公开(公告)号：US20230039960A1

公开(公告)日：2023-02-09

申请号：US17931340

申请日：2022-09-12

Applicant: Autostore Technology AS

Inventor： Trond Austrheim

IPC: A62C3/00 ,  A62C27/00 ,  B65G1/04 ,  B62D55/08 ,  B66F9/06 ,  B66F9/18 ,  G05D1/00 ,  G05D1/02

Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system includes: a storage grid having storage columns arranged in rows, in which storage containers are stacked one on top of another; a rail system having 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 orthogonal to the first direction, which first and second sets of rails form a grid pattern in the horizontal plane having a plurality of adjacent grid cells; at least one container handling vehicle configured to move on the rail system, including a wheel arrangement configured to guide the at least one storage container vehicle along the rail system in at least one of the first direction and the second direction; and a service vehicle for movement on the rail system.

公开(公告)号：US11465844B2

公开(公告)日：2022-10-11

申请号：US16756853

申请日：2018-10-12

Applicant: Autostore Technology AS

Inventor： Ivar Fjeldheim ,  Trond Austrheim

IPC: B65G1/06 ,  B65G1/04 ,  B65G59/02

Abstract: The invention concerns an automated storage and retrieval system, a storage container handling vehicle and a method for operating such a system. The system comprises a plurality of vehicles, where each vehicle comprises a vehicle body (30), a thereto connected wheel assembly configured to guide the vehicle along the track system, a container picking device (4) for releasably attaching to a storage container, comprising one or more pivot arms (5) having a first end pivotally connected to the vehicle body at pivot point (PP). The configuration of the container picking device is such that it is movable in a pivoting motion of the pivot arm about the pivot point between a first, lifting position enabling the container picking device to lift at least one storage container from a position outside the horizontal extent of the vehicle body and a second, transport position enabling the container picking device to hold the at least one storage container at least partly inside the horizontal extent of the vehicle body.

公开(公告)号：US20220289482A1

公开(公告)日：2022-09-15

申请号：US17805160

申请日：2022-06-02

Applicant: Autostore Technology AS

Inventor： Jørgen Djuve Heggebø ,  Trond Austrheim

IPC: B65G1/06 ,  B65G1/04 ,  B65G1/137 ,  G05B19/418

Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system that includes a rail system that includes 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 that is orthogonal to the first direction; a plurality of stacks of storage containers arranged in storage columns located beneath the rail system, each storage column is located vertically below a grid opening; and a trolley for transporting the storage containers between the storage columns and at least one deployment area. The first and second sets of tracks form a grid pattern in the horizontal plane including a plurality of adjacent grid cells, each grid cell including a grid 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 track. The trolley is movable on any rail including: on the rail system or in a horizontal plane above or below the rail system, on dedicated transport rails between the rail system and the deployment area, on a double rail above or below the rail system or combinations thereof. The deployment area provides direct access to an area outside the grid pattern formed by the first and second sets of tracks. The trolley provides a container volume for storing at least one of the storage containers. The trolley includes moving devices allowing movement of the trolley in at least one of the first direction and the second direction.

公开(公告)号：US20220274781A1

公开(公告)日：2022-09-01

申请号：US17637419

申请日：2020-08-21

Applicant: Autostore Technology AS

Inventor： Trond Austrheim

IPC: B65G1/137

Abstract: A delivery system for transport of a container to an access point for handling of items held in the container by a human and/or robotic operator includes a delivery rail grid, a delivery vehicle, and a container accessing station. The delivery rail grid includes at least a first set of parallel rails arranged in a horizontal plane and extending in a first direction, and at least a second set of parallel rails arranged in the horizontal plane and extending in a second direction, which is orthogonal to the first direction. The at least first and second sets of rails together define a plurality of delivery grid cells. The delivery vehicle is adapted for carrying the container and operating on the delivery rail grid. The container accessing station includes the access point. At least one conveyor line extends into the access point and is operationally connected to the delivery rail grid. The delivery vehicle is arranged for delivering/receiving the container to/from the at least one conveyor line and wherein the at least one conveyor line is arranged for transport of the container between the delivery vehicle and the access point.

公开(公告)号：US20220266077A1

公开(公告)日：2022-08-25

申请号：US17597972

申请日：2020-08-03

Applicant: Autostore Technology AS

Inventor： Trond Austrheim

IPC: A62C3/00 ,  B65G1/04

Abstract: An automated grid based storage and retrieval system includes a storage grid and a plurality of storage containers for storing product items therein. In the storage grid, the storage containers are stacked vertically in stacks arranged beneath openings of a grid-based rail system to provide storage columns of a storage volume. The storage volume includes a flow path extending through a plurality of the stacks. The flow path is formed by spacers positioned within the stacks. The spacers are configured to allow a fluid to flow through the spacer. Each spacer is stacked at a predetermined level between storage containers in a stack and adjacent another of the spacers in a neighboring stack to provide adjacent sections of the flow path.

公开(公告)号：US11377298B2

公开(公告)日：2022-07-05

申请号：US17048942

申请日：2019-02-14

Applicant: Autostore Technology AS

Inventor： Trond Austrheim

IPC: B65G1/04 ,  B65G1/06 ,  B65G1/137

Abstract: A container handling vehicle for picking up storage containers from a three-dimensional grid of an underlying storage system includes a first set of wheels for moving the vehicle along an X direction on a rail system of the grid; and a second set of wheels for moving the vehicle along a Y direction on the rail system of the grid. The Y direction is perpendicular to the X direction. The container handling vehicle includes a vehicle body having a vehicle body footprint defined by horizontal peripheries in the X and Y directions of the vehicle body. The vehicle body includes a first section and a second section. The first section has a first footprint and the second section has a second footprint. The first and second footprints are defined by horizontal peripheries in the X and Y directions of the first and second sections respectively. The container handling vehicle includes a lifting device for lifting storage containers from the storage system; and a lifting device motor arranged to drive the lifting device when lifting storage containers from the storage system. The first section and the second section are arranged side-by-side such that a total area of the first and second footprints equals a total area of the vehicle body footprint, and a centre point of the first footprint is arranged off centre relative a centre point of the vehicle body footprint. The first section defines a storage container receiving space which is configured to accommodate a storage container. The first section also accommodates the lifting device for lifting a storage container from the storage system. The lifting device motor is accommodated in the second section.

公开(公告)号：US20220204262A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-30

申请号：US17655308

申请日：2022-03-17

Applicant: Autostore Technology AS

Inventor： Trond Austrheim

IPC: B65G1/04 ,  B65G1/06 ,  B66F9/06

Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system includes a three-dimensional grid and a plurality of container handling vehicles. The three-dimensional grid includes multiple storage columns, in which containers may be stored on top of one another in vertical stacks. Each container handling vehicle includes a container lifting device having a lifting frame for releasably connecting to a container. Each container handling vehicle is operated on rails at a top level of the grid for retrieving containers from, and storing containers in, the storage columns, and for transporting the containers horizontally across the grid. The automated storage system includes multiple floor elements. Each floor element arrangeable at a top end of a storage column on top of a vertical stack of containers, such that an operator may stand on top of the storage column. Each of the floor elements includes rail-connecting elements at a horizontal periphery thereof. The rail-connecting elements are able to connect to the rails at the top end of the storage column, such that each of the floor element is held at a desired level relative the top level of the grid. The floor elements are stored on top of one another in a vertical stack arranged in a storage column in the grid or arranged in a dedicated column having a cross-section able to accommodate a floor element having a larger cross-section than the containers.

公开(公告)号：US11360465B2

公开(公告)日：2022-06-14

申请号：US16614121

申请日：2018-05-15

Applicant: Autostore Technology AS

Inventor： Trond Austrheim ,  Ivar Fjeldheim ,  Ingvar Fagerland

IPC: G05B19/418 ,  B65G1/04 ,  B65G1/137 ,  B66F9/06

Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system includes a track system having a first set of parallel tracks and a second set of parallel tracks. The first and second sets of tracks form a grid pattern of grid cells. Storage containers are arranged in storage columns located beneath the track system. Container handling vehicles lift and move storage containers. The container handling vehicles are configured to move laterally on the track system above the storage columns to access the storage containers via grid openings. Each container handling vehicle includes: a protruding section which extends horizontally beyond the footprint of the container handling vehicle and, when the container handling vehicle is positioned above a grid cell, into a neighbouring grid cell; and a recessed section arranged to accommodate the protruding sections of another container handling vehicle when operating over a neighbouring grid cell.

公开(公告)号：US11352016B2

公开(公告)日：2022-06-07

申请号：US17053810

申请日：2019-06-11

Applicant: Autostore Technology AS

Inventor： Trond Austrheim

IPC: B65G1/04 ,  B65G1/06 ,  B60W50/00 ,  G05D1/00 ,  B66F9/19 ,  B65G1/137 ,  B65G47/06 ,  B65G47/52 ,  B65G57/03 ,  B65G63/06 ,  B65G65/23 ,  B66F9/06 ,  G05D1/02 ,  B61B13/00 ,  B65G67/24 ,  B65G43/00 ,  B65G63/00

Abstract: The present invention provides a storage system (1) comprising a storage grid structure (104) and multiple container handling vehicles (200,300), the storage grid structure comprises vertical column profiles (102) defining multiple storage columns (105), in which storage containers (106) can be stored one on top of another in vertical stacks (107), and at least one transfer column (119,120), the column profiles are interconnected at their upper ends by top rails (110,111) forming a horizontal top rail grid (108) upon which the container handling vehicles (200,300) may move in two perpendicular directions, the container handling vehicles are able to retrieve storage containers (106) from, and store storage containers in, the storage columns (105), and transport the storage containers on the storage grid structure, wherein the storage grid structure (104) comprises at least one horizontal transfer section (2); and the storage system comprises multiple container transfer vehicles (6) and transfer rails (110′,111) forming a transfer rail grid (5) upon which the container transfer vehicles (6) may move in at least one horizontal direction, and the transfer section (2) is arranged at a level below the top rail grid (108) and extends from an external side (12) of the storage grid structure (104) to a position below the at least one transfer column (119,120) and comprises at least a section of the transfer rail grid (5) upon which section the container transfer vehicles (6) may pass each other and move in two perpendicular horizontal directions; and each of the container transfer vehicles comprises a container carrier (38) for carrying a storage container (106) and a wheel arrangement (32a,32b) for moving the container transfer vehicle (6) in two perpendicular directions upon the transfer rail grid (5); and wherein the at least one transfer column (119,120) extends from the top rail grid (108) to the transfer section (2), such that a storage container (106) may be transferred between the top rail grid (108) and the container carrier of one of the container transfer vehicles (6).

公开(公告)号：US20220144543A1

公开(公告)日：2022-05-12

申请号：US17432436

申请日：2020-01-20

Applicant: Autostore Technology AS

Inventor： Trond Austrheim

IPC: B65G1/04 ,  B60L53/36 ,  B60L53/16

Abstract: A storage system includes at least one vehicle, a horizontal rail grid, and a charging system for charging a rechargeable power source of the vehicle. The vehicle includes a first set of wheels and a second set of wheels for moving the vehicle upon the rail grid. The first set of wheels is displaceable in a vertical direction between a first position, a second position, and a third position. The first set of wheels may move the vehicle in a first direction. The first and the second set of wheels are in contact with the rail grid. The second set of wheels may move the vehicle in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The charging system includes at least two charge-receiving elements arranged on the vehicle and connected to the power source, and a charging station including two charge-providing elements connected to a charging power source. The charging station includes an actuator operatively connected to the charge-providing elements and arranged to move the charge-providing elements in a vertical direction, such that the charge-receiving elements may be connected with the charge-providing elements when the vehicle is positioned above the charging station.