WO2025040764A1

WO2025040764A1 - Goods handling

Info

Publication number: WO2025040764A1
Application number: PCT/EP2024/073606
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thomas Boel HOLST
Original assignee: Effimat Storage Technology A/S
Priority date: 2023-08-23
Filing date: 2024-08-22
Publication date: 2025-02-27

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a method of handling, picking and transporting one or more load units (10) comprising goods and one or more load units (20) that have been partly or fully emptied of goods by picking goods from the load unit(s) at or in one or more different types of load unit and goods handling systems and/or at or in one or more load unit and goods handling systems of the same type. The transporting of the load unit(s) to, into, through and/or from and/or between the load unit and goods handling systems being made by means of one or more transport systems and the load unit and goods handling systems themselves. The disclosure further relates to a system for handling, picking and transporting load units.

Description

GOODS HANDLING

Technical field

The present disclosure relates to a method for storing, handling and transporting load items or load units and picking goods from load items/units and transporting load items/units and picked goods, and a system for storing and transporting load unit/-s between stations and picking goods from load items/units, and transporting load items/units and picked goods as defined in the introductory parts of the independent claims.

Background art

There is known a lot of different types of systems for handling and transporting load items or load units with and/or without goods. An example of such a system is disclosed in US 8920098 B2.

A load item or load unit is known as a tote or a load supporting element, a box or a container. The particular type of load unit is selected in dependence of what goods it is intended to store. Often the goods are pieces/elements/articles or tubs or pots or parcels, but it may also be powder or liquids stored in different types, shapes and sizes of containers. A load unit may be a box e.g. with a rectangular bottom, sides and an upward opening, it may be provided with a lid; or a tray with only slightly raised edges; or a substantially flat board or any other element suitable for carrying the goods to be stored in a storage rack and suitable for being handled and moved by transportation means. The load unit may be made at least partly or wholly from plastics, e.g. PVC, metal, wood, or any combination thereof.

A problem with the solutions of the prior art is that storing and handling of load units filled with items and/or load units without items, i.e. empty load units, is time consuming and not efficient during picking as a picking station can only receive or put through/out a certain amount of load units, either filled with items or empty load units, and sort the load units moving into and/or out of and/or through the picking station as the picking station has a limited capacity or volume for receiving, storing and handling the load units, wherefore the picking station forms a "bottle neck"/chokepoint for the whole handling and picking system.

In some occasions, the operator putting partly empty or empty load units into or taking out or removing load units filled with one or more articles or items from the picking station usually has higher capacity than the picking station and has to stop putting in or taking out load units and wait until the picking station has processed a sufficient amount of load units before putting in load units into the picking station or taking out load units therefrom. There is thus a need for improved capacity of the picking station but also for a whole system configured for handling load units in which a picking station is used. One example of a picking station is disclosed in EP 3 088 335 Bl.

It is an object of the present disclosure to mitigate, alleviate or eliminate one or more of the above-identified deficiencies and disadvantages in the prior art and solve at least the above-mentioned problem. According to a first aspect there is provided a method of buffering, handling, picking and transporting one or more load units comprising goods and one or more load units that have been partly or fully emptied of goods by picking goods from the load unit at/in one or more work stations at/in two or more different types of load unit and goods handling systems and/or at/in two or more load unit and goods handling systems of the same type, the transporting of the load unit(s) to, into, through and/or from and/or between the load unit and goods handling system(s) being made by means of one or more transport/conveyor systems and/or members and/or devices and the load unit and goods handling system(s), the method further comprising: filling one or more load units into one or more of the load unit and goods handling systems for handling and storing and/or buffering; activating one or more transport members at one or more load unit and goods handling systems and moving each transport member to an associated work station of an associated load unit and goods handling system; starting one or more picking orders being ready for picking of goods and/or the load unit(s) at/in the work station of the load unit and goods handling system(s); fetching and presenting one or more load units according to the picking order(s) at/in the workstation(s) of the load unit and goods handling system(s) by means of the load unit and goods handling system(s) itself(/themselves); removing goods and/or one or more load units according to the picking order(s) and placing the picked goods and/or load unit(s) on the transport member(s); confirming at/in the work station(s) of the load unit and goods handling system(s) that the picking process is completed; returning any partly emptied and/or fully emptied load unit(s) - after picking - back into the load unit and goods handling system(s) for replenishing(/ref ill ing) of the load unit(s) - if required; and transporting the picked goods and/or one or more load units with the transport member(s) to one or more delivery locations for further handling of the picked goods and/or one or more load units.

According to another aspect there is provided a method of buffering, handling, picking and transporting one or more load units comprising goods and one or more load units that have been partly or fully emptied of goods by picking goods from the load unit at or in one or more work stations at or in two or more different types of load unit and goods handling systems and/or at or in two or more load unit and goods handling systems of the same type, the transporting of the load unit(s) to, into, through and/or from and/or between the one or more load unit and goods handling system(s) being made by means of one or more transport or conveyor systems and/or members and/or devices and/or by the load unit and goods handling system(s) themselves, the method further comprising: filling one or more load units into one or more of the load unit and goods handling systems for handling and storing and/or buffering; activating one or more transport members at one or more load unit and goods handling systems and moving each transport member to an associated work station of an associated load unit and goods handling system; starting one or more picking orders being ready for picking of goods and/or the load unit(s) at or in one or more of the work stations of the load unit and goods handling system(s); fetching and presenting one or more load units according to the picking order(s) at or in the workstation(s) of the load unit and goods handling system(s) by means of the load unit and goods handling system(s) itself or themselves (if more than one load unit and goods handling system is used); removing goods and/or one or more load units according to the picking order(s) and placing the picked goods and/or load unit(s) on the transport member(s); confirming at or in the work station(s) of the load unit and goods handling system(s) that the picking process is completed; returning any partly emptied and/or fully emptied load unit(s) - after picking - back into the load unit and goods handling system(s) for replenishing or refilling of the load unit(s); and transporting the picked goods and/or one or more load units with the transport member(s) to one or more delivery locations for further handling of the picked goods and/or one or more load units.

This increases the capacity of the load unit and goods handling system(s) as each work and/or picking station in itself adds both handling and filling/storage capacity and flexibility by providing the possibility of picking and returning any load unit in one and the same location (= work station), preferably not at the same time, i.e. it is preferred to not pick one or more goods/items and/or one or more load units and return any load unit in parallel and/or subsequently and/or at the same time and in the same workstation(s) where the picking occurred, i.e. it is not preferred picking an item/f illed load unit with one hand and returning an emptied load unit with the other hand in one and the same workstation. It is possible to pick and return at the same time and in the same workstation(s) but this is not preferred. The reasons are that performing the picking and returning "in parallel"/simultaneously in one and the same workstation is not as efficient as performing picking in one or more of the workstations and returning in one or more other workstations separately as the available work space around and in each workstation is limited. Moreover, two carts in the same workstation, one or more carts having one or more items and/or filled load units after/during picking and one or more other carts having one or more empty load units to be returned take up more or even doubled space in the zone(s) and/or workstation(s). This may incur "traffic jamming" at one or more workstations making it riskier for human operators as the machinery/moving parts in each station then is "working" and/or moving the load unit(s) and/or the cart(s) in different and/or opposite directions at the same time in the same physical space incurring greater risks of injuries.

However, this combination of one or more picking stations with one or more intermediate storage/buffering systems operating autonomously (by itself(themselves) and separately but in cooperation means that handling and intermediate storage capacity of load unit and goods are further increased by the use of additional buffering arranged before or after the work/picking station(s) or between two or more picking stations. It will also allow any operator to focus longer on just filling up the buffer of load units - i.e. the added intermediate storage(s) or buffering system(s) - instead of filling up only the picking system(s) and associated station(s) intermittently and waiting/jumping between tasks. It also creates a better, quicker and more flexible working and picking flow in/at one or more workstations while - at the same time but preferably in one or more other workstations - allowing an uninterrupted work flow when returning any at least partly emptied or fully emptied load unit(s) on- demand, i.e. if required. Another benefit is that this flexible working and picking flow/process/method itself and when implemented in one or more systems gives the picking owner/leader an overview of the turnover and/or volume and/or number and/or amount of the types of goods and/or items and/or articles and/or load units they have received and will need to handle/pick and to return when emptied by the picking and an improved ability to plan ahead regarding need of upscaling or downscaling the whole plant, i.e. the whole system(s), in response to changing demand. Moreover, when an operator fills the load unit/-s with one or more goods/items/articles, the operator can assign a category and/or different categories to the goods or items or articles and/or to the load unit/-s (on a software interface) as being e.g. of a category A or B or C, etc., with different priorities, such as high- and/or low- runners, all of which has to be handled differently after the picking process and/or before the picking process. For example, one type of picked goods has to be transported in one first path and/or to one first location and/or to one first zone, while another type of picked goods in turn has to be transported in another path and/or to another location and/or to another zone to be handled differently. In some aspects, one type of picked goods and/or one type of goods to be picked means goods comprising only one single load unit or more than one single load unit being partly full and/or fully filled with articles of only one category and/or meaning only one single article or more than one single article of only one category while another type of picked goods and/or another type of goods to be picked means goods comprising only one single load unit or more than one single load unit being partly full and/or fully filled of articles of only one other category and/or meaning only one single article or more than one article of only one other category. In some aspects, goods mean only one single load unit or more, i.e. two or more, single load units being partly full or fully filled with articles of more than one category A, B, or C and/or mean more than one single article and therefore at least two single articles of different categories A, B or C. This allows the owner of the load unit and goods handling system to methodically better plan ahead, so they do not end up with too few or too many load units and/or goods and/or items and/or articles of one category in one or more picking stations resulting in a bottleneck later on, while there are too few or too many load units and/or goods and/or items and/or articles of another category available for the operators handling the load units and/or the goods/items/articles in one or more of the other picking stations. Moreover, the whole load unit and goods handling method therefore provides a better ability of optimizing and avoiding bottlenecks much later in the "pipeline", i.e. in the load unit handling and transport system and in and after the whole system by getting an overview early on of which category of load units (filled with one or more goods/items or empty load units) each station and operator have received and how many, so the method itself and the operators together provide a strategy for which exact and how many load units are handled and prioritized to have picked or filled with one or more goods/items anew.

According to some embodiments, the method comprises confirming at/in the work station(s) of the load unit and goods handling system(s) that one or more first or start picking orders are completed and that one or more new and/or next and/or subsequent picking orders in line can be started to be fetched and presented at/in the work station(s) of the load unit and goods handling system(s).

Advantageously, operators manually picking one or more filled load units from either one or more intermediate storage and buffering systems or from one or more picking stations or from both one or more intermediate storage and buffering systems and one or more picking stations are able to continue doing this manual work without interrupting any manual work in any of the other load unit and goods handling stations of the whole system.

According to some embodiments, the method comprises moving the transport member(s) into one or more of first or start picking zones in which one or more work stations of one or more of the load unit and goods handling systems are located; and/or moving the picked-up transport member(s) into one or more of second or other picking zones in which one or more work stations of one or more of the same load unit and goods handling systems are located and/or where one or more work stations of one or more of different load unit and goods handling systems are located; starting one or more picking orders that are ready for picking of goods at/in one or more of the work stations of the load unit and goods handling system(s) in one or more of the first picking zones and/or in one or more of the other picking zones; fetching and presenting one or more load units at/in one or more of the work stations of the load unit and goods handling system(s) by means of the load unit and goods handling system(s) itself(/themselves) in one or more of the first picking zones and/or in one or more of the other picking zones according to one or more of the picking orders; picking goods and/or one or more load units and placing the picked goods and/or load unit(s) on one or more of the transport members in one or more of the first picking zones and/or in one or more of the other picking zones according to one or more of the picking orders; confirming at/in one or more of the work stations of the load unit and goods handling system(s) that one or more of the picking orders are completed in one or more of the first picking zones and/or in one or more of the other picking zones; returning any partly emptied and/or fully emptied load unit(s) - after picking - back into one or more of the load unit and goods handling systems in one or more of the first picking zones and/or in one or more of the other picking zones to enable replenish of the load unit(s) if required, while - continuing the work of moving, fetching, presenting and picking of one or more load units and confirming finished picking of one or more load units according to one or more of the picking orders at/in and/or from and/or to one or more of the other work stations in which no returning of any load unit(s) occurs; and transporting the picked goods and/or one or more load units with one or more of the transport members to one or more delivery locations for further handling of the picked goods and/or one or more load units.

According to some embodiments, the method comprises moving the transport member(s) into one or more of first picking zones in which one or more first work stations of one or more of a first load unit and goods handling system are located, and picking goods and/or one or more load units out of the first work station(s) and placing the picked goods and/or load unit(s) on the transport member(s) in the first picking zone(s) according to one or more of first picking orders, and moving the partly filled transport member(s) out of the first picking zone(s) after the first picking order(s) been confirmed as finished and into one or more of second or other picking zones in which one or more second work stations of one or more of a second load unit and goods handling system are located, and picking goods and/or one or more load units out of the second work station(s) and placing the picked goods and/or load unit(s) on the transport member(s) in the second or other picking zone(s) according to one or more of second picking orders.

Advantageously, the transport member(s) can be utilized in one picking zone to complete or partial complete one or more or an unknown amount of picking orders and hereafter continue into the next zone to complete the remaining picking order(s), if needed. If all load units must be available in all picking zones as hitherto - then the complete system is less flexible as all load units must be represented in all picking zones (multiple load units available in the complete system which may not be needed as the flow of the load unit(s) is close to zero).

According to a second aspect there is provided a system for buffering, handling, picking and transporting one or more load units filled with goods and one or more load units that have been partly or fully emptied of goods by picking goods from the load unit(s) at/in one or more different types of load unit and goods handling systems and/or at/in one or more load unit and goods handling systems of the same type, the system comprising one or more transport/conveyor systems and/or members and/or devices configured to transport the load unit(s) to, into, through and/or from and/or between the load unit and goods handling system(s), the system further comprising one or more first load unit and goods handling systems being of vertical lift modular system type and configured to enable storing/buffering, handling, picking, receiving and transporting one or more load units; one or more second load unit and goods handling systems arranged upstream of the first load unit and goods handling system(s), the second load unit and goods handling system(s) also being configured to enable storing and buffering, handling, picking, receiving and transporting the load unit(s) comprising goods and the load unit(s) being partly or fully emptied of goods to provide additional intermediate storage as a second or further buffering station(s) for the load unit(s), wherein the one or more transport and/or conveyor systems and/or members and/or devices comprise(s) one or more first transport systems configured to transport the load unit(s) to and from the second load unit and goods handling system(s), the first transport system(s) forming part of one or more work stations at the second load unit and goods handling system(s) to enable removing and picking goods and/or one or more load units from the second load unit and goods handling system(s) and filling goods and/or one or more load units into the second load unit and goods handling system(s) via the one or more work stations and the first transport system(s); and one or more second transport systems configured to transport the load unit(s) to and from both the first load unit and goods handling system(s) and the second load unit and goods handling system(s), wherein the second transport system(s) form(s) one or more bridging parts operatively interconnecting the first load unit and goods handling system(s) with the second load unit and goods handling system(s) to enable removing one or more partly or fully emptied load units from one or more outlets of the first load unit and goods handling system(s) and transporting the partly or fully emptied load unit(s) to be introduced into the second load unit and goods handling system(s) for refilling of goods as the filled load unit(s), and transporting one or more filled and/or refilled load units received from the second load unit and goods handling system(s) to the first load unit and goods handling system(s) to be introduced into one or more inlets of the first load unit and goods handling system(s) for automatically filling up the first load unit and goods handling system(s) with one or more load units comprising goods.

This increases the capacity of the whole load unit and goods handling system as each work and/or picking station in itself adds both handling and filling/storage capacity and flexibility before, during and after the picking as both picking (picking goods from any load unit and/or picking the load unit(s) itself/themselves) and returning load units can be performed in one and the same work station - but not necessarily at the same time but that depends on the actual capacity of the work station itself - but when combined with an intermediate storage or buffering system, this means that handling and intermediate storage capacity of load unit(s) and goods are further increased by the use of a buffering arranged before or after any work/picking station or between two or more picking stations as a first, second or last handling step of the loads units. It will also allow an operator to focus longer on just filling up the second load unit and goods handling system(s) (in some embodiments of low-speed type) being the buffer of load units - i.e. the added intermediate storage or buffering system - instead of filling up only the picking system being the first load unit and goods handling system(s) (in some embodiments of high-speed type) and its stations intermittently and waiting/jumping between tasks. It also creates a better, quicker and more flexible working and picking flow. Another benefit is that it gives the picking owner/leader an overview of the volume of the types of goods or items or articles they have received and will need to handle. An advantage is that this provides a more efficient handling of goods to be picked and forwarded to further handling by optimizing floor space and making a more compact system for this. Hence, this solution yields higher capacity per m² of accessible space. The system is also more adaptable as being modular and clustered in groups, whereby maintenance is made more efficient and simpler by providing the ability of disabling one machine, i.e. a station and/or group of machines/stations for maintenance while the other stations/machines are able to continue the operation without interruption. When an operator fills the load unit/-s with one or more goods or items or articles, the operator can assign a category and/or different categories to the goods or items or articles and/or to the load unit/-s (on a software interface) as being e.g. category A or B or C, etc., all of which has to be handled differently after the picking process (one type of picked goods has to be transported in one first path and/or to one first location and/or zone, while another type of picked goods in turn has to be transported in another path and/or to another location and/or zone to be handled differently, etc.). This allows the owner of the load unit and goods handling system to methodically better plan ahead, so they do not end up with too few or too many load units and/or goods/items/articles of one category in one or more picking stations resulting in a bottleneck later on, while there are too few or too many load units and/or goods/items/articles of another category available for the operators handling the load units and/or the goods/items/articles in one or more of the other picking stations. Moreover, the whole load unit and goods handling system(s) therefore provides a better ability of optimizing and avoiding bottlenecks much later in the "pipeline", i.e. in the load unit handling and transport system(s) and in and after the whole system(s) by getting an overview early on of which category of load units (filled with one or more goods/items or empty ones) each station and operator have received and how many, so the system(s) itself(/themselves) is(are) more flexible and autonomous and that the system(s) itself(/themselves) and the operator(s) together provide a strategy for which exact and how many load units are handled and prioritized to have picked or refilled - if empty - with one or more goods/items anew.

According to some embodiments, each of the first transport system(s) and work and/or picking station(s) of the second load unit and goods handling system(s) cooperate(s) with but is separated from the second transport system(s) operatively interconnecting the first load unit and goods handling system(s) with the second load unit and goods handling system(s).

This makes the different systems and stations able to cooperate but also to operate independently of each other if for example one or more of the second load unit and goods handling systems are disabled due to maintenance, one or more of the first load unit and goods handling systems can still continue to operate without interruption, at least for some time or during a standstill.

According to some embodiments, each of the first load unit and goods handling system(s) comprises one or more inlets and/or outlets of which one or more inlets and one or more outlets are arranged at a back end of each first load unit and goods handling system to be operatively connected to one or more of the second transport system(s) and one or more inlets and/or outlets are arranged at a front end of each first load unit and goods handling system to be accessible as one or more work stations to enable one or more operators to pick goods out of one or more load units and/or to pick out one or more whole/single load units from each first load unit and goods handling system and/or to introduce partly emptied or fully emptied load units back into the first and/or the second load unit and goods handling system(s) on demand.

This provides advantages with the system compared to the advantages by the method itself including enabling parallel work in many workstations without interruption any work in any other workstation(s) meaning that any work flow is at least keeping its pace or even increasing the pace as also the storing and buffering in the actual "flow path" improves the working capacity of both operators and the systems together and separately by making each workstation more autonomous, i.e. by not affecting the "flow" in any other workstations including the picking of items/load units and returning emptied load units into the system, thereby improving also flexibility and output of work at any workstation and of the whole system(s) while also optimizing used man-hours versus output of work and reducing down-time to a minimum, i.e. increasing the actual efficiency of each system as a much improved total flow-line production is enabled. This enables work, such as picking and/or returning goods, to be performed in/at at least one or several or many or all of the workstations at the same time/simultaneously/concurrently and in parallel but preferably not in the same workstation. According to some embodiments, each of the workstations of the first load unit and goods handling system(s) comprises one or more displays configured to be operatively connected to one or more of the first load unit and goods handling systems.

This is beneficial as the display(s) provides fast and intuitive indicators of which load unit(s) and/or item(s) to pick/return, how many load units/items to pick/return and where - in/at which workstation(s) - to pick/return the load units/items in the first load unit and goods handling system(s) etc. This makes picking more efficient as only the load unit(s) and/or item(s) to be picked are presented and interactively displayed eliminating faulty picking in the first and/or second load unit and goods handling system(s) and/or picking in the wrong load unit and goods handling system(s). This makes returning of any emptied load unit(s) more efficient as only the load unit(s) to be returned may be presented and interactively displayed eliminating returning any emptied load unit(s) in the wrong workstation(s) and/or wrong load unit and goods handling system(s) such as returning any load unit(s) in the first load unit and goods handling system(s) instead of the correct second load unit and goods handling system(s) or vice versa.

According to some embodiments, each of the work stations of the second load unit and goods handling systems comprises one or more displays configured to operatively connected to one or more of the second load unit and goods handling systems.

This is beneficial as the display(s) provides fast and intuitive indicators of which load unit(s) and/or item(s) to pick and/or return, how many load units and/or items to pick/return and where to pick and/or return the load units and/or items in the second load unit and goods handling system(s) etc. This makes picking more efficient as only the load unit(s) and/or the item(s) to be picked are presented and interactively displayed eliminating faulty picking in the first and/or the second load unit and goods handling system(s) and/or picking in the wrong load unit and goods handling system(s). This makes returning of any emptied load unit(s) more efficient as only the load unit(s) to be returned may be presented and interactively displayed eliminating return of any empty load unit(s) in the wrong workstation(s) and/or wrong load unit and goods handling system(s), such as returning any load unit(s) in the second load unit and goods handling system(s) instead of the correct first load unit and goods handling system(s) or vice versa.

According to some embodiments, each of the transport members or carts comprises one or more displays configured to be operatively connected to one or more of the first and/or the second load unit and goods handling systems.

This is beneficial as the display(s) provides fast and intuitive indicators of which load unit(s) and/or item(s) is(are) stored on each cart, how many load units and/or items are stored on each cart and where each cart is located and where each cart is to be moved etc. This also provides the same beneficiary functions as for the displays associated with the first and/or the second load unit and goods handling system(s) and the whole system(s) as the display(s) on the cart(s) operatively complement these other ones for control of the goods handling, transporting, picking and returning of load units.

According to some embodiments, each first load unit and goods handling system is a highspeed low capacity system and each second load unit and goods handling system is a low-speed high capacity storage system.

Hence, by combining one or more large low-speed high capacity storage systems with one or more, preferably at least two high-speed low capacity systems a gigantic system or buffer zone of items is created in which the items - alone/single and/or in plurality and/or filled and/or stored and/or buffered in one or more load units - can be transferred automatically to the high-speed low capacity system(s) fronting, i.e. workstation(s), and being accessible to the operator(s).

According to some embodiments, each display is fixedly or detachably assembled at/in/to/on the first and/or second load unit and goods handling system(s) and/or the transport member(s)/cart(s) and is operatively communicating with one or more or each of these entities by wire or wirelessly.

Advantageously, this enables the operator(s) to always be "on top", i.e. aware about what is occurring and/or what to do next incl. next picking order(s) and the status, progress and completion of the picking order(s) at hand in a swifter and more interactive way than before.

According to some embodiments, each workstation of the first and/or second load unit and goods handling system(s) comprises one or more displays being fixedly or detachably assembled at/in/to/on, i.e., at or in or to or on, an accessible position in the workstation(s) enabling one or more operators to interactively communicate with the workstation(s) and/or the first and/or second load unit and goods handling system(s) and/or the whole system(s).

Advantageously, as above, this enables the operator(s) to always be aware about the next step incl. next picking order(s) and the status, progress and completion of the picking order(s) at hand.

This increases the capacity of the whole picking and handling system even further but also improves the flexibility of the whole load unit and goods handling system as it enhances handling, filling and the operational storage capacity before the sorting and/or the picking of the load units and/or the goods commences and during the sorting and/or the picking procedure for the load units being empty and/or filled with one or more goods and/or items as the buffering is arranged between the picking and/or filling station/-s and one or more inlet and/or receiving stations and/or one or more outlets and/or outfeed stations of the intermediate storage and buffering system, i.e. the buffering is made upstream of the picking and/or filling station/-s and downstream of the inlet and/or receiving station/-s of the intermediate storage and buffering system.

Hence, advantageously, an operator manually filling one or more mobile picking carts with load units comprising one or more goods and/or items and/or filling empty load units with one or more goods and/or items and/or returning empty load units at one load unit and goods handling station do not interrupt the picking and/or filling and/or returning work in any of the other load unit and goods handling stations of the whole system, i.e. the manual work at each or at least most pending work of the stations can be continued simultaneously without interruption.

Furthermore, advantageously, operators manually moving carts filled with load units emptied of items and/or load units still comprising one or more items between either one or more intermediate storage and buffering systems or between one or more picking stations or between both one or more intermediate storage and buffering systems and one or more picking stations may work more efficient and with a more even workload as the buffering of load units and/or goods/items may be done independently of the manual picking and/or filling and/or returning being performed at the same time, e.g. more load units and/or goods and/or items may be handled than in prior art at the same time without having to stop the picking and/or filling and/or returning work in any of the load unit and goods handling stations of the whole system.

According to some embodiments, the method comprises transporting the transport member(s) away from the workstation(s) and/or picking station(s) where picking and/or returning occurred when the picking and/or returning work is/are finished in the associated workstation(s) and/or picking station(s).

According to some embodiments, the transport member(s) of the system is/are configured to move or be transported away from the workstation(s) and/or picking station(s) where picking and/or returning occurred when the picking and/or returning work is/are finished in the associated workstation(s) and/or picking station(s).

It is beneficial to transport emptied load unit(s) away from the work/picking station(s) and/or the picking zones as even though the transport member(s)/car(s)/cart(s) is(are) not fully filled with goods and/or load units - and therefore put in a "non-completed-picking-order-zone" - due to the fact that an on-going flow of physical movement of the transport member(s) eliminates the possibility of a bottleneck situation in the picking and returning proceedings, i.e. in the flow. It is crucial that the transport member(s) are moving in a constant flow or bottlenecks will happen. Hence, it is to be understood that the herein disclosed disclosure is not limited to the particular component parts of the device described or steps of the methods described since such device and method may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting. It should be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claim, the articles "a", "an", "the", and "said" are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements unless the context explicitly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "a unit/station/system" or "the unit/station/system" may include several devices, and the like. Furthermore, the words "comprising", "including", "containing" and similar wordings does not exclude other elements or steps. Further, the definition of an exemplary entity as "a unit/station/system" means "a unit and/or a station and/or a system".

Terminology: The term "transport system" is to be interpreted as a system comprising transport paths in the form of railing or conveyors or other similar ways of transporting load units within this field. The term "load unit/-s" is/are to be interpreted as one or more semi-flexible or flexible or semi-rigid or rigid containers configured to receive one or more items at a top end and in some embodiments through an opening at this top end and to carry the item/-s and/or being opened at a bottom end to be emptied of the goods and/or item/-s when required and/or being open at a top end to enable picking out or removing items from the top end and/or closed at the bottom end when required during the handling of the load unit/-s and their content of items. The terms "up-/down- stream" are to be interpreted as directions of movement of load units and/or mobile carts with one or more filled and/or empty load units and relative positions between buffering and/or handling and/or picking and/or workstations along the transport paths in the form of railing or conveyors or carts other similar ways of transporting separate pieces and/or a plurality of load units with or without goods and/or articles and/or items within this field. The term "whole load unit handling system" is to be interpreted as a scalable and modular load unit handling system comprising at least one combination of one or more high-capacity (in terms of number of goods and/or items and/or load units) low-speed (in terms of transport pace/speed) intermediate storage/buffering systems operatively and dynamically cooperating with one or more, preferably at least two or pairwise arranged low capacity high-speed load unit picking stations of vertical lift modular type, which - in turn - comprises one or more work stations enabling for one or more operators to pick one or more goods or items out of load units at/in the workstation(s) and/or pick out one or more load units with one or more goods or items from the workstation(s) and/or return/replace one or more load units being at least partly empty or fully emptied of goods or items for refilling those empty load unit(s) with goods or items again if required/demanded. The terms inlet/receiving stations and outlets/outfeed stations of the high capacity low-speed intermediate storage/buffering system(s) and the one or more low capacity high- speed picking stations are to be interpreted as one or more locations or workstations configured to both receive one or more load units (either empty load units and/or load units filled with one or more items) to be entered into the high capacity low-speed intermediate storage/buffering system(s) for further handling in the high capacity low-speed intermediate storage/buffering system(s) and/or the high-speed picking station/-s and output or discharge or feed out or unload or offload one or more load units from the high capacity low-speed intermediate storage/buffering system(s) and/or the highspeed picking station/-s (e.g. when one or more empty load units are to be removed from the whole load unit handling system(s) for ref ill ing/replenishing with items or to be repaired or replaced by new and/or undamaged and/or unbroken load units or when the number of load units is to be lowered for less buffering capacity in the system(s) (the opposite of adding further load units to increase the buffering capacity of the system(s) is also done at detected need)).

Brief of the

The above objects, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following illustrative and non-limiting detailed description of example embodiments of the present disclosure, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Figures 1 to 3 shows perspective views of a load unit and goods handling system from different viewing angles according to an embodiment of one aspect of the present disclosure.

Figure 4 shows a top view of the load unit and goods handling system on figs. 1 -3.

Figures 5 to 7 show top views of load unit and goods handling systems according to different embodiments of one aspect of the present disclosure.

Figures 8 and 9 show perspective views of a load unit and goods handling system - each perspective view from a different viewing angle - according to one more embodiment of one aspect of the present disclosure.

Figure 10 shows a top view of the load unit and goods handling system of figs. 8 and 9 according to another embodiment of one aspect of the present disclosure.

Figure 11 shows a top view of the load unit and goods handling system of figs. 8 and 9 according to yet another embodiment of one aspect of the present disclosure.

Figure 12 shows a top view of a load unit and goods handling system according to still another embodiment of one aspect of the present disclosure. Figure. 13 to 16 are flow charts disclosing methods according to different embodiments according to another aspect of the present disclosure.

Detailed description

The present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred example embodiments of a first and a second aspect of the disclosure are shown in figures 1 to 16. The disclosure may, however, be embodied in other forms and should not be construed as limited to the herein disclosed embodiments. The disclosed embodiments are provided to fully convey the scope of the disclosure to the skilled person. The straight and curved/bent and thick white arrows in solid and dotted lines in the figures visualize the directions of movement/transport of load units and/or goods/items between two or more load unit and goods handling systems while picking and/or returning one or more such load units into one or more load unit and goods handling systems and/or while picking goods or items or articles out of the load unit(s) handled by one or more of the load unit and goods handling systems.

The handling and transport of goods or articles or items 8 and/or one or more load units 10, 20 are achieved by means of at least one or more load unit and goods handling stations 1 - If and 2 - 2f (see figs. 1 to 12) being configured to functionally interact with each other by being operatively connected to one or more transport systems 6 - 6f and 7 - 7f for transporting the load unit(s) 10, 20 and/or goods 8 to and/or into and/or through and/or from and/or between the load unit and goods handling stations 1 - If and 2 - 2f forming one or more modular and therefore easily scalable larger "whole" systems 100 - 105 or a very large or "gigantic" system 100 - 105. The movements and transport paths for the load unit(s) 10, 20 are visualized by straight and/or bent or curved white thick single and double arrows in figs. 4 to 7, and 10 to 12. In some embodiments, one or more load unit and goods handling stations 1 If and 2 - 2f (see figs. 1 to 12) use/-s one or more conveyors and/or rolls 6 - 6f, 7 - 7f or conveyor belts 6 - 6f, 7 - 7f to transport the load unit(s) 10, 20 and items 8 from a first end to a second end and/or other part of each of the load unit and goods handling station(s) 1 - If, 2 - 2f. In some embodiments, the load unit(s) 10, 20 and/or goods 8 could be handled partly by hand, i.e. manually, or by one or more machines, such as robotic arms or the like, e.g. when picked, stored and/or transported.

In some aspects of the disclosure, at least one or more of a first type of load unit and goods handling stations 1 - If is/are of a high-speed vertical lift modular type configured to fill and store and load and receive and transport (inside the station itself and into and out of the station 1 - If itself at/in one or more picking and workstations 4 - 4f) one or more load units 10 filled with one or more goods 8 to be picked and to enable picking one or more single items 8 and/or one or more load units 10 comprising one or more items 8 from each high-speed load unit and goods handling station 1 - If.

In some aspects of the disclosure, at least one or more of a first type of load unit and goods handling stations 1 - If is/are of a high-speed vertical lift modular type configured to be optionally filled or loaded by receiving and transporting (inside the station 1 - If itself and into and out of the station 1 - If itself at/in one or more picking and workstations 4 - 4f) one or more partly empty or fully empty load units 20 to enable introducing or returning one or more load units 20 with no items 8, i.e. empty load units 20 or only having one or a few items, i.e. a too little number of items 8 to be picked, wherefore the load unit(s) 20 instead has/-ve to be replenished, into one or more of the picking and workstations 4 - 4f of one or more high-speed load unit and goods handling stations 1 - If to be transported back to the second type of one or more low-speed high capacity scalable and modular buffering systems 2a - 2f by the high-speed low capacity load unit and goods handling station(s) 1 - If (in operational cooperation with one or more transport systems 7 - 7f) to be replenished.

In some aspects of the disclosure, at least one or more of the second type of load unit and goods handling stations 2 - 2f is/are of a low-speed scalable gantry crane type configured as an intermediate high-capacity storage for buffering and filling and receiving and transporting and loading and unloading (inside the station 2 - 2f itself and into and out of the station 2 - 2f itself at/in one or more work stations 3 - 3f) to enable picking and/or filling empty load units 20 and returning those as filled up load units 10 comprising items 8 - after finished filling - into the second type of load unit and goods handling stations 2 - 2f.

