Picking station and method for automatically picking and automatically packaging products

A picking station (19) for automatic picking and automatic packaging of articles (10a . . . 10p), comprising

• a packaging machine (25) operated in an automated manner;
• a retrieval conveyor system (17) for supplying articles (10a . . . 10p), which comprises an overhead conveyor system with transport loading aids (13 . . . 13c) for transporting articles (10a . . . 10p) or is formed by one;
• at least one unloading device (36) for automatically unloading a transport loading aid (11a . . . 11c, 13 . . . 13c);
• a goods-out point conveyor system (20), which is connected, in respect of a conveying stream, to the packaging machine (25) on the output side, for transporting packaged articles (10a . . . 10p) away;
• and
• a) a feed conveyor system (26) operated in an automated manner for feeding the packaging machine (25), which feed conveyor system (26) is connected, in respect of a conveying stream, to the packaging machine (25) on the input side, a first article discharging device (27a), which is assigned to the feed conveyor system (26) and operated in an automated manner, having a first bottom shelf (28a) of the article discharging device with a first closable bottom opening (34a) of the article discharging device and a second bottom shelf (28b) of the article discharging device with a second closable bottom opening (34b) of the article discharging device, wherein the first bottom shelf (28a) of the article discharging device is arranged above the second bottom shelf (28b) of the article discharging device, and the second bottom shelf (28b) of the article discharging device is arranged above the feed conveyor system (26), and wherein the first bottom shelf (28a) of the article discharging device is connected, in respect of a conveying stream, to the unloading device (36), and is connected, in respect of a conveying stream, to the retrieval conveyor system (17) via the unloading device (36), and/or
• b) a reloading device (29) operated in an automated manner, a feed conveyor system (26) operated in an automated manner for feeding the packaging machine (25), which feed conveyor system (26) is connected, in respect of a conveying stream, to the packaging machine (25) on the input side, and which extends in the operating range of the reloading device (29), as well as a bottom shelf (30) of the reloading device in the operating range of the reloading device (29), which bottom shelf (30) of the reloading device is connected, in respect of a conveying stream, to the unloading device (36), and is connected, in respect of a conveying stream, to the retrieval conveyor system (17) via the unloading device (36), and/or
• c) a second article discharging device (27b), which is assigned to the packaging machine (25) and operated in an automated manner, which has a third bottom shelf (28c) of the article discharging device arranged above a loading position (47) of the packaging machine (25) and having a closable third bottom opening (34c) of the article discharging device, wherein a dispatch package (23) prepared for closing can be provided at the loading position (47), which third bottom shelf (28c) of the article discharging device is connected, in respect of a conveying stream, to the unloading device (36), and is connected, in respect of a conveying stream, to the retrieval conveyor system (17) via the unloading device (36), and/or
• d) an unloading device (36), which is assigned to the packaging machine (25) and operated in an automated manner, for automatically providing a transport loading aid (11a . . . 11c, 13 . . . 13c) above a loading position (47) of the packaging machine (25) and for discharging an article (10a . . . 10p) from the transport loading aid (11a . . . 11c, 13 . . . 13c) into a dispatch package (23) provided at the loading position (47) and prepared for closing.

A method for automatically picking and automatically packaging articles (10a . . . 10p), in which the articles (10a . . . 10p) are supplied by means of a retrieval conveyor system (17), which comprises an overhead conveyor system with transport loading aids (13 . . . 13c) for transporting the articles (10a . . . 10p) or is formed by one, the articles are automatically unloaded from the transport loading aids (11a . . . 11c, 13 . . . 13c) by means of an unloading device (36), the articles (10a . . . 10p) are fed to a packaging machine (25) and are automatically repacked into dispatch packages (23) by it, and then, the dispatch packages (23) are transported away from the packaging machine (25) by means of a goods-out point conveyor system (20), wherein

• a) the articles (10a . . . 10p) are placed on a first bottom shelf (28a) of the article discharging device before packaging, wherein the first bottom shelf (28a) of the article discharging device is connected, in respect of a conveying stream, to the unloading device (36), and is connected, in respect of a conveying stream, to the retrieval conveyor system (17) via the unloading device (36), a first bottom opening (34a) of the article discharging device arranged in the first bottom shelf (28a) of the article discharging device is opened for one article (10a . . . 10p) at a time, the article (10a . . . 10p) falls through the first bottom opening (34a) of the article discharging device and becomes part of an article stack (41) on a second bottom shelf (28b) of the article discharging device below the first bottom shelf (28a) of the article discharging device, a second bottom opening (34b) of the article discharging device in the second bottom shelf (28b) of the article discharging device is opened after a stack has been formed, and the article stack (41) falls through the second bottom opening (34b) of the article discharging device, and the article stack (41) is conveyed, by the feed conveyor system (26), to the packaging machine (25) and automatically repacked there into the dispatch package (23), and/or
• b) the articles (10a . . . 10p) are placed on a bottom shelf (30) of the reloading device before packing, wherein the bottom shelf (30) of the reloading device is connected, in respect of a conveying stream, to the unloading device (36), and is connected, in respect of a conveying stream, to the retrieval conveyor system (17) via the unloading device (36), taken over from the bottom shelf (30) of the reloading device by a reloading device (29) and placed on a feed conveyor system (26) as part of an article stack (41), and the article stack (41) is conveyed, after a stack has been formed, by the feed conveyor system (26) to the packaging machine (25) and is automatically repacked there into the dispatch package (23), and/or
• c) the articles (10a . . . 10p) are placed on a third bottom shelf (28c) of the article discharging device before packing, wherein the third bottom shelf (28c) of the article discharging device is connected, in respect of a conveying stream, to the unloading device (36), and is connected, in respect of a conveying stream, to the retrieval conveyor system (17) via the unloading device (36), a third bottom opening (34c) of the article discharging device arranged in the third bottom shelf (28c) of the article discharging device is opened for one article (10a . . . 10p) at a time, the article (10a . . . 10p) falls through the third bottom opening (34c) of the article discharging device and into a dispatch package (23) provided at the packaging machine (25) at a loading position (47) and prepared for closing, and/or
• d) the articles (10a . . . 10p) are successively provided at an unloading device (36) with transport loading aids (11a . . . 11c, 13 . . . 13c), and the transport loading aids (11a . . . 11c, 13 . . . 13c) are automatically unloaded in succession, wherein the automatic unloading comprises step i) positioning the transport loading aid (11a . . . 11c, 13 . . . 13c) above a loading position (47) of the packaging machine (25), and step ii) transferring the article (10a . . . 10p) from the transport loading aid (11a . . . 11c, 13 . . . 13c) immediately into the dispatch package (23) provided at the loading position (47) and prepared for closing.