ROBOT FOR TRANSPORTING STORAGE BINS

• US 20180072546A1
• Filed: 11/21/2017
• Published: 03/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autostore Technology AS
• Original Assignee: Autostore Technology AS
• Inventors: Hognaland, Ingvar
• Granted Patent: US 10,093,525 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/00 Storing articles, individually or in orderly arrangement, in warehouses or magazines conveyor combinations in warehouses, magazines or workshops B65G37/00; stacking of articles B65G57/00; removing articles from stacks B65G59/00; loading machines B65G65/02
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0407 using stacker cranes constructional features of stacker cranes B66F9/06
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0464 with access from above
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0478 for matrix-arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/06 with means for presenting articles for removal at predetermined position or level B65G1/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/065 with self propelled cars
• 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: B66F 9/06 movable, with their loads, on wheels or the like, e.g. fork-lift trucks vehicle aspects B60 - B62; vehicles predominantly for transporting loads and modified to facilitate loading or unloading B60P1/00; low-lift hand trucks for transporting goods B62B3/06
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/063 Automatically guided
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/07 Floor-to-roof stacking devices, e.g. "stacker cranes", "retrievers"
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41895 using automatic guided vehicles [AGV] control of position or course of AGV's G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

The present invention concerns a remotely operated vehicle or robot for picking up storage bins from a storage system. The inventive vehicle or robot comprises a vehicle body, which vehicle body further comprises a first section for storing vehicle driving means and a second section for receiving any storage bin stored in a storage column within the storage system, a vehicle lifting device which is at least indirectly connected to the vehicle body in order to lift the storage bin into the second section, a first set of vehicle rolling means connected to the vehicle body in order to allow movement of the vehicle along a first direction (X) within the storage system during use and a second set of vehicle rolling means connected to the vehicle body in order to allow movement of the vehicle along a second direction (Y) in the storage system during use. The second direction (Y) is oriented perpendicular to the first direction (X). The inventive vehicle is characterized in that the second section comprises a cavity arranged centrally within the vehicle body. This cavity has at least one bin receiving opening facing towards the underlying storage columns during use. In addition, at least one of the two sets of vehicle rolling means is arranged fully within the vehicle body.

Claims

1. A robot vehicle for transporting storage bins in a bin storage system, comprising

a. A vehicle body,

b. A plurality of rolling members attached to the vehicle body, arranged for traveling in a first and second directions along a plurality of rolling tracks of the bin storage system, said bin storage system being of the type comprising:

i. A three-dimensional storage structure comprising a plurality of pillars which are positioned with internal distances and in a rectangular arrangement, wherein the rectangular arrangement of the pillars define storage columns for the storage of a plurality of vertically-stacked storage bins,

ii. supporting rails arranged in a two-dimensional matrix on top of the pillars, said supporting rails defining rolling tracks arranged in a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the supporting rails further defining openings for the storage columns,

c. A cavity arranged internally within the vehicle body arranged to receive a storage bin from a storage column.

2. A robot vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the cavity comprises a downwardly facing opening of essentially the same width and length as the openings for the storage columns.

3. A robot vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle body has a width and length such that a single robot vehicle essentially covers a single opening while retrieving a storage bin, whereby a second robot vehicle can traverse an adjacent column unhindered by a first robot vehicle.

4. A robot vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the rolling members are wheels.

5. A robot vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the wheels are arranged as a first set movable along the rolling tracks in the first direction, and a second set movable along the rolling tracks in the second direction.

6. A robot vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the robot vehicles are remotely operated and further comprise sensors for determining the position of the robot vehicles within the storage system while in use.