AN ARRANGEMENT AND A METHOD FOR HANDLING TYRES AND A HIGH BAY WAREHOUSE

Abstract

The present invention relates to an arrangement for handling one or more tyres simultaneously in storage shelving of a high bay warehouse, where the tyres are brought in and stored and from where the tyres are taken. The arrangement according to the invention comprises a shelving track and a load handling device arranged to move along the shelving track, which load handling device comprises a horizontal longitudinal picking bar having a first end and a second end and which longitudinal picking bar is arranged to handle one or more tyres simultaneously in an axial direction of the tyres when the tyres stand in upright position one after the other so that the longitudinal picking bar is arrangeable to the centre of the tyre, and a rear support arranged to the longitudinal picking bar. The present invention also relates to a method for handling tyres and a high bay warehouse.

Claims

1-16. (canceled)

17. An arrangement for handling one or more tyres simultaneously in storage shelving of a high bay warehouse, where the tyres are brought in and stored and from where the tyres are taken, wherein the arrangement comprises a shelving track and a load handling device arranged to move along the shelving track, which load handling device comprises: a horizontal longitudinal picking bar having a first end and a second end and which longitudinal picking bar is arranged to handle one or more tyres simultaneously in an axial direction of the tyres when the tyres stand in upright position one after the other so that the longitudinal picking bar is arrangeable to the centre of the tyre, and a rear support arranged to the longitudinal picking bar, wherein a size of the rear support is arranged to be adjustable with extension plates in a height direction which is perpendicular to the length direction of the horizontal longitudinal picking bar, so that the rear support can be fitted with the size of the tyres to be handled.

18. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the rear support is arranged to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the horizontal longitudinal picking bar.

19. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the rear support has a plate like structure and it has arranged substantially perpendicular to the length direction of the horizontal longitudinal picking bar.

20. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the longitudinal picking bar has arranged to be moved up and down in perpendicular direction to the length direction of the horizontal longitudinal picking bar.

21. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein a length of the horizontal longitudinal picking bar is arranged to be adjustable, wherein the horizontal longitudinal picking bar is telescopic.

22. The arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the arrangement comprises two shelving tracks and load handling devices arranged parallel to each other.

23. A method for handling one or more tyres simultaneously in storage shelving of a high bay warehouse, where the tyres are brought in and stored and from where the tyres are taken, wherein one or more tyres are handled simultaneously by using the arrangement according to claim 16 so that the last tyre in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal picking bar is handled so that the second end of the longitudinal picking bar reaches between the tyre beads, and the rear support supports the tyre.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein the horizontal longitudinal picking bar reaches substantially in the middle of the tyre in the width direction of the tyre.

25. A method according to claim 23, wherein the horizontal longitudinal picking bar is supported against the inner surface of the centre of tyre.

26. A method according to claim 23, wherein a position of the rear support is altered on the basis of the number and/or the nominal size of the tyres to be handled.

27. A method according to claim 23, wherein the tyres are handled with a specific lifting curve so that at the same time when the horizontal longitudinal picking bar is moved up, the load handling device is moved backwards along the shelving track.

28. A method according to claim 23, wherein the number of tyres handled simultaneously is 1 to 20.

29. A method according to claim 23, wherein the tyres from different storage positions are picked to the horizontal longitudinal picking bar during the same load.

30. A high bay warehouse comprising a plurality of storage positions organised in storage shelving, a plurality of tyres or set of tyres arranged in at least some of the storage positions, so that the tyres are arranged directly on the rack structure of the storage shelving in upright position one after the other, a stacker crane arranged to move at least two, preferably four directions, and at least one arrangement according to claim 17 arranged to the stacker crane for handling one or more tyres simultaneously in an axial direction of the tyres.

31. The high bay warehouse according to claim 30, wherein the stacker crane comprises a rotatable base and a shelving track of the arrangement has arranged to the rotatable base.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] The invention will be described in more detail with reference to appended drawings, in which

[0050] FIG. 1 illustrates a load handling device of an arrangement for handling tyres according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0051] FIG. 2 illustrates an arrangement of handling tyres according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0052] FIG. 3 illustrates an arrangement for handling tyres according to another embodiment of the invention, and

[0053] FIG. 4 illustrates a high bay warehouse according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0054] FIG. 1 illustrates a load handling device of an arrangement for handling tyres according to an embodiment of the invention. The load handling device 101 comprises a substantially vertical main body 102 and a horizontal fixed-length longitudinal picking bar 103 having a first end and a second end. The longitudinal picking bar 103 is arranged to the main body 102 of the load handling device 101 from its first end in such a manner that the length direction of the longitudinal picking bar 103 is substantially perpendicular to the main body 102 of the load handling device 101. The horizontal longitudinal picking bar 103 is arranged to move up and down along the main body 102 of the load handling device 101. The horizontal longitudinal picking bar 103 is arrangeable through the centre of the tyres when the tyres are stored in a storage shelving in upright position one after the other. The longitudinal picking bar 103 can handle one or more tyres simultaneously in an axial direction of the tyres.

