Patents by Inventor Harald Schroepf

Harald Schroepf has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11912505
    Abstract: The invention relates to a picking system (1) for picking goods (2a, 2b), comprising a goods acceptance zone (A1), a goods transfer zone (D1, D2), a storage zone (B1 . . . B7), (a) storage conveying device(s) (3), an order processing computer for registering a picking order and (a) removal conveying device(s) (4), wherein the storage conveying device(s) (3) and/or the removal conveying device(s) (4) has/have a plurality of autonomous conveying vehicles (5a . . . 5l, 6a . . . 6h) for transporting the goods (2a, 2b)/ordered goods (2c) on a travel surface. The travel surface is subdivided into multiple travel surface segments (E1 . . . E8), and driving movements are co-ordinated so that at least 90% of each of the driving movements in the travel surface segments (E1 . . . E8) is carried out by a closed group of autonomous conveying vehicles (5a . . . 5l, 6a . . . 6h). The invention further relates to a method for operating the picking system (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: TGW Logistics Group GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Schedlbauer, Andreas Schmidberger, Christian Michael Siket, Harald Schroepf
  • Publication number: 20220194708
    Abstract: A mobile measurement-value acquisition unit has an autarkic power supply, a central processing unit and multiple sensors. The mobile measurement-value acquisition unit can acquire measured data on a movement path in a storage and picking system and store the location of the acquisition. During this process, the mobile measurement-value acquisition unit is moved along the movement path by conveyors of the storage and picking system and is optionally stopped on a storage location of the storage and picking system. Further, such measurement-value acquisition unit operates in a storage and picking system, and a method operates the storage and picking system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Applicant: TGW Logistics Group GmbH
    Inventors: Markus GAGGL, Thomas MAHRINGER, Harald SCHROEPF
  • Publication number: 20220017302
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for order-picking articles (WQ1?, WQ2, WQ2?, WZ1, WZ1?, WZ2) from source loading aids (Q1, Q1?, Q2, Q2?) into or onto target loading aids (Z1, Z1?, Z2, Z3) in a storage and order-picking system (1). Here, the articles (WQ1?, WQ2, WQ2?, WZ1, WZ1?, WZ2) belong to a first group of types of article (WTG1), whose types of article (WT1..WT3) can be handled automatically, or a second group of types of article (WTG2), whose types of article (WT1..WT3) can be handled manually. A first order part (AT1) with articles (WQ1?, WZ1, WZ1?) of the first group of types of article (WTG1) is transported to a first automatic order-picking station (KA1, KA1?) and order-picked there, and a second order part (AT2) with articles (WQ2, WQ2?, WZ2) of the second group of types of article (WTG2) is transported to a first manual order-picking station (KM1, KM1?) and order-picked there. Further, the invention relates to a storage and order-picking system (1) for carrying out said method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Applicant: TGW Logistics Group GmbH
    Inventors: Christian AHAMMER, Christoph HASLEHNER, Harald SCHROEPF
  • Publication number: 20210402595
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optimization method for improving the reliability of a collection and discharge of articles in a picking process using a robot. An article is collected from or out of a first article carrier and is placed down or thrown into or onto a second article carrier by means of a gripping unit on the robot head. In an image processing step, a gripping position for the gripping unit is calculated for collecting the article(s) by determining at least one dimension based on a captured image and by a range allocation being determined by means of a comparison with dimension ranges. Depending on a confidence value, a dimension value is determined, from stored article reference data or from a normalization value of the dimension range and allocated to the determined dimension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: TGW Logistics Group GmbH
    Inventors: Maximilian BEINHOFER, Alexander BALASCH, Harald SCHROEPF
  • Publication number: 20210395015
    Abstract: A storage arrangement having multiple storage racks, a storage buffer device for interim buffering of a load during storage, a retrieval buffer device for interim buffering of a load during retrieval, and storage and retrieval devices for servicing the storage places of the storage racks is provided. The storage arrangement additionally comprises a storage vertical conveying device having multiple storage transport platforms and a retrieval vertical conveying device having multiple retrieval transport platforms. A storage conveying system is connected to the storage vertical conveying device, and a retrieval conveying system is connected to the retrieval vertical conveying device. A control system ensures that the storage transport platforms and the retrieval transport platforms are moved independently of one another. In addition, an order-picking system with a storage arrangement of the above-mentioned type and a method for operating the storage arrangement are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicant: TGW Mechanics GmbH
