WO2011054053A1

WO2011054053A1 - A system for packing orders for delivery

Info

Publication number: WO2011054053A1
Application number: PCT/AU2010/001479
Authority: WO
Inventors: Patrick Seibel; Milan Vjestica
Original assignee: Swisslog Australia Pty Limited
Priority date: 2009-11-06
Filing date: 2010-11-05
Publication date: 2011-05-12
Also published as: AU2010314751A1; NZ599112A; AU2017201871A1

Abstract

A system (10) for packing orders for delivery includes an order collating system (12) for processing orders from a plurality of customers, for determining the contents of stacks (14) into which goods are to be stacked to fill the customers' orders and for determining a sequence in which the stacks are to be placed on a transport unit to be packed in a delivery vehicle. A stacking station (18) is in communication with the order collating system (12) for forming the stacks (18), each stack comprising goods destined for a single customer, and for optionally securing goods comprising the stack together.

Description

"A system for packing orders for delivery"

Cross-Reference to Related Applications

The present application claims priority from Australian Provisional Patent Application No. 2009905432 dated 6 November 2009, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Field

This disclosure relates, generally, to supply chain logistics and, more particularly, to a system for packing orders for delivery, to a method of packing orders for delivery and to ancillary parts of the system and components related to the system.

Background

Current industry practice is to consolidate a number of orders to a load, pick the goods comprising the load in the warehouse and to pack the goods on to pallets which are placed on a delivery vehicle. The delivery vehicle traverses the route and makes deliveries at stops along the route. Thus, the route is the retail outlets, etc requiring deliveries.

There is a second pick process in place at every stop along the route. Typically, the goods to fill a single order for a customer are picked from transport units on the delivery vehicle, stacked on a trolley and delivered into the customer's premises. This means the customer receives its order in a stacked arrangement but the stack is formed at the delivery vehicle at the time of delivery.

Inefficiencies in the warehouse and load security currently makes it inefficient for one step picking and stacked arrangement of orders. In addition, the current method requires some picking and unloading from the delivery vehicle on a side of the vehicle facing traffic and this has safety issues. Further, some picking and unloading is conducted from the kerb side of the vehicle and this may expose members of the public to risk. The second picking and loading required further reduces productivity and raises the risk of injury to delivery personnel. The goods may not be placed on the truck in the most suitable way for efficient unloading along the route.

Summary

In a first aspect, there is provided a system for packing orders for delivery, the system including: an order collating system for processing orders from a plurality of customers, for determining the contents of stacks into which cases of goods are to be stacked to fill the customers' orders and for determining a sequence in which the stacks are to be placed on a transport unit to be packed in a delivery vehicle; and

a stacking station in communication with the order collating system for forming the stacks, each stack comprising cases destined for a single customer.

The sequence on which the stacks are to be stacked on the transport unit may be a reverse order drop-off sequence.

In this specification, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the term "reverse order drop-off sequence" is to be understood as a sequence in which a first stack loaded on to the transport unit is the last to be delivered and vice versa. Further, in this specification, the term "collating" is to be understood as meaning gathering or arranging in a proper sequence.

It will be appreciated that the goods are pre-packed in receptacles, such as cases, boxes, trays, crates, or the like. For ease of explanation, the receptacles will be referred to in this specification as "cases".

The order collating system may be operative to determine a sequence in which a plurality of the transport units are to be packed in the delivery vehicle. The sequence in which the transport units are to be packed in the delivery vehicle may also be a reverse order drop-off sequence with the transport units being packed in the vehicle so that the first orders and subsequent orders to be delivered are accessible via a rear of the delivery vehicle.

The stacks may comprise a plurality of the cases arranged so as to form a suitable stack. Generally, each stack may comprise a plurality of the same or different cases, whether of different size, different weight, product type, or the like. By "suitable" is meant that the cases are arranged in the stack to provide a required end result. For example, to achieve a stable stack, the cases may be arranged with larger cases beneath smaller cases. Instead, the required end result may be to minimise contamination from leakage where a case containing goods which may be prone to leakage are arranged below cases containing goods not so prone to leakage. In another example, cases containing goods which may be susceptible to being crushed may be placed in the stack above cases containing goods which are not susceptible to being crushed even though the former cases are larger than the latter cases.

