Order-picking cell

Abstract

The present invention relates to a picking cell for a job-related automated picking of goods that can remove different goods from supply bins and can transfer them into an output bin in an automated manner, said picking cell comprising: an object detection device for detecting the goods in a supply bin; a gripper for removing the goods from a supply bin; and a cell control for evaluating the data of the object detection device and for a path planning and a control of the gripper, wherein the cell control controls the gripper such that different goods of a job or of a partial job are placed at a predefined position and/or with a predefined orientation in the output bin.

Claims

1. A picking cell for a job-related automated picking of goods, said picking cell comprising: the picking cell removes goods from supply bins and transfers the goods into an output bin to work through a job and/or a partial job in an automated manner; an object detection device for detecting the goods in a supply bin; a gripper for removing the goods from a supply bin; and a cell control for evaluating the data of the object detection device and for a path planning and a control of the gripper, and a second object detection device for detecting the goods in the output bin and the cell control evaluating data of the second object detection device to determine a position of a good to be placed based on a position of one or more of the goods already in the output bin.

2. A picking cell for a job-related automated picking of goods, said picking cell comprising: the picking cell removes the goods from supply bins and transfers the goods into an output bin to work through a job and/or a partial job in an automated manner; an object detection device for detecting the goods in a supply bin; a gripper for removing the goods from the supply bin; and a cell control for evaluating data of the object detection device and for a path planning and a control of the gripper, wherein the picking cell has a buffer station for the temporary placement of a good for a repeated gripping from the buffer station.

3. The picking cell in accordance with claim 2, wherein the picking cell comprises a further buffer station for buffering an output bin, wherein at least one of the following applies: the cell control and/or a job management control transfers an output bin into the buffer when the job or partial job associated with the output bin cannot be instantaneously connected and/or when a job or partial job having a higher priority is brought forward; the cell control and/or the job management control works through a new job or partial job in the picking cell by filling a further output bin after the transfer of a first output bin into the buffer and restarts the working through of a previous job after working through the new job or partial job; a separation bin transferred into the buffer; and wherein the cell control and/or the job management control checks the goods and separates out defective and/or incorrectly placed goods into the separation bin.

4. A picking cell for a job-related automated picking of goods, said picking cell comprising: the picking cell removes the goods from supply bins and transfers the goods into an output bin to work through a job and/or a partial job in an automated manner; an object detection device for detecting the goods in a supply bin and in the output bin; a gripper for removing the goods from the supply bin; and a cell control for evaluating data of the object detection device and for a path planning and a control of the gripper, wherein the cell control: controls the gripper such that the goods of a job or of a partial job are placed at a predefined position and/or with a predetermined orientation in the output bin, checks the data of the object detection device to determine if the goods have been properly placed in the predefined position and/or orientation in the output bin, and on a recognition of an improperly placed good, controls the gripper to perform at least one out of: correct the position and/or orientation of the improperly placed good in the output bin by contacting the improperly placed good with the gripper a second time, and adapt a position and/or orientation of at least one further good to be placed in the same output bin.

5. The picking cell in accordance with claim 4, wherein at least one out of the following limitations applies: the cell control controls the gripper such that different goods of a job or of a partial job are placed next to one another and/or on top of one another in the output bin; the cell control and/or a job management control determines the position and/or orientation of all the goods of a job or of a partial job that are to be picked together in an output bin before the start of and/or during the picking.

6. The picking cell in accordance with claim 4, wherein the object detection device comprises a first object detection device for detecting the goods in the supply bin and a second object detection device for detecting the goods in the output bin, and wherein contacting the improperly placed good with the gripper a second time comprises gripping the goods a second time.

7. The picking cell in accordance with claim 4, wherein the picking cell has at least one out of a robot arm at which the gripper is arranged; and at least one area gantry at which the gripper is arranged.

