AutoStore Technology AS

A remotely operated vehicle for transporting a storage container on a rail system of an automated storage and retrieval system. The vehicle includes a first set of drivers for moving the vehicle along a first direction on the rail system and a second set of drivers for moving the vehicle along a second direction on the rail system, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction. The vehicle further includes a storage container support for carrying the storage container, which is moveably between a first position and a second position. The storage container support is configured to support the storage container from below.

A storage container assembly includes a storage container, a delivery container, and a holder. The storage container includes a base and four walls extending up from edges of the base, thereby defining a top opening of the storage container. The delivery container includes a base and four walls extending up from edges of the base. The holder for the delivery container is telescopically retained within the storage container and extendable from the opening of the storage container. The holder has a side-access opening, which is revealed on extension of the holder from the storage container. The delivery container can be guided into and out from the side-access opening of the holder and the delivery container can be slidably retained within the holder for storage within the storage container.

An automated storage and retrieval system includes a storage grid provided by a framework structure including a rail system, container handling vehicles arranged to operate on the rail system for collecting and returning storage containers to and from storage columns, and a control system for monitoring the system. The control system includes a flight control module for controlling the flight of a flying drone. A method includes launching a flying drone equipped with a camera to an altitude in an airspace above an upper surface of the framework structure, navigating the drone to a suspected location of an anomaly in the system or other aspect of the system requiring inspection using the camera, using the drone to locate the anomaly or the other aspect of the system requiring inspection using the camera, and performing a visual inspection of the anomaly or aspect of the system requiring inspection using the camera.

A method for stocking goods into an automated storage and retrieval system, where goods are packed into one or more storage containers ( 106 ). The stocked containers ( 106 ) are thereafter transported to the storage system ( 104 ). The goods are stocked by “inserting” the container ( 106 ) into the system ( 104 ), using preferably a container insertion device ( 614 ), the insertion operation including: —affixing an identification label to the container ( 106 ), the identification label comprising identifying information about the container ( 106 ), —confirming that the physical dimensions of the container ( 106 ) are within predefined tolerances, —affixing a goods label to the container ( 106 ), the goods label containing information about the goods within the container, —scanning the labels or otherwise entering the identifying information into a control system and warehouse management system of the automated storage and retrieval system, —retrieving the containers ( 106 ) by a container handling vehicle and transporting the container to a storage column.

An automated storage and retrieval system includes a framework structure having a plurality of internal and peripheral upright members arranged to define a storage grid including multiple storage columns for storing storage containers on top of each other in vertical stacks. The upright members are interconnected at their upper ends by a rail system arranged to guide at least one container handling vehicle thereon. The container handling vehicle is configured to raise storage containers from, and lower storage containers into the storage columns and to transport the storage containers horizontally above the storage columns. The peripheral upright members of the framework structure define a horizontal periphery of the framework structure. A vehicle elevator includes a vertically extending support, a platform, and a lift mechanism. The platform includes a horizontally extending structure arranged to carry the container handling vehicle and a connection device moveably attaching the platform to the vertically extending support. The lift mechanism is arranged to move the platform between a first lift stop position, which establishes access between the platform and the rail system, and a second lift stop position arranged within an accessing area such that a human operator/service personnel and/or robot can perform in-situ maintenance on the container handling vehicle while the container handling vehicle is arranged on the platform. The first and second lift stop positions are arranged vertically offset.

An access station for a storage system includes at least one container holder arranged to rotate about an axis of rotation. The axis of rotation is inclined at a first angle relative to a vertical. The container holder is arranged to accommodate a storage container and is configured such that a centreline of the storage container when supported by the container holder is inclined at a second angle relative to the axis of rotation. The container holder may rotate between a first position, where the centreline of an accommodated storage container is vertical, and a second position being opposite the first position relative to the axis of rotation. The centreline of an accommodated storage container is inclined at a third angle relative to the vertical. The third angle is equal to the sum of the first angle and the second angle.

