U.S. patent application number 13/372632 was filed with the patent office on 2012-08-16 for system and method for storing products in a storage rack.
This patent application is currently assigned to Hanel & Co.. Invention is credited to Joachim Hanel.
Application Number | 20120207568 13/372632 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39639613 |
Filed Date | 2012-08-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120207568 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hanel; Joachim |
August 16, 2012 |
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STORING PRODUCTS IN A STORAGE RACK
Abstract
The invention relates to a method of storing storage products in
a storage rack, the storage rack comprising several rack units
providing a plurality of storage spaces for the storage products.
The storage rack comprises a transport shaft, a transport device
being traversable on the transport shaft to transport the storage
products between a service opening and a storage space. A first
rack unit has the service opening and a second rack unit is spaced
from the first rack unit by the transport shaft. In the method, a
first storage product is transported into a buffer area spaced from
the service opening of the first rack unit by the transport device
for intermediate storage. A second storage product is supplied to
the transport device via the service opening. The second storage
product to be stored is transported into the buffer area using the
transport device.
Inventors: |
Hanel; Joachim; (Bad
Friedrichshall, DE) |
Assignee: |
Hanel & Co.
Alstatten
CH
|
Family ID: |
39639613 |
Appl. No.: |
13/372632 |
Filed: |
February 14, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12595156 |
Oct 8, 2009 |
8186932 |
|
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PCT/EP2008/054371 |
Apr 10, 2008 |
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13372632 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
414/281 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65G 1/0407
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
414/281 |
International
Class: |
B65G 1/12 20060101
B65G001/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 12, 2007 |
DE |
102007017365.4 |
Claims
1. A storage rack, comprising: a plurality of rack units providing
a plurality of storage spaces for storing storage products; and a
transport shaft along which a transport device is traversable to
transport the storage products between a service opening and one of
the plurality of storage spaces, wherein a first of the plurality
of rack units includes the service opening and a second of the
plurality of rack units is spaced from the first rack unit by the
transport shaft, and wherein the second of the plurality of rack
units includes a buffer area for intermediate storage of storage
products, the buffer area having at least two buffer spaces and
being disposed at substantially the same elevation as the service
opening.
2. The storage rack according to claim 1, wherein the buffer area
has a height equal to approximately twice a predetermined maximum
height of the storage space.
3. The storage rack according to claim 1, further comprising a
height measuring device disposed proximate the service opening and
selected to measure a height of the storage product.
4. The storage rack according to claim 1, further comprising a
closure element configured to open and close the service
opening.
5. The storage rack according claim 1, wherein the transport device
comprises a first transporting means and a second transporting
means, wherein the first transporting means is traversable in a
vertical direction and the second transporting means is traversable
in a horizontal direction.
6. The storage rack according to claim 1, the first and second rack
units further comprising vertically spaced carrier supports, a
plurality of the carrier supports being arranged at opposite side
walls of the at least one rack unit to form the storage space.
7. The storage rack according to claim 1, wherein the rack units
have carrier supports one above the other and spaced from each
other, and arranged at opposite side walls of the rack units to
form a storage space for the storage product.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 12/595,156, which entered the US under 35 USC
371 on Oct. 8, 2009, as a National Stage entry of International
Application No. PCT/EP2008/054371, filed Apr. 10, 2008 which claims
priority to German Application No. DE 10 2007 017 365.4-22, filed
Apr. 12, 2007, all of which are herein incorporated by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a method of storing storage
products in a storage rack with a plurality of rack units providing
a plurality of storage spaces for the storage products. The storage
rack comprises a transport shaft, in which a transport device is
traversable to transport the storage products between a service
opening and a storage location.
[0004] Storage racks are well known, which have two rows of rack
units with rack modules arranged side by side, wherein, between the
two rows, a transport shaft is provided in which a transport device
is traversable. In one or more rack units, a service opening is
provided, through which the storage products, or an storage product
carrier with the storage product, can be pushed until it reaches
the area of the transport shaft and can be received by the
transport device. Subsequently, the storage product carrier, or the
storage product, can be traversed by means of the transport device
in the vertical and/or horizontal direction until the desired
storage space is reached and pushed into the storage space. To
reduce the number of empty traversals of the transport device,
improvements on the process sequence are necessary.