8. The picking cell in accordance with claim 4, wherein the picking cell has at least one out of: a first conveying system for supplying and/or discharging the supply bins to and/or from the picking cell; a second conveying system for supplying and/or discharging the output bins to and/or from the picking cell; a plurality of supply bin positions in the form of bin receptacles for receiving supply bins; one or more output bin positions in the form of bin receptacles for receiving output bins; a transfer line that permits a transfer of a supply bin to an output bin position; wherein the cell control and/or a job management control is/are configured such that the supply bin is used as the output bin after the transfer.

9. The picking system having one or more picking cells in accordance with claim 4, wherein the picking system has: a first conveying system for supplying and/or discharging the supply bins to and/or from the picking cell or cells and a second conveying system for supplying and/or discharging the output bins from and/or to the picking cell or cells; and a job management control for working through a plurality of picking jobs by controlling the first and second conveying systems and the picking cell or cells.

10. The picking cell in accordance with claim 4, further comprising the cell control checking the data of the object detection device to determine if the goods have been properly placed in the predefined position and/or orientation in the output bin after each subsequent placement of a good into the output bin, and adapting a position of each subsequently placed good based on the position of previously placed goods.

11. The picking cell in accordance with claim 4, wherein the cell control and/or a job management control uses predetermined goods properties of the goods to be picked by a job and performs at least one out of: determining the position and/or orientation of all the goods that are to be placed together in an output bin and/or the order in which the goods are to be placed in an output bin on the basis of the goods properties; and splitting a job into a plurality of partial jobs in the framework of which a respective output bin is filled with the goods on the basis of the goods properties, and wherein the determination and/or splitting takes place on the basis of one or more of: weight, size, shape, packaging properties, and kind of the goods.

12. The picking cell in accordance with claim 11, wherein the determination and/or splitting takes place on the basis of the weight and/or of the size and/or of the shape and/or of the packaging properties and/or the kind of the goods.

13. The picking cell in accordance with claim 4, comprising: a cell control for evaluating the data of the object detection device and for a path planning and a control of the gripper, wherein the picking cell comprises a plurality of different grippers alternatively used for gripping the goods.

14. The picking cell in accordance with claim 13, comprising a gripper arm for moving at least one gripper, wherein a plurality of grippers is arranged and/or arrangeable at the gripper arm; wherein the picking cell has a gripper magazine having a plurality of different grippers; and wherein an automated replacement of the gripper arranged at the gripper arm takes place.

15. The picking cell in accordance with claim 13, wherein the cell control and/or a job management control uses predefined goods properties of the goods to be picked by a job and performs one of the following: determining the position and/or orientation of all the goods of a job that are to be picked together in an output bin and/or the order in which the goods of a job placed in an output bin on the basis of the goods properties; and splitting the job into a plurality of partial jobs within the framework of which a respective output bin is filled with goods; the available grippers and/or the number of gripper changes required for working through a job and/or a partial job are taken into account in the determination of at least one out of the position of the goods, the orientation of the goods, the order of the goods and the splitting into partial jobs; and the determination of the gripper or grippers takes place on the basis of at least one out of a weight, a size, a shape, packaging properties and a kind of the goods.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a picking cell in accordance with the invention.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of a picking cell in accordance with the invention.

(3) FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a first embodiment of a method in accordance with the invention.

(4) FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of a second embodiment of a method in accordance with the invention.

(5) FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of a third embodiment of a method in accordance with the invention.

(6) FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of a fourth embodiment of a method in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) The present invention comprises a picking cell and a picking method for picking goods, wherein the goods can be in particular be articles of daily use and/or industrial goods. The picking cell typically represents an element of a material flow system. The material flow system can further comprise a storage system, a shipment line and/or conveying systems for conveying the goods between the individual components of the material flow system.

(8) The material flow system and/or the picking cell is designed for the handling of goods of different size, different shape and/or configuration and/or is designed with a different packaging and therefore permits an individual handling of the goods.