A two-dimensional rail system includes a first set of parallel rails arranged to guide movement of container handling vehicles in a first direction across the top of the frame structure, and a second set of parallel rails arranged perpendicular to the first set of rails to guide movement of the container handling vehicles in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction. The first and second sets of parallel rails dividing the rail system into a plurality of grid cells. A container handling vehicle for operation on the rail system includes a wheel base unit including sets of wheels for guiding the container handling vehicle along the rail system in the first and second directions; a body unit; and a lifting device. The body unit includes: a lower section which is provided on the wheel base unit; a support section extending vertically from the lower section; and a cantilever section extending horizontally from the support section. The lower section has a footprint with a horizontal extent which is equal to or less than the horizontal extent of one of the grid cells and a top surface which is at a first height. The support section has a footprint with a horizontal extent which is smaller than the footprint of the lower section. The cantilever section extends beyond the footprint of the lower section. The lifting device includes a lifting frame that is suspended from the cantilever section of the body unit. The lifting frame has a lowermost part at a second height when the lifting frame is docked in an upper position adjacent the cantilever section. The second height of the lowermost part of the lifting frame, when the lifting frame is docked in its upper position, is above the first height of the top surface of the lower section of the body unit.

Movement is controlled of a plurality of container handling vehicles on a rail system arranged at least partially across a top of a framework structure of an automated storage and retrieval system, on which rail system the plurality of container handling vehicles are operable to raise storage containers from, and lower storage containers into, storage columns arranged in rows between upright members and horizontal members of the framework structure. The storage containers are also transported above the storage columns. The movement control is performed by a central operational controller which is in communication with a local controller in each container handling vehicle. The central operational controller receives data relating to a subsection of the rail system. The data includes a container handling vehicle movement threshold for the subsection. The central operational controller instructs a container handling vehicle to follow a path which takes in at least a part of the subsection. The central operational controller instructs the container handling vehicle to reduce speed and/or acceleration such that the movement of the container handling vehicle within the subsection is below the container handling vehicle movement threshold of the subsection.

A container handling vehicle for lifting a storage container from an underlying framework structure includes a vehicle body and a container lifting assembly for lifting the storage container. The vehicle body includes a wheeled base, a support, and at least one cantilevered section. The wheeled base includes a first set of wheels, arranged on opposite sides of the vehicle body, for moving the vehicle along a first direction on a rail grid at a top level of the underlying framework structure, and a second set of wheels arranged on other opposite sides of the vehicle body, for moving the vehicle along a second direction on the rail grid, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction. The support includes a lower end connected to the wheeled base and an upper portion connected to the cantilevered section. The container lifting assembly includes a lifting frame and a plurality of lifting bands. The lifting frame is for releasable connection to a storage container and suspended from the cantilevered section by the lifting bands, such that the lifting frame may be raised or lowered relative to the cantilevered section. The cantilevered section extends laterally from the upper portion of the support and is arranged to rotate horizontally about a vertical axis relative to the wheeled base between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the cantilevered section extends beyond the wheeled base, such that the lifting frame may retrieve or deliver a storage container from/to a storage column of the framework structure. In the second position the cantilevered section extends in an opposite direction relative to the direction in the first position. The support holds the cantilevered section above the wheeled base at a height corresponding to a height of multiple storage containers, such that a vertical distance between the lifting frame, when the lifting frame is in an upper position, and the lower end of the support is larger than the height of two storage containers stacked on top of each other.

A remotely operated vehicle for moving on a rail system includes a first set of wheels, a second set of wheels, a wheel displacement assembly, and a wheel drive assembly. The rail system includes a first set of parallel rails and a second set of parallel rails arranged perpendicular to the first set of rails. The first set of wheels includes a first pair of wheels and a second pair of wheels, the first and second pairs of wheels arranged on opposite sides of a vehicle frame, allowing movement of the vehicle along a first direction on the rail system during use. The second set of wheels includes a third pair of wheels and a fourth pair of wheels, the third and fourth pairs of wheels arranged on opposite sides of the vehicle frame, allowing movement of the vehicle along a second direction on the rail system during use. The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The wheel displacement assembly is mounted to the vehicle frame and arranged to move the second set of wheels in a vertical direction relative to the vehicle frame between a first position. The first set of wheels allows movement of the vehicle along the first direction, and a second position. The second set of wheels allows movement of the vehicle along the second direction. The wheel drive assembly includes a first motor, a drive band, and a band drive wheel. The first motor is operatively connected to rotate the band drive wheel. The drive band interconnects the band drive wheel and the third pair of wheels. The third pair of wheels and the first motor are mounted to a cross-plate which extends horizontally and is arranged to move vertically as part of the wheel displacement assembly. The third pair of wheels and the band drive wheel are attached to the cross-plate such that the cross-plate supports the third pair of wheels and the band drive wheel are in a fixed spatial configuration where each wheel of the third pair of wheels is located at an end portion of the cross-plate and the band drive wheel is positioned at a central portion of the cross-plate.