Storage and retrieval system transport vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9850079-B2
Application number	US-201615003983-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2016
Priority date	Jan 23, 2015
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

An autonomous transport vehicle includes a frame forming a payload section configured to hold one or more pickfaces, a transfer arm movably mounted to the frame, a drive section connected to the frame, and a controller connected to the drive section, the controller being configured to effect an on-the-fly sortation of pickfaces carried by the autonomous transport vehicle according to a predetermined case out order sequence where the controller commands the drive section so that two or more pickfaces are picked from one or more first case unit holding locations and placed at one or more different second case unit holding locations according to the predetermined case out order sequence.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An autonomous transport vehicle comprising:
a frame forming a payload section configured to hold one or more pickfaces;
a transfer arm movably mounted to the frame;
a drive section connected to the frame; and
a controller connected to the drive section, the controller being configured to effect an on-the-fly sortation of pickfaces carried by the autonomous transport vehicle so as to, on the fly, reorder the pickfaces carried by the autonomous transport vehicle with respect to each other according to a predetermined case out order sequence where the controller commands the drive section so that two or more pickfaces are picked from one or more first case unit holding locations and placed at one or more different second case unit holding locations according to the predetermined case out order sequence.

2. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to effect picking of the two or more pickfaces in an order that is opposite an order in which the two or more pickfaces are placed.

3. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the transfer arm is common to the two or more pickfaces such that the transfer arm is configured to hold the two are more pickfaces adjacent one another.

4. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a justification member disposed within the payload section so as to move transverse to a longitudinal axis of the frame wherein the controller is configured to control a combined movement of the justification member and the transfer arm to effect the sorting of the two or more pickfaces carried in the payload section.

5. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a justification member connected to the drive section and the controller, the justification member being movably mounted to the frame where the transfer arm and the justification member are each independently movable relative to each other.

6. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to control the drive section and effect movement of the justification member and transfer arm so that the on-the-fly sortation is effected by retention of at least one of the two or more pickfaces within the payload section while at least another of the two or more pickfaces is transferred to or from the payload section.

7. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 5 , wherein
the transfer arm includes a plurality of payload support tines and is movable between a raised and lowered position, and
the justification member is configured to extend between the tines when the transfer arm is in the lowered position.

8. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a payload bed and a justification member within the payload section, the payload bed including laterally arranged payload supports that extend through apertures in the justification member.

9. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the transfer arm includes payload support tines that are spaced so as to be interdigitated with the laterally arranged payload supports such that a lowered position of the payload support tines transfers the one or more payload items to the laterally arranged payload supports.

10. An automated storage and retrieval system autonomous transport vehicle comprising:
a frame having a longitudinal axis and forming a payload section configured to hold one or more payload items;
a justification member disposed within the payload section so as to move transverse to the longitudinal axis;
a transfer arm disposed as least partly within the payload section; and
a controller connected to the justification member and the transfer arm, the controller being configured to control a combined movement of the justification member and the transfer arm to effect an on-the-fly sorting of the one or more payload items carried in the payload section with respect to each other.

11. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the justification member and the transfer arm are each independently movable relative to each other.

12. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to effect movement of the justification member and the transfer arm so that the justification member is inserted between two of the one or more payload items to cause a physical separation of the two of the one or more payload items.

13. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the justification member is configured to bi-directionally move the one or more payload items transversely within the payload section.

14. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to control movement of the justification member and transfer arm so that sorting is effected by retention of at least one of the one or more payload items within the payload section while at least another of the one or more payload items is transferred to or from the payload section.

15. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 10 , wherein
the transfer arm includes a plurality of payload support tines and is movable between a raised and lowered position, and
the justification member is configured to extend between the tines when the transfer arm is in the lowered position.

16. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 10 , further comprising a payload bed within the payload section, the payload bed including laterally arranged payload supports that extend through apertures in the justification member.

17. The autonomous transport vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the transfer arm includes payload support tines that are spaced so as to be interdigitated with the laterally arranged payload supports such that a lowered position of the payload support tines transfers the one or more payload items to the laterally arranged payload supports.

18. A method of transporting payload items carried in a payload section of an autonomous transport vehicle having a common transfer arm, the method comprising:
supporting the payload items within the payload section; and
sorting the payload items within the payload section for ordered placement in a storage and retrieval system according to a predetermined case order out sequence, wherein sorting the payload items includes spatially separating at least one of the payload items disposed on the common transfer arm from another of the payload items and the at least one of the payload items is retained on the common transfer arm while the other of the payload items is transferred from the payload section with the common transfer arm.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein sorting the payload items further includes transferring the payload items between a payload bed of the autonomous transport vehicle and the common transfer arm to effect repositioning of the at least one of the payload items.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein sorting the payload items further includes inserting a justification member between the payload items to effect repositioning of the at least one of the payload items.

21. The method of claim 18 , further comprising repositioning at least one of the payload items disposed on the common transfer arm.

22. An automated storage and retrieval system autonomous transport vehicle comprising:
a frame having a longitudinal axis and forming a payload section configured to hold one or more payload items;
a transfer arm that is common to the one or more payload items, the transfer arm being disposed as least partl

Assignees

• Symbotic Llc
• Symbotic Llc

Inventors

• Cyrulik Michael
• Kepple Todd E
• Collins Scott
• Sirois Jason S

Classifications

• B65G1/0492 Primary

  with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles · CPC title

• B65G67/02 Primary

  Loading or unloading land vehicles · CPC title

• B65G1/1373

  for fulfilling orders in warehouses · CPC title

• B65G2209/06

  Use of order trucks · CPC title

• B65G1/1375

  the orders being assembled on a commissioning stacker-crane or truck · CPC title