Racking system and method for operating a racking system having a vehicle

Abstract

In a racking system and a method for operating a racking system having a vehicle, the vehicle has omnidirectional wheels.

Claims

1. A system, comprising: a multi-level racking system including aisles and a hoisting platform movable vertically between the levels of the multi-level racking system; a vehicle having omnidirectional wheels; wherein a secondary winding, which is inductively couplable with a primary conductor disposed in the hoisting platform and which is inductively couplable with a primary conductor disposed in the aisle, is situated on an underside of the vehicle; and wherein a capacitance is connected to the secondary winding, in series or in parallel, to form a resonant frequency of an oscillating circuit that substantially corresponds to a frequency of a current impressed into the primary conductor.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein each omnidirectional wheel includes a drive.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle has a length and a width, and an absolute amount of the length is greater than an absolute amount of the width.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein a main aisle is at least as wide as the length.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein a side aisle is at least as wide as the width and narrower than the length.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes a hoisting gear such that a load is able to be carried by underriding the load with the vehicle and subsequent lifting of the hoisting gear.

7. A method for operating a system according to claim 1, comprising: bringing the vehicle from forward travel to sideways travel via a curve, wherein the vehicle is not rotated relative to stationary parts of the system.

8. A method for operating a system according to claim 1, comprising: bringing the vehicle from forward travel to sideways travel by braking, stopping, and subsequently accelerating in a transverse direction, wherein the vehicle is not rotated relative to stationary parts of the system.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a racking, where vehicles 1 are able to pick up loads 4, in particular by underriding and lifting a top plate of the vehicle. The racking has a plurality of levels and a lift for vehicles 1.

(2) FIG. 2 is an enlarged, perspective, partial cross-sectional view of a vehicle 1 that is situated on a hoisting platform 2.

(3) In FIG. 3, vehicle 1 is shown with four omnidirectional wheels 20 in a perspective view.

(4) FIG. 4 is an enlarged, perspective, partial cross-sectional view.

(5) FIG. 5 shows trajectory 50 of vehicle 1 when turning from main aisle driving into a side aisle; here, no rotation of vehicle 1 is taking place yet the center of mass of the vehicle is moving along trajectory 50.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) As shown in the Figures, the racking has a plurality of levels, which are able to be reached with the aid of a lift.

(7) To begin with, vehicles 1 drive straight ahead in the main aisle and then turn into a side aisle that is aligned at a right angle to the main aisle. As illustrated in FIG. 5, due to the four omnidirectional wheels that are individually driven by a drive 30, vehicles 1 are movable without a rotation during cornering.

(8) After passing through the side aisle, vehicle 1 underrides a load 4 and picks it up in that a top plate of vehicle 1 is raised. The raising takes place with the aid of a hoisting gear that is disposed on vehicle 1 and thus is moved along by the vehicle.

(9) A secondary winding, which is able to be inductively coupled with a primary conductor installed in and along the main aisle, or which is able to be inductively coupled with a primary conductor situated on hoisting platform 2, is situated on the underside of vehicle 1. When a medium-frequency current having a frequency of between 10 kHz and 1 MHz is applied to the primary conductor, energy is therefore able to be transferred to the vehicle.

(10) The secondary winding is connected on the vehicle to a capacitance, in series or in parallel, such that the resonant frequency of the oscillating circuit created in this way essentially corresponds to the frequency of the medium-frequency current impressed into the primary conductor. In this manner, no precise positioning of the vehicle relative to the primary conductor is necessary yet high efficiency is nevertheless achievable in the inductive transfer of electric power.

(11) The vehicle is equipped with an energy store, which is able to be charged in this manner. The travel through the side aisle or the underriding of load 4 is carried out by supplying drives 30 from the energy store.

(12) Loads 4 are jacked up in the racking in each case so vehicle 1 is able to underride a respective load 4 when the hoisting gear is retracted.

(13) To permit travel of the trajectory, and travel through the main aisle and the side aisle without rotating vehicle 1, each wheel of the four omnidirectional wheels 20 is individually drivable by a respective drive 30.

(14) Drive 30 may be arranged as an electric motor in each case, such as a synchronous motor or an asynchronous motor. Alternatively, geared motors are also able to be employed.

(15) Instead of the rounded turning operation that is shown in FIG. 5, a rectangular turning operation is possible as well. For this purpose, the vehicle is braked and stopped during forward driving, for instance in the main aisle. Then, the sideways driving, i.e., the entering of the side lane, is initiated by accelerating vehicle 1. However, the braking and accelerating operations that are necessary in this case require more time than the previously mentioned negotiating of a rounded trajectory 50.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(16) 1 vehicle

(17) 2 hoisting platform

(18) 3 primary conductor

(19) 4 load

(20) 20 omnidirectional wheel

(21) 21 primary conductor

(22) 30 drive element, in particular electric motor

(23) 50 trajectory from main lane to side lane