Container handling vehicle with cantilever construction and automated storage and retrieval system comprising a plurality of the container handling vehicles

Abstract

A two-dimensional rail system includes a first set of parallel rails arranged to guide movement of container handling vehicles in a first direction across the top of the frame structure, and a second set of parallel rails arranged perpendicular to the first set of rails to guide movement of the container handling vehicles in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction. The first and second sets of parallel rails dividing the rail system into a plurality of grid cells. A container handling vehicle for operation on the rail system includes a wheel base unit including sets of wheels for guiding the container handling vehicle along the rail system in the first and second directions; a body unit; and a lifting device. The body unit includes: a lower section which is provided on the wheel base unit; a support section extending vertically from the lower section; and a cantilever section extending horizontally from the support section. The lower section has a footprint with a horizontal extent which is equal to or less than the horizontal extent of one of the grid cells and a top surface which is at a first height. The support section has a footprint with a horizontal extent which is smaller than the footprint of the lower section. The cantilever section extends beyond the footprint of the lower section. The lifting device includes a lifting frame that is suspended from the cantilever section of the body unit. The lifting frame has a lowermost part at a second height when the lifting frame is docked in an upper position adjacent the cantilever section. The second height of the lowermost part of the lifting frame, when the lifting frame is docked in its upper position, is above the first height of the top surface of the lower section of the body unit.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.