Robotic delivery and retrieval of crates to and from non-uniformly sized storage spaces in a versatile shelving array
AssigneeGet Fabric Ltd
InventorsShay Cohen, Guy Blotnik
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A storage setup and method for robotic delivery and retrieval of crates from shelving blocks are disclosed. At least one shelving block in the setup comprises non-uniformly spaced apart storage surfaces. The storage surfaces are accessible to lift-robots through a network of tracks comprising intersecting vertically and horizontally oriented tracks. A computerized control system is configured to differentiate between storage locations based on which crate sizes from at least two different ranges of crate sizes a storage location can store. The storage may be automatically optimized by routing robots to store crates in storage locations sized in correlation with the size of the crate to be stored.
Claims23
A storage setup for logistic centers using lift robots for storing and retrieving crates, the storage setup comprises:
- at least one shelving block comprising at least one shelving unit, each shelving unit having a plurality of horizontally oriented vertically spaced apart storage surfaces configured to store thereon crates;
- a network of intersecting track arrays deployed next to the block's shelving for allowing robotic delivery and retrieval of crates to and from storage locations in the shelving block, wherein the network of intersecting track arrays comprises an array of horizontal tracks comprising a plurality of horizontally oriented track segments non-uniformly spaced apart in the vertical direction;
- and
- a computerized control system in which storage locations and track data are registered such that robots can be routed by the computerized control system through the tracks for delivering crates to and retrieving crates from the storage locations;
- wherein at least two groups of storage locations in the shelving block differ in the size of the vertical spacing between horizontally oriented storage surfaces such that crates of a height shorter than the size of the vertical spacing in at least one of the groups but taller than the size of the vertical spacing in other of the groups can be robotically stored to and retrieved from a horizontally oriented storage surface constituting a storage location in which the vertical spacing is of a size greater than a height of the crate;
- wherein the computerized control system is configured to differentiate between storage locations based on which crate sizes from at least two different ranges of crate sizes a storage location is capable of storing.
A storage setup for logistic centers using lift robots for storing and retrieving crates, the storage setup comprises:
- at least one shelving block comprising at least one shelving unit, each shelving unit having a plurality of horizontally oriented vertically spaced apart storage surfaces configured to store thereon crates, wherein a predetermined number of horizontal surfaces located in a first region of the at least one shelving block are vertically spaced apart each from a neighboring surface a distance between 10% and 90% smaller than a distance between horizontal neighboring surfaces of another predetermined number of surfaces located at a different region of the at least one shelving block;
- a network of intersecting track arrays deployed next to the block's shelving for allowing robotic delivery and retreival of crates to and from storage locations in the shelving block;
- and
- a computerized control system in which stoage locations and track data are registered such that robots can be routed by the computerized control system through the tracks for delivering crates to and retrieving crates from the storage locations;
- wherein at least two groups of storage locations in the shelving block differ in the size of the vertical spacing between horizontally oriented storage surfaces such that crates of a height shorter than the size of the vertical spacing in other of the groups can be robotically stored to and retrieved from a horizontally oriented storage surface constituting a storage location in which the vertical spacing is of a size greater than a height of the crate;
- wherein the computerized control system is configured to differentiate between storage locations based on which crate sizes from at least two different ranges of crate sizes a storage location is capable of storage.
A storage setup for logistic centers using lift robots for storing and retrieving crates, the storage setup comprises:
- at least one shelving block comprising at least one shelving unit, each shelving unit having a plurality of horizontally oriented vertically spaced apart storage surfaces configured to store theron crates;
- a network of intersecting track arrays deployed next to the block's shelving for allowing robotic delivery and retrieving of crates to and from storage locations in the shelving blocks;
- and
- a computerized control system in which storage locations and track data are registered such that robots can be routed by the computerized control system through the tracks for delivering crates to and retrieving crates from the storage locations;
- wherein at least two groups of storage locations in the shelving block differ in the size of the vertical spacing between horizontally oriented storage surface such that crates of a height shorter than the size of the vertical spacing in at least one of the groups but taller than the size of the vertical spacing in other of the groups can be robotically stored to and retrieved from a horizontally oriented storage surface constituting a storage location in which the vertical spacing is of a size greater than a height of the crate;
- wherein the computerized control system is configured to differntiate between storage locations based on which crate sizes from at least two different ranges of crates sizes a storage location is capable of storing;
- wherein at least in regions of the shelving block where a vertical spacing between neighboring horizontal storage surfaces exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the shelving block comprises a plurality of uniformly spaced apart vertical tracks installed next to front edges of the horizontal storage surfaces constituting said regions, wherein the predetermined threshold value is equal to the sum of (i) a height between a bottom of a maximal height crate to be stored in the shelving block and a topmost portion of such crate where grasping arms of a lift-robot loading-unit can take a grasp and load the crate;
- and (ii) a maximal vertical separation between a hypothetic horizontal track and the grasping arms of said lift-robot loading-unit, when the lift robot is situated in the hypothetic horizontal track.
A computerized control system for robotic delivery and retrieval of crates in a logistic center setup, wherein the system is configured to register storage locations and track data and to route robots through tracks for delivering crates to and retrieving crates from the storage locations, wherein the registration of storage locations includes differentiation between at least two groups of storage locations differing in the vertical distance between horizontally oriented storage surfaces in each group;
- wherein the logistic center setup is configured to utilize lift robots for storing and retrieving crates in and from at least one shelving block comprising at least one shelving unit, whereon each of the at least on shelving unit has a plurality of horizontally oriented vertically spaced apart storing surfaces configured to store thereon crates;
- and wherein a network of intersecting track arrays is deployed next to the shelving block for allowing robotic delivery and retrieval of crates to and from storage locations in the shelving block, wherein the network of intersecting track arrays comprises an array of horizontal tracks comprising a plurality of horizontally oriented track segments non-uniformly spaced apart in the vertical direction.
A method for robotic delivery and retrieval of crates to and from non-uniformly sized storage spaces in a shelving array wherein the storage spaces are accessible to lift robots through intersecting arrays of vertically oriented and horizontally oriented tracks, the method comprises:
- having a minimum and a maximum of a vertical extent between a horizontal track and loading-unit grippers of a lift-robot configured to be situated in the horizontal track;
- having a minimum and a maximum height between a bottom of a crate to be handled by the lift robot and a desired gripping region within which the crate walls are to be contacted by said grippers when grasping the crate;
- determining a location on a horizontal storage surface in a shelving unit, to which the crate is to be delivered or from which retrieved by the lift robot;
- calculating a desired range of heights with respect to the horizontal surface at which the lift-robot is configured to be situated when handling the crate to or from the location;
- determining the availability of horizontal tracks and of vertical tracks in which the lift robot is configured to be situated for aligning its grippers in front of the location within said range of heights;
- selecting a specific lift robot for handling the crate to or from the location;
- routing the lift robot through said arrays of intersecting tracks to within the desired range of heights with respect to the location and situating the lift robot in alignment with the location;
- and
- activating said arms for handling the crate to or from the location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.