Autonomous transport vehicle charging system
First Claim
1. A charging system for autonomous transport vehicles in a warehouse storage and retrieval system, the charging system comprises:
- at least one charging contact disposed on each pick floor level of the storage and retrieval system, each of the at least one charging contact being located at a transfer station;
at least one power supply configured to supply power to the at least one charging contact; and
a first controller in communication with the transfer station and being configured to communicate information relating to a transfer of items between the transfer station and a predetermined one of the autonomous transport vehicles and to apply power from the power supply to the at least one charging contact for charging the predetermined autonomous transport vehicle corresponding to the transfer and located at the transfer station, wherein the first controller is configured to supply power to the charging contacts for charging the predetermined autonomous transport vehicle simultaneously with the predetermined autonomous transport vehicle exchanging items related to the transfer at the transfer station.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A charging system for autonomous transport vehicles including at least one charging contact disposed on each pick floor level of a storage and retrieval system, each of the at least one charging contact being located at a transfer station, at least one power supply configured to supply power to the at least one charging contact, and a controller in communication with the transfer station and being configured to communicate information relating to a transfer of items between the transfer station and a predetermined one of the autonomous transport vehicles and to apply power from the power supply to the at least one charging contact for charging the predetermined autonomous transport vehicle corresponding to the transfer and located at the transfer station, wherein the controller is configured to supply power to the charging contacts simultaneously with the predetermined autonomous transport vehicle exchanging items related to the transfer at the transfer station.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A charging system for autonomous transport vehicles in a warehouse storage and retrieval system, the charging system comprises:
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at least one charging contact disposed on each pick floor level of the storage and retrieval system, each of the at least one charging contact being located at a transfer station; at least one power supply configured to supply power to the at least one charging contact; and a first controller in communication with the transfer station and being configured to communicate information relating to a transfer of items between the transfer station and a predetermined one of the autonomous transport vehicles and to apply power from the power supply to the at least one charging contact for charging the predetermined autonomous transport vehicle corresponding to the transfer and located at the transfer station, wherein the first controller is configured to supply power to the charging contacts for charging the predetermined autonomous transport vehicle simultaneously with the predetermined autonomous transport vehicle exchanging items related to the transfer at the transfer station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A storage and retrieval system comprising:
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at least one autonomous transport vehicle; at least one transfer station having an allocated and unallocated state where in the allocated state the at least one transfer station is configured to allow transfer of items from and to the at least one autonomous transport vehicle; at least one charging station disposed on each pick floor level of the storage and retrieval system, each of the at least one charging contact being located at a respective one of the at least one transfer station; at least one power supply configured to supply power to the at least one charging contact; and a controller in communication with the transfer station and being configured to communicate information relating to a transfer of items between the transfer station and a predetermined one of the autonomous transport vehicles and to apply power from the power supply to the at least one charging station for charging the at least one autonomous transport vehicle located at the transfer station, wherein the controller is configured to supply power to the charging station for charging a predetermined autonomous transport vehicle corresponding to the transfer of items simultaneously with the predetermined autonomous transport vehicle exchanging items related to the transfer at a predetermined transfer station when the predetermined transfer station is in the allocated state and to supply power to the charging station for charging another of the at least one autonomous vehicles located at the predetermined transfer station when the predetermined transfer station is in the unallocated state. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification