US 2024/0300092 A1Published application

Method for transferring products with improved efficiency by means of a robot, and storage and order-picking system therefor

AssigneeTGW Logistics Group GmbH

InventorsTimothy LINDLEY, Gerald KETTLGRUBER

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Abstract

In a method for transferring goods using a robot and a storage and picking system for carrying out the method, a gripper is coupled to or activated at a robot head of the robot depending on the grip type of the goods to be transferred. By doing so, a good can be picked up at a first position and deposited at a second position. The goods, separated into the groups of goods, are supplied to the robot so that the goods of a first group of goods are firstly provided at the first position and subsequently the goods of a second group of goods are provided at the first position. The first group of goods includes the goods of a first grip type, and the second group of goods includes the goods of a second grip type.

Claims17

Dependent claims

An operating method of a robot (2) for transferring different goods (9, 9a . . . 9d) in a storage and picking system (1a . . . 1d), comprising the steps

a) determining grip types for the different goods (9, 9 9a . . . 9d) in an electronic control system (14), wherein the grip type indicates with which gripper (7a . . . 7c) corresponding to with which gripper type gripping of the respective good (9, 9a . . . 9d) is possible;
b) providing grippers (7a . . . 7c) of different gripper types;
c) selecting a gripper (7a . . . 7c) from the different gripper types depending on the grip type of the good (9, 9a . . . 9d) to be transferred by way of an electronic control system (14);
d) coupling the selected gripper (7a . . . 7c) to a robot head (6) of the robot (2) or activating the selected gripper (7a . . . 7c) on a robot head (6) of the robot (2);
e) providing the goods (9, 9a . . . 9d) at a first position (P1) in a region of action of the robot (2);
and
f) gripping the goods (9, 9a . . . 9d) at the first position (P1) and depositing the goods (9, 9a . . . 9d) at a second position (P2) in the region of action of the robot (2) with the selected gripper (7a . . . c) of the robot (2) further comprising the steps
sorting the different goods (9, 9a . . . 9d) into groups of goods (G1 . . . . G3) depending on the grip type, of which a first group of goods (G1) comprises goods (9, 9a . . . 9d) of a first grip type of the grip types and a second group of goods (G2) comprises goods (9, 9a . . . 9d) of a second grip type of the grip types and
supplying the goods (9, 9a . . . 9d), separated into the groups of goods (G1 . . . . G3), to the robot (2) so that firstly the goods (9, 9a . . . 9d) of the first group of goods (G1) and subsequently the goods (9, 9a . . . 9d) of the second group of goods (G2) are provided at the first position (P1).

6 more elements

A storage and picking system (1a . . . 1d) comprising:

a robot (2) for transferring goods (9, 9a . . . 9d), comprising a robot head (6) and at least two different grippers (7a . . . 7c), which can be alternately coupled to the robot head (6) or at least two different grippers (7a . . . 7c) arranged on the robot head, which can be activated alternately, and
an electronic control system (14), which is configured to detect determine the grip types for the different goods (9, 9a . . . 9d), wherein the grip type indicates with which gripper (7a . . . 7c) corresponding to which gripper type gripping of the respective good (9, 9a . . . 9d) is possible, and which is further configured to select a provided gripper (7a . . . 7c) from the different grip types depending on the grip type of the good to be transferred and trigger coupling of the selected gripper (7a . . . 7c) to the robot head (6) or activating of the selected gripper (7a . . . 7c) on the robot head (6), and
a conveyor system (10a, 16), which is configured to transport goods (9, 9a . . . 9d) to a first position (P1) in a region of action of the robot (2),
wherein the robot (2) is configured to grip the good (9, 9a . . . 9d) with the selected gripper (7a . . . 7c) at the first position (P1) in the region of action of the robot (2) and to deposit the good (9, 9a . . . 9d) at a second position (P2) in the region of action of the robot (2)
characterized in that
the conveyor system (10a, 16) is further configured to supply the goods (9, 9a . . . 9d), separated into groups of goods (G1 . . . . G3), to the robot (2), wherein firstly the goods (9, 9a . . . 9d) of a first group of goods (G1) and subsequently the goods (9, 9a . . . 9d) of a second group of goods (G2) are provided at the first position (P1), wherein the first group of goods (G1) comprises goods (9, 9a . . . 9d) of a first grip type of the grip types and the second group of goods (G2) comprises goods (9, 9a . . . 9d) of a second grip type of the grip types.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/269,000Filed 22 Dec 2021
Priority: AT A 51139/202023 Dec 2020
Published: 12 Sep 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

B25J 9/1612
Program controls: characterised by the hand, wrist, grip control
B25J 9/0093
Program-controlled manipulators: co-operating with conveyor means
B25J 9/1669
Characterised by programming, planning systems for manipulators: characterised by special application, e.g. multi-arm co-operation, assembly, grasping
B25J 15/04
Gripping heads and other end effectors: with provision for the remote detachment or exchange of the head or parts thereof