TWI713487B - Storage and retrieval system - Google Patents

Abstract

An automated storage and retrieval system including at least one autonomous transport vehicle, a transfer deck that defines an undeterministic transport surface for the at least one autonomous transport vehicle, the transfer deck having multiple travel lanes, at least one vertically reciprocating lift, and at least one pickface handoff station connected to the transfer deck and interfacing between the at least one autonomous transport vehicle on the transfer deck and the at least one vertically reciprocating lift so that a pickface is transferred between the at least one vertically reciprocating and the at least one autonomous transport vehicle.

Description

Storage and retrieval system

The exemplary embodiment relates generally to a material handling system, and more particularly to the transportation and storage of items in the material handling system.

Multi-level storage and retrieval systems can be used in warehouses to store and retrieve goods. Generally speaking, the transportation of goods in and out of the storage structure is done by a lift to transfer to the car on the storage level, and the car travels along the slope to a predetermined storage level, or the car includes a lift and follows the guide. Lead the way. The goods stored in the storage and retrieval system are generally stored in the storage space at each storage level, so that the transport vehicles configured on that level can access one level of the storage space. Generally speaking, the lifts that transfer the items to and from the storage space and move the carts between different storage levels are integrated into the cart (for example, with a lifting frame crane), or have a rosary configuration, where the lifter payload The shelf continues to circulate around the frame at a predetermined rate.

Generally speaking, the sorting of the items picked up from the storage is carried out by the cart that picks up the items or by a dedicated sorter, which is carried out after the items are transported by a crane or rosary lifter. During the outbound period The items are classified in time. Sorting outgoing items in this way can cause the lifter to perform multiple lifting actions to pick up the items to be loaded or cause additional sorting steps, thus reducing the throughput of the storage and retrieval system.

It would be beneficial to increase the rate at which items are transferred to and from different storage levels in the storage and retrieval system, independent of the transfer cart that delivers the items to the storage space. It would also be beneficial to increase the rate of item transfer between different storage levels in the storage and retrieval system, where the loaded items are sorted on the lift interface and picked up by common lift actions. And the order of the classified items on the lift interface matches the common load, lift interface, and/or loading flow line of the lift.

1~18‧‧‧Pick up surface

100‧‧‧Automatic storage and retrieval system

100SS‧‧‧Storage and classification area

100US‧‧‧Output area

110, 110’‧‧‧Autonomous Transport Vehicle ("Robot")

110C‧‧‧controller

110DR‧‧‧Drive area

110E1, 110E2‧‧‧End

110F‧‧‧Frame

110GW‧‧‧Guide wheel

110PA‧‧‧Transfer arm

110PB‧‧‧Payload bed

110PF‧‧‧Fence or reference piece

110PL‧‧‧Payload area

110PR‧‧‧Propelling rod or piece

110RL‧‧‧Drum

110S‧‧‧Sensor

120‧‧‧Central system control computer (control server)

130‧‧‧Storage structure

130A, 130A1, 130A2‧‧‧Pickup channel

130B‧‧‧Transfer deck

130BD, 130BD1, 130BD2‧‧‧Transfer deck side, extension or dock

130BE1, 130BE2‧‧‧End

130BS‧‧‧Transport surface

130C‧‧‧Charging station

130F‧‧‧Positioning features

130L‧‧‧Storage or deck level

130LS1~130LS4‧‧‧Shelf level

130LA, 130LB, 130LC‧‧‧Storage hierarchy

130S‧‧‧Pick up surface storage/transfer space (storage space)

150‧‧‧Lift Module

150A‧‧‧Input vertical lift module

150B‧‧‧Output Vertical Lift Module

150B1, 150B2‧‧‧Vertical Lift

160CA、160CB‧‧‧Conveyor belt

160EP‧‧‧operator station

160IN‧‧‧input station

160PA‧‧‧ Pallet remover

160PB‧‧‧Pallet

160TS, 160TSA‧‧‧Transfer station

160UT‧‧‧output station

170‧‧‧Multi-level box storage

171‧‧‧Horizontal box transportation

172‧‧‧Box buffer

173‧‧‧Vertical box transportation

174‧‧‧Sort

180‧‧‧Internet

200‧‧‧Lifting mechanism or unit

200M‧‧‧Mast

201‧‧‧round

202‧‧‧Drive wheel

210A, 210B‧‧‧rail

250‧‧‧Transfer arm driver

250A, 250B‧‧‧drive

260A‧‧‧Belt and pulley drive

270‧‧‧ Pickup head

271‧‧‧Belt and pulley drive

271B‧‧‧Belt

272‧‧‧Base member

273、273A~273E‧‧‧Forks or fingers

273JS‧‧‧Align the surface

274A, 274B‧‧‧Actuator

280A, 280B‧‧‧rail

301‧‧‧Extension motor

302‧‧‧Lift motor

303‧‧‧Motor

303T‧‧‧Transmission

360‧‧‧Guide rod

360S‧‧‧Sliding Parts

401‧‧‧Access side

402‧‧‧Back

900~950‧‧‧Method flow of the present invention

1100~1150‧‧‧Method flow of the invention

1200‧‧‧Horizontal support, shelf rail

1200S‧‧‧rail, deck

1201A~1250‧‧‧Method flow of the invention

1210‧‧‧Shelf track

1210S‧‧‧Slats

1212‧‧‧Vertical support

1250A~1250J‧‧‧Method flow of the invention

1400~1435‧‧‧Method flow of the invention

1500‧‧‧operator

1600~1620‧‧‧Method flow of the invention

1800~1803‧‧‧Method flow of the invention

1900~1920‧‧‧Method flow of the invention

2000~2020‧‧‧Method flow of the present invention

2500‧‧‧Warehouse Management System

4000A~4000D‧‧‧Active transfer arm or pickup head

4001, 4001A, 4001B‧‧‧Carrier, Slider

4002‧‧‧Vertical mast

4002D‧‧‧Drive unit

4002DA, 4002DB‧‧‧Drive

4005, 4005A‧‧‧Drive unit

4050, 4050A, 4050B‧‧‧driving direction

4110F‧‧‧Frame

4110PA‧‧‧Transfer arm

4110PB‧‧‧Payload bed

4110PF‧‧‧Fence or reference piece

4110PL‧‧‧Payload area

4110PR‧‧‧Propelling rod or piece

4110RL‧‧‧Drum

4200, 4200A, 4200B‧‧‧Frame, carrier

4200B1‧‧‧Base member

4260A‧‧‧Belt and pulley drive

4270‧‧‧ Pickup head

4271‧‧‧Belt and pulley drive

4272, 4272A‧‧‧Base member

4273, 4273A~4273E‧‧‧Forks or fingers

4273JS‧‧‧Align the surface

4274A, 4274B‧‧‧Actuator

4280‧‧‧Guide

4301‧‧‧Extension Motor

4302‧‧‧Lift Motor

4303‧‧‧Motor

4303T‧‧‧Transmission

4351‧‧‧Slit

4360‧‧‧Guide rod

4360S, 4360SA‧‧‧rail

4401‧‧‧Access side

4402‧‧‧Back

5000‧‧‧Lifting mechanism or unit

5000M‧‧‧Mast

7000A~7000L‧‧‧Shelf

11000~11070‧‧‧Method flow of the invention

12000~12060‧‧‧Method flow of the invention

13000~13060‧‧‧Method flow of the invention

BL‧‧‧basic level

BS‧‧‧Buffer station, surrounding buffer station

BSD‧‧‧peripheral buffer station

CL‧‧‧Middle line

COS1, COS2‧‧‧Box loading flow line

CS‧‧‧Common support/surface

CU, CU1~CU3‧‧‧Box unit

CUSP‧‧‧Box unit support plane

DEPAL‧‧‧Depalletizer

G‧‧‧Horizontal space/clearance

HSTP‧‧‧High-speed robot travel path

L121~L125‧‧‧Flat box layer

L12T‧‧‧Flat box layer

LCM‧‧‧Lift Controller

LHD‧‧‧Lift loading control device

LHD1, LHD2‧‧‧Loading control device

LHDA, LHDB‧‧‧Pickup head part, effector, transfer arm

LST1~LST3‧‧‧Loading Station

LT‧‧‧Side shaft

LX‧‧‧Vertical axis

MLS‧‧‧Multiple loading station

MPL‧‧‧Mixed box pallet load

PAL‧‧‧ Pallet

PAS1, PAS2‧‧‧ side

PCF1‧‧‧First pickup surface

PCF2‧‧‧Second Pickup Surface

PCF3‧‧‧Different picking surfaces

PCF4‧‧‧The third pickup surface

PCKFC1, PCKFC2‧‧‧Pick up surface

PF1, PF2‧‧‧Pick up surface

PFM‧‧‧Platform

REF‧‧‧Robot reference frame

REF2‧‧‧Frame Reference Frame

REFL‧‧‧Lift Reference Frame

RM‧‧‧Multi-storage rack module

RMA‧‧‧High-density three-dimensional rack array

RMAE1, RMAE2‧‧‧End or side

RSP‧‧‧Box unit support plane

RTS‧‧‧Transfer rack shelf

SECA, SECB‧‧‧ District

SENS‧‧‧Position Sensor

SF‧‧‧Box unit support surface

SP‧‧‧Pick up plane

TC‧‧‧Transfer column

TL1, TL2‧‧‧Stacking level

TOT‧‧‧Container

TS‧‧‧Transfer station, interface station

X1, X2‧‧‧Distance

X3‧‧‧Contact depth

X4‧‧‧Distance

Z1‧‧‧Pitch

Z1A~Z1E‧‧‧Height

The foregoing aspects and other features of the disclosed embodiments are explained in the following description along with accompanying drawings, in which:

1 is a schematic diagram of an automatic storage and retrieval system according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiment; FIGS. 1A and 1B are partial schematic diagrams of an automatic storage and retrieval system according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiment; FIG. 1C is a schematic diagram of an automatic storage and retrieval system according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiment Figure 1D is a partial schematic diagram of the automatic storage and retrieval system based on many aspects of the disclosed embodiment; Figure 1E is based on the disclosed embodiment Many aspects of storage and retrieval Figures 2A and 2B are partial schematic diagrams of the storage and retrieval system according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiment; Figures 3A and 3B are partial schematic diagrams of the storage and retrieval system according to many aspects of the disclosed embodiment; 4A, 4B, and 5 are partial schematic diagrams of the storage and retrieval system according to many aspects of the disclosed embodiment; FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D are partial schematic diagrams of the storage and retrieval system according to many aspects of the disclosed embodiment; 6 is a schematic diagram of a transport vehicle according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiment; FIG. 6A is a schematic diagram of a transport vehicle according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiment; FIGS. 7 and 8 are partial schematic diagrams of a transport vehicle according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiment 9 is a partial schematic diagram of a storage and retrieval system based on many aspects of the disclosed embodiment; FIG. 9A is a partial schematic diagram of a storage and retrieval system based on many aspects of the disclosed embodiment; FIG. 9B is based on many disclosed embodiments Aspects of the flowchart; Figures 10, 10A to 10E are partial schematic diagrams of a transport vehicle according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiment; Figures 10F, 10G, and 10H are flowcharts of various aspects according to the disclosed embodiment.

11 to 13 are partial schematic diagrams of the storage and retrieval system according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiment; FIGS. 14 to 20 are exemplary flowcharts according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiment; FIG. 21 is based on many aspects of the disclosed embodiment The schematic diagram of the operator station of the storage and retrieval system; and FIG. 22 is an exemplary flowchart according to the disclosure of many aspects of the embodiment.

[Content and Implementation of the Invention]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an automatic storage and retrieval system 100 according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiment. Although many aspects of the disclosed embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings, it should be understood that many aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be implemented in many forms. Incidentally, any suitable size, shape or type of elements or materials may be used.

According to many aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the automatic storage and retrieval system 100 can be operated in a retail distribution center or warehouse, for example, to fulfill orders received from retail stores for box units, such as the application on December 15, 2011 As described in US Patent Application No. 13/326,674, the entire disclosure is incorporated herein by reference. For example, the box unit is the goods of many boxes or units that are not stored as trays but are on a carrier or pallet (for example, not included). In other examples, a box unit is a cargo of multiple boxes or units, which are contained in any suitable way, such as on a tray, on a carrier, or on a pallet. In other examples, the box unit is not The combination of included and included items. Note that the box unit includes, for example, boxed cargo units (such as boxes of soup cans, boxes of grain...) or individual goods, which are adapted to be removed from the pallet or placed on the pallet. According to many aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the shipping box used for the box unit (such as a box, barrel, box, crate, tank, or any other device suitable for holding the box unit) can have a variable size and can be used in Hold the box units during transportation and can be constructed so that they can be palletized for transportation. Note that for example, when multiple stacks or pallets of box units arrive at the storage and retrieval system, the content of each pallet can be uniform (for example, each pallet holds a predetermined number of the same item--a certain The pallet holds the soup and the other pallet holds the grain); and as the pallet leaves the storage and retrieval system, the pallet can contain any suitable number and combination of different box units (such as mixed pallets, where each mixed The pallet holds different types of box units-the pallet holds a combination of soup and grain), which, for example, are provided to the pallet in a sorted configuration to form a mixed pallet. In the embodiment, the storage and retrieval system described herein can be applied to any environment in which the box unit is stored and retrieved.

Referring also to Figure 1C, note that, for example, when incoming multi-stacks or pallets (such as from a manufacturer or supplier) of box units arrive at the storage and retrieval system for loading and supplement the automatic storage and retrieval system 100, every The content of each pallet can be uniform (for example, each pallet holds a predetermined number of the same items-one pallet holds soup and another pallet holds grain). As can be understood, the boxes loaded by such pallets can be roughly similar or in other words homogeneous boxes (such as similar dimensions), and can have the same minimum stock unit (SKU) (otherwise, as noted before, the pallet Can be There are multi-layer "rainbow" pallets formed by homogeneous boxes). As the pallet PAL leaves the storage and retrieval system 100 during loading to meet the supplementary rules, the pallet PAL can include any suitable number and combination of different box units CU (for example, each pallet can hold Different types of box units-the pallet holds a combination of canned soup, cereals, beverage bags, cosmetics and household cleaners). The boxes combined on a single pallet can have different sizes and/or different SKUs. In one aspect of the exemplary embodiment, referring also to FIG. 1E, the storage and retrieval system 100 may be configured to generally include a feed-in area (which includes one or more input stations 160IN), a storage and classification area 100SS (in On the one hand, the storage of the items is optional; and on the other hand, the storage and classification area 100SS includes multi-level box storage 170, horizontal box transportation 171, box buffer, vertical box transportation 173), and output area 100US (its It includes one or more output stations 160UT), as described in more detail below. In other aspects, one or more box buffers 172 and vertical box transportation 173 are included in the output area 100US; and in other aspects, the box buffer 172 and vertical box transportation 173 are shared in the storage and sorting area 100SS and the output area 100US. both. As can be understood, in one aspect of the disclosed embodiments, for example, the system 100 operating as a retail distribution center can serve as a box receiving a uniform pallet load, disassembling pallet goods from a uniform pallet load, or disassembling the box. Dissociate into independent box units individually manipulated by the system, retrieve and classify the different boxes sought by each order into corresponding groups, transport and assemble the boxes of the corresponding groups into a mixed box pallet load MPL stuff. As can also be understood, as shown in FIG. 21, in one aspect of the disclosed embodiments, for example, a system operating as a retail distribution center The system 100 can serve as a box that receives a uniform pallet load, disassembles the pallet cargo from the uniform pallet load, or dissociates the box into independent box units that are individually manipulated by the system, and picks up different boxes that each order seeks. Return and sort them into corresponding groups, transport and sort the boxes of the corresponding group (in the manner described here) at the operator station 160EP (items are picked up from different box units CU), and/ Or the different box units CU themselves are placed in one or more bags, carriers or other suitable container TOT by the operator 1500 or any suitable automation, which are placed in the predetermined order order of the picked items, For example, according to the rules for fulfilling one or more customer orders, the box units CU are sorted at the operator station 160EP according to a predetermined order order; note that the sorting of the box units CU as described here is at the operator station 160EP performs the sorting of the box unit CU.

The feed-in area may generally be able to break down the uniform pallet load into individual bins, and transport the bins via suitable transportation for input to the storage and sorting area. On the one hand, the storage and sorting area receives individual boxes, stores them in the storage area, and retrieves the required boxes individually according to the order generated by the order input into the warehouse management system (such as warehouse management system 2500) for transportation to The output area is 100US. In one aspect, transportation to the export area 100US is sort 174 transportation. In other respects, the storage and sorting area receives individual boxes, sorts individual boxes (for example, using the buffer and interface stations described here, generally referred to as holding stations), and depends on orders entered into the warehouse management system. Transfer individual boxes to the output area. The classification and grouping of boxes according to the order (such as the order or the order of delivery) can be from the storage and retrieval area (also referred to as the storage and classification area here) 100SS or the output area Either or both of 100US are executed in whole or in part, the boundary between them is for ease of description, and classification and grouping can be executed in any number of ways. For example, as noted above, although the box buffer 172 and vertical box transport 173 are shown in FIG. 1E as being included in the storage and sorting area 100SS, in other respects, one or more box buffers 172 and vertical box transport 173 include In the output area 100US and/or common to both the storage and classification area 100SS and the output area 100US. The desired result is that on the one hand, the output area assembles the ordered boxes of the appropriate group (their SKU, size...may be different) into the mixed box pallet load. The method is described in 2012, for example. U.S. Patent Application No. 13/654,293 (now U.S. Patent No. 8,965,559) filed on October 17 The predetermined ordering sequence of the items (such as satisfying customer orders), and the appropriate group of ordered box units (its SKU, size...may be different) are assembled into bags, carriers or other suitable In the container.

