Patent Publication Number: US-2003228208-A1

Title: Vertical conveyor and vertical conveyor system

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
     [0001] This application is a continuation in part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/865,270 filed on May 25, 2001 and priority is claimed under 35 U.S.C. §120 wherein the application is incorporated herein by reference and which is based upon German Application DE 10026346.1 filed on May 25, 2000 wherein priority is claimed under 35 U.S.C. §119. 
    
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0003] The invention relates to a vertical conveyor for transporting a load in a warehouse equipped with stocking shelves.  
       [0004] 2. The Prior Art  
       [0005] Such shelf warehouses have been served until now with the help of forklift trucks and/or floor conveyor devices that can be operated partly by hand and partly in an automated manner. It is necessary in conjunction with such stock-keeping systems to have a transporting device that always moves together with the load to be transported wherein the transporting device has a high dead weight. This requires a relatively high energy expenditure and the can also possibly restrict the speed.  
       [0006] To automate such a warehouse facility to a high degree it is particularly necessary to install a vertical conveyor that largely operates in an automatic manner.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007] Therefore, the invention is based on the problem of providing a vertical conveyor of the type specified above that can be used in an automatically operated shelf-equipped warehouse. This problem is solved with a vertical conveyor having a plurality of receiving devices spaced apart from one another, wherein these receiving devices receive a load and wherein these receiving devices can be displaced vertically.  
       [0008] The transfer of a load is possible and particularly easy with this type of a vertical conveyor because loads can be transferred with the help of additional elements in the form of rollers or stationary transport elements which help to easily transport these loads. These additional elements are arranged between these spaced-apart receiving devices. The overall purpose of such receiving devices is to safely support loads that are preferably arranged in two parallel rows, on which the overall load rests in a safe manner. The transported loads may be collies, pallets or other forms of loads. The loads are favorably positioned on a transport pallet.  
       [0009] According to a preferred advanced development of the invention, the receiving devices are driven so that the load can be transported in the horizontal direction. It is particularly possible to simply transport a load into the vertical conveyor and to then to remove it from the conveyor. A plurality of revolving belts can be used to connect the individual receiving devices with each other and to assure that the load resting on the receiving devices is uniformly advanced.  
       [0010] According to another advanced development of the invention, the vertical conveyor has transport elements that are disposed in a stationary manner at least at one level. This level is preferably the basic level or the floor on which the loads are delivered to the shelf warehouse and loaded on the vertical conveyor. Thus, when these stationary transport elements are used, it is possible to transport loads also on the basic bottom level or some other level if the vertical conveyor is not positioned at that level. In this way, the vertical conveyor can transport a load to the top level (or tier) of the shelf warehouse, on the one hand, and alternatively the loads can be further transported at the same time to rows located in the rear at the basic level. The stationary transport elements are preferably arranged spaced from each other as well, so that other elements and in particular, the receiving devices can be placed between these stationary transport elements. It is particularly preferred that the receiving devices and the transport elements are arranged in an alternating manner, so that a nearly through-extending surface is formed at the moment the vertical conveyor is located at the level of the transport elements.  
       [0011] Furthermore, it is favorable if the receiving devices can be lowered to slightly below the level of the transport elements. Thus, it is possible to push a load onto the transport elements without causing the receiving devices to interfere with the movement of the movable part of the vertical conveyor. When the vertically movable part of the vertical conveyor is in this lowered position, it can be maintained there in an idle (or resting) position without interfering with the horizontal movement taking place above at the basic level where the loads are delivered to the individual rows of shelves.  
       [0012] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the receiving devices are substantially formed by driven rollers. The transport elements are favorably designed in the form of rollers as well, so that a through-extending row of rollers is formed within the range of the vertical conveyor, wherein these rollers are arranged so that each stationary roller is alternating with a roller that can be driven up together with the vertical conveyor. Other embodiments of the receiving devices and transport elements can be basically realized as well. For example, these devices and elements may be formed as conveyor belts or sliding elements.  
       [0013] The vertical conveyor is preferably arranged in the shelf warehouse in a row of shelves, so that the load is loaded on the vertical conveyor, and conveyed in the vertical conveyor upwards, and then comes to rest in an upper row of shelves parallel with a shelf compartment, so that an automatic load removal system accesses the vertical conveyor in the same way as all other shelf compartments present in that row next to it. Therefore, the vertical conveyor is not arranged in the runway between two rows of shelves, but rather in a row of shelves, preferably at one end of a row of shelves. However, it is conceivable also that the row of shelves is extended on both sides of the vertical conveyor.  
       [0014] According to yet another advanced development of the invention, the receiving devices are designed so that they can be folded away, so that such devices will not reach up to their actual transport position but can be folded up or down without interfering with a load passing through. It is conceivable also that the receiving devices can be retracted or pulled away sideways.  
       [0015] According to another preferred advanced development of the invention, each level of the vertical conveyor can have a roller track that can be folded down, whereby this roller track corresponds with the transport elements of the lower level. When a load is then steered to a certain level, the vertical conveyor can be driven first into a position slightly above such a defined level without requiring any entirely exact and complicated positioning of the conveyor. As soon as the load has reached the desired area, the folded-down transport elements forming a roller track are folded up and the vertical conveyor is then driven down and deposits the load on the transport elements. The warehouse stocking operation can be further accelerated in this manner. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0016] Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings which disclose several embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the drawings are designed for the purpose of illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.  
     [0017] In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views:  
     [0018]FIG. 1 is a cut top view of the basic level of a warehouse equipped with stocking shelves;  
     [0019]FIG. 2 is a top view of a vertical conveyor as defined by the invention;  
     [0020]FIG. 3 is a cut side view of a vertical conveyor as defined by the invention;  
     [0021]FIG. 4 is a cut side view of a vertical conveyor as defined by the invention, shown with a lifted load;  
     [0022]FIG. 5 is a cut side view of a vertical conveyor as defined by the invention shown in another operating position;  
     [0023]FIG. 6 a  shows another embodiment of the invention having a foldable element in a down position;  
     [0024]FIG. 6 b  shows another embodiment showing the foldable element folded up;  
     [0025]FIG. 7 shows the embodiment of FIG. 6 a  with the vertical conveyor moving into position;  
     [0026]FIG. 8 shows a second embodiment of the device of FIG. 6 a  with the foldable element folded up in an activated position;  
     [0027]FIG. 9 shows a third embodiment of the device of FIG. 6 a  with a slidable element;  
     [0028]FIG. 10 is a top view of the device of FIG. 6 a  showing the shaft housing the foldable element in a down position; and  
     [0029]FIG. 11 is a side view of another embodiment of the invention which shows a plurality of slidable elements. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0030]FIG. 1 is a top view of the basic level of a shelf warehouse  1 , where loads are stocked in and removed from shelf locations  6  or shelf compartments. In such a stockkeeping operation, loads  3  are transported on a stocking track  11  and delivered into shelf warehouse  1  and transported out of the shelf warehouse on a load removal track  12 . Shelf warehouse  1  comprises shelf runways  4  and rows  5  of shelves. Loads  3  are first transported on stocking track  11  to vertical conveyors  13  located at the ends of shelf rows  5  and then raised with vertical conveyors  13  to the desired level of the shelf warehouse. At this level, the loads are removed from vertical conveyor  13  with transport devices  2  running on rails  14  along shelf runway  4 . Loads  3  are removed from vertical conveyor  13 , transported along self runway  4 , on rollers  7  and then delivered to the desired shelf location  6 . Each shelf location (or space) has two parallel rows of guides, on which load  3  is transferred from transport device  2  to shelf location  6 . Shelf loading or stocking track  11  can also be used as a combined load stocking and load removal track, in which case the additional load removal track  12  is not needed. Furthermore, the warehouse can be expanded on the other side of shelf stocking track  11 , in which case vertical conveyor  3  will be arranged in the center of a shelf row  5 .  
     [0031]FIG. 2 shows a top view of vertical conveyor  13  located in its starting position. Vertical conveyor  13  is operated on shelf stocking track  11 , which is intersected by shelf row  5  at a right angle (See FIG. 1). Vertical conveyor  13  is installed in the site of this intersection. A shelf runway  4  extends parallel with shelf row  5 . Shelf stocking track  11  comprises rollers  25 , which are connected to each other by belts  27  and driven. Rollers  25  form pairs of rollers that are connected with each other by axles  26 . Shelf stocking track  11  is formed so that it comprises two rows of roller drives. A load  3  rests on these drives and is transported by rollers  25  or pairs of rollers along the shelf stocking track, and then arrives at vertical conveyor  13 . Vertical conveyor  13  comprises vertically movable receiving devices  20  and stationary transport elements  21  which are aligned parallel to each other and spaced apart. Stationary transport elements  21  are in the form of rollers  28  as well, and connected with each other by axles  29 . Rollers  28  are arranged as a continuation of the line of the shelf stocking track  11 . A spacing is provided between each two of the individual rollers  20 , so that an intermediate space remains available to receive receiving devices  20  wherein these receiving devices are in the form of receiving rollers  30  as well.  
