Autonomous transports for storage and retrieval systems

• US 8,425,173 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2010
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbotic, Llc
• Original Assignee: Symbotic, Llc
• Inventors: Lert, John, Toebes, Stephen, Sullivan, Robert, Ulrich, Nathan, Hinshaw, Foster D
• Primary Examiner(s): KEENAN, JAMES W
• Application Number:
  US12/757,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20100316469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 414/277, 414/279, 414/280, 414/284
• US Class Current: 414/280
• 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

An autonomous transport vehicle for transferring case units to and from predefined storage areas in an automated case unit storage system, the automated case unit storage system including an array of multilevel storage racks with picking aisles passing therebetween and at least one multilevel vertical conveyor having movable shelves, the autonomous transport vehicle including a frame configured to traverse the picking aisles and a transfer deck connecting the picking aisles to the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor for transferring case units between the predefined storage areas and the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor, and a controller connected to the frame, the controller being configured to effect movement of the autonomous transport vehicle through the picking aisles for accessing each storage area within a respective level of the array of multilevel storage racks and each shelf of the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor.

Claims

1. An automated case unit storage system for handling 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 racks having predefined storage areas;

a controller configured to effect dynamic allocation of case units of dissimilar sizes into dynamically allocated storage areas; and

an autonomous transport vehicle operatively connected to the controller, the autonomous transport vehicle being configured for transferring the case units to or from the predefined storage areas, the autonomous transport vehicle including

a frame,

a support shelf adapted for holding at least one case unit thereon, the support shelf being movably connected to the frame so that the support shelf is movable between extended and retracted positions,

a drive system mounted to the frame, and

guiding devices mounted to the frame;

wherein the autonomous transport vehicle is configured to effect dynamic allocation of case units of dissimilar sizes into the dynamically allocated storage areas; and

wherein the predefined storage areas include slatted storage shelves having raised support surfaces separated by open channels, the guiding devices including sensors for detecting the raised support surfaces for locating the autonomous transport vehicle within the array of multilevel storage racks and effecting dynamic allocation of the case units in the predefined storage areas; and

wherein the support shelf includes extendable fingers configured to pass into the open channels for removing and placing case units on the slatted storage shelves, and a movable pusher bar where each of the extendable fingers are selectively latched to either the pusher bar or the frame, such that when latched to the pusher bar the respective fingers are extended and retracted through movement of the pusher bar.

2. The automated case unit storage system of claim 1, wherein the support shelf further includes a movable fence that cooperates with the pusher bar for securing case units on the support shelf.