Abstract:
A storage product carrier for a storage rack includes a plurality of carrier supports spaced one above the other, arranged in pairs on opposite side walls of the storage rack and able to support the storage product carrier which is conveyable by an automatic storage/retrieval device and an access opening for accessing the storage product carriers has a plurality of compartments having openings. A closure is provided to cover at least one of the openings, wherein a locking mechanism is provided to lock the closure of the associated openings and wherein the locking mechanism can be controlled to lock the closure in a closed position or an open position such that the compartment becomes accessible.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not applicable. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
       [0003]    Not applicable. 
       REFERENCE TO A “SEQUENCE LISTING” 
       [0004]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0006]    The present disclosure relates to a storage assembly having a storage product carrier for a storage rack comprising a plurality of carrier supports spaced one above the other, arranged in pairs on opposite side walls of the storage rack and able to support the storage product carrier which is conveyable by means of an automatic storage/retrieval device and an access opening for accessing the storage product carriers, wherein the storage product carrier is provided with a multitude of compartments having openings. 
         [0007]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0008]    Storage product carriers are widely in use in storage racks also known as storage lifts. In such lifts, many storage product carriers are stored, often arranged one above the other in storage towers. The plurality of carrier supports allows the system to store the product carriers using just as much room as needed. To that end, the height of the stored goods in the storage product carriers is measured before storage. In function of the measured height, storage room is allocated to each storage product carrier. 
         [0009]    As the storage product carriers often are quite large—two or more meters in depth and five meters in width are not rare—they are often divided into compartments, each of which provides space for storage products. As an example, each compartment may hold a quantity of a different type of screw. 
         [0010]    If a user of the storage product carrier picks item from the compartments and, in the process, erroneously picks the wrong items, there may be dire consequences. In one example case, parts for machinery which are not correct and which break the machinery later on can be chosen. Another example includes parts that are similar and thus stored next to each other but have a large difference in price. If the wrong part is picked, either customer dissatisfaction or monetary loss ensues. In addition, in those instances involving medications, picking the wrong medication may lead to serious complications. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    The present system is based on the problem of providing a storage product carrier of the kind mentioned above which allows improved access control. Furthermore, an automated storage rack providing increased access control is provided. 
         [0012]    As a solution, it is proposed to provide the storage product carrier mentioned in the introduction with a closure, such as closing means to cover at least one of the openings such that the contents of the compartment becomes physically inaccessible, wherein a locking device is provided to lock the closing means in the opening and wherein the locking device can be controlled to allow the closing means to be moved such that the opening becomes accessible. 
         [0013]    The proposed storage product carrier will only allow access to certain compartments if it is being controlled to do so, for example when an authorized user wishes to access one of the covered compartments. 
         [0014]    Each of the closures, such as closing means may comprise a locking device that can be locked independently from the other closing means or devices. That way, each of the compartments can have different access profiles. 
         [0015]    One closure, such as closing means may be provided for each compartment. That way, access control is provided for all compartments and each of the compartments is separately accessible. 
         [0016]    The locking device may be configured to be controlled remotely. Users&#39; access rights may thus be stored in a central component, for example a control device of the storage rack. 
         [0017]    In another embodiment, the locking device comprises a magnetic and/or a mechanical lock. These types of locks offer secure locking as well as fast unlocking capabilities. 
         [0018]    The closure or closing means may comprise an inspection opening. This way, the user may, without opening the compartment or even possessing access rights to do so, determine whether the compartment is filled or not. 
         [0019]    The closure or closing means may comprise a handle or handle section which makes it easier for the user to open the closing means once it is unlocked. 
         [0020]    Furthermore, the closure or closing means may be provided with an indicator. As has been said above, the storage product carriers may be very large, so that finding the compartment which has just been opened may be difficult for the user. By providing an indicator, in particular a visual indicator, the user can recognize in an instant which compartments they may open. The indicator may also be useful in assisted picking. 
         [0021]    The compartment and/or the closing means may comprise a detector for detecting a position of the closing means. That way, a user may receive information about closing means which have not been closed correctly. Since the function of most locking devices depends on the closing means being properly closed, the main cause of failure of the locking device to lock the closing means in the opening is detected. 
         [0022]    The storage product carrier may comprise connection means for connecting a current supply and/or a signal transmission device. The connection means may be partly or entirely wireless. 
         [0023]    The storage product carrier may comprise a control and interface device for controlling locking devices. This simplifies the connection means because it is no longer necessary to provide a connection means for each locking device. All control signals may be directed at the control and interface device which then is responsible for controlling the locking devices, indicators and detectors. 
         [0024]    An automated storage rack according to the present disclosure comprises the storage product carrier which allows a user to define access rights for the compartments and not only for entire carriers. 
         [0025]    The automated storage rack may comprise a computing device which in turn comprises an input means, an output means, an interface for interfacing with a storage product carrier and a stored parts memory associating compartments with stored parts and access rights. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  is a top view of a storage product carrier according to the invention. 
           [0027]      FIG. 2   a  is a cross-section along the line A-A in  FIG. 1  of an embodiment with a magnetic lock. 
           [0028]      FIG. 2   b  is a cross-section along the line A-A in  FIG. 1  of an embodiment with an electromagnetic lock. 
           [0029]      FIG. 3  is a view of an automated storage rack according to the invention. 
           [0030]      FIG. 4  is an internal view of an automated storage rack as in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0031]      FIG. 5  is a view of a base section of a storage product carrier according to the invention. 
           [0032]      FIG. 6  is a functional schematic of an automated storage rack and a storage product carrier according to the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0033]    A storage product carrier  10  as shown in  FIG. 1  has a base portion  12  of which only a border  14  is visible in the drawing. A plurality of compartments  16  is arranged in a rectangular pattern. 
         [0034]    Each of the compartments  16  is covered by a closure, such as closing means which, in one embodiment, is a lid  18 . Each of the lids  18  has an indicator in the form of an LED  20  which will light up when the lid  18  is, for example, unlocked. 
         [0035]    Furthermore, the lid  18  has an opening  22  which at the same time serves as an inspection opening and a handle section. The opening  22  allows the user to visually inspect the contents of the compartments  16 . When the lid  18  is unlocked, the user may put a finger through the opening  22  and use it as a handle to pull up the lid  18 . 
         [0036]    If storage goods which are to be stored in the compartment  16  are small enough to be removed from the compartment  16  through the opening  22 , the opening  22  can be covered by a transparent or translucent window and a separate handle for opening the lid  18  may be provided. 
         [0037]    As shown in  FIG. 2   a , the compartments  16  are formed by a main body  36  and are bordered by walls  30 ,  32  and a floor  36 . 
         [0038]    The compartment  16  and the lid  18  can include a lock such as locking means  24  including magnetic locking means. The magnetic locking means comprises a ferromagnetic metal tablet  26  which is affixed solidly to the closing means, such as the lid  18 . Furthermore, the magnetic locking means comprises a solenoid  28  affixed solidly to the wall  30  of the compartment  16 . The solenoid  28  is wound around a core (not shown) that comprises a permanent magnet. Thus, if the solenoid  28  does not receive any energy, the permanent magnet contained within will hold the magnetic metal tablet  26  firmly in place and, in this way, will lock the lid  18 . 
         [0039]    When the solenoid  28  receives electric power, it will counter the magnetic field of the permanent magnet contained within in such a way that the metal tablet  26  may be removed from the solenoid  28 . In this way, the lid  18  is unlocked. This kind of lock has no moving parts and is almost maintenance-free. The current through the solenoid  28  must be in the right direction for the magnetic field caused by it to counter the magnetic field of the permanent magnet. 
         [0040]    However, if the goods to be stored in the compartment  16  are sensitive to magnetic fields, a different solution may be required, which is shown in  FIG. 2   b . It is possible to provide locking means  24  which also has a mechanical locking component. One example would be a hook  29  which is hooked into an opening  31  of a leg  33  of the lid  18  and which can be withdrawn by the solenoid  28 . The solution would only require very low-strength magnetic fields. 
         [0041]    Further choices for locking means  24  may be envisaged by a person skilled in the art and the locking means are not restricted to the types described above. 
         [0042]    As can further be seen in  FIG. 2 , the lid  18  is connected to the wall  32  by a hinge  34 . The hinge  34  holds the lid  18  in place, so that it can be opened and closed easily, thus moving between an open position and a closed position. Furthermore, the hinge  34  can contain a position detector (not shown) capable of emitting a signal when the lid  18  is not fully closed (or in a predetermined position). 
         [0043]    The main body  36  is laid into the base portion  12  and is surrounded at least partly by the border  14 . The base portion  12  has a support rail  38  with a groove  40  into which carrier supports of a storage rack may be inserted. 