The order collating system may include a receiving module for receiving the plurality of orders. The manner in which the orders are received by the order collating system may be dependent on who is operating the system. If the supplier of the goods is operating the system, the receiving module may receive individual customer's orders. Instead, where an operator, such as a supply chain logistics company (referred to below as the "operator"), of which the supplier is a client, is operating the system, the supplier may collect the orders from its customers and determine a routing sequence for delivery of the orders. The supplier supplies the orders and the routing sequence to the operator and the orders may be entered in the order collating system (possibly electronically) via the receiving module. In the case of the supplier operating the system, the order collating system may include a route determining module which communicates with the receiving module, the route determining module determining the route to be followed by the delivery vehicle and a stop sequence of the vehicle along the route to deliver the orders. Instead, the route sequence may be provided by another, independent system.

The order collating system may further include a selection module for selecting the cases to be packed in each stack. The selection module may communicate with a warehouse control module which picks the cases to be forwarded to the stacking station.

The stacking station may have cases to be stacked fed to it by a conveyor device, the stacking station including a receiving unit arranged in communication with the conveyor device for receiving the cases to be stacked and the receiving unit comprising a support member.

The stacking station may include a displacement unit for displacing each case from the conveyor device on to the support member of the receiving unit. The support member and the conveyor device may be displaceably arranged relative to each other in a direction normal to a direction of travel of the cases on the conveyor device. Thus, once a first case has been received on the support member, one of the support member and the conveyor device may be displaced so that the support member is at a lower elevation than the conveyor device to receive the following case on the, or the uppermost, case on the support member. Preferably, the support member is displaceable relative to the conveyor device. Instead of a displacement unit, other devices for stacking the cases may be employed such as, for example, a robot, another mechanical device such as, for example a gripping device, a grapple device, or the like or the process of stacking the cases may be performed manually.

The displacement unit may comprise a picking device which picks the case from the conveyor device and deposits it on the support member of the receiving unit. The picking device may include bearing members which bear against the case from below to reduce friction between a bottom of the case and a surface of the support member or a case on the support member, as the case may be, on to which the picking device deposits the case from the conveyor device.

The stacking station may further include a securing station arranged downstream of the receiving unit for securing the cases of the stack together. In an embodiment, the securing station may comprise a strapping machine for strapping the cases together with a strap. It will be appreciated that, when in position, the strap lies in a substantially vertical plane about the cases of the stack. In other embodiments, the securing station may comprise a film wrapping machine or other wrapping machine.

The system may include a packing station for packing a plurality of the stacks together on the transport unit, such as a pallet, prior to packing the stacks into the delivery vehicle, the stacks being supported on but not necessarily being secured to the transport unit. The packing station may comprise the transport unit on to which the stacks are packed in an arrangement where the first order to be delivered is accessible from a load bay access opening of the delivery vehicle, preferably an access opening at a rear of the vehicle.

In a second aspect, there is provided a method of packing orders for delivery, the method including

analysing orders received from customers to determine which cases of goods are to be stacked to fill the customers' orders;

forming stacks of the cases with each stack comprising cases destined for a single customer; and

arranging each stack on a transport unit.

The method may include securing the cases comprising each stack together. In addition, the method may include arranging the stacks on the transport unit without securing the stacks to the transport unit.

Further, the method may include arranging the stacks on the transport unit so that, as one order has been delivered, the next order to be delivered is immediately accessible. Thus, the method may include arranging the stacks on the transport unit in a reverse order drop-off sequence.

As indicated above, the goods are generally packed in receptacles such as cases, etc. and, for ease of explanation, the receptacles will be referred to below as "cases".

Where the supplier receives orders from its customers, the method may include, once a plurality of orders have been received, consolidating the orders into a predetermined route and determining stop sequences along the route where orders are to be delivered. The supplier may make the routing sequence available to the operator to enable the operator to arrange completed transport units in the delivery vehicle in a desired arrangement. Instead, the operator may itself determine the routing sequence once details of customer's orders have been received by the operator. The method may include, once the stop sequences have been determined, determining the case/s comprising the order to be delivered at each stop.

The method may include determining how the cases are to be stacked so that a suitable stack (as defined above) is formed. In other words, the method may include determining a case sequence based on volume, stability or other criteria.

The method may include collecting the cases from their location in a warehouse and stacking them together in the predetermined sequence to form the suitable stack. Once the stack has been formed, the method may include securing the cases of the stack together. The method may include securing the cases of the stack by strapping the cases together.

The method may also include identifying, by label, tag or other device, the stacks for identification by end customer and/or positioning on the transport unit and/or in the vehicle.

The method may include arranging a plurality of completed transport units in a delivery vehicle in a predetermined sequence. The method may include arranging the completed transport units in a reverse drop-off sequence so that the first transport unit loaded into a load bay of the delivery vehicle is the last transport unit which needs to be accessed along the route. Conversely, the last transport unit loaded in the load bay of the delivery vehicle is the first transport unit to be accessed during delivery.

Further, the method may include arranging the transport units in the load bay of the delivery vehicle so that the transport units, and their contents, can be accessed from a rear of the vehicle and not from a side of the vehicle.

The disclosure extends also to a stack of cases to be loaded on to a transport unit, the sequence of cases in the stack being selected based on criteria to form a required end result and all the cases in the stack being destined for one customer.

The cases comprising each stack may be secured together by a securing device.

The disclosure extends still further to a completed transport unit, the transport unit including

a carrier; and

columnar stacks of cases packed on the carrier with all the cases of any one of the stacks being destined for one customer.

The cases comprising each stack may be secured together by a securing device. The stacks may rest on, but be unsecured to, the carrier. Instead, the stacks may be secured to the carrier to prevent load shifting during transportation by a securing arrangement such as a cargo net received over the completed transport unit.

Still further, the disclosure extends to a delivery vehicle when packed with a plurality of completed transport units, each transport unit carrying a plurality of stacks of cases with the cases comprising each stack being destined for a single customer, the stacks being unsecured to, but arranged on, their associated transport units in a predetermined sequence and the transport units being arranged in the load bay of the delivery vehicle in a further predetermined sequence.

The cases comprising each stack may be secured together by a securing device.

The predetermined sequence in which the stacks are arranged on their associated transport unit may be a reverse order drop-off sequence. The further predetermined sequence in which the transport units are arranged in the load bay of the delivery vehicle may be a reverse order drop-off sequence.

In another aspect, there is provided a stacking station for a system for packing orders for delivery, the stacking station including

a receiving unit arranged in a stacking zone, the receiving unit being in communication with a conveyor device for receiving, via the conveyor device, cases to be stacked, the receiving unit comprising a support member; and

a displacement unit arranged in the stacking zone for displacing a case from the conveyor device on to the support member of the receiving unit, the displacement unit comprising a picking device having bearing members which bear against the case from below to reduce friction between a bottom of the case and a surface of the support member or goods on the support member, as the case may be, on to which the case are to deposited.

The stacking station may include the conveyor device, the conveyor device comprising a plurality of rollers on which the cases to be stacked can be rolled, the rollers being supported between a pair of spaced rails.

The bearing members of the displacement unit may be in the form of tines which bear against a bottom of the case to be stacked. In the stacking zone, the rails may have passages formed in them through which the tines of the displacement unit can pass.

The displacement unit may be arranged on one side of the conveyor device with the receiving unit being arranged on an opposed side of the conveyor device. The conveyor device and the support member of the receiving unit may be displaceable relative to each other so that, once a first case has been received on the support member, one of the support member and the conveyor device is displaced so that the support member is at a lower elevation than the conveyor device to receive the following case on the, or the uppermost, case on the support member, as the case may be.

In an embodiment, the support member may be displaceably arranged relative to the conveyor device.

