AUTOMATED SYSTEM FOR TRANSPORTING PAYLOADS

• US 20140288696A1
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Published: 09/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: John Lert
• Inventors: Lert, John
• Granted Patent: US 9,139,363 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/216
• 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 1/1373 for fulfilling orders in warehouses
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1378 the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas

Abstract

An automated warehouse storage system including a multilevel storage array with storage distributed along multiple aisles. Each aisle of which has a set of storage levels and each level has storage locations distributed along the aisle. The guideway network extending through the multilevel storage array and configured for autonomous vehicles to move along the guideway network within the multilevel storage array. The guideway network including an inter-aisle guideway spanning at least two of the multiple aisles and a set of guideway levels extending in an aisle of the multiple aisles and disposed so that each guideway level is at a different one of the storage levels and the vehicles on the guideway level can access the storage locations distributed along the aisle. A ramp guideway communicably connecting each of the set of guideway levels to the inter-aisle guideway forming a common guideway path connecting the inter-aisle guideway and each guideway level so that a vehicle moving between inter-aisle guideway and each guideway level moves along the common guideway path.

Claims

1. An automated warehouse storage system comprising;

a multilevel storage array with storage distributed along multiple aisles, each aisle of which has a set of storage levels and each level has storage locations distributed along the aisle;

a guideway network extending through the multilevel storage array and configured for autonomous vehicles to move along the guideway network within the multilevel storage array;

the guideway network including an inter-aisle guideway spanning at least two of the multiple aisles and a set of guideway levels extending in an aisle of the multiple aisles and disposed so that each guideway level is at a different one of the storage levels and the vehicles on the guideway level can access the storage locations distributed along the aisle; and

a ramp guideway communicably connecting each of the set of guideway levels to the inter-aisle guideway forming a common guideway path connecting the inter-aisle guideway and each guideway level so that a vehicle moving between inter-aisle guideway and each guideway level moves along the common guideway path.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the guideway levels is selectably connected to the ramp guideway, and the system comprise a controller configured to effect selection between a connected and disconnected state.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a switch between the at least one of the guideway levels and the ramp guideway.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle moving on each guideway level that moves along the aisle to storage locations