Parent vehicle with optoelectronic positioning device for transporting a load in an automated warehouse, loading method and unloading method and warehouse

A method of loading a load onto a parent vehicle for transporting a satellite vehicle for automatically strong the load inside a warehouse comprising storage aisles for the load, mutually parallel and arranged on multiple levels, and at least one transfer aisle arranged in an either incident or perpendicular direction with respect to the storage aisles, the parent vehicle comprising:

• a base frame onto which wheels suitable for allowing a translation of the present vehicle along the at least one transfer aisle of the warehouse are rotatably connected;
• a first actuator arranged inside the bae frame and operatively connected to one or more of the wheels to achieve the translation of the parent vehicle,
• a parent vehicle seat suitable for transporting the load and the satellite vehicle;
• a load transporting device, optionally the load transporting device being one or more conveyor chains, suitable for transporting the load from an outer region with respect to the parent vehicle seat into the parent vehicle seat along a load transporting direction;
• a second actuator operatively connected to the load transporting device for handling the load along the load transporting direction;
• at lease one optoelectronic device configured to generate a load detection signal, identifying a relative position of the load inside the parent vehicle seat;
• and
• an electronic processing unit, configured to receive the load detection signal and process the load detection signal to calculate a relative distance of the load with respect to a physical reference of the parent vehicle,
• the method comprising the following operating steps:
• a) in the electronic processing unit, selecting a target distance for the load to be reached in the parent vehicle seat with respect to a physical reference;
• b) while keeping the parent vehicle stationary, loading the load into the parent vehicle seat by the load transporting device;
• c) detecting the position of the load with respect to the physical reference of the parent vehicle and calculating the relative distance of the load with respect to the physical reference of the parent vehicle;
• d) handling the load in the parent vehicle seat in the load transporting direction until the target distance with respect to the physical reference (R) is reached;
• and
• e) with the load being stationary in the position reached in step d) as a function of the target distance reached, moving the parent vehicle along the at least one transfer aisle of the warehouse. for transporting a satellite vehicle for automatically storing the load inside a warehouse comprising storage aisles for the load, mutually parallel and arranged on multiple levels, and at least one transfer aisle arranged in an either incident or perpendicular direction with respect to the storage aisles, the parent vehicle comprising:
• a base frame onto which wheels suitable for allowing a translation of the parent vehicle along the at least one transfer aisle of the warehouse are rotatably connected;
• a first actuator arranged inside the base frame and operatively connected to one or more of the wheels to achieve the translation of the parent vehicle;
• a parent vehicle seat suitable for transporting the load and the satellite vehicle;
• a load transporting device, optionally the load transporting device being one or more conveyor chains, suitable for transporting the load from an outer region with respect to the parent vehicle seat into the parent vehicle seat along a load transporting direction;
• a second actuator operatively connected to the load transporting device for handling the load along the load transporting direction;
• at least one optoelectronic device configured to generate a load detection signal, identifying a relative position of the load inside the parent vehicle seat;
• and
• an electronic processing unit, configured to receive the load detection signal and process the load detection signal to calculate a relative distance of the load with respect to a physical reference of the parent vehicle;
• the method comprising the following operating steps:
• a′) moving the satellite vehicle in the parent vehicle seat underneath the load;
• b′) in the electronic processing unit, selecting a target unloading distance for the load to be reached in the parent vehicle seat with respect to the physical reference;
• c′) handling the load by the load transporting device to reach the target unloading distance such that a distance between a loading edge of the load facing a storage aisle and an extreme edge of the satellite vehicle facing the the same storage aisle is less than fifteen centimeters along the load transporting direction;
• and
• d′) picking the load by the satellite vehicle and moving the load and satellite vehicle out of the parent vehicle seat along the load transporting direction in the storage aisle.