Method and device for removing a product from a stack

A transfer station for removing a unit load from a stack of multiple unit loads arranged on top of one another, comprising

• a transport system for transporting away unit loads,
• an automatic transfer device, which has a gripping unit for gripping unit loads, wherein the transfer device is configured for picking the unit load from the stack and transferring to the transport system,
• an image capturing device with an image capturing unit, which is configured for capturing an image of a side of the stack,
• an evaluation unit, which is configured for evaluating, by means of image recognition, an image captured by the image capturing unit, wherein the image capturing unit is data-technically connected to the evaluation unit in order to transmit the captured image to the evaluation unit,
• a database data-technically connected to the evaluation unit, in which database unit load data are deposited for each of the unit loads, wherein the unit load data respectively comprise an identification position, which specifies relative to at least one unit load edge of the respective unit load where on the respective unit load an identification mark assigned to the respective unit load is attached, and
• a control device, which is configured for controlling the transfer device such that the gripping unit is aligned relative to a unit load to be removed from the stack,
• wherein the evaluation unit is configured for carrying out the steps of:
• evaluating the captured image, wherein an identification mark is recognized by means of image recognition and an absolute position of the identification mark relative to a reference point is determined;
• identifying a unit load, which is assigned to the recognized identification mark, reading unit load data of the identified unit load out from the database and determining an edge position of the at least one unit load edge relative to the reference point by the evaluation unit, wherein the edge position is computed from the determined absolute position of the identification mark assigned to the identified unit load and from its identification position;
• transmitting the edge position of the at least one unit load edge of the identified unit load to the control device.

A computer-implemented method for generating a movement specification for a gripping unit of an automatic transfer device for removing a unit load from a stack of multiple unit loads arranged on top of one another, the method comprising the steps of:

• i) receiving an image of a first side of the stack captured by an image capturing unit);
• ii) evaluating the captured image by means of image recognition, wherein an identification mark recognizable in the captured image is recognized, which identification mark is arranged at a defined identification position at a unit load of the unit loads and assigned to the respective unit load;
• iii) identifying the unit load which is assigned to the recognized identification mark and reading unit load data of the identified unit load out from a database, in which the unit load data are provisioned, wherein the unit load data comprise the identification position of the identification mark and wherein the identification position is specified relative to at least one unit load edge of the respective unit load;
• iv) determining an absolute position of the identification mark relative to a reference point;
• v) determining an edge position of the at least one unit load edge of the identified unit load relative to the reference point from the absolute position and from the identification position of the recognized identification mark;
• vi) generating a movement specification for a control device for aligning the gripping unit of the automatic transfer device relative to the identified unit load.