(9) The first embodiment of a picking cell 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a picking robot 2 having a gripper arranged at a gripper arm. In the embodiment, the gripper arm is the robot arm of a 6-axis robot. Alternatively, the gripper arm can be arranged at an area gantry. The picking cell further comprises a first bin reception station 4 for receiving supply bins 6 that are supplied and/or discharged via a first conveying system 8. The first conveying system can in particular be a channeling in passage. The picking cell further comprises a second bin reception station 5 for receiving output bins 7 that are supplied and/or discharged via a second conveying system 9. The second conveying system 9 can in particular be a channeling out passage. An object detection device 3 is further provided that at least detects the position and/or orientation of the goods located in a supply bin.

(10) The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 first comprises the components already described with respect to FIG. 1. The embodiment further comprise a buffer tray 11, a gripper magazine 12, and a buffer 13, as well as a second object detection device 10 that at least detects the position and/or orientation of the goods located in an output bin.

(11) The first bin reception station provides the picking robot with the supply bins 6 filled with goods so that the gripper of the picking robot 2 can remove goods from the supply bins. The second bin reception station 5 provides the gripper with the output bins so that the picking robot can place the goods received from the supply bins in the output bins.

(12) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the first bin reception station and the second bin reception station each have a plurality of bin receptacles so that a respective plurality of supply bins and/or a plurality of output bins are accessible to the robot. In alternative embodiments, the reception stations can also only have one reception position for only one bin. The reception stations can additionally be part of the respective conveying system.

(13) The first conveying system 8 is used for channeling supply bins 6 into the picking cell and thus for providing the goods located in the supply bins for transfer by means of the picking robot 2. The first bin reception station 4 in which the supply bins are provided to the picking robot is preferably designed such that a plurality of supply bins 6 can be arranged in the access region of the picking robot, for example next to one another or after one another. After removal of the desired number of articles from a supply bin, they are again discharged by means of the first conveying system 8 so that a job-oriented picking can take place in an exactly cycled manner.

(14) The second conveying system 9 provides one or more output bins 7 that are filled with goods by the picking robot 2 and conveys the completely picked bins onward from the picking cell. The second bin reception station 5 provided for this purpose is preferably configured such that a plurality of output bins can in turn be arranged in the access region of the picking robot 2. The second output station 5 is preferably arranged opposite the first bin reception station. The plurality of bin receptacles of the bin reception station can in turn be arranged next to one another or after one another.

(15) An object detection device 3 is provided above the first reception station 4 that at least detects the position and/or orientation of the goods located in a supply bin.

(16) The first object detection device can comprise a chamber unit. The object detection device can in particular comprise a 2D camera and/or a 3D camera. The use of a plurality of camera units, in particular a combination of a 2D camera and a 3D camera, is also conceivable. The object detection unit can further comprise a laser scanner. The use of laser triangulation by a laser scanner arranged above the bin receptacles is in particular conceivable. An exact detection of the goods located in a bin and an exact removal of the objects to be picked is ensured by the ideal illumination of the bins hereby provided.

(17) The object detection unit initially serves the detection of the position and orientation of the goods located in the respective bin. It is preferably configured such that a reliable object detection additionally takes place by which the respective good can be identified. This can take place on the basis of the shape, of a barcode, of a logo or of a surface property.

(18) The picking cell further comprises a cell control, not shown, that communicates with the object detection device 3 and with the picking robot 2 via data transmission lines and determines the position and/or orientation of the detected goods from the data supplied by the object detection device, determines gripping positions and gripping paths, and controls the robot to grip and place goods. The cell control in particular causes the picking robot to pick the goods in a job-oriented manner. This permits an automation of the transfer of the goods from the supply bins 6 to the output bins 7. An operator is therefore no longer needed for the picking.

(19) The cell control or a higher ranking job management control first determines the respective size of the goods picked as part of a job after receipt of the job and determines their position and/or orientation within the output bin.

(20) The object detection device 3 and the cell control are configured such that the goods can be provided in the supply bins in a resorted manner. The picking robot 2 is able to grip and pick goods out of a bin in different gripping levels.

