Material handling apparatus having separate workstation and method of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11820601-B2
Application number	US-202217854467-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2022
Priority date	Aug 14, 2020
Publication date	Nov 21, 2023
Grant date	Nov 21, 2023

Abstract

A workstation for a material handling system is provided. The system may include a plurality of vehicles for retrieving items from a plurality of storage locations located in one or more racks. The workstation is configured to accommodate the vehicles so that the vehicles drive into the workstation and drive upwardly along a track in the workstation. In one configuration, the track is configured to tilt the vehicle at a predetermined angle relative to the horizon as the vehicle is driven upwardly. After the vehicle is tilted to the predetermined angle the vehicle continues to drive upwardly while maintaining the predetermined angle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for charging a material handling vehicle configured to drive along a first pathway in a horizontal direction and a second pathway in a vertical direction, wherein each vehicle includes a power storage element and the method comprises the steps of:
driving a vehicle having an item to a pick station having a charging element comprising a conductive element configured to provide a charging current to the vehicle to charge the power storage element of the vehicle;
displacing an electrical contact of the vehicle into engagement with the charging element;
raising the vehicle at the pick station while the electrical contact maintains electrical engagement with the charging element; and
displacing the charging element during the step of raising the vehicle at the pick station.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of raising the vehicle comprises driving the vehicle upwardly.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of driving the vehicle upwardly comprises actuating a drive assembly of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of displacing the charging element comprises vertically displacing the charging element to maintain the charging element in operative engagement with the charging contact of the vehicle as the vehicle is raised upwardly.

5. The method of claim 1 comprising the step of biasing the charging element in a vertical direction relative to the charging contact of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 5 comprising the step of biasing the charging element in a horizontal direction relative to the charging contact of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 comprising the step of driving a vehicle with a container to the pick station.

8. The method of claim 7 comprising the step of driving the vehicle upwardly to an upper position so that the container is positioned at an elevated position to present the container to an operator at the pick station.

9. A method for delivering items from a storage system to a pick station, comprising the steps of:
driving a vehicle having a container to a pick station;
driving the vehicle upwardly at the pick station to an upper position to displace the container at an elevated position to present the container to an operator;
releasably retaining the container in the elevated position;
driving the vehicle downwardly away from the upper position while the container is retained in the elevated position, whereby driving the vehicle downwardly while the container is retained in the elevated position operates to detach the vehicle from the container;
driving one or more subsequent vehicles to the pick station to deliver items to be placed in the container while the container is retained in the elevated position.

10. The method of claim 9 comprising the steps of:
driving a retrieval vehicle upwardly at the pick station to the upper position into operative engagement with the container while the container is retained in the elevated position; and
releasing the container from the elevated position.

11. The method of claim 10 comprising the step of driving the retrieval vehicle downwardly with the released container.

12. The method of claim 11 comprising the step of driving the retrieval vehicle horizontally away from the pick station after the step of driving the vehicle downwardly.

13. A material handling system workstation operable in connection with a first delivery vehicle operable to convey a first container and a second delivery vehicle operable to convey the first container, wherein the first delivery vehicle and the second delivery vehicle each comprise a vertical drive element, and wherein the workstation comprises:
a frame;
a track connected with the frame, wherein the track is configured to cooperate with the vertical drive element of the first and second vehicles to facilitate vertical displacement of the first and second vehicles to a raised position so that items may be transferred into or retrieved from the first container;
a retainer operable between a first and second position wherein in the first position the retainer retains the first container in an upper position when the first vehicle is lowered from the raised position and wherein in the second position the retainer releases the first container from the upper position;
a controller configured to selectively actuate the retainer from the second position to the first position after the first vehicle is displaced into the raised position; wherein the controller is configured to selectively actuate the retainer from the first position to the second position after a second vehicle is displaced into the raised position so that the container is released onto the second vehicle to allow the second vehicle to transfer the container away from the workstation.

14. The workstation of claim 13 comprising a second track adjacent the track wherein the second track is configured to cooperate with the vertical drive element of the first and second vehicles to facilitate vertical displacement of the first and second vehicles to the raised position so that items may be transferred into or retrieved from a second container carried by the first or second vehicle.

15. The workstation of claim 13 wherein the retainer comprises a pivotable arm.

16. The workstation of claim 13 wherein the frame is configured to facilitate the first and second vehicles driving into engagement with the track while transporting the first container.

17. The workstation of claim 14 wherein the frame is configured to facilitate the first and second vehicle driving into engagement with the second track while transporting the second container.

18. The workstation of claim 16 comprising a housing having a first opening configured to cooperate with the first container, wherein the housing has second opening configured to allow passage of the first or second vehicles while carrying the first container.

Assignees

• Opex Corp

Inventors

• Valinsky Joseph
• Stevens Alexander
• Bloch Nathan
• Muttathil George
• Baines David

Classifications

• B65G1/1378 Primary

  the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas · CPC title

• B65G1/0464

  with access from above · CPC title

• B65G1/0492 Primary

  with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles · CPC title

• Y02T10/70

  Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries · CPC title

• Y02T10/7072

  Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors · CPC title