In one aspect of the exemplary embodiment, the output area 100US generates a pallet load to form a structured structure that can be called a hybrid box stack. On the one hand, the structured architecture of the pallet load described herein is representative, and on other aspects, the pallet load can have any other suitable configuration. For example, the structured architecture can be any suitable predetermined configuration, such as a truck bay load or other suitable container or load container envelope to maintain the structural load. On one hand, the structured structure of the pallet load can be characterized by having several flat box layers L121~L125, L12T, at least one of which is The non-staggered, self-supporting stable stack of multiple mixing boxes is formed. The mixing box stacks of a given layer have approximately the same height, and form the substantially flat top and bottom surfaces of a given layer as can be understood, and the number can be sufficient to cover the pallet area or the pallet area as desired section. The cover layer(s) can be oriented such that the corresponding boxes of the layer(s) bridge between the stacks of support layers, thus stabilizing the stacking and correspondingly stabilizing the interface layer(s) of the pallet load. In defining the pallet load into a structured layer architecture, the coupled three-dimensional (3-D) pallet load solution is decomposed into two parts that can be stored separately: the load is decomposed into multiple layers of vertical (one-dimensional, 1-D) ) Part; and horizontal (two-dimensional, 2-D) part, which efficiently distributes stacks of equal height to fill the height of each pallet. In other respects, the load filling of the mixing box can be constructed in any other suitable regular order and loaded on or in any suitable transportation device, for example, one or more bags, carriers, shopping pushers, etc. Cars, trucks or other suitable containers are filled without palletization. As described below, on the one hand, the storage and retrieval system outputs the box unit to the output area, so the two parts of the 3-D pallet load solution are decomposed; on the other hand, the storage and retrieval system is operating The member station 160EP outputs the box units to the output area according to the order that satisfies the non-palletized item picking order rule. On the one hand, the predetermined structure of the mixed pallet load defines the rules of the box unit, regardless of whether the box unit is provided by the classification and output area to the single box unit pickup surface of the load construction system (which can be automatically or manually loaded) or It is the pickup surface of the combined box unit.

According to many aspects of the disclosed embodiments, referring again to FIG. 1, the automatic storage and retrieval system 100 includes an input station 160IN (which includes destacking Palletizer 160PA, operator station 160EP and/or conveyor belt 160CA to transport items to the lift module for storage), output station 160UT (which includes palletizer 160PB and/or conveyor belt 160CB to transport self-lifting The box unit of the lift module is removed from storage), the input and output vertical lift modules 150A, 150B (generally called the lift module 150-note that although the display is the input and output lift It is possible to use a single lifter module to input and remove box units from the storage structure), storage structure 130, and multiple autonomous transport vehicles 110 (referred to herein as "robots"). As used herein, at least the lift module 150, the storage structure 130, and the robot 110 can be collectively referred to herein as the storage and sorting area noted above. It should also be noted that the pallet remover 160PA can be configured to remove the box unit from the pallet, so that the input station 160IN can transport the items to the lift module 150 for input into the storage structure 130. The pallet 160PB may be configured to place items removed from the storage structure 130 on the pallet PAL (FIG. 1C) for transportation.

Referring also to FIG. 2A, the storage structure 130 may include multiple storage rack modules RM, which are built into a three-dimensional array RMA, which can be accessed by storage or deck level 130L. Each storage level 130L includes a pick-up surface storage/transfer space 130S (herein referred to as storage space 130S) formed by a rack module RM, wherein the rack module includes a shelf that runs along the storage or pickup channel 130A Configuration, which for example linearly extends through the rack module array RMA, and provides access to the storage space 130S and (multiple) transfer decks 130B, where the robot 110 travels on the individual storage level 130L to store the structure 130 of any storage space 130S (such as Transfer box units between the robot 110 at the level) and any lift module 150 (for example, each robot 110 can access each storage space 130S on an individual level and each lift on an individual storage level 130L器module 150). The transfer decks 130B are arranged/arranged in different levels and define multi-level decks (which correspond to each level 130L of the storage and retrieval system), and can be stacked one on top of the other or offset horizontally, such as in storage One end or side RMAE1 of the rack array RMA or several ends or sides RMAE1 and RMAE2 of the storage rack array RMA have a transfer deck 130B, for example, as in the US Patent Application No. 13 filed on December 15, 2011 /326,674, the entire disclosure of which is hereby for reference.

The transfer deck 130B is generally open, and is configured for the robot 110 to cross and traverse along the transfer deck 130B for indefinite purpose. As can be understood, the transfer deck(s) 130B at each storage level 130L communicates with each pick-up channel 130A on the individual storage level 130L. The robot 110 traverses bidirectionally between the transfer deck(s) 130B on each individual storage level 130L and the picking channel 130A to access the storage space arranged in the racks along each picking channel 130A 130S (for example, the robot 110 can use the storage space 130S distributed on the two sides of each channel, so that the robot 110 can have different faces when traversing each picking channel 130A. For example, see FIG. 6, the driving wheel 202 Lead in the direction of travel, or drag the drive wheel in the direction of travel). As noted above, the transfer deck(s) 130B also provides the robot 110 for each lift 150 on the individual storage level 130L In which the lifter 150 feeds and removes the box unit (for example, along the Z throughput axis) to and from each storage level 130L, and where the robot 110 performs the box between the lifter 150 and the storage space 130S Unit transfer. As mentioned above, and also referring to FIG. 2A, on one hand, the storage structure 130 includes a multi-storage rack module RM, which constitutes a three-dimensional array RMA, wherein the rack is configured in the channel 130A, and the channel 130A is configured for the robot 110 Travel through passage 130A. The transfer deck 130B has an indeterminate transportation surface and the robot 100 travels on it, wherein the indeterminate transportation surface 130BS has more than one parallel lanes (such as a high-speed robot traveling path HSTP) to connect the passage 130A. As can be understood, the parallel lanes are juxtaposed along the indefinite transportation surface 130BS that is common between the opposite sides 130BD1 and 130BD2 of the transfer deck 130B. As shown in Figure 2A, in one aspect, the channel 130A is joined to the transfer deck 130B on one side 130BD2 of the transfer deck 130B; but in other aspects, the channel is joined to more than one side 130BD1 and 130BD2 of the transfer deck 130B. It is roughly similar to that described in U.S. Patent Application No. 13/326,674 filed on December 15, 2011, the disclosure of which was previously in its entirety and incorporated herein by reference. As will be described in more detail below, the other side 130BD1 of the transfer deck 130B includes deck storage racks (such as the interface station TS and the buffer station BS), which are distributed along the other side 130BD1 of the transfer deck 130B, such that at least a portion The transfer deck is inserted between the deck storage rack and channel 130A. The deck storage rack is arranged along the other side 130BD1 of the transfer deck 130B, so that the deck storage rack is connected to the robot 110 from the transfer deck 130B and connected to the lift module 150 (For example, the deck storage rack is taken by the robot 110 from the transfer deck 130B and by the lifter 150 for picking and placing the picking surface, so the picking surface is between the robot 110 and the deck storage rack Between the deck storage rack and the lift 150, and thus between the robot 110 and the lift 150).

Each storage level 130L may also include a charging station 130C to charge the power supply on the robot 110 on the storage level 130L, for example, for example, US Patent Application No. 14/209,086 filed on March 13, 2014 No. and No. 13/326,823 (now US Patent No. 9,082,112) filed on December 15, 2011, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The robot 110 may be any suitable autonomous transport vehicle capable of independent operation, which is used throughout the storage and retrieval system 100 to carry/hold and transfer the box unit. On one hand, the robot 110 is an autonomous, independent (for example, free-riding) autonomous transport vehicle. Suitable examples of robots can be found only for example in U.S. Patent Application No. 13/326,674 filed on December 15, 2011; U.S. Patent Application No. 12/757,312 filed on April 9, 2010 (now U.S. Patent No. 8,425,173); U.S. Patent Application No. 13/326,423 filed on December 15, 2011; U.S. Patent Application No. 13/326,447 filed on December 15, 2011 (currently U.S. Patent No. 8,965,619) ; U.S. Patent Application No. 13/326,505 (now U.S. Patent No. 8,696,010) filed on December 15, 2011; U.S. Patent Application No. 13/327,040 (now U.S. Patent No. No. 9,187,244); US Patent Application No. 13/326,952 filed on December 15, 2011; US Patent Application No. 13/326,993 filed on December 15, 2011; US Patent Application No. 14 filed on September 15, 2014 /486,008; and US Patent Provisional Application No. 62/107,135 filed on January 23, 2015, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The robot 110 (described in more detail below) may be configured to place box units (such as the above-mentioned retail goods) into the pick inventory in one or more levels of the storage structure 130, and then selectively retrieve the ordered box units.

The robot 110, the lift module 150 and other suitable features of the storage and retrieval system 100 are controlled in any suitable manner, such as, for example, one or more central system control computers (such as control servers) For example, 120 can be controlled via any suitable network 180. In one aspect, the network 180 is a wired network, a wireless network, or a combination of wireless and wired networks using any suitable type and/or number of communication protocols. On the one hand, the control server 120 includes a collection of programs (such as system management software) that are running roughly at the same time to roughly automatically control the automatic storage and retrieval system 100. A collection of programs that are running roughly at the same time, for example, constitutes a management storage and retrieval system 100. For example, it includes: controlling, scheduling, and monitoring the activities of all active system components; managing inventory (such as importing and removing Which box unit, the order in which the box is to be removed, where the box unit is to be stored) and the pickup surface (for example, one or more box units that can be moved into a unit and manipulated into a unit by the components of the storage and retrieval system) ; And to form an interface with the warehouse management system 2500. For simplicity and ease of explanation, the term "box unit(s)" is generally used here to refer to individual box units And the pickup surface (the pickup surface is formed by multiple box units that move into a unit). In one aspect, as will be described herein, the control server 120 is connected to the lift module 150 to control the lift module 150 as described herein. In other respects, the lift module 150 includes a lift controller LCM, which is connected to the control server 120, wherein one or more of the lift controller LCM and the control server 120 are controlled as described herein The mentioned lifter module. On the one hand, one or more of the lift controller LCM and the control server 120 are constructed to control the lift module 150 and use a common payload to support the platform to pick up more than one picking surface, and Use a common payload support platform to classify more than one pick-up surface, as described here. On the one hand, one or more of the lift controller LCM and the control server 120 are constructed to control the lift module 150 and use a common payload to support the platform for more than one pick-up surface in the order of order. One or more picking surfaces are placed in the ordering order by using the common payload support platform to place one or more picking surfaces in the outer picking surface holding position, as described here. In one aspect, one or more of the lift controller LCM and the control server 120 are configured to control the lift module 150 to perform classification in more than one pick-up surface, and the common payload support platform A stack of holding positions across the pickup surface in a common direction, as described here. In one aspect, one or more of the lift controller LCM and the control server 120 are configured to control the lift module 150 to perform more than one picking in one unloading step at the holding position of the outward picking surface. Placement of faces, where more than one picking face has a sorting configuration in unloading, as described here.

See also Figures 1, 1A, 1B, the rack of the storage structure 130 The module array RMA includes a vertical support 1212 and a horizontal support 1200, which define a high-density automatic storage array, as described in more detail below. The track 1200S may be installed, for example, on one or more vertical and horizontal supports 1212, 1200 in the picking or hanger channel 130A, and configured so that the robot 110 rides through the picking channel 130A along the track 1200S. At least one side of at least one pick-up channel 130A of at least one storage level 130L may have one or more storage shelves (for example, formed by rails 1210, 1200 and slats 1210S) arranged at different heights, so as to transfer the deck 130B (and the track 1200S forming the channel deck) define the storage or deck levels 130L to form multiple shelf levels 130LS1~130LS4 (any number of levels can be set, and the pickup channel can be divided into zones SECA, SECB, each zone has different The number of levels or the same number of levels). Accordingly, there are multiple rack shelf levels 130LS1 to 130LS4, which correspond to each storage level 130L and extend along one or more picking channels 130A communicating with the transfer deck 130B of the individual storage level 130L. As can be understood, the multiple rack shelf levels 130LS1~130LS4 realize each storage level 130L, which has a stack of storage box units (or box layers), which can be accessed from the common deck 1200S of the individual storage levels 130L ( For example, the stacking of storage boxes is between storage levels). In one aspect, referring to FIG. 1D, each storage level 130L includes a single-level storage shelf to store a single-level box unit (for example, each storage level includes a single box unit support plane CUSP), and the robot 110 is constructed as a transfer box unit And to and from the storage shelves 130L of individual storage levels.

As can be understood, the robot 110 traversing the picking channel 130A has access to each storage space 130S in the corresponding storage level 130L (for example, for picking and placing box units), and the storage space is in each shelf level 130LS1~130LS4 The above is available, where each shelf level 130LS1~130LS4 is located between the storage levels 130L on one or more sides of the picking channel 130A, PAS1, PAS2 (see Figure 2A, for example). As noted above, each storage shelf level 130LS1 to 130LS4 can be taken by the robot 110 from the track 1200S (for example, from the common picking channel deck 1200S corresponding to the transfer deck 130B on the individual storage level 130L). As can be seen in FIGS. 1A and 1B, there are one or more shelf rails 1210, which are spaced vertically (for example, in the Z direction) to form multiple stacked storage spaces 130S, each of which can be taken by the robot 110 from the common rail 1200S use. As can be understood, the horizontal support 1200 also forms a shelf rail (additional to the shelf rail 1210) on which the box unit is placed. Here, the robot 110 includes a transfer arm 110PA, which has a vertical drive axis and is configured to transfer the box unit to each shelf level 130LS1-130LS2 from a common pick-up channel deck. In other respects, in the case where each storage level 130L includes a single-level storage shelf, as shown in FIG. 1B, the transfer arm 110PA of the robot (such as the robot 110', which is roughly similar to the robot 110) lacks sufficient Z travel for Place the box unit on the multiple storage shelf levels 130LS1~130LS2 (for example, it can be accessed from the common track 1200S), as described above. Here, the transfer arm drive of the robot 110' only includes enough Z travel to lift the box unit from the box unit support plane CUSP of the storage shelf of a single level, which is used to transfer the box The units travel to and from the payload area 110PL and to transfer the box units between the transfer arm 110PA and the payload bed 110PB of the payload area 110PL. A suitable example of the robot 110' can be found, for example, in U.S. Patent Application No. 13/326,993 (published as U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0185082) filed on December 15, 2011, the entire disclosure of which is hereby considered reference.

Each stacking shelf level 130LS1~130LS4 (and/or each single shelf level as described below) corresponding to the storage level 130L defines an open and undefined two-dimensional storage surface (for example, with a box unit support plane CUSP, such as Figure 1B), which is beneficial in the longitudinal direction (for example, along the length of the channel, or coincide with the robot travel path defined by the picking channel) and lateral (for example, relative to the pylon depth, transverse to the channel or the robot travel path) two To dynamically position the pickup surface. For example, the method of dynamically setting the pickup surface and the box unit constituting the pickup surface is described in US Patent No. 8,594,835 issued on November 26, 2013, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In this way, the picking surface of the box unit (or carrier) of variable length and width is positioned at each two-dimensional storage position on the storage shelf (for example, on each storage shelf level 130LS1~130LS4), and adjacent There is a minimum gap G between the storage box unit/storage space (for example, it never touches other box units stored on the shelf for picking/placement of the box units, see Figure 1A). On the one hand, a plurality of storage spaces 130S defined by storage shelf levels 130LS1~130LS4 between storage or deck levels 130L can accommodate boxes of different heights, lengths, widths and/or weights at different shelf levels 130LS1~130LS2 Unit, such as Li Provisional Application No. 62/091,162 (Agent File No. 1127P015163-US(-#1), titled "Storage and Retrieval System", filed on December 12, 2014), which disclosed the whole and hereby considers reference.

In one aspect of the disclosed embodiment, the vertical spacing between the rack shelf levels 130LS1~130LS4 (which corresponds to each storage level 130L) is changed, so the height between the shelves Z1A~Z1E is different. Not equal. In other respects, the vertical spacing between at least some racks is the same, so at least the height between some shelves Z1A~Z1E is the same, while the vertical spacing between other shelves is different . In other respects, the rack shelf levels 130LS1~130LS4 have a constant spacing on a storage level (for example, the rack shelf levels are roughly equally spaced in the Z direction), while the rack shelf levels 130LS1~ The spacing of 130LS4 on different storage levels is different constant spacing.

On the one hand, a plurality of storage spaces 130S defined by storage shelf levels 130LS1~130LS4 between storage or deck levels 130L can accommodate boxes of different heights, lengths, widths and/or weights in different shelf levels 130LS1~130LS4 Units, for example, as described in U.S. Patent Application No. 14/966,978 filed on December 11, 2015 and U.S. Patent Provisional Application No. 62/091,162 filed on December 12, 2014, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated in This is for reference. For example, still referring to FIG. 1A, the storage level 130L includes a storage area with at least one intermediate shelf 1210. In the example shown, one storage area includes one intermediate shelf 1210, and another storage area includes two intermediate shelves 1210 to form shelf levels 130LS1 to 130LS4. On the one hand, the storage level between 130L The spacing Z1 may be any suitable spacing, for example, about 32 inches to about 34 inches; and in other aspects, the spacing may be greater than about 34 inches and/or less than about 32 inches. Any suitable number of shelves can be arranged between the decks 1200S of adjacent vertically stacked storage levels 130L, wherein the shelves have the same or different spacing between the shelves.

