Field of application

The present invention relates to a vertical warehouse comprising a control unit for the management thereof and connected to a mobile interactive screen for the reception/transmission/display of the processes relating to the picking up/depositing of goods from the warehouse itself.

More in particular the control and management unit according to the invention preferably but not necessarily makes use of a digital and interactive “touch screen” intended for the control and picking up/depositing by an operator, or more precisely for the picking up/depositing of components, or articles or products arranged in respective containers inside modular storage units.

The present invention is advantageously applied in the sector of management systems of vertical warehouses intended for the storage of industrial components or in other types of systems or other structures for containing and picking up what is required.

Prior art

The use of modular automated storage systems for the selective containment, management and movement of components, small parts, spare parts or other objects for industrial use, comprising modular structures with a substantially modular layout is continuously expanding and evolving.

These warehouses for the selective storage of components or spare parts, due to space requirements and modular composition, have a generally vertical layout and have a parallelepiped structure schematically consisting of four uprights which enable the positioning of a plurality of movable shelves placed on horizontal guides adapted to form, together with the uprights, modules that can be combined by mutual flanking.

The movable shelves are constituted by trays provided with perimeter sides, inside which areas are defined for the allocation of the different components grouped by category. In turn each of the trays is advantageously mechanised in order to be moved by a system that transports them from a respective storage zone inside the warehouse and a pick-up/deposit zone, generally known as a “bay” into which they are brought, so as to be easily accessible by an operator appointed to pick up and/or deposit the goods or components from/into it.

Access to the trays takes place through the use of a control unit, e.g. a touch screen, arranged at the pick-up/deposit bay afforded between the different adjacent modules and configured to command the movement of a specific tray from the storage zone to the pick-up zone based on the goods to be picked up and/or based on the type (in particular the dimensions) of the goods to be housed inside it.

Generally, the touch screen control unit is arranged at the pick- up/deposit bay and in a fixed location, therefore after setting the pick- up/deposit parameters of the article the operator has to move to go and pick it up/deposit it in the arrival position inside the bay.

If it is considered that a goods pick-up/deposit bay inside vertical warehouses can even be several metres wide and the objects to be picked up can be deposited also in both random and predetermined positions but which can however even be distant from the monitor, the operator appointed to perform the aforesaid operations is forced to move continuously from one side to the other causing tiredness which over a whole day can be significant, but also to the detriment of the quality of service, for example in the case of continuous requests one after the other.

Manual screen movement systems are also known, which enable the operator to move it manually from one opening zone to another. However, even in this latter case, there are drawbacks related to the operator needing to go to the base position of the screen, drag it by hand to the zone of interest and then move it again according to subsequent needs.

Object of the present invention

The present invention sets out to provide a vertical warehouse and related method able to eliminate or at least reduce the drawbacks highlighted above.

The invention sets out in particular to provide a vertical warehouse and related method that facilitate the picking up/depositing operations for the operator.

More in particular, the invention sets out to provide a vertical warehouse and related method that enable the operator’s movements with respect to the interactive screen to be limited.

This is obtained through a control and management unit for vertical warehouses, whose characteristics are described in the main claim.

The dependent claims of the present solution outline advantageous embodiments of the invention.

Brief description of the drawings

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from reading the following description of an embodiment of the invention provided by way of non-limiting example, with the aid of the figures illustrated in the appended tables of drawings, in which:

- figure 1 represents a front perspective schematic view of a vertical warehouse in the lower part of which the goods loading/unloading bay is afforded, at which the interactive screen is arranged, according to the invention, located in a central position;

- figure 2 represents a front perspective schematic view of a vertical warehouse in the lower part of which the goods loading/unloading bay is afforded, at which the interactive screen is arranged, according to the invention, located in a right-hand position;

- figure 3 represents a similar view to the previous ones with the interactive screen according to the invention located on the right and the operator in the opposite position;

- figure 4 represents a similar schematic view to the previous ones in which the interactive screen according to the invention is located in a central position; - figure 5 represents a similar view to the previous ones with the interactive screen according to the invention mobile above the opening and with a bar of sensors arranged below the opening itself;

- figure 6 represents a view from above of the tray in which different zones are identified in which the picking up can be performed;

- figure 7 represents a view of the tray with the different positions that the screen assumes, with respect to the width of the opening, for picking up different objects/goods from the tray itself;

- figure 8 represents a view from above of a modular system of warehouses with flanked modules in which respective screens are present, each arranged at the goods to be picked up/deposited from the related opening.

