stored in a row laterally from the elevator, and it is necessary to lift a vehicle that is located further away from the elevator. For this reason, the known system only allows one vehicle to be stored laterally from the elevator. A further disadvantage of the system is that it includes self-propelled platforms that are equipped with separate batteries and drive systems. All this makes the design of the known system very expensive.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

When creating our invention, we set ourselves the goal of creating a storage system, especially a parking system, that is free from the disadvantages of prior art storage systems. Our further goal was to create a storage system that allows the arbitrary placement and rearrangement of the units to be stored with central control. Our further goal was to create a simple, modular storage system that allows maximum utilization of the given space capacity, in which the failure of one module does not lead to the shutdown of the entire system.

The invention is therefore a storage system comprising a support structure, support units arranged in a horizontal direction to carry units to be stored, and moving elements for moving the support units. According to the invention, the support structure comprises modules designed to receive and transfer support units, which modules are provided with centrally controlled moving elements enabling the support units to be moved back and forth in two horizontal directions perpendicular to each other.

The invention is therefore based on the recognition that a system built from cube-shaped modules capable of multidirectional movement and connected to each other in all directions is suitable for maximally filling any shaped space and for achieving greater safety and speed with the possibility of any extraction route.

The essence of the storage system according to the invention is that it consists of fixed modules that perform two- or three-way movement and storage of the holding units, which are conveniently designed as storage trays, and which are able to move and store in all directions in plane and space.

-3 can be connected to each other. The spatially connected modules can advantageously also form a self-supporting structure.

The levels of the multi-level storage area are connected by three-way modules, preferably elevators, placed in suitable locations. The driving and rolling elements of the two-way modules are attached to the horizontal supports of the frame structure, while the vertical supports at the module corners only serve to support the levels. The driving and rolling elements of the three-way modules are located on a separate frame and perform vertical movement between the storage levels with the help of racks or other traction elements running on the vertical supports. The system can be connected to turning and transfer stations at locations adapted to the characteristics of the building. In the case of a parking system, vehicles drive onto the storage trays that are suitably designed with wheel guides and leachate collectors here. By activating the appropriate moving elements of the selected modules, a computer control arranges the storage trays placed in the storage area and the vehicles standing on them. The system can arrange any storage tray into any module slot as long as there is at least one empty slot in the storage space.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described hereinafter with reference to the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a spatial drawing of an exemplary supporting structure of a storage system according to the invention, the

Figure 2 shows the supporting structure shown in Figure 1, which is designed as a parking system for storing vehicles,

Figures 3A and 3B are side and top views of a support unit configured as a storage tray,

Figure 4 is a top view of an exemplary storage system module for receiving and transporting the support unit according to Figures 3A and 3B, showing the connection of additional modules,

Figure 5 is a schematic top view drawing of an exemplary elevator module of a warehouse system built with the modules according to Figure 4,

Figure 6 is an example of a structure diagram of one level of a warehouse system built with the modules according to Figure 4,

Figures 7A and 7B are front and top views of another preferred support unit,

Figure 8A is a schematic drawing of a detail of the mechanism for moving the lower running surfaces of the support unit according to Figures 7A and 7B,

Figure 8B is a front view of the lifting actuator and actuator rod forming part of the structure of Figure 8A,

Figure 9 is a schematic top view of a storage system module for receiving and transferring the support unit according to Figures 7A and 7B,

Figure 10 is a schematic top view drawing of the elevator module of the warehouse system built from the modules according to Figure 9 without lifting structures,

Figures 11A and 11B are schematic side and top views of a further exemplary support unit,

Figures 12A and 12B are schematic side and top views of a storage system module for receiving and transporting the support unit of Figures 11A and 11B, respectively;

Figures 13A and 13B are cross-sectional views showing two positions of the eccentric mechanisms in the module of Figures 12A and 12B,

Figure 14 is a top view drawing showing a detail of an exemplary elevator module of a warehouse system constructed from the modules of Figures 12A and 12B and

Figure 15 is a schematic side view illustrating the drive of the elevator module according to Figure 14.

