Automated storage and retrieval system with multi-directional vehicles
AssigneeSwisslog Logistics, Inc.
InventorsMohan Ramankutty, Zachary Shields, Bryce Lee Harmon, Don Chittaphong
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A storage system (20; 300) for storing loads (32) has: a plurality of carriers (30; 330), for holding respective loads; a plurality of uprights (46; 346); a plurality of flooring levels, one above another, supported by the uprights; a plurality of carrier supports (66; 366); at least one wheeled automated vehicle (50; 350), for carrying said carriers along the flooring levels and including a lifting surface (200; 400) for supporting a supported one of the carriers and shiftable between a lowered condition and a raised condition; and means (52A, 52B) for moving the at least one wheeled automated vehicle between the flooring levels.
Claims22
A storage system (20;
- 300) for storing loads (32) comprising:
- a plurality of carriers (30;
- 330), for holding respective loads;
- a plurality of uprights (46;
- 346);
- a plurality of flooring levels, one above another, supported by the plurality of uprights;
- a plurality of carrier supports (66;
- 366);
- at least one wheeled automated vehicle (50;
- 350), for carrying said carriers along the flooring levels and each comprising:
- a chassis (204;
- 404);
- a pair of wheels (270A, 270B) rotatably mounted to the chassis;
- at least one motor (136) for driving the pair of wheels;
- and
- a lifting surface (200;
- 400) for supporting a supported one of the carriers and shiftable between a lowered condition and a raised condition;
- and
- means (52A, 52B) for moving the at least one wheeled automated vehicle between the flooring levels.
A method for operating a storage system (20;
- 300) for storage and retrieval of loads (32) on carriers (30;
- 300), the storage system comprising:
- a plurality of levels having respective floors;
- at each level, an array of storage locations (42;
- 342);
- and
- at least one wheeled automated vehicle (50;
- 350),
- the method comprising:
- the wheeled automated vehicle driving to a position below a stored carrier which stored carrier carries a load;
- the wheeled automated vehicle raising a lifting surface (200;
- 400) from a lowered position to contact an underside of the stored carrier and lift the stored carrier to a raised position;
- and
- with the stored carrier in the raised position, moving the stored carrier,
- wherein:
- each of the storage locations has a plurality of support surfaces for supporting a stored carrier;
- the carriers each have surfaces dimensioned to engage the support surfaces in the stored condition;
- the lifting of the stored carrier disengages the carrier surfaces from the support surfaces;
- and
- during the moving, the carrier surfaces pass over the support surfaces of one or more others of said storage locations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.