A METHOD AND VEHICLE FOR RESCUING A STALLED CONTAINER HANDLING VEHICLE

    公开(公告)号:US20240190017A1

    公开(公告)日:2024-06-13

    申请号:US18556297

    申请日:2022-04-08

    Abstract: A service vehicle unit (SVU) is for manoeuvring a container handling vehicle that has stalled on an automated storage and retrieval system. The system includes a rail system having a first set of parallel rails arranged to guide movement of a container handling vehicle in a first direction (X) across the top of a frame structure, and a second set of parallel rails arranged perpendicular to the first set of rails to guide movement of the container handling vehicle in a second direction (Y), which is perpendicular to the first direction (X). The first and second sets of parallel rails dividing the rail system into a plurality of grid cells. At least one container handling vehicle is configured to operate on the rail system. The SVU includes a wheel module configured with a first and second set of wheels, which enable movement of the container handling vehicle in the X and Y direction and which is configured to operate on the rail system. The SVU has a turret and a turret mounted positioner that is attached to the wheel module, and the turret rotates the turret mounted positioner horizontally to attach to the container handling vehicle, used for manoeuvring a container handling vehicle to a predetermined position on the grid by the wheel module.

    Method and system for controlling the operation of container handling vehicles and drones serving an automated storage and retrieval system

    公开(公告)号:US11975744B2

    公开(公告)日:2024-05-07

    申请号:US17251760

    申请日:2019-06-11

    Abstract: The operation of container handling vehicles and remotely operated specialized container handling vehicles are controlled by a method such that total elapsed time or waiting time cost for transferring specified storage containers between them is minimal or optimal. The specialized container handling vehicles are operating at a level below an automated storage and retrieval system having a framework structure defining a storage grid for storing storage containers in grid cells. The storage containers are stored and retrieved by container handling vehicles running on top of the storage grid. At least one operational controller, which is in communication with a first type of controller in each container handling vehicle and a second type of controller in each specialized container handling vehicle, performs the followings steps: when a specified storage container is to be transferred from a storage column and its corresponding grid cell to a specialized container handling vehicle: assigning and instructing a container handling vehicle to pick up the storage container from the grid cell and lower it to a selected port, located at the lower end of an identified free delivery column by transmitting instructions to the first type of controller of the assigned container handling vehicle, where the port selected is included as a variable in a weighting function together with time and waiting cost to derive a trade-off of the container handling vehicle and the specialized container handling vehicle having the best matching travel time to the port; moving the container handling vehicle to the grid cell, picking up the storage container and transporting it to a grid cell of the delivery column where the port is; transmitting a signal to the specialized container handling vehicles comprising information of the selected port at a first location and when the storage container will be available at the port; based on responses from the specialized container handling vehicles, assigning and instructing a specialized container handling vehicle to retrieve the specified storage container at the selected port; moving the assigned specialized container handling vehicle to the selected port at the first location, picking up the storage container and bringing it to a second location; and/or, when a specified storage container is to be transferred to a grid cell, for storage in its corresponding storage column, by a specialized container handling vehicle: determining which port at a first location that is to be used, where the port selected is included as a variable in a weighting function together with time and waiting cost to derive a trade-off of the container handling vehicle and the specialized container handling vehicle having the best matching travel time to the port; transmitting instructions to the second type of controller of the specialized container handling vehicle, to transport the storage container from its current location representing the second location, to said determined port at the first location; moving the specialized container handling vehicle from the second location to the determined port at the first location; transmitting a signal to the container handling vehicles comprising information of the determined port to retrieve the storage container from; based on responses from the container handling vehicles, assigning and instructing a container handling vehicle to lift and retrieve the specified storage container from the determined port to be used at the first location; lifting the storage container from the determined port through the delivery column and moving the container handling vehicle for transporting the storage container to a grid cell corresponding to the storage column the specified storage container is to be transferred to.

    CONTAINER ACCESSING STATION WITH LIFTING DEVICE

    公开(公告)号:US20210163222A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-06-03

    申请号:US15734409

    申请日:2019-06-11

    Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system includes an automated storage and retrieval grid, a container accessing station, a delivery rail system, and a delivery vehicle operating on the delivery rail system. The automated storage and retrieval grid includes a container handling vehicle rail system for guiding a plurality of container handling vehicles, the container handling vehicle rail system comprising a first set of parallel rails arranged in a horizontal plane (P) and. extending in a first direction (X), and a second set of parallel rails arranged in the horizontal plane (P) and extending in a second direction (Y) which is orthogonal to the first direction (X), which first and second sets of rails form a grid pattern in the horizontal plane (P) comprising a plurality of adjacent container handling vehicle grid cells, each container handling vehicle grid cell comprising a container handling vehicle grid opening defined by a pair of neighboring rails of the first set of rails and a pair of neighboring rails of the second set of rails; and a delivery column adapted for transport of a storage container arranged in a stack of storage containers beneath the container handling vehicle rail system between a container handling vehicle and a delivery port situated at a lower end of the delivery column. The delivery rail system includes at least a first set of parallel rails arranged in a horizontal plane (P1) and extending in a first direction (X), and at least a second set of parallel rails arranged in the horizontal plane (P1) and extending in a second direction (Y) which is orthogonal to the first direction (X), the first and second sets of rails together defining a delivery grid of delivery grid cells. The delivery vehicle includes a motorized vehicle body and a container carrier provided above the motorized vehicle body for carrying the storage container. The delivery vehicle is arranged to transport the storage container from the delivery port of the storage grid across the delivery grid to the delivery grid cell situated below the container accessing station. The container accessing station includes an access opening through which a human and/or robot may access contents of the storage container; a base opening; and a lifting device arranged to retrieve the storage container from a first level beneath the base opening and lift it up through the base opening to a second level so that the storage container may be accessed through the access opening. The delivery vehicle is arranged to deliver the storage container to the lifting device of the container accessing station, or receive a storage container from the lifting device and return the storage container to the delivery port for storage within the storage grid.

