Automated storage and retrieval system
First Claim
1. An autonomous rover comprising:
- a frame having a first end and a second end longitudinally spaced from the first end and forming a payload bay, the payload bay being sized to support a pickface;
at least a first common registration surface, a second common registration surface, and a third common registration surface, each of the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface beingconfigured to engage the pickface supported on payload supports in the payload bay, anddistinct and decoupled from the payload supports; and
a drive section beingconnected to the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface, andconfigured to variably position the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface relative to each other and at least one storage shelf of an automated storage and retrieval system so as to justify the pickface in three degrees of freedom to effect placement of the pickface on the at least one storage shelf;
wherein the autonomous rover is configured to pick one or more items from one or more storage locations of the at least one storage shelf to build the pickface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An autonomous rover including a frame having a first end and a second end longitudinally spaced from the first end and forming a payload bay, the payload bay being sized to support a pickface, a common active registration surface configured to engage the pickface, and a drive section connected to the common active registration surface, the drive section being configured to variably position the common active registration surface relative to at least one storage shelf of an automated storage and retrieval system to effect placement of the pickface on the storage shelf so that pickfaces are substantially continuously arranged along the at least one storage shelf with a predetermined storage spacing between the pickfaces.
181 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An autonomous rover comprising:
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a frame having a first end and a second end longitudinally spaced from the first end and forming a payload bay, the payload bay being sized to support a pickface; at least a first common registration surface, a second common registration surface, and a third common registration surface, each of the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface being configured to engage the pickface supported on payload supports in the payload bay, and distinct and decoupled from the payload supports; and a drive section being connected to the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface, and configured to variably position the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface relative to each other and at least one storage shelf of an automated storage and retrieval system so as to justify the pickface in three degrees of freedom to effect placement of the pickface on the at least one storage shelf; wherein the autonomous rover is configured to pick one or more items from one or more storage locations of the at least one storage shelf to build the pickface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An automated storage and retrieval system comprising:
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an array of storage locations arranged on at least one storage shelf; and at least one autonomous rover in communication with the array of storage locations, the at least one autonomous rover including a frame having a first end and a second end longitudinally spaced from the first end and forming a payload bay, the payload bay being sized to support a pickface; at least a first common registration surface, a second common registration surface, and a third common registration surface, each of the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface being configured to engage the pickface supported on payload supports in the payload bay, and distinct and decoupled from the payload supports; and a drive section being connected to the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface, and configured to variably position the at least the first common registration surface, the second common registration surface, and the third common registration surface relative to each other and the at least one storage shelf so as to justify the pickface in three degrees of freedom to effect placement of the pickface on the at least one storage shelf; wherein the autonomous rover is configured to pick one or more items from the array of storage locations of the at least one storage shelf to build the pickface. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for building a pickface comprising:
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providing at least two case units in an automated storage and retrieval system having an array of storage spaces; providing an autonomous rover configured to transfer case units between the rover and the array of storage spaces; picking, with the autonomous rover, a first case unit from a predetermined storage space; and picking, with the autonomous rover and with the rover holding the first case unit, at least a second case unit from a different predetermined storage space; wherein the first case unit and the at least the second case unit are transported as a unit in a common pickface effected by common justification of the first case unit and the at least second case unit provided by common justification surfaces to the first case unit and the at least the second case unit of the common pickface on the autonomous rover, where the common justification surfaces are moved relative to each other to justify the first case unit and the at least the second case unit in three degrees of freedom to effect placement of the common pickface in a storage space of the array of storage spaces. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification