Dual carriage access station for an automated storage and retrieval system and a method for using same

A primary carriage for transporting a storage container in an access station, the access station having a receiving area for receiving storage containers, and a picking position for picking products from a storage container,

• wherein the access station comprises:
• a guiding frame arranged in a horizontal plane and extending between the picking position and the receiving area;
• wherein the primary carriage comprises:
• a primary carriage base movable along the guiding frame;
• at least two sets of wheels connected to either side of the primary carriage base;
• a primary carriage displacement motor configured to move the primary carriage along the guiding frame;
• a first storage container support connected to the primary carriage base;
• and
• a transfer device for displacement of a storage container positioned on the first storage container support;
• wherein the transfer device comprises a conveyor;
• and
• wherein the conveyor comprises:
• a rail projecting aft from the primary carriage in a direction towards a secondary carriage, the rail having a length exceeding the length or width of the storage container;
• a slider connected to the rail and configured for interaction with a storage container;
• and
• a transfer motor configured to move the slider relative to the first storage container support in the direction towards the secondary carriage, to provide a thrust on a storage container positioned on the first storage container support.

An automated storage and retrieval system comprising:

• an access station for presentation of a storage container from an automated storage and retrieval system to a picker, the access station having a receiving area for receiving storage containers, and a picking position for picking products from a storage container,
• wherein the access station comprises:
• a guiding frame arranged in a horizontal plane and extending between the picking position and the receiving area;
• a primary carriage for transporting a storage container, wherein the primary carriage comprises:
• a primary carriage base movable along the guiding frame;
• a primary carriage displacement motor configured to move the primary carriage along the guiding frame;
• a first storage container support connected to the primary carriage base;
• and
• a transfer device for displacement of a storage container positioned on the first storage container support;
• a secondary carriage for transporting a storage container, wherein the secondary carriage comprises:
• a secondary carriage base movable along the guiding frame;
• a secondary carriage displacement motor configured to move the secondary carriage along the guiding frame;
• and
• a second storage container support connected to the secondary carriage base;
• wherein the secondary carriage is configured to receive a storage container being displaced from the primary carriage by the transfer device;
• a rail system comprising a first set of parallel rails arranged in a horizontal plane and extending in a first direction and a second set of parallel rails arranged in the horizontal plane and extending in a second direction which is orthogonal to the first direction, which first and second sets of rails form a grid pattern in the horizontal plane comprising a plurality of adjacent access openings defined by a pair of neighbouring rails of the first set of rails and a pair of neighbouring rails of the second set of rails;
• a plurality of stacks of storage containers arranged in storage columns located beneath a storage section of the rail system, wherein each storage column is located vertically below an access opening;
• at least one port column located beneath a delivery section of the rail system and vertically aligned with a receiving position of the access station, the at least one port column being void of storage containers;
• a container handling vehicle comprising a lifting device for lifting storage containers stacked in the stacks above the storage section and drive means configured to drive the vehicle along the rail system in at least one of the first direction and the second direction;
• wherein the transfer device comprises a conveyor;
• and
• wherein the conveyor comprises:
• a rail projecting aft from the primary carriage in a direction towards the secondary carriage, the rail having a length exceeding the length or width of the storage container;
• a slider connected to the rail and configured for interaction with a storage container;
• and
• a transfer motor configured to move the slider relative to the first storage container support in the direction towards the secondary carriage, to provide a thrust on a storage container positioned on the first storage container support.

A method of presenting a storage container at an access station and returning the storage container using an automated storage and retrieval system comprising:

• an access station for presentation of a storage container from an automated storage and retrieval system to a picker, the access station having a receiving area for receiving storage containers, and a picking position for picking products from a storage container,
• wherein the access station comprises:
• a guiding frame arranged in a horizontal plane and extending between the picking position and the receiving area;
• a primary carriage for transporting a storage container, wherein the primary carriage comprises:
• a primary carriage base movable along the guiding frame;
• a primary carriage displacement motor configured to move the primary carriage along the guiding frame;
• a first storage container support connected to the primary carriage base;
• and
• a transfer device for displacement of a storage container positioned on the first storage container support;
• a secondary carriage for transporting a storage container, wherein the secondary carriage comprises:
• a secondary carriage base movable along the guiding frame;
• a secondary carriage displacement motor configured to move the secondary carriage along the guiding frame;
• and
• a second storage container support connected to the secondary carriage base;
• wherein the secondary carriage is configured to receive a storage container being displaced from the primary carriage by the transfer device;
• a rail system comprising a first set of parallel rails arranged in a horizontal plane and extending in a first direction and a second set of parallel rails arranged in the horizontal plane and extending in a second direction which is orthogonal to the first direction, which first and second sets of rails form a grid pattern in the horizontal plane comprising a plurality of adjacent access openings defined by a pair of neighbouring rails of the first set of rails and a pair of neighbouring rails of the second set of rails;
• a plurality of stacks of storage containers arranged in storage columns located beneath a storage section of the rail system, wherein each storage column is located vertically below an access opening;
• at least one port column located beneath a delivery section of the rail system and vertically aligned with a receiving position of the access station, the at least one port column being void of storage containers;
• and
• a container handling vehicle comprising a lifting device for lifting storage containers stacked in the stacks above the storage section and drive means configured to drive the vehicle along the rail system in at least one of the first direction and the second direction,
• wherein the method comprises:
• placing a first storage container on the first storage container support;
• moving the primary carriage to the picking position to present the first storage container to a picker;
• moving the primary carriage and the secondary carriage into contact with each other by the primary carriage displacement motor and the secondary carriage displacement motor respectively;
• transferring the first storage container from the first storage container support to the second storage container support by the transfer device
• wherein the transfer device comprises a conveyor;
• and
• wherein the conveyor comprises:
• a rail projecting aft from the primary carriage in a direction towards the secondary carriage, the rail having a length exceeding the length or width of the storage container;
• a slider connected to the rail and configured for interaction with a storage container;
• and
• a transfer motor configured to move the slider relative to the first storage container support in the direction towards the secondary carriage, to provide a thrust on a storage container positioned on the first storage container support.