Storage and retrieval system transport vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11745964-B2
Application number	US-202217648904-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2022
Priority date	Jan 23, 2015
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

An autonomous transport vehicle includes a frame forming a payload section configured to hold one or more pickfaces, a transfer arm movably mounted to the frame, a drive section connected to the frame, and a controller connected to the drive section, the controller being configured to effect an on-the-fly sortation of pickfaces carried by the autonomous transport vehicle according to a predetermined case out order sequence where the controller commands the drive section so that two or more pickfaces are picked from one or more first case unit holding locations and placed at one or more different second case unit holding locations according to the predetermined case out order sequence.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An autonomously guided autonomous transport vehicle comprising:
a frame forming a payload section configured to hold one or more pickfaces;
a lift movably mounted to the frame to move relative to the frame along a lift axis;
a transfer arm dependent from the lift and configured to support thereon the one or more pickfaces;
a payload justification member movably mounted to the frame to move relative to the frame along a justification axis;
a drive section connected to the frame having at least one drive axis operably coupled to, so as to actuate on the fly, at least one of the lift, along the lift axis, and the transfer arm, along a traverse axis to effect placing or picking the one or more pickfaces with the transfer arm relative to the frame, wherein the drive section has another drive axis, different than the at least one drive axis, so as to actuate and preposition the payload justification member to a payload justification position of the pickfaces on the frame substantially coincident, at least in part, with actuation of at least one of the lift and the transfer arm; and
a controller connected to the drive section, the controller being configured to effect preposition of the payload justification member relative to actuation of at least one of the lift, along the lift axis, and the transfer arm, along the traverse axis.

2. The autonomously guided autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the another drive axis actuates the payload justification member on the fly so as to justify the one or more pickfaces positioned in the payload section.

3. The autonomously guided autonomous transport vehicle of claim 2 , wherein on the fly justification of the one or more pickfaces effects an on-the-fly sortation of pickfaces carried by the autonomous transport vehicle so as to, on the fly, reorder the pickfaces carried by the autonomous transport vehicle with respect to each other according to a predetermined case out order sequence.

4. The autonomously guided autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller commands the drive section so that two or more pickfaces are picked from one or more first case unit holding locations and placed at one or more different second case unit holding locations according to a predetermined case out order sequence.

5. The autonomously guided autonomous transport vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the transfer arm is common to the two or more pickfaces such that the transfer arm is configured to hold the two or more pickfaces adjacent one another.

6. The autonomously guided autonomous transport vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the payload justification member disposed within the payload section moves transverse to a longitudinal axis of the frame, wherein the controller is configured to control a combined movement of the payload justification member and the transfer arm to effect the sorting of the one or more pickfaces carried in the payload section.

7. The autonomously guided autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the payload justification member and the transfer arm are each independently movable relative to each other.

8. The autonomously guided autonomous transport vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to control the drive section and effect movement of the justification member and transfer arm so that the on-the-fly sortation is effected by retention of at least one of the one or more pickfaces within the payload section while at least another of the one or more pickfaces is transferred to or from the payload section.

9. The autonomously guided autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a payload bed within the payload section, the payload bed including laterally arranged payload supports that extend through apertures in the payload justification member.

10. The autonomously guided autonomous transport vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the transfer arm includes payload support tines that are spaced so as to be interdigitated with the laterally arranged payload supports such that a lowered position of the payload support tines transfers the one or more pickfaces to the laterally arranged payload supports.

11. An autonomously guided autonomous transport vehicle comprising:
a frame forming a payload section configured to hold one or more pickfaces;
a lift mounted to the frame to move relative to the frame along a lift axis;
a transfer arm dependent from the lift and configured to support thereon the one or more pickfaces;
a payload justification member movably mounted to the frame to move relative to the frame along a justification axis;
a drive section connected to the frame having at least one drive axis operably coupled to the transfer arm, so as to actuate the transfer arm on the fly along a traverse axis to effect placing or picking the one or more pickfaces on the transfer arm along the lift on the fly with transport by the autonomous transport vehicle, wherein the drive section has another drive axis, different than the at least one drive axis, so as to actuate and preposition the payload justification member to a payload justification position of the pickfaces on the frame substantially coincident, at least in part, with actuation of at least one of the lift and the transfer arm; and
a controller connected to the drive section, the controller being configured to effect preposition of the payload justification member on the fly relative to actuation of the transfer arm along the traverse axis.

12. The autonomously guided autonomous transport vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the another drive axis actuates the payload justification member on the fly so as to justify the one or more pickfaces positioned in the payload section.

13. The autonomously guided autonomous transport vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the lift is disposed so as to traverse relative to the frame along a lift axis.

14. The autonomously guided autonomous transport vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the controller commands the drive section so that two or more pickfaces are picked from one or more first case unit holding locations and placed at one or more different second case unit holding locations according to a predetermined case out order sequence.

15. The autonomously guided autonomous transport vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the transfer arm is common to the two or more pickfaces such that the transfer arm is configured to hold the two or more pickfaces adjacent one another.

16. The autonomously guided autonomous transport vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the payload justification member moves transverse to a longitudinal axis of the frame, wherein the controller is configured to control a combined movement of the payload justification member and the transfer arm to effect the sorting of the one or more pickfaces carried in the payload section.

17. The autonomously guided autonomous transport vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the payload justification member and the transfer arm are each independently movable relative to each other.

18. A method of transporting pickfaces with an autonomously guided autonomous transport vehicle, the method comprising:
providing a frame of the autonomously guided autonomous transport vehicle, the frame forming a payload section configured to hold one or more pickfaces;
providing a lift mounted to the frame to move relative to the frame along a lift axis;
providing a transfer arm dependent from the lift and configured to support thereon the one or more pickfaces;
providing a payload justification member movably mounted to the frame to move relative to the f

Assignees

• Symbotic Llc

Inventors

• Cyrulik Michael
• Kepple Todd E
• Collins Scott
• Sirois Jason S

Classifications

• B65G1/0492 Primary

  with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles · CPC title

• B65G2209/06

  Use of order trucks · CPC title

• B65G1/1375

  the orders being assembled on a commissioning stacker-crane or truck · CPC title

• B65G67/02 Primary

  Loading or unloading land vehicles · CPC title

• B65G1/1373

  for fulfilling orders in warehouses · CPC title