Description of an embodiment of the invention

With reference to the appended figures, and initially in particular to figure 1 , number 10 generally indicates a vertical warehouse being part of one of the modular automated storage systems for the selective containment, management and movement of components, small parts, spare parts or other objects for industrial use.

This vertical warehouse comprises at least one shelving defined in an internal volume of the warehouse in which a plurality of goods can be moved which are represented by components, small parts, spare parts or other defining a physical or virtual allocation area, sub-divided into a plurality of trays having respective housing seats (physical or virtual) for housing the goods each of which is configured to house at least one of said goods, said at least one tray 19 being movable between a storage zone of said shelving and a pick-up zone arranged at a respective pick-up opening 11 accessible by an operator and arranged between two vertical uprights 16 and 17 that delimit it laterally.

This pick-up opening 11 arranged in the lower part of the warehouse is usually called a “bay” and it defines the goods loading/unloading zone. Furthermore, the vertical warehouse comprises a control unit configured to receive a selection of the goods to be deposited/picked up by the operator or by a computer/server through corresponding management software (e.g. list of products that comes from the server) and to move the corresponding tray 19 containing, or for which the goods are intended, towards the pick-up opening 11 .

The control unit further comprises an interactive screen 12 intended for the selection of the goods to be deposited/picked up and/or checked/viewed in the warehouse.

This screen 12 is arranged at the pick-up opening 11 and is sustained by a support bracket 13 which extends frontally from the opening itself (it is usually arranged below the opening) and is normally arranged to the side of the opening so that a user can access it for making the relevant selections.

According to the present invention, the warehouse comprises a motorised movement means for moving the interactive screen 12 and configured to perform the automatic displacement thereof along said width of the opening

11 as a function of the position of the operator, detected by one or more sensors, and/or as a function of the position of the goods to be deposited/picked up with respect to the allocation area of the tray 19.

Preferably this displacement is linear and takes place along the entire width of the opening 11 so as to be able to move the screen 12 from one side to the other in a motorised and automatic way.

In particular, the interactive screen 12 is slidably mounted, preferably through the support bracket 13, on one or more aisles with a horizontal extension 15 and located below said opening. Said support bracket 13 projects frontally and extends between an inner end mounted on the sliding aisle and an outer end on which the screen 12 is located.

Preferably said bracket 13 is angled and projects from a slot below the opening as shown, by way of example, in figures 1 to 4.

Figure 5 shows an alternative embodiment in which the interactive screen 12 is slidably mounted on one or more aisles with a horizontal extension 15 located above said opening 11 . The movement means for moving the screen

12 may assume different embodiments according to requirements. These embodiments are as follows:

In a first embodiment, the movement means comprises a movement belt, placed between two return pulleys at least one of which is motorised, extending along said width of the opening and connected to said interactive screen and configured as a screen movement element.

In a second embodiment the movement means comprises a movement system of the pinion and rack type, wherein said interactive screen is connected to said pinion so as to move along the fixed rack for performing the movement of the screen.

In a third embodiment, the movement means comprises a movement system having a rotary shaft with a worm screw and a mobile nut screw device meshing with said shaft, wherein said interactive screen is connected to said nut screw device so as to move along the rotary shaft for performing the movement of the screen.

In a fourth embodiment, the movement means comprises a linear motor with a stator extending along said width of the opening and rotor linearly movable on said stator by electromagnetic interaction, wherein said interactive screen 12 is connected to said rotor so as to move along the rotary shaft for performing the movement of the screen.

Furthermore, the warehouse envisages an automatic movement of the screen 12 which may be an operator tracking movement (follow me) and/or an automatic movement as a function of the position of the goods to be picked up/deposited.