In one aspect of the disclosed embodiment, the storage or deck level 130L (such as the surface on which the robot 110 travels) is arranged at any suitable predetermined interval Z1, which is not an integer of the intermediate shelf interval (s) Z1A~Z1E, for example. Times. In other respects, the distance Z1 may be an integer multiple of the distance between the intermediate shelves. For example, the shelf distance may be approximately equal to the distance Z1, so that the height of the corresponding storage space is approximately equal to the distance Z1. As can be understood, the shelf spacing Z1A~Z1E is roughly decoupled from the spacing Z1 of the storage level 130L and corresponds to the general box unit height, as exemplified in FIG. 1A. In one aspect of the disclosed embodiment, box units of different heights are dynamically positioned or otherwise distributed along each channel in the storage space 130S having a shelf height commensurate with the height of the box units. The remaining space between the storage level 130L along the length of the channel coincident with the storage box unit (for example in the X direction) and along the side of the storage box unit can be freely used for the dynamic positioning of the corresponding height box. As can be understood, the dynamic positioning of box units with different heights on shelves with different pitches provides storage box layers of different heights between the storage levels 130L on both sides of each picking channel 130A, and each box The units are dynamically distributed along the common picking channel 130A, so that each box unit in each storage bin layer can be independently accessed by robots in the common channel (for example, for picking/placement). Packing list This high-density placement/configuration and storage shelf configuration provides the maximum efficiency of storage space/volume usage between the storage levels 130L, so the rack module array RMA has the maximum efficiency, and the box unit SKU has the optimal distribution , Because each channel length can include multiple box units of different heights, and each rack shelf at each shelf level can be filled by dynamic positioning/distribution (such as filling three-dimensional racks in length, width, and height) Module array RMA space to provide high-density storage array).

On the one hand, referring to Figures 1D and 6A, each storage level 130L includes a single-level storage shelf to store a single-level box unit (for example, each storage level includes a single-box unit support plane CUSP), and the robot 110 is configured to transfer The box units go to and from the storage shelves of the individual storage levels 130L. For example, the robot 110' illustrated in FIG. 6A is roughly similar to the above-mentioned robot 110, however, the transfer arm 110PA of the robot 110' lacks sufficient Z travel to place the box units on the multiple storage shelf levels 130LS1~130LS4 ( For example, it can be taken from the common track 1200S), as described above. Here, the transfer arm drive 250 (which may be substantially similar to one or more drives 250A, 250B) only includes enough Z travel to lift the box unit support plane CUSP from a single-level storage shelf to The box unit is transferred to and from the payload area 110PL, and the box unit is transferred between the finger 273 of the transfer arm 110PA and the payload bed 110PB. For example, a suitable example of the robot 110' can be found in US Patent Application No. 13/326,993 filed on December 15, 2011, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

For one aspect of the disclosed embodiment, see also Figure 2A, the hanger The shelf 1210 (including the rack shelf formed by the rail 1200) is longitudinally divided into SECA and SECB (for example, the length of the picking channel 130A along the X direction, and relative to the storage structure reference frame REF2) along each picking channel 130A forms a regular or otherwise matched rack shelf area. For example, based on the picking order of the robot 110 traversing the aisle, the box unit is picked up by a common pass assigned to a common rule filling (for example, based on the order shipment order), and the aisle shelf areas SECA and SECB are regular /Match each other. In other words, the robot 110 makes a single pass along a single or common picking channel (for example, traversing in a single direction), and at the same time picks one or more from the channel shelf areas SECA, SECB on the common side of the picking channel 130A Each box unit is used to establish a picking surface on the robot 110, wherein the box units included in the picking surface are configured on the robot according to a regular filling/order shipping sequence, which will be described in more detail below. Each channel rack area SECA, SECB includes an intermediate shelf in the above-mentioned manner. In other respects, some aisle shelves do not include intermediate shelves, while others include intermediate shelves.

On one hand, the regular channel rack areas SECA and SECB include different shelf spacing between the areas SECA and SECB. For example, the racks in the channel rack area SECA have one or more spacings, while the racks in the channel rack area SECB have one or more different spacings (for example, different from the shelves of the SECA area). Spacing). According to various aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the spacing of at least one intermediate shelf of a certain channel rack area SECA, SECB is related to at least one intermediate shelf of another regular channel rack area SECA, SECB of the common picking channel 130A frame Pitch. The different spacings of the intermediate shelves 1210 of the regular channel rack areas SECA and SECB are selected so as to be related, and the robot 110 performs multiple operations from the shelves of different spacings and one common pass from the common picking channel 130A. (At least two) regular picking (that is, picking in order of order), which is based on the mixed SKU loading sequence (for example, palletization to a common pallet load). As can be understood, the mixed load output from the storage and retrieval system 100 (for example, to fill the truck loading port/pallet load) is based on various load out picking channels (for example, picking box units to transfer to the outgoing pallet channel) The ordering is based on predetermined rules, and the shelf spacing in the regular zones SECA and SECB facilitates the robot 110 to pick up more than one box unit (for example, More than one box unit is picked up from the common pick-up channel according to a predetermined rule in one pass of the common pick-up channel). The different channel shelf spacing of the regular rack areas SECA and SECB are related to increase the probability of multiple picking of this rule (a single pass through the channel to pick up two or more box units from a single channel, as described above ), so the multiple picking is executed by each robot order fulfillment along each lane, and so associated so that the robot 110 picks up in the storage and retrieval system 100 and assigns it to a common load out (for example, The common pallet load) of more than most boxes is picked up by the common robot 110 during a single pass through the common picking channel in the ordering sequence corresponding to the load-out sequence (for example, two or more The box is picked up from the same picking channel in a single pass, for example, once the robot passes through the picking channel, it travels in a single direction). As can be understood, in one aspect of the disclosed embodiment, both sides PAS1 and PAS2 of the picking channel 130A have regular channel rack areas SECA and SECB, and a certain regular area can match the same of the common picking channel 130A. One or more zones on the side PAS1, PAS2. As can be understood, the matching channel hanger areas may be positioned adjacent to each other or spaced apart from each other along the picking channel 130A.

Referring again to Figures 2A and 2B, each transfer deck 130B or storage level 130L includes one or more lifter pick-up surface interfaces/transfer stations TS (herein referred to as interface stations TS), where single or combined box pick-up surfaces The box unit or carrier is transferred between the lifter loading manipulator LHD and the robot 110 on the transfer deck 130B. The interface station TS (and the buffer station BS described herein) provides an interface between the robot 110 and the at least one lifter 150 on the individual transfer deck 130B to perform pickup surface transfer between the robot 110 and the at least one lifter 150 . One or more lift interface stations TS of one or more transfer decks or storage levels 130L have multiple loading stations MLS to locate and/or buffer loads CU (e.g. box units) for picking by lift 150B. As described herein, in one aspect, each load is picked/placed into one or more units by one or more robots 110 and the loading handling device(s) LHD of the lift 150B at the multiple loading station MLS. Pickup surface for more box units. On one hand, the box units of each loading/pickup surface are configured as units during loading out, or in other aspects, they are distributed during loading out. As will be described herein, each lifter 150 includes a carrier 4001 with multiple loading platforms that constitute a common multiple load lifter/lower. Heavy load picking (for example, from a common interface station TS with a common/single loading control device LHD or multiple independent loading control devices LHD); or, on the other hand, multiple independent loading in a single lift Pickup (such as from an interface station TS on a different deck level). As can be understood, on the one hand, multiple loads (for example, multiple picking surfaces that are carried together to form a single load or unit) are positioned at one or more interface stations TS (or buffer stations BS) for the lifter 150 to pick up.

The interface station TS is located on the side of the transfer deck 130B opposite to the picking channel 130A and the pylon module RM, so that the transfer deck 130B is inserted between the picking channel and each interface station TS. As noted above, each robot 110 on each picking level 130L has access to each storage location 130S, each picking channel 130A, and each lift 150 on the individual storage level 130L, so each robot 110 110 also has access to each interface station TS on the individual level 130L. On the one hand, the interface station is offset from the high-speed robot travel path HSTP along the transfer deck 130B, so that the robot 110's access to the interface station TS is an indeterminate purpose for the robot speed on the high-speed travel path HSTP. In this way, each robot 110 can move the box unit(s) (or the pickup surface established by the robot, such as one or more boxes) from each interface station TS to each storage space 130S corresponding to the deck level , And vice versa.

For example, in one aspect, the picking surface established by the robot 110 (for example in the above-mentioned manner) is transferred (for example, placed) to, for example, the interface station TS (and/or the buffer station BS), not by the vertical lift 150 The same picking surface picked from the interface station TS (and/or the buffer station BS). For example, referring to FIG. 9, the robot 110 creates a first picking surface from the storage space 130S in the rack module RM (for example, as shown in FIG. 2A), which includes individual picking surfaces 7 and 5 (FIG. 10-10E and block 1900 in FIG. 19). ). The robot 110 transfers the first pick-up surface to and places the first pick-up surface on, for example, the shelf 7000B (FIG. 9) of the interface station TS to transfer to the vertical lift 150 (FIG. 19 block 1910). As can be understood, although in this example, for example only, the individual picking surfaces 5, 7 (for example, forming the first picking surface) are placed on the common shelf 7000B, but in other respects, the individual picking surfaces 5, 7 are placed On different shelves 7000A~7000F (FIG. 9), the picking surface placed on the shelf by the robot 110 is different from the first picking surface, but at least one box unit is common to the first picking surface. For example, the first pick-up surface is broken so that a different pick-up surface including the individual pick-up surface 5 is placed on the shelf 7000B, and another different pick-up surface including the individual pick-up surface 7 is placed on the shelf 7000H, for example. The vertical lifter (for example, lifter 150B1) picks up the second picking surface from one or more shelves 7000A~7000F (for example, common to both the robot 110 and the vertical lifter 150B1) of the transfer station TS (Figure 19 Box 1920). Here, the second pick-up surface is different from the first pick-up surface, but includes at least one of the individual pick-up surfaces 5 and 7, so that at least one box unit is common between the first pick-up surface and the second pick-up surface.

Similarly, on the one hand, from the inward vertical lifter 150 (see the vertical lifter 150A in FIG. 1), it is transferred (for example placed on) the picking surface of the interface station TS (and/or the buffer station BS), for example, Not by robots 110 from the interface station TS (and/or buffer station BS) picked up the same picking surface. For example, referring to Figure 9A, the first pick-up surface is transferred from the inward conveyor belt 160CB from the input station(s) 160IN to one or more vertical lifts 150A1, 150A2 (Figure 20 box 2000). In this example, a certain first pick-up surface includes a combination of individual pick-up surfaces 5 and 7 and another first pick-up surface includes a combination of individual pick-up surfaces 20 and 22. The vertical lifter 150A1 places the individual first picking surfaces 5 and 7 on the shelf 7000B of the interface station TS, and the vertical lifter 150A2 places the other individual first picking surfaces 20, 22 on the other interface station TS. Shelf 7000H is on the same storage level 130L (Figure 20 box 2010). The robot 110 establishes or additionally picks up the second picking surface(s) from the interface station(s) TS, so that the vertical lifts 150A1, 150A2 are placed on the shelf(s) 7000B, 7000H. The first picking surface (for example, common to both the robot 110 and the individual vertical lift 150A) is different from the second picking surface, but the second picking surface including at least one box unit is common to the first picking surface (block 2020 in FIG. 20). ). For example, breaking the first picking surfaces 5, 7 so that different picking surfaces including the individual picking surface 5 (or the individual picking surface 7) are picked up by the robot 110; and/or breaking the other first picking surfaces 20, 22, The different picking surfaces including the individual picking surface 20 (or the individual picking surface 22) are picked up by the robot 110. Here, the second pick-up surface is different from the first pick-up surface, but includes at least one of the individual pick-up surfaces of the first pick-up surface, so at least one box unit is common between the first pick-up surface and the second pick-up surface of. As can be understood, the second picking surface can be broken by the robot, so that the picking surface is placed on at least one storage shelf by 110 The surface is different from the second picking surface, and at least one of the box units is common between the second picking surface and the picking surface placed on the at least one storage shelf. As can be understood, for inward transfer, the picking surfaces 5, 7 are transferred from the vertical lifts 150A1, 150A2 into units; when transported to the storage array by the robot 110, the picking surfaces 5 of any interface station TS , 7 (which may include combined box units/carriers) can be distributed, so that one or more of the box units/carriers in the picking surface 5, 7 are transported to different storage rack positions (such as different storage racks). Space 130S). Similarly, for outbound transfer from storage racks to loading (for example, palletization chambers or trucks) (described in more detail below), the combination of picking surfaces 5 and 7 at any multi-interface station TS Boxes/carriers can be distributed in load out. On the one hand, the unloading of the box units/carriers is carried out by the lifter, which transfers the boxes/carriers in the desired order with respect to the predetermined unloading rule or sequence from the combined pickup surface. Similarly, each of the multiple loads carried by the load handling device LHD can be transferred in a desired order with respect to the scheduled load. For example, in one aspect, the loading control device LHD of the lift 150B is in the order of order and unloaded in a single placement step to transfer multiple loads such as a common picking surface. On the one hand, the lift 150B is in the order of order. The box unit is picked up in a picking step. In other respects, the lifter 150B picks up the box units in multiple picking steps to perform the desired box unit sequence. On the one hand, at least one pick-up surface in the combined pick-up surface (which is being carried on the common loading handling device) is different (for example, the configuration is different) from other pick-up surfaces in the combined pick-up surface.

On the one hand, the interface station TS is constructed between the robot 110 and the loading control device LHD of the lift 150 to passively transfer (for example, change hands) the box unit (and/or picking surface) (for example, the interface station TS has no moving parts for transportation Box unit), which will be described in more detail below. For example, referring also to FIG. 2B, the interface station TS and/or the buffer station BS includes one or more stacking levels TL1, TL2 of the transfer rack RTS (for example, so as to utilize the robot 110 relative to the stacking rack The lifting capacity of the RTS rack), on the one hand, is roughly similar to the storage racks described above (for example, each of them is formed by rails 1210, 1200 and slats 1210S), allowing the robot 110 to change hands (for example, pick and place) It occurs in a passive manner roughly similar to that between the robot 110 and the storage space 130S (as described herein), where the box unit or carrier is transferred to and from the shelf. On the one hand, the buffer stations BS on one or more stacking levels TL1 and TL2 also serve as transfer/interface stations with respect to the load handling device LHD of the lift 150. On the one hand, when a robot (such as the robot 110') is constructed to transfer the box unit to a single level 130L of storage shelves, the interface station TS and/or the buffer station BS also includes the single level of transfer racks (its Roughly similar to the storage rack shelf of storage level 130L described above with respect to, for example, FIG. 1D). As can be understood, the operation of the storage and retrieval system using the robot 110' to serve a single-level storage and transfer shelf is generally similar to that described herein. As can also be understood, the loading handling device LHD transfers the box units (such as individual box units or picking surfaces) and the carriers (such as picking and placing) to the stacking rack shelf RTS (and/or single-level rack shelf) It is roughly similar to the one between the robot 110 and the storage space 130S It occurs in a passive manner (as described here), where the box unit or carrier is transferred to and from the shelf. In other aspects, the shelf may include a transfer arm (which is roughly similar to the transfer arm 110PA of the robot 110 shown in FIG. 6 and/or the transfer arm of the loading handling device shown in FIGS. 4A to 5B, although when the transfer arm is incorporated into the interface station The Z-direction movement can be omitted when the TS is in the shelf to pick and place the box unit or carrier from one or more robots 110 and the loading handling device LHD of the lift 150. A suitable example of an interface station with an active transfer arm is described, for example, in US Patent Application No. 12/757,354 filed on April 9, 2010, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

On the one hand, the positioning of the robot 110 relative to the interface station TS occurs in a manner substantially similar to the positioning of the robot relative to the storage space 130S. For example, in one aspect, the positioning of the robot 110 relative to the storage space 130S and the interface station TS occurs in a manner similar to that of US Patent Application No. 13/327,035 (now US Patent No. 9,008,884) filed on December 15, 2011. No.) and No. 13/608,877 (now US Patent No. 8,954,188) filed on September 10, 2012, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. For example, referring to FIGS. 1 and 1B, the robot 110 includes one or more sensors 110S, which detect the slats 1210S or positioning features 130F (such as openings, reflective surfaces) arranged on/in the track 1200 , Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags......). The slats and/or positioning features 130F are configured to recognize the position of the robot 110 in the storage and retrieval system relative to, for example, the storage space and/or the interface station TS. In one aspect, the robot 110 includes a controller 110C, which for example The counting slats 1210S can at least partially determine the position of the robot 110 in the storage and retrieval system 100. In other respects, the position feature 130F may be configured to form an absolute or incremental encoder, which when detected by the robot 110 provides the position determination of the robot 110 in the storage and retrieval system 100.

As can be understood, referring to FIG. 2B, the transfer rack RTS of each interface/transfer station TS defines multiple loading stations MLS on the common transfer rack RTS (for example, with one or more storage box units) Holding position to hold the corresponding number of box units or carriers). As noted above, each load of the multiple loading station is a single box unit/carrier or multiple box picking surfaces (for example, with multiple box units/carriers, which move into a single unit), which is picked up by the robot or the loading control device LHD And place. As can also be understood, the aforementioned robot position allows the robot 110 to position itself relative to the multi-loading station MLS to pick up and place the box unit/carrier and the picking surface from a predetermined holding position of the multi-loading station MLS . The interface/transfer station TS defines a buffer in which the inward and/or outward box units/carriers and picking surfaces are temporarily stored when transferred between the robot 110 and the loading manipulator LHD of the lift 150.

On the one hand, one or more surrounding buffer/transfer stations BS (which are roughly similar to the interface station TS and are referred to herein as buffer stations BS) are also located on the transfer deck 130B relative to the pick-up channel 130A and the pylon module RM On that side, the transfer deck 130B is inserted between the picking channel and each buffer station BS. The surrounding buffer stations BS are scattered among the interface stations TS on the one hand, as shown in Figures 2A and 2B, otherwise they are arranged with the interface stations TS straight line. On the one hand, the surrounding buffer station BS is formed by rails 1210, 1200 and slats 1210S, and is a continuous (but separate area) of the interface station TS (for example, the interface station and the surrounding buffer station are made of common tracks 1210, 1200). Formed). In this way, on the one hand, the surrounding buffer station BS also includes one or more transfer racks RTS of stacking levels TL1 and TL2, as described above with respect to the interface station TS; on the other hand, the buffer station includes a single level Transfer the rack shelf. The peripheral buffer station BS defines a buffer in which the box units/carriers and/or picking surfaces are temporarily stored for any suitable reason, for example when transferring from a robot 110 to another different robot 110 on the same storage level 130L, as follows This will be described in more detail. As can be appreciated, in one aspect, the peripheral buffer station BS is located at any suitable location in the storage and retrieval system, including anywhere in the pick-up channel 130A and along the transfer deck 130B. As can be understood, the box unit(s) placed in the buffer station BS are transferred by the robot 110 to the interface station TS on the one hand, or by any suitable conveyance that connects the buffer station BS to the interface station TS on the other hand. Bring transfer. On the one hand, in the case where the box unit(s) is transferred from the buffer station BS to the interface station TS by the robot 110, the transfer is a speculative transfer, so that, for example, on the way to another task (such as in Transferring (multiple) picking surfaces to storage, sorting picking surfaces, transferring (multiple) picking surfaces from storage...) and the robot 110 traveling along the transfer deck stops when it passes through the buffer station BS Come down to pick up the pick-up surface from the buffer station BS, and transfer the pick-up surface to the interface station TS during the execution of other tasks.

Still referring to Figures 2A and 2B, on one hand, the interface station TS is The configuration of the transfer deck 130B is similar to the parking space on the roadside, so that the robot 110 "parks side by side" at the predetermined interface station TS to transfer box units to and from one or more levels TL1, TL2 at the interface station TS One or more shelf RTS. On the one hand, the transfer direction of the robot 110 at the interface station TS (for example, when parking side by side) is the same as the direction when the robot 110 is traveling along the high-speed robot transport path HSTP (for example, the interface station is approximately parallel to the robot on the transfer deck. Direction and/or transfer deck above the side with lifter 150). The interface formed by the robot 110 to the surrounding buffer station BS is also caused by side-by-side parking, so the transfer direction of the robot 110 at the surrounding buffer station BS (for example, when parking side by side) is the same as when the robot 110 is moving along the high-speed robot transportation path The direction HSTP is traveling.

On the other hand, referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, at least the interface station TS is located on the extension part or dock 130BD extending from the transfer deck 130B. In one aspect, the dock 130BD is similar to a pick-up channel, in which the robot 110 travels along a track 1200S fixed to the horizontal support 1200 (in a manner generally similar to that described above). In other respects, the traveling surface of the dock 130BD may be substantially similar to the traveling surface of the transfer deck 130B. Each dock 130BD is located on one side of the transfer deck 130B, for example, the side opposite to the picking channel 130A and the pylon module RM, so that the transfer deck 130B is inserted between the picking channel and each dock 130BD. The dock(s) 130BD extends from the transfer deck at a non-zero angle relative to at least part of the high-speed robotic transport path HSTP. In other respects, the terminal(s) 130BD extends from any part of the transfer deck 130B Suitable parts include the ends 130BE1 and 130BE2 of the transfer deck 130BD. As can be understood, the peripheral buffer station BSD (which is substantially similar to the aforementioned peripheral buffer station BS) may also be located at least along part of the pier 130BD.

Referring now to FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 5, as described above, on the one hand, the interface station TS is a passive station, so that the loading transfer or manipulation device LHD of the lifter 150A, 150B has an active transfer arm or pickup head 4000A, 4000B. In one aspect, a lifter 150 communicating between the input and output conveyor belts 160CA, 160CB and one or more interface stations TS of the stacking deck level 130C (in one aspect, which includes the stack transfer rack shelf RTS) It is a reciprocating lifter (for example, the lifter linearly follows a single straight path and travels bidirectionally in the Z direction relative to the lifter reference frame REFL shown in FIG. 5). The travel speed of the lifter 150 in the Z direction is not limited and is a high-speed lifter (rather than a continuous movement or rosary-type lifter), in which the transfer rate or speed of the lifter is not a transfer box unit but to and from storage and Retrieving the constraints of the system. For example, the box unit transfer handling rate of the lift 150 is approximately equal to the box unit transfer handling rate of the robot 110. As can be understood, although in one aspect, the input and output lifts 150A, 150B are described as vertical reciprocating lifts, it is understood that in other aspects, the input and output lifts 150A, 150B are any suitable transport box picking surface The pickup surface transportation system to and from the storage structure 130. For example, in other aspects, the lift modules 150A and 150B are vertical reciprocating lifts, any suitable automatic material handling system, conveyor belts, robots, turntables, roller beds, synchronous or asynchronous multi-layer operation One or more of the sub-vertical conveyor belts (such as rosary conveyor belts).

As described herein, the lifter 150 traverses and connects to more than one level 130L of the multi-level transfer deck 130B, and is configured to lift and lower the pickup surface from the multi-level transfer deck 130B. As also described here, for example, the multiple loads placed at the interface station TS are picked up by the loading manipulator LHD of the lift 150, and are carried by the lift 150 in a single pass/traverse multiple deck level 130B Transport to the unloading conveyor belt station (for example, the outward conveyor belt 160CB). As noted here, on the one hand, multiple load picking is a common picking from a common interface station TS (which is performed with a common loading control device LHD or multiple independent loading control devices LHD), so the multiple load picking is This is done during a lift stop. In other respects, multiple loads are picked up from different interface stations TS on the different levels 130L of the multi-level transfer deck 130B, so there are multiple lifts that stop, but they are still in a single pass/cross at the multi-deck level (eg The direction of travel and/or circular movement of the lift has not changed). As will be described further herein, the box loading/pick-up surface passed by the lifter 150 to the output station 160UT is considered to form a box loading flow line (for example, where each lifter 150 generates a box loading flow line).

For example, referring to FIGS. 4A to 5B, in one aspect, the pickup head of each lifter 150 (eg pickup head 4000A, 4000B, 4000C, 4000D) includes multiple loads (for example, carried together to form a single load or unit The multi-pick-up surface) platform (such as the loading control device LHD), which is constructed for the common multiple load lifting/lowering (for example, the multi-level 130L relative to the storage and retrieval system). in On the one hand, the pickup heads 4000A, 4000B, 4000C, 4000D perform multiple load picking (for example, from a common interface station with a common/single loading control device LHD or multiple independent operation loading control devices LHD) . On the other hand, the pickup heads 4000A, 4000B, 4000C, 4000D perform multiple independent load pickups in a single pass/traverse (for example, from different interface stations TS configured on different levels of 130L of the storage and retrieval system) And to the unloading and loading conveyor belt station(s) (such as the outward conveyor belt 160CB of FIG. 1) or any other suitable picking surface holding/transporting station. Accordingly, multiple loads are positioned at each (or in other respects, one or more) interface stations TS for pickup by the lift(s) 150. As can be understood, the multiple load(s) at each or any interface station TS is picked up by the loading manipulator LHD of the lift 150, and is relative to the storage and storage and the loading heads 4000A and 4000B by the lift 150. The level 130L of the retrieval system is transported in a single pass/traverse to, for example, the output conveyor belt 160CB of the output station(s) 160UT or other suitable picking surface holding/transporting station. As noted above, on the one hand, multiple load picking is a common picking from a common interface station TS (which is performed by a common loading control device or multiple independent loading control devices LHD, so the multiple load picking surface is picking up The first 4000A and 4000B are stopped at one time). In other respects, multiple load picking is picked up from different interface stations TS at different levels 130L of the storage and retrieval system, so there are multiple stops (but still with a single pass/traverse--for example, the picking heads 4000A, 4000B No change in direction or circular movement).

On one hand, the inward lifter module 150A and the outward lifter module 150B have different types of pickup heads (described below); on the other hand, the inward lifter module 150A and the outward lifter module 150A The lifter module 150B has the same type of pick-up head, which is similar to one of the following pick-up heads (for example, the lifters 150A and 150B both have the pick-up head 4000A, or the lifters 150A and 150B both have the pick-up head 4000B). For example, both the inward and outward lift modules 150A, 150B have a vertical mast 4002, and the slider 4001 travels along this (although one mast is shown, in other respects, there are multiple masts). (Multiple) vertical masts 4002 span at the base level BL (Figure 2B) (for example, the input and output conveyor belts 160CA, 160CB of the input station and output station 160IN, 160UT are located here) and any of the multi-level storage arrays The desired deck or storage level is between 130L. One or more carriages or sliders 4001 travel along the vertical mast(s) 4002 under the power of any suitable drive unit 4002D, which is, for example, connected to the control server 120, and It is constructed to raise and lower the slider (and the pickup heads 4000A, 4000B installed thereon) between the base level BL and any desired interface station shelf of the desired storage level 130L. The drive unit 4002D is a chain drive, a belt drive, a screw drive, a linear actuator, a solid-state drive or any other capable of linearly driving the mounted slider(s) and pickup head 4000A, along the mast (multiple) 4002, One or more of the 4000B drives.

As can be understood, the lifter 150 includes any suitable for positioning the pick-up head(s) 4000A, 4000B pickup head positioning system. For example, any suitable encoder or position sensor SENS is provided, which together with the control server 120 provides (multiple) pick-up heads 4000A, 4000B relative to the shelf of the interface station TS and the input/output conveyor belt 160CA , 160CB location determination. For example, the control server 120 provides control signals to the lift drivers 4002D, 4005, and 4005A. As the pickup head(s) move along the mast 4002, the control server 120 also receives signals from the position sensor SENS, and based on these signals, determines the position of the pickup head relative to the shelf of the interface station TS. The control server 120 stops the pick-up head(s) at the predetermined interface station shelf based on the sensor SENS signal, and performs the extension of the loading handling device LHD (described in more detail below) to pick up or place one or more Shelves for multiple box units to interface station TS.

As noted above, the inward lifter module(s) 150A includes a pick-up head 4000A, which is movably attached to the mast(s) 4002 (for example, mounted on the slider 4001), and thus follows the (multiple) masts 4001. The slider moves vertically, and the pickup head 4000A and the slider(s) 4001 move vertically. In this regard, the pickup head 4000A includes a pickup head part or effector (herein referred to as a loading handling device LHDA), which has one or more prongs or fingers 4273 mounted on a base member 4272, so as to form The platform PFM is to accommodate the load. The platform PFM forms a payload support, which has a common height and is constructed at the common platform PFM height to hold one or more picking surfaces. On the one hand, the common height is a generally flat and common surface; on other aspects, the common height includes stacked shelves or functions (For example, as shown in Figure 5C, where one or more of the pickup heads 4000A and 4000B include stacked shelves or effectors LHDA) and have a common lifter picking and placing height position, so the lifter can Pick up and place each load immediately in a single height stop of the lift. As can be understood, although the stacking effector of the pickup head 4000A is demonstrated with respect to the lifter 150A, it should be understood that in one aspect, one or more effectors LHDA and LHDB of the pickup head 4000B of the lifter 150B include stacking Effector. Fingers 4273 are constructed to pass through or otherwise between the slats 1210S of the shelf of the interface station TS to transfer one or more box units between the load handling device LHD and the shelf (described in more detail below) . The base member 4272 is movably mounted on one or more rails 4360S of the frame 4200, which in turn is mounted on the slider 4001. For example, belt drive, chain drive, screw drive, gear drive...any suitable drive unit 4005 (the form is roughly similar but the capacity may not be similar to the drive 4002D, because the drive 4005 can be smaller than the drive 4002D) installed in the frame 4200 and coupled to the base member 4272, and (with (multiple) fingers, that is, the actuator LHDA) drives the base in the direction of arrow 4050 (for example, the Y direction relative to the lift reference frame REFL) Member 4272. The loading platform PFM includes one or more loading stations LST1~LST3, each of which is configured to hold (multiple) box units/carriers or picking surfaces on it. In one aspect, each platform PFM has three loading stations, but in other aspects, the platform has more or less than three loading stations. Each of the box units/carriers or picking surfaces in one or more loading stations LST1~LST3 is transferred to and from the lift 150 However, it should be understood that there are multiple (multiple) box units/carriers (such as picking surfaces) in the loading station. On the one hand, the picking surface is broken, so that one or more of the picking surfaces are formed The area where the box units are distributed to the storage level 130L is different from the other box units(s) of the pick-up surface; in other respects, the pick-up surface can be placed in the storage space 130S in the manner described herein to form a unit.

The outward lifter module(s) 150B also includes a pickup head 4000B mounted on the slider 4001, so as the slider moves vertically, the pickup head 4000B and the slider 4001 move vertically. In this regard, the pickup head 4000B includes one or more pickup head parts or effects (such as transfer arms) LHDA, LHDB (all of which are generally similar to the pickup head 4000A), and each has an individual base member 4272A installed Of one or more prongs or fingers 4273. Each base member 4272A is movably mounted on one or more rails 4360SA of the frame 4200A, which in turn is mounted on the slider 4001. For example, belt drive, chain drive, screw drive, gear drive... any suitable drive unit(s) 4005A is mounted on the frame 4200A and coupled to the individual base member 4272A, and (with(s) The object) drives the individual base member 4272A in the direction of the arrow 4050 (each effector has an individual drive unit, so each effector can move independently in the direction of the arrow 4050). Although the two effectors LHDA and LHDB are demonstrated on the pickup head 4000B, the pickup head 4000B includes any suitable number of effectors, which corresponds to, for example, the number of box units/pickup surface holding positions of the interface station TS, so the box unit/ The pickup surface is individually picked from the interface station TS, As described in more detail below.

In one aspect, referring also to FIG. 5A, one or more input and output lifts 150 include multiple pickup heads 4000C, 4000D, each of which is mounted on a corresponding carrier or slider 4001A, 4001B. Each slider 4001A, 4001B (and the pick-up head mounted on it) is mounted on the mast 4002 so that it can be moved independently in the Z direction by means of individual drivers 4002DA, 4002DB (which are roughly similar to the above-mentioned driver 4002D) . Although each pickup head 4000C, 4000D illustrated in FIG. 5A includes a single loading manipulation device, it should be understood that in other respects, one or more pickup heads 4000C, 4000D include multiple independently actuated loading manipulation devices in a manner similar to picking Head 4000B. As can also be understood, a suitable clearance is provided between each slider 4001A, 4001B and the pick-up head(s) installed thereon, so that each pick-up head is provided with a complete set along the mast 4002 as desired. The travel action (such as from the base level BL to the interface station shelf at the top storage level 130L, for example).

On the other hand, each loading handling device (as described above) of the lifter 150A, 150B is constructed on the loading handling device to classify one or more box units to establish a picking surface on the loading handling device. For example, referring to FIG. 5B, the carrier 4200B includes a frame 4110F having a payload area 4110PL. The payload area 4110PL of the loading handling device LHD includes a payload bed 4110PB, a fence or reference piece 4110PF, a transfer arm LHDA, and a push rod or piece 4110PR. In one aspect, the payload bed 4110PB includes one or more rollers 4110RL, which are mounted on the frame 110F so as to be approximately parallel to the fingers 4273A-4273E, wherein the payload area 110PL The carried one or more box units can be moved in the X direction (for example, relative to the predetermined position of the frame/payload area and/or the reference of one or more box units in the lift reference frame REFL Align) to position the box unit at a predetermined position in the payload area 4110PL and/or relative to other box units in the payload area 4110PL (for example, the box unit is relative to the front side defined by the extension direction of the transfer arm LHDA as described below / Align side by side from behind, for example in the Y direction relative to the reference frame of the lift). On the one hand, the drum 4110RL can be driven by any suitable motor (for example, rotating around its individual axis) to move the box units in the payload area 4110PL. In other respects, the loading handling device LHD includes one or more side-aligned movable push rods (not shown) to push the box unit on the roller 4110RL and move the box unit(s) to the X direction A predetermined location in the payload area 4110PL. The side-aligned movable push rods may be substantially similar to those described in, for example, US Patent Application No. 13/326,952 filed on December 15, 2011, the disclosure of which is previously incorporated in its entirety by reference. The propulsion rod 4110PR is movable in the Y direction relative to the lifter reference frame REFL, so as to carry out the loading of the box unit(s) in the payload area 4110PL together with the picking head 4270 of the fence 4110PF and/or transfer arm LDHA The front/back are aligned, and the method is described in U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/107,135 filed on January 23, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Still referring to FIG. 5B, the box unit is placed on and removed from the payload bed 4110PB with the transfer arm LHDA. The transfer arm LHDA includes a lifting mechanism or unit 5000, which is roughly located in the payload area 4110PL. For example, as described in US Patent Provisional Application No. 62/107,135 (Attorney File No. 1127P015035-US(-#1), titled "Storage and Retrieval System Transporter", filed on January 23, 2015) , Its previous whole and here for reference. In terms of adding or replacing the movement of the carrying frame 4200B in the Z direction, the lifting mechanism 5000 provides both coarse and fine positioning of the picking surface carried by the loading manipulator LHD. The picking surface is to be lifted vertically to storage The positions in the structure 130 travel to and from the shelf of the interface station TS by picking and/or placing the picking surface and/or individual box units.