Brief Description of Drawings

An embodiment is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a system for packing orders for delivery;

Fig. 2 shows a schematic, three dimensional view of an embodiment of a stacking station for use in a system for packing orders;

Fig. 3 shows a schematic, three dimensional view of the stacking station and a packing station for use in a system for packing orders;

Fig. 4 shows a schematic, three dimensional view of an embodiment of a packed transport unit;

Fig. 5 shows a schematic, plan view of an embodiment of a delivery vehicle loaded with a plurality of transport units;

Fig. 6 shows a schematic representation of an unloading order for the delivery vehicle of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 shows a flow chart of the steps in an embodiment of a method of packing orders for delivery.

Detailed Description of Exemplary Embodiment

In the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally designates an embodiment of a system for packing orders for delivery. The system 10 includes an order collating system 12 for receiving and processing orders from a plurality of customers and for determining the contents of stacks 14 (Fig. 3) into which goods, in the form of cases 16 (as defined above), are to be stacked to fill the customers' orders.

A stacking station 18 communicates with the order collating system 12 for forming the stack 14 and for securing the cases 16 comprising the stack 14 together.

The system 10 is a computer based system and includes a computer or processor 20. While the processor 20 has been shown as part of the order collating system 12, it will be appreciated that it need not be a part of the order collating system 12 and can be a separate, stand-alone computer. It will be appreciated further that the processor controls operation of the entire system 10.

The order collating system 12 includes a receiving module 22 for receiving the plurality of orders. The manner in which the receiving module 22 receives customers' orders is dependent on who is operating the system 10. If a supplier of goods is operating the system 10, the supplier receives each customer's order which is entered into the receiving module 22. It will be appreciated that this may be done electronically either by the supplier or by the customer directly.

If an operator, such as a supply chain logistics company (the "operator"), of which the supplier is a client, is operating the system, the operator receives a plurality of customer orders from the supplier and these orders are entered or received in the receiving module 22.

In the case where the supplier provides the orders to the operator, the supplier generally determines a routing sequence and stops along the route. The routing sequence is made available to the operator via the receiving module 22. It will be appreciated that the operator could, instead, determine the routing sequence In the case where the supplier receives the customer orders, the order collating system includes a route determining module 24 which communicates with the receiving module 22. The route determining module 24 determines the route to be followed by a delivery vehicle and stops of the vehicle along the route to deliver the orders.

The order collating system 12 also includes a selection module 26 for selecting the cases 16 to be packed in each stack 14. The receiving module 22, the route determining module 24, if applicable, and the selection module 26 all operate under the control of the processor 20.

The system 10 includes a warehouse control module 28 and an existing warehouse module could be used in the system 10. Once the orders have been collated by the processor 20, the selection module 26 sends details of the cases 16 to be stacked into the stacks 14 to the warehouse control module 28. The warehouse control module 28 is operable to pick the cases 16 to be stacked in the stacks 14 and to forward the cases 16 to the stacking station 18. The warehouse control module 28 may pick the cases 16 in an automated fashion and the cases 16 are forwarded to the stacking station 18 in an automated fashion. This step may also be effected manually where necessary.

A packing station 30 is arranged downstream of the stacking station 18.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the stacking station 18 is described in greater detail. The stacking station 18 communicates with a conveyor device 32. In the described embodiment, the conveyor device is a roller conveyor 32 but it will be appreciated that, instead, the conveyor device could be a belt conveyor, a chain conveyor, or the like.

In an embodiment the roller conveyor 32 forms part of the stacking station 18. The roller conveyor 32 comprises a plurality of transversely arranged rollers 34, at least some of which are driven, the rollers 34 being arranged between a pair of spaced rails 36.

The stacking station 18 further includes a displacement unit in the form of a picking device 38 arranged in a stacking zone of the stacking station 18. The picking device 38 is arranged on one side of the roller conveyor 32. The picking device 38 has a plurality of bearing members in the form of tines 40 which extend through passages or spaces 42 defined between rollers 34 of the roller conveyor 32.

