Method for transferring an item to be transported from an end position of a flow storage system to a removal device

1. A method for transferring an item to be transported ( 10 ; 11 ; 12 ) from an end portion ( 2 ) of a flow storage system ( 1 ) to a removal device ( 20 ) with the steps of:

using an end stop ( 4 ), arranged in an arresting position, for holding back at least a first item to be transported ( 10 ) on the end portion ( 2 ) of the flow storage system ( 1 ) and/or

using a separator ( 5 ), arranged in an arresting position, for holding back at least a second item to be transported ( 11 ) on a retaining portion ( 3 ) of the flow storage system ( 1 );

arranging ( 100 ) the removal device ( 20 ) adjacent to the end portion ( 2 ) of the flow storage system ( 1 ) in a removal position;

using at least one sensor ( 21 ) of the removal device ( 20 ) for checking ( 101 ; 111 ) whether the end stop ( 4 ) and/or the separator ( 5 ) is arranged in its respective arresting position; and

transferring ( 104 ) the first item to be transported ( 10 ) from the end portion ( 2 ) to the removal device ( 20 ).

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the sensor ( 21 ) of the removal device ( 20 ) is formed as a light sensor, which emits and/or receives a light signal.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 ,

wherein the light signal emitted by the sensor ( 21 ) is reflected at a reflecting means of the end stop ( 4 ) and/or of the separator ( 5 ) precisely whenever the associated end stop ( 4 ) and/or separator ( 5 ) is arranged in its arresting position.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the first item to be transported ( 10 ) is only transferred from the end portion ( 2 ) to the removal device ( 20 ) whenever a separator check ( 101 ) shows that the separator ( 5 ) is arranged in its arresting position, in which it holds back at least the second item to be transported ( 11 ) on the retaining portion ( 3 ).

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the removal device ( 20 ) is only moved away out of its removal position whenever an end stop check ( 111 ; 112 ) shows that the end stop ( 4 ) is arranged in its arresting position.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 ,

wherein the removal device ( 20 ) is only moved away out of its removal position whenever an additional separator check ( 111 ) shows that the separator ( 5 ) is also arranged in its arresting position.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5 ,

wherein the end stop check ( 111 ; 112 ) includes both an evaluation of a received light signal and a mechanical check of the arresting position of the end stop ( 4 ).

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the removal device ( 20 ) is formed as a storage and retrieval machine and/or a robot and/or a transfer car.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the flow storage system ( 1 ) is formed as a gravitational flow storage system and/or as a mechanical flow storage system and/or free from electronic sensors.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein a controller of the removal device ( 20 ) controls at least one of the following activities in an open-loop and/or closed-loop manner:

the transfer ( 104 ) of the first item to be transported ( 10 ) from the end portion ( 2 ) to the removal device ( 20 );

the control of the sensor ( 21 );

the checking ( 101 ; 111 ) of the arresting position of the end stop ( 4 ) and/or of the separator ( 5 );

a movement ( 103 ; 112 ) of the end stop ( 4 ) into its arresting position and/or into its releasing position; and/or

a movement ( 100 ; 113 ) of the removal device ( 20 ).

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 , with the steps of:

moving ( 103 ) the end stop ( 4 ) from its arresting position into a releasing position, in which it no longer holds back the first item to be transported ( 10 ) on the end portion ( 2 ), and/or

moving ( 105 ) the separator ( 5 ) from its arresting position into a releasing position, in which it no longer holds back the second item to be transported ( 11 ) on the retaining portion ( 3 ), so that the second item to be transported ( 11 ) can be moved into the end portion ( 2 ).

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein a scanner of the removal device ( 20 ) checks ( 102 ),

whether the first item to be transported ( 10 ) is arranged in the end portion ( 2 ) and/or

whether the removal device ( 20 ) is ready for receiving the first item to be transported ( 11 ).

13. A storage system with at least one flow storage system ( 1 ) for storing items to be transported ( 10 ; 11 ; 12 ) and at least one removal device ( 20 ) for receiving at least one item to be transported ( 10 ; 11 ; 12 ) that is stored in an end portion ( 2 ) of the flow storage system ( 1 ), with:

an end stop ( 1 ), which can be arranged in an arresting position, in which it holds back at least a first item to be transported ( 10 ) on the end portion ( 2 ), and/or

a separator ( 5 ), which can be arranged in an arresting position, in which it holds back at least a second item to be transported ( 11 ) on a retaining portion ( 3 ) of the flow storage system ( 1 ); and

at least one sensor ( 21 ) of the removal device ( 20 ), while the removal device is in a removal position, the sensor capable of checking whether the end stop ( 4 ) and/or the separator ( 5 ) is arranged in its respective arresting position;

wherein the removal device ( 20 ) in its removal position can be arranged adjacent to the end portion ( 2 ) of the flow storage system ( 1 ) in such a way that the first item to be transported ( 10 ) can be transferred from the end portion ( 2 ) to the removal device ( 20 ).

14. The use of a sensor ( 21 ), arranged on a removal device ( 20 ), for checking whether an end stop ( 4 ) of a flow storage system ( 1 ) and/or a separator ( 5 ) of a flow storage system ( 1 ) is arranged in its respective arresting position when the removal device ( 20 ) in its removal position is arranged adjacent to an end portion ( 2 ) of the flow storage system ( 1 ), wherein

the end stop ( 4 ) is arranged in its arresting position, in which it holds back at least a first item to be transported ( 10 ) on an end portion ( 2 ) of the flow storage system ( 1 ) and/or

the separator ( 5 ) is arranged in its arresting position, in which it holds back at least a second item to be transported ( 11 ) on a retaining portion ( 3 ) of the flow storage system ( 1 ); and

the first item to be transported ( 10 ) can be transferred from the end portion ( 2 ) of the flow storage system ( 1 ) to the removal device ( 20 ) located in its removal position.