     [0032] In the exemplified embodiment shown, three pairs of rollers  28 , thus a total of six rollers  28  form the transport elements, and four pairs of rollers  30  form the receiving devices  20 . Receiving devices  20  can thus be raised vertically Rollers  30  are arranged so that they alternate with each other, so that overall, a through-extending row of rollers is available in shelf stocking track  11 . Rollers  30  are secured via axles  31  on conveyor element  32  and are jointly driven by a driving belt  33 . Rollers  30  of receiving device  20  are arranged in each case directly adjacent each of rollers  25  of shelf stocking track  11 . Rollers  30  are coupled together by a belt and driven by a driving device. Therefore, these rollers are capable of providing for continuous further transport. Each side of vertical conveyor  13  can contain a conveyor element  32  that can be displaced vertically upwards via vertical rollers  34  running on a vertical column, vertical tracks or on a lever system  35  of a warehouse equipped with shelves.  
     [0033] Conveyor elements  32  comprise joints  36 , which allow the front section of conveyor elements  32  with receiving devices  20  to be folded away downwards. These conveyor elements  32  are formed from two parallel spaced elements or shafts  39  each comprising a first section  39   a  and a second section  39   b  with the two sections  39   a  and  39   b  being coupled together by joints  36 . These parallel spaced shafts are coupled to rollers  34  via blocks  43 , and wherein blocks  43  are spaced apart by support or spacer bar  40 , while an opposite or second end of parallel spaced elements  39  are spaced apart and supported by support or spacer bar  46  disposed adjacent to receiving rollers  30 .  
     [0034]FIG. 3 shows a cut side view-along the line II-II in FIG. 2 of vertical conveyor  13 . Identical elements are denoted by the same reference numerals. Rollers  28  of transport elements  21  are arranged on floor  38  of the shelf warehouse by means of vertical struts  37 . A load placed on a transport pallet  41  is delivered to vertical conveyor  13  via shelf stocking track  11 . In this operation, rollers  30  of receiving device  20  are first located at about the same level as rollers  28  of transport elements  21 . Receiving device  20  can be lowered also below the level of transport elements  21  to make it easier to push on to transport pallet  41 .  
     [0035]FIG. 4 is another side view of vertical conveyor  13 , showing that the vertical conveyor has now raised the load  3 .  
     [0036]FIG. 5 shows a cut side view that has been turned by 90° versus FIGS. 3 and 4. The different levels  5 ,  44  and  45  of the shelf warehouse are shown, whereby vertical conveyor  13 , or at least the movable part of vertical conveyor  13  has been driven up. At the upper level, a load  3  is driven next to the vertical conveyor on runway  4  located next to the vertical conveyor with the help of a transport carriage  46 , and can be loaded from there on the vertical conveyor  13  as into a shelf compartment. The arrows  42  indicate that the front part of conveyor elements  32  have been folded down on via joint  36 , so that the rollers  30  are in a down position. Conveyor elements  32  are folded down using joint  36  so that the area formed by the conveyor element  32  being folded down is sufficiently large to clear an inner space that is wider than load  3 . Vertical conveyor  13  can be driven down, whereby the rollers  30  are first swivelled again up using joint  36  and only then take hold of the load  3  from the bottom. In this position, these loads are already waiting in the shelf-stocking position. The spacing between rollers  28  of transport elements  21  and the floor  38  of the shelf warehouse is adapted to meet the requirements for the space required by this swiveling movement of conveyor element  32 .  
     [0037]FIG. 6 a  shows another embodiment of the invention, which shows a vertical conveyor  13 ′ that is from the same view as FIG. 5. In this view, there are shown the different levels  5 ′,  44  and  45  formed by rows  5  and also there is shown vertical conveyor  13 ′ for moving a load  3  up to these different levels via a lever system or substantially vertical column or vertical track  35 . The vertical conveyor can move up to these different levels via a plurality of rollers  34  rolling with vertical column or track  35 . With this embodiment, vertical conveyor  13  of FIGS.  1 - 5  can be used or a different vertical conveyor  13 ′ can be used. Vertical conveyor  13 ′ comprises at least one shaft or beam  52  which is coupled to rollers  34  and extends between rollers  34  to form a platform. Shaft or beam  52  supports shield  51  and spacer beams  50 .  