The lifting mechanism 5000 is constructed so as to perform the movement of the combined axis (for example, the propulsion rod 4110PR, the lifting mechanism 5000, the pickup head extension and the (multiple) front/rear alignment mechanisms are moved simultaneously), so it is different /Multiple SKUs or multiple pickup payloads are manipulated by the lift 150. In one aspect, the actuation of the lifting mechanism 5000 is independent of the actuation of the push rod 4110PR, as will be described below. The decoupling of the lift mechanism 5000 and the 4110PR axis of the propulsion rod provides a combined pick/place sequence, which reduces the pick/place cycle time, increases the throughput of the storage and retrieval system, and/or increases the storage of the storage and retrieval system Density, as described above. For example, the lifting mechanism 5000 provides for lifting the box units of the payload bed 4110PL from the loading manipulator LHD to allow the box units to be sorted and aligned to predetermined positions on the payload bed 41110PL and therefore on the transfer arm LHDA . On the one hand, if sorting or alignment is desired, the box unit is lowered on the payload bed, otherwise the transfer arm LHDA can be maintained at least partially raised to allow the arm to extend and retract to pick/place the box unit and to and from the interface Station TS, for example, without having to load the handling device LHD In addition to traversing along the (multiple) masts 4002, the transfer arm LHDA is lifted a second time to the fence 4110PF.

The lifting mechanism 5000 can be constructed in any suitable manner, so that the pickup head 4270 of the loading and operating device LHD moves bidirectionally (such as reciprocating) along the Z axis (such as in the Z direction). In one aspect, the lifting mechanism 5000 includes a mast 5000M, and the pick-up head 4270 is movably mounted on the mast 4200M in any suitable manner. The mast 4200M is movably mounted on the frame 4110F in any suitable manner, so that it is movable along the Y direction. On one hand, the frame includes a rail 4360S, and the mast 4200M is slidably mounted here. The transfer arm drive 4005 can be installed on the frame to move the transfer arm LHDA at least along the Y direction and the Z direction. In one aspect, the transfer arm drive 4005 includes an extension motor 4301 and a lifting motor 4302. The extension motor 4301 can be installed on the frame 4110F and coupled to the mast 4200M in any suitable manner (such as belt and pulley transmission 4260A, screw drive transmission (not shown), and/or gear drive transmission (not shown)). The lift motor 4302 can be mounted on the mast 4200M and coupled to the pick-up by any suitable transmission (such as belt and pulley transmission 4271, screw drive transmission (not shown) and/or gear drive transmission (not shown)). Head 4270. For example, the mast 4200M includes a guide, such as a guide rail 4280, and the pick-up head 4270 is installed along the guide rail 4280 to guide movement in the Z direction. In other respects, the pickup head 4270 is mounted on the mast in any suitable manner to guide the movement in the Z direction. In other respects, with respect to the actuator, any suitable linear actuator is used to move in the Z direction Move the pickup head. The transmission 260A for the extension motor 301 is generally similar to that described herein with respect to the transmission 271.

Still referring to FIG. 5B, the pickup head 4270 of the loading manipulator LHD transfers the box unit between the loading manipulator LHD and the interface station TS (see, for example, FIG. 2A), and in other respects, it is roughly directly between the robot 110 and the interface station TS. The box unit is transferred between the lifter modules 150. In one aspect, the pickup head 4270 includes a base member 4200B1, one or more prongs or fingers 4273A-4273E, and one or more actuators 4274A, 4274B. The base member 4200B1 is mounted on the mast 4200M, as described above, so as to ride along the guide rail 4280. One or more prongs 4273A~4273E are installed on the base member 4200B1 at the proximal end of the prongs 4273A~4273E, so that the distal end (such as the free end) of the prongs 4273A~4273E cantilever from the base member 4200B1 . Referring again to Figure 1B, the tines 4273A-4273E are constructed to be inserted between the slats 1210S forming the box unit support plane CUSP of the TS shelf of the interface station.

One or more prongs 4273A-4273E are movably mounted on the base member 4200B1 (for example, on a slider/rail similar to the above), so as to be movable in the Z direction. In one aspect, any number of prongs are mounted on the base member 4200B1; and in the aspect illustrated in the figure, for example, there are five prongs 4273A-4273E mounted on the base member 4200B1. Any number of tines 4273A to 4273E are movably mounted on the base member 4200B1; and the aspect illustrated in the figure, for example, the outermost (relative to the center line CL of the pickup head 4270) tines 4273A, 4273E Is movably installed on the base member 4200B1, and the remaining The remaining tines 4273B to 4273D are not movable relative to the base member 4200B1.

In this regard, the pickup head 4270 uses as few as three forks 4273B~4273D to transfer smaller-sized box units (and/or groups of box units) to and from the loading control device LHD, and as many as five forks The teeth 4273A~4273E are used to transfer larger-sized box units (and/or grouped box units) to and from the load handling device LHD. In other respects, less than three prongs (for example, where more than two prongs are movably mounted on the base member 4200B1) are used to transfer smaller-sized box units. For example, on the one hand, all but one tine 4273A~4273E are movably installed on the base member 4200B1, so that it transfers to and from the loading control device without disturbing others such as on the interface station shelf The smallest box unit of the box unit has a width of approximately the distance X1 between the slats 1210S (see FIG. 1B).

The immovable tines 4273B~4273D define the pickup plane SP of the pickup head 4270 and are used when transferring all sizes of box units (and/or pickup surfaces); while the movable tines 4273A, 4273E are relative to the immovable The tines 4273B~4273D of the tines are selectively raised and lowered (for example, with the actuators 274A, 274B in the Z direction) to transfer larger box units (and/or picking surfaces). Still referring to FIG. 5B, the example shown is that all the prongs 4273A-4273E are positioned such that the box unit support surface SF of each prong 4273A-4273E coincides with the pickup plane SP of the pickup head 4270; however, as can be understood, The two-end tines 4273A, 4273E are movable so as to be relative to the other tines 4273B~4273D are positioned lower (for example, in the Z direction), so that the box unit support surface SF of the fork tines 4273A, 4273E is offset from the pickup plane SP (for example, below), so that the fork tines 4273A, 4273E do not touch the pickup One or more box units carried by the head 4270, and do not interfere with any unpicked box units positioned at the predetermined box unit holding position on the shelf of the interface station TS.

The movement of the fork teeth 4273A-4273E in the Z direction is performed by one or more actuators 4274A, 4274B installed at any suitable position of the transfer arm LHDA. In one aspect, one or more actuators 4274A, 4274B are mounted on the base member 4200B1 of the pickup head 4270. The one or more actuators are any suitable actuators (such as linear actuators) that can move one or more tines 4273A-4273E in the Z direction. For example, in the aspect illustrated in FIG. 5B, each movable tine 4273A, 4273E has an actuator 4274A, 4274B, so that each movable tine can independently move in the Z direction. In other respects, the actuator can be coupled to more than one movable tine, so that more than one movable tine moves in the Z direction as a unit.

As can be understood, one or more tines 4273A~4273E are movably installed on the base member 4200B1 of the pickup head 4270 to provide complete support for the large box unit and/or the pickup surface on the pickup head 4270. It also provides the ability to pick and place small box units without interfering with other box units positioned on, for example, the interface station TS shelf. The ability to pick up and place variable-size box units without interfering with other box units in the interface station reduces the size of the gap G (Figure 9) between the box units on the shelf of the interface station. Inch.

Referring again to Fig. 5B, note again that the push rod 4110PR is movable independently of the transfer arm LHDA. The push rod 4110PR is movably mounted on the frame 4110F in any suitable manner (for example, such as a guide rod and slider configuration), and is movably installed in the Y direction (for example, approximately parallel to the extension/contraction direction of the transfer arm LHDA) Direction) and actuated. In one aspect, at least one guide rod 4360 is installed in the payload area 4110PL to guide the movement of the thruster 4110PR in the Y direction. In one aspect, at least the guide/slider configuration confines the propulsion rod 4110PR to the payload area 4110PL. The propulsion rod 4110PR is actuated by any suitable motor and actuator, such as the motor 4303 and the actuator 4303T. In one aspect, the motor 4303 is a rotary motor, and the transmission 4303T is a belt and pulley transmission. In other aspects, the propulsion rod 110PR may be actuated by a linear actuator having substantially no rotating member.

The push rod 4110PR is arranged in the payload area 4110PL so as to be approximately perpendicular to the roller 4110RL, and thus the push rod 4110PR does not interfere with the pickup head 4270 (the push rod 4110PR includes the slit 4351, and the fingers 4273A~4273E are reduced to the reward When the bed 4110PB passes through the slits, the size of the slit 4351 is made to allow the push rod to move unimpeded relative to the fingers 4273A-4273E). The push rod 4110PR also includes one or more openings, and the drum 4110RL passes through the openings, wherein the size of the openings is made to allow the drum to rotate freely around its individual axis. As can be understood, the independently operated push rod 4110PR does not interfere with the extension of the roller 4110PR, the transfer arm LHDA in the lateral direction (such as the Y direction), Lifting/lowering of the pickup head 4270.

As can be understood, the lifter modules 150A, 150B are under the control of any suitable controller (for example, the control server 120), so that when picking and placing the box unit(s), the picking head is raised and /Or lowered to a predetermined height corresponding to the interface station TS at the predetermined storage level 130L. In the interface station TS, the pickup head 4000A, 4000B, 4270 or individual parts thereof (such as the actor LHDA , LHDB) is an extension, so that the fingers 4273 intersect between the slats 1210S (as demonstrated in Figure 4B) and are under the box unit(s) being picked. The lifters 150A, 150B raise the pickup heads 4000A, 4000B, 4270 to lift the box unit(s) from the slat 1210S, and retract the pickup heads 4000A, 4000B, 4270 to transport the box unit(s) to storage and retrieval Back to another level of the system, such as transporting the box unit(s) to the output station 160UT. Similarly, in order to place one or more box units, picking heads 4000A, 4000B, 4270 corresponding to one or more box unit holding positions of the interface station TS (one or more box units are picked up by this) Or its individual parts (such as the effector LHDA, LHDB) are extended, so the finger 4273 is above the slat. The lifter 150A, 150B lowers the pickup heads 4000A, 4000B, 4270 to place the box unit(s) on the slats 1210S, so that the fingers 4273 intersect between the slats 1210S and are picked up (more A) under the box unit.

According to many aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the box unit(s) of the lifter 150 will be described with respect to FIGS. 4A to 5B, 9, 10 to 10E An example of transfer processing includes multiple picking and placing operations of the box unit(s), and the classification of the box units according to the predetermined order shipping sequence to generate a mixed pallet load MPL (as shown in FIG. 1C). On the one hand, multiple transfer decks 130B are arranged and arranged in an array at different levels, so that the multi-level decks are defined in the manner described above (block 900 in FIG. 9B). One or more robots 110 are configured on each of the multi-level decks 130B, as described above, to hold and transport the pickup surface on each deck 130B (Figure 9B block 910). The pick-up surface is lifted and/or lowered from the multi-level deck 130B according to the loading sequence, in a manner similar to that described below, and there is at least one outward lifter 150B that traverses and connects to more than one of the multi-level deck 130B Hierarchy (Figure 9B block 920). As can be understood, each load from the distribution center or warehouse (for example, the storage and retrieval system 100 is in it) (truck load, pallet load... and fill from the storage and retrieval system 100 The box) has a predetermined box loading sequence or rule (single box or combination box), where the integrated box loading is filled and unloaded (for example, the unloading order sequence, which is defined in any suitable way, such as October 2012 As described in US Patent Application No. 13/654,293 filed on the 17th, which is previously incorporated by reference in its entirety; and/or a rule-based system, which is based on customer guidelines, uninstall guidelines, or any other suitable guidelines). As will be described below, the transfer of the picking surface (such as box loading) between the robot 110 and at least one outward lifter 150B is performed by at least one transfer station TS (or buffer station BS) on each deck. An interface is formed between the robot 110 on the individual transfer deck 130B and the at least one outward lifter 150B (Figure 9B block 930). On one side Each outward lifter 150B defines at least one box loading flow line of the order fulfillment flow line, which includes the mixing box picking surface from the multi-level deck 130B outward to the loading or loading filling, wherein at least one of the fulfillment flow lines The box loading flow line is configured according to the order order of the flow line picking surface in the predetermined order of loading and filling (for example, the individual box loading flow line of the lifter 150B forms an order fulfillment flow line corresponding to the loading and filling) (Figure 9B Block 940). As can be understood, at least one transfer station TS (or buffer station BS) on at least one of the multi-level decks supports more than one mixing box picking surface (for example, it is defined by the ordering order of the streamline picking surface Part of the streamline pickup surface), and this is for example based on a predetermined sequence of loading out and filling. On the one hand, the interface station TS (or buffer station BS) forms a common pick-up surface transfer interface for at least one outward lift 150B, so that the commonly supported pick-up surface is common to the at least one outward lift 150B for picking . In one aspect, the interface station TS (or buffer station BS) supports more than one mixing box pick-up surface in an order based on a predetermined sequence of loading and filling. As can be understood, any suitable controller (for example, the controller 120) communicates with one or more robots 110, and is configured to perform ordering at least one transfer station TS (or buffer station BS) is placed on the picking surface. On the one hand, the ordering order of the streamline pickup surface is based on, for example, another fulfillment streamline of another outward lifter 150B. As can be understood, if there is more than one box loading flow line (for example, from multiple outward lifts 150B), then the box loading of each box loading flow line is based on the predetermined sequence of loading and filling and the corresponding ordering of each other Order to provide coordinated and integrated box loading (such as individual box loading The flow lines are combined according to a predetermined sequence of loading and filling to form an order fulfillment flow line) (Figure 9B block 950). On the one hand, the ordering order of box loading in each box loading flow line is the ordering order of multiple box loading for each out (for example, out) action of the outward lift 150B that generates/feeds into the box loading flow line Defined (see Figure 1E, for example, where the sorting 174 is performed by the vertical box transport 173 of the outward lift 150B).

For an example of a box loading flow line, see Figure 9. There are two outward lifts 150B1 and 150B2. Each lift has a separate box loading flow line COS1, COS2, which is transferred via transfer stations 160TS, 160TSA To the outward conveyor belt 160CB (in other respects, there are any suitable number of outward lifters, and there are any suitable corresponding number of box loading streamlines to set up for loading out and filling). For example, the ordering sequence of the box loading in each box loading streamline COS1, COS2 is from each loading (outward) action of the individual lifts 150B1, 150B2 of the production/body-in-box loading streamline COS1, COS2 The ordering order of multiple box loading is defined (for example, the multiple loading of each lifter unloading action is configured in the ordering order of the filling order). Here, the order fulfillment flow line is defined by the two lifts 150B1 and 15B2; however, in other respects, the order fulfillment flow line is defined by one of the lifts 150B1 and 150B2 and is independent of the lift 150B1. Defined by others in 150B2.

On the one hand, the classification of multiple loads into order/filling sequence is performed before and/or during the pick-up of the lift. For example, the classification before the lifter picks up includes the box unit/pick up surface (such as multiple box loading) transferred by the robot 110 to different transfer decks The interface station shelf of TS 130B transfer station is 7000A~7000L. On the one hand, the timing of the box loading transfer by the robot 110 to the box loading transfer of the transfer station TS is not in sequence; Predetermine the order to fill the order. For example, multi-box loading is placed on one or more deck-level interface stations TS in a sorted configuration (even if the timing of delivery is not in order), so each loading order is in the ordering order (for example, The box units required for the ordering sequence are placed on the interface station TS in a known relationship with the individual interface station TS). As will be described below, in one aspect, the lifter 150 picks up multiple box loads from an interface station TS located at one or more deck levels to feed individual box loading lines COS1, COS2. In one aspect, the loading and filling order of each lifter 150B is a continuous sequence (n) (for example, a single streamline COS1 and COS2 forms a loading and filling) or a continuous jumping sequence (n+i, where i=1 to m, and i corresponds to the number of load flow lines COS1 and COS2 integrated in the load-out and fill), where there are multiple flow lines COS1 and COS2 to form the load-out and fill. In the latter case, the ordering order of each lifting interface station TS (or buffer station BS) matches or relates to the ordering order of other loading streamlines that converge into load-out and fill-out.

For example, Fig. 9 demonstrates loading and unloading, in which two box loading flow lines COS1 and COS2 are integrated to form loading and unloading for customer orders. Here, at least one of the box loading flow lines COS1 and COS2 is related to the predetermined pick-up surface loading order sequence for loading out and filling. For example, a customer order may need to be provided by two lifters 150B1 and 150B2 (Multiple) Box units 1~8. Here, the box units 1 and 3 are output by the lifter 150B1 in the box loading flow line COS1, and the box units 2 and 4 are output to the box loading flow line COS2, so that the boxes are ordered in the order of fulfilling the flow line. The defined alternate way arrives at the output station 160US. According to the order of order, the box loads 7 and 5 are to be transferred to the output conveyor belt 160CB, so that the box unit is handled by the common loading control device LHD of the lift 150B1 from one or more interface station shelves 7000A~7000F. It can be carried and transferred in a single pass of the interface station TS stack while holding the position. In order to efficiently use each lift 150 in the storage and retrieval system 100, the controller (for example, the control server 120) determines which interface station(s) where the box units 5 and 7 are located. The controller sends a command to the lifter, such as the lifter 150B1, which is associated with the interface station TS where the box units 5 and 7 are located to pick up one or more outward box units.

For example, referring to Fig. 9, a customer order may require that the box unit(s) 7 and 5 are transferred to the output conveyor belt 160CB, so that the box unit is transferred from one or more loading handling devices LHD of the lifter 150B1 Different holding positions of the interface station shelf 7000A~7000F can be carried and transferred in a single pass of the interface station TS stack. In order to efficiently use each lift 150 in the storage and retrieval system 100, the controller (for example, the control server 120) determines which interface station(s) where the box units 5 and 7 are located. The controller sends a command to the lifter, such as the lifter 150B1, which is associated with the interface station TS where the box units 5 and 7 are located to pick up one or more outward box units.