         [0044]    A storage rack  50  suitable for accepting the storage product carrier  10  is shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Carrier supports  52  are arranged on side walls  54 ,  56  of the storage rack  50 . A lift compartment  58  contains an automatic storage/retrieval device, in this case a lift  60  with a platform  62  and a handling device  64  for drawing the storage product carrier  10  onto the platform  62  and for pushing it either into an access opening  66  or onto a pair of carrier supports  52 . 
         [0045]    The base portion  12  without the main body  36  and the lids  18  is shown in  FIG. 5 . A front portion  42  of the base portion  12  has recesses or openings  44  which allow for the handling device  64  to grip the base portion  12  and thus draw it out from the carrier supports inserted into the grooves  40 . 
         [0046]    As is shown in the signal schematic in  FIG. 6 , the storage rack  50  includes a control unit  68  which, among other tasks, keeps track of all the goods deposited in storage product carriers  10 , especially which compartment  16  on which storage product carrier  10  the goods were deposited in. Furthermore, the control unit  68  grants access to the storage rack  50  and the storage product carriers  10  based on identification given by a user. If the user does not have access rights to a certain storage product carrier  10 , that storage product carrier  10  will not be moved into the access opening  66  by the lift  60  and handling device  64 . 
         [0047]    To interface with the user, the control unit  68  has an input such as input means, in this case a keyboard  69 , and an output such as output means, in this case a monitor  71 . Further input and/or output means may be provided, for example RFID identification for users. 
         [0048]    To that end, the control unit  68  comprises a stored parts memory  75  which also holds a list of goods and an identification of compartments  16  these goods are stored in. Also, access control information for the compartments  16  is stored in the stored parts memory  75 . 
         [0049]    Once the user has requested a storage product carrier  10  that they have access to, the storage product carrier  10  will be moved into the access opening  66 . The storage product carrier  10  is connected to an interface  73  of the control unit  68  by the connection means  70  which in this embodiment is an infrared communication unit. Mechanical spring contacts are provided to the storage product carrier  10  for power supply (not shown). 
         [0050]    The control unit  68  then establishes a connection to a control and interface device  72  of the storage product carrier  10 . Once the connection has been established, the control unit  68  transmits to the control and interface device  72  the identification of all compartments  16  that the user shall be allowed to open. 
         [0051]    The control interface device  72  emits signals on and receives signals from a signal bus  74 . The LEDs  20 , the solenoid  28  and detectors  76  of all the compartments  16  have interfaces connected to the signal bus  74 . By this connection, it is possible for the control interface device  72  to command the solenoid  28 , the LEDs  20  and to read out the detectors  76 . 
         [0052]    Once the control interface device  72  has received the identification of the compartments  16  that are to be unlocked, it sends a command to the solenoids  28  of the selected compartments  16  to unlock. Furthermore, the control interface device  72  sends a command to the appropriate LEDs  20  to turn themselves on so as to indicate the compartments  16  that may be opened by the user. Of course, it may be possible that only one compartment  16  may be opened by the user. 
         [0053]    When one of the compartments  16  is opened by the user, the detectors  76  send a signal to the control interface device  72  which in turn transmits the signal to the control unit  68 . The control unit  68  may or may not supervise the opening and closing of compartments  16 . One example where supervision may be useful is the automatic updating of a number of parts stored in the compartments  16 . 
         [0054]    Once the user has finished picking from the storage product carrier  10 , the user will command the control unit  68  to move the storage product carrier  10  back into storage. When this happens, the control and interface device  72  will verify that all the detectors  76  report that their associated lid  18  has been closed. If this is not the case, the control and interface device  72  will transmit a message to the control unit  68  which will in turn display an information message on the monitor  71 . Furthermore, the control interface device will command the LEDs  20  of the compartments  16  the lids  18  of which are not properly closed to flash. Once all the lids  18  have been properly closed, the control unit  68  will command the lift  60  and handling device  64  to move the storage product carrier  10  back into storage space. 
         [0055]    Although the compartments  16  shown in  FIG. 1  are all square and of the same size, the compartments  16  can be of any shape, for example rectangular or hexagonal. It is not necessary for all the compartments  16  to be covered by the lid  18 . 
         [0056]    The storage product carrier and the automated storage rack proposed herein allow for easy and secure access control to compartments  16 .