    Inventors: Christian AHAMMER, Christoph HASLEHNER, Johannes SCHAUER, Harald SCHROEPF, Martin RAUSCH
  • Publication number: 20210362953
    Abstract: The invention relates to a picking system (1) for picking goods (2a, 2b), comprising a goods acceptance zone (A1), a goods transfer zone (D1, D2), a storage zone (B1 . . . B7), (a) storage conveying device(s) (3), an order processing computer for registering a picking order and (a) removal conveying device(s) (4), wherein the storage conveying device(s) (3) and/or the removal conveying device(s) (4) has/have a plurality of autonomous conveying vehicles (5a . . . 5l, 6a . . . 6h) for transporting the goods (2a, 2b)/ordered goods (2c) on a travel surface. The travel surface is subdivided into multiple travel surface segments (E1 . . . E8), and driving movements are co-ordinated so that at least 90% of each of the driving movements in the travel surface segments (E1 . . . E8) is carried out by a closed group of autonomous conveying vehicles (5a . . . 5l, 6a . . . 6h). The invention further relates to a method for operating the picking system (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Applicant: TGW Logistics Group GmbH
    Inventors: Michael SCHEDLBAUER, Andreas SCHMIDBERGER, Christian Michael SIKET, Harald SCHROEPF
  • Publication number: 20210046646
    Abstract: A robot system (2a . . . 2d) is specified, which comprises a robot (1a, 1b) having a gripping unit (4) for collecting goods (23a . . . 23n) and a sensor system (8a . . . 8e) for detecting a loading space (27a . . . 27d) of a loading aid (9a . . . 9e) and the goods (23a . . . 23n) stored therein. After the collection of a good (23a . . . 23n), a check is conducted with the aid of a controller (11) on whether a good (23a . . . 23n) protrudes beyond the loading space (27a . . . 27d). If necessary, the good (23a . . . 23n) protruding beyond the loading space (27a . . . 27d) is collected and placed down at a different position, or the part of the good (23a . . . 23n) protruding beyond the loading space (27a . . . 27d) is moved into the loading space (27a . . . 27d). Moreover, a method for operating the robot system (2a . . . 2d) is specified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Applicant: TGW Logistics Group GmbH
    Inventors: Christian PRECHTL, Harald SCHROEPF
  • Publication number: 20210024298
    Abstract: A picking station for picking goods has a source container conveyor for automated transporting of source containers, a target container conveyor for automated transporting of target containers and a fully automated robot system. The source container conveyor includes a first removal area, where a first source container is provisioned, and a second removal area, where a second source container is provisioned. The target container conveyor includes a first loading area, where a first target container is provisioned, and a second loading area, where a second target container is provisioned. The robot system includes a robot having a gripping unit configured to remove goods according to different orders from the first source container and/or second source container and place them into the first target container and/or second target container, and a sensor system for capturing the goods in the first and second source containers. A method automatically picks goods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Applicant: TGW Logistics Group GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph DOPPLER, Stefan HOLZNER, Sebastian Maximilian FEISTL, Christian PRECHTL, Harald SCHROEPF
  • Publication number: 20210009351
    Abstract: A robot system (2a . . . 2d) is specified, which comprises a robot (1a, 1b) having a gripping unit (4) for collecting and placing down/throwing goods (26a, . . . 26g), wherein the goods (26a, . . . 26g) are differentiated into multiple types with respect to their dimensional stability, compressive stability, flexural rigidity, strength, their absolute weight and/or specific weight. When the goods (26a, . . . 26g) are manipulated, the robot (1a, 1b) and/or the gripping unit (4) are controlled depending on the type determined for the goods (26a, . . . 26g). Moreover, a method for operating the robot system (2a, . . . 2d) is specified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Applicant: TGW Logistics Group GmbH
    Inventors: Maximilian BEINHOFER, Harald SCHROEPF
  • Patent number: 10836526
    Abstract: A method for picking goods (4a . . . 4c) in a picking zone is proposed, whereby at least one bag (6) and a box-shaped loading aid (5a . . . 5d) are provided, the bag (6) is inserted in the box-shaped loading aid (5a . . . 5d), a picking aid (7a . . . 7d) is inserted in the bag (6), goods (4a . . . 4c) are packed in the bag (6) and the box-shaped loading aid (5a . . . 5d) together with the bag (6) and the goods (4a . . . 4c) is finally transported out of the picking zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: TGW Logistics Group GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph Doppler, Harald Schroepf