US-12617636-B2 - Unloading device

US12617636B2US 12617636 B2US12617636 B2US 12617636B2US-12617636-B2

Abstract

An unloading device for unloading a tote from a shelf in a warehouse includes at least two arms for grabbing the tote in the shelf, whereby the arms essentially each extend in a horizontal direction and are arranged distant and parallel to each other. The arms are movable in a vertical and/or horizontal direction in respect to a position of the tote in the shelf and in their horizontal distance to each other in respect to the shape of the tote. Additionally, each arm includes a motorized conveyer belt extending along the essential horizontal direction on the arm up to touching a tip of the respective arm for unloading the tote from the shelf.

Inventors

Redland SANDERS

Assignees

DEUTSCHE POST AG

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20220916
Priority Date: 20210916

Claims (11)

1 . An unloading arrangement comprising an unloading device and a shelf configured for storing a plurality of totes horizontally and/or vertically besides each other, wherein the shelf is further configured as a robotic shelf for autonomously moving towards the unloading device for unloading the plurality of totes from the shelf, wherein the unloading device comprises at least two arms for grabbing the tote in the shelf and a roller belt adjoining the at least two arms for dispatching the tote unloaded from the shelf, whereby the arms each extend in a horizontal direction and are arranged parallel to each other, the arms are movable in a vertical and/or horizontal direction in respect to a position of the tote in the shelf and the arms are movable relative to each other to change a horizontal distance between the arms, each arm comprises a motorized conveyer belt extending along the horizontal direction on the arm for unloading the tote from the shelf onto the roller belt, and wherein the roller belt adjoins the at least two arms such that a transporting direction of the roller belt is parallel to the at least two arms.
2 . The unloading device according to claim 1 , wherein the roller belt extends away from the unloading device opposite and/or parallel to the at least two arms.
3 . The unloading device according to claim 1 , comprising a scanner configured for determining a machine-readable code on the tote comprising a vertical position and the horizontal distance between the arms for unloading the tote from the shelf and for determining the position or shape of the tote in the shelf in respect to the vertical position and the horizontal distance between the arms for unloading the tote from the shelf.
4 . The unloading device according to claim 1 , comprising a control device configured for receiving the position or shape of the tote in the shelf in respect to a vertical position and the horizontal distance between the arms for unloading the tote from the shelf and configured for moving the arms.
5 . The unloading device according to claim 1 , comprising a machine guarding configured to laterally guard the tote when unloading the tote from the shelf.
6 . The unloading arrangement according to claim 1 , comprising a castellated spacer on which the tote is arranged in the shelf, whereby the castellated spacer comprises at least two slots through which the arms are horizontally inserted for unloading the tote from the shelf.
7 . The unloading device according to claim 1 , wherein the motorized conveyer belt extends along the horizontal direction on the arm up to touching a tip of a respective arm.
8 . The unloading device according to claim 7 , wherein the motorized conveyer belt is led in circumferentially around at least the tip and/or wherein the motorized conveyer belt extends along a complete extension of the arm.
9 . A method for unloading a tote, the method being performed with an unloading arrangement comprising an unloading device and a shelf configured for storing a plurality of totes horizontally and/or vertically besides each other, wherein the shelf is further configured as a robotic shelf for autonomously moving towards the unloading device for unloading the plurality of totes from the shelf, wherein the unloading device comprises at least two arms for grabbing the tote in the shelf and a roller belt adjoining the at least two arms for dispatching the tote unloaded from the shelf, whereby the arms each extend in a horizontal direction and are arranged parallel to each other, the arms are movable in a vertical and/or horizontal direction in respect to a position of the tote in the shelf and the arms are movable relative to each other to change a horizontal distance between the arms, each arm comprises a motorized conveyer belt extending along the horizontal direction on the arm for unloading the tote from the shelf onto the roller belt, and wherein the roller belt adjoins the at least two arms such that a transporting direction of the roller belt is parallel to the at least two arms, the method comprising the following steps: autonomously moving the shelf towards the unloading device; depending on the tote to be unloaded, moving the arms in a vertical direction in respect to the position of the tote in the shelf and/or moving the arms relative to each other to change a horizontal distance between the arms; moving the arms in the horizontal direction underneath the tote; unloading the tote from the shelf with the motorized conveyer belt and/or retracting the arms away from the shelf.
