Method for picking goods in bags

Abstract

A method for picking goods (4a . . . 4c) in a picking zone is proposed, whereby at least one bag (6) and a box-shaped loading aid (5a . . . 5d) are provided, the bag (6) is inserted in the box-shaped loading aid (5a . . . 5d), a picking aid (7a . . . 7d) is inserted in the bag (6), goods (4a . . . 4c) are packed in the bag (6) and the box-shaped loading aid (5a . . . 5d) together with the bag (6) and the goods (4a . . . 4c) is finally transported out of the picking zone.

Claims

1. Method for picking goods in a picking zone, comprising the steps providing a picking order, providing goods, providing at least one bag, at least one box-shaped loading aid, and at least one picking aid, placing the at least one bag in the at least one box-shaped loading aid, placing the at least one picking aid in the at least one bag by means of which a filling opening of the at least one bag is held open at least for the duration of a picking operation, after placing the at least one picking aid in the at least one bag, packing the goods in the at least one bag in the picking zone on the basis of the picking order, and conveying the at least one box-shaped loading aid with the packed bag out of the picking zone.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one picking aid is tubular and/or funnel-shaped and is placed in the at least one bag.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one picking aid is board shaped, flexible and is rolled up and inserted in the bag.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein the board-shaped picking aid is released in the at least one bag.

5. Method according to claim 3, wherein the at least one picking aid is stored flat after having been removed from the at least one bag.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one picking aid remains in the at least one bag when the at least one box-shaped loading aid is being conveyed.

7. Method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one bag and the at least one box-shaped loading aid are held in readiness in a preparation zone, in which case the at least one bag is placed in the at least one box-shaped loading aid and then the at least one box-shaped loading aid with the at least one bag is conveyed out of the preparation zone into the picking zone and the goods are packed in the at least one bag in the picking zone.

8. Method according to claim 7, wherein the a plurality of picking aids are also held in readiness in the preparation zone, in which case the at least one picking aid is placed in the at least one bag before the at least one box-shaped loading aid is conveyed out of the preparation zone into the picking zone.

9. Method according to claim 7, wherein the at least one picking aid is held in readiness in the picking zone, in which case the at least one picking aid is placed in the at least one bag in the picking zone.

10. Method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one bag, the at least one box-shaped loading aid and the at least one picking aid are held in readiness in the picking zone and the at least one bag is placed in the at least one box-shaped loading aid first of all, after which the at least one picking aid is placed in the at least one bag and finally the goods are packed in the at least one bag.

11. Method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one picking aid is removed from the at least one bag before the at least one box-shaped loading aid is conveyed out of the picking zone in which the goods were packed in the at least one bag.

12. Method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one picking aid is removed from the at least one bag after conveying the at least one box-shaped loading aid out of the picking zone in which the goods were packed in the at least one bag.

Description

(1) These are highly simplified, schematic diagrams illustrating the following:

(2) FIG. 1 an exemplary and schematically illustrated installation for picking goods in the region of a picking zone;

(3) FIG. 2 a board-shaped picking aid in the flat state;

(4) FIG. 3 the board-shaped picking aid from FIG. 2 rolled up and placed in a bag;

(5) FIG. 4 a tubular picking aid;

(6) FIG. 5 a funnel-shaped picking aid and

(7) FIG. 6 a picking aid which is partially tubular and partially funnel-shaped.

(8) Firstly, it should be pointed out that the same parts described in the different embodiments are denoted by the same reference numbers and the same component names and the disclosures made throughout the description can be transposed in terms of meaning to same parts bearing the same reference numbers or same component names. Furthermore, the positions chosen for the purposes of the description, such as top, bottom, side, etc., relate to the drawing specifically being described and can be transposed in terms of meaning to a new position when another position is being described.

(9) FIG. 1 shows an exemplary and schematically illustrated installation for picking goods.

(10) The installation has a first conveyor system 1 and a second conveyor system 2 as well as a robot 3. The installation is preferably operated on an automated or at least partially automated basis. The first conveyor system 1 and/or the second conveyor system 2 may be operated on an automated basis or manually. On the first conveyor system 1, goods 4a . . . 4c are conveyed into a picking zone and on the second conveyor system 2, box-shaped loading aids 5a . . . 5d are conveyed. Finally, a stack of several bags 6 and a stack of picking aids 7a are disposed in the region of the installation. In this example, the bags 6 are limp and can be collapsed flat/folded flat. The conveyor systems 1 and 2 are provided in the form of conveyor belts guided on rollers. It would naturally also be conceivable to opt for other designs, for example roller conveyors. The transport direction of the two conveyor systems 1 and 2 runs from left to right in FIG. 1 (see also the arrow in FIG. 1).

(11) Although it is of advantage to use a first and/or second conveyor system 1, 2, the goods 4a . . . 4c and/or the loading aids 5a . . . 5d may also be brought into the picking zone and/or conveyed away from it in some other way. For example, industrial trucks (in particular fork lift trucks and stackers) may be used for this purpose. The first conveyor system 1 and/or the second conveyor system 2 may then also be dispensed with.

(12) The method for picking goods 4a . . . 4c operated by and on the installation takes place as follows.

(13) In a first step, a bag 6 and a box-shaped loading aid 5a . . . 5d are made ready. Specifically, the robot 3 takes a bag 6 from the stack and an empty loading aid 5b is conveyed to the picking zone with the aid of the second conveyor system 2. The bag 6 may be a paper bag, for example, which is also intended for carrying goods 4a . . . 4c manually and is used in supermarkets, for example. A pouch, carrier bag, pack or tote may just as easily be used instead of the bag 6.

(14) In this example, the loading aid 5b is provided in the form of a container, crate or box with a closed base and closed walls and has the basic shape of a cube. It would also be conceivable for the base and/or walls of the loading aid 5b to be provided with cut-outs so that the loading aid 5b is based on a basket-type design. The loading aid 5b may in principle also be based on a basic shape other than a cube and may be round, for example.

(15) In a second step, the bag 6 is placed in the empty loading aid 5b by the robot 3. As this happens, the bag 6 is unfolded and is changed from the flat shape it assumes on the stack to an open shape in which it can be filled.

(16) In a third step, a board-shaped, flexible picking aid 7a is picked up from the stack and placed in the bag 6. This operation will be explained in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, FIG. 2 illustrating the board-shaped picking aid 7a in its flat form as it is when in the stack and FIG. 3 illustrating the picking aid 7a after having been placed in a bag 6.

(17) The picking aid 7a is not necessarily placed in the bag 6 in the picking zone. Alternatively, the bags 6 may be supplied to the picking zone with the picking aids 7a already placed in them. Furthermore, the bags 6 in the loading aids 5a, 5b may be conveyed out of a preparation zone with or without a picking aid 7a placed in them.

(18) The picking aid 7a advantageously has two first cut-outs 8a and 8b disposed in the corners and a central second cut-out 9. The first cut-outs 8a and 8b serve as an aid when rolling up the picking aid 7a and the second cut-out 9 as a handle for subsequently removing the picking aid 7a from the bag 6. Naturally, these functions should not be construed in the strict sense because the first cut-outs 8a and 8b may likewise be used to facilitate removal of the picking aid 7a from the bag 6 and the second cut-out 9 may likewise be used to make it easier to roll up the picking aid 7a.

(19) With the aid of the robot 3, the picking aid 7a is rolled about a vertically oriented axis in FIG. 2. To this end for example, the robot 3 is able to hang the picking aid 7a on a fixed hook (not illustrated in FIG. 1) by the first cut-out 8a, grasp the second cut-out 8b and then effect a circular motion so that the second cut-out 8b is moved into the region of the first cut-out 8a and in particular placed in an overlapping position with it. In particular, the second cut-out 8b can now also be hung on said hook. The robot 3 then grasps and removes the rolled picking aid 7a from the hook and places it in the bag 6.

(20) In FIG. 1, a single robot 3 is provided in the form of an industrial robot. Accordingly, the robot 3 comprises an arm that can be moved about several axes, to the end of which a gripper is attached. Although the robot 3 may in principle be of the type illustrated in FIG. 1, the diagram of FIG. 1 is somewhat symbolic in character. Robots 3 of a different design may naturally also be used, for example multi-arm robots, gantry robots or robots with fingerlike grippers as well as humanoid robots. In particular, it should be noted that the described motion sequences may also be performed by several (two) robots 3 jointly. For example, it is possible for one robot 3 to hold the picking aid 7 by the first cut-out 8a whilst another robot 3 rolls the picking aid 7 by holding onto the second cutout 8b. This motion sequence may naturally also be performed by a robot 3 with two arms. Humanoid arms and gripper members may also be used for this purpose.

(21) In a fourth step, the bag 6 is then placed in the box-shaped loading aid 5b.

(22) In a fifth step, the goods 4a . . . 4c conveyed to the picking zone with the aid of the first conveyor system 1 are packed in the bag 6. The nature and number of the goods 4a . . . 4c to be packed will depend on a picking order (detected electronically) which is set up beforehand, for example by a central computer and/or master computer on the basis of a customer order.

(23) In a sixth step, the filled bag 6 is conveyed out of the picking zone by means of the second conveyor system 2. In FIG. 1, loading aids 5c and 5d have already been packed whereas loading aids 5a and 5b are still empty.

(24) Generally speaking, the picking aid 7a can be rolled up to form a closed or open (cylindrical) tube. In FIGS. 1 and 3, the picking aid 7a is rolled up to form an open tube because d.Math.>l, where d denotes the diameter of the bag 6 and l the length of the picking aid 7a. It would naturally also be conceivable for the same picking aid 7a to be rolled more tightly for use in smaller bags 6. In the case of values d.Math.l, the resultant tube is closed, i.e. the ends of the picking aid 7a overlap. The picking aid 7a can therefore be used in a flexible manner for different bag sizes. In a totally similar way, the picking aid 7a may also be rolled to form a closed or open (conically shaped) funnel (see also FIGS. 5 and 6). This makes it easier to insert the picking aid 7a in the bag.

(25) It is of advantage if the board-shaped picking aid 7a relaxes in the bag 6, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3. In this manner, the opening of the bag 6 is effectively spread open and the bag 6 also stands in a relatively stable arrangement. This variant is also particularly suitable for use with paper bags which barely stretch and thus do not readily adapt to tubular or funnel-shaped picking aids (see FIGS. 4 to 6).

(26) It is generally of advantage if the picking aid 7a remains in the bag 6 when transporting the box-shaped loading aids 5a . . . 5d. The bags 6 thus retain their shape even under the effect of high accelerations. Goods 4a . . . 4c in one bag 6 cannot therefore damage goods 4a . . . 4c in another bag 6. For example, heavy food cans 4a or bottles 4b packed in one bag 6 will not then cause damage to tomatoes 4c packed in an adjacent bag 6, even if subjected to high accelerations.

(27) It is of particular advantage in this connection if a total surface area of opening cross-sections of bags 6 to be placed in the box-shaped loading aid 5a . . . 5d, which results when the openings of all the bags (6) are shaped to circles or squares, exceeds the base surface of the loading aid (5a . . . 5d). This enables the best possible use to be made of the loading aid 5a . . . 5d on the one hand and the bags 6 stand in the loading aids 5a . . . 5d in a very stable arrangement and retain their shape and position in the loading aid 5a . . . 5d even under the effect of high accelerations.

(28) The picking aid 7a may be left where it is whilst the loading aid 5a . . . 5d is being transported on a conveyor system (e.g. in a warehouse or distribution center), for example, but removed when the bags 6 are being transferred to a vehicle. However, it would also be conceivable for the picking aids 7a to be left in the bags 6 when being transported in a vehicle. In the vehicle, the bags 6 can be transported loose or may be left in the loading aid 5a . . . 5d. For example, return of the picking aids 7a and/or loading aids 5a . . . 5d can be assured with the aid of a deposit scheme.

(29) Generally speaking, however, it would also be conceivable for the picking aid 7a to be removed from the bag 6 before dispatching the box-shaped loading aid 5a . . . 5d (e.g. in the picking zone, on leaving the picking zone, in a removal zone downstream of the picking zone or at the goods dispatch point, for example). In this manner, only a small number of picking aids 7a are required for the proposed method.

(30) In addition to board-shaped picking aids 7a which can be stored flat in a particularly space saving arrangement, it would also be conceivable to use picking aids of a different shape.

(31) In this connection, FIG. 4 illustrates a (cylindrical) tubular picking aid 7b having two handle-shaped cut-outs. Advantageously, these picking aids 7b do not need to be rolled up, which makes it easier to place the picking aids 7b in the bag 6 and the picking operation as a whole can be implemented more quickly. The tubular picking aid 7b may be substantially rigid or elastically deformable by hand.

(32) FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of a picking aid 7c which is very similar to the picking aid 7b illustrated in FIG. 4. The difference is that this one is not (cylindrical) tubular but funnel-shaped. Placing the picking aid 7c in the bag 6 is therefore made even easier. In addition to the fact that the funnel-shaped picking aid 7c is easier to place in the bag 6 than the tubular picking aid 7b, it has another advantage in that several funnel-shaped picking aids 7c can be stacked in a space saving arrangement as they can be stacked one inside the other.

(33) FIG. 6, finally, also illustrates an embodiment which is based on a combination of the shapes illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. The picking aid 7d is tubular in the top part and funnel-shaped in the bottom part.

(34) The embodiments illustrated as examples represent possible variants of the system for picking goods as well as different picking aids 7a . . . 7d for this purpose, and it should be pointed out at this stage that the invention is not specifically limited to the variants specifically illustrated, and instead the individual variants may be used in different combinations with one another and these possible variations lie within the reach of the person skilled in this technical field given the disclosed technical teaching. Accordingly, all conceivable variants of embodiments which are possible by combining individual details of the embodiments described and illustrated fall within the scope of the invention.

