Automated bot transfer arm drive system
First Claim
1. A method for operating an automated storage and retrieval system, the method comprising:
- providing a storage space with at least one level having at least one storage rack with rack storage locations;
providing at least one autonomous transport vehicle having a transfer arm including at least one finger and a movable finger support member, the at least one finger being movably coupled to the movable finger support member, the at least one autonomous transport vehicle and the at least one storage rack being disposed so as to define random access storage to each rack storage location of the at least one storage rack;
moving the movable finger support member in a first direction relative to a reference frame of the at least one autonomous transport vehicle and moving the at least one finger linearly relative to the movable finger support member in a second direction substantially perpendicular to both the first direction in the reference frame of the at least one autonomous transport vehicle and a travel surface on which the at least one autonomous transport vehicle travels, the at least one finger having incremental indexed positions between ends of the range of motion in the second direction where the incremental indexed positions between ends of the range of motion set different incremental indexed positions of the at least one finger in the second direction; and
setting, with a controller, an incremental indexed position of the at least one finger to one of the incremental indexed positions between ends of the range of motion in the second direction that is different than the incremental indexed position set for another of the at least one finger movably coupled to the movable finger support member so as to selectably vary a size of the transfer arm based on a pickface size of a pickface transferred to and from the rack storage locations.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An autonomous transport vehicle including a transfer arm including at least one finger and a movable finger support member, at least one sensor configured to detect movement of the at least one finger, the at least one sensor having a registration member and a detection member where one of the registration member and detection member is mounted to each of the at least one finger so as to be movable with a respective one of the at least one finger and the other one of the registration member and detection member is stationary relative to the at least one finger, and a controller in communication with the at least one sensor, the controller being configured to determine a position of the at least one finger along the second direction based on a proximity of the registration member relative to the detection member.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for operating an automated storage and retrieval system, the method comprising:
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providing a storage space with at least one level having at least one storage rack with rack storage locations; providing at least one autonomous transport vehicle having a transfer arm including at least one finger and a movable finger support member, the at least one finger being movably coupled to the movable finger support member, the at least one autonomous transport vehicle and the at least one storage rack being disposed so as to define random access storage to each rack storage location of the at least one storage rack; moving the movable finger support member in a first direction relative to a reference frame of the at least one autonomous transport vehicle and moving the at least one finger linearly relative to the movable finger support member in a second direction substantially perpendicular to both the first direction in the reference frame of the at least one autonomous transport vehicle and a travel surface on which the at least one autonomous transport vehicle travels, the at least one finger having incremental indexed positions between ends of the range of motion in the second direction where the incremental indexed positions between ends of the range of motion set different incremental indexed positions of the at least one finger in the second direction; and setting, with a controller, an incremental indexed position of the at least one finger to one of the incremental indexed positions between ends of the range of motion in the second direction that is different than the incremental indexed position set for another of the at least one finger movably coupled to the movable finger support member so as to selectably vary a size of the transfer arm based on a pickface size of a pickface transferred to and from the rack storage locations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An autonomous transport vehicle comprising:
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a transfer arm including at least one finger and a movable finger support member, the at least one finger being movably coupled to the movable finger support member so that the movable finger support member moves in a first direction relative to a reference frame of the autonomous transport vehicle and the at least one finger moves linearly relative to the movable finger support member in a second direction substantially perpendicular to both the first direction in the reference frame of the autonomous transport vehicle and a travel surface on which the autonomous transport vehicle travels; incremental indexed positions, of the at least one finger, between ends of the range of motion in the second direction where the incremental indexed positions between ends of the range of motion set different incremental indexed positions of the at least one finger in the second direction, a controller configured to set an incremental indexed position of the at least one finger to one of incremental indexed positions between ends of the range of motion in the second direction that is different than the incremental indexed position set for another of the at least one finger movably coupled to the movable finger support member so as to selectably vary a size of the transfer arm based on a pickface size of a pickface transferred to and from rack storage locations of at least one storage rack of a storage space; and wherein the autonomous transport vehicle and the at least one storage rack, with the rack storage locations, of the storage space are disposed so as to define random access storage to each rack storage location of the at least one storage rack. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification