Material handling apparatus for delivering or retrieving items
First Claim
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1. A material handling system, comprising:
- a plurality of destination areas;
a plurality of delivery vehicles for delivering items;
a track for guiding the delivery vehicles vertically and horizontally, wherein the destination areas are positioned along the track so that items can be transferred between the delivery vehicles and the destination areas, wherein during operation, one or more of the delivery vehicles are located on the track;
a traffic controller for controlling the operation of the vehicles as the vehicles deliver items to the bins, wherein the traffic controller monitors the positions of the vehicles located on the track and calculates a safe distance for each vehicle and communicates the safe distance to the vehicles, wherein the safe distance for a vehicle corresponds to the distance that the vehicle can advance without interfering with another vehicle on the track;
wherein the delivery vehicles receive the safe distance signals from the traffic controller and advance along the track a distance corresponding to the safe distance; and
wherein the traffic controller iteratively calculates safe distances for each vehicle as the vehicles move along the track and the vehicles advance along the track a distance no further than the safe distance until receiving a subsequent safe distance from the traffic controller.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for sorting or retrieving items to/from a plurality of destinations areas. The items are loaded onto one of a plurality of independently controlled delivery vehicles. The delivery vehicles follow a track that guides the delivery vehicles to/from the destination areas, which are positioned along the track. Once at the appropriate destination area, an item is transferred between the delivery vehicle and the destination area.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A material handling system, comprising:
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a plurality of destination areas; a plurality of delivery vehicles for delivering items; a track for guiding the delivery vehicles vertically and horizontally, wherein the destination areas are positioned along the track so that items can be transferred between the delivery vehicles and the destination areas, wherein during operation, one or more of the delivery vehicles are located on the track; a traffic controller for controlling the operation of the vehicles as the vehicles deliver items to the bins, wherein the traffic controller monitors the positions of the vehicles located on the track and calculates a safe distance for each vehicle and communicates the safe distance to the vehicles, wherein the safe distance for a vehicle corresponds to the distance that the vehicle can advance without interfering with another vehicle on the track; wherein the delivery vehicles receive the safe distance signals from the traffic controller and advance along the track a distance corresponding to the safe distance; and wherein the traffic controller iteratively calculates safe distances for each vehicle as the vehicles move along the track and the vehicles advance along the track a distance no further than the safe distance until receiving a subsequent safe distance from the traffic controller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method system for transferring items between delivery vehicles and a plurality of destination areas positioned along a track having horizontal and vertical sections, comprising the steps of:
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calculating a route for the one of the vehicles to travel along the track to one of the destination areas; driving the one vehicle along the route to the one destination area, wherein the step of driving the one vehicle comprises the steps of; monitoring the positions of the vehicles on the track; determining a safe distance for the one vehicle based on the positions of the vehicles on the track, wherein the safe distance is the distance that the one vehicle can travel along the calculated route without interfering with another vehicle on the track; communicating the safe distance with the vehicle; advancing the vehicle along the route no further than the safe distance; and as the vehicles move along the track, iteratively performing the steps of determining the safe distance, communicating the safe distance, and advancing the vehicle; and transferring an item between the one vehicle and the one destination area. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification