Track assembly for a storage system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12428226-B2
Application number	US-202118041530-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 12, 2021
Priority date	Aug 14, 2020
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

A system for guiding the movement of one or more load handling devices in operation includes: a) a first set of parallel tracks and a second set of parallel tracks, the first and second sets of parallel tracks sharing a common track, each track of the first and second set of parallel tracks providing a track surface; and b) a first load handling device and a second load handling device, each having a wheel assembly engaging with the track surface and with the track surface of the common track; wherein each track of the first and second sets of parallel tracks include only two guide surfaces extending from the track surface for guiding the first and second load handing devices along their respective first and second sets of parallel tracks.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for guiding the movement of one or more load handling devices in operation, the system comprising:
a) a first set of parallel tracks and a second set of parallel tracks, the first and second sets of parallel tracks sharing a common track, each track of the first and second sets of parallel tracks providing a track surface; and
b) a first load handling device and a second load handling device, each of the first and second load handling devices comprises a vehicle body, and including a wheel assembly said wheel assembly having a first set of wheels at the front and back of the vehicle body and a second set of wheels at the sides of the vehicle body such that at least one wheel either side of the vehicle body, the first and second sets of wheels being movable vertically for respectively engaging with the track surface of the first and second sets of parallel tracks such that the wheel assembly of the first and of the second load handling devices is configured for engaging with the track surface of the common track;
wherein each track of the first and of the second sets of parallel tracks include only two guide surfaces extending from the track surface for guiding the first and second load handing devices along their respective first and second sets of parallel tracks,
the only two guide surfaces of each of the first and second set of parallel tracks being configured to guide the first load handling device along a first path of the common track and the second load handling device along a second path of the common track, said only two guide surfaces are provided by a single lip either side of the track surface, such that the track surface extends continuously between the single lip either side of the track;
the first set of parallel tracks includes a first track disposed laterally on one side of the common track and the second set of parallel tracks includes a second track disposed laterally on the other side of the common track such that the first load handling device is constrained to move along the first path of the common track and the second load handling device is constrained to move along the second path of the common track.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the only two guide surfaces are provided by only one or only two lips.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the single lip comprises:
an inner surface facing inwardly of the track surface and an outer surface facing outwardly of the track surface such that the wheel assembly of each of the first and second load handling devices are guided in operation along their first and second sets of parallel tracks by an inner surface of the single lip of a respective track.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the only two guide surfaces are provided by:
two lips extending centrally of each track of the first and second sets of tracks, each lip of the only two lips providing a single guiding surface facing outwardly towards an edge of the track such that the wheel assembly of each of the first and second load handling devices are guided by an outer surface of a respective lip of the only two lips.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the only two guide surfaces are provided by:
a single lip extending centrally of each track of the first and second sets of tracks, the single lip providing a single guiding surface either side of the single lip such that the wheel assembly of each of the first and second load handling devices is guided by a respective single guide surface of the single lip.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second sets of parallel tracks define a first track assembly extending in a first direction, and wherein the system comprises:
a second track assembly including a first and a second set of parallel tracks extending in a second direction, the first direction being transverse to the second direction such that the first and second track assembly are arranged in a grid pattern containing a plurality of grid cells.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second set of parallel tracks are supported by a plurality of vertical uprights configured and arranged to form a plurality of vertical storage locations for one or more containers to be stacked between the vertical uprights and be guided by the vertical uprights in a vertical direction.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of vertical uprights are interconnected at their top ends by the first set of parallel tracks and the second set of parallel tracks.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein each track of the first and second sets of parallel tracks comprises:
a plurality of interconnected track sections.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second load handling devices comprises:
a) a container-receiving space located above the track; and
b) a lifting device configured and arranged to lift a single container from a stack into the container-receiving space.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the system is a storage system comprising:
one or more containers stacked between the plurality of vertical uprights.

Assignees

• Ocado Innovation Ltd

Inventors

• Millward Stephen
• Malinowski Jaroslaw
• Karolinczak Pawel
• Bates Martyn
• Ingram-Tedd Andrew

Classifications

• E04B2001/2418

  Details of bolting · CPC title

• B65G1/0464 Primary

  with access from above · CPC title

• E04B2001/2406

  Connection nodes · CPC title

• E04B1/2403

  Connection details of the elongated load-supporting parts · CPC title

• B65G1/065

  with self propelled cars · CPC title