STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM

• US 20140271063A1
• Filed: 06/02/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbotic, Llc
• Original Assignee: Symbotic, Llc
• Inventors: Lert, John, Toebes, Stephen C., Sullivan, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,725,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/273
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/045 in a circular arrangement, e.g. towers
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0485 Check-in, check-out devices
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0492 with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/065 with self propelled cars
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/10 with relatively movable racks to facilitate insertion or removal of articles cabinets with means for moving compartments up and down A47B51/00; cabinet system, e.g. consisting of cabinets arranged in a row with means to open or close passages between adjacent cabinets A47B53/02
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/127 the circuit being confined in a vertical plane
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/137 with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1371 with data records
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1373 for fulfilling orders in warehouses
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1378 the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/57 for articles
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A storage and retrieval system including a vertical array of storage levels, each storage level having storage locations, a multilevel vertical conveyor system configured to transport the uncontained case units to and from the vertical array of storage levels, each storage level being configured to receive uncontained case units from the multilevel vertical conveyor system, at least one autonomous transport confined to each storage level, the at least one autonomous transport being configured to transport the uncontained case units between respective storage locations and the multilevel vertical conveyor system, and a controller configured to effect operation of the multilevel vertical conveyor system and at least one autonomous transport for assembling orders of uncontained case units of different types without moving bundles of the same uncontained case unit type throughout the storage and retrieval system.

Claims

1. An automated case unit storage system for handling uncontained case units that are adapted for being palletized for shipping to or from a storage facility, the automated case unit storage system comprising:

an array of multilevel storage rack modules having storage areas separated by picking aisles;

multiple levels of stacked tiers, each tier providing access to one level of the array of multilevel storage rack modules and including at least one transfer deck and the picking aisles;

at least one input conveyor connected to at least one of the multiple levels of stacked tiers, the at least one input conveyor being configured for allowing input of the uncontained case units into the array of multilevel storage rack modules;

at least one output conveyor connected to at least one of the multiple levels of stacked tiers, each of the at least one output conveyor being configured for allowing output of the uncontained case units from the array of multilevel storage rack modules; and

at least one autonomous transport vehicle located on of the at least one of the multiple levels of stacked tiers, the at least one autonomous transport vehicle being configured to traverse at least one transfer deck and picking aisles of at least one of the multiple levels of stacked tiers to transport at least one uncontained case unit between a predetermined storage rack module and one of the input and output conveyors, where the at least one autonomous transport vehicle is capable of accessing each storage area.

2. The automated case unit storage system of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one transfer deck comprises at least one travel loop arranged substantially perpendicular to the picking aisles, the travel loop providing access to each of the picking aisles, the at least one input conveyor and the at least one output conveyor for a respective level of the stacked tiers.

3. The automated case unit storage system of claim 2, wherein the at least one transfer deck is disposed on one end of the picking aisles for forming a single sided picking structure.

4. The automated case unit storage system of claim 2, wherein the at least one transfer deck comprises two transfer decks disposed at opposite ends of the picking aisles for forming a two sided picking structure.

5. The automated case unit storage system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the multiple levels of stacked tiers and picking aisles comprises at least one layered panel having a first and second surface layers and a core layer disposed between the first and second surface layers, the first and second surface layers having a greater stiffness than the core layer.

6. The automated case unit storage system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input conveyor and the at least one output conveyor comprise at least one substantially continuous lift system, the at least one substantially continuous lift system effecting ingress and egress of case units to and from the array of multilevel storage rack modules.

7. The automated case unit storage system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the picking aisles is configured to physically constrain movement of at least one autonomous transport vehicle during travel within the picking aisle and the at least one transfer deck being configured to allow unconstrained guided movement of the at least one autonomous transport vehicle.

8. The automated case unit storage system of claim 1, wherein the at least one transfer deck comprises at least a first travel lane and a second travel lane configured to allow the at least one autonomous transport vehicle access to the picking aisles.

9. The automated case unit storage system of claim 1, wherein the at least one picking aisle and the at least one transfer deck allow the at least one autonomous transport vehicle unrestricted access to at least the array of multilevel storage rack modules, at least one input station and at least one output station on a respective level.

10. The automated case unit storage system of claim 1, wherein at least one storage rack module in the array of multilevel storage rack modules comprises at least corrugated shelving.

11. A method for automatically handling uncontained case units that are adapted for being palletized for shipping to or from a storage facility, the method comprising:

providing an array of multilevel storage rack modules having storage areas separated by picking aisles;

providing multiple levels of stacked tiers, at least one tier providing access to one level of the array of multilevel storage rack modules and including at least one transfer deck and the picking aisles;

inputting the uncontained case units into the array of multilevel storage rack modules with at least one input conveyor commonly connected to at least one of the multiple levels of stacked tiers;

outputting the uncontained case units from the array of multilevel storage rack modules with at least one output conveyor commonly connected to at least one of the multiple levels of stacked tiers; and

transporting at least one uncontained case unit between a predetermined storage rack module and one of the input and output conveyors with at least one autonomous transport vehicle confined to the respective level, the at least one autonomous transport vehicle being configured to traverse the at least one transfer deck and the picking aisles for transporting the at least one uncontained case unit.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing access, with the at least one transfer deck, to each of the picking aisles, the at least one input conveyor and the at least one output conveyor for a respective level of the stacked tiers, where the at least one transfer deck forms at least one travel loop arranged substantially perpendicular to the picking aisles.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising forming a single sided picking structure by disposing the at least one transfer deck on one end of the picking aisles.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one transfer deck includes two transfer decks, the method further comprising forming a two sided picking structure by disposing the two transfer decks at opposite ends of the picking aisles.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising effecting ingress and egress of case units to and from the array of multilevel storage rack modules with at least one substantially continuous lift system formed by the at least one input conveyor and the at least one output conveyor.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising physically constraining movement of the at least one autonomous transport vehicle during travel within the picking aisles and allowing unconstrained guided movement of the at least one autonomous transport vehicle during travel along the at least one transfer deck.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising allowing the at least one autonomous transport vehicle unrestricted access, with the at least one picking aisle and the at least one transfer deck, to at least the array of multilevel storage rack modules, at least one input station and at least one output station on a respective level.