10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising the following steps: inserting the arms horizontally through the at least two slots of the tote or the castellated spacer; and lifting the arms so that the motorized conveyer belt touches the bottom of the tote or the castellated spacer.
11 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising the following step: dispatching the tote unloaded from the shelf with the roller belt.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is based upon and claims the right of priority to EP patent application Ser. No. 21/197,232.8, filed on Sep. 16, 2021, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to an unloading device for unloading a tote from a shelf in a warehouse. The unloading device comprises at least two arms for grabbing the tote in the shelf and a roller belt adjoining the at least two arms for dispatching the tote unloaded from the shelf, whereby the arms essentially each extend in a horizontal direction and are arranged distant and parallel to each other. BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, forklifts or lift trucks are used for unloading a tote from a shelf in a warehouse. The forklifts or lift trucks comprise a fork with two arms that are inserted into or moved underneath the tote standing in the shelf. The arms are lifted so that the tote stands on the arms of the fork and does not stand on the shelf anymore and are pulled backwards to unload the tote from the shelf. These forklifts or lift trucks usually need to be controlled by an employee who drives the forklift or lift truck to the shelf where the tote to be unloaded stands in and which is usually permanently installed. The arms of the forklifts or lift trucks are movable in a vertical direction to lift the tote off the shelf. Sometimes the arms are also movable in a horizontal direction to adjust the distance of one arm to the other. Nevertheless, it is necessary to fully insert the arms into or move them underneath the tote so that the tote stands securely on the arms and to pull back the whole forklift or lift trucks to move the tote backwards and unload the tote from the shelf. Especially with heavy totes, this can require a great deal of effort. The whole forklift or lift truck with its arms must first be pushed forward, respectively inserted, lifted together with the weight of the tote and then pulled back. However, such forklifts or lift trucks known from prior art do not yet provide an automatic and convenient solution for unloading a tote from a shelf. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object to provide an unloading device which makes it possible to automatically unload totes of different sizes easily and without a great effort from a shelf. The object is solved by the features of the independent claims. Preferred implementations are described in the sub claims. Therefore, an unloading device for unloading a tote from a shelf in a warehouse is provided. The unloading device comprises at least two arms for grabbing the tote in the shelf and a roller belt adjoining the at least two arms for dispatching the tote unloaded from the shelf, whereby the arms essentially each extend in a horizontal direction and are arranged distant and parallel to each other, the arms are movable in a vertical and/or horizontal direction in respect to a position of the tote in the shelf and/or in their horizontal distance to each other in respect to the shape of the tote, and each arm comprises a motorized conveyer belt extending along the essential horizontal direction on the arm for unloading the tote from the shelf in particular in essentially horizontal direction onto the roller belt. It is thus an essential point that, due to the arms that are movable in respect to the position and shape of the tote and to the conveyer belt, it is possible to unload individual totes without a great effort in a particular automated manner from the shelf via the arms onto the roller belt. The proposed solution does thus allow a seamless unloading of the tote from the shelf directly onto the roller belt. In other words, the proposed solution allows for an unloading without changing the unloading direction of the tote. The arms are preferably automatically drivable to an unloading position in respect to the individual shape and position of the tote that needs to be unloaded. Once tips of the arms touch the tote, the tote may get in contact with the conveyer belt. The conveyer belt may then, preferably after slightly lifting up the arms, pull the tote backwards onto the arms. By doing so an unloading solution is provided for unloading individual totes in a safe and easy manner, in particular without moving the whole unloading device. Alternatively, the arms, once in contact with the tote, may be lifted slightly up and may afterwards be retracted for moving the tote out of the shelf. The unloading device can be used for any kind of totes. Preferably, the tote is provided as a container and/or as a pallet, wherein individual goods can be stored. The tote can also be provided as intermediate bulk container and/or pallet, also known as intermediate bulk container (IBC) tote or IBC pallet, which are industrial-grade containers engineered for the mass handling, transport, and storage of liquids, semi-solids, pastes, or solids. The tote can be provided as flexible tote for e