For the tracking function, the warehouse comprises a presence sensor 18 configured to detect the distance of the operator from said presence sensor itself. This sensor 18 is operatively connected to the control unit and to the movement means of the screen 12. The control unit is configured to command the movement means to move the screen so as to keep the screen at a predefined distance from the operator (e.g. 1 metre or less) as a function of what is detected by the presence sensor so as to define an operator tracking function.

Therefore, advantageously, the operator is always facilitated in accessing the interactive screen 12 with which it is possible to select the goods to be deposited/picked up and/or proceed with the control/viewing of the warehouse 1.

This tracking function is particularly advantageous especially for vertical warehouses 1 which have a particularly high horizontal extension (i.e. substantially, width), e.g. over 5 metres. Therefore, in this way, the interactive monitor 12 is always in proximity to the operator (e.g. as previously reported, within a distance of one metre) in order to be able to verify the content of the tray 19 and/or to indicate the picking up/depositing of goods in the tray 19 itself.

The monitor 12 was previously introduced, being defined as interactive. Therefore, in other words, the interactive monitor 12 defines a control panel which the operator can use to check the status of the warehouse, check which goods are present in the trays 19 and in which quantities. Additionally, the operator is also able to point out any pick-ups, deposits (which can also be detected automatically by the warehouse itself), and/or check the positioning in the tray 19 of any determined goods of interest to be picked up/deposited.

In other words, the interactive monitor 12 is not a simple display, but a management and monitoring panel for the whole vertical warehouse 1 .

Therefore, as mentioned above, the possibility to define operator tracking by the interactive monitor 12 enables the operations to be simplified and the operator’s productivity to be significantly improved, as he/she always finds the control panel nearby for performing the verifications of interest on the goods present and/or to be deposited.

Preferably, the sensor 18 is mounted solidly constrained to the screen 12, but alternatively it could be installed at other positions in the warehouse.

Figure 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the sensor 18 is made in the form of a bar of sensors 18’ (fixed in position) preferably located below the opening 11 and extending for all or part of the related width. These sensors 18’ cooperate with one another to detect the position and/or displacement of the operator opposite the opening 11 and are configured to send the related information to the control unit.

It is to be noted that in figure 5 the embodiment regarding the bar of sensors 18’ has been shown combined with the position of the screen 12 above the opening. However, for the present invention these aspects are also considered unrelated to one another, i.e. the position of the bar of sensors 18’ is independent of the position of the screen 12. Therefore the bar of sensors 18’ could be arranged below or above the opening 11 and the screen 12 could be arranged and movable below or above the opening 11 .

In detail, the control unit is configured to detect through said presence sensor 18 whether the operator is moving away from (detected distance increases) or towards (detected distance reduces) the presence sensor itself:

- if the operator is moving away from the presence sensor 18 itself, said control unit commands the movement means to move the screen 12 so as to perform said operator tracking function maintaining a predefined safe distance with respect from them;

- if instead the operator is moving towards the presence sensor 18 itself, said control unit commands the movement means to keep the screen 12 stationary in position. In the latter case, a command is provided for the movement of the screen 12 itself to bring it to a safe distance predefined by the operator or to a predefined starting position (e.g. completely to the right).

In any case, the control unit comprises a command for the manual activation/deactivation of said operator tracking function just described.

In addition to the above, the present invention envisages a system for releasing the screen 12 from the movement means thereof in order to be able to move it manually with respect to the movement means itself (e.g. in idle mode). This release system could be implemented through a clutch or another type of release.

This release system could be particularly useful, but not only, in the event of the already mentioned case in which the operator is moving towards the presence sensor 18 itself and it is useful for the operator to be able to move the screen manually. Additionally or alternatively to this tracking function, the control unit is configured to command the movement means to move the screen as a function of the position of the goods to be deposited/picked up along the width of the tray 19. For example, if the goods to be picked up are arranged completely to the left when looking at the opening 11 from the front, the control unit before or at the same time as the arrival of the tray 19 at the opening will command the screen to position itself at the goods or in proximity thereto (e.g. 1 metre away).

Advantageously, in this way, it is the position of the screen 12 itself that indicates to the operator where the goods to be picked up will be positioned approximately with respect to the width of the opening 11 .