On the one hand, in the lift 150B1 from the interface station TS total In the case of the universal rack 7000B to pick up the box units 5 and 7, the lift 150B1 moves one or more loading handling devices LHD, LHD1, LHD2 (and the pickup head 4000A, LHD2) of the lifter in the Z direction 4000B, 4000C, 4000D, 4270), so the transfer arms LHDA and LHDB are roughly located at the level of the interface station shelf 7000B (Figure 10F box 11000). The transfer arms LHDA and LHDB of one or more loading handling devices LHD, LHD1, LHD2 extend in the Y direction (for example, a common transfer arm is extended, as shown in Figure 4A; or two transfer arms extend approximately simultaneously, as shown in Figures 5 and 5A ), so the fingers 4273 are arranged under the box units 5 and 7 between the slats 1210S (Figure 10F box 11010). The lifter 150B1 moves one or more loading handling devices LHD, LHD1, LHD2 in the Z direction, so that the finger 4273 passes through the slats 1210S to lift/pick the box units 5, 7 from the interface station shelf 7000B ( Figure 10F block 11020). The transfer arms LHDA and LHDB are retracted in the Y direction, so that the box units 5 and 7 are placed in the transfer column TC of the lift 150B1 (for example, an open space area, where the loading control device travels along the Z direction and is not affected. Interference from the interface station and the outgoing conveyor) (Figure 10F box 11030). The lifter 150B1 moves one or more loading handling devices LHD, LHD1, LHD2 in the Z direction, so that the transfer arms LHDA, LHDB are roughly at the level of the interface station 160TS of the conveyor belt 160CB (block 11040 in FIG. 10F). The transfer arms LHDA, LHDB of one or more loading handling devices LHD, LHD1, LHD2 extend in the Y direction, so that the box units 5, 7 are roughly placed on the interface station 160TS (Figure 10F block 11050), and lift Lift 150B1 moves one or more in the Z direction Load the handling devices LHD, LHD1, LHD2, so that the fingers 4273 pass through the slats of the interface station 160TS (in a manner similar to that shown in Figure 4B) to lower/place the box units 5, 7 on the shelf of the interface station 160TS ( Figure 10F block 11060). The transfer arms LHDA, LHDB contract in the Y direction, so that the transfer arms LHDA, LHDB are placed in the transfer column TC of the lifter 150B1 (Figure 10F block 11070). Here, all loading stations LST1~LST3 (for example, the holding position of the box unit) in the common platform PFM (for example, in Figure 4A and Figures 5 and 5A, in which the transfer arms LHDA and LHDB are extended/retracted at the same time to achieve a common platform) The pick-up, transfer and placement of the box unit carried are combined with the lifter platform at a common height. On the one hand, with regard to the aforementioned box loading flow lines COS1 and COS2, the box units 6, 8 are transferred from the lifter 150B1 to the outbound conveyor belt 160CB in a manner similar to the above-mentioned transfer of the box unit 5 with respect to the lifter 150B1. , 7. As can be understood, the loading and filling formed by the box loading flow lines COS1 and COS2 includes a mixed box picking surface, which is configured in a predetermined picking surface loading order. On the one hand, the ordering order of streamline picking surfaces 1, 3, 5, 7 (for example, box loading streamline COS1) is combined with picking surfaces 2, 4, 6, 8 from another box loading streamline COS2, and The predetermined pick-up surface loading order sequence 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 to meet the loading and filling. On the one hand, at least one picking surface from another box loading flowline COS2 is combined with the ordering sequence of the streamline picking surface from the box loading flowline COS1 to form a continuous order picking surface that is part of the predetermined picking surface loading order sequence ( For example, pick up faces 1, 2, 3, 4..., as shown in Figure 9).

On the one hand, as noted above, the lift 150 classifies the multiple loading boxes when picking up multiple loading boxes from the interface stations TS located on different deck levels, where the sorting order corresponds to the streamline picking surface (for example, the box loading flow Line COS1, COS2) order order. On the one hand, the multiple transfer arm loading manipulator LHD as in FIG. 5 (and the loading manipulators LHD1 and LHD2 in FIG. 5A that can be operated individually) are picked up from more than one interface station TS in different storage levels 130LA, 130LB And place the box unit, and transfer the box unit to the same or different outgoing conveyor belt transfer station TS (for example, when one or more outgoing conveyor belt transfer stations TS of the common lifter 150 are stacked on top On time). For example only, a customer order may require that the box units 7, 9 are delivered to the conveyor belt 160CB. Again, in order to efficiently use each lift 150 in the storage and retrieval system 100, the controller (for example, the control server 120) determines which interface station(s) where the box units 7 and 9 are located. The controller sends commands to a lifter, such as a lifter 150B1, which is associated with the interface station TS where the box units 7 and 9 are located, to pick up one or more outbound box units in a single pass of the loading handling device LHD. Here, the box units 7 and 9 are located on different shelves 7000A~7000F of different interface stations TS, so that the lifter 150B1 moves one or more loading control devices LHD, LHD1, LHD2 of the lifter in the Z direction (And the pickup heads 4000A, 4000B, 4000C, 4000D, 4270 on it), so the transfer arms LHDA, LHDB are roughly located at the level 130LA, 130LC of the shelf 7000A, 7000B shelf of a certain interface station (Figure 10G box 12000) . One or more transfer arms for loading handling devices LHD, LHD1, LHD2 LHDA and LHDB extend in the Y direction, so that the fingers 4273 are arranged between the slats 1210S and under a certain box unit 7, 9 (Figure 10G box 12010); for example, when the box unit 7 is before the picking box unit 9 It is the box unit 7 when it is being picked up by the upward movement of the lift 150B, or it is the box unit 9 when the box unit 9 is being picked up by the downward movement of the lift 150B before the box unit 7 is picked up. The lift 150B1 moves one or more loading handling devices LHD, LHD1, LHD2 in the Z direction, so that the finger 4273 passes through the slats 1210S to lift/pick a certain box unit from the interface station shelf 7000B 7 , 9 (which in some aspects can be a pick-up surface that includes more than one box unit) (Figure 10G block 12020). The transfer arms LHDA and LHDB contract in the Y direction, so that the box units 7, 9 are placed in the transfer column TC of the lift 150B1 (which is, for example, an open space area, where the loading operating device runs along the Z direction and does not Interference from the interface station and the outgoing conveyor belt) (Figure 10G block 12030). The lift 150B1 moves one or more loading control devices LHD, LHD1, LHD2 in the Z direction, so that the transfer arms LHDA, LHDB are roughly located at the other box units 7, 9 of the interface station shelf 7000A, 7000B Level (Figure 10G block 12035), and pick up another box unit in the above-mentioned manner (Figure 10G block 12010, 12020, 12030). The lift 150B1 moves one or more loading handling devices LHD, LHD1, LHD2 in the Z direction, so that the transfer arms LHDA, LHDB are roughly located at the level of the interface station 160TS of the conveyor belt 160CB (Figure 10G block 12035). The transfer arms LHDA, LHDB of one or more loading handling devices LHD, LHD1, LHD2 extend in the Y direction, so as to enlarge the box units 7, 9 It is placed on the interface station 160TS (Figure 10G block 12050), and the lift 150B1 moves one or more loading control devices LHD, LHD1, LHD2 in the Z direction, so that the finger 4273 passes through the interface station 160TS Slats (in a manner similar to that illustrated in Figure 4B) are used to lower/place the box units 7, 9 on the shelf of the interface station 160TS (Figure 10G block 12060). On the one hand, according to the pre-determined order shipment sequence used to establish the hybrid pallet MPL (Figure 1C), the box units 7, 9 are approximately integrated into units at the same time and placed on the interface station 160TS; on the other hand, the box units 7, 9 Sequentially placed on the interface station 160TS at different times, such as one after the other, and/or placed on a different outbound conveyor belt interface station 160TS (for example, when one or more of the common lifts 150 go out When the transfer station TS of the conveyor belt is stacked one on top of the other). The transfer arms LHDA and LHDB contract in the Y direction, so that the transfer arms LHDA and LHDB are placed in the transfer column TC of the lift 150B1 (Figure 10G block 12070).

On the one hand, the common loading handling devices LHD, LHD1, LHD2 are constructed with a common transfer arm to pick up/place one or more box units from the shelf of the multi-interface station TS, where the box units are in operation (for example, in During transportation on the lifter) are sorted and/or aligned on the loading handling devices LHD, LHD1, LHD2. For example, the outer box units 5 and 7 are on the interface station shelves 7000B and 7000B of different storage levels 130LA and 130LB. Again, in order to efficiently use each lift 150 in the storage and retrieval system 100, the controller (for example, the control server 120) determines which boundary (in which) the box units 5 and 7 are located. Noodle stand on. The controller sends commands to the lifter, such as the lifter 150B1, which is associated with the interface station TS where the box units 5 and 7 are located, to pick up one or more outgoing box units in a single pass of the loading handling device LHD . Here, for example, referring to Figures 9, 10, 10A~10E, the loading handling devices LHD, LHD1, LHD2 of the lift 150B1 pick up the box unit 7 (which can be more than one box unit) from the interface station shelf 7000B Pick up the surface) in the same way as described above (Figure 10H box 13000). The box unit(s) 7 are lined up on the loading handling device toward the back of the payload area 4110PL, as will be described in more detail below (Figure 10H block 13005). The loading handling devices LHD, LHD1, LHD2 then travel along the mast 4002 in the common pass of the vertical stacking interface station TS, and use the common transfer arm LHDA to pick up the box unit 5 from the different interface station shelf 7000D, so Then the box unit(s) 7, 5 are located adjacent to each other on the common transfer arm LHDA (block 13010 in FIG. 10H). As can be understood, in one aspect, the controller 120 is configured to pick up the box unit(s) 5, 7 according to the predetermined order shipment sequence used to form the hybrid pallet MPL and according to any suitable rules, for example, This rule is, for example, contrary to the rule that the box unit(s) are placed at the interface station 160TS of the conveyor belt 160CB.

Here, the loading handling devices LHD, LHD1, LHD2 grasp both the box units 7, 5 in the payload area 4110PL in the following manner (FIG. 10H block 13020). The loading controls LHD, LHD1, LHD2 travel along the mast 4002 and form an interface with one or more output lifts 150B1 (Figure 10H block 13030). Loading control device LHD, LHD1, LHD2 separate the box units 7, 5 in the payload area 4110PL, as described in more detail below, so that the box unit(s) are separated in any suitable way, for example, such The box units 5 are lined up toward the front of the payload area 4110PL, and the box units 7 are lined up toward the back of the payload area 4110PL (block 13040 in FIG. 10H). At least the box unit 5 is transferred to the interface station 160TS (Figure 10H block 13050). The loading handling devices LHAD, LHD1, LHD2 contract the transfer arms LHDA, LHDB to return the box unit(s) 7 to the payload area 4110PL (Figure 10H box 13060) and grab the box unit 7 (Figure 10H box 13020). The box unit(s) 7 are transported to another interface station 160TSA of the output lift 150B1 (or after the box unit(s) 5 are placed in the interface station 160TS in order, they are placed in the same interface station 160TS) (Figure 10H box 13030), aligned to the front of the payload area 4110PL (Figure 10H block 13040), transferred to the interface stations 160TS, 160TSA, as described above (Figure 10H block 13050). In other respects, depending on the predetermined output sequence of the box units, the loading handling devices LHD, LHD1, LHD2 place (multiple) box units 7, 5 in a common place/position, for example, at the same time in a single lifter 150B1 Interface station.

Referring now to FIG. 6, as noted above, the robot 110 includes a transfer arm 110PA, which performs the transfer from the stacked storage space 130S, the interface station TS, the peripheral buffer station BS, BSD (which is at least partially composed of one or more rails 1210A in the Z direction). ~1210C, 1200) the picking and placement of the box unit (for example, the storage space, interface station and/or surrounding buffer station can be relative to the pylon reference frame REF2 or the robot reference frame REF And through the dynamic positioning of the box unit to further define the X and Y directions, as described above). As noted above, the robot 110 transports box units between each lift module 150 and each storage space 130S on the individual storage level 130L. The robot 110 includes a frame 110F, which has a driving area 110DR and a payload area 110PL. The drive zone 110DR includes one or more drive wheel motors, each of which is connected to an individual drive wheel(s) 202. In this regard, the robot 110 includes two driving wheels 202 located on opposite sides of the robot 110 and at the end 110E1 (such as the first longitudinal end) of the robot 110 to support the robot 110 on a suitable driving surface; however, In other respects, any suitable number of driving wheels are provided on the robot 110. On the one hand, each driving wheel 202 is independently controlled, so that the robot 110 can steer through the differential rotation of the driving wheel 202; on the other hand, it can be coupled with the rotation of the driving wheel 202 so as to be at approximately the same speed. Spin. Any suitable wheel 201 is mounted on the frame on the opposite side of the robot 110, at the end 110E2 (such as the second longitudinal end) of the robot 110 to support the robot 110 on the driving surface. In one aspect, the wheel 201 is a freely rotating universal wheel, which allows the robot 110 to pivot through the differential rotation of the driving wheel 202 to change the traveling direction of the robot 110. In other respects, the wheel 201 is a steerable wheel that is steered under the control of, for example, the robot controller 110C (which is configured to control the robot 110, as described herein) to change the traveling direction of the robot 110. In one aspect, the robot 110 includes one or more guide wheels 110GW, which, for example, are located at one or more corners of the frame 110F. The guide wheel 110GW can be connected with the storage structure on the transfer deck 130B and/or at the interface or transfer station 130 forms an interface, such as an interface with a guide rail (not shown) in the picking channel 130A, to form an interface with the lift module 150 to guide the robot 110 and/or the positioning robot 110 to place and/or pick up one or more The predetermined distance between the positions of the multiple box units is, for example, as described in US Patent Application No. 13/326,423 filed on December 15, 2011, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. As noted above, the robot 110 can enter the picking channel 130A with different facing directions to access the storage space 130S located on both sides of the picking channel 130A. For example, the robot 110 may enter the picking channel 130A and use the end 110E2 to guide the travel direction; or the robot may enter the picking channel 130A and use the end 110E1 to guide the travel direction.

The payload area 110PL of the robot 110 includes a payload bed 110PB, a fence or reference piece 110PF, a transfer arm 110PA, and a push rod or piece 110PR. In one aspect, the payload bed 110PB includes one or more rollers 110RL, which are mounted on the frame 110F laterally (for example, relative to the longitudinal axis LX of the robot 110), so that one or more of the rollers carried in the payload area 110PL Each box unit can move longitudinally along the longitudinal axis of the robot (for example, relative to the predetermined position of the frame/payload area and/or the reference of one or more box units to be aligned), for example, the box unit is positioned in the reward A predetermined position in the load area 110PL and/or relative to other box units in the payload area 110PL (for example, the longitudinal front/rear sides of the box units are aligned). On the one hand, the drum 110RL can be driven by any suitable motor (for example, rotating around its individual axis) to move the box unit in the payload area 110PL. In other respects, the robot 110 includes one or more longitudinally movable propulsion rods (not shown) Show), to push the box unit on the drum 110RL to move the box unit(s) to a predetermined position in the payload area 110PL. The longitudinally movable push rod may be substantially similar to, for example, the one described in US Patent Application No. 13/326,952 filed on December 15, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The propulsion rod 110PR is movable in the Y direction (relative to the reference frame REF of the robot 110) to carry out with the pick-up head 270 of the fence 110PF and/or the transfer arm 110PA (multiple) box units are in the payload area 110PL The method is described in U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/107,135 (Attorney File No. 1127P015035-US(-#1) filed on January 23, 2015, with the title "Storage and Retrieval System" "Transporter"), which was previously used as a reference.

Still referring to FIG. 6, the box unit is placed on and removed from the payload bed 110PB with the transfer arm 110PA. The transfer arm 110PA includes a lifting mechanism or unit 200 roughly located in the payload area 110PL, for example, such as U.S. Patent Provisional Application No. 62/107,135 (Attorney File No. 1127P015035-) filed on January 23, 2015. US (-#1), titled "Storage and Retrieval System Transporter"), the entire previous section is here for reference. The lifting mechanism 200 provides both coarse and fine positioning of the picking surface carried by the robot 110 to be vertically lifted to the position in the storage structure 130 to pick and/or place the picking surface and/or individual box units in the storage space 130S (For example, on the individual storage level 130L where the robot 110 is located). For example, the lifting mechanism 200 provides multiple elevated storage shelf levels 130LS1~130LS4, TL1, TL2 that can be accessed from a common pick-up channel or interface station deck 1200S (see Figures 1A, 2B, 3B, for example) To pick and put Set the box unit.

The lifting mechanism 200 is constructed so as to perform the combined robot axis movement (for example, the propulsion rod 110PR, the lifting mechanism 200, the pick-up head extension, such as the aforementioned longitudinally movable propulsion rod (multiple) front/rear alignment mechanism approximately simultaneously The combined move), so the different/multiple SKU or multiple pickup payloads are manipulated by the robot. In one aspect, the actuation of the lifting mechanism 200 is independent of the actuation of the push rod 110PR, as will be described below. The decoupling of the axis of the lifting mechanism 200 and the propulsion rod 110PR provides a combined pick/place sequence, which can reduce the pick/place cycle time, increase the throughput of the storage and retrieval system, and/or increase the storage of the storage and retrieval system Density, as described above. For example, the lifting mechanism 200 provides multiple levels of elevated storage shelves that can be accessed from a common picking channel and/or interface station deck 1200S to pick and place box units, as described above.