In some aspects of the disclosure, at least one or more of the second type of load unit and goods handling stations 2 - 2f is/are of a low-speed scalable gantry crane type configured as an intermediate high-capacity storage for buffering and filling and receiving and transporting and loading and unloading (inside the station 2 - 2f itself and into and out of the station 2 - 2f itself at/in one or more work stations 3 - 3f) to enable removing from or picking out partly empty or fully empty load units 20 , of each work station 3 - 3f , which load unit(s) 20 comprises no items 8, i.e. fully empty load unit 20 or load unit(s) only having a few items, i.e. a too little number of items 8 to be picked, to be able to fill the load unit(s) 20 anew, i.e. replenish the load unit(s) 10 with one or more items 8 to convert the load unit(s) into filled ones 10. Then, the refilled load unit(s) 10 may be returned into the second type of load unit and goods handling stations 2 - 2f being low-speed and intermediate high- capacity storage(s) for further storage until being transported back to the first type of load unit and goods handling stations 1 - If of high-speed vertical lift modular type for further handling, such as picking on demand. Hence, then the load unit handling cycle restarts by picking and when the load unit(s) 10 are at least partly or fully emptied as the load unit(s) 20, the at least partly emptied load unit(s) 20 is(are) returned into the workstation(s) 3 - 3f of the second type of load unit and goods handling stations 2 - 2f for replenishment and/or into the workstation(s) 4 - 4f of the high-speed load unit and goods handling stations 1 - If to be forwarded back to the second type of load unit and goods handling stations 2 - 2f for replenishment. When the load unit(s) 20 is(are) returned directly to the workstation(s) 3 - 3f of the second type of load unit and goods handling stations 2 - 2f the load unit(s) 20 is(are) possible to replenish directly while - when the load unit(s) 20 is(are) returned first to the workstation(s) 4 - 4f of the high-speed load unit and goods handling station(s) 1 - If - the load unit(s) 20 has(have) to be transported firstly through the high-speed load unit and goods handling station(s) 1 - If and out of the high-speed load unit and goods handling station(s) 1 - If and into/onto one or more transport systems 7 - 7f and further via the transport system(s) 7-7f into the second type of load unit and goods handling station(s) 2 - 2f for replenishment thereby.

In some aspects of the disclosure, each of the second type of low-speed load unit and goods handling stations 2 - 2f being a buffering system adds load unit storage and handling capacity and comprises one or more work stations 3 - 3f comprising one or more inlets for loading or filling or receiving one or more load units 10, 20 to be entered into the buffering system 2 - 2f and/or comprising one or more outlets for unloading one or more load units from the work station(s) 3 - 3f, i.e. to output load units 10, 20 from the buffering system 2 - 2f and to any other external source(s), such as to one or more transport systems 6 - 6f, 7 - 7f and/or to one or more carts 9, and/or to deliver one or more load units 10 with one or more items 8 to the high-speed vertical lift module(s) 1 - If via one or more transport systems 7 - 7f.

In some aspects of the disclosure, each high-speed low capacity vertical lift module 1 - If comprises one or more openings 4 - 4f being inlets and/or outlets configured to be one or more work station(s) for loading and/or filling and/or receiving and/or unloading and/or outputting and/or removing and/or picking load units 10, 20 arriving from the low-speed high capacity buffering system(s) 2 - 2f and/or from within the high-speed low capacity vertical lift module itself (i.e. already present therein) and/or from any external sources to be delivered to the high-speed low capacity vertical lift module(s) or to be picked from the high-speed low capacity vertical lift module(s).

In some aspects of the disclosure, each buffering system 2 - 2f comprises one or more lifting devices or cranes 5 - 5f configured to move/lift load units 10, 20 onto or off one or more of the transport members/conveyer belts/systems 6 - 6f and/or 7 - 7f, thereby moving any load unit in and out of each buffering system 2 - 2f in response to demand. In some aspects of the disclosure, one or more first transport/conveyer system(s)/belt(s) 6 - 6f is/are configured for transport of one or more load units 10, 20 into and from one or more load unit and goods handling stations 2 - 2f being the buffering system and between the buffering system(s) and its/their inlet and/or outlet(s)/work station(s) 3 - 3f.

In some aspects of the disclosure, one or more second transport/conveyor systems 7 - 7f is/are configured for transport of one or more load units 10, 20 between one or more high-speed vertical lift module(s) 1 - If and one or more low-speed scalable buffering system(s) 2 - 2f to operatively connect the low-speed scalable buffering system(s) 2 - 2f with the high-speed vertical lift modular system(s) 1 - If.

According to the disclosure and shown on all figs., the low-speed scalable buffering system(s) 2

- 2f comprises squares or modules or spaces or wall-less rooms similar to pergolas forming a matrix of rows and columns by means of upstanding pillars or poles or corner studs or wall studs arranged in rows and horizontal crossbars or ceiling joists or transverse beams arranged in rows supporting one or more overhead travelling cranes 5 - 5f. These wall-less room or pergola modules are easily enlarged by adding more corner studs and prolonging or joining more transverse beams together to provide more travel lengths and reach to one or more overhead travelling cranes 5 - 5f, which overhead travelling cranes 5 - 5f can be more than one as shown in figs. 1 to 11 and more than two as shown in fig. 12.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the scalable larger "whole" system(s) 100 - 105 comprising one or more high-speed vertical lift modules 1 - If and one or more low-speed buffering systems 2 - 2f comprises or utilizes one or more transport members or mobile carts 9 for transport of the load unit(s) 10, 20 between one or more of the high-speed vertical lift modules 1 - If and/or between one or more of the high-speed vertical lift modules and one or more of the buffering system(s) 2 - 2f and/or the inlet(s) and/or outlet(s) 3 - 3f of the buffering system(s) and/or between the inlet(s) and/or outlet(s) 4

- 4f of the high-speed vertical lift module(s) 1 - If. The mobile cart(s) 9 is(are) in some embodiments moved/transported manually by the operator(s) 40. The mobile cart(s) 9 is(are) in some embodiments autonomous, i.e. able to move automatically by means of one or more motors and one or more sensors and one or more control units similar to self-driving cars, robots or electric forklift trucks.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the scalable larger "whole" system(s) 100 - 105; one or more of the high-speed vertical lift modules 1 - If; and/or one or more of the low-speed high-capacity buffering systems 2 - 2f comprises one or more displays or screens 30 to input data, such as commands, status updates, into the scalable larger "whole" system 100 - 105 and/or one or more of the high-speed vertical lift modules 1 - If and/or one or more of the low-speed high-capacity buffering systems 2 - 2f and/or to visualize status of any of these systems and modules. In some aspects of the disclosure, one or more displays 30 are accessibly mounted on one or more conveyors 6 - 6f and/or on one or more mobile carts 9. In some aspects of the disclosure, one or more displays 30 are accessibly mounted at/in one or more workstations 3 - 3f of one or more low-speed high-capacity buffering systems 2 - 2f. In some aspects of the disclosure, one or more displays 30 are accessibly mounted at/in one or more workstations 4 - 4f of one or more high-speed vertical lift modules 1 - If.

According to the disclosure, the one or more displays 30 enable for one or more operators or workers 40 - with help of interactive communication with a central control system by input and output of information via the one or more displays 30 to perform on-demand picking and/or returning goods 8 and/or load units 10, 20 within/out of/into the system(s) 100 - 105 - to control and confirm any pick or return and picking/returning procedure of the item(s) 8 and/or the load unit(s) 10, 20 and to control and to know where to pick, move and return the item(s) 8 and/or the load unit(s) 10, 20 within and out and into the system(s) 100 - 105 via one or more parts, e.g. one or more high-speed vertical lift modules 1 - If and one or more low-speed buffering systems 2 - 2f of the whole system(s) 100- 105.

According to the disclosure, the most used way of refilling items 8 into the load unit(s) 20 is for the operator(s) 40 to manually enter the high-capacity storage area 2 - 2f and move the load unit(s) 20 out to store or fill new items 8 into the load unit(s) 20 followed by re-inserting the now re-filled load unit(s) 10 into the system 100 - 105 via the first conveyor(s) 6 - 6f of the low-speed high-capacity scalable buffering system(s) 2 - 2f.

Thereby, it is possible to refill the load unit(s) 20 by manually removing these empty ones from the system(s) 1 - If, 2 - 2f, 100 - 105 and manually stack the load unit(s) 20. To avoid that any of the system(s) 1 - If, 2 - 2f, 100 - 105 is/are shut down due to safety reasons when any of the operator(s) 40 move(s) adjacent and/or enter(s) the operation area for the system(s), the display(s) 30 is(are) used to interactively communicate - remotely - to control picking and returning procedures. This is also a help for the operator(s) when to refill items 8 into empty load unit(s) 20 by enabling interactively requesting an empty load unit via entry of commands on the display(s) 30 placed outside a safety area or cage or space or covers or enclosure 106 (shown in dotted lines in figs. 4 - 7, and 10 - 12, which safety area 106 defines an area or space or boundary for the operation area which - if trespassed - triggers shut down of the associated machinery 1 - If, 2 - 2f to avoid injuries for the operator(s) 40) to be unloaded by being lifted to the first conveyors 6 - 6f of the low-speed high-capacity scalable buffering system(s) 2 - 2f by the crane(s) 5 - 5f for transport to and refilling at any workstation 3 - 3f according to any refilling sequence and/or order 300 while any picking process is still facilitated - not interrupted - by requesting and/or following any picking order 300 on any other display(s) 30 at/in any workstation 4 - 4f of the high-speed low capacity load 1 - If. This is a one-by-one refilling process whereas fast, and optimized refilling can be done by manually entering the high-capacity storage area as described without risks of injury for any operator 40. The in- and outfeed ends of the first conveyors 6 - 6f in each workstation 3 - 3f are accessible for the operator(s) 40 outside/externally of the safety zone or enclosure 106 as the display(s) 30 as shown in figs. 4 - 7, and 10 - 12.

In some aspects of the disclosure, a whole system 100 - 105 is configured for handling the load unit(s) 10, 20 by usage of one or more low-speed high capacity scalable buffering system 2 - 2f (as shown in figs. 1 to 12) in operative cooperation with two high-speed vertical lift modules 1, lb (as shown in figs. 1 to 4 and 6) or one high-speed vertical lift module la (as shown in fig. 5) or more highspeed vertical lift modules lc - If (as shown in figs. 7 to 12). In figs. 1 to 4, two spaces or modules or wall-less rooms make up the low-speed scalable buffering system 2 but could be less or more.

In some aspects of the disclosure, another whole system 101 is configured to handle the load units 10, 20 by means of two or more low-speed scalable buffering systems 2a - 2f - as disclosed in figs. 1 to 12 - in operative cooperation with one high-speed vertical lift module la, see fig. 5. In fig. 5, seven spaces or modules or wall-less rooms make up the low-speed scalable buffering system 2a but could be less or more.

In some aspects of the disclosure, a third whole system 102 is configured for handling the load units 10, 20 by usage of one or more - as disclosed in figs. 1 to 12 - low-speed scalable buffering systems 2 - 2f in operative cooperation with two high-speed vertical lift modules lb, see fig. 6. In fig. 6, seven spaces or modules or wall-less rooms make up the low-speed scalable buffering system 2b but could be less or more.

In some aspects of the disclosure, a fourth whole system 103 is configured to handle the load units 10, 20 by means of two or more - as disclosed in figs. 1 to 12 - low-speed buffering systems 2 - 2f in operative cooperation with three high-speed vertical lift modules lc, see fig. 7. In fig. 7, seven spaces or modules or wall-less rooms make up the low-speed scalable buffering system 2c but could be less or more.

In some aspects of the disclosure, a fifth and large whole system 104 for handling the load units 10, 20 by usage of two or more - as disclosed in figs. 1 to 12 - low-speed buffering systems 2 - 2f in operative cooperation with four high-speed vertical lift modules Id as in figs. 8 to 11 or these four high-speed vertical lift modules Id in figs. 8 to 11 could be two pairs of high-speed vertical lift modules 1, lb as in figs. 1 to 4 and 6. In figs. 8 to 11, seven spaces or modules or wall-less rooms make up the low-speed scalable buffering system 2d but could be less or more. In some aspects of the disclosure, a sixth whole system 105 is shown in fig. 12 for handling the load units 10, 20 comprising two or more groups 2e and 2f of low-speed buffering systems 2 - 2f (each group 2e, 2f comprising more than two spaces or modules making up the low-speed buffering system) in operative cooperation with two groups le and If of high-speed vertical lift modules (each group le, If comprising at least four high-speed vertical lift modules, e.g. the high-speed vertical lift module system 104 of figs. 8 - 11). In fig. 12, seven spaces or modules or wall-less rooms make up each group le, If of the low-speed scalable buffering systems 2e and 2f to a total of fourteen seven spaces or modules or wall-less rooms making up the whole system 105 but there could be less or more spaces or modules or wall-less rooms applied, this scalability also being applicable to any other aspect and embodiment and to any combination of those other systems 1 - Id, 2 - 2d, 100 - 104 of the disclosure.

In some aspects of the disclosure, one or more of the whole systems 100 - 105 comprises one or more of first zones 110 configured for transport and handling and picking and returning of load units 10, 20 and/or goods/articles 8, see figs. 5 to 7 and 10 to 12. In some aspects of the disclosure, one or more of the whole systems 100 - 105 comprises one or more of second zones 120 configured for transport and handling and picking and returning of load units 10, 20 and/or goods/articles 8, see figs. 5 to 7 and 10 to 12. In some aspects of the disclosure, one or more of the whole systems 100 - 105 comprises one or more of third zones 130 configured for transport and handling and picking and returning of load units 10, 20 and/or goods/articles 8, see figs. 11 and 12. In some aspects of the disclosure, one or more of the whole systems 100 - 105 comprises one or more of fourth zones 140 configured for transport and handling and picking and returning of load units 10, 20 and/or goods and/or articles 8, see fig. 12 (there are more or less zones 110 - 140 and modules 1 - If and buffering systems 2 - 2f if the actual system 100 - 105 is increased or decreased in capacity). The number of zones 110 - 140 and zone sizes depend on capacity and function of the whole systems 100 - 105.

The method according to the disclosure comprises transporting each of the at least partly or fully emptied load units 20 away from/out of and/or to one or more of the load unit and goods handling systems 1 - If, 2 - 2f as shown in figs. 2 - 7 and 9 - 12 to be able to refill the empty load unit(s) 20 at any of the workstations 3 - 3f of the second load unit and goods handling system(s) 2 - 2f and to be able to return the now filled up load unit(s) 10 into the second load unit and goods handling system(s) 2 - 2f and forwarding the load unit(s) 10 to the first load unit and goods handling system(s) 1 - If for picking of goods 8 on demand, i.e. in response to one or more picking orders started via one or more displays 30.

The functionality provided by the method and the system(s) 100 -105 enable handling and transporting load units 10, 20 - with or without goods or items 8 - in, between, to and from one or more or all of the load unit and goods handling systems 1 - If, 2 - 2f by usage of one or more devices and/or machines, power sources, electric motors etc. operatively controlled by one or more control units, this being known by the skilled person. One step of the disclosure provided by the method and applied in any of the whole/combined system(s) 100 to 105 concerns in some aspects of the disclosure one or more or all load unit and goods handling systems 1 - If, 2 - 2f, where individual load units 10, 20 and/or goods/articles/items 8 are first separated and sorted into desired locations/racks by one or more transport devices, such as conveyors 6 - 6f, 7 - 7f, other machines or robots controlled by one or more control units and/or manually - at least in some parts of the sorting proceedings - by one or more human operators 40. This step comprises - in some aspects of the disclosure - examining the load units 10, 20 by one or more sensors (e.g. RFID scanners, cameras, etc.) to enable correct sorting and handling of the load unit(s) but also any goods/items 8 carried by the load unit(s) and/or when picked and transported separated from the load unit(s). After this, the load units 10, 20 are transported by one or more conveyors, e.g. the ones shown on the drawings, and/or lifting and/or hoisting devices, such as cranes 5 - 5f and/or robots, of load unit and goods handling systems 1 - If, 2 - 2f to be temporarily stored in the load unit and goods handling system(s) 1 - If, 2 - 2f based on criteria in information gathered by said sensors. This work and handling procedure enables automatic handling complemented with some manual work and the use of the transport systems 6 - 6f, 7 - 7f as done in a corresponding way as for the load unit and goods handling system(s) 1 - If, 2 - 2f by use of similar and/or corresponding equipment, such as one or more machines or robots, power sources, electric motors, pathways, switches, triggers, light paths (such as railing and/or conveyors if not handling the load unit(s) 10, 20 and/or items 8 directly by hand) and by one or more sensors (e.g. RFID scanners, cameras, etc.) operatively controlled by one or more control units providing a more autonomous functionality in the whole system(s) 100 - 105 compared to prior art.

In figs. 13 to 16, the first aspect of the disclosure, i.e. a method is visualised by flow charts disclosing the method and different embodiments of the method depending on how many whole and/or combined system(s) 1 - If, 2 - 2f, 100 to 105 are utilized and how many load unit and goods handling systems 1 - If and 2 - 2f and parking, picking and/or start and returning zones 110 - 140 are used to make up each whole scalable system 100 - 105 and which need of functionality and demand that the whole system 100 - 105 is to fulfil.

The use of the carts 9 filled with items 8 and/or load units 10, 20 are moved/transported within, out of and into the system(s) 100 - 105, and when the cart(s) 9 is(are) emptied the cart(s) 9 is(are) moved into a parking zone or a start zone 110, 120, 130 for re-use in a picking procedure or moved out of the system(s) to "leave" the system if not needed anymore depending on demand/need. Figure 13 visualises the method according to the disclosure.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps of filling 150 by introducing one or more load units 10 with one or more goods 8 into inlet(s) 4 - 4f of the high-speed vertical lift modular system(s) by means of one or more transport systems 7 - 7f and/or returning one or more of the load unit(s) 20 into each high-speed vertical lift modular system(s) 1 - If by introducing one or more load units 20 comprising no goods 8 (= empty load units 20) at one or more workstations 4 - 4f being inlets at a front end of the high-speed vertical lift modular system(s) 1 - If (shown in fig. 8) and thereby into the high-speed vertical lift modular system(s) after all goods 8 are picked from the load unit(s), see figs. 13 to 16.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps 151 of unloading one or more load units 20 with no goods 8 (= empty load units) from one or more outlets 4 - 4f (at the back end as shown in fig. 9) of one or more high-speed vertical lift modular system(s) 1 - If onto one or more transport systems 7 - 7f, and further via the transport system 7 - 7f to one or more of the low- speed scalable buffering systems 2 - 2f, see fig. 13. In some aspects of the disclosure, the one or more steps 151 comprises returning one or more load units 20 with no goods 8 (= empty load units) by putting the load unit(s) 20 into one or more inlets 4 - 4f at the front end(s)/side(s) of the one or more high-speed vertical lift modular system(s) 1 - If and transporting the empty load unit(s) 20 through the high-speed vertical lift modular system(s) and out of the back end(s) with the outlet(s) 4 - 4f of the high-speed vertical lift modular system(s) and onto the one or more transport systems 7 - 7f before being transported to the low-speed scalable buffering system(s) 2 - 2f to be replenished.

Each of the high-speed vertical lift modular system(s) 1 - If in all embodiments of the disclosure comprises a front end with one or more inlets 4 - 4f as shown in perspective in figs. 1 and 8, and a back end with one or more outlets 4 - 4f as shown in perspective in figs. 2, 3, and 9, and as shown in top views in figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, and 12. The front end(s) of the high-speed vertical lift modular system(s) 1 - If is(are) configured to be accessible to enable one or more operators 40 to pick goods 8 and/or the filled load unit(s) 10 by removal from the inlet(s) 4 - 4f after being presented therein according to the picking order(s). The front end(s) of the high-speed vertical lift modular system(s) 1 - If is(are) configured to be accessible to enable one or more operators 40 to return the at least partly empty or fully emptied load unit(s) 20 by introduction into the inlet(s) 4- 4f on-demand. The back end(s) of the high-speed vertical lift modular system(s) 1 - If is(are) configured to enable for one or more transport systems 7 - 7f to transport one or more load units 10, 20 to/into and from/out of the outlet(s) 4 - 4f at the back end(s) and to/into and from/out of the low-speed scalable buffering system(s) 2 - 2f. This is done - in one direction - by the transport system(s) 7 - 7f moving the filled load unit(s) 10 from the low-speed scalable buffering system(s) 2 - 2f to a predetermined position at the outlet(s) 4 - 4f and introducing the filled load unit(s) 10 into the outlet(s) 4 - 4f or in this case or direction the outlet(s) 4 - 4f work(s) as inlet(s), whereafter the high-speed vertical lift modular system(s) 1 - If receive(s) the filled load unit(s) 10 for intermediate storage and/or presentation of the filled load units(s) 10 at/in the workstation(s) 4 - 4f for picking if a picking order so demands. This is done - in another or in the opposite or reverse direction - by the transport system(s) 7 - 7f by moving the at least partly empty or fully emptied load unit(s) 20 (received in the high-speed vertical lift modular system(s) 1 - If after the full load unit(s) 10 is(are) emptied of goods/items 8) from the outlet^) 4 - 4f or in this case the inlet(s) at the back end(s) of the high-speed vertical lift modular system(s) to a predetermined position at the low-speed scalable buffering system(s) 2 - 2f and introducing the empty load unit(s) 20 into the low-speed scalable buffering system(s) for intermediate storage before replenishment and/or forwarding by lifting the empty load unit(s) 20 to the workstation^) 3 - 3f and/or transport system(s) 6 - 6f to be re-filled directly thereafter with items 8 to become filled load units(s) 10 that then are returned back into the low-speed scalable buffering system(s) 2 - 2f after refilling.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps of filling 160 one or more load unit(s) 10, 20 into one or more low-speed scalable buffering systems 2 - 2f by Introducing one or more load units 20 comprising no goods 8 (= empty load units) onto one or more transport or conveyer belt(s) 6 - 6f at/in/from one or more workstations 3 - 3f of one or more of the low-speed scalable buffering systems 2 - 2f after all goods 8 are picked from the load unit(s) and/or introducing one or more replenished load units 10 with one or more goods 8 onto one or more of the transport or conveyer rolls or belt(s) 6 - 6f at/in/from one or more workstations 3 - 3f of one or more of the low- speed scalable buffering systems 2- 2f after filling earlier empty load unit(s) 20 with one or more goods 8 anew by introducing the empty load unit(s) and/or moving/lifting the filled-up load unit(s) 10 onto one or more of the transport or conveyer belt(s) 6 - 6f at/in/from one or more of the workstations 3 - 3f of one or more of the low-speed scalable buffering systems 2 - 2f, see figs. 13 to 16, and moving the one or more empty load units 20 and/or the one or more filled load units 10 into the one or more low- speed scalable buffering systems 2 - 2f for buffering and then picking in response to demand from picking orders in the picking stations 1 - If.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps of transporting or moving and/or returning 161 one or more load units 20 comprising no goods 8 (= empty load units) at one or more work station(s) 3 - 3f of one or more low-speed scalable buffering systems 2 - 2f and/or one or more load units 10 replenished with one or more goods 8 from the work station(s) 3 - 3f of one or more low-speed scalable buffering systems 2 - 2f by means one or more transport or conveyer belt(s) 6 - 6f back into one or more low-speed scalable buffering systems 2 - 2f, see fig. 13.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more of the steps 151 and 161 of fig. 13 in combination to achieve the improved functionality of the whole system(s) 100 - 105, in particular the increased storage and buffering capacity and work flow/pace and throughput of both items 8 and load unit(s) 10, 20 and also enhancing the flexibility and ease and speed/pace of the picking of items from load units and the actual load units (if a load unit full of items is to be picked in accordance with a picking order) independently of each other and an increase of the individual throughput of items and load units and simplified and more robust returning of emptied load units at one or more workstations 3 - 3f, 4 - 4f with no risk or much less risk of interrupting any other work at any other workstation.

One or more of these steps 151 and 161 of returning emptied load units 20 is/are also used in the other embodiments of the method shown in figs 14 to 16 if a need/demand of returning empty load units 20 occur, even though those steps are not visualised in those flow charts.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps of unloading one or more load units 20 with no goods 8 (= empty load units) and/or one or more load units 10 replenished with one or more goods 8 coming from one or more transport or conveyer belt(s) 6 - 6f of one or more of the low-speed scalable buffering system(s) 2 - 2f and/or unloading one or more load units 20 with no goods 8, i.e. empty load units coming from one or more inlet(s) 4 - 4f of the highspeed vertical lift modular system(s) 1 - If via one or more transport systems 7 - 7f by means of one or more lifting devices/cranes 5 - 5f lifting the load unit(s) 20 off the one or more transport members 7 - 7f and/or conveyer belts/systems 6 - 6f and/or 7 - 7f; and/or unloading one or more load units 20 with no goods 8 (= empty load units to be replenished with goods) and/or one or more load units 10 with one or more goods from the one or more low-speed scalable buffering systems 2 - 2f by lifting up the load unit(s) 10, 20 already placed/stored in/at desired locations in the low-speed scalable buffering system(s) and move the load unit(s) 10, 20 to one or more transport or conveyer belt(s)/system(s) 6 - 6f, 7 - 7f and lift the load unit(s) onto one or more transport/conveyer belt(s)/system(s) by usage of one or more lifting devices/cranes 5 - 5f of one or more low-speed scalable buffering system(s).

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps of transporting, i.e. moving one or more load units 10, 20 by means of one or more of the lifting devices/cranes 5 - 5f of the low-speed scalable buffering system(s) 2 - 2f between the one or more transport members and/or conveyer belts/systems 6 - 6f and/or 7 - 7f and the low-speed scalable buffering system(s) it- self(/themselves) by moving the load unit(s) 10, 20 from and/or to the transport members and/or conveyer belts/systems 6 - 6f, 7 - 7f and different locations in the low-speed scalable buffering system(s) where the load unit(s) is/are to be placed or placed for intermediate storage.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps of loading one or more load units 20 with no goods 8 (= empty load units to be replenished with goods) and/or one or more of the load units 10 with one or more goods 8 onto one or more of the transport and/or conveyer belt(s) 6 - 6f at/in the work station(s) 3 - 3f of the low-speed scalable buffering system(s) 2 - 2f; and/or loading one or more load units 10 with one or more goods 8 onto one or more transport and/or conveyer systems 7 - 7f; and/or loading one or more load units 20 with no goods 8 (= empty load units to be replenished with goods) and/or one or more load units 10 with one or more goods 8 into the one or more low-speed scalable buffering systems 2 - 2f by placing the load unit(s) 10, 20 lifted off the transport/conveyer belt(s)/systems 6 - 6f, 7 - 7f in desired locations in the low-speed scalable buffering system(s) by usage of one or more of the lifting devices/cranes 5 - 5f of the low- speed scalable buffering system(s).

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more first step(s) 200 of one or more operators 40 picking and moving one or more transport member/mobile cart(s) 9 into one or more or the picking zone(s) 110 - 140 and/or one or more of the first zones 110 and/or one or more of the second zones 120 and/or one or more of the third zones 130 and/or one or more of the fourth zones 140 and/or one or more fifth zones (not shown) and/or one or more sixth zone(s) (not shown) - if those latter zones are starting zones = picking zones of one or more larger systems 104, 105, see figs. 13 to 16.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps of ordering or order(s) 300 of goods, i.e. one or more items 8 ready to be picked that can be started by entering start commands via one or more displays 30 by one or more operators 40, see figs. 13 to 16, either by initiating this on one or more displays at/in a workstation 4 - 4f and/or at least one display or tablet 30 mounted on a cart 9, which displays and tablets 30 are operatively connected to a control unit, e.g. via wire or wirelessly.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps 400 of one or more high-speed vertical lift modular stations 1, la - If fetching one or more load units 10 with one or more goods or items 8 and presenting the fetched load unit(s) in accordance with the order(s) 300 to the operator(s) 40 to pick in one or more zone(s) 110 - 140, see figs. 13 to 16.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps 401 of one or more high-speed vertical lift modular station(s) 1, la - If fetching one or more load units 10 with one or more goods or items 8 and presenting the fetched load unit(s) in accordance with the order(s) to the operator(s) 40 to pick in one or more other and/or second and/or third and/or fourth and/or fifth and/or sixth zone(s) 120 - 140, see fig. 16.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps 410 of picking - by one or more operators 40 - one or more goods/items 8 from the presented load unit(s) in/at one or more workstations 4 - 4f in one or more high-speed vertical lift modular stations 1, la - If in one or more zones 110 - 140 and placing the picked item(s) 8 and/or load unit(s) 10 on one or more transport members/picking carts 9, see figs. 13 to 16, , whereby any fully emptied load unit 20 is returned back into the low-speed scalable system(s) 2 - 2f.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps 411 of picking one or more goods/item(s) 8 - by one or more operators 40 - from presented load unit(s) 10 in/at one or more workstations 4 - 4f of one or more high-speed vertical lift modular station(s) 1, la - If in one or more of the other zone(s) 120 - 140 and placing the picked item(s) 8 and/or load unit(s) 10 on one or more transport member(s)/picking cart(s) 9 (this picking in steps 410 and/or 411 in start and/or first and/or subsequent and/or other and/or second and/or third and/or fourth and/or fifth and/or sixth zone(s) 120 - 140 can be made after and/or at the same time as the picking in start/first zone(s) 110 - 120 is performed depending on the size of the systems 100 - 105 as smaller systems may have less zones than larger ones, i.e. the second zones 120 may in some larger systems be used as start/first zones) by for example doubling the number of start/first zones 110, 120, see figs. 11, 12, 15 and 16.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method and the associated system 100 - 105 can use less or more workstations 3 - 3f of the buffering system(s) 2 - 2f as seen in figs. 5 to 7 where different and optional number of workstations are visualized by squares/rectangles in dotted lines, e.g. one workstation 3a of the buffering system 2a shown in solid lines in fig. 5 while four additional and/or optional workstations 3a are shown with dotted lines in fig. 5 (in fig. 5, one workstation 4a of the highspeed vertical lift modular station la is used are used in one whole system 101 and four carts 9 under use); one workstation 3b of the buffering system 2b is shown in solid lines in fig. 6 while two additional and/or optional workstations 3b are shown with dotted lines in fig. 6 (in this fig. 6, two workstations 4b, i.e. two of the high-speed vertical lift modular stations lb are used in another whole system 102 and five carts 9 under use); and one workstation 3c of the buffering system 2c is shown in solid lines in fig. 7 while one additional and/or optional workstation 3c is shown with dotted lines in fig. 7 (in this fig. 7, three workstations 4c, i.e. three of the high-speed vertical lift modular stations lc are used in this third example of a whole system 103 and six carts 9 under use).

In figs. 8 to 11, an exemplary whole system 104 is shown with one workstation 3d of the buffering system 2d and four workstations 4d, i.e. four of the high-speed vertical lift modular stations Id are used in this fourth example of a whole system 104 also having seven carts 9 under use with one transport/conveyor systems 7d operatively interconnecting the buffering system 2d to the four highspeed vertical lift modular stations Id.

In all figs. 5 to 12, there is shown a parking area with carts 9 waiting to be used (to the right in figs. 5 - 8, 10 - 12 and to the left in fig. 9), this parking area is in some aspects of the disclosure also a zone and depending on need also more than one parking zone working as a storage and buffering of carts 9 for use in any of the systems 100 - 105 (this also applies to figs. 1 to 4 even though no cart parking zone is shown in these figs. 1 to 4).

In fig. 12, an exemplary large whole system 105 is shown with two workstations 3e and 3f, one being part of a buffering system 2e and the other workstation 3f being part of another buffering system 2f. Each buffering system 2e and 2f forms - together with high-speed vertical lift modular stations le and If, respectively - a two group load unit handling system 105 with a first group of four workstations 4e - one for each of the four high-speed vertical lift modular stations le - operatively interconnected by a first one of the second transport/conveyor systems 7e to a first one of the buffering systems 2e and a second group of four workstations 4f - one for each of the four high-speed vertical lift modular stations If - operatively interconnected by a second one of the second transport or conveyor systems 7f to a second one of the buffering systems 2f. Here, in fig. 12, twelve carts 9 are under use by operators 40 (five carts 9 are parked/not used yet) and four zones 110 - 140, i.e. two start and/or first zones 110 and 130 and two other and/or subsequent zones 120 and 140. Here, one first/start zone 110 is arranged at/before the first group of high-speed vertical lift modular stations le and workstations 4e and the other first/start zone 130 is arranged at/before the second group of highspeed vertical lift modular stations If and workstations 4f. Here, one other/subsequent zone 120 is arranged at/before one workstation 3e (or more workstations if the buffering system 2e is increased, i.e. scaled up or less if the buffering system 2e is decreased/scaled down) of the first one of the buffering systems 2e and the second other/subsequent zone 140 is arranged at/before one other workstation 3f (or more workstations if the buffering system 2f is increased/enlarged/scaled up or less if the buffering system 2f is decreased/scaled down) of the second one of the buffering systems 2f). There is also a parking zone for one or more carts 9 at the rightmost end of the first one of the four high-speed vertical lift modular stations le in fig. 12 (i.e. ten operators 40 are working in the zones while one operator 40 waits holding one cart 9 to be filled with load units 10 and/or goods 8 to the rightmost and one operator 40 waits or are leaving the system with a filled cart 9 at the leftmost while another operator 40 is to pick a cart and some other not yet used carts 9 (five carts 9 on figs. 5 - 12) being lined up as a queue are shown outside the zones 110 - 140). In some aspects of the disclosure, in/at any parking zone, one or more carts 9 are moved into the first zone 110 and/or into the second zone 120 and/or the third zone 130 and/or the fourth zone 140 (through or past the first zone 110 and/or the second zone 120 and/or the third zone 130) to start one or more picking procedures as shown to the right in figs. 5 - 8, 10, 11, and 12, and shown to the left in fig. 9. In some aspects of the disclosure, in/at any parking zone, one or more carts 9 are gripped/picked by one or more operator(s) 40 and moved into the second zone 120 (through or past the first zone 110) and/or into the third zone 130 (past or through the first zone 110 and/or the second zone 120) to start a picking procedure as shown in fig. 11. In some aspects of the disclosure, in/at any parking zone, one or more carts 9 are gripped/picked by one or more operator(s) 40 and moved into the first zone 110 and/or into the second zone 120 (past or through the first zone 110) and/or into the third zone 130 (past or through the first zone 110 and/or the second zone 120) and/or into the fourth zone 140 (past or through the first zone 110 and/or the second zone 120 and/or the third zone 130) to start a picking procedure as shown in fig. 12.

In some aspects of the disclosure, in/at any parking zone, one or more carts 9 are gripped/picked by the operator(s) 40 and firstly (in a first step) moved into the first start zone 110 to start a first picking procedure and then (in a second step) moved into the second zone 120 to start a second picking procedure as shown in figs. 5 - 7, and 10 - 12. In some aspects of the disclosure, in/at any parking zone, one or more carts 9 are gripped/picked by the operator(s) 40 and firstly (in a first step) moved into the first start zone 110 to start a first picking procedure and secondly (in a second step) moved into the second zone 120 to start a second picking procedure and thirdly (in a third step) moved into the third zone 130 to start a third picking procedure as shown in fig. 11. In some aspects of the disclosure, in/at any parking zone, one or more carts 9 are gripped/picked by the operator(s) 40 and firstly (in a first step) moved into the first start zone 110 to start a first picking procedure and secondly (in a second step) moved into the second zone 120 to start a second picking procedure and thirdly (in a third step) moved into the third zone 130 to start a third picking procedure and fourthly (in a fourth step) moved into the fourth zone 140 to start a fourth picking procedure as shown in fig. 12.

In some aspects of the disclosure, in/at any parking zone, one or more carts 9 are moved - autonomously and/or with help of the operator(s) 40 - into one, two or more of the zones 110 - 140 and through the zone(s) in a predetermined sequence in accordance with the picking order(s) and then moved out of the whole system 100 - 105 for further handling of the picked goods 8 in the load unit(s) 10 on the cart(s) 9 as shown to the leftmost in figs. 5 - 7, and 10 - 12 (i.e. a queue of five carts 9 and an operator 40 holding a cart 9 filled with load units 10 is shown outside the zones 110 - 140 to the left in figs. 8, 10 - 12 and to the right in fig. 9, the same zones are present in figs. 8 and 9 even though the zones are not visible/marked up in those figs, as squares as done in figs. 5 - 7, and 10 - 12). In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps 420 of confirmation of finished picking of goods/item(s) 8 from the load unit(s) 10 in/at the high-speed vertical lift modular station(s) 1, la - If in one or more zones 110 - 140 by the operator(s) 40 by entering commands via the display(s) 30, whereby any fully emptied load unit 20 afterwards is returned back into any and/or one or more of associated ones of the high-speed vertical lift modular stations, see fig. 13.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps 421 of confirmation of finished picking of goods 8 from the load unit(s) 10 in/at the workstation(s) 4 - 4f of the high-speed vertical lift modular station(s) 1, la - If in one or more zones 110 - 130 by the operator(s) 40 by entering commands via the display(s) 30, whereby any fully emptied load unit 20 after finished picking is returned back into any and/or one or more of associated ones of the highspeed vertical lift modular stations, see figs. 14 to 16.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps 422 of confirmation of finished picking of goods 8 from one or more load units 10 in/at one or more workstations 4 - 4f of one or more of the high-speed vertical lift modular stations 1 - If in one or more other zones 120 - 140 - if more zones are available in the system 100 - 105 and intended for picking according to picking orders, the same goes for picking in the start/first zones 110 if more than one - by one or more operators 40 by entering commands via one or more displays 30, whereby any fully emptied load unit 20 after finished picking is returned back into any and/or one or more of associated ones of the high-speed vertical lift modular stations, see figs. 15 and 16.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps 430 comprising ready-made pick order(s)/completion of order picking(s) of one or more items 8 in one or more zone(s) 110 - 130 and new and/or next and/or subsequent picking order(s) (in line) with one or more load units 10 (in line) can start to be presented in/at one or more workstations 4 - 4f of one or more associated high-speed vertical lift modular stations 1 - If in this/these zone(s), see figs. 14 to 16.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps 431 comprising ready-made pick order(s)/completion of order picking(s) in one or more other zone(s) 120 - 140 and new and/or next and/or subsequent picking order(s) (in line) with one or more load unit(s) 10 (in line) can start to be presented in/at one or more workstations 4 - 4f of one or more associated high-speed vertical lift modular stations 1 - If in this/these other zone(s), see figs. 15 and 16.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps 500 of one or more of the low-speed scalable systems 2 - 2f fetching one or more load units 10 with one or more goods/items 8 and presenting the fetched load unit(s) in one or more workstations 4 - 4f in accordance with the picking order(s) to one or more operators 40 to pick one or more items 8 and/or load units 10 in one or more zones 110 - 140, see figs. 13 to 16.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps 501 of the low- speed scalable systems 2, 2a - 2f fetching one or more load units 10 with one or more goods/items 8 (by use of the crane(s) 5 - 5f) and (moving the load unit(s) 10 by lifting onto the transport system(s) 7 - 7f and transporting the load unit(s) 10 to the outlet(s) 4 - 4f of the high-speed vertical lift modular stations 1 - If, which load unit(s) 10 then are transported through the high-speed vertical lift modular stations to the inlet(s) or workstation(s) 4 - 4f) and presenting the fetched load unit(s) in one or more workstations 4 - 4f in accordance with the picking order(s) to one or more operators 40 to pick one or more items 8 and/or load units 10 in one or more other zones 120 - 140, see fig. 16.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps 510 of picking one or more load units 10 and/or picking one or more goods/items 8 from the presented load units 10 in/at one or more workstations 3 - 3f of one or more low-speed scalable systems 2 - 2f and placing the one or more picked items 8 and/or load units 10 on one or more transport members and/or picking cart(s) 9 in one or more zones 110 - 140, see figs. 13 to 16, whereby - after picking of goods from a filled load unit 10 - any thereby at least partly or fully emptied load unit 20 is returned back into the low-speed scalable system(s) 2 - 2f.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps 511 of picking one or more goods/items 8 from the presented load unit(s) 10 in/at one or more workstations 3 - 3f of one or more low-speed scalable buffering systems 2 - 2f and placing the one or more picked items 8 and/or load units 10 on one or more transport members/picking carts 9 in one or more other zones 120, 130, 140, see fig. 16.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps 520 of confirmation of finished picking order(s) of one or more goods/items 8 from one or more load units 10 in/at one or more workstations 3 - 3f of one or more low-speed scalable buffering systems 2 - 2f in one or more zones 110 - 140 by one or more operators 40 by entering commands via one or more displays 30, see fig. 13.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps 521 of confirmation of finished picking order(s) of one or more goods 8 from one or more load units 10 in/at one or more low-speed scalable buffering systems 2, 2a - 2f in one or more other zones 120 by one or more operators 40 by entering commands via one or more displays 30, see figs. 14 to 16. In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps 522 of confirmation of finished picking order(s) of one or more goods 8 from one or more load units 10 in/at one or more low-speed scalable buffering systems 2, 2a - 2f in one or more additional zones 130, 140 by one or more operators 40 by entering commands via one or more displays 30, see fig. 16.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps 530 of ready- made/completion of picking order(s) in one or more zones 110 - 140 and new/next and/or subsequent picking order(s) (in line) with one or more load unit(s) 10 (in line) can start to be presented in/at one or more low-speed scalable buffering systems 2, 2a - 2f in this/these zone(s), see figs. 14 to 16.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps 531 of ready- made/completion of order picking(s) in one or more other zone(s) 120 - 140 and next picking order(s) (in line) with one or more load units 10 (in line) can start to be presented in/at one or more low-speed scalable buffering systems 2, 2a - 2f in this/these next zone(s), see fig. 16.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the method comprises one or more steps 600 of completing picking order(s) and parking one or more transport members/picking carts 9 to await further handling or directly transporting the one or more transport members/picking carts 9 to a goods/item delivery location, e.g. for assembly with other items 8 and/or packaging, see figs. 13 to 16.

According to the disclosure, each of the transport members, i.e. carts 9 comprises one or more displays 30. The display(s) 30 is(are) configured to be operatively connected to one or more of the first and/or the second load unit and goods handling systems 1 - If, 2 - 2f. According to the disclosure, each first load unit and goods handling system 1 - If is a high-speed low capacity system and each second load unit and goods handling system 2 - 2f is a low-speed high capacity storage system. According to the disclosure, each display 30 is fixedly or detachably assembled at or in or to or on the first load unit and goods handling system(s) 1 - If. According to the disclosure, each display 30 is fixedly or detachably assembled at or in or to or on the second load unit and goods handling system(s) 2 - 2f. According to the disclosure, each display 30 is fixedly or detachably assembled at or in or to or on the transport member(s) 9, e.g. the cart(s) 9. According to the disclosure, each display 30 is operatively communicating with one or more or each of the workstations 3 - 3f, 4 - 4f and/or the first and/or the second load unit and goods handling systems 1 - If, 2 - 2f and/or the cart(s) 9 and/or the whole system(s) 100 - 105 by wire or wirelessly. The communication by wire could be done via any Ethernet- technology and the wireless communication could be done via Bluetooth and/or Wi-Fi and/or any suitable MESH-network(s).

According to the disclosure, each workstation 3 - 3f, 4 - 4f of the first and/or second load unit and goods handling system(s) 1 - If, 2 - 2f comprises one or more displays 30 being fixedly or detachably assembled at or in or to or on an accessible position in the workstation(s) to enable for one or more operators 40 to interactively communicate with one or more or all the workstation(s) 3 - 3f, 4 - 4f and/or one or more or each of the first and/or second load unit and goods handling system(s) 1 - If, 2 - 2f and/or the whole system(s) 100 - 105.

Claims

1. A method of buffering, handling, picking and transporting one or more load units (10) comprising goods (8) and one or more load units (20) that have been partly or fully emptied of goods (8) by picking goods from the load unit(s) at/in one or more work stations (3 - 3f, 4 - 4f) at/in two or more different types of load unit and goods handling systems (1 - If, 2 - 2f) and/or at/in two or more load unit and goods handling systems of the same type, the transporting of the load unit(s) (10, 20) to, into, through and/or from and/or between the load unit and goods handling system(s) being made by means of one or more transport/conveyor systems and/or members and/or devices (5 - 5f, 6 - 6f, 7 - 7f, 9) and the load unit and goods handling system(s) (1 - If, 2 - 2f), the method further comprising:

- filling (150 - 151, 160 - 161) one or more load units (10, 20) into one or more of the load unit and goods handling systems (1 - If, 2 - 2f) for handling and storing and/or buffering,

- activating (200) one or more transport members (9) at one or more load unit and goods handling systems (1 - If, 2 - 2f) and moving each transport member (9) to an associated work station (3 - 3f, 4 - 4f) of an associated load unit and goods handling system (1 - If, 2 - 2f),

- starting (300) one or more picking orders being ready for picking of goods (8) and/or the load unit(s) (10) at/in the work station(s) (3 - 3f, 4 - 4f) of the load unit and goods handling system(s) (1 - If, 2 - 2f),

- fetching and presenting (400, 401, 500, 501) one or more load units (10) according to the picking order(s) (300) at/in the work station(s) (3 - 3f, 4 - 4f) of the load unit and goods handling system(s) (1 - If, 2 - 2f) by means of the load unit and goods handling system(s) itself(/themselves),

- removing (410, 411, 510, 511) goods (8) and/or one or more load units (10) according to the picking order(s) (300) and placing the picked goods and/or load unit(s) on the transport member(s) (9),

- confirming (420 - 422, 520 - 522) at/in the work station(s) (3 - 3f, 4 - 4f) of the load unit and goods handling system(s) (1 - If, 2 - 2f) that the picking process is completed, - returning (150, 151, 160, 161) any partly emptied and/or fully emptied load unit(s) (20)

- after picking - back into the load unit and goods handling system(s) (1 - If, 2 - 2f) for replenish! ng(/refi II i ng) of the load unit(s) (20) - if required, and

- transporting (600) the picked goods (8) and/or one or more load units (10) with the transport member(s) (9) to one or more delivery locations for further handling of the picked goods and/or one or more load units.

2. The method according to claim 1 comprising:

- confirming (430 - 431, 530 - 531) at/in the work station(s)(3 - 3f, 4 - 4f) of the load unit and goods handling system(s) (1 - If, 2 - 2f) that one or more first or start picking orders (300) are completed and that one or more new and/or next and/or subsequent picking orders in line can be started to be fetched and presented at/in the work station(s) (3 - 3f, 4 - 4f) of the load unit and goods handling system(s) (1 - If, 2 - 2f).

3. The method according to claim 1 or claim 2 comprising:

- moving (200) the transport member(s) (9) into one or more of first or start picking zones (110 - 130) in which one or more work stations (3 - 3f, 4 - 4f) of one or more of the load unit and goods handling systems (1 - If, 2 - 2f) are located, and/or

- moving (200) the transport member(s) (9) into one or more of second or other picking zones (120 - 140) in which one or more work stations (3 - 3f, 4 - 4f) of one or more of the same load unit and goods handling systems (1 - If, 2 - 2f) are located and/or where one or more work stations (3 - 3f, 4 - 4f) of one or more of different load unit and goods handling systems (1 - If, 2 - 2f) are located,

- starting (300) one or more picking orders that are ready for picking of goods (8) at/in one or more of the work stations (3 - 3f, 4 - 4f) of the load unit and goods handling system(s) (1 - If, 2 - 2f) in one or more of the first picking zones (110 - 130) and/or in one or more of the other picking zones (120 - 140),

- fetching and presenting (400, 401, 500, 501) one or more load units (10) at/in one or more of the work stations (3 - 3f, 4 - 4f) of the load unit and goods handling system(s) (1 - If, 2 - 2f) by means of the load unit and goods handling system(s) itself(/them- selves) in one or more of the first picking zones (110 - 130) and/or in one or more of the other picking zones (120 - 140) according to one or more of the picking orders,

- picking (410, 411, 510, 511) goods (8) and/or one or more load units (10) and placing the picked goods and/or load units on one or more of the transport members (9) in one or more of the first picking zones (110 - 130) and/or in one or more of the other picking zones (120 - 140) according to one or more of the picking orders,

- confirming (420 - 422, 520 - 522) at/in one or more of the work stations (3 - 3f, 4 - 4f) of the load unit and goods handling system(s) (1 - If, 2 - 2f) that one or more of the picking orders are completed in one or more of the first picking zones (110 - 130) and/or in one or more of the other picking zones (120 - 140),

- returning (150, 151, 160, 161) any partly emptied and/or fully emptied load unit(s) (20) - after picking - back into one or more of the load unit and goods handling systems (1 - If, 2 - 2f) in one or more of the first picking zones (110 - 130) and/or in one or more of the other picking zones (120 - 140) to enable replenish of the load unit(s) (20) - if required, while

- continuing the work of moving, fetching, presenting and picking of one or more load units (10) and confirming finished picking of one or more load units (200, 300, 400, 401, 410, 411, 420 - 422, 500, 501, 510, 511, 520 - 522) according to one or more of the picking orders at/in and/or from and/or to one or more of the other work stations (3 - 3f, 4 - 4f) in which no returning of any load unit(s) (20) occurs, and

- transporting (600) the picked goods (8) and/or one or more load units (10) with one or more of the transport members (9) to one or more delivery locations for further handling of the picked goods and/or one or more load units.

4. The method according to any preceding claim comprising:

- moving (200) the transport member(s) (9) into one or more of first picking zones (110 - 130) in which one or more first work stations (4 - 4f) of one or more of a first load unit and goods handling system (1 - If) are located, and - picking (410, 411, 510, 511) goods (8) and/or one or more load units (10) out of the first work station(s) (4 - 4f) and placing the picked goods and/or load unit(s) on the transport member(s) (9) in the first picking zone(s) (110 - 130) according to one or more of first picking orders, and

- moving (200) the partly filled transport member(s) (9) out of the first picking zone(s) (110 - 130) after the first picking order(s) been confirmed as finished and into one or more of second or other picking zones (120 - 140) in which one or more second work stations (3 - 3f) of one or more of a second load unit and goods handling system (2 - 2f) are located, and

- picking (410, 411, 510, 511) goods (8) and/or one or more load units (10) out of the second work station(s) (3 - 3f) and placing the picked goods and/or load unit(s) on the transport member(s) (9) in the second or other picking zone(s) (120 - 140) according to one or more of second picking orders.

5. The method according to any preceding claim comprising:

- transporting the transport member(s) (9) away from the workstation(s) and/or picking station(s) (3 - 3f), 4 - 4f) where picking and/or returning occurred when the picking and/or returning work is/are finished in the associated workstation(s) and/or picking station(s).

6. A system (100 - 105) for buffering, handling, picking and transporting one or more load units (10) filled with goods (8) and one or more load units (20) that have been partly or fully emptied of goods (8) by picking goods from the load unit(s) at/in one or more different types of load unit and goods handling systems (1 - If, 2 - 2f) and/or at/in one or more load unit and goods handling systems of the same type, the system comprising one or more transport/conveyor systems and/or members and/or devices (5 - 5f, 6 - 6f, 7 - 7f, 9) configured to transport the load unit(s) (10, 20) to, into, through and/or from and/or between the load unit and goods handling system(s) (1 - If, 2 - 2f), the system (100 - 105) further comprising:

- one or more first load unit and goods handling systems (1 - If) being of vertical lift modular system type and configured to enable storing/buffering, handling, picking, receiving and transporting one or more load unit(s) (10, 20), - one or more second load unit and goods handling systems (2 - 2f) arranged upstream of the first load unit and goods handling system(s) (1 - If), the second load unit and goods handling system(s) (2 - 2f) also being configured to enable storing and buffering, handling, picking, receiving and transporting the load unit(s) (10) comprising goods (8) and the load unit(s) (20) being partly or fully emptied of goods (8) to provide additional intermediate storage as a second or further buffering station(s) for the load unit(s) (10, 20), wherein the one or more transport and/or conveyor systems and/or members and/or devices (5 - 5f, 6 - 6f, 7 - 7f, 9) comprise(s):

- one or more first transport systems (6 - 6f) configured to transport the load unit(s) (10, 20) to and from the second load unit and goods handling system(s) (2 - 2f), the first transport system(s) (6 - 6f) forming part of one or more work stations (3 - 3f) at the second load unit and goods handling system(s) to enable removing and picking (410, 411, 510, 511) goods (8) and/or one or more load units (10, 20) from the second load unit and goods handling system(s) and filling goods and/or one or more load units into the second load unit and goods handling system(s) via the one or more work stations and the first transport system(s) (6 - 6f), and

- one or more second transport systems (7 - 7f) configured to transport the load unit(s) (10, 20) to and from both the first load unit and goods handling system(s) (1 - If) and the second load unit and goods handling system(s) (2 - 2f), wherein the second transport system(s) (7 - 7f) form(s) one or more bridging parts operatively interconnecting the first load unit and goods handling system(s) (1 - If) with the second load unit and goods handling system(s) (2 - 2f) to enable removing one or more partly or fully emptied load units (20) from one or more outlets (4 - 4f) of the first load unit and goods handling system(s) (1 - If) and transporting the partly or fully emptied load unit(s) (20) to be introduced into the second load unit and goods handling system(s) (2 - 2f) for refilling of goods (8) as the filled load unit(s) (10), and transporting one or more filled and/or refilled load units (10) received from the second load unit and goods handling system(s) (2 - 2f) to the first load unit and goods handling system(s) (1 - If) to be introduced into one or more inlets (4 - 4f) of the first load unit and goods handling system(s) (1 - If) for automatically filling up the first load unit and goods handling system(s) with one or more load units (10) comprising goods (8).

7. The system (100 - 105) according to claim 6, wherein each of the first transport system(s) (6 - 6f) and work station(s) (3 - 3f) of the second load unit and goods handling system(s) (2 - 2f) cooperate(s) with but is separated from the second transport system(s) (7 - 7f) operatively interconnecting the first load unit and goods handling system(s) (1 - If) with the second load unit and goods handling system(s) (2 - 2f).

8. The system (100 -105) according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein each of the first load unit and goods handling system(s) (1 - If) comprises one or more inlets and/or outlets (4 - 4f) of which one or more inlets and one or more outlets are arranged at a back end of each first load unit and goods handling system to be operatively connected to one or more of the second transport system(s) (7 - 7f) and one or more inlets (4 - 4f) and/or outlets are arranged at a front end of each first load unit and goods handling system to be accessible as one or more work stations to enable one or more operators (40) to pick goods (8) out of one or more load units (10) and/or to pick out one or more whole/single load units from each first load unit and goods handling system and/or to introduce partly emptied or fully emptied load units (20) back into the first and/or the second load unit and goods handling system(s) (1 - If) on demand.

9. The system (100 - 105) according to claim 8, wherein each of the work stations (4 - 4f) of the first load unit and goods handling system(s) (1 - If) comprises one or more displays (30) configured to be operatively connected to one or more of the first load unit and goods handling systems (1 - If).

10. The system (100 - 105) according to any of claims 6 to 9, wherein each of the work stations (3 - 3f) of the second load unit and goods handling system(s) (2 - 2f) comprises one or more displays (30) configured to be operatively connected to one or more of the second load unit and goods handling systems (2 - 2f).

11. The system (100 - 105) according to any of claims 6 to 10, wherein each of the transport members (9) comprises one or more displays (30) configured to be operatively connected to one or more of the first and/or the second load unit and goods handling systems (1 - If, 2 - 2f).

12. The system (100 - 105) according to any of claims 6 to 11, wherein each first load unit and goods handling system (1 - If) is a high-speed low capacity system and each second load unit and goods handling system (2 - 2f) is a low-speed high capacity storage system.

13. The system (100 - 105) according to any of claims 9 to 11, wherein each display (30) is fixedly or detachably assembled at/in/to/on the first and/or second load unit and goods handling system(s) (1 - If, 2 - 2f) and/or the transport member(s) (9) and is operatively communicating with one or more or each of these entities (1 - If, 2 - 2f, 9, 100 - 105) by wire or wirelessly.

14. The system (100 - 105) according to any of claims 6 to 13, wherein each workstation (3 - 3f, 4 - 4f) of the first and/or second load unit and goods handling system(s) (1 - If, 2 - 2f) comprises one or more displays (30) being fixedly or detachably assembled at/in/to/on an accessible position in the workstation(s) enabling one or more operators (40) to interactively communicate with the workstation(s) (3 - 3f, 4 - 4f) and/or the first and/or second load unit and goods handling system(s) (1 - If, 2 - 2f) and/or the whole system(s) (100 - 105).

15. The system (100 - 105) according to any of claims 6 to 14, wherein the transport member(s) (9) is(are) configured to move or be transported away from the workstation(s) and/or picking station(s) (3 - 3f), 4 - 4f) where picking and/or returning occurred when the picking and/or returning work is/are finished in the associated workstation(s) and/or picking station(s).