System or method for stacking containers
AssigneeOcado Innovation Limited
InventorLars Sverker Ture Lindbo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems, methods, and machine-executable coded instruction sets are disclosed for fully- and/or partly automated handling of goods. For example, the disclosure provides improvements in storage and retrieval of containers in systems such as order processing systems.
Claims20
A system for stacking containers in an automated storage and retrieval system, comprising:
- two substantially perpendicular sets of rails forming a grid and having at least one robotic load handling device operable thereon, the load handling device including a body mounted on two sets of wheels, the first set of wheels being arranged to engage with at least two rails of the first set of rails, the second set of wheels being arranged to engage with at least two rails of the second set of rails, the first set of wheels being independently moveable and driveable with respect to the second set of wheels such that only one set of wheels is engaged with the grid at any one time thereby enabling movement of the service device along the rails to any point on the grid by driving only the set of wheels engaged with the rails;
- one or more clamps, each clamp defining a stack location and configured for clamping to a lowest container in a stack, the one or more clamps configured to support a weight of a plurality of containers in the stack;
- and
- a lifter configured for enabling engagement by one of the clamps to a container which is disposed beneath the stack, wherein engagement and disengagement of the clamps enables containers to be added to or removed from a bottom of the stack,
- the at least one overhead load handler configured for lifting one or more containers from a top of the stack, and for lowering one or more containers onto the top of the stack.
A method for operating an automated storage and retrieval system including two substantially perpendicular sets of rails forming a grid and having at least one overhead load handler operable thereon, the at least one overhead load handler including a body mounted on two sets of wheels, the first set of wheels being arranged to engage with at least two rails of the first set of rails, the second set of wheels being arranged to engage with at least two rails of the second set of rails, the first set of wheels being independently moveable and driveable with respect to the second set of wheels such that only one set of wheels is engaged with the grid at any one time thereby enabling movement of the service device alonq the rails to any point on the grid by drivinq only the set of wheels engaged with the rails, the method comprising:
- generating, by at least one controller, signals for coordinating operation of a lifter and at least one clamp to add incoming containers to a bottom of a stack in the grid, the at least one clamp configured for clamping a lowest container in the stack;
- and
- generating, by the at least one controller, signals for controlling or instructing the at least one overhead load handler to lift one or more containers from a top of the stack.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.