The rails 36 of the roller conveyor 32 are crenelated in the stacking zone to provide alternating slots 42 and tabs 46 with the tines 40 being received in the slots 42 to be able to be displaced transversely to a direction of travel of the cases 16 on the conveyor 32. The tabs 46 support the rollers 34.

A receiving unit 48 is arranged alongside the roller conveyor 32 in the stacking zone of the stacking station 18. The receiving unit 48 comprises a support member 50 in the form of a plate or a beam displaceably mounted, in the direction of arrows 52, on a guide post 54. In the illustrated embodiment, the support member 50 is displaceably arranged relative to the conveyor 32.

In use, when a case 16 is to be packed in a stack 14, the warehouse control module 28 dispatches the case 16 to the stacking station 18. When the case 16 is received in the stacking zone and is in register with the picking device 38, the conveyor 32 is brought to a standstill. The picking device 38 is displaced in the direction of arrow 56 with a bump board 58 of the picking device 38 bearing against the side of the case 16. The case 16, supported on the tines 40 of the picking device 38, is removed from the conveyor 32 and is placed above the surface of the support member 50. The picking device 38 is then withdrawn in a direction opposite to that of arrow 56 and the case 16 is received on the surface of the support member 50. The case 16 bears against an outer surface of the rail 36 adjacent the receiving unit 48 as the picking device 38 is withdrawn to inhibit withdrawal of the suspended case 16 from above the receiving unit 48. The support member 50 of the receiving unit 48 is then lowered by a height which is larger than the height of the case 16.

When a subsequent case 16 is received in the stacking zone of the stacking station 18 to be placed on the stack 14 being formed, the conveyor 32 is again brought to a standstill when the next case 16 to be stacked is in register with the picking device 38. The picking device 38 is again operated to be displaced in the direction of the arrow 56 to suspend the subsequent case 16 above the uppermost case on the support unit 50. The tines 40 are received between the cases 16 and, when the subsequent case 16 is above the uppermost case 16, on the support member 50, the picking device 38 is withdrawn. The suspended case 16 is thus placed on to the subjacent case 16 on the support member 50. Use of the tines 40 minimises frictional engagement between the surfaces of the cases 16 and arranging of the cases 16 in the stack 14 is therefore facilitated.

The stacking station 18 also includes a securing station 60 arranged downstream of the stacking zone and the receiving unit 48. The stacked cases 16, received from the receiving unit 48, are secured together in the securing station 60.

In the described embodiment, the stacked cases 16 are secured by a strapping machine, illustrated schematically at 61 in Fig. 3 of the drawings, which places a strap 62 about the cases 16, the strap 62 being arranged in a vertical plane. The secured stack 14 can this be handled further as a unitary entity with the cases 16 comprising each stack 14 being destined for a single customer.

The secured stacks 14 are placed on a transport unit, in the form of a pallet 64, in the packing station 30 to form a completed transport unit or load 66 (Fig. 4). The load 66 can then be placed into the load bay 68 (Fig. 5) of a delivery vehicle 70. It will be appreciated that, instead of a pallet 64, the transport unit could be a roll cage or other similar device.

As illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings, the delivery vehicle 70 is of a type having a rear tail lift 72 which can be arranged substantially horizontally and displaced vertically to be brought into a position parallel with a floor of the load bay 68 and can then be lowered to ground level.

Reverting to Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, the secured stacks 14 are placed on the pallet 64 in a predetermined sequence which, in the illustrated embodiment, is a reverse order drop-off sequence. This means that the first stack to be delivered along the delivery route is the last stack 14 placed on the pallet 64 and, conversely, the last stack 14 on the pallet 64 to be delivered is the first stack 14 placed on the pallet 64. This will be described in greater detail below.

Referring now to Figs. 7, an embodiment of a method of packing orders for delivery is described in greater detail.

When orders are received by the order collating system 12, they are entered into the processor 20 as shown at step 74 in Fig. 7. This may be effected electronically where the plurality of customer orders are received by the operator electronically or a consolidated order is received by the operator from the supplier.

