Abstract:
A vertical conveyor for transporting a load in a warehouse equipped with shelves. This vertical conveyor comprises a plurality of receiving devices spaced apart from one another. These receiving devices receive a load and can be displaced vertically. There are also a series of stationary transport elements disposed adjacent to the plurality of receiving devices in an alternating manner. The plurality of receiving devices can comprise driven rollers while the series of stationary transport elements can also comprise driven rollers.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The invention relates to a vertical conveyor for transporting a load in a warehouse equipped with stocking shelves.  
           [0003]    2. The Prior Art  
           [0004]    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 stockkeeping systems to always also move together with the load to be transported a transporting device having a high dead weight. This requires a relatively high expenditure in terms of energy and the possible speed is restricted.  
           [0005]    For automating such a warehouse facility to a high degree it is particularly necessary to install a vertical conveyor that is largely operating in an automatic manner.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    Therefore, the invention is based on the problem of providing a vertical conveyor of the type specified above that it suitable for being employed in an automatically operated shelf-equipped warehouse. Said problem is solved with a vertical conveyor with the features specified in patent claim  1 . Advantageous further developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.  
           [0007]    According to the basic idea of the invention, a vertical conveyor is designed in such a way that it comprises a plurality of receiving devices that are arranged spaced from one another, whereby such receiving devices are designed for receiving a load, and the receiving devices so spaced from one another can be jointly displaced in the vertical direction. The transfer of a load is possible in a particularly easy manner with such a vertical conveyor because loads can be transferred with the help of additional elements in an especially easy way with the help of such elements, which are arranged between said spaced-apart receiving devices. The overall purpose off 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.  
           [0008]    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 in this way to simply transport a load into the vertical conveyor and to then to remove it from the latter. Provision is favorably made for said purpose for revolving belts that connect the individual receiving devices with each other and in this way assure that the load resting on the receiving devices is uniformly advanced.  
           [0009]    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. Said level preferably is the basic level or the floor on which the loads are delivered to the shelf warehouse and loaded on the vertical conveyor, because when such stationary transport elements are employed it is possible to transport loads also on the basic or some other level if the vertical conveyor is not positioned at said level, so that the vertical conveyor can transport a load to the top level (or tier) of the shelf warehouse, on the one hand, and loads can be further transported at the same time to rows located in the rear at the basic level, on the other. 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 said 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.  
           [0010]    Furthermore, it is favorable if the receiving devices can be lowered to slightly below the level of the transport elements. It is possible in this way 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 said vertically movable part of the vertical conveyor is in said lowered position, it can be maintained there in sort of 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.  
           [0011]    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, such rollers being arranged in such a way 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, said devices and elements may be realized in the form of conveyor belts or sliding elements.  
           [0012]    The vertical conveyor is preferably arranged in the shelf warehouse in a row of shelves, so that the load is charged in the vertical conveyor, conveyed in the latter upwards, and then comes to rest in an upper row of shelves parallel with a shelf compartment, so that an automatic load removal systems accesses the vertical conveyor in the same way as all other shelf compartments present in the 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.  
           [0013]    According to yet another advanced development of the invention, the receiving devices are designed in such a way 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.  
           [0014]    According to another preferred advanced development of the invention, provision is made at each level of the vertical conveyor for a roller track that can be folded down, whereby such a 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 below 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  
       [0015]    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.  
