Storage and retrieval system

• US 8,740,538 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2010
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbotic, Llc
• Original Assignee: Symbotic, Llc
• Inventors: Lert, John, Toebes, Stephen, Sullivan, Robert, Hinshaw, Foster D.
• Primary Examiner(s): KEENAN, JAMES W
• Application Number:
  US12/757,381
• Publication Number:
  US 20100322747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 414/277, 414/279, 414/280, 414/284
• US Class Current: 414/279
• 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. A storage and retrieval system comprising:

a vertical array of storage levels, each storage level having storage locations arranged in substantially parallel rows separated by picking aisles having transport guide ways and an autonomous transport travel loop distinct from each of the picking aisles and arranged having a longitudinal axis substantially transverse to the picking aisles;

a multilevel vertical conveyor system configured to transport 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, the autonomous transport travel loop being configured to provide the at least one autonomous transport access to each of the picking aisles for travel along the transport guide ways; and

a controller configured to effect operation of the multilevel vertical conveyor system and the 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.

2. The storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein each storage level comprises at least one multilevel vertical conveyor access station, the autonomous transport travel loop being configured to provide the at least one autonomous transport access to each of the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor access station.

3. The storage and retrieval system of claim 2, wherein the storage and retrieval system further includes transition bays disposed at an end of each picking aisle, the transition bays being configured to provide a transition for the at least one autonomous transport between physically unconstrained travel in the autonomous transport travel loop and physically constrained guided travel within the picking aisles.

4. The storage and retrieval system of claim 2, wherein the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor access station is configured so as not to obstruct travel along the autonomous transport travel loop.

5. The storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein each storage level comprises a substantially solid floor.

6. The storage and retrieval system of claim 5, wherein the substantially solid floor comprises a base coating and a contrasting top coating that are arranged to identify wearing of the top coating.

7. The storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the storage locations include more than one support leg configured to support at least one uncontained case unit, the at least one autonomous transport having fingers configured for insertion between the more than one support leg for transferring the at least one case unit between the storage locations and the at least one autonomous transport.