Where the order collating system 12 includes the route determining module 24, the processor 20 then consolidates the orders into various delivery routes. In respect of each delivery route, the sequence of stops for delivery of orders is determined as shown at step 76. Step 74 is carried out by the receiving module 22 of the order collating system 12 while step 76 is carried by the route determining module 24 of the order collating system 12, where applicable.

Using the selection module 26, the processor 20 then calculates the cases 16 to be stacked together to form the secured stacks 14 for delivery along the route. The selection module 26 is operative to pack cases 16 into stacks 14 to form complete orders, i.e. each stack 14 comprises cases 16 destined only for one customer. Thus, each order comprises at least one complete stack 14 so that, at the stops along the route, complete, secured stacks 14 are delivered in filling the order for that stop. In other words, delivery personnel do not need to dismantle the stacks and deliver individual cases to fill an order. If an order comprises only a single case 16, that single case would form a one case stack 14 on the pallet 64.

The selection module 26 thus calculates how many cases 16 are to be stacked to fill an order and determines the case sequence of each stack 14. The case sequence is determined by the selection module 26 based on volume, weight and other criteria so that a suitable stack 14 is generated. For example, if volume is the sole criterion used, larger cases 16 would be placed at the bottom of the stack with smaller cases 16 being placed above the larger cases in the stack 16 to form a stable stack 14. This step is shown at 78 in Fig. 7 of the drawings.

The selection module 26 also determines the space requirements and space availability on the pallet 64 as shown at step 80. This step may, where applicable, be done by a separate system (not shown).

Once the case sequence and space requirements have been determined, the selection module 26 determines the sequence in which the stacks 14 are to be packed on the pallet 64 in the reverse order drop-off sequence determined by the route determining module 24 or the supplier's system, as the case may be. This is shown at step 82.

Once the stack sequence has been determined, the selection module 26 further determines the sequence in which the cases 16 are to be stacked into the stacks 14 at the stacking station 18 as shown at step 84. At step 86, the selection module 26 controls the warehouse control module 28 to release the cases 16 on to the conveyor 32 in the defined case delivery sequence. Thus, a case to be placed at the bottom of a stack 14 is received at the stacking station 18 first with the case 16 to be placed at the top of the stack 14 being received at the stacking station 18 last.

As described above, and as shown at step 88, the cases 16 are stacked in the defined order at the stacking station 18 and, once stacked, the stacked cases 16 of the stack 14 are secured together in the securing station 60 by the strapping machine 61 as shown at step 90. Finally, the secured stacks 14 are loaded on to the pallet 64 as shown at step 92.

Once all the pallets 64 for a particular delivery route have been completed, i.e packed with stacks 14 to form loads 66, the loads 66 are packed into the load bay 68 of the delivery vehicle 70 in reverse order drop-off sequence so that pallets 64 having stacks 14 to be delivered first are arranged at the rear of the load bay 68 of the vehicle 70 while pallets 64 carrying stacks 14 to be delivered last are arranged at the front of the load bay 68 of the vehicle 70. In addition, the pallets 64 are oriented in the load bay 68 of the vehicle 70 so that stacks 14 on the pallets 64 to be accessed first face towards the tail lift 72 of the vehicle 70.

An example of a load 66 is shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. This load 66 comprises eight orders, some of which comprise only a single stack 14 while others comprise two or more stacks 14. It is to be noted that these stacks are labelled from "A" to "H" with the order A being delivered at the first stop and so on. The sequence in which the pallets 64 are arranged in the load bay 68 of the vehicle 70 is shown by arrow 94 in Fig. 6 of the drawings with the dotted parts of the arrow 94 indicating how delivery personnel move from a first pallet 64 to second and subsequent pallets 64.

Thus, it will be appreciated that stacks 14 are arranged on each pallet 64 in reverse order drop-off sequence and the pallets 64, themselves, are arranged in the load bay 68 of the vehicle 70 in reverse order drop-off sequence. This means that, when the delivery vehicle 70 travels along the route and reaches each stop, the delivery personnel can access the stacks 14 to be delivered in filling an order by use of a trolley and accessing the stacks 14 on the pallets 64 only via rear of the vehicle 70, using the tail lift 72 if necessary.

Hence, it is an advantage of the disclosure that a system 10 is provided which facilitates a far more efficient delivery system than prior systems of which the applicant is aware. The system 10 allows a delivery vehicle 70 to be packed more efficiently than has previously been the case and to operate along a delivery route more efficiently. In addition, delivery of goods is simplified since the delivery personnel do not need to access different parts of the delivery vehicle to obtain parts of the order and place these parts individually on a trolley for delivery since all the cases in each stack are destined for one customer. The orders are pre-packed and can be easily removed from the vehicle due to the cases comprising each order having been pre-arranged and secured together in a stack which is removed from the delievery vehicle and delivered to the customer's premises intact.

This also has a safety aspect since delivery personnel do not need to access the delivery vehicle from sides of the vehicle. It will be appreciated that, at present, it is sometimes necessary for delivery personnel to access a side of the vehicle facing the road which has the danger of exposing delivery personnel to traffic with the resultant possibilities of the delivery personnel being injured. When delivery personnel access the vehicle from the sidewalk side, they may create hazards for passing pedestrians. The present system 10 obviates this disadvantage as well.

Still further, a stacking station 18 is provided which facilitates stacking of the cases 16 due to the low friction manner in which the cases 16 are stacked.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the described embodiments without departing from the broadly described scope. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A system for packing orders for delivery, the system including:

an order collating system for processing orders from a plurality of customers, for determining the contents of stacks into which cases of goods are to be stacked to fill the customers' orders and for determining a sequence in which the stacks are to be placed on a transport unit to be packed in a delivery vehicle; and

2. The system of claim 1 in which the sequence in which the stacks are to be stacked on the transport unit is a reverse order drop-off sequence.

3. The system of claim 1 or claim 2 in which the order collating system is operative to determine a sequence in which a plurality of the transport units are to be packed in the delivery vehicle.

4. The system of any one of the preceding claims in which the stacks comprise a plurality of the cases arranged so as to form a suitable stack.

5. The system of any one of the preceding claims in which the order collating system includes a receiving module for receiving the plurality of orders.

6. The system of claim 5 in which the order collating system includes a route determining module which communicates with the receiving module, the route determining module determining the route to be followed by the delivery vehicle and a stop sequence of the vehicle along the route to deliver the orders.

7. The system of any one of the preceding claims in which the order collating system includes a selection module for selecting the cases to be packed in each stack.

8. The system of any one of the preceding claims in which the stacking station has cases to be stacked fed to it by a conveyor device, the stacking station including a receiving unit arranged in communication with the conveyor device for receiving the cases to be stacked and the receiving unit comprising a support member.

9. The system of claim 8 in which the stacking station includes a displacement unit for displacing each case from the conveyor device on to the support member of the receiving unit.

10. The system of claim 9 in which the support member and the conveyor device are displaceably arranged relative to each other in a direction normal to a direction of travel of the cases on the conveyor device.

11. The system of claim 9 or claim 10 in which the displacement unit comprises a picking device which picks the case from the conveyor device and deposits it on the support member of the receiving unit.

12. The system of claim 1 1 in which the picking device includes bearing members which bear against the case from below to reduce friction between a bottom of the case and a surface on to which the picking device deposits the case from the conveyor device.

13. The system of any one of claims 8 to 12 in which the stacking station further includes a securing station arranged downstream of the receiving unit for securing the cases of the stack together.

14. The system of any one of the preceding claims which includes a packing station for packing a plurality of the stacks together on the transport unit, prior to packing the stacks into the delivery vehicle, the stacks being supported on but not being secured to the transport unit.

15. The system of claim 14 in which the packing station comprises the transport unit on to which the stacks are packed in an arrangement where the first order to be delivered is accessible from a load bay access opening of the delivery vehicle.

16. A method of packing orders for delivery, the method including

arranging each stack on a transport unit.

