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US 2012/0259482 A1Published application
Storage systems comprising tractors and trailers
OwnerKlaus Jeschkeinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Contrary to many storage systems in which the stored material is parked along rails and physical guides the instant invention includes self propelled tractors to move storage material arranged on trailers on a flat freely drivable storage surface to a desired position and parking it thereon. The slightly increased number of tractors which simultaneously perform storage and retrieval provide a high transfer speed.
Claims15
(canceled)
The method according to claim 15, wherein for storage
- a tractor (4a, . . . ) approaches at least one empty trailer (2a, b . . . ) which is arranged in a parking position (8), couples the trailer independently, and
- moves the trailer to a loading station (5)
- where the trailer (2a, b . . . ) is loaded with at least one product (1a, . . . ),
- subsequently the tractor (4a, . . . ) moves the trailer (2a, b, . . . ) to a storage position (7), parks the trailer (2a, b, . . . ) at the storage position,
- decouples the trailer (2a, b . . . ) and parks it, and
- the tractor (4a, . . . ) optionally moves into an idle position (13), and
- for retrieving products (1a, . . . )
- the tractor (4a, . . . ) approaches at least one loaded trailer (2a, b . . . ) standing in a storage position (7) or in a processing position, couples it independently, and
- moves it to an unloading station (6),
- where the product (1a, . . . ) is retrieved from the trailer (2a, b . . . ), and
- e.g. the empty trailer (2a, b . . . ) is moved by the tractor (4a, . . . ) to a parking position (8) and uncoupled and parked at this location, and
- the tractor (4a, . . . ) is optionally moved to an idle position (13).
9 more elements
The method according to claim 15, wherein
- the method also includes moving at least the trailer (2a, b, . . . ) in particular together with the tractor (4a, . . . ) into another level of the storage surface (3a, . . . ), in particular through an elevator (14) and/or
- the tractors (4a, . . . ) are connected with the central control (9) wirelessly, in particular through WLAN and as an emergency channel through radio or ultrasound and obtain from the central computer besides the start- and target position of their movement path also at least data regarding the storage map and the movement path to be used and the destination and optionally the speed of the movement.
The method according to claim 15,
- the tractors (4a, . . . ) are steerable and moveable in all direction from a standstill and in particular configured to rotate on a spot and/or;
- the tractors (4a, . . . ) find their drive path exactly through markings that are scanned touch free in particular optically or electrically scanned on the storage surface (3a, . . . ) in particular bar code markings (15a, b . . . ) or markings distributed in a random manner and/or
- the markings include a particularly rectangular grid line system (16a, . . . ) and additionally include markings for defining particular grids like e.g. bar codes (15′a, . . . ) are arranged in an interior of the grid or in intersection areas of the grid.
The method according to claim 15,
- wherein specially configured cleaning tractors (17) are used for cleaning the storage surface (3a, . . . ) or specially configured cleaning trailers (17′) are moved by a tractor over the storage surface and/or
- all trailers (2a, b . . . ) and tractors (4a, . . . ) include markings that are readable contactless, in particular bar codes (15′a . . . ) and respective sensors, in particular bar code readers (21) are provided at all processing stations.
The method according to claim 15, wherein
- incase a tractor (4a, . . . ) fails the software of the tractor switches the tractor off and shuts it down and sends an emergency message to the central control (9) and/or;
- in case a tractor (4a, . . . ) fails and goes out of control this is detected by the central control (9) and/or the tractor control (9′) due to a deviation from a predetermined tractor behavior and the tractor (4a, . . . ) is switched off and shut down by the central control (9) and the portion of the storage surface (3a . . . ) where the tractor that went out of control has caused disorder is blocked by the central control for further storage and retrieval in a preliminary manner.
The method according to claim 15, wherein
- for removing a defective tractor (4a . . . ) a second tractor approaches the defective tractor, couples it and removes it from the storage, in particular through moving it to an unloading station (6) wherein removing the defective tractor is performed in particular through manual control of the operator and camera view of the second removing tractor and a special rescue eyelet at the tractors is used for coupling the defective tractor and in particular;
- a pullback cable (19) is optionally attached at the rescue tractor, wherein the other end of the pull back cable is supported by an operator (20) outside of the storage surface (3a, . . . ) and the pull back cable is used for pulling back the defective tractor together with the rescue tractor.
A storage device for products (1a, . . . ) comprising:
- a flat storage surface (3a, . . . ) which is physically interrupted through as few fixated obstacles as possible, and
- on which or remote from which plural operating positions, in particular loading stations (5) and unloading stations (6) are predetermined,
- on which trailers (2a, b . . . ) on which at least one respective product (1a . . . ) is placed can be moved and parked,
- motor driven tractors (4a, . . . ) which couple and uncouple the trailers (2a, b . . . ) and can move them on the storage surface (3a, . . . ),
- a navigation system so that the tractors (4a, . . . ) can operate on a predetermined movement path on the storage surface (3a, . . . ),
- a central control (9) which controls the plural tractor (4a, . . . ) simultaneously operating on the storage surface (3a, . . . ) with respect to their movement paths and movement times.
3 more elements
A method for storing products (1a . . . ) placed on at least one trailer (2a,b . . . ) which method comprises:
- placing products (1a . . . ) on trailers (2a,b . . . );
- moving said trailers through motor driven tractors (4a . . . );
- coupling and uncoupling said tractors from said trailers for products;
- moving said tractors back and forth on the storage surface (3a . . . ) between the loading stations (5) and unloading stations (6), storage positions (7) for loaded trailers (2a,b . . . ) or products (1a . . . ) and parking positions (8) for empty trailers on the drive path;
- predetermining said drive path by a central control (9);
- wherein the drive paths (12) and also the positions (5-8) are defined without form locking in particular at the storage surface (3a, . . . ) or for a multi level storage surface at the ceiling above the respective storage surface without form locking.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.