    MOBILE STORAGE SYSTEM
    15.
    发明申请

    公开(公告)号:US20240383684A1

    公开(公告)日:2024-11-21

    申请号:US18786080

    申请日:2024-07-26

    Abstract: In an embodiment, a mobile storage system has a mobile container with an automated storage and retrieval system arranged inside. The automated storage and retrieval system has a storage grid structure having vertical members defining multiple columns, such as storage columns for storing storage bins on top of each other in vertical stacks. The vertical members are interconnected at their upper ends by a first rail system arranged to guide at least one bin handling vehicle thereon. The bin handling vehicle is configured to raise storage bins from, and lower storage bins into, the storage columns, and to transport the storage bins above the storage columns. The invention also relates to a method for providing such a system. The invention also relates to a mobile storage system having a connected plurality of mobile containers and a method for providing such a system.

    Container accessing station with lifting device

    公开(公告)号:US11820389B2

    公开(公告)日:2023-11-21

    申请号:US15734409

    申请日:2019-06-11

    Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system includes an automated storage and retrieval grid, a container accessing station, a delivery rail system, and a delivery vehicle operating on the delivery rail system. The automated storage and retrieval grid includes a container handling vehicle rail system for guiding a plurality of container handling vehicles, the container handling vehicle rail system comprising a first set of parallel rails arranged in a horizontal plane (P) and extending in a first direction (X), and a second set of parallel rails arranged in the horizontal plane (P) and extending in a second direction (Y) which is orthogonal to the first direction (X), which first and second sets of rails form a grid pattern in the horizontal plane (P) comprising a plurality of adjacent container handling vehicle grid cells, each container handling vehicle grid cell comprising a container handling vehicle grid opening defined by a pair of neighboring rails of the first set of rails and a pair of neighboring rails of the second set of rails; and a delivery column adapted for transport of a storage container arranged in a stack of storage containers beneath the container handling vehicle rail system between a container handling vehicle and a delivery port situated at a lower end of the delivery column. The delivery rail system includes at least a first set of parallel rails arranged in a horizontal plane (P1) and extending in a first direction (X), and at least a second set of parallel rails arranged in the horizontal plane (P1) and extending in a second direction (Y) which is orthogonal to the first direction (X), the first and second sets of rails together defining a delivery grid of delivery grid cells. The delivery vehicle includes a motorized vehicle body and a container carrier provided above the motorized vehicle body for carrying the storage container. The delivery vehicle is arranged to transport the storage container from the delivery port of the storage grid across the delivery grid to the delivery grid cell situated below the container accessing station. The container accessing station includes an access opening through which a human and/or robot may access contents of the storage container; a base opening; and a lifting device arranged to retrieve the storage container from a first level beneath the base opening and lift it up through the base opening to a second level so that the storage container may be accessed through the access opening. The delivery vehicle is arranged to deliver the storage container to the lifting device of the container accessing station, or receive a storage container from the lifting device and return the storage container to the delivery port for storage within the storage grid.

    MULTIPOSITION SEARCH
    19.
    发明公开

    公开(公告)号:US20230222431A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-07-13

    申请号:US18001524

    申请日:2021-06-23

    CPC classification number: G06Q10/08 B65G1/0464

    Abstract: A system for allocating jobs and/or targets to robots in an automated storage and retrieval system includes a plurality of robots and a framework structure forming a three-dimensional storage grid structure for storing storage containers. The framework structure includes a rail system. The rail system provides available routes for the robots handling and transferring the storage containers to and from the storage columns. At least one robot includes a first set of wheels configured to move the robot along a first horizontal direction of the grid-based rail system and a second set of wheels configured to move the robot along a second horizontal direction of the grid-based rail system. The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The movement of the robots is controlled by a central computer system including a warehouse management system that includes a router and an assigner. The router decides which routes the robots travel and the assigner has control over which jobs are to be done and which targets to reach. The assigner is configured to create a list of job options of jobs to be done and a list of target options of targets to be reached by each robot, which lists of job options and target options are made accessible to the router. The router is configured to decide which job and target to be assigned to the robot using a multi-position search algorithm. The decision is based on the location of the robot in question and the route it has to travel to reach the job and the target.

    A METHOD OF OPERATING AN AUTOMATED STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM

    公开(公告)号:US20210237973A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-08-05

    申请号:US15734868

    申请日:2019-06-11

    Abstract: A method of operating an automated storage and retrieval system includes: a rail system including a first set of parallel rails arranged in a horizontal plane and extending in a first direction, and a second set of parallel rails arranged in the horizontal plane and extending in a second direction which is orthogonal to the first direction, which first and second sets of rails form a grid pattern in the horizontal plane including a plurality of adjacent grid cells, a central control unit configured to receive, transmit and process data signals of a plurality of container handling vehicles for handling storage containers of the automated storage and retrieval system. Each container handling vehicle includes a vehicle body, a wheel assembly provided on the vehicle body, the wheel assembly being configured to move the vehicle along the rail system in both of the first direction and the second direction, a vehicle control unit configured to receive data signals from, transmit data signals to and process data signals of the central control unit, and a proximity sensor system configured to detect another container handling vehicle of said plurality of container handling vehicles and determine whether or not it is within a predetermined distance. The method includes detecting with the central control unit that access of a first container handling vehicle to a target cell, which is one of the plurality of grid cells, is blocked by a second container handling vehicle, transmitting a data signal from the central control unit to the vehicle control unit of the first container handling vehicle commanding the first container handling vehicle to move into the target cell when the second container handling vehicle is beyond said predetermined distance.

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