(21) In accordance with the invention, a large number of different articles such as boxes, gummi bear packs, bottles, cans, screws, brackets can preferably be picked by a picking cell, with the picking process being carried out automatically.

(22) Depending on the area of use of a picking cell in accordance with the invention, the picking robot 2 is equipped with at least one gripper to meet the corresponding gripper demands of the use. A suction gripper, a mechanical gripper such as a 2-finger gripper or a 3-finger gripper, etc. can be used as the gripper, for example.

(23) The picking robot 2 has, in accordance with the predefined demands on the use, corresponding handling properties such as size, gripping force, and a corresponding gripper. The picking robot is hereby able to pick all the articles defined as grippable by means of these handling properties. The handling properties are preferably stored in the cell control and/or job management control and can be compared with goods properties to determine whether certain goods can be picked by the picking cell or not.

(24) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the gripper of the picking robot 2 can be changed to meet a larger spectrum of demands on the articles to be gripped. Such a gripper change preferably takes place between two picking processes in an exactly cycled manner and without time loss. A gripper magazine 12 is preferably provided for this purpose in which a plurality of different grippers are provided. The gripper magazine 12 is arranged in the movement range of the picking robot so that an automated gripper change can take place. Such a gripper magazine or such a gripper change station makes it possible to satisfy expanded demands on the goods handling, to adapt the robot to the respective gripping demands, and hereby to be able to pick as many different goods as possible within the same picking cell.

(25) For example, the articles to be picked can be gummi bear packs, cans, bottles, cartons, screws, brackets, etc., which makes it clear that substantial advantages in the handling are associated with such a gripper change.

(26) The picking cell in accordance with the invention permits a placement of goods in an exact position in the output bins. A filling of the output bins is hereby possible that is exactly in line with the job and is precise. In a possible embodiment, the output bins can move directly into shipping.

(27) Such a demand can take place by means of a database in which geometrical data of the goods to be picked are stored and/or geometrical data of the output bins used. An exact filling of the respective output bin is made possible on the basis of these data. The position and/or orientation of the goods that are to be placed in an output bin is/are in particular calculated for working through a job. These data are then forwarded to the control of the picking robot 2 that places the goods in the corresponding position and/or orientation.

(28) In the second embodiment in FIG. 2, a second object detection unit 10 is arranged above the second bin reception station 5. The second object detection unit 10 can be set up and can work such as has already been described above for the first object detection unit. The position and/or orientation of the goods located in an output bin can be detected via the second object detection device 10.

(29) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, an object detection of the goods already stored in the output bin is therefore possible. The correct filling of the bins can hereby be monitored. A repeat object recognition can, for example, be carried out on an incorrect filling and on a space problem caused thereby in the output bin by means of the object detection unit 10 and/or a gripping of the good from the output bin and a repeated precise positioning of the good can be carried out. Such an incorrect filling can, for example, be caused by the falling over and/or shifting of a good in the output bin.

(30) The second embodiment in FIG. 2 furthermore has the possibility of conveying a supply bin into an output bin position so that a supply bin can be used directly as the output bin and can optionally be fully picked by the picking robot and can then be channeled out via the second conveying system 9.

(31) The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 further has an intermediate store 11 that, for example, serves as a placement possibility for incorrectly gripped goods. This permits a problem-free gripping.

(32) The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 further has a buffer 13 in which an output bin only partially picked can be buffered. This makes it possible with missing articles not to have to completely abort the picking, but rather to buffer the only partly picked bin and to work through a further picking job in the meantime while the missing good is provided via the first conveying system.

(33) The buffer 13 further enables the working through of rush jobs since the instantaneously processed job can be put back without problem by means of the buffer to immediately work through a rush job. After ending the rush job, the already started job can be taken up again in that the corresponding output bin is transferred from the buffer into the second bin reception station. The cell control or a job management control also takes over the integration of such rush jobs in the job processing.

(34) Alternatively or additionally, it is conceivable to provide a bin in the buffer in which damaged or incorrectly sorted goods are placed.

(35) Different embodiments of picking processes are now shown in FIGS. 3 to 6 that can be carried out using a picking cell in accordance with the invention. The respective processes are carried out in an automated manner by a job management control and/or by a cell control.

(36) FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a basic embodiment of the method in accordance with the invention. After the start of the method in step 20, the control waits for a job entry in step 21. If such a job entry has taken place, the job-oriented demands are fetched in step 22. Goods properties of the goods to be picked as part of the job are in particular fetched.

(37) A control of the first conveying system now take place in step 23 and a control of the second conveying system in step 24 to provide the supply bin or bins required for the working through of the job and to provide one or more output bins required for working through the job. The bins are then channeled into the first or second bin reception stations in step 25. A detection of the goods in the supply bin and the determination of a gripping position take place in step 26 using the object detection unit 3 in accordance with the invention. A control of the gripper for gripping the good takes place in step 27. The gripper is controlled in step 28 such that the good is placed at a free position in the output bin. A check is made in step 29 whether further identical articles are to be picked as part of the same job. If this is the case, the steps 26 to 28 are carried out again to remove a further article from the supply bin and to place it in the output bin.

(38) A check is made in step 30 whether a further article has to be placed in the output bin to complete the job. If this is the case, the method returns to step 22 to provide another, different article by the supply and channeling in of a further supply bin in steps 23 and 25 and to move it from the supply bin into the output bin. On such a repetition, no further output bin has to be provided or channeled in since the output bin is already located in the second bin reception station.

(39) If no further article has to be picked in the output bin, at least the output bin is channeled out in step 31. A channeling out of the supply bin or bins optionally also takes place. An ending of the job hereby takes place in step 32. A new job can now be begun in step 33.

(40) FIG. 4 shows a variant of the method shown in FIG. 3 in which the picking shown in FIG. 3 can take place for a plurality of output bins 34 and 35. A determination can be made as part of step 22 whether a plurality of output bins have to be filled to work through a job. In this case, the job is split into corresponding partial jobs within which the plurality of output bins 34 and 35 are filled.

(41) The working through of the partial jobs can take place either in parallel in that the method in accordance with the invention is carried out in parallel for at least two output bins after the fetching of the job-orientated demand in step 22. This is in particular possible when a plurality of bins that can be filled in parallel can be received in the first and second bin reception stations. Alternatively, two picking cells working in parallel can also be used.

(42) Alternatively or additionally, the plurality of output bin 34 and 35 can also be picked after one another and the partial jobs can thus be worked through after one another.

(43) FIG. 5 shows a variant of the method shown in FIG. 3 in which a check is made after the object detection in step 26 whether the article to be gripped corresponds to the demands. If it is determined in step 37 that the article is damaged or that it is the incorrect article, it can be placed in a buffer in step 38. The object detection 26 is thereupon carried out again and the method is carried out with a further article.

(44) If the article is in order, a gripping in turn takes place in step 27. A check can thereupon be made in step 39 whether the article has been correctly gripped. If this is not the case, the article is placed on the buffer station in step 40, whereupon a repicking takes place in step 41. If the check in step 39 has the result that the article has been correctly gripped, it is placed at a free position in the output bin as in the method in FIG. 3, step 28.

(45) FIG. 6 shows a further variant of the method shown in FIG. 3 in which a gripper change is implemented. The gripper required for the gripping of a certain good is determined for this purpose in the additional step 42. This gripper is taken up from the gripper magazine in step 43.

(46) The remaining steps of the variants shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 correspond to the method steps already shown with respect to FIG. 3.

(47) The embodiments in accordance with the invention of a method can in particular be carried out using an embodiment of a picking cell in accordance with the invention. The carrying out takes place in an automated manner by the job management control and/or by the cell control.