Warehouse system having several aisles and automated method for operating same while the aisle is in a maintenance mode

摘要

A warehouse system comprising a control device; a plurality of racks defining rack aisles each of which includes an access and is secured against unauthorized entry by an operator by the access, wherein a first sensor monitors whether the access is closed or open and transmits corresponding status signals to the control device; a plurality of rack serving units each of which travels in an automated manner along a rack aisle and includes a load handling device for storing and retrieving storage goods. Each load handling device has assigned a second sensor which detects whether the load handling device is in a retracted neutral position, currently extracts, or is extracted, and which transmits a corresponding state signal to the control device. The system further includes an aisle-serving switch device that communicates with the control device and can be shifted physically by an access key between automatic and maintenance positions.

主权项

1. A warehouse system comprising:
a control device; a plurality of racks defining a plurality of rack aisles therebetween, wherein each of the rack aisles comprises an access and is secured by means of the access against entry of an unauthorized operator, the access being locked and unlocked by means of an access key, wherein a first sensor monitors whether the access is closed or open and transmits corresponding status signals to the control device; a plurality of rack serving units, wherein in each of the rack aisles at least respectively one rack serving unit travels in an automated manner at least along a longitudinal direction of the rack aisle and wherein each of the rack serving units comprises at least one load handling device, which can be extracted and retracted on both sides in a transverse direction for storing and retrieving storage goods in an automated manner in and from each of the racks in an automatic mode, the racks being arranged directly adjacent to the respective load handling device, wherein each of the load handling devices has assigned at least one second sensor which detects whether the load handling device is in a retracted neutral position, currently extracts or is extracted, and which transmits a corresponding state signal to the control device; and at least one aisle-serving switch device, wherein each of the switch devices communicates with the control device and is settable physically by means of the access key between an automatic position and a maintenance position, wherein the access key in the automatic position is physically connected inseparably to the respective switch device and in the maintenance position is physically connected separably from the respective switch device, in order to open one of the accesses which is determined by one of the to-be-maintained rack aisles; wherein the control device is adapted:
to communicate with the rack serving units, each of the switch devices, the first sensors, and the second sensors;to operate each of the rack serving units in the automatic mode if the status signal signals that all of the accesses are closed;to instruct each of the load handling devices of one of the rack serving units which is operated in a maintenance mode in a directly neighbouring rack aisle adjacent to the to-be-maintained rack aisle to which the operator needs to gain admission for the purpose of maintenance, to only store and retrieve storage goods in and from such racks which are not arranged directly adjacent to the to-be-maintained rack aisle; andto initiate an emergency switching off of the to-be-maintained rack aisle and at least of the directly adjacent rack aisle, if a state signal comes in which indicates that one of the load handling devices of the rack servicing units of the directly adjacent rack aisles is extracted towards one of the racks which is arranged directly adjacent to the to-be-maintained rack aisle.