It is to be noted that the position of the screen 12 is such as to delimit a pick- up/deposit area comprised within a predefined distance from the screen itself so as to direct the operator to perform the pick-up/deposit operations. For example, figure 6 identifies a goods pick-up/deposit area “A” arranged to the left of the screen 12 and which affects one part of the tray 19.

The control unit is thus configured to:

- receive information regarding the position of the goods to be deposited/picked up along the width of the tray 19. This information is present in the database connected to the control unit.

- command the movement means to move the screen at or in proximity to said position of the goods.

In detail, the control unit is configured to manage a list of goods to be picked up/deposited which is transmitted, for example, by a computer/server through corresponding management software. In that case, the control unit is configured to define different positions of the screen as a function of each position of the goods to be picked up, according to an order that extends according to a predefined pick-up/deposit direction (e.g. from left to right of the opening).

Further, the screen 12 is configured to show, through an image, the position of the goods with respect to the tray 19.

The control unit is configured to calculate the position of the goods to be picked up/deposited and to generate a list of commands for the screen movement means according to said predefined pick-up/deposit direction. For example:

- object A is in position X2;

- object B is in position X4;

- object C is in position X1 ;

- object D is in position X3.

Assuming that the order according to said predefined pick-up/deposit direction is X1 , X2, X3, X4 (established for example from left to right along the opening or vice versa) the control unit will command the screen movement means to position itself first in the following position:

- X1 to pick up object C;

- Then X2 to pick up object A;

- Then X3 to pick up object D;

- Then X4 to pick up object B.

This example is illustrated in figure 7 for easier understanding.

The present invention also contemplates a modular warehouse comprising a plurality of modules flanked to one another wherein each module comprises at least one internal shelving and a respective pick-up zone arranged at a respective pick-up opening accessible by an operator according to what has been previously described which is to be referred to a single module.

The modular warehouse comprises a plurality of interactive screens 12 each associated with a respective opening and is configured to be moved by said movement means.

According to the present invention said control unit is connected to the movement means of each screen 12 and is configured to move each screen as a function of a list of goods to be picked up/deposited by an operator so as to position each screen at the position of the tray 19 in which each of the goods of the respective module is positioned.

In other words, the control unit (which could comprise a server) is configured to govern all the modules of the vertical warehouse so as to exploit all the openings or “bays” of the modules for quicker picking up of the goods. Thus, returning to the example above, the control unit will command (in the case of a 4-module warehouse):

- the screen movement means of the first module to position itself in position XT (corresponding to the distance X1 calculated with respect to the first module of the warehouse) to pick up object C’;

- the screen movement means of the second module to position itself in position X2’ (corresponding to the distance X2 calculated with respect to the second module of the warehouse) to pick up object A’;

- the screen movement means of the third module to position itself in position X3’ (corresponding to the distance X3 calculated with respect to the third module of the warehouse) to pick up object D’;

- the screen movement means of the fourth module to position itself in position X4’ (corresponding to the distance X4 calculated with respect to the fourth module of the warehouse) to pick up object B’.

The subject matter of the present invention is also a method for storing a plurality of goods in a vertical warehouse or modular system of vertical warehouses which descends directly from what has been described above which is fully referred to hereinbelow.

In particular, the method comprises the steps of:

- receiving a selection of the goods to be deposited/picked up by the operator;

- moving the corresponding tray 19 containing such goods, or for which they are intended, towards the pick-up opening;

- moving an interactive screen 12 intended for the selection of the goods to be deposited/picked up and/or the control of the warehouse, through the motorised movement means for moving the interactive screen so as to perform the automatic displacement thereof along said width of the opening as a function of the position of the operator and/or as a function of the position of the goods to be deposited/picked up with respect to the allocation area of the tray 19.

The present invention achieves the predefined objects as the motorised and automatic movement of the screen 12 enables the operator to be facilitated in the pick-up/deposit operations along the opening in order to reduce the movements that he/she has to continuously perform.

In particular, the automatic tracking function enables the interactive screen to be always within reach for the operator who will also have his/her hands free. Furthermore, the automatic movement function enables the screen to always be positioned at the goods to be picked up/deposited in order to facilitate the operator as well as indicating to him/her where such goods are positioned.