Method for placing a palletless goods package in a stock shelf and delivering therefrom and for controlling logistics of packages

#The invention relates to a method to stack palletless and as to their size variable goods packages into the warehouse rack and to retrieve them from said rack and to control the logistics of packages, in which method the said warehouse rack is furnished with an automatic packages stacking and retrieving robot, and in the method the control of warehouse data and logistics takes place by means of a data system, and to equipment that carries out the method.

#Previously known is a palletless storing system of goods, among others from U.S. patent publication. 6129497, where palletless goods crates stacked, one on top of another, are retrieved from the warehouse rack and stacked on the rack. A collecting apparatus is moving on rails in the warehouse, which apparatus is adjusted to take and stack goods crates on different rack levels. On a rack there can be many stacks of crates side by side. The stack retrieved from the rack so that the lifting means of the stacking apparatus catches the bottom-edge of he lower crate in the stack, whereby the whole stack can be lifted on and removed together with the apparatus. The crates are on the rack so that the lifting means can be placed under their edges. This has been resolved so that the crates on the rack are on a smaller base than their bottom part.

#With the apparatus it is possible to handle other than crates of a certain size, which are stacked one on top of another, a certain quantity at the most. Anyway, no bearing pallets are needed. Steering of the apparatus takes place from the control centre in the lifting carrier. In the system the content of crates is not identified.

#In the following, the invention is disclosed with reference to the enclosed drawing, where:

#FIG. 1 shows the reception and delivery station in a stacking and retrieving warehouse and the automatic stacking and retrieving robot moving in the warehouse.

#FIG. 2 shows from the side a goods package getting stacked, into the rack.

#FIG. 1 shows the receiving and delivery station 5, which includes a conveyor belt 2 onto which the brought goods package is placed The package is whatever article packed or unpacked, which stays put not rolling off its base. The one who brings the package or the user of the storage is identified with a code that can be fed for instance into computer 22 connected to the station. When the user is identified conveyor belt 2 gets started and moves package 1 to the tunnel in the station, which tunnel comprises the means for control of package. The bar code on package side, RFID code or any other series of characters are read, belt scale 4 weighs the package and camera takes photos of it. The data are taken to the warehouse system as data concerning the said package. If the package weight given in RFID code does not correspond to the weighing result, the reception is rejected. The pattern recognition program determines from the camera picture also the external dimensions of the package. There can also be more cameras taking pictures in different directions. Then the system seeks from the warehouse a place for package 1 and moves it by means of belt 2 to belt 6 of the package collecting robot 19.

#Belt 6 of collecting robot 11,12,19, pulls the package between transfer plates 7 of package. In this stage it is also possible by means of transfer plates 7 to pull the package. When package 1 is on belt 6 between transfer plates 7 robot 11,12,19 starts moving along rails 13 in the warehouse. The robot comprises a rail base 12 with wheels. The robot has also high vertical guides 14, resting on which equipment platform 11 is arranged to rise to the height needed. For instance, there are in guides 14 toothed bars, whereby equipment platform 11 comprises rotatable cogwheels, by means of which the equipment platform gets up and down in the guides.

#On equipment platform 11 there is still the robot transfer gear part so fixed that it can turn on the equipment platform at least 90° sideways, most suitably to both sides. Thus the robot moving along rails between the racks collects and delivers goods to the racks on both sides of the fairway.