Automated storage system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9862579-B2
Application number	US-201715632441-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2017
Priority date	Dec 10, 2012
Publication date	Jan 9, 2018
Grant date	Jan 9, 2018

Abstract

The present invention concerns a remotely operated vehicle or robot for picking up storage bins from a storage system. The inventive vehicle or robot comprises a vehicle body, which vehicle body further comprises a first section for storing vehicle driving means and a second section for receiving any storage bin stored in a storage column within the storage system, a vehicle lifting device which is at least indirectly connected to the vehicle body in order to lift the storage bin into the second section, a first set of vehicle rolling means connected to the vehicle body in order to allow movement of the vehicle along a first direction (X) within the storage system during use and a second set of vehicle rolling means connected to the vehicle body in order to allow movement of the vehicle along a second direction (Y) in the storage system during use. The second direction (Y) is oriented perpendicular to the first direction (X). The inventive vehicle is characterized in that the second section comprises a cavity arranged centrally within the vehicle body. This cavity has at least one bin receiving opening facing towards the underlying storage columns during use. In addition, at least one of the two sets of vehicle rolling means is arranged fully within the vehicle body.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An automated storage system, comprising
a. A three-dimensional storage structure comprising
i. a plurality of pillars which are positioned with internal distances and in a rectangular arrangement, wherein the rectangular arrangement of the pillars define storage columns for the storage of a plurality of vertically-stacked storage bins,
ii. supporting rails arranged in a two-dimensional matrix on top of the pillars, said supporting rails defining rolling tracks arranged in a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the supporting rails further defining openings for the storage columns,

b. A plurality of remotely controlled robot vehicles movable along the support rails, said robot vehicles comprising
i. A vehicle body,
ii. A plurality of rolling members attached to the vehicle body, arranged for traveling along the rolling tracks in the first and second directions,
iii. A cavity arranged centrally within the vehicle body arranged to receive a storage bin from a storage column,
iv. A lifting device arranged to lift a storage bin into the cavity,

whereby the robot vehicle can move along the top of the storage structure to positions immediately above a storage column and lift bins into the centrally-arranged cavity for further transport along the top of the storage structure.

2. An automated storage system according to claim 1 , wherein the cavity comprises a downwardly facing opening of essentially the same width and length as the openings for the storage columns.

3. An automated storage system according to claim 2 , wherein the vehicle body has a width and length such that a single robot vehicle essentially covers a single opening while retrieving a storage bin, whereby a second robot vehicle can traverse an adjacent column unhindered by the first robot.

4. An automated storage system according to claim 3 , wherein the rolling members are wheels.

5. An automated storage system according to claim 4 , wherein the wheels are arranged as a first set movable along the rolling tracks in the first direction, and a second set movable along the rolling tracks in the second direction.

6. An automated storage system according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the robot vehicles are remotely operated and further comprise sensors for determining the position of the robot vehicles within the storage system while in use.

Assignees

• Autostore Tech As

Inventors

• Hognaland Ingvar

Classifications

• B66F9/06

  movable, with their loads, on wheels or the like, e.g. fork-lift trucks (vehicle aspects B60 - B62; vehicles predominantly for transporting loads and modified to facilitate loading or unloading B60P1/00; low-lift hand trucks for transporting goods B62B3/06) · CPC title

• G06Q10/08

  Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management · CPC title

• B65G1/00

  Storing articles, individually or in orderly arrangement, in warehouses or magazines (conveyor combinations in warehouses, magazines or workshops B65G37/00; stacking of articles B65G57/00; removing articles from stacks B65G59/00; loading machines B65G65/02) · CPC title

• G06Q10/087

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title

• G05B19/41895

  using automatic guided vehicles [AGV] (control of position or course of AGV's G05D1/00) · CPC title