     [0038] Load  3  rests on two substantially parallel spaced spacer beams  50  which are coupled to a shield  51  which rests on top of horizontal shaft  52  which is displaceable by rollers  34 . On both sides of horizontal shaft  52  and disposed along lever system  35  are a plurality of foldable or displaceable elements or beams  55  which are coupled to a row  5  on each of the different levels  5 ′,  44 ,  45  via a rotating drive or joint  60 . Alternatively, rotating drive or joint  60  can also be coupled to vertical track  35  in a manner to not interfere with rollers  34  rolling up and down vertical track  35 . Rotating drive  60  can comprise a hinge and a motor such that when load  3  is positioned above a stocking track, foldable or displaceable elements  55  can be folded up by rotating drive  60  as shown in FIG. 7. In addition, FIG. 6 b  shows the another embodiment wherein foldable element  55  is foldable into an upward position to clear space in the shaft for vertical conveyor  13 ′. Foldable element can then be folded down into an extended or second position to receive load  3 .  
     [0039] In use, vertical conveyor  13 ′ is driven up via rollers  34  on lever system  35  so that it is positioned just above a level for deposit. Next, rotating drives  60  coupled to two opposing foldable elements  55  rotate these foldable elements so that foldable elements  55  are positioned into a substantially horizontal position. At this point, and as shown in FIG. 8, foldable elements  55  fold underneath receiving beams or spacers  54  but do not contact shield  51  or beams  50 . Instead, foldable elements  55  fold up to contact beams  54  which extend down from load  3  which help to elevate load  3  off of a vertical conveyor  13 ′. To determine whether to rotate foldable elements  55  into a down or up position, sensors  62  can be positioned at predetermined locations along vertical column  35 . Sensors  62  are in communication with joints  60  and at least one processor (not shown) for instructing rotating drives or joints  60  to either open or close. Alternatively, rollers  34  can also contain position sensors (not shown) to determine the position of rollers  34  on vertical column  35  to then signal a processor (not shown) to instruct rotating drives or joints  60  to rotate foldable elements  55  into either an up position or a down position.  
     [0040] In a first embodiment, bars  54  are coupled directly to each load  3 , however, in a second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, bars  54  are coupled to opposite ends of a plate  57  which sits below load  3  and allows load  3  to be lifted off of vertical conveyor  13 ′. The foldable or displaceable elements  55  situated along a vertical column or shaft, are designed to fold down to allow a vertical conveyor  13 ′ to move vertically in the shaft and to fold up to receive and transport a load  3  from vertical conveyor  13 ′. Thus this design allows for the movement of a vertical conveyor on a vertical shaft having an opening of adjustable size to accommodate vertical conveyors of a larger size.  
     [0041]FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of foldable elements  55  wherein these foldable elements contain additional receiving or lifting protrusions  56  that can be used to lift load  3  off of vertical conveyor  13 ′. With this design, bars  54  are not necessary. Instead, lifting protrustions  56  contact load  3  and are used to lift load  3  off of vertical conveyor  13 ′ so that transport carriage  46  can then transport load  13 ′ along a shelf.  
     [0042]FIG. 10 is a top view of the device of FIG. 6 showing the shaft housing foldable element  55  in a down position. In this view, foldable element  55  is comprised of a receiving shaft  55   a,  and a pair of extension members or shafts  55   b  which are coupled to vertical tracks  35  via rotating drive or joint  60 . In this view, load  3  is shown being transported down runways  4  wherin this load can then be charged into the shaft onto vertical conveyor  13 ′ (not shown) or onto foldable elements  55 .  
     [0043]FIG. 11 shows a third embodiment of the device of FIG. 6 a  with a slidable element  58 , being used instead of foldable element  55 . Slidable element  58  can be used in a similar manner as foldable element  55 . In this case, slidable element  58  can be activated by means of a sliding drive  59  which is disposed in a row  5  and which selectively drives slidable element  58  out or in to either allow slidable element  58  to open up the shaft in an inward or retracted position or to receive the load for placing on the track in an outward or extended position. Once the load is placed on slidable receiving element  58 , it can be transported down rows  5  to the desired shelf location  6  via transport carriage  46 .  
     [0044] When using the above embodiment, a vertical conveyor  13  is driven up, while slidable elements  58  are in a retracted position. When vertical conveyor  13  reaches a level for depositing a load, it triggers sensor  62  to signal slidable element  58  to slide out to receive a load. This occurs when vertical conveyor  13  is positioned above the particular level to receive the load.  
     [0045] Accordingly, while a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.