[0005] 2. Description of Related Art
[0006] From DE 203 17 901 U1, a storage rack is known, wherein a
deposition surface receiving the storage product of the transport
device is subdivided into at least two surface areas, and means for
turning the transport device are provided. There is a drawback,
however, in that turning the transport device is carried out within
the transport shaft, and the transport shaft therefore needs a
larger width than is necessary for actual transportation.
Furthermore, a means requiring a lot of structural effort must be
provided for turning.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Furthermore, storage racks are well known wherein the
service opening and the processes are configured in such a way that
several storage product carriers to be withdrawn can be supplied to
the service opening and then removed from the service opening by
the operating personnel. A problem herein is that a collision can
occur if the service opening is occupied in its lower range by a
first storage product carrier with storage products of great height
and a second storage product carrier is supplied from a storage
location to the upper range of the service opening, because too
little space remains in the service opening due to the excessively
high storage product on the first storage product carrier.
Moreover, the second storage product carrier is at an unergonomic
height which makes withdrawal difficult for the personnel.
[0008] It is the object of the present invention to create a method
of storing storage products in a storage rack, wherein the handling
of the placement and withdrawal of the storage products is improved
while reducing the amount of time needed. Furthermore, such a
storage rack is to be provided.
[0009] To achieve the above object, in accordance with claim 1, a
method is suggested for storing storage products in a storage rack,
wherein the storage rack comprises a plurality of rack units
providing a plurality of storage locations for the storage
products, and a transport shaft, a transport device being
traversable on the transport shaft to transport the storage
products between a service opening and a storage location.
Furthermore, a first rack unit includes the service opening, and a
second rack unit is spaced from the first rack unit by the
transport shaft. The method according to the present invention
comprises the following steps: [0010] a) transporting a first
storage product to be retrieved by the transport device in a buffer
area spaced from the service opening of the first rack unit for
intermediate storage; [0011] b) supplying a second storage product
to be stored to the transport device via the service opening;
[0012] c) transporting the second storage product to be stored to
the buffer area using the transport device; [0013] d) supplying the
first storage product to be retrieved from the buffer area to the
service opening using the transport device; and [0014] e) supplying
the second storage product to be stored from the buffer area to a
predetermined storage space using the transport device.
[0015] Placement and withdrawal times can be reduced by the method
according to the present invention. Preferably, always only one
storage product, or one storage product carrier, is in the area of
the service opening, meaning that there is no limitation to the
height of the storage product, and all storage product carriers can
be processed at an ergonomic height. As a result, collisions, for
example of several storage product carriers or storage products to
be withdrawn can be avoided in the area of the service opening
since a second storage product carrier or a second storage product
is not traversed into the storage opening. In particular, the
buffer area provided in one of the rack units facilitates the
removal of the storage product from the potential danger zone of
the service opening and provisional positioning in the buffer
area.
[0016] In the context of the present application, a rack is
preferably a rack column providing a plurality of storage locations
one above the other, one for each storage product carrier. Several
rack columns can be positioned side by side along a longitudinal
direction to form a rack row. The term storage primarily means
placement and withdrawal of the storage product into or from the
storage rack.
[0017] In the present application, storage product means a single
storage product element or a combination of several storage product
elements, or it can be replaced or complemented by a storage
product carrier containing the storage product to be transported.
The first storage product can thus be a first combination of
storage product elements, and the fourth storage product explained
below can be a second combination of storage product elements,
wherein the second combination comprises more or less storage
product elements in comparison with the first combination. For
example, the first storage product can be referred to as the fourth
storage product after removal of a requested storage product
element. Alternatively, the fourth storage product can also
comprise a completely new combination of storage product elements,
for example, even in a different storage product carrier.
[0018] Advantageous embodiments of the method according to the
present invention are presented in claims 2 to 10.
[0019] In an advantageous embodiment of the method, the buffer area
is preferably associated with the second rack unit and essentially
provided at the same level and/or elevation as the service opening.
In other words, the buffer area is arranged in the second rack unit
or rack column opposite the service opening of the first rack unit
or rack column. In this way, for example, an storage product to be
stored only needs to be transported from the service opening across
the transport shaft into the rack unit behind it, i.e., essentially
in a horizontal direction. Alternatively, the buffer area can also
be associated with the first rack unit or any other rack unit.
[0020] In an advantageous embodiment, the buffer area provides at
least two buffer spaces. Herein it is not necessary to provide a
spatial separation of the buffer spaces, for example, by a
horizontal separating wall. It is therefore sufficient if a
correspondingly large space is provided for the at least two buffer
spaces. For example, the storage product carriers or the storage
products can be pushed onto carrier supports protruding from the
side walls of the rack units.
[0021] Advantageously, the buffer area has a height corresponding
to about twice the height of the maximum height provided for the
storage space. This maximum height of the storage space depends on
the type of storage rack, i.e., on the size and weight of the
storage products, which the storage rack is supposed to handle.
Basically, the buffer area can have a height corresponding to a
multiple of the maximum height. In this way, it is avoided that
collisions or crashes of storage product carriers or storage
products occur in the buffer area. For example, in an embodiment of
the present disclosure, the buffer area may have a height equal to
approximately twice the predetermined maximum height of the storage
space.
[0022] Furthermore, is has proven advantageous to measure the
height of the storage product. A height measuring device required
for this purpose is preferably provided in the area of the service
opening so that storage products only pass into the buffer area
after their height has been measured. Advantageously, only storage
products up to a predetermined maximum height are transported into
the buffer area.
[0023] In a further preferred embodiment, in a step f), a third
storage product to be retrieved is supplied from its storage space
to the buffer area using the transport device. Herein it is
advantageous if the third storage product is in the vicinity of the
storage space of the second storage product. This results in time
being saved and reduces the distance to be covered by the transport
device.
[0024] It is also advantageous if a fourth storage product to be
stored is supplied to the transport device via the service opening
in a step g). Advantageously, step g) is carried out after step f)
so that the transport device only has to be operated in the area of
the service opening and the buffer area for moving the storage
product.
[0025] To be able to close the service opening over shorter or
longer periods of time, in an advantageous embodiment, a closure
element, preferably a high speed door, is opened or closed for
opening or closing the service opening between two of the above
mentioned steps or during at least one of these steps.
[0026] In an advantageous embodiment, the transport device
comprises a first transporting means and a second transporting
means, wherein the first transporting means is traversed in a
vertical direction and the second transporting means is traversed
in a horizontal direction. To further save transportation time, it
is advantageous if the second transporting means is traversed on
the first transporting means.
[0027] Furthermore, a storage rack is suggested which has the
features of the preamble of claim 11, wherein a rack unit has a
buffer area for intermediate storage of the storage product. Such a
storage rack utilizes the advantages mentioned with reference to
the above method.
[0028] Advantageous embodiments of the storage rack according to
the present invention are described in claims 12 to 18.
[0029] Advantageously, the buffer area is provided in the second
rack unit and essentially at the same level as the service opening.
In this way, the paths to be traversed of the storage product to be
stored or retrieved can be reduced and thus product ordering times
can be reduced. Preferably, the buffer area comprises at least two
buffering spaces. It is also advantageous if the buffer areas have
a height corresponding to a multiple of the height, in particular
to twice the height, of the predetermined maximum height of the
storage space. In these advantageous embodiments, the advantages
are the same as those mentioned above with reference to the
method.
[0030] In a preferred embodiment, in the area of the service
opening, a height measuring device is provided for detecting the
height of the storage product. Such a height measuring device can
determine the number of height units necessary for storing the
storage product. Advantageously, the measuring signal of the height
measuring device is fed to a control unit which traverses and
supplies the storage product and/or the storage product carrier by
means of the transport device to a suitable storage space as a
function of the height of the storage product and the state of
occupation of the storage rack. The height measuring device can be
arranged in the area of the outer end of the service opening, i.e.,
in the area of the exterior of the first rack unit, or in the area
of the inner end of the service opening, i.e., approximately
adjacent to the transport shaft.
