Maintenance access zones for storage and retrieval systems

A method of operating an automated warehouse system comprising:

• providing a multilevel storage structure including a plurality of storage locations arranged on sides of picking aisles disposed in rows on each level so that the picking aisles of a respective row are stacked one above the other;
• providing at least one autonomous transport vehicle configured to travel along the stacked picking aisles for transferring items to and from the storage locations;
• and
• disposing maintenance access zones within and coincident with the stacked picking aisles and defining the maintenance access zones at least in part by the sides with the storage locations of the stacked picking aisles in at least one row, so that each maintenance access zone provides continuous access to multiple levels of the stacked picking aisles that are in communication with each other and storage locations on sides corresponding to the multiple levels of picking aisles.

A method of operating an automated warehouse system having storage rack modules, picking aisles disposed between and defined by the storage rack modules where each picking aisle include an access gateway, and at least one autonomous transport vehicle for transferring items to and from the storage rack modules through the picking aisles, the method comprising:

• effecting, with a control device connected to the access gateway, operator access to at least one predetermined picking aisle through the access gateway;
• effecting, with a controller connected to the control device and the at least one autonomous transport vehicle, operation of the at least one autonomous transport vehicle and a transfer of items to and from the storage rack modules when the control device changes status from indicating that the access gateway is open to indicating that the at least one access gateway is closed;
• and
• providing, with the controller upon receipt of a signal from the control device, access through the access gateway to the at least one predetermined picking aisle and shutting down the at least one autonomous transport vehicle within the at least one predetermined picking aisle while allowing continued operation of other autonomous transport vehicles in picking aisles that are different than the at least one predetermined picking aisle.