Material handling apparatus for delivering or retrieving items

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11938517-B2
Application number	US-202318095976-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2023
Priority date	Jan 12, 2007
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for sorting or retrieving items to/from a plurality of destinations areas. The items are loaded onto one of a plurality of independently controlled delivery vehicles. The delivery vehicles follow a path to/from the destination areas, which are positioned along the path. Once at the appropriate destination area, an item is transferred between the delivery vehicle and the destination area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for sorting items into destination areas using a plurality of vehicles wherein a first group of the destination areas extend along a first side of an aisle and a second group of the destination areas extend along a second side of the aisle and the method comprises the steps of:
loading the items onto the plurality of vehicles at a loading location, comprising the steps of:
loading a first item onto a first of the plurality of vehicles while the first vehicle is positioned in the aisle;
loading a second item onto a second of the plurality of vehicles while the second vehicle is positioned in the aisle;

displacing the first vehicle within the aisle along a first path forming a first vertical loop;
during the step of displacing the first vehicle, displacing the second vehicle along a second path forming a second vertical loop within the aisle;
stopping the first vehicle within the aisle along the first vertical loop;
stopping the second vehicle within the aisle along the second vertical loop;
transferring the first item into a first of the destination areas during the step of stopping the first vehicle, comprising the step of driving a first conveyor belt of the first vehicle to displace the first item transverse the first vertical loop;
transferring the second item into a second of the destination areas during the step of stopping the second vehicle, comprising the step of driving a second conveyor belt of the second vehicle to displace the second item transverse the second vertical loop;
wherein the step of displacing the first vehicle along a first path forming a first vertical loop comprises displacing the first vehicle to the loading location along the first vertical loop after the step of transferring the first item so that another item can be loaded onto the first vehicle; and
wherein the step of displacing the second vehicle along a second path forming a second vertical loop comprises displacing the second vehicle to the loading location along the second vertical loop after the step of transferring the second item so that another item can be loaded onto the second vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first path is a closed path in which the first vehicle is displaced vertically and horizontally along the first vertical loop.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of displacing the first vehicle within the aisle comprises displacing the first vehicle horizontally or vertically between the first group of destination areas and the second group of destination areas.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first vehicle comprises four wheels and a motor and the step of displacing the first vehicle comprises the step of driving the motor to drive the first vehicle horizontally within the aisle.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first vehicle comprises a rechargeable power source for powering the motor and an electrical contact for contacting a charging rail positioned along the first path wherein the step of charging comprises recharging the rechargeable power source as the delivery vehicle travels along the first path with sufficient amperage to charge the rechargeable power source within a few seconds.

6. The method of claim 1 comprising the step of monitoring the position of the first item using a first sensor on the first vehicle and the step of loading the first item comprises the step of driving the first conveyor belt in response to signals received by the first sensor.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first vehicle comprises a first wall and a second wall and the step of loading a first item comprises displacing the first item between the first wall and the second wall.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of loading a first item comprises conveying the first item on a loading conveyor toward the first vehicle at the loading location.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of loading a first item comprises the step of driving the first conveyor belt of the first delivery vehicle to load the first item onto the first conveyor belt of the first delivery vehicle while the first vehicle is at the loading location.

10. A method for sorting items using a plurality of vehicles operable within an aisle with a first group of sort locations located along a first side of the aisle and a second group of sort locations located along a second side of the aisle, comprising the steps of:
loading a first item onto a first of the vehicles while the first vehicle is in the aisle at a loading location;
loading a second item onto a second of the vehicles while the second vehicle is in the aisle at the loading location;
displacing the first vehicle with the first item horizontally and vertically along a first path forming a first vertical loop within the aisle, comprising the steps of:
displacing the first vehicle along the first vertical loop from the loading location to a first sort location that is one of either the first or second groups of sort locations; and
displacing the first vehicle along the first vertical loop from the first sort location back to the loading location;

stopping the first vehicle along the first vertical loop adjacent the first sort location;
transferring the first item into the first sort location by displacing the first item in a horizontal direction that is transverse the first vertical loop;
displacing the second vehicle with the second item along a second vertical loop within the aisle toward a second of the first and second sort locations during the step of displacing the first vehicle with the first item along a first vertical loop;
transferring the second item into the second sort location; and
displacing the second vehicle along the second vertical loop back to the loading location.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the first delivery vehicle comprises a first wheel and a second wheel and the step of displacing the first vehicle with the first item along a first vertical loop comprises the steps of:
driving the first wheel along a first horizontal guide extending along a first side of the aisle; and
driving the second wheel along a second horizontal guide adjacent a second side of the aisle.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of displacing the first vehicle with the first item along a first vertical loop comprises the step of displacing the first vehicle vertically upwardly from the first and second horizontal guides to third and fourth horizontal guides spaced vertically from the first and second horizontal guides wherein the third horizontal guide extends along the first side of the aisle and the fourth horizontal guide extends along the second side of the aisle.

13. The method of claim 12 comprising the step of driving the first wheel along the third horizontal guide and driving the second wheel along the fourth horizontal guide.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of driving the first wheel along the third horizontal guide comprises driving a motor on the first vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of displacing the first vehicle with the first item along a first vertical loop comprises the step of displacing the first vehicle downwardly from the third and fourth vertical guides to the first and second vertical guides.

16. The method of claim 10 comprising the step of recharging a rechargeable power source on the first vehicle as the first vehicle moves along the vertical loop wherein the step of recharging comprises recharging with sufficient current to charge the rechargeable power source within a few seconds.

17. The method of

Assignees

• Opex Corp

Inventors

• Hayduchok George
• Dewitt Robert R

Classifications

• B07C3/087 Primary

  the objects being taken up in transport files or holders which are not part of the conveyor belts (cable post B65G) · CPC title

• B07C7/005

  Computer assisted manual sorting, e.g. for mail · CPC title

• B07C7/02

  Compartmented furniture, e.g. pigeon-holes ({B07C7/005 takes precedence; furniture per se A47B}; storage racks B65G) · CPC title

• B61B13/02

  Rack railways · CPC title

• B61C11/04

  tractive effort applied to racks · CPC title