[0031] To be able to temporarily or permanently close the service
opening, a closure element, preferably a high speed door, can be
provided for opening and closing the service opening. Preferably,
the closure element is provided at the inner end of the service
opening, or on the inside of the first rack unit.
[0032] In a further preferred embodiment, the transport device
comprises a first transporting means and a second transporting
means, wherein the first transporting means is traversable in a
vertical direction and the second transporting means is traversable
in a horizontal direction. In this way, transportation can be
carried out simultaneously in the vertical direction and in the
horizontal direction. Advantageously, the second transporting means
is supported on the first transporting means. For this purpose,
guiding means, such as rails and/or wheels can be provided.
[0033] Finally, it is advantageous if the rack units have carrier
supports one above the other and spaced from each other, arranged
in pairs at opposite side walls of the rack units to form a storage
space for the storage products and/or the storage product carriers.
Such a configuration of the rack unit also in the buffer area
facilitates, for example, the formation of two or more buffer
spaces without having to provide a spatial separation of the buffer
spaces.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0034] The invention will be further described in the following
with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0035] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the storage rack according
to the present invention;
[0036] FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the storage rack
according to FIG. 1;
[0037] FIG. 3 is a sectional view along line III-III of FIG. 1 of
the side walls of two adjacent rack modules of the storage rack;
and
[0038] FIGS. 4 to 11 are diagrams of the method steps of the method
according to the present invention
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0039] FIG. 1 schematically shows the structure of a storage rack
10 according to the present invention having two rows of three rack
modules arranged side by side. The rack modules 22, 24, 26 form a
first rack unit 20. Rack modules 42, 44, 46 form a second rack unit
40. Each of the rack modules 22 to 26 and 42 and 46 provides a
plurality of storage spaces arranged one above the other to receive
storage products. In an alternative embodiment, first rack unit 20
can comprise only rack module 24 and second rack unit 40 can
comprise only rack module 44.
[0040] Between the two rack units 20 and 40, a transport shaft 60
is provided with a transport device 80 which is traversable in a
first horizontal direction X, a second horizontal direction Y and a
vertical direction Z. Preferably, the storage product to be stored
or retrieved is transported and stored by means of storage product
carriers or containers.
[0041] To store the storage product or the storage product carrier
in the individual storage spaces, rack modules 22 to 26 and 42 to
46 have side walls 70 with carrier supports 74 opposing each other
in pairs (cf. in particular FIG. 3). Each side wall 70 of steel
sheeting is welded to a column 72.
[0042] As can be seen in FIG. 3, in particular, carrier supports 74
are integrated on each side wall 70 and pressed into it in a
meandering fashion. By these means, a comparatively stiff
configuration of side walls 70 is ensured. To facilitate easy
insertion of the storage product carriers into the storage spaces,
the carrier supports 74 have a tapering cross-section on the side
facing the transport shaft 60.
[0043] Furthermore, a service opening 30 in rack module 24 can be
seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 to 11 to be able to place storage product
into storage rack 10, or to withdraw the storage product from
storage rack 10. Placement and/or withdrawal of the storage product
in the area of service opening 30 can be carried out manually by
the operating personnel or in a fully automated fashion. As the
case may be, a handing-over unit can be provided in the outside
area in front of service opening 30, which takes over the storage
product to be stored from a conveyor or supplies the storage
product to be retrieved to a conveyor.
[0044] Service opening 30 forms a free space within first rack unit
20 limited by two side walls 32, 33, a deposition surface 34 and a
ceiling surface 35. Deposition surface 34 is for depositing storage
products or storage product carriers in service opening 30. Service
opening 30 has an outer end 36 facing toward the outside of storage
rack 10 as seen in the horizontal direction Y, and an inner end 37
facing toward transport shaft 60. Service opening 30 makes it
possible to supply a storage product to be stored to transport
device 80 through first rack unit 20. Subsequently, transport
device 80 can supply the storage product to be stored to the
desired storage space in one of rack modules 22 to 26 and 42 to 46.
In the same way, transport device 80 can pick up an storage product
to be retrieved, which is stored in a storage space, and supply it
to service opening 30 via transport shaft 60.
[0045] To facilitate transportation of the storage product in the
first horizontal direction X, the second horizontal direction Y and
the vertical direction Z, transport device 80 can have a first
transporting means and a second transporting means (not shown).
Herein it is advantageous if the first transporting means is
traversable in the vertical direction Z and the second transporting
means is supported on the first transporting means and traversable
in the first horizontal direction X. Furthermore, the second
transporting means can be adapted to move the storage product in
the second horizontal direction Y, i.e., in particular to be able
to remove the storage product from a storage space and/or to supply
it to the service opening 30. This task can also be carried out by
a further transporting means, for example, supported on the second
transporting means. This constellation with several transporting
means forming the transport device 80 facilitates transporting the
storage product within transport shaft 60 in several directions
simultaneously.
[0046] As can be seen, in particular, from the horizontal sectional
view on the level of the operating unit according to FIG. 2, a
buffer area 50 is provided in second rack unit 40 in rack module
44. Buffer area 50 is arranged essentially at the same level with
respect to the vertical direction Z as service opening 30. Buffer
area 50 has a height h.sub.2 corresponding to twice the height of
the maximum height of a storage space of storage rack 10. In the
present case, buffer area 50 provides two buffer spaces 52, 54,
wherein buffer space 52 is at the bottom in buffer area 50 and
buffer space 54 is at the top in buffer area 50.
[0047] To close service opening 30, a closure element 100 in the
form of a high speed door can be provided on the inside of first
rack unit 20, i.e., in the area of inner end 37, to be able to open
and close service opening 30. Furthermore, in the area of service
opening 30 a height measuring device 90 used to detect the height
of the storage product is provided. For this purpose, height
measuring device 90 comprises a plurality of light barriers
arranged one above the other both in the area of inner end 37 and
in the area of outer end 36 to be able to determine the height of
the storage product to be stored or to be retrieved. To achieve
optimum utilization of storage capacity, the above mentioned
control unit determines one or more suitable storage spaces and
drives transport device 80 in such a way that the storage product
is transported to the storage space determined by the control
unit.
[0048] In the following, a method will be described for storing
storage products, i.e., for placing and/or withdrawing storage
products into and out of storage rack 10, respectively, with
reference to the successive method steps schematically shown in
FIGS. 4 to 11.
[0049] In a first method step, a first storage product 110 to be
retrieved is transported by transport device 80 from its storage
space to buffer area 50 of second rack unit 40. FIG. 4 already
shows the situation after completion of this method step, in which
first storage product 110 is in the area of top buffer space 54 of
buffer area 50. To illustrate the transport paths, arrows are shown
in FIGS. 4 to 11.
[0050] Next, transport device 80 takes a second storage product 120
to be stored out of service opening 30. This process can occur
prior to, during or after the above-mentioned first method step.
After the second storage product 120 has been picked up by
transport device 80 and is within transport shaft 60, it is
transported by transport device 80 into buffer area 50 and supplied
to the bottom buffer space 52 (cf. FIGS. 4 and 5).
[0051] Subsequently, transport device 80 is traversed from the
position shown in FIG. 5 at the level of the bottom buffer space 52
to the position shown in FIG. 6 at the level of the top buffer
space 54. Now, as can be seen from a combination of FIGS. 6 and 7,
the transport device 80 picks up the first storage product 110 and
transports it into the area of service opening 30.
[0052] Then transport device 80 can pick up second storage product
120 from buffer space 52 and supply it to a suitable storage space
(cf. FIGS. 7 and 8). As shown in FIG. 9, in the present case, the
suitable storage space is in the upper range of rack module 24 of
first rack unit 20, approximately on the opposite side of a third
storage product 130 stored in rack module 44 of second rack unit
40. In other words, the storage space for the second storage
product 120 is on the one hand suited for the height of storage
product 120 to be stored, and on the other hand, it is also suited
for the third storage product 130 to be subsequently retrieved.
