Method and apparatus for retrieving units from a storage system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11858737-B2
Application number	US-202117505949-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 20, 2021
Priority date	Mar 10, 2016
Publication date	Jan 2, 2024
Grant date	Jan 2, 2024

Abstract

A storage system and a load handling device for lifting and moving containers stacked in the storage system are described. The storage system includes a plurality of rails arranged in a grid pattern above the stacks of containers. The grid pattern has a plurality of grid spaces and each stack is located within a footprint of a single grid space. The load handling device can move laterally on the rails above the stacks and includes a container receiving space located above the rails in use and a lifting device arranged to lift a container from a stack into the container receiving space. The load handling device also 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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A load-handling device for lifting and moving containers stacked in stacks in a storage system, the system including 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 of containers, the load-handling device comprising:
a lifting mechanism, the lifting mechanism including a gripper device, the gripper device being configured to grip a container from above;
a vehicle having four sides forming a body, said body having an upper portion and a lower portion:
the upper portion for housing 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 including a cavity bounded by the four sides 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 or tracks to guide movement of the device in a first direction and a second set of wheels 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;

wherein:
the lifting mechanism is configured to raise and lower the gripper device relative to the cavity, the lifting mechanism being located above the cavity,
the wheel assembly further comprises a wheel positioning mechanism, the wheel positioning mechanism including 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,
the wheel positioning mechanism further including moveable side panels that comprise the 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,
each of the side panels being moveable by a pin and track mechanism disposed on an inner surface of the side panels, the pin and track mechanism having a pin and a track, a shape of the track on the inner surface of the panels and movement of the pins in the tracks causing the side panels to be displaced upwardly or downwardly depending on a direction of travel of the pin in the track.

2. The load handling device of claim 1 , wherein opposing side walls are raised and lowered by a common motor so that the first or second sets of wheels are lifted and lowered in unison to control engagement of the respective first or second sets of wheels with the first or second sets of rails.

3. The load handling device of claim 1 , wherein opposing side panels are raised and lowered by a single motor and the other two opposing side panels are and lowered by a further motor.

4. The load handling device of claim 1 , wherein each of the panels comprise a motor or solenoid that moves the pin laterally in the track.

Assignees

• Ocado Innovation Ltd

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B65G1/0464 Primary

  with access from above · CPC title

• B65G1/0457 Primary

  with suspended load carriers · CPC title

• B65G1/065 Primary

  with self propelled cars · CPC title

• B65G1/04

  mechanical · CPC title

• B65G47/901

  provided with drive systems with rectilinear movements only · CPC title