Automated warehousing system and method

• US 6,652,213 B1
• Filed: 09/08/2000
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Swisslog Logistics, Inc (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Original Assignee: California Natural Products
• Inventors: Mitchell, Pat R., Haslebasher, Kevin A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bratlie, Steven A.
• Application Number:
  US09/658,703
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: 414/279, 414/284, 414/286, 414/283
• US Class Current: 414/284
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0492 with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles
• 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 1/1375 the orders being assembled on a commissioning stacker-crane or truck
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/0267 Pallets

Abstract

An automated warehouse system for a building has elevators for automatically accepting incoming material on pallets. A rotating forklift mounted inside the elevator extends its forks to reach out and bring in the pallets. Once inside, the rotating forklift spins around to face inside warehouse doors. When the elevator car arrives at a designated level, the rotating forklift deposits the material on the pallet on a temporary shelf just outside the elevator. Each level has an aisle cart that moves along an aisleway for both a loading elevator and an unloading elevator. Each aisleway is intersected by several row rails that are right angles to the aisleway. The aisle cart carries a battery powered row cart that can run back and forth along the rows. The aisle cart is positioned at the appropriate row along the aisleway, and the row cart carries, deposits, and picks up material on pallets. Storage positions are provided along each row, front to rear. The palleted items are shuffled on a carousel between walking conveyors and elevators. Conveyor carts ride the carousel on parallel adjacent tracks and transfer track.

Claims

1. A method for automatic storage and retrieval in an automated warehouse, the method comprising the steps of:

reaching out with a forklift-like attachment from a first elevator to retrieve a palleted item;

transporting and rotating said palleted item in a first elevator to an assigned level in a multi-story warehouse;

depositing said palleted item from said first elevator on said assigned level;

carrying

carrying said palleted item down an aisleway on a row cart docked on an aisle cart to any one of a number of rows that intersect said aisleway;

moving said row cart completely off said aisle cart down one of said number of rows;

depositing said palleted item along said one row; and

returning said row cart to a docking position on top of said aisle cart.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

picking up said palletized item with said row cart from a place it was deposited along any row, off any aisle, on any level, and in said multi-story warehouse;

returning said row cart with said palleted item to a position on top of said aisle cart;

running said aisle cart and row cart with said palleted item down said aisleway to a second elevator;

dropping-off said item proximate to said second elevator;

lowering said pallet item with said second elevator; and

outputting said palletized item from said multi-story warehouse.

3. The method of claim 1, the step of depositing includes reaching out with a forklift-like attachment from said first elevator to outplace said palleted item.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of lowering includes reaching out with a forklift-like attachment from said second elevator to draw in said palleted item.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of outputting includes reaching out with a forklift-like attachment from said second elevator to outplace said palleted item.

6. The method of claim 2, further including the steps of:

moving said palleted items between a truck-dock door and a walking conveyer;

shuffling said palleted items on a carousel system between said walking conveyor and said second elevator.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the step of shuffling is such that said carousel system includes two sets of parallel adjacent tracks and a transfer track at each pair of ends, and said palleted items circulate around.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the step of shuffling is such that at least one conveyor cart rides said carousel system on said parallel adjacent tracks and said transfer track.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the step of shuffling is such that said conveyor carts include an unloading and loading device.

10. A method for automatic storage and retrieval in an automated warehouse, the method comprising the steps of:

accepting a palleted item to-be-stored by reaching out with a forklift-like attachment from a first elevator to draw in a palleted item;

transporting said palleted item in a first elevator to an assigned level in a multi-story warehouse;

rotating said palleted item within said first elevator for presentation inside a storage module;

depositing said palleted item on said assigned level;

carrying said palleted item down an aisleway on a row cart docked on an aisle cart to any one of a member of rows that intersect said aisleway;

off-loading a row cart that carries said palleted item off said aisle cart down one of said number of rows;

depositing said palleted item at a designated position in said one row;

returning said row cart to a position on top of said aisle cart;

picking up a second palletized item with said row cart from a place it was deposited along any row, off any aisle, on the same level in said multi-story warehouse;

returning said row cart with said second palleted item to a position on top of said aisle cart;

running said aisle cart and row cart with said second palleted item down said aisleway to a second elevator;

dropping-off said second item proximate to said second elevator;

retrieving said second pallet item with said second elevator by reaching out with a forklift-like attachment to draw in said second palleted item;

rotating said second palleted item within said second elevator for presentation outside a storage module;

outputting said second palletized item from said multi-story warehouse by reaching out with a forklift-like attachment from said second elevator to outplace said second palleted item;

moving said second palleted item between a truck-dock door and a walking conveyer; and

shuffling said second palleted item on a carousel system between said walking conveyor and said first elevator, wherein said carousel system includes two sets of parallel adjacent tracks and transfer track at each pair of ends, and said palleted items circulate around, and at least one conveyor cart rides said carousel system on said parallel adjacent tracks and said transfer track, and wherein said conveyor carts include an unloading and loading device.

11. An automated warehouse, comprising:

means for accepting a palleted item to-be-stored by reaching out with a forklift-like attachment from a first elevator to draw in a palleted item;

means for transporting said palleted item in a first elevator to an assigned level in a multi-story warehouse;

means for pivoting said palleted item within said first elevator for presentation inside a storage module;

means for depositing said palleted item on said assigned level;

means for carrying said palleted item down an aisleway on a row cart docked on an aisle cart to any one of a number of rows that intersect said aisleway;

means for off-loading a row cart that carries said palleted item off said aisle cart down one of said number of rows;

means for depositing said palleted item at a designated position in said one row;

means for returning said row cart to a position on top of said aisle cart;

means for picking up a second palletized item with said row cart from a place it was deposited along any row, off any aisle, on the same level in said multi-story warehouse;

means for returning said aisle cart and row cart with said second palleted item to a position on top of said aisle cart;

means for returning said row cart with said second palleted item down said aisleway to a second elevator;

means for dropping-off said second item proximate to said second elevator;

means for retrieving said second pallet item with said second elevator by reaching out with a forklift-like attachment to draw in said second palleted item;

means for rotating said second palleted item within said second elevator for presentation outside a storage module;

means for outputting said second palletized item from said multi-story warehouse by reaching out with a forklift-like attachment from said second elevator to outplace said second palleted item;

means for moving said second palleted item between a truck-dock door and a walking conveyer; and

means for shuffling said second palleted item on a carousel system between said walking conveyor and said first elevator, wherein said carousel system includes two sets of parallel adjacent tracks and a transfer track at each pair of ends, and said palleted items circulate around, and at least one conveyor cart rides said carousel system on said parallel adjacent tracks and said transfer track, and wherein said conveyor carts include an unloading and loading device.