Container handling vehicle with motor at lower elevation than first and second lifting shafts, a system comprising the container handling vehicle, and method of driving the first and second lifting shafts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026021963-A1
Application number	US-202318875767-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 23, 2023
Priority date	Jun 29, 2022
Publication date	Jan 22, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to a container handling vehicle for moving storage containers stacked in stacks within an automated storage and retrieval system, wherein the container handling vehicle is configured to move on a rail system above storage columns, wherein the container handling vehicle comprises a lifting assembly ( 60 ) which comprises a first lifting shaft ( 25 ) and a second lifting shaft ( 26 ) supported in an upper portion of the vehicle and a motor ( 13 ) for driving a drive belt ( 20 ) for rotating the first lifting shaft ( 25 ) and the second lifting shaft ( 26 ), and wherein the motor ( 13 ) is arranged at a lower elevation than the first and second lifting shafts ( 25,26 ).

First claim

1 .- 28 . (canceled)

29 . A container handling vehicle for moving storage containers stacked in stacks within an automated storage and retrieval system, wherein the container handling vehicle is configured to move on a rail system above storage columns and comprises a first set of wheels for movement on the rail system in a first direction and a second set of wheels for movement on the rail system in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction;
wherein the container handling vehicle comprises a lifting assembly which comprises:
a lifting frame connectable to a storage container;
a first lifting shaft and a second lifting shaft supported in an upper portion of the vehicle;
two lifting bands extending from each of the first and second lifting shafts to the lifting frame;
a first lifting shaft pulley for rotation with the first lifting shaft;
a second lifting shaft pulley for rotation with the second lifting shaft;
at least one guide pulley;
a tensioning pulley for tightening and loosening a drive belt;
a motor for driving a drive belt for rotating the first lifting shaft and the second lifting shaft;
a drive belt pulley for outputting drive from the motor;
a drive belt defining one closed loop, wherein the drive belt rotatably connects the first lifting shaft pulley, the second lifting shaft pulley, the at least one guide pulley, the tensioning pulley and the drive belt pulley;
the first lifting shaft pulley is in contact with an outer surface of the drive belt; and
the second lifting shaft pulley is in contact with an inner surface of the drive belt;
wherein the motor is arranged at a lower elevation than the first and second lifting shafts.

30 . The container handling vehicle of claim 29 , wherein the first lifting shaft and the second lifting shaft rotate in opposite directions.

31 . The container handling vehicle of claim 29 , wherein an angle of contact between the drive belt and the drive belt pulley is at least 60 degrees.

32 . The container handling vehicle of claim 29 , wherein an angle of contact between the drive belt and the first lifting shaft pulley and the second lifting shaft pulley is at least 60 degrees.

33 . The container handling vehicle of claim 29 , wherein the drive belt pulley is in contact with the inner surface of the drive belt.

34 . The container handling vehicle of claim 32 , wherein the tensioning pulley is arranged outside the closed loop.

35 . The container handling vehicle of claim 29 , wherein at least one of the at least one guide pulley is arranged inside the closed loop.

36 . The container handling vehicle of claim 34 , wherein the first lifting shaft pulley is arranged outside the closed loop and the guide pulley closest to the first lifting shaft pulley is arranged inside the closed loop.

37 . The container handling vehicle of claim 34 , wherein an axis of the guide pulley which is closest to the first lifting shaft pulley is arranged at a higher elevation than an axis of the first lifting shaft pulley.

38 . The container handling vehicle of claim 34 , wherein two guide pulleys of the at least one guide pulley are arranged inside the closed loop.

39 . The container handling vehicle according to claim 38 , wherein the lifting assembly comprises an L-shaped carrier that supports the two guide pulleys.

40 . The container handling vehicle of claim 34 , wherein the other guide pulley of the at least one guide pulley arranged within the closed loop is arranged at substantially the same distance from the first lifting shaft pulley as the guide pulley which is closest to the first lifting shaft pulley and has a center axis which is at a lower elevation than the center axis of the first lifting shaft pulley.

41 . The container handling vehicle of claim 34 , wherein the center axis of the other guide pulley of the at least one guide pulley is arranged in a vertical plane which is at a further distance from a midpoint between the first and second lifting shafts than a distance between the midpoint and the center axis of the first lifting shaft pulley.

42 . The container handling vehicle of claim 29 , wherein the tensioning pulley is mounted on an eccentric.

43 . The container handling vehicle of claim 29 , wherein a diameter of the first lifting shaft pulley and the second lifting shaft pulley is larger than a diameter of the drive belt pulley, the at least one guide pulley, and the tensioning pulley.

44 . The container handling vehicle of claim 29 , wherein the first lifting shaft and the second lifting shaft are parallel.

45 . The container handling vehicle of claim 29 , wherein the lifting frame is connectable to a storage container from above.

46 . The container handling vehicle of claim 29 , wherein the lifting assembly is configured to lift a storage container to a position above a lowest level of the first and second sets of wheels.

47 . The container handling vehicle of claim 29 , wherein the drive belt is double cogged.

48 . The container handling vehicle of claim 29 , wherein the first lifting shaft pulley and the second lifting shaft pulley are a pair of pulleys of a same diameter.

49 . The container handling vehicle of claim 29 , wherein the motor comprises a brake device in the form of a ratchet device for braking the rotation of the first lifting shaft and the second lifting shaft.

50 . The container handling vehicle of claim 49 , wherein the brake device is arranged on an opposite side of the motor compared to the first and second lifting shafts.

51 . The container handling vehicle of claim 29 , wherein the container handling vehicle comprises a vehicle module part and a cantilever part, wherein the cantilever part extends sideways from the vehicle module part, and wherein the first set of wheels, the second set of wheels and the motor are arranged in the vehicle module part.

52 . The container handling vehicle of claim 51 , wherein the drive belt, the first lifting shaft pulley, the second lifting shaft pulley, and the at least one guide pulley are arranged in the vehicle module part.

53 . The container handling vehicle of claim 29 , wherein the container handling vehicle comprises a vehicle frame defining a first section and a second section of the container handling vehicle arranged side-by-side, and wherein the second section comprises a cavity for accommodating a storage container, and wherein the motor is arranged in the first section.

54 . An automated storage and retrieval system comprising:
a rail system comprising a first set of parallel tracks arranged in a horizontal plane and extending in a first direction, and a second set of parallel tracks arranged in the horizontal plane and extending in a second direction which is orthogonal to the first direction, which first and second sets of tracks form a grid pattern in the horizontal plane comprising a plurality of adjacent grid cells, each comprising an access opening defined by a pair of neighboring tracks of the first set of tracks and a pair of neighboring tracks of the second set of tracks; and a plurality of stacks of storage containers arranged in storage columns located beneath the rail system, wherein each storage column is located vertically below an access opening and wherein the automated storage and retrieval system comprises at least one container handling vehicle of claim 29 .

Assignees

• Autostore Tech As

Inventors

• Austrheim Trond
• Fjeldheim Ivar

Classifications

• B66C1/101

  for containers (B66C1/223 and B66C1/663 take precedence) · CPC title

• B65G1/065

  with self propelled cars · CPC title

• B65G1/0464 Primary

  with access from above · CPC title

• B65G1/06

  with means for presenting articles for removal at predetermined position or level (B65G1/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B66F9/063

  Automatically guided · CPC title