Material handling apparatus for delivering or retrieving items
AssigneeOpex Corporation
InventorsGeorge Hayduchok, Robert R. DeWitt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for sorting or retrieving items to/from a plurality of destinations areas. The items are loaded onto one of a plurality of independently controlled delivery vehicles. The delivery vehicles follow a path to/from the destination areas, which are positioned along the path. Once at the appropriate destination area, an item is transferred between the delivery vehicle and the destination area.
Claims20
A method for storing and retrieving items in a material handling system having a first rack of storage locations and a second rack of storage locations spaced apart from the first rack to form an aisle between the first rack and the second rack and a vehicle path forming a vertical loop within the aisle, comprising the steps of:
- storing a plurality of items in the storage locations in the first and second storage racks, wherein the storing includes operating vehicles, of a plurality of vehicles, to transfer a respective plurality of items into a corresponding container of a plurality of containers disposed within the first and second racks of storage locations;
- driving vehicles, of the plurality of vehicles, along the vehicle path to retrieve the corresponding container of items from the storage locations, comprising the steps of:
- driving a first of the plurality of vehicles within the aisle along the vehicle path to a first of the storage locations;
- and
- transferring a first container of items onto the first vehicle from the first storage location;
- driving the first vehicle and the first container of items to a transfer location, comprising the step of driving the first vehicle along the vehicle path within the aisle from the first storage location;
- transferring the first container of items from the first vehicle to the transfer location;
- and
- conveying the first container of items from the transfer location to a remote location that is remote from the aisle and the first and second racks.
A material handling system, comprising:
- a first rack of storage locations configured to receive one or more items;
- a second rack of storage locations spaced apart from the first rack to form an aisle between the first rack and the second rack with a vehicle path forming a vertical loop within the aisle wherein the storage locations in the second rack are configured to receive one or more items;
- a plurality of vehicles operable within the aisle to deliver items to the storage locations and retrieve items from the storage locations wherein each vehicle comprises one or more wheels for driving the vehicle along the vehicle path, a mechanism for depositing each item of a respective plurality of items to a corresponding bin disposed at a corresponding one of the storage locations, and a rechargeable power storage element for powering operation of the vehicle;
- a transfer location configured to receive one or more bins, wherein the transfer location is positioned along the vehicle path;
- a transfer mechanism for transferring bins between the vehicles and the first and second racks and the transfer location;
- and
- a conveyor communicating with the transfer location wherein the conveyor extends away from the transfer location so that the conveyor is operable to deliver bins from the transfer location away from the aisle to a location outside the first and second racks.
A method for storing and retrieving items in a material handling system having a first rack of storage locations and a second rack of storage locations spaced apart from the first rack to form an aisle between the first rack and the second rack and a vehicle path forming a vertical loop disposed between the first and second racks and within the aisle, comprising the steps of:
- storing a plurality of items in the storage locations in the first and second storage racks;
- operating a drive mechanism of each vehicle, of a plurality of vehicles, to drive the plurality of vehicles along first and second parallel horizontal portions of the vehicle path and along first and second parallel vertical portions of the vehicle path to retrieve items from the storage locations, comprising the steps of:
- driving a first of the plurality of vehicles within the aisle along the first vertical portion of the vehicle path and the first horizontal portion of the vehicle path to a first of the storage locations;
- and
- transferring a first of the plurality of items onto the first vehicle from the first storage location;
- driving the first vehicle and the first item to a transfer location, comprising the step of driving the first vehicle along the second vertical path portion and the second horizontal path portion of the vehicle path within the aisle from the first storage location;
- transferring the first item from the first vehicle to the transfer location;
- and
- conveying the first item from the transfer location to a remote location that is remote from the aisle and the first and second racks.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.