The lifting mechanism can be constructed in any suitable manner, so that the pickup head 270 of the robot 110 moves bidirectionally along the Z axis (for example, reciprocating in the Z direction, see FIG. 6). In one aspect, the lifting mechanism includes a mast 200M, and the pick-up head 270 is movably mounted on the mast 200M in any suitable manner. The mast is movably installed on the frame in any suitable manner, so as to be movable along the side axis LT of the robot 110 (for example, in the Y direction). In one aspect, the frame includes guide rails 210A and 210B, and the mast 200 is slidably mounted here. The transfer arm drivers 250A, 250B can be installed on the frame to move the transfer arm 110PA at least along the lateral axis LT (such as the Y axis) and the Z axis. In one aspect, the transfer arm drivers 250A, 250B include an extension motor 301 and a lifting motor 302. The extension motor 301 can be mounted on the frame 110F and coupled to the mast 200M in any suitable manner, such as by a belt and pulley drive 260A, a screw drive drive (not shown), and/or a gear drive drive (not shown) To couple. The lift motor 302 can be mounted on the mast 200M and coupled to the pickup 270 by any suitable transmission, such as a belt and pulley transmission 271, a screw drive transmission (not shown) and/or a gear drive transmission (Not shown) to couple. For example, the mast 200M includes guides, such as guide rails 280A, 280B, and the pick-up head 270 is installed along the guide rails 280A, 280B to guide movement in the Z direction along the guide rails 280A, 280B. In other respects, the pickup head is mounted on the mast in any suitable manner to guide the movement in the Z direction. Compared with the transmission 271, the belt 271B of the belt and pulley transmission 271 is fixedly coupled to the pickup head 270, so as the belt 271 moves (for example, driven by the motor 302), the pickup head 270 moves along with the belt 271 The driving rails 280A and 280B are bidirectionally driven in the Z direction. As can be understood, when the screw driver is used to drive the pickup head 270 in the Z direction, the nut can be installed on the pickup head 270, so as the screw is rotated by the motor 302, the engagement between the nut and the screw makes the pickup The head 270 moves. Similarly, in the case of a gear drive transmission, a rack and pinion or any other suitable gear drive can drive the pickup head 270 in the Z direction. In other respects, any suitable linear actuator is used to move the pickup head in the Z direction. The transmission 260A for the extension motor 301 is generally similar to that described herein with respect to the transmission 271.

Still referring to FIG. 6, the pickup head 270 of the robot 110 is in the machine The person 110 and the box unit pickup/placement position (for example, storage space 130S, surrounding buffer station BS, BSD and/or interface station TS) (see Figures 2A~3B) to transfer box units, and in other respects, The box unit is transferred substantially directly between the robot 110 and the lift module(s) 150. In one aspect, the pickup head 270 includes a base member 272, one or more prongs or fingers 273A-273E, and one or more actuators 274A, 274B. The base member 272 is mounted on the mast 200M, as described above, so as to ride along the guide rails 280A, 280B. One or more prongs 273A~273E are mounted on the base member 272 at the proximal end of the prongs 273A~273E, so that the distal end (such as the free end) of the prongs 273A~273E is suspended from the base member 272 Reach out. Referring to FIG. 1B again, the tines 273A to 273E are constructed to be inserted between the slats 1210S forming the support plane CUSP of the box unit of the storage shelf.

One or more prongs 273A to 273E are movably mounted on the base member 272 (for example, on a slider/rail similar to the above), so as to be movable in the Z direction. In one aspect, any number of prongs are mounted on the base member 272; and in the aspect illustrated in the figure, for example, there are five prongs 273A-273E mounted on the base member 272. Any number of tines 273A to 273E are movably mounted on the base member 272; the aspect illustrated in the figure, for example, the outermost (relative to the center line CL of the pickup head 270) tines 273A and 273E are movably installed on the base member 272, and the remaining prongs 273B~273D are not movable relative to the base member 272.

In this regard, the pickup head 270 uses as few as three prongs 273B~273D to transfer smaller-sized box units (and/or grouped box units) to and from the robot 110, and up to five prongs 273A-273E to transfer larger-sized box units (and/or Groups of box units) to and from the robot 110. In other aspects, less than three prongs (for example, more than two prongs are movably mounted on the base member 272) are used to transfer smaller-sized box units. For example, on one hand, all but one tines 273A~273E are movably mounted on the base member, so that it transfers to and from the robot 110 without disturbing the smallest box such as other box units on the storage shelf The width of the unit is approximately the distance X1 between the slats 1210S (see Fig. 1B).

The non-movable tines 373B-373D define the pickup plane SP of the pickup head 270 and are used when transferring all sizes of box units (and/or the pickup surface); while the movable tines 373A, 373E are relative to the non-movable The fork teeth 373B~373D are selectively raised and lowered (for example, in the Z direction with actuators 274A, 274B) to transfer larger box units (and/or picking surfaces). Still referring to FIG. 6, the example shown is that all the prongs 273A to 273E are positioned so that the box unit support surface SF of each prong 273A to 273E coincides with the pickup plane SP of the pickup head 270; however, as can be understood, The two end prongs 273A, 273E are movable, so as to be positioned lower relative to the other prongs 273B-273D (for example, in the Z direction), so that the box unit support surface SF of the prongs 273A, 273E is offset On the pickup plane SP (for example, below), the tines 273A, 273E do not touch the one or more box units carried by the pickup head 270 and do not interfere with any storage space 130S or any Unpicked box units in other suitable box unit holding positions.

The movement of the fork teeth 273A to 273E in the Z direction is performed by one or more actuators 274A, 274B installed at any suitable position of the transfer arm 110PA. In one aspect, one or more actuators 274A, 274B are mounted on the base member 272 of the pickup head 270. The one or more actuators are any suitable actuators (such as linear actuators), which can move one or more prongs 273A to 273E in the Z direction. For example, in the aspect illustrated in FIG. 6, each movable fork 273A, 273E has an actuator 274A, 274B, so that each movable fork is independently movable in the Z direction. In other respects, an actuator can be coupled to more than one movable tines, so that more than one movable tines move in the Z direction as a unit.

As can be understood, one or more prongs 273A to 273E are movably installed on the base member 272 of the pickup head 270 to provide complete support for the large box unit and/or the pickup surface on the pickup head 270. It also provides the ability to pick and place small box units without interfering with other box units positioned on, for example, storage shelves, interface stations and/or peripheral buffer stations. The ability to pick up and place variable-size box units without interfering with other box units on storage shelves, interface stations, and/or surrounding buffer stations reduces the size of the gap GP between box units on the storage shelves ( See Figure 1A). As can be understood, because the tines 273B to 273D are fixed to the base member 272, as the box unit and/or the picking surface are lifted and lowered, the holding positions of the box unit are moved by the lifting motors 301, 301A. Do it separately, there is no repeated movement when picking/placement of the box unit.

Referring again to FIG. 6, note again that the push rod 110PR can move independently of the transfer arm 110PA. The push rod 110PR is movably mounted to the frame in any suitable manner (for example, such as a guide rod and slider configuration), and is movably installed in the Y direction (for example, approximately parallel to the extension/contraction direction of the transfer arm 110PA) Direction) and actuated. In one aspect, at least one guide rod 360 is installed in the payload area 110PL so as to extend laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis LX of the frame 110F. The propulsion rod 110PR may include at least one sliding member 360S configured to engage and slide along the individual guide rod 360. In one aspect, at least the guide rod/slider configuration confines the propulsion rod 110PR to the payload area 110PL. The propulsion rod 110PR is actuated by any suitable motor and transmission, such as the motor 303 and the transmission 303T. In one aspect, the motor 303 is a rotary motor, and the transmission 303T is a belt and pulley transmission. In other aspects, the propulsion rod 110PR may be actuated by a linear actuator having substantially no rotating member.

The push rod 110PR is arranged in the payload area 110PL so as to be substantially perpendicular to the drum 110RL, and in this way, the push rod 110PR does not interfere with the pickup head 270. As shown in FIG. 10B, the robot 110 is in a transportation configuration, in which at least one box unit is supported on the roller 110RL (for example, the rollers are combined to form a payload bed). In the transportation configuration, the fork tines 273A~273E of the pickup head 270 intersect with the roller 110RL and (along the Z direction) are located under the box unit support plane RSP of the roller 110RL (see FIG. 10). The propulsion rod 110PR is constructed with slits 351 (Figure 10C), and the tines 273A~273E pass through these slits. The slit 351 is provided with sufficient clearance to allow the tines to move under the box unit support plane RSP and allow Push rod 110PR can move freely without being interfered by fork teeth 273A~273E. The push rod 110PR also includes one or more openings through which the drum 110RL passes. The openings are sized to allow the drum to rotate freely about its individual axis. As can be understood, the independently-operable push rod 110PR does not interfere with the extension of the roller 110PR, the extension of the transfer arm 110PA in the lateral direction (for example, the Y direction), and the lifting/lowering of the pickup head 270.

As noted above, refer to the robot 110 and the loading manipulators LHD, LHD1, LHD2, because the propulsion rod 110PR is a separate and independent axis of the robot 110 and/or the loading manipulators LHD, LHD1, LHD2, and its operation is not affected by the pickup head 270, 4270 extension and the interference of the lifting axis, so the push rod 110PR can be operated approximately at the same time as the lifting and/or extension of the transfer arm 110PA, LHDA, and LHDB. The combined axis movement (such as the extension of the propulsion rod 110PR, 4110PR and the transfer arm 110PA, LHDA, LHDB and/or simultaneous movement of the lifting axis) provides increased payload handling throughput, and is in the pick-up channel or vertical of the interface station TS In one common pass of the stack, multiple picking is performed from a common picking channel or one or more interface station shelves 7000A~7000F for two or more box units (for example, according to a predetermined loading order). For example, referring to Figures 10 and 10A, during the multiple pick/place sequence of the transfer arm 110PA, LHDA, LHDB, the push rods 110PR, 4110PR are pre-positioned (with the box unit(s) and/or the picking surface facing right). It is picked up and transferred to the payload area 110PL, 4110PL) to the contact depth X3 (for example, when the box unit(s) and/or the picking surface CU, 7 are picked/placed from the storage space or other box unit holding position The depth of the tines occupied at the time) has a predetermined distance X2 Position (Figure 14 box 1100) (note that although the distance/depth X2, X3, X4 are demonstrated here relative to the loading control device of Figures 10~10E, please note that the distance/depth X2, X3, X4 are also applicable to the robot 110 ). The distance X2 is the minimized distance, which only allows sufficient clearance between the push rod 110PR and the box unit(s) to allow the box unit(s) to sit on the drum 110RL, 4110RL. As the box unit(s) CU, 7 are lowered onto the rollers 110RL, 4110RL (Figure 14 box 1110), when compared to the conventional transport vehicles from the rear side 402, 4402 of the payload area 110PL, 4110PL (relative to Y When the lateral direction of the direction and the distance X4 moved by the taking sides 401, 4401), the distance X2 that the push rods 110PR, 4110PR travel to contact the box unit(s) CU, 7 is a short distance X2. When the box unit(s) CU, 7 are lowered by the transfer arms 110PA, LHDA, LHDB and transferred to the rollers 110RL, 4110RL so as to be individually supported by the rollers 110RL, 4110RL, the push rods 110PR, 4110PR are actuated forward ( The box unit(s) CU, 7 are aligned with respect to the lateral sides of the payload areas 110PL, 4110PL and the taking sides 401, 4401 (Figure 14 block 1120). For example, the push rods 110PR and 4110PR can push the box unit(s) CU laterally in the Y direction, so that the box unit(s) contact the fence 110PF, 4110PF (which is located in the payload area 110PL, 4110PL). Take the sides 401 and 4401, so that the box unit reference datum can be formed through the contact between the box unit(s) CU, 7 and the fences 110PF, 4110PF). On the one hand, the push rods 110PR, 4110PR can engage or otherwise grasp the box unit(s) CU, 7 during transportation of the box unit (for example, to maintain the box unit(s) against the fence 110PF, 4110PF) in order to maintain the reference frame REF or reference frame REFL (Figures 5B and 6) of each of the box units CU, 7 and the robot 110 and the loading and handling devices LHD, LHD1, LHD2 (Figures 5B and 6) in a predetermined spatial relationship ( Figure 14 block 1130). When placing the box unit(s), the push rods 110PR and 4110PR are withdrawn from contacting the box unit(s) CU, 7 after lining the box unit(s) CU, 7 against the fence 110PF, 4110PF. (For example in the Y direction) (block 1140 in Figure 14). Approximately immediately after the push rods 110PR and 4110PR decouple the box unit(s) CU, 7, the transfer arm 110PA, 4110PA has one or more of the lifting axis (for example, in the Z direction) and the extension axis (for example, in the Y direction) Many of them are actuated approximately at the same time as the retracting movement of the push rods 110PR and 4110PR (block 1150 in FIG. 14). On the one hand, when the propulsion rod is withdrawn from the contact box unit(s) CU, 7, both the lifting and extension axes are activated; on the other hand, one of the lifting and extension axes is activated. move. As can be understood, the lifting axis and/or extension axis of the transfer arm 110PA, 4110PA and the push rod 110PR, 4110PR move simultaneously with the withdrawal, and the pusher moves to line up the box unit(s) CU, 7 to reduce the distance , The time required for the transfer of the box unit(s) CU, 7 to the robot 110 and the loading and handling devices LHD, LHD1, LHD2 is reduced, and the throughput of the storage and retrieval system 100 is increased.

As described herein, referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the robot 110 is configured to transport the picking surface between the picking channel 130A and the transfer/transfer station TS and the buffer station BS. As will be described below, the robot 110 is configured to transfer any suitable number of box units from the picking channel 130A. The first pick-up surface PCF1, and the second pick-up surface PCF2 different from the first pick-up surface PCF1 is placed on the common surface CS of the transfer/transfer station TS (or buffer station BS) common to the robot 110 and the lifter 150B ( For example, on the common surface CS of rack shelf RTS). As will also be described below, in one aspect, at least one box unit possessed by the first and second pickup surfaces is common to both the first and second pickup surfaces. On the one hand, as described herein, the robot 110 is configured to establish a first pick-up surface in multiple pick/place sequences, such as traversing from the first picking position in the picking channel 130A to move the second picking surface It is established during the transfer/transfer station TS. The controller 110C of the robot 110 is configured to establish the first picking surface (or any other picking surface picked up by the robot 110) during the operation. On the one hand, the robot 110 is also configured to pick up/create a picking surface PCF3 that is different from the first picking surface PCF1, and place the different picking surface PCF3 on the shelf of the transfer/transfer station TA (or buffer station BS) (for example Another rack shelf (RTS) stacked above or below the rack shelf forming the common surface CS). The robot 110 includes box manipulation, as described herein, and is configured to pick up the second picking surface PCF2 (from the box unit forming a different picking surface PCF3) from the rack shelf RTS, and place the second picking surface PCF2 on the common On the surface CS. As can be understood, in one aspect, the lifter 150B is configured to pick up the second picking surface PCF2 from the transfer/transfer station TS. In other respects, as described herein, the lifter 150 is configured to pick up the third pick from the common surface CS of the transfer/transfer station TS (or buffer station BS) (for example, the common surface of the rack transfer shelf RTS) Face PCF4, where the third pickup face PCF4 is different from the first and second pickup faces PCF1, PCF2, and The common box is common to the first, second, and third pickup surfaces PCF1, PCF2, PCF4.

In one aspect of the disclosed embodiment, as can be understood, in the multiple pick/place sequence, the multiple box units are carried and manipulated in the payload areas 110PL and 4110PL of the robot 110 or the lifter 150 at approximately the same time to further Increase the throughput of the storage and retrieval system 100 and perform multiple pick/place sequences according to the predetermined order shipping sequence. Referring also to FIG. 1, the robot 110 or the lifter 150B receives pick and place commands from the control server 120 (and/or the warehouse management system 2500) for example, and the robot controller 110C executes or the lifter 150B executes those commands ( For example, under the control of the control server 120 or the lifting controller) to form a regular multiple picking. Here, the robot 110, for example, enters the common passage 130A1 from the transfer deck 130B to make a single or common passage through the picking passage 130A1; during this time, the robot 110 picks up two or more boxes according to a predetermined order shipment sequence The unit (Figure 15 block 1201A), or the lifter moves the loading manipulators LHD, LHD1, LHD2 in the Z direction to pick up two or more boxes from one or more transfer stations TS according to a predetermined order shipping sequence Unit (Figure 14A block 1201AB). On one hand, the manipulation of the box units CU, 7, and 5 is the classification of the box units (in other words, picking and placing the box units according to a predetermined load-out sequence), where the boxes are positioned on the transfer arms 110PA, LHDA, LHDB to pick up/ Place the box units; and/or be positioned so that the box units are not transferred and are maintained on the transfer arms 110PA, LHDA, and LHDB, while other box units are transferred to and from the transfer arms 110PA, LHDA, and LHDB. Here, the robot 110 is in the arrow Travel in the direction of XC through the common picking channel 130A1, and stop at the predetermined storage space 130S1, where the robot 110 uses the common transfer arm 110PA to pick up one or more box units from the predetermined storage space 130S1 (Figure 15 block 120B ); or the loading control devices LHD, LHD1, LHD2 travel in the Z direction and stop at the predetermined shelf 7000A~7000F of the interface station TS according to the predetermined order delivery sequence, or the loading control devices LHD, LHD1, LHD2 are here Then use the common transfer arms LHDA, LHDB to pick up one or more box units from the predetermined shelves 7000A~7000F of the interface station TS (Figure 14A block 1201BB), where the box units are in the common transfer arms 110PA, LHDA, LHDB The placement of the above corresponds to the predetermined order delivery sequence, which will be described in more detail below (for example, the box units are classified by the robot 110 during operation, such as during transportation, or during the single or one-way passage of the lift 150 /During the traverse, without reversing the direction relative to the interface station or doing it in one movement; note that the vertical movement of the lift 150 is not necessarily a continuous vertical movement).

