Storage system and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9643781-B2
Application number	US-201213680309-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2012
Priority date	Nov 20, 2011
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

A storage system includes a rack with a plurality of layers, each layer including an aisle and a plurality of rows extending from the aisle defining storage locations for items. A shuttle usable with the rack includes a first cart movable along the aisle and a second cart configured to be carriable by the first cart and to be movable along a row. The second cart is configured to carry an item between the first cart and the storage locations. A conveyor is located on one of the first or second carts to move the item onto or off the first cart. Related methods of storing and/or retrieving items from a rack are also disclosed. A rack system is disclosed and is readily assembled without welding, transferring loading so that the weight of the rack and any item stored therein is supported by the upright elements via support brackets.

First claim

We claim:

1. A storage rack for use with carts comprising:
a plurality of upright elements arranged in a grid;
a plurality of support brackets, each upright element having a plurality of the support brackets mounted to it at different heights, each height corresponding to a layer in the storage rack, the support brackets being attached to the upright elements by fasteners without welding;
a plurality of first horizontal elements extending in a first direction to connect adjacent upright elements, the first horizontal elements being attached via fasteners without welding, at least some of the first horizontal elements forming an aisle track for an aisle cart having a conveyor thereon, the aisle track having a loading position at one end;
a plurality of second horizontal elements attached to the support brackets extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, two adjacent second horizontal elements mounted to support brackets on adjacent upright elements forming a row track for a row cart with each of the second horizontal elements forming one side of the row track, the aisle cart being movable along the aisle, the row cart being configured to be carried by the aisle cart and to be movable off the aisle cart along a row while carrying an item, the row tracks configured for storing items thereon placed by the row cart, the second horizontal elements being attached to the support brackets via fasteners without welding, whereby the weight of the row tracks and any item stored thereon is supported by the upright elements via the support brackets; and
a lift substantially adjacent the rack for lifting items to the respective loading positions for the layers, the lift including a platform having a lift platform conveyor in the form of an endless loop conveyor, each layer of the rack including a rack conveyor in the form of an endless loop conveyor adjacent the loading position for transferring items between the lift platform conveyor and the aisle and row carts at the loading position, the rack conveyor sized to as to be able to hold at least one item thereon so that the rack conveyor can move items onto one of the lift platform conveyor and the aisle cart while the row cart is located in a given row, the row cart being independently drivable off the aisle cart to perform at least one of placing or retrieving an item in the given row while the aisle cart moves along the aisle spaced from the given row.

2. The storage rack of claim 1 , wherein one of either the brackets or the upright elements has at least one tab thereon configured for placement in a slot defined in the other of the brackets and the upright elements.

3. The storage rack of claim 1 , wherein the first horizontal elements are attached to the upright elements at least in part via the brackets.

4. The storage rack of claim 1 , wherein electrical connection elements are located on at least one of the first horizontal elements and the second horizontal elements for providing electricity to at least one of the aisle cart and the row cart.

5. The storage rack of claim 4 , wherein the electrical connection elements include an electrified track for contacting a wiper.

6. A storage rack for use with carts comprising:
a plurality of upright elements arranged in a grid;
a plurality of support brackets, each upright element having a plurality of the support brackets mounted to it at different heights, each height corresponding to a layer in the storage rack, the support brackets being attached to the upright elements;
a plurality of first horizontal elements extending in a first direction to connect adjacent upright elements, at least some of the first horizontal elements forming an aisle track for an aisle cart having a conveyor thereon, the aisle track having a loading position at one end;
a plurality of second horizontal elements attached to the support brackets extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, two adjacent second horizontal elements mounted to support brackets on adjacent upright elements forming a row track for a row cart with each of the second horizontal elements forming one side of the row track, the aisle cart being movable along the aisle, the row cart being configured to be carried by the aisle cart and to be movable off the aisle cart along a row while carrying an item, the row tracks configured for storing items thereon placed by the row cart, the second horizontal elements being attached to the support brackets via fasteners without welding, whereby the weight of the row tracks and any item stored thereon is supported by the upright elements via the support brackets; and
a lift substantially adjacent the rack for lifting items to the respective loading positions for the layers, the lift including a platform having a lift platform conveyor in the form of an endless loop conveyor, each layer of the rack including a rack conveyor in the form of an endless loop conveyor adjacent the loading position for transferring items between the lift platform conveyor and the aisle and row carts at the loading position, the rack conveyor sized to as to be able to hold at least one item thereon so that the rack conveyor can move items onto one of the lift platform conveyor and the aisle cart while the row cart is located in a given row, the row cart being independently drivable off the aisle cart to perform at least one of placing or retrieving an item in the given row while the aisle cart moves along the aisle spaced from the given row.

7. The storage rack of claim 6 , wherein electrical connection elements are located on at least one of the first horizontal elements and the second horizontal elements for providing electricity to at least one of the aisle cart and the row cart.

8. The storage rack of claim 7 , wherein the electrical connection elements include an electrified track for contacting a wiper.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Salichs Rafael
• Tamayo Juan Carlos

Classifications

• B65G1/06

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

• B65G1/0492

  with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles · CPC title

• B65G1/065 Primary

  with self propelled cars · CPC title

• B65G1/026

  Racks equipped with a displaceable load carrying surface to facilitate loading or unloading · CPC title