METHODS OF IMPLEMENTING THE INVENTION

The storage system according to the invention, as shown in Figure 1, has a modular structure 10, comprising horizontal supports 12 and vertical supports 13. The modular structure allows for the installation of a storage system that fills the available storage space to the maximum. However, for such a freely designed storage structure 10, it must be possible for the units to be stored in the storage system to be stored in any way and in any arrangement, and for them to be transported between the individual modules along any route, and to be stored and retrieved. This is

This object is achieved by the storage system according to the invention, in particular by the moving elements described below.

The storage system 16 shown in Figure 2 is used for storing vehicles, i.e. it is designed as a parking system. The units to be stored are therefore vehicles 16, which are carried by horizontally movable support units 15 on individual levels of the storage system. According to the invention, the support units 15 can be moved back and forth in two mutually perpendicular horizontal directions by means of the moving elements described below, which are arranged on the support structure 10.

The horizontal movement of the support units 15 according to the invention is preferably ensured by the moving elements by means of a rolling drive, i.e. a friction drive, but of course any other moving principle can also be used according to the invention. The supporting structure 10 of the storage system according to the invention is therefore preferably constructed in a modular manner, in which the individual modules are designed to receive and/or transport one support unit 15 at a time. According to the invention, the moving elements are arranged module by module, i.e. each module is provided with its own moving elements.

Figures 3A and 3B show a side view and a top view of an exemplary support unit 15 according to the invention. The support unit 15 is preferably designed as a rectangular storage tray, which includes a tray frame 20 surrounding a tray plate 22. An adjustable runner 21 is arranged at each of the four corners of the storage tray.

Figure 4 shows a schematic top view of a storage system module for receiving and transporting the carrier units 15 according to Figures 3A and 3B. The module 40 comprises a rail system consisting of 30 rail segments on which the running wheels 21 run. Running on the rail is preferably ensured by guide plates (not shown) located on both sides of the running wheels 21 and extending below the rolling surface and sliding on the side surfaces of the rail segments 30.

At the intersections of the rail system, diverter discs 31 are arranged, which carry a rail segment piece, which can be fitted to the rail system in two positions rotated by 90° relative to each other by rotating the diverter disc 31. Three additional modules are connected to the module 40 with a rectangular base area shown in Figure 4 on two sides and one corner. According to the invention, the support units 15 formed from the modules as storage trays are stacked on top of each other.

-6 can be forwarded to further modules in two perpendicular horizontal directions. The desired horizontal direction can be set using 32 centrally controlled direction changers.

The reversing gear 32 includes a reversing motor and a mechanism for driving a wire rope 33, which provides a common wire rope 33 directional adjustment drive for the reversing pulleys 31 and the moving elements 34 located at the four corners of the module 40. The moving elements 34 in this preferred embodiment comprise two units, each unit comprising a conveying wheel 34b driven by a driving motor 34a. The wire rope drive operated by the reversing gear 32 allows the reversing pulleys 31 and the moving elements 34 to be switched between two positions rotated by 90° relative to each other. The moving elements 34 and the direction-changing discs 31 are always positioned relative to each other in such a way that the rail segment pieces carried by the direction-changing discs 31 are parallel to the driving direction of the conveying wheels 34b connected to the lower surface of the storage trays by friction drive. When switching between the two positions, the direction-changing discs 31 adjust the set running wheels 21 to the desired direction with the help of the above-mentioned guide plates. The conveying wheels 34b can be conveniently operated with bidirectional rotation, i.e. they enable movement back and forth in the set horizontal direction.

