Picking system
A picking system includes a first rack including upper shelf tiers to store goods and a lower tier, a vertical conveyor to vertically convey the goods between the lower tier and one of the upper shelf tiers, a shuttle carriage adjacent to one of the upper shelf tiers and operable to travel along the shelf tier to store or retrieve the goods from the shelf tier, a picking station on or along the lower tier, and linear motor carriages adjacent to the lower tier and operable to travel along the lower tier so as to carry the goods into or out of the picking station.
1 . A picking system comprising:
a first rack including a lower tier and a plurality of upper shelf tiers to store goods;
a vertical conveyor to vertically convey the goods between the lower tier and one of the plurality of upper shelf tiers;
a shuttle carriage adjacent to one of the upper shelf tiers and operable to travel along the shelf tier to store or retrieve the goods from the shelf tier;
a picking station on or along the lower tier;
a plurality of linear motor carriages adjacent to the lower tier and operable to travel a path that is parallel or substantially parallel to that of the shuttle carriage along the lower tier so as to carry the goods into or out of the picking station;
a loop track including a first linear portion, a second linear portion, and curved portions connected between the first linear portion and the second linear portion for the linear motor carriage to travel; and
a second rack including a plurality of shelf tiers to store the goods; wherein
the lower tier among the plurality of shelf tiers of the first rack is adjacent to the first linear portion of the loop track;
the lower tier among the plurality of shelf tiers of the second rack is adjacent to the second linear portion of the loop track;
the linear motor carriage is operable to travel unidirectionally on the loop track; and the goods are placed directly on the vertical conveyor when the vertical conveyor vertically conveys the goods between the lower tier and the one of the plurality of upper shelf tiers.
2 . The picking system according to claim 1 , further comprising a third rack including a plurality of shelf tiers to store goods; wherein
the third rack is arranged along the first rack on the opposite side of the first linear portion; and
the third rack shares the vertical conveyor with the first rack.
3 . The picking system according to claim 1 , further comprising a third rack including a plurality of shelf tiers to store the goods; wherein
the lower tier among the plurality of shelf tiers of the third rack is adjacent to the loop track.
4 . A picking system comprising:
a first rack including a lower tier and a plurality of upper shelf tiers to store goods;
a vertical conveyor to vertically convey the goods between the lower tier and one of the plurality of upper shelf tiers;
a shuttle carriage adjacent to one of the upper shelf tiers and operable to travel along the shelf tier to store or retrieve the goods from the shelf tier;
a picking station on or along the lower tier;
a plurality of linear motor carriages adjacent to the lower tier and operable to travel a path that is parallel or substantially parallel to that of the shuttle carriage along the lower tier so as to carry the goods into or out of the picking station;
a linear track for the linear motor carriage to travel; and
a second rack including a plurality of shelf tiers to store goods; wherein
the first rack is arranged adjacent to the linear track;
the second rack is arranged along the first rack on the opposite side of the first rack;
the second rack shares the vertical conveyor with the first rack;
the linear motor carriage is movable bidirectionally on the linear track; and the goods are placed directly on the vertical conveyor when the vertical conveyor vertically conveys the goods between the lower tier and the one of the plurality of upper shelf tiers.