METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING PRODUCTS WITH IMPROVED EFFICIENCY BY MEANS OF A ROBOT, AND STORAGE AND ORDER-PICKING SYSTEM THEREFOR
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.
1 . An operating method of a robot ( 2 ) for transferring different goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) in a storage and picking system ( 1 a . . . 1 d ), comprising the steps
a) determining grip types for the different goods ( 9 , 9 9 a . . . 9 d ) in an electronic control system ( 14 ), wherein the grip type indicates with which gripper ( 7 a . . . 7 c ) corresponding to with which gripper type gripping of the respective good ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) is possible;
b) providing grippers ( 7 a . . . 7 c ) of different gripper types;
c) selecting a gripper ( 7 a . . . 7 c ) from the different gripper types depending on the grip type of the good ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) to be transferred by way of an electronic control system ( 14 );
d) coupling the selected gripper ( 7 a . . . 7 c ) to a robot head ( 6 ) of the robot ( 2 ) or activating the selected gripper ( 7 a . . . 7 c ) on a robot head ( 6 ) of the robot ( 2 );
e) providing the goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) at a first position (P 1 ) in a region of action of the robot ( 2 ); and
f) gripping the goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) at the first position (P 1 ) and depositing the goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) at a second position (P 2 ) in the region of action of the robot ( 2 ) with the selected gripper ( 7 a . . . c) of the robot ( 2 ) further comprising the steps
sorting the different goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) into groups of goods (G 1 . . . . G 3 ) depending on the grip type, of which a first group of goods (G 1 ) comprises goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) of a first grip type of the grip types and a second group of goods (G 2 ) comprises goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) of a second grip type of the grip types and
supplying the goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ), separated into the groups of goods (G 1 . . . . G 3 ), to the robot ( 2 ) so that firstly the goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) of the first group of goods (G 1 ) and subsequently the goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) of the second group of goods (G 2 ) are provided at the first position (P 1 ).
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) are sorted within a group of goods (G 1 . . . . G 3 ) according to a good type of the goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) in a type-by-type manner.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) are arranged within a group of goods (G 1 . . . . G 3 ) according to a good type of the goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) in a chaotic manner.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein sequencing of the groups of goods (G 1 . . . . G 3 ) is carried out depending on the gripper type of a gripper ( 7 a . . . 7 c ) currently activated in or coupled to the robot ( 2 ), wherein goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) of the first group of goods (G 1 . . . . G 3 ) have a grip type, which corresponds to the gripper type of the gripper ( 7 a . . . 7 c ) currently activated in or coupled to the robot ( 2 ).
5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein sequencing of the groups of goods (G 1 . . . . G 3 ) is carried out independently of the gripper type of the gripper ( 7 a . . . 7 c ) currently activated in or coupled to the robot ( 2 ).
6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein sorting the different goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) into groups of goods (G 1 . . . . G 3 ) is carried out depending on the grip type by an automatic sorting device ( 19 a , 19 b ), which, in turn, is connected to the electronic control system ( 14 ) in order to control the automatic sorting device ( 19 a , 19 b ).
7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the automatic sorting device ( 19 a , 19 b ) comprises an overhead conveyor system and hanging bags ( 18 , 18 a . . . 18 d ), wherein the goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) are stored in the hanging bags ( 18 , 18 a . . . 18 d ).
8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein only a single good ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) is stored in each hanging bag ( 18 , 18 a . . . 18 d ).
9 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the automatic sorting device ( 19 a , 19 b ) comprises a container conveyor system and containers ( 13 , 13 a . . . 13 d ), wherein the goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) are stored in the containers.
10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein only goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) of a single grip are stored in each container ( 13 , 13 a . . . 13 d ).
11 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the automatic sorting device ( 19 a , 19 b ) comprises a driverless transport system with one or more autonomously movable transport vehicles ( 22 a . . . 22 c ), wherein the transport vehicles ( 22 a . . . 22 c ) each have a receiving platform ( 23 a , 23 b ) or a suspension rod, upon which the goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) are stored with or without containers ( 13 , 13 a . . . 13 d ) or with or without a suspended bag ( 18 , 18 a . . . 18 d ).