Figure 5 shows a schematic top view of an exemplary elevator module of the storage system constructed with the modules of Figure 4. The elevator module also includes a direction changer 32', which sets the desired horizontal direction of the conveyance of the support unit 15 by means of a wire rope 33. In this embodiment, the conveying wheels 34b' driven by the driving motors 34a' constitute the moving elements 34'. By means of the wire rope 33, the units consisting of the driving motor 34a' and the conveying wheel 34b' can be rotated around a vertical axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the conveying wheels 34b' in the direction of the arrows shown in the figure. In this way, the direction of the rolling drive by the conveying wheels 34b' can be adjusted synchronously with the direction changer discs 31. While in the module according to Figure 4, the reversing gear 32 and the moving elements 34 can be mounted to the supporting plate formed on the supporting structure 10 and forming part of the given module, or in the case of a single-level design, to the load-bearing slab, in the solution according to Figure 5, the reversing gear 32' and the moving elements 34' are always attached to the base plate 35 attached to the elevator module or to another similar supporting structure.

-7 The vertical movement of the elevator module can be ensured by toothed lifting wheels 36 with a drive (not shown), which are arranged at the four corners of the elevator module and are connected to corresponding racks 37 or other traction elements.

Figure 6 shows a schematic diagram of a level of the storage system constructed from the 40 modules of Figure 4. This configuration makes maximum use of the exemplary space available and ensures that the carrier units 15 traveling on the level can be transferred to any module 40. The exemplary arrangement also includes a module that does not include a 32-way switch, since the nature of the arrangement requires only one horizontal direction to be transferred back and forth.

Figures 7A and 7B show a side view and a top view of another preferred embodiment of the support unit 15. The support unit 15 includes a special tray frame 50 surrounding a tray plate 52, which tray frame 50 consists of opposing frame segments whose lower running surfaces can be lowered and raised by hinged devices 53 for connection to a rolling drive.

The hinged structures 53 can be moved at a common linkage 54 at an attack point. The relative displacement of the lower and upper surfaces of the frame segments can be achieved, for example, by a tray frame design 50 in which the frame segments consist of U-shaped cross-section elements joined together with the hinged structures 53, facing each other and fitted with their side panels, but of course any other suitable design is also conceivable.

This embodiment is therefore provided with a mechanism for lowering the lower running surfaces of the opposite frame segments of the storage tray in pairs alternately for rolling drive with the moving elements. The lowering mechanism, in addition to the hinge structures 53, includes, as shown in Figures 8A and 8B, a moving arm 55 connected to the attack points 54, which moving arm 55 is operated by a moving rod 57 operated by a lifting and moving unit 56 fixedly arranged relative to the supporting structure 10. The moving arm 55 has two extreme positions, as shown in Figure 8A, into which the moving arm 55 is transferred by the moving rod 57 that fits thereto. In one extreme position, the moving arm 55 presses the hinge structures 53 of one pair of frame segments against the

-8 for lowering the lower running surfaces, while in the other position the same is implemented for the other pair of frame segments. Conveniently, the articulated structures 53 of the frame segments opposite each other move synchronously with each other by means of a linkage or other connection. Thus, it is sufficient to form the actuation with the moving lever 55 only at one corner of the tray frame 50. The storage tray can thus be conveyed in the selected direction by contacting the driven rolling surfaces attached to the short and the long horizontal supports 12 perpendicular thereto.

Figure 9 shows a schematic top view of the module for receiving and transmitting the support unit 15 according to Figures 7A and 7B. It can be seen that the lifting and moving unit 56 is attached to the module together with the moving rod 57, and the moving rod 57 is connected to the moving arm 55 of the support unit 15 arriving at the module upon arrival of the support unit 15, in any manner known per se, for example positively or by hooking. In this embodiment, the moving elements 34" comprise driven rollers 62 fixed to the horizontal supports 12 of the support structure 10, which rollers 62 are driven by a drive belt 61 driven by a drive motor 60. The figure shows that the rollers 62 connected to the opposite horizontal supports 12 are driven by a common drive motor 60. By alternately lowering the lower pairs of treads of the support unit 15 and operating the moving elements 34" synchronously, reciprocating movement in two mutually perpendicular horizontal directions can be effectively achieved.