(35) In particular, it should be noted that although the proposed method is illustrated in the examples as being implemented by a robot 3, parts of the method or also the entire method may be implemented by a picker. In particular, this includes placing the picking aid 7a . . . 7d in the bag 6, placing the bag 6 in the loading aid 5a . . . 5d and filling the bags with goods 4a . . . 4c. In particular, it would also be conceivable for the picking aid 7a . . . 7d to be placed in the bag 6 by a robot 3 but for the bag 6 to be packed with goods 4a . . . 4d by a picker or vice versa. The task of placing the bag 6 in a loading aid 5a . . . 5d may also be carried out by a robot 3 or a staff member. However, the installation is preferably operated on an automated basis and only the picking is carried out by a picker.

(36) In particular, with regard to the fifth step, the manual picking process still has to be described. In principle, a differentiation is made between goods to man order picking and man to goods order picking. In the case of goods to man order picking, the goods 4a . . . 4c are taken out of a warehouse (not illustrated), in particular an automatic small parts warehouse (SPW), and transported by the first conveyor system 1 to the picking zone where the picking operation ultimately takes place and the goods 4a . . . 4c are packed in the at least one bag on the basis of a picking order. The goods 4a . . . 4c are usually stored in box-shaped loading aids, for example bins.

(37) Alternatively, the goods 4a . . . 4c may also be stored in shelves located in the picking zone. The goods 4a . . . 4c may also be stored there in box-shaped loading aids although this is not necessarily the case. The first conveyor system 1 can be dispensed with. The picker moves to the shelves, takes the goods 4a . . . 4c from them and then packs the goods 4a . . . 4c in the bag 6 on the basis of a picking order. This system is known as man to goods order picking. In principle, this dynamic or static supplying of the goods 4a . . . 4c in the picking zone may also be implemented by the robot 3 in the embodiment described above.

(38) The specified steps may be carried out wholly or partially in separate locations from one another. For example, the picking aid 7a . . . 7d may be placed in the bag 6 in a preparation zone disposed upstream of the picking zone and the required facilities provided in the picking zone. In addition, the bags 6 with the picking aids 7a . . . 7d may be placed in the in loading aids 5a . . . 5d in said preparation zone, in which case only the process of packing the bags 6 with goods 4a . . . 4d takes place in the picking zone. The picking aid 7a . . . 7d may be removed: in the picking zone. However, the aid 7a . . . 7d may also be removed in a separate removal zone disposed downstream of the picking zone, for example.

(39) In particular, it should be noted that the steps carried out for the picking method need not necessarily be implemented one after the other in the specified order but may be implemented (at least partially) simultaneously or in a different order. For example, the picking aid 7a . . . 7d may be placed in the bag 6 after the bag 6 has been placed in the loading aid 5a . . . 5d. It would also be conceivable for the two steps to be implemented simultaneously, i.e. the bag 6 is placed in the loading aid 5a . . . 5d and at the same time or overlapping in time the picking aid 7a . . . 7d is placed in the bag 6.

(40) Loading aids 5a . . . 5d and/or goods 4a . . . 4c can be transported in and out at the same time as the picking aids 7a . . . 7d are being placed in the bags 6, bags 6 are being placed in the loading aids 5a . . . 5d and the bags are being packed with goods 4a . . . 4c. For example, the robot 3 can overlap the movement for placing the picking aid 7a . . . 7d in the bag 6 with a movement corresponding to the movement of the first and/or second conveyor system 1, 2 so that the conveyor systems 1, 2 can be kept in permanent motion. In this connection, it would also be conceivable for the robot 3 or other devices for implementing method steps of the method for picking goods 4a . . . 4d to be capable of a translating movement so that they can move along the conveyor systems 1, 2. Also, the bags 6 and/or picking aids 7a do not have to be stacked in situ but can be brought in by conveyor systems like the goods 4a . . . 4d and loading aids 5a . . . 5d.

(41) In particular, it should be noted that in reality, the illustrated devices may also have more or fewer components than those illustrated.

(42) For the sake of good order, finally, it should be pointed out that, in order to provide a clearer understanding of the system for picking goods as well as the picking aids 7a . . . 7d, they and their constituent parts are illustrated to a certain extent out of scale and/or on an enlarged scale and/or on a reduced scale.

(43) The objective underlying the independent inventive solutions may be found in the description.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

(44) 1 First conveyor system 2 Second conveyor system 3 Robot 4a . . . 4c Goods 5a . . . 5d Loading aid 6 Bag 7a . . . 7d Picking aid 8a, 8b First cut-out 9 Second cut-out