17. The method of claim 16 which includes securing the cases comprising each stack together.

18. The method of claim 16 or claim 17 which includes arranging the stacks on the transport unit without securing the stacks to the transport unit.

19. The method of any one of claims 16 to 18 which includes arranging the stacks on the transport unit so that, as one order has been delivered, the next order to be delivered is immediately accessible.

20. The method of claim 19 which includes arranging the stacks on the transport unit in a reverse drop-off order sequence.

21. The method of any one of claims 16 to 20 which includes determining how the cases are to be stacked so that a suitable stack is formed.

22. The method of claim 21 which includes collecting the cases from their location in a warehouse and stacking them together in the predetermined sequence to form the suitable stack.

23. The method of any one of claims 16 to 22 which includes arranging a plurality of completed transport units in a delivery vehicle in a predetermined sequence.

24. The method of claim 23 which includes arranging the completed transport units in a reverse order drop-off sequence.

25. The method of claim 23 or claim 24 which includes arranging the transport units in the load bay of the delivery vehicle so that the transport units, and their contents, can be accessed from a rear of the vehicle and not from a side of the vehicle.

26. A stack of cases to be loaded on to a transport unit, the sequence of cases in the stack being selected based on criteria to form a required end result, the cases of the stack being secured together by a securing means and all the cases in the stack being destined for one customer.

27. The stack of cases of claim 26 in which the cases comprising each stack are secured together by a securing device.

28. A completed transport unit, the transport unit including

a carrier; and

columnar stacks of cases packed on the carrier with all the cases of any one of the stacks being destined for one customer, the cases comprising each stack being secured together.

29. The transport unit of claim 28 in which the cases comprising each stack are secured together by a securing device.

30. The transport unit of claim 28 or claim 29 in which the stacks rest on, but are unsecured to, the carrier.

31. A delivery vehicle when packed with a plurality of completed transport units, each transport unit carrying a plurality of stacks of cases with the cases comprising each stack being destined for a single customer, the stacks being unsecured to, but arranged on, their associated transport units in a predetermined sequence and the transport units being arranged in the load bay of the delivery vehicle in a further predetermined sequence.

32. The delivery vehicle of claim 31 in which the cases comprising each stack are secured together by a securing device.

33. The delivery vehicle of claim 31 or claim 32 in which the predetermined sequence in which the stacks are arranged on their associated transport unit is a reverse order drop-off sequence.

34. The delivery vehicle of any one of claims 31 to 33 in which the further predetermined sequence in which the transport units are arranged in the load bay of the delivery vehicle is a reverse order drop-off sequence.

35. A stacking station for a system for packing orders for delivery, the stacking station including a receiving unit arranged in a stacking zone, the receiving unit being in communication with a conveyor device for receiving, via the conveyor device, cases to be stacked, the receiving unit comprising a support member; and

a displacement unit arranged in the stacking zone for displacing a case from the conveyor device on to the support member of the receiving unit, the displacement unit comprising a picking device having bearing members which bear against the case from below to reduce friction between a bottom of the case and a surface on to which the case is to deposited.

36. The stacking station of claim 35 which includes the conveyor device, the conveyor device comprising a plurality of rollers on which the cases to be stacked can be rolled, the rollers being supported between a pair of spaced rails.

37. The stacking station of claim 36 in which the bearing members of the displacement unit are in the form of tines which bear against a bottom of the case to be stacked.

38. The stacking station of claim 37 in which, in the stacking zone, the rails have passages formed in them through which the tines of the displacement unit can pass.

39. The stacking station of any one of claims 36 to 38 in which the displacement unit is arranged on one side of the conveyor device with the receiving unit being arranged on an opposed side of the conveyor device.

40. The stacking station of any one of claims 36 to 39 in which the conveyor device and the support member of the receiving unit are displaceable relative to each other so that, once a first case has been received on the support member, one of the support member and the conveyor device is displaced so that the support member is at a lower elevation than the conveyor device to receive the following case on the, or the uppermost, case on the support member, as the case may be.