Multiposition lift

• US 10,035,650 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2016
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbotic, Llc
• Original Assignee: Symbotic, Llc
• Inventors: Sweet, Larry, Kwak, Kil D., Pankratov, Kirill, Barbour, Russell G., Johnson, William, Conrad, Juergen D., Baumbach, Juergen, Kyslinger, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Logan, Kyle O
• Application Number:
  US15/339,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20170043952A1
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 700217
• 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 1/137 with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

An automated storage and retrieval system includes a first independently operable section having a first number of predetermined storage and retrieval transactions, and a second independently operable section in communication with the first independently operable section and having a second number of predetermined storage and retrieval transactions. The first and second independently operable sections are configured to provide a respective number of predetermined storage and retrieval transactions so that the first number of predetermined storage and retrieval transactions substantially matches the second number of predetermined storage and retrieval transactions.

Claims

1. An automated storage and retrieval system comprising:

at least one vertical lift module having lift platforms;

a transfer deck section in communication with the at least one vertical lift module;

at least one storage section in communication with the transfer deck; and

at least one independently operable rover configured to traverse the transfer deck section and interface with the at least one storage section and the at least one vertical lift module;

wherein the transfer deck includes rover travel avenues and rover travel aisles and the at least one vertical lift module is substantially surrounded by the rover travel avenues and rover travel aisles providing access to the lift platforms on opposite sides of the at least one vertical lift module so that each of the lift platforms of the at least one vertical lift module is substantially surrounded by the rover travel avenues and rover travel aisles providing access on a common level of the transfer deck to each of the lift platforms.

2. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein one of the at least one vertical lift module, the transfer deck section, the at least one storage section, and the at least one independently operable rover form one or more of a first or second independently operable sections.

3. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 2, further comprising at least one charging section configured to interface with the at least one independently operable rover, wherein the at least one charging station forms one or more of the first or second independently operable sections.

4. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 2, further comprising at least one palletizing section and at least one depalletizing section, wherein one or more of the at least one palletizing section and the at least one depalletizing section forms one or more of the first or second independently operable sections.

5. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the at least one vertical lift module comprises two side by side vertical lifts and the rover travel aisles are shared by the two side by side vertical lifts.

6. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the at least one vertical lift module comprises two side by side vertical lifts and the transfer deck includes an open deck configured for unrestrained travel of rovers along the open deck for allowing rover access to the two side by side vertical lifts.

7. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the rover travel aisles extend between adjacent vertical lift modules.

8. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the rover travel aisles extend between adjacent lift platforms of a common vertical lift module.

9. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein each lift platform includes variably configurable payload holding locations.

10. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the vertical lift module is configured for both inputting and removing payload items to and from the automated storage and retrieval system.

11. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, further comprising vertically stacked storage levels, where the lift platforms are positioned within the automated storage and retrieval system so that each lift platform is accessible at each storage level from opposite sides of a respective lift platform.

12. A method for automated storage and retrieval, the method comprising:

providing at least one vertical lift module;

providing a transfer deck section in communication with the at least one vertical lift module, the transfer deck including rover travel avenues and rover travel aisles substantially surrounding the at least one vertical lift module providing access on a common level of the transfer deck to each lift platform of the at least one vertical lift on opposite sides of the at least one vertical lift module;

providing at least one storage section in communication with the transfer deck; and

interfacing the at least one storage section and the at least one vertical lift module with at least one independently operable rover traversing the transfer deck section.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing at least one charging section for interfacing with the at least one independently operable rover.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing at least one palletizing section and at least one depalletizing section.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing two side by side vertical lifts and accessing the two side by side vertical lifts with each rover travel aisle.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising extending the rover travel aisles between adjacent vertical lift modules.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising extending the rover travel aisles between adjacent lift platforms of a common vertical lift module.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising inputting and removing payload items to and from the automated storage and retrieval system with the vertical lift module.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing vertically stacked storage levels, and positioning the vertical lift module within the automated storage and retrieval system so that each lift platform is accessible at each storage level from opposite sides of a respective platform.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing two side by side vertical lifts on the at least one vertical lift module, providing an open deck configuration on the transfer deck for unrestricted travel of rovers along the open deck, and accessing the two side by side vertical lifts with the rovers via the open configuration.