Maintenance access zones for storage and retrieval systems

• US 8,694,152 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbotic, Llc
• Original Assignee: Symbotic, Llc
• Inventors: Cyrulik, Michael, Sullivan, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): CUMBESS, YOLANDA RENEE
• Application Number:
  US13/326,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20120185080A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 700/214
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0492 with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/06 with means for presenting articles for removal at predetermined position or level B65G1/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1373 for fulfilling orders in warehouses
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2207/40 Safety features of loads, equipment or persons
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/883 Fixed stop

Abstract

A maintenance access system for a storage and retrieval system having a storage and retrieval space and automated transport vehicles disposed in the space. The system includes at least one maintenance access control unit associated with a portion of the space, at least one barrier in the space and defining a boundary of the portion of the space and configured to substantially prevent the passage of the vehicles past the at least one barrier, and a controller connected to the control unit, the controller being configured to receive a signal from the at least one control unit for isolating the portion of the space associated with the at least one control unit, where the controller in response to the signal closes the at least one barrier isolating the portion of the space and effects the removal from or shutting down of vehicles within the portion of the space.

Claims

1. A maintenance access system for a storage and retrieval system having a storage and retrieval space and automated transport vehicles disposed in the storage and retrieval space, the maintenance access system comprising:

at least one maintenance access control unit associated with a portion of the storage and retrieval space;

at least one barrier located in the storage and retrieval space and defining a boundary of the portion of the storage and retrieval space, the at least one barrier being configured to substantially prevent the passage of the automated transport vehicles past the at least one barrier; and

a controller connected to the maintenance access control unit, the controller being configured to receive a signal from the at least one maintenance access control unit for isolating the portion of the storage and retrieval space associated with the at least one maintenance access control unit, where the controller in response to the signal closes the at least one barrier isolating the portion of the storage and retrieval space and effects the removal of operative automated transport vehicles from and shutting down of inoperative autonomous transport vehicles within the portion of the storage and retrieval space while allowing continued operation of autonomous transport vehicles in other portions of the storage and retrieval space.

2. The maintenance access system of claim 1, wherein the portion of the storage and retrieval space forms a maintenance access zone including at least one picking aisle of the storage and retrieval system where the at least one picking aisle is arranged in a vertical stack of picking aisles.

3. The maintenance access system of claim 1, wherein the portion of the storage and retrieval space forms a maintenance access zone including a transfer deck of the storage and retrieval system, where the transfer deck provides the autonomous transport vehicles access to one or more picking aisles and/or one or more multilevel vertical conveyor transfer areas.

4. The maintenance access system of claim 1, wherein the portion of the storage and retrieval space forms a maintenance access zone including a multilevel conveyor transfer area where the multilevel conveyor transfer area allows the autonomous transport vehicles to transfer cases between the multilevel vertical conveyor and the picking aisles.

5. The maintenance access system of claim 1, wherein the portion of the storage and retrieval space forms a maintenance access zone the includes multiple picking aisles arranged in a vertical stack, where the picking aisle at the bottom of the stack includes a floor and the picking aisles above the picking aisle at the bottom of the stack within the maintenance access zone are substantially floorless.

6. The maintenance access system of claim 1, wherein the storage and retrieval space includes multiple storage levels, each level including picking aisles, a transfer deck common to each picking aisle and multilevel vertical conveyor transfer areas connected to the transfer deck and the maintenance access system further includes at least one barrier located at one or more of an end of at least one of the picking aisles, an entrance/exit of the multilevel vertical conveyor transfer areas and within the transfer deck.

7. The maintenance access system of claim 6, wherein the at least one barrier includes one or more of nets, fences and screens.

8. The maintenance access system of claim 6, wherein the at least one barrier comprises at least one motorized barrier that is actuated to substantially block the one or more of the end of at least one of the picking aisles, the entrance/exit of the multilevel vertical conveyor transfer areas and at least portions of the transfer deck.

9. A storage and retrieval system comprising:

a multilevel storage structure including a plurality of storage locations arranged on sides of picking aisles where the picking aisles are connected to each other and at least one multilevel vertical conveyor by a transfer deck, the transfer deck being disposed between each of the picking aisles;

at least one autonomous transport vehicle configured to travel along the picking aisles and transfer deck for transferring case units between the storage locations and the at least one conveyor; and

a maintenance access system including vertically stacked maintenance access zones disposed coincident with and defined at least in part by the picking aisles, where each maintenance access zone provides access to at least multiple levels of picking aisles and storage locations corresponding to the multiple levels of picking aisles.

10. The storage and retrieval system of claim 9, wherein the multiple levels of picking aisles are arranged in a vertical stack and the picking aisle at the bottom of the stack includes a floor and the picking aisles above the picking aisle at the bottom of the stack for a respective maintenance access zone are substantially floorless.

11. The storage and retrieval system of claim 9, further comprising at least one maintenance personnel cart configured to allow maintenance personnel to traverse the maintenance access zones.

12. The storage and retrieval system of claim 9, wherein the transfer deck comprises multiple maintenance access zones configured such that a portion of the transfer deck associated with one maintenance access zone can be disabled while another portion of the transfer deck associated with another maintenance access zone remains operational.

13. The storage and retrieval system of claim 9, further comprising:

at least one maintenance access control unit;

at least one barrier corresponding to a respective maintenance access zone, the at least one barrier being configured to substantially prevent the passage of the automated transport vehicles past the at least one barrier; and

a controller connected to the maintenance access control unit, the controller being configured to receive a signal from the at least one maintenance access control unit for isolating a portion of the storage and retrieval system associated with the at least one maintenance access control unit where the controller effects the removal of operative automated transport vehicles from and shutting down of inoperative autonomous transport vehicles within the portion of the storage and retrieval system.

14. The storage and retrieval system of claim 13, wherein each of the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor includes a transfer area and the at least one barrier is disposed at one or more of an end of at least one of the picking aisles, an entrance/exit of the multilevel vertical conveyor transfer area and within the transfer deck.

15. The storage and retrieval system of claim 13, wherein the at least one barrier includes one or more of nets, fences and screens.

16. The storage and retrieval system of claim 13, wherein the at least one barrier comprises at least one motorized barrier that is actuated to substantially block the one or more of the end of at least one of the picking aisles, the entrance/exit of the multilevel vertical conveyor transfer areas and at least portions of the transfer deck.