Figure 10 shows a schematic top view of an exemplary elevator module of a warehouse system constructed with the modules of Figure 9, with the vertical movement elements omitted. The only difference here compared to Figure 9 is that the rollers 62 are located outside the frame 65 of the elevator module, so that the elevator module fits into the module size defined by the support structure 10.

Figures 11A and 11B show a side view and a top view of a further preferred embodiment of the support unit 15 according to the invention. In this embodiment, the tray frame 20 does not contain moving parts, and the horizontal direction reversal movement is provided by an eccentric roller drive formed on the support structure 10.

This eccentric roller drive is shown in Figures 12A and 12B. The drive belts 61 driven by drive motors 60 drive eccentric rollers 72 connected to the horizontal supports 12 by an eccentric mechanism 76. The eccentric mechanisms 76 are operated by a drive motor 73, which switches the eccentric mechanisms 76 between two positions by means of a wire rope 75 passed through guide rollers 74. Of course, any other power transmission means can be used in addition to the wire rope.

Figures 13A and 13B show the lower and upper positions of the eccentric mechanisms 76 in cross-section. The eccentric mechanisms 76 are adjusted relative to each other by the wire rope 75 so that the eccentric rollers 72 connected to the opposite horizontal supports 12 move vertically in synchronism with each other and move in opposition to the eccentric rollers 72 connected to the other pair of opposite horizontal supports 12. In this way, by appropriately controlling the drive motors 60 and the drive motor 73, the reciprocating movement of the support unit 15 in two horizontal directions perpendicular to each other can be realized extremely simply and efficiently.

Figure 14 shows a detail of an exemplary elevator module of a warehouse system constructed with the modules according to Figures 12A and 12B. The difference here compared to the modules according to Figures 12A and 12B is that the eccentric rollers 72 are connected to the frame 77 of the elevator module from the outside. A schematic side view of the elevator module is shown in Figure 15, which shows that the vertical movement is ensured by a chain drive 81 driven by a lifting motor 80 at each of the four corners of the elevator module.

In the illustrated embodiments, the supporting structure 10 of the storage system is preferably a self-supporting metal frame structure, and the lines for controlling and/or supplying power to the moving elements 34, 34', 34" are preferably arranged at least partially inside the elements of the frame structure. The invention can of course be designed not only in a multi-level form, but also in a single-level manner, in which case the individual modules can be mounted on the load-bearing floor, for example.

An embodiment is also possible in which the supporting structure 10 is not designed as a self-supporting metal frame structure, but as another, for example concrete frame structure. In this case, the lines for control and/or power supply can be conveniently arranged at least partially in channels formed in the frame structure.

-10 The moving elements 34, 34', 34" are centrally controlled, preferably by a computer system, which control is designed to enable the transfer of each support unit 15 to any of the modules 40 of the storage system.

The advantage of the storage system according to the invention is the maximum space utilization, since it can be installed in any shape of space, e.g. between columns, and a transfer station can be built anywhere. In case of implementing a pre-arrangement (preparation for retrieval) rearrangement, retrieval time can be significantly reduced. The multi-directionality of the storage locations and the arbitrary retrieval route result in high retrieval safety.

The invention can be used to increase the capacity of existing parking garages, to convert basements, columned rooms, and storage areas in busy areas into parking lots, to better utilize parking spaces in new buildings, and as a self-supporting steel structure - not requiring other architectural design - as an independent new facility. When manufactured in appropriate sizes, the system can also be used as an automatic warehouse for other purposes.

The invention is of course not limited to the preferred embodiments described in detail in the figures and in the description, but further variations and modifications are possible within the scope of protection defined by the claims. The system can be designed not only as a parking system, but also as an automatic warehouse for other purposes.

Claims (16)

PATENT CLAIMS 1. A storage system comprising a support structure, support units arranged in a horizontal direction to carry units to be stored, and moving elements for moving the support units, characterised in that the support structure (10) comprises modules (40) designed to receive and transport a support unit (15), which modules (40) are provided with centrally controlled moving elements (34, 34', 34") enabling the support units (15) to be moved back and forth in two horizontal directions perpendicular to each other. 2. A storage system according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises modules (40) with a rectangular base area, which are designed to allow the connection of additional modules (40) to all four sides thereof, where one module (40) is designed to receive and transmit one support unit (15) at a time, and the module (40) has moving elements (34, 34', 34") for implementing the rolling drive movement of the support units (15). 3. A storage system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it has more than one level and at least one module (40) is designed to allow vertical movement of the supporting unit (15) located thereon. 4. A storage system according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the support units (15) are designed as rectangular storage trays, to the lower surface of which the moving elements (34, 34', 34") are connected by a friction drive. 5. A storage system according to claim 4, characterized in that there is an adjustable running wheel (21) at each of the four corners of the storage tray, and the supporting structure (10) comprises a rail system consisting of rail segments (30), on which the running wheels (21) run, and at the intersections of which there are direction-changing discs (31), and the moving elements (34) comprise conveying wheels (34b, 34b') connected to the bottom plate of the storage trays from below and driven by drive motors (34a, 34a'). 6. A storage system according to claim 5, characterized in that in each module (40) the conveying wheels (34b, 34b') and the direction changer discs (31) have two positions in the horizontal direction, rotated by 90° relative to each other, between which positions they are adjusted by a direction changer mechanism (32, 32') via a common drive. 7. A storage system according to claim 4, characterized in that the storage trays are provided with a tray frame (50), and the moving elements (34") comprise driven rollers (62) arranged under the frame segments of the tray frame (50) in each module (40), wherein each module (40) has a control for connecting pairs of opposite frame segments alternately to the moving elements (34") below them for rolling drive. 8. A storage system according to claim 7, characterized in that the shafts of the driven rollers (62) are fixed to the supporting structure (10), and the storage tray is provided with a mechanism for lowering the lower running surfaces of the opposite frame segments in pairs alternately for rolling drive with the moving elements (34”). 9. A storage system according to claim 8, characterized in that the lowering mechanism comprises articulated structures (53) allowing the movement of the lower running surfaces in a vertical direction relative to the tray frame (50) and a moving arm (55) connected thereto, which moving arm (55) is operated by a moving rod (57) operated by a lifting moving unit (56) fixedly positioned relative to the supporting structure (10). 10. A storage system according to claim 7, characterized in that the shafts of the driven rollers (62) are fixed to the support structure (10) by an eccentric mechanism (76), with which the rolling drive by the moving elements (34") can be alternately connected to the pairs of opposite frame segments. 11. A storage system according to claim 10, characterized in that the eccentric mechanisms (76) are driven by a drive motor (73) and are mounted on guide rollers (74). -13 are moved in a connected manner with a guided wire rope (75) or other power transmission device. 12. A storage system according to any one of claims 7-11, characterized in that the driven rollers (62) under the same frame segment are driven by a common drive belt (61) also realizing the rolling drive of the lower running surfaces. 13. A storage system according to any one of claims 1-12, characterized in that it is a parking system and the units to be stored are motor vehicles (16). 14. A storage system according to any one of claims 1-13, characterized in that the supporting structure (10) is a metal frame structure, and the lines for controlling and/or supplying power to the moving elements (34, 34', 34") and direction-changing elements are arranged at least partially inside the elements of the frame structure. 15. A storage system according to any one of claims 1-13, characterized in that the supporting structure (10) is a concrete frame structure, and the lines for controlling and/or supplying power to the moving elements (34, 34', 34") and direction-changing elements are arranged at least partially in channels formed in the frame structure. 16. A storage system according to any one of claims 1-15, characterized in that the moving elements (34, 34', 34") are controlled by a computer system, which control is designed to enable the transfer of each support unit (15) to any module (40) of the storage system. looí A. /3.