12 . A storage and picking system ( 1 a . . . 1 d ) comprising:
a robot ( 2 ) for transferring goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ), comprising a robot head ( 6 ) and at least two different grippers ( 7 a . . . 7 c ), which can be alternately coupled to the robot head ( 6 ) or at least two different grippers ( 7 a . . . 7 c ) 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 , 9 a . . . 9 d ), wherein the grip type indicates with which gripper ( 7 a . . . 7 c ) corresponding to which gripper type gripping of the respective good ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) is possible, and which is further configured to select a provided gripper ( 7 a . . . 7 c ) from the different grip types depending on the grip type of the good to be transferred and trigger coupling of the selected gripper ( 7 a . . . 7 c ) to the robot head ( 6 ) or activating of the selected gripper ( 7 a . . . 7 c ) on the robot head ( 6 ), and
a conveyor system ( 10 a , 16 ), which is configured to transport goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) to a first position (P 1 ) in a region of action of the robot ( 2 ),
wherein the robot ( 2 ) is configured to grip the good ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) with the selected gripper ( 7 a . . . 7 c ) at the first position (P 1 ) in the region of action of the robot ( 2 ) and to deposit the good ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) at a second position (P 2 ) in the region of action of the robot ( 2 )
characterized in that
the conveyor system ( 10 a , 16 ) is further configured to supply the goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ), separated into groups of goods (G 1 . . . . G 3 ), to the robot ( 2 ), wherein firstly the goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) of a first group of goods (G 1 ) and subsequently the goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) of a second group of goods (G 2 ) are provided at the first position (P 1 ), wherein the first group of goods (G 1 ) comprises goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) of a first grip type of the grip types and the second group of goods (G 2 ) comprises goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) of a second grip type of the grip types.
13 . The storage and picking system according to claim 12 , comprising an automatic sorting device ( 19 a , 19 b ) connected to the conveyor system ( 10 a , 16 ) by conveying means or comprising an automatic sorting device ( 19 a , 19 b ) comprising the conveyor system ( 10 a , 16 ), wherein the sorting device ( 19 a , 19 b ) is connected to the electronic control system ( 14 ) in a controllable manner and is controlled by the control system ( 14 ) in such a way that the different goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) are sorted into groups of goods (G 1 . . . . G 3 ) depending on the grip type.
14 . The storage and picking system according to claim 13 , wherein the automatic sorting device ( 19 a ) comprises an overhead conveyor system and hanging bags ( 18 , 18 a . . . 18 d ), wherein the goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) are stored in the hanging bags ( 18 , 18 a . . . 18 d ).
15 . The storage and picking system according to claim 13 , wherein the automatic sorting device ( 19 a ) comprises a container conveyor system and containers ( 13 , 13 a . . . 13 d ), wherein the goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) are stored in the containers ( 13 , 13 a . . . 13 d ).
16 . The storage and picking system according to claim 14 , wherein:
the conveyor system comprises an overhead conveyor system for transporting the hanging bags ( 18 , 18 a , 18 d ) from the automatic sorting device ( 19 a ) to the first position (P 1 ) or is formed by such an overhead conveyor system, or
the conveyor system comprises a container conveyor system for transporting the containers from the automatic sorting device ( 19 a ) to the first position (P 1 ) or is formed by such a container conveyor system.
17 . The storage and picking system according to claim 13 , wherein the automatic sorting device ( 19 b ) comprises a driverless transport system with one or more autonomously movable transport vehicles ( 22 a . . . 22 c ), wherein the transport vehicles ( 22 a . . . 22 c ) each have a receiving platform ( 23 a , 23 b ) or a suspension rod, upon which the goods ( 9 , 9 a . . . 9 d ) can be stored with or without containers ( 13 , 13 a . . . 13 d ) or with or without a hanging bag ( 18 , 18 a . . . 18 d ).