# US 11,440,741 B2 · Automated warehouse with safe access system

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- Number: US 11,440,741 B2
- Document ID: US11440741B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/626,630
- Filed: 2020-07-17
- Published: 2022-08-18
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2019-07-17
- Assignees: Eurofork S.R.L.
- Applicants: Eurofork S.P.A.
- Inventors: Alessandro Garola; Gianluca Rolfo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440741B2

## CPC

- B65G 43/00: Control devices, e.g. for safety, warning or fault-correcting
- B65G 1/0414: {provided with satellite cars adapted to travel in storage racks}
- B65G 1/0421: {with control for stacker crane operations}
- G05B 19/058: {Safety, monitoring}
- G05B 19/41895: {using automatic guided vehicles [AGV] (control of position or course of AGV's G05D1/00)}
- G05D 1/0297: {by controlling means in a control room}
- B65G 2207/40: Safety features of loads, equipment or persons
- G05B 2219/24008: Safety integrity level, safety integrated systems SIL SIS
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES

## Abstract

An automated warehouse has a main path, secondary paths, a main vehicle movable along the main path, one or more auxiliary vehicles movable along the secondary paths, and an access point. On each vehicle a wireless device receiving and sending wireless signals and a control unit associated with safety modules including a safety-certified watchdog timer and a counter are installed. The wireless devices send check signals containing the value of the counter of the respective vehicle to the access point, which sends signals in response to received check signals When a response signal is received from a wireless device, the respective counter is incremented and the associated watchdog timer starts to measure time when the value of the counter differs from the value received via check signals. Each control unit de-energizes the respective vehicle when a time longer than a predetermined time is detected via the watchdog timer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An automated warehouse, comprising:
at least one main path, a plurality of secondary paths transversal to the at least one main path with a plurality of storage stations arranged along the secondary paths;
at least one main vehicle with electric traction, movable along the at least one main path;
at least one auxiliary vehicle with electric traction powered by a battery and/or supercapacitor, movable along the secondary paths and transportable by the at least one main vehicle;
at least one access point at a fixed position in the automated warehouse;
each main vehicle and auxiliary vehicle having installed:
a wireless device configured to receive and send wireless signals; and
a respective control unit with associated with safety modules including a respective safety-certified watchdog timer and a respective counter;
wherein the wireless device on each vehicle is configured to send, directly or indirectly to the at least one access point, at predetermined time intervals, a check signal containing a value of the counter of the vehicle transmitting said check signal;
the at least one access point is set to send to the wireless devices signals in response to received check signals;
each time a response signal is received by a wireless device, the respective counter is incremented or decremented and the respective safety-certified watchdog timer starts measuring time from when the value of the respective counter differs from the value received via the check signal;
each control unit being set to de-energize a respective vehicle upon detection, via the respective safety-certified watchdog timer, that a time longer than a predetermined time has elapsed.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The automated warehouse of claim 1, wherein the at least one access point is not a device having safety-certified communication.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The automated warehouse of claim 1, wherein the wireless devices are not devices having safety-certified communication.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The automated warehouse of claim 1, wherein the control units are Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs).

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The automated warehouse claim 1, wherein each safety-certified watchdog timer is incorporated in a respective safety module.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The automated warehouse of claim 1, wherein said predetermined time is long enough to cover a time interval which allows the at least one auxiliary vehicle to carry out a mission estimated to have maximum duration for the automated warehouse.