Docking stations for automated guided vehicles

An automated guided vehicle system comprising:

• an automated guided vehicle comprising a vehicle frame, a drive mechanism, and a plurality of support casters;
• and
• a docking station comprising a station base unit;
• wherein:
• one of the docking station or the automated guided vehicle comprises a shift unit adapted to move relative to the station base unit of the docking station or the vehicle frame of the automated guided vehicle between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein movement of the shift unit from the extended position to the retracted position defines a shift unit movement direction;
• the automated guided vehicle travelling parallel to the shift unit movement direction is stopped by the docking station when a portion of the automated guided vehicle contacts a portion of the docking station when the shift unit is located in the extended position;
• one of the docking station or the automated guided vehicle comprises at least one cam follower;
• one of the docking station or the automated guided vehicle comprises at least one locator block;
• and
• the automated guided vehicle travelling in the shift unit movement direction is stopped by the docking station when the at least one cam follower contacts the at least one locator block when the shift unit is located in the extended position.

An automated guided vehicle system comprising:

• an automated guided vehicle comprising a vehicle frame, a drive mechanism, a plurality of support casters, and at least one cam follower;
• and
• a docking station comprising a station base unit, a shift unit adapted to move relative to the station base unit between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein movement of the shift unit from the extended position to the retracted position defines a shift unit movement direction, an actuator coupled to the station base unit and the shift unit, and at least one locator block coupled to the shift unit,
• wherein the automated guided vehicle travelling in the shift unit movement direction is stopped by the docking station when the at least one cam follower of the automated guided vehicle contacts the at least one locator block when the shift unit is located in the extended position.