Patent EA-001302-B1 (EA)
Title: Method for organizing the storage of different units
Inventor: HOGNALAND INGVAR
IPC: B65G1/137
Filed: 1998-04-30
Abstract: 1. A method for organisation of location and the flow of goods for a stock of heterogeneous units, characterised in that the units are provided in a large number of standardised parallelepiped-shaped containers (1), which are adapted to the physical dimensions for the stored units, the said containers (1) being arranged in a horizontally layered and deep-stacked stock joined in a vertical framework (6), thus forming several horizontal co-ordinate-forming layers of containers (1), whose positions at any time are random, but continuously known and recorded in a computer system; that each container (1) is retrieved from the store by means of lifting devices (5) which have access to the store from the top, where that the lifting device is moved to the horizontal position which is recorded in the computer system for the container (1) which has to be retrieved; the lifting device by means of a gripping device (3) then grips and hoists the top container out of the store and, if this is not the desired container (1), places it in a temporary position before repeating this with each additional container (1) in the stack until the desired container (1) has been lifted out of the stack; the other containers (1) are returned from their temporary positions to the stack where they retain their order relative to one another, the desired container (1) is moved by means of the lifting device (5) to a packing station (7), and that desired container is then is returned to the store and placed in the top layer of a stack, all the temporary and new positions for all the containers (1) involved being continuously kept updated in the said computer system. 2. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that containers (1) are employed which are divided according to their purpose into different compartments (4). 3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the gripping devices (3) which are employed are in the form of boards with gripping fingers (3') which are designed so as to engage with corresponding grooves on the containers (1), with the result that when the gripping device (3) is in engagement with a container (1), this board forms a lid over the container (1). 4. A method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that in order to minimise the retrieval and delivery time between store and packing station (7) all withdrawals from the store which are calculated performed in a given period are added together and supplied to the computer system, and that in the course of a period which is prior to the said period the computer system performs a rearrangement of the containers (1) in each stack, with the result that those containers which have to be retrieved most frequently for dispatch during the said period are placed at the top of the respective stacks, while those containers which most seldom or never at all have to be retrieved are placed further down in the stacks. 5. A method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that containers (1) are employed which are equipped on their four outer vertical sides with slide-forming vertical grooves for movement control and for reduction of friction and contact surface against the vertical framework (6) when the containers (1) are brought into vertical movement out of engagement with the framework (6). 6. A method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that an inert atmosphere is introduced into the store.