[0055] The load handling device 101 comprises also a rear support 104 arranged to the longitudinal picking bar 103. The rear support 104 has a plate like structure and it has been arranged substantially perpendicular to the length direction of the longitudinal picking bar 103. The rear support 104 keeps the tyres in their upright position on the longitudinal picking bar 103 and prevents them from falling during handling of the tyres. The size of the rear support 104 can be adjusted in a height direction with extension plates 105 arranged to both sides of the lower part of the rear support 104. The extension plates 105 are movable and can be turned to form an extension to the rear support 104 if needed. The rear support 104 is arranged to be movable in the length direction of the longitudinal picking bar 103. The position of the rear support 104 can be altered on the basis of the number and/or nominal size of the tyres to be handled.

[0056] The longitudinal picking bar 103 comprises also a support plate 106 arranged to the second end of the longitudinal picking bar 103. The support plate 106 is arranged substantially perpendicular to the length direction of the longitudinal picking bar 103. The support plate 106 can aid the load handling device 101 to separate the tyres when picking from the storage and prevent them from dropping from the longitudinal picking bar 103.

[0057] FIG. 2 illustrates an arrangement for handling tyres according to an embodiment of the invention. The arrangement 201 comprises an elongated shelving track 202 and the load handling device 101 of FIG. 1. The load handling device 101 is arranged to move back and forth along the shelving track 202 in a direction parallel to the depth direction of the storage position. The load handling device 101 comprises the horizontal longitudinal picking bar 103 arranged from its first end to the main body 102 of the load handling device 101 and the movable rear support 104 arranged to the longitudinal picking bar 103. The longitudinal picking bar 103 is arranged to move up and down along the main body 102 of the load handling device 101. The rear support 104 may comprise the extension plate 105 on both sides of the rear support 104 and a detecting plate on a surface against the tyre 203, which detects the contact of the tyre 203 during picking.

[0058] With the horizontal longitudinal picking bar 103, one or more tyres 203 stored in storage shelving of the high bay warehouse in their upright position one after the other can be easily handled. The tyre 203 is handled in the axial direction in such a manner that the longitudinal picking bar 103 is arranged to the centre of the tyre 203. The tyre 203 hangs freely against the longitudinal picking bar 103 without fastening or pressing of the tyre 203 and the rear support 104 supports it from falling.

[0059] When picking one or more tyres 203 from the storage position, the rear support 104 is first moved to the position corresponding to the number and/or nominal size of the tyres 203 wanted to be picked. The load handling device 101 is then moved along the shelving track 202 in such a manner that the horizontal longitudinal picking bar 103 goes through the centre of the tyres 203. When the first tyre 202 in the storage position contacts with the detecting plate of the rear support 104, the movement of the load handling device 101 stops. The second end of the longitudinal picking bar 103 reaches now essentially to the middle of the last tyre 203 to be picked in a width direction of the tyre 203. The longitudinal picking bar 103 is then moved up and the same time the load handling device 101 is moved backwards along the shelving track 202. The rear support 104 supports the sidewall of the picked tyre 203 and prevents the tyre 203 from falling. The extension plates 105 of the rear support 104 can be turned down to be as an extension to the rear support 104 if needed.

[0060] FIG. 3 illustrates an arrangement for handling tyres according to another embodiment of the invention. In the arrangement 301 two arrangements 201 of FIG. 2 are arranged to a rotatable base 302. The arrangement 301 comprises the first load handling device 101 arranged to move back and forth along the first shelving track 202 and the second load handling device 101′ arranged to move back and forth along the second shelving track 202′. The shelving tracks 202, 202′ are arranged next to each other to a rotatable base 302 in such a manner that the distance of the load handling devices 101, 101′ moving along the shelving tracks 202, 202′ remains essentially constant. The support racks 303, 303′ are arranged to both sides of the shelving tracks 202, 202′. The arrangement 301 is arranged to the stacker crane 304 which is arranged to move in four directions between storage shelves. The rotatable base 302 enables the load handling devices 101, 101′ to handle the tyres from the both sides of the stacker crane 304, i.e. from two opposite storage shelves.

[0061] FIG. 4 illustrates a high bay warehouse according to an embodiment of the invention. The high bay warehouse 401 comprises a plurality of storage positions 402 organised in storage shelving 403 where the storage positions 402 are next to one another and top of one another. A plurality of tyres 404 are arranged in the storage positions 402. The tyres 404 are placed into the storage positions 402 in an axial direction one after to another in such a manner that the tyres 404 stand in upright position and the sidewall of the only one tyre 404 is visible from each storage position 402. The storage shelving 403 has a rack structure 405 on which the tyres 404 are directly arranged. The storage positions 402 are accessible through only one side, which is designated as the output of the storage position 402. The output of the storage position 402 is thus the location from which the horizontal longitudinal picking bar of the load handling device 101, 101′ can enter the storage position 402 for picking up or for positioning one or more tyres 404.

[0062] The high bay warehouse 401 comprises also the stacker crane 304 arranged to move up and down and back and forth along the storage corridor between the storage shelves 403 so that it can be placed in front of all storage positions 402. The arrangement 301 of FIG. 3 is arranged to the stacker crane 304 so that the movement directions of the load handling devices 101, 101′ are substantially parallel to the depth direction of the storage positions 402 and the longitudinal picking bars can be moved horizontally. This enables the longitudinal picking bar to handle the tyres 404 in axial direction from the centre holes of the tyres 404.

[0063] In the high bay warehouse 401, the receiving of the incoming tyres 404 from the production, positioning of the tyres 404 to the storage positions 402 and picking of the tyres 404 from the storage positions 402 to be sent out from the storage are handled with the same stacker crane 304 and arrangement 301 arranged to it.