         [0016]    In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views:  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a cut top view of the basic level of a warehouse equipped with stocking shelves;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a top view of a vertical conveyor as defined by the invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a cut side view of a vertical conveyor as defined by the invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is a cut side view of a vertical conveyor as defined by the invention, shown with a lifted load; and  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 is a cut side view of a vertical conveyor as defined by the invention shown in another operating position.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1 is a tip view of the basic level of a shelf warehouse  1 , where loads are stocked in and removed from the shelf locations  6  or shelf compartments. In such a stockkeeping operation, the loads  3  are transported on a stocking track  11  and delivered into the shelf warehouse  3  and transported out of the shelf warehouse on a load removal track  12 . The shelf warehouse  1  comprises the shelf runways  4  and the rows  5  of shelves. The loads  3  are first transported on the stocking track  11  to the vertical conveyors located at the ends of the shelf rows  5  and then raised with said vertical conveyors  13  to the desired level of the shelf warehouse. At said level, the loads are removed from the vertical conveyor  13  with the transport devices  2  running on the rails  14  along the shelf runway  4 , removed from the vertical conveyor  13 , transported along the self runway  4 , and then delivered to the desired shelf location  4 . Each shelf location (or space) has two parallel rows of guides, on which the load  3  is transferred from the transport device  2  to the shelf location  6 . The shelf loading track  1  also can 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 the shelf stocking track  11 , in which case the vertical conveyor  3  will be arranged in the center of a shelf row  5 .  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 2 shows a top view of the vertical conveyor  13  located in its starting position. The vertical conveyor  13  is operated on the shelf stocking track  11 , which is intersected by the shelf row  5  at a right angle. The vertical conveyor  13  is installed in said site of intersection. A shelf runway  4  extends parallel with the shelf row  5 . The shelf stocking track  11  comprises the rollers  25 , which are connected with each by the belts  27  and driven. Said rollers form pairs of rollers that are connected with each other by the axles  26 . A shelf stocking track  11  is formed in that way that comprises two rows of roller drives. A load  3  rests on said drives and is transported by the rollers  25  or pairs of rollers along the shelf stocking track, and then arrives at the vertical conveyor  13 . The vertical conveyor  13  comprises the vertically movable receiving devices  20  and the stationary transport elements  21 . The stationary transport elements  21  are substantially realized in the form of the rollers  28  as well, and connected with each other by the axles  29 . Said rollers 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 in which the receiving devices are arranged, said receiving devices being realized in the form of the rollers  30  as well. In the exemplified embodiment shown, provision is made for two times the three rollers  28 , thus for a total of six rollers  28  forming the transport elements, and for two times the four rollers  30 , which can be raised vertically and thus substantially form the receiving devices  20 . Said rollers are arranged in a manner in which they alternate with each other, so that overall a through-extending row of rollers is available in the shelf stocking track  11 . The rollers  30  are secured via the axles  31  on the conveyor element  32  and are jointly driven by a driving belt  33 . The rollers  30  of the receiving device  20  are arranged in each case directly adjacent to one of the rollers  25  of the shelf stocking track  11 . Said rollers  30  are driven and therefore are capable of providing for continuous further transport. Thus provision is made on each side of the vertical conveyor  13  for a conveyor element  32  that can be displaced vertically upwards via the rollers  34  on a lever system  35  of a warehouse equipped with shelves. The conveyor elements  32  comprise the joints  36 , by means of which the front section of the conveyor elements  32  with the receiving devices  20  can be folded away downwards.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 3 shows a cut side view of the vertical conveyor  13 . Identical elements are denoted by the same reference numerals. The rollers  28  of the transport elements  21  are arranged on the floor  38  of the shelf warehouse by means of the vertical struts  37 . A load placed on a transport pallet  41  is delivered to the vertical conveyor  13  via the shelf stocking track  11 . In said operation, the rollers  30  of the receiving device  20  are first located at about the same level as the rollers  28  of the transport elements  21 . The receiving device  20  can be lowered also below the level of the transport elements  21  in order to make it easier to push on the transport pallet  41 .  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 4 is another side view of the vertical conveyor, showing that the vertical conveyor has now raised the load  3 .  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 5 shows a cut side view that has been turned by 90° versus FIGS. 3 and 4. Visible are the different levels  4 ,  44  and  45  of the shelf warehouse, whereby the vertical conveyor  13 , or at least the movable part of said vertical conveyor  13  has been driven up. At the upper level, a load  3  is driven next to the vertical conveyor on the runway  5  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 the conveyor elements  32  has been folded down on the joint  36 , so that the rollers  30  are suspended, hanging down. The joint  36  is positioned in such a way that the part of the conveyor element  32  that is folded down is adequately large for creating a clear inner space that is wider than a load  3 . The vertical conveyor  13  can be driven down, whereby the rollers  30  are first swivelled again up on the joint  36  only then, and then take hold of the load.  3  from the bottom, said load already waiting in the shelf-stocking position. The spacing between the rollers  28  of the transport elements and the floor  38  of the shelf warehouse is adapted to the space required by said swiveling movement.  
         [0027]    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.