Method and apparatus for retrieving units from a storage system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11273980-B2
Application number	US-201716083723-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2017
Priority date	Mar 10, 2016
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

A storage system includes a plurality of rails or tracks arranged in a grid pattern above the stacks of containers. The grid pattern includes a plurality of grid spaces and each stack is located within a footprint of only a single grid space. A load handling device is configured to move laterally on the rails or tracks above the stacks. The load handling device includes a container receiving space located above the rails or tracks in use and a lifting device arranged to lift a container from a stack into the container receiving space. The load handling device includes a mechanism for enabling lateral movement of the device in one of two transverse directions by enabling either a first or second set of wheels to selectively engage the first or second set of rails or tracks.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A load-handling device for lifting and moving containers stacked in stacks in a storage system, the storage system having a plurality of rails or tracks arranged in grid pattern above the stacks of containers, the grid pattern having a plurality of grid spaces, each stack being located within a footprint of only a single grid space, the load handling device being configured to move laterally on the rails or tracks above the stacks, the load handling device comprising:
a lifting mechanism, the lifting mechanism having a gripper device configured to grip a container from above;
a vehicle body having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion for housing components including power components, and/or control components, and/or drive components and/or lifting components, and the lower portion arranged directly beneath the upper portion, the lower portion having a cavity for accommodating a container and a wheel assembly, the wheel assembly having a first set of wheels, consisting of a pair of wheels on a front of the vehicle body and a pair of wheels on a back of the vehicle body, for engaging with a first set of rails or tracks to guide movement of the device in a first direction and a second set of wheels, consisting of a pair of wheels on each side of the vehicle body, for engaging with a second set of rails or tracks to guide movement of the device in a second direction, wherein the second direction is transverse to the first direction;
the lifting mechanism being configured to raise and lower the gripper device relative to the cavity, the lifting mechanism being located above the cavity; and
the wheel assembly having a wheel positioning mechanism, the wheel positioning mechanism having:
means for selectively engaging either the first set of wheels with the first set of rails or tracks or the second set of wheels with the second set of rails or tracks thereby enabling the load handling device to selectively move in either the first or second direction across the grid, and
two motors associated with each of the first and second sets of wheels, wherein a first motor of the two motors is configured to lift or lower two of the wheels of the associated first or second set of wheels and a second motor of the two motors is configured to lift or lower the remaining two of the wheels of the associated first or second set disposed on an opposite side of the load handling device, wherein the two motors associated with the first set of wheels operate to lift or lower the first set of wheels at the same time to control engagement with the first set of rails or tracks; and
the two motors associated with the second set of wheels operate to lift or lower the second set of wheels at the same time to control engagement with the second set of rails or tracks.

2. A load handling device according to claim 1 , wherein the wheel positioning mechanism comprises:
a member pivotally mounted at its outer end to each of the wheels; and
two linkages, an inner end of each member being connected to one of the two linkages, the upper ends of both linkages being connected to a lower end of a common linkage.

3. A load handling device according to claim 2 , in which the wheel positioning mechanism comprises:
motor means acting on the common linkage, the motor means acting so as to draw the common linkage upwardly.

4. A load handling device according to claim 3 , in which the motor means comprises:
the first or second motor, or a solenoid, or a worm gear, or a lead screw mechanism.

5. A load handling device according to claim 1 , the wheel positioning mechanism comprising:
movable side panels on respective sides of the load handling device, the wheels disposed on each side of the load handling device being rotatably attached to the moveable side panels.

6. A load handling device according to claim 5 , wherein the wheels mounted on each side of the load handling device are mounted in a frame structure of the load handling device.

7. A load handling device according to claim 6 , wherein the frame structure is arranged around the cavity.

8. A load handling device according to claim 7 , wherein the cavity is bounded on four sides by the frame structure.

9. A load handling device according to claim 5 , wherein the cavity is defined within the frame structure.

10. A load handling device according to claim 1 , wherein the wheel assembly comprises:
one or more of the wheels driven by a motor integrated with the wheel or located adjacent to the wheel.

11. A load handling device according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of the wheels comprises:
a wheel hub motor.

12. A load handling device according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of the wheels is driven by one or more motors located above the cavity.

13. A load handling device according to claim 12 , comprising:
drive transfer means disposed around the cavity for transferring drive from the or each motor to the or each wheel.

14. A load handling device according to claim 13 , wherein the drive transfer means comprises:
an arrangement of pulleys and drive belts.

15. A load handling device according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of the wheels comprises:
a channel that cooperates with a drive belt for driving the wheel.

16. A load handling device according to claim 1 , wherein the wheels disposed on respective sides of the load handling device are rotatably attached to moveable side panels of each respective side of the load handling device, the movable side panels comprising:
a pin and track mechanism, with pins locating in the tracks when the panels are in situ on the sides of the load handling devices.

17. A load handling device according to claim 16 , the side panels comprising:
a motor or solenoid that moves each pin laterally in the track, a shape of the track in an inside of the panels and movement of the pins in the tracks being configured to cause the side panels to be displaced upwardly or downwardly depending on a direction of travel of the pin in the track such that movement in the panel causes the wheels associated with each panel to lift off the track or rails or engage the track or rails accordingly.

18. A load handling device according to claim 17 , in which the side panels are mounted to a body of an upper part of the vehicle by way of rails, the rails being fixed to the body, and the pin being slidably mounted to the rails.

19. A load handling device according to claim 1 , in combination with the storage system.

20. A load handling device for lifting and moving containers stacked in stacks in a storage system, the storage system having a plurality of rails or tracks arranged in grid pattern above the stacks of containers, the grid pattern having a plurality of grid spaces, each stack being located within a footprint of only a single grid space, the load handling device being configured to move laterally on the rails or tracks above the stacks, the load handling device comprising:
a lifting mechanism, the lifting mechanism having a gripper device configured to grip a container from above;
a vehicle body having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion for housing components including power components, and/or control components, and/or drive components and/or lifting components, and the lower portion arranged directly beneath the upper portion, the lower portion having a cavity for accommodating a container and a wheel assembly, the wheel assembly having a first set of wheels for engaging with a first set of rails

Assignees

• Ocado Innovation Ltd

Inventors

• Ingram-Tedd Andrew John
• Karolinczak Pawel
• Clancy Tom

Classifications

• B65G47/901

  provided with drive systems with rectilinear movements only · CPC title

• B65G1/0457 Primary

  with suspended load carriers · CPC title

• B65G1/04

  mechanical · CPC title

• B65G2201/0235

  Containers · CPC title

• B65G1/065 Primary

  with self propelled cars · CPC title