Patent ID: 11858743
Assignee: TGW LOGISTICS GROUP GMBH
Field: Handling (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 18:
19. A method for picking of returned items at a picking station (2), comprising the steps:
providing of returned-item containers (53) having returned items, wherein some of the returned-item containers (53) respectively contain different returned items (mixed items),
detection (identification) of the returned-item containers (53) and returned items that are placed in the returned-item containers (53),
acquisition of return orders for the returned items,
transport of the returned-item containers (53) to a sorting buffer (36) having a plurality of buffer positions (39) ahead of a retrieval position (33),
providing of at least some returned-item containers (53) in the sorting buffer (36) for return orders,
retrieval of source containers (5) from a warehouse (1), and transport of the source containers (5) in which the returned items are to be placed from the warehouse (1) to the picking station (2) having a loading position (35),
detection of a sequence of the source containers (5) in which at least some of the source containers (5) are delivered to the loading position (35),
sequentially providing of the source containers (5) at the loading position (35),
sorting of the returned-item containers (53) by the sorting buffer (36) into a sequence that is determined as a function of the sequence in which the source containers (5) are provided at the loading position (35),
transport of the returned-item containers (53) in the sorted sequence and one after the other from the sorting buffer (36) to the retrieval position (33), wherein transport of the source containers (5) from the warehouse (1) to the loading position (35) and transport of the returned-item containers (53) from the sorting buffer (36) to the retrieval position (33) are coordinated with one another such that one source container (5) and one returned-item container (53) for one return order arrive at the loading position (35) and the retrieval position (33) approximately simultaneously,
removing of a returned item from the returned-item container (53) that is provided at the retrieval position (33), and placing of this returned item in the source container (5) that is provided at the loading position (35), in accordance with a return order,
return transport of a returned-item container (53) from the retrieval position (33) into the sorting buffer (36) if the returned-item container (53) still contains a returned item,, wherein
a first returned-item container (53) for processing of return orders is transported back into the sorting buffer (36) after placing of a returned item for a first return order, and is temporarily buffered at a first sorting position (42) at least until a source container (5) for placing of a returned item for a second return order is conveyed into a buffer track section (23) provided upstream of the loading position (35), and said first returned-item container (53) is moved from the first sorting position (42) to one of the buffer positions (39) and subsequently to the retrieval position (33) once the source container (5) for placing of a returned item for a second return order has been transported into the buffer track section (23), and
a second returned-item container (53) for processing of return orders is transported back into the sorting buffer (36) after placing of a returned item for a first return order, and the second returned-item container (53) is moved over a second sorting position (42) to one of the buffer positions (39) and subsequently to the retrieval position (33) if a source container (5) for placing of a returned item for a second return order has already been transported into the buffer track section (23) provided upstream of the loading position (35).