[0053] In a subsequent step it is thus possible to withdraw third
storage product 130 from its storage space by means of transport
device 80 (cf. FIG. 10) and to supply it to buffer space 54 of
buffer area 50 (cf. FIG. 11).
[0054] Meanwhile, the requested storage product element can be
removed from the combination of storage product elements of storage
product 110. The storage product 110 now comprising one storage
product element less, is now referred to as a fourth storage
product 140. Alternatively, fourth storage product 140 can also
comprise a completely different combination of storage product
elements and a different storage product carrier.
[0055] Now, to store the fourth storage product 140, similarly as
in the above-mentioned second storage product 120 to be stored, it
is supplied to the service opening 30 or is still present there
(cf., for example, FIG. 9). In other words, the situation shown in
FIG. 11 with third storage product 130 to be retrieved in the area
of upper buffer space 54 and with fourth storage product 140 to be
stored in the area of service opening 30, corresponds to the
situation shown in FIG. 4. Herein, in a comparison of FIG. 4 with
FIG. 11, second storage product 120 corresponds to fourth storage
product 140 and first storage product 110 corresponds to third
storage product 130. Thus, with the situation shown in FIG. 11, a
new process cycle begins and is carried out in the same way
according to FIGS. 4 to 11.
[0056] In FIG. 4, a plurality of height dimensions can be seen,
which also apply to FIGS. 5 to 11, wherein height h.sub.1 is a
height of storage products 110 to 140. In accordance with this
height h.sub.1 measured by height measuring device 90, the control
unit determines a suitable storage space of sufficient height. A
height h.sub.3 of the service opening is essentially the maximum
height determined for the storage product to be stored in the
present type of storage rack. As already mentioned above, buffer
area 50 has a height h.sub.2, which corresponds approximately to
twice the height of the predetermined maximum height of the storage
space. In other words, buffer area 50 has a height h.sub.2
sufficient to provide two buffer spaces 52, 54. Each buffer space
52, 54 could thus accommodate an storage product with maximum
height. If needed, height h.sub.2 can be a multiple of the maximum
height of the storage product.
[0057] Furthermore, as indicated by the closed and opened positions
in FIGS. 4 to 11, a closure element 100 can be provided.
Preferably, closure element 100 is opened or closed between two
steps or during at least one of the method steps. Opening and
closing can also be controlled by the control unit.
[0058] The method described is distinguished in particular in that
the placement and withdrawal processes are adapted to each other in
a time-saving manner, wherein collisions between an storage product
120 or 130 to be stored and an storage product 110 or 140 to be
retrieved are avoided. Also, a situation where more than one
storage product or more than one storage product carrier is
positioned in the area of service opening 30 never occurs. In this
way, a maximum of one storage product is present at any one time in
the area of service opening 30 so that the height position of
service opening 30 can be optimized from the ergonomic point of
view. Furthermore, the height required for the service opening 30
can be reduced to the maximum height of the storage product to be
stored for each type of storage rack, whereby only a height
measuring device is necessary which is correspondingly dimensioned.
By traversing storage products into buffer area 50 only after their
height has been measured, a crash is also avoided in buffer area
50. Furthermore, both the duration of the process cycle of an
storage product exchange and the storing time for a new storage
product to be stored can be reduced.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
TABLE-US-00001 [0059] 10 storage rack 12 first rack unit 22 rack
module 24 rack module 26 rack module 30 service opening 32 side
wall 33 side wall 34 deposition surface 35 ceiling surface 36 outer
end 37 inner end 40 second rack unit 42 rack module 44 rack module
46 rack module 50 buffer area 52 buffer space 54 buffer space 60
transport shaft 70 side wall 72 column 74 carrier supports 80
transport device 90 height measuring device 100 closure element 110
first storage product 120 second storage product 130 third storage
product 140 fourth storage product h.sub.1 height of storage
product h.sub.2 height of buffer area h.sub.3 height of service
opening X first horizontal direction Y second horizontal direction
Z vertical direction
* * * * *