Take an example of box manipulation on the robot 110 or the lift 150, see also Figures 5B, 6, 10, 10A~10E (note that the box units 5 and 7 form an interface with the payload area of the lift, It should be understood that the box units 5 and 7 form an interface similar to the payload area of the robot in the example described here. The box unit(s) 7 can be picked up from the holding position of the box unit (for example, from a common pick Storage space 130S in the aisle or shelf 7000D from the interface station for multiple picking; and in other respects, from any suitable lifter interface station TS and/or box unit located in the picking aisle or on the transfer deck Buffer station BS), and transfer to the payload area 110PL, 4110PL (Figure 14A block 1201BB and Figure 15 block 1201B). As the box unit(s) 7 are being transferred to the payload areas 110PL and 4110PL, the propulsion rods 110PR and 4110PR can be pre-positioned (block 1204B in Figure 14A and block 1204 in Figure 15) adjacent to the fences 110PF and 4110PF, so Then when the box unit(s) 7 is lowered to transfer to the drum 110RL, 4110RL, the push rods 110PR, 4110PR are positioned between the box unit(s) 7 and the fences 110PF, 4110PF (Figure 14A box 1205B and Figure 15 box 1205). Actuate the push rods 110PR, 4110PR to push the box unit(s) 7 (which stay on the rollers 110RL, 4110RL) toward the back (for example, the back) 402, 4402 of the payload area 110PL, 4110PL in the Y direction, and so on. The box unit 7 contacts the alignment surfaces 273JS, 4273JS of the fork teeth 273A~273E, 4273A, 4273E (Figure 10), and is aligned on the back 402 of the payload area 110PL (Figure 14A block 1210B and Figure 15 block 1210) ).

On the one hand, according to the predetermined order shipment sequence, the robot 110 then traverses the common picking channel 130A1 in the same direction XC (for example, in this way, all the box units are picked up by the robot traveling in a single direction by regular multiple picking. 110 was picked up during the common passage of the picking channel) and stopped in another predetermined storage space 130S; or according to the predetermined order delivery sequence, the loading control devices LHD, LHD1, LHD2 then cross the mast 4002 in the same direction ( For example, in this case, all box units are picked up by the loading manipulators LHD, LHD1, and LHD2 traveling in a single direction in the common passage of the interface station TS of the vertical stack with regular multiple picking), and stop at the interface station TS Another different predetermined shelf 7000A~7000F. As noted above, during the transportation of the box unit(s) between the box unit holding positions (including the storage space and the interface station shelf 7000A~7000F), the push rods 110PR and 4110PR are maintained in contact (for example, grasping) The box unit(s) 7, so that the box unit(s) 7 are on the back 402, 4402 (and/or in the payload area 110PL, 4110PL) relative to the robot 110 reference frame REF or the lift 150B1 reference frame REFL The predetermined longitudinal position in the X direction) is maintained at the predetermined position (block 1215B in Fig. 14A and block 1215 in Fig. 15). For example, in order to pick up consecutive box units from the other storage space 130S2 of the common picking channel 130A1 or another interface station shelf 7000B, the push rods 110PR and 4110PR move in the Y direction to decouple the box unit(s) 7, and actuate the lifting and extension axes of the transfer arms 110PA, LHDA, LHDB to retrieve other box units 5 (or in other respects, from other storage spaces 130S2 or other interface station shelves 7000B) For example, any suitable lifter/handover interface station TS and/or buffer/handover station BS, as noted above) (Figure 14A block 1220B and Figure 15 block 1220). While the box unit(s) 5 is being picked up, the push rods 110PR and 4110PR are positioned in the Y direction adjacent to the backs 402 and 4402 of the payload areas 110PL and 4110PL, so that they are positioned in the box unit 7 and the fork 273A ~273E, 4273A ~ 4273E between the aligned surfaces 273JS, 4273JS (Figure 14A box 1225B and Figure 15 box 1225). The box unit(s) 5 is transferred to the payload area and lowered/placed on the rollers 110RL and 4110RL (block 1230B in Figure 14A and box 1230 in Figure 15), so that the box units 7, 5 are arranged along the Y axis with each other . Actuate the push rods 110PR and 4110PR in the Y direction to push the box units 7, 5 toward the fence 110PF, The 4110PF aligns the box units 7, 5 forward (Figure 14A box 1234B and Figure 15 box 1234), and grabs/holds the box units 7, 5 for transportation (Figure 14A box 1235B and Figure 15 box 1235). As can be understood, on one hand, the box units 7, 5 are placed together in the holding position of the box unit to form a unit; on the other hand, the box units 7, 5 are classified, such as being transported to and placed in a common box unit The separation of the holding positions, the holding positions of different box units, or the different interface stations 160TS, 160TSA (block 1240B in Fig. 14A and block 1240 in Fig. 15) are described in more detail below. For example, referring also to FIGS. 7-9, the robot 110 carrying the regular multi-pick payload transfers the regular multi-pick box unit to one or more interface stations TS corresponding to the output lifts 150B1, 150B2 (It includes buffer shelves 7000A~7000L).

As can be understood, on the one hand, when the robot 110 "parks side by side" into the interface station TS (Figure 7) or transfers to the dock 130BD (Figure 8), the high-speed robot travel path HSTP ( The spacing between the robots on FIG. 2A) allows the robot that forms an interface with the interface station TS to slow down and transfer to the interface station TS without substantially no interference from another robot 110 traveling along the transfer deck 130B and/ Or interfere with it. In other respects, the robot traveling on the transfer deck can drive the robot that bypasses the transfer interface station, because the transfer deck(s) 130B are generally open and configured for the robot 110 to traverse and follow indefinitely ( Multiple) transfer deck 130B, as described above. For example, the multi-pick box unit is placed on the interface of the lifter 150B1 and 150B2/the common buffer shelf of the transfer station 7000A~7000L. In the case of the same position, the robot 110 places the first box unit 5 (for example, it corresponds to the picking surface 7 of FIG. 9, which in this example includes a single box unit) in the first position of the buffer shelf 7000B, and places The second box unit 7 (for example, it corresponds to the picking surface 5 of FIG. 9, which in this example includes a single box unit) is placed in the second position of the buffer shelf 7000B. In the case that the box unit for multiple picking is placed in the common box unit holding position, the robot 110 places the two box units 7, 5 as units (such as the picking surface), for example, in the common position of the buffer shelf 7000A (for example , Which corresponds to the pick-up surface 9 of Fig. 9, which in this example includes two box units).

When the box units 7 and 5 are classified (Figure 15 box 1250) to be placed in the separate position of the common box holding position, or in the common interface station 160TS, 160TSA (for example, for subsequent but temporally separated placement (multiple) ) Box unit) or in the case of different box holding positions, the box units 7, 5 are separated from each other in the payload areas 110PL and 4110PL. For example, the pick-up heads 270, 4270 of the transfer arm 110PA, LHDA, LHDB can move in the Z direction to lift the box units 7, 5 from the rollers 110RL, 4110RL enough to allow the propelling rods 110PR, 4110PR to pass (multiple) The volume under the box unit (Figure 16 block 1250A). As the box units 7, 5 are lifted, the propulsion rods 110PR, 4110PR are positioned along the Y direction, so as to be positioned between the box units 7, 5 (see Figure 10E) (Figure 16 block 1250B). Lower the pick-up heads 270, 4270, so that the box units 7, 5 are transferred to the rollers 110RL, 4110RL, and then the push rod is inserted between the box units 7, 5 (Figure 16 box 1250C). Push rod 110PR, 4110PR moves in the Y direction (for example, to separate the box unit(s)), and moves the box unit(s) 7 toward the backs 402 and 4402 of the payload area 110PL and 4110PL (for example, against the forks 273A~273E, 4273A~4273E aligned surfaces 273JS, 4273JS or any other suitable positions); and the box unit 5 is maintained in front of the payload areas 110PL, 4110PL and adjacent to the fences 110PF, 4110PF (for example, as shown in Figure 10C Show) (Figure 16 block 1250D). As can be understood, when the box unit is maintained against the aligned surfaces 273JS and 4273JS of the tines during transportation, the push rod moves in the Y direction (for example, to separate the box unit(s)) to separate the box unit(s) ) The box unit 5 moves toward the front 401, 4401 of the payload area 110PL, 4110PL (for example, against the fence 110PF, 4110PF or any other suitable position); and the box unit 7 is maintained in the payload area 110PL, 4110PL It is adjacent to the aligned surfaces 273JS, 4273JS. The push rods 110PR and 4110PR can also be moved in the Y direction to rearrange the box unit(s) 5 against the fence 110PF, 4110PF to position the box unit(s) on the prongs 273A~273E, 4273A~4273E Place it in the holding position of the box unit (Block 1250E in Figure 16). As can be understood, in terms of the box unit(s) 7 roughly positioned against the alignment surfaces 273JS, 4273JS of the prongs 273A~273E, 4273A~4273E (for example, the picking heads 270, 4270), the box(s) The unit 5 can be placed in the holding position of the box unit without substantially no interference from the box unit(s) 7 (block 1250F in FIG. 16), for example, the box unit 7 does not contact the box unit arranged at the holding position of the box unit. Lower/transfer the box unit(s) 7 back to the payload area 110PL, 4110PL (for example, by shrinking and lowering Low transfer arms 110PA and 4110PA are used for this) (Figure 16 block 1250G). The pushing rods 110PR, 4110PR (which are pre-positioned between the aligning surfaces 273JS, 4273JS and the box unit 7) push the box unit(s) 7 (which are arranged on the drum 110RL, 4110RL) and lean against the fence 110PF and 4110PF, in the past, the box unit(s) 7 are aligned in the front row and placed in another box unit holding position (for example, different from the holding position where the box unit(s) 5 is placed) (block 1250H in FIG. 16). The propulsion rods 110PR, 4110PR are maintained against the box unit(s) 7 to grasp (for example, by fence) the box unit(s) (block 1250I in FIG. 16) during transportation to other box unit holding positions. The push rods 110PR, 4110PR move away from the box unit(s) 7, and the transfer arm is actuated to lift and extend the pickup heads 270, 4270 to place the box unit(s) 7 in other box unit holding positions ( Figure 16 block 1250J).

According to many aspects of the disclosed embodiments, an example in which the robot 110 performs (multiple) box unit transfer processing will be described with respect to Figs. 9, 11-13, which includes multiple picking and placing operations of (multiple) box units. Classify the box units in order to generate a mixed pallet load MPL (as shown in Figure 1C) and/or pick up items in a predetermined order order (such as order delivery order) according to rules such as fulfilling one or more customer orders ) And place one or more bags, carriers or other containers TOT at the operator station or chamber 160EP (as shown in Figure 21). For example, referring to Figure 11, a customer order may require that the box unit(s) 7 be passed to the output lifter 150B1 and the box unit 5 is also passed to the output lifter 150B1 (in other respects, note that the customer order may require common Box unit carried by robot 110 Transfer to different output lifts 150B1, 150B2 (FIG. 9), so that the transfer of the box unit carried by the common robot 110 to different output lifts occurs in a manner substantially similar to that described herein). In many aspects of the disclosed embodiments described herein, the output lifter 150B1 (for example, each output lifter 150B1, 150B2 of the storage and retrieval system/order fulfillment system) defines a mix from the storage array outward to the loading and filling The fulfillment route or road of the box picking surface, where the mixed box picking surface enters and leaves the fulfillment route with roughly the same rules. As can be understood, although the input and output lifts 150A, 150B are described as vertical reciprocating lifts, it should be understood that in other respects, the input and output lifts 150A, 150B are any suitable transport box picking surface to and from The transportation module of the storage structure 130. For example, in other aspects, the lift module 150A, 150B is one or more vertical reciprocating lifts, any suitable automatic material handling system, conveyor belt, robot, turntable, roller bed, synchronous or non-synchronized Synchronized multi-level vertical conveyor belt (such as rosary conveyor belt). In order to efficiently use each robot 110 in the storage and retrieval system 100, the controller (for example, the control server 120) determines which (multiple) picking channels the box units 5 and 7 are located in. The controller also determines which inward box unit(s) ICU is to be stored in the pick-up channel(s) from which the box units 5 and 7 (for example, the outer box unit) are picked up. The controller sends commands to the robot 110 at the level of the box units 5 and 7 to pick up one or more inner box units ICU from the interface station TS of one or more lift modules 150A, in a manner similar to As described above (Figure 17 block 1400A). The robot 110 grabs the box unit(s) ICU (block 1420 in Figure 17), and transports (multiple) One) box unit to one or more storage spaces 130 in one or more picking channels 130A2 (Figure 17 block 1421), in which at least one of the picking channels to the inner box unit includes a certain To the outer box units 5 and 7. As can be understood, when the inner box units are placed in different storage positions 130S, the inner box units are sorted (Figure 17 block 1425). As described above, one or more of the box units are transferred to one box unit. The holding position, such as storage space 130S or buffer (Figure 17 block 1430), and the untransferred box unit returns to the payload area of the robot 110 to transfer to another box unit holding position (Figure 17 box 1435).

As can be understood, the positions 5 and 7 of the outer box unit are in the same or different picking channels, and are retrieved by a robot 110 or a different robot 110. This is regarded as the outer box unit and the inner box unit(s). (Multiple) depending on the proximity of the predetermined storage location. For example, referring to FIG. 11, the robot 110 picks up from the interface station TS of the lift module 150A to the inner box unit ICU to be placed in the picking channel 130A2 (in a manner roughly similar to that described above), which is a box unit 5 is located. The box unit 7 in this example is in the picking channel 130A1. After being placed in the inner box unit ICU, the robot then travels along the picking channel 130A2 in a common pass (for example, a single traversing the picking channel in a single direction) to pick up the outer box unit 5 (Figure 17 block 1400). When it is more efficient for a single robot 110 to pick up multiple box units, the outer box unit 5 is aligned on the robot 110 as described above (block 1405 in Figure 17), and the robot travels to the other box in the channel 130A1 The position of the unit (for example, the outer box unit 7) (note that the second outer box position is the same as the first outer box In the case of the passage of, the two outer box units are picked up by the common transfer arm 110PA of the robot 110 (Figure 6) in the common passage of the picking passage). The (multiple) second outbound box unit 7 is picked up by the common transfer arm 110PA (Figure 17 block 1410), and the two box units 5 and 7 are transferred and placed on the picking surface transportation system (e.g., lifter module) 150B) one or more surrounding buffer stations BS and interface stations TS (blocks 1420-1435 in FIG. 17), in a manner roughly similar to that described above with respect to placing the inner box unit(s). In the case where two different robots 110 are efficient in picking up individual box units 5 and 7, after picking up individual boxes (block 1400 in Figure 17), the box units are grabbed (block 1420 in Figure 17) and transferred And a peripheral buffer station BS or interface station TS (blocks 1421 to 1435 in Figure 17) placed on the outward lift 150B, as described here. On the one hand, when the outer box unit (for example, box unit 5) is placed in the surrounding buffer station BS, the robot 110, which is different from the robot that places the box unit 5 in the surrounding buffer station BS, transfers the box unit 5 to the interface station TS; In other respects, the same robot 110 returns to the surrounding buffer station BS to transfer the box unit 5 to the interface station TS. In many aspects of the disclosed embodiments described herein, the buffer station BS and/or the transfer station TS (such as at least one pick-up surface transfer station) commonly supports more than one mixing box pick-up surface based on a predetermined order of loading and filling The ordering order of the pick-up surfaces defines the pick-up surface of the hybrid box from the storage array/structure 130 outward into the part of the fulfillment route. In one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments described herein, the buffer station BS and/or the transfer station TS form a common pick-up surface transfer interface for the outer lift(s) 150B1, and thus share a common support of The pickup surface is common to the outward lifter 150B1 for pickup. In one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments described herein, each of the buffer station BS and/or the transfer station TS commonly supports more than one mixing box pickup surface, which is based on a predetermined order of loading and filling The ordering order of the picking surface defines the picking surface of the mixing box from the storage array part to the outside (for example, see the picking surface 1~4 of Fig. 9). In one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments described herein, a portion of the pickup surface of the mixing box from the storage array/structure 130 out of the storage array/structure 130 is defined in order of order and is commonly supported on the buffer station BS and/or the transfer station TS The pick-up surface of the mixing box is based on the ordering order of the pick-up surface at another buffer station BS and/or transfer station TS of another fulfillment route (for example, see the mixing box from the outward lift 150B2). In one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, any suitable controller (such as the controller 120) communicates with the robot(s) 110, and is configured to perform the pick-up surface ordering sequence based on the pick-up surface in the buffer station BS and / Or placement on the transfer station TS.

On the one hand, the outer box unit is picked up and transferred by the common transfer arm 110PA (FIG. 6) of the robot 110 to form a unit (such as a picking surface). Now referring to Figure 12, again, the customer order can require that the box unit(s) 7 be passed to the output lifter 150B1, and the box unit 5 should also be passed to the output lifter 150B1 (in other respects, note that the customer order can be The box units carried by the common robot 110 are required to be transferred to different output lifts 150B1 and 150B2 (Figure 9), so that the box units carried by the common robot 110 are transferred to different output lifts so that they are roughly similar In the way described here). As mentioned above, the controller Decide which inner box unit ICU is to be stored in the picking channel(s) from which the box units 5 and 7 (for example, the outer box unit) are to be picked up. The controller sends commands to the robot 110 at the level where the box units 5 and 7 are located, and picks up one or more ICUs from the interface station TS of the lift module 150A in a similar manner to that described above. Unit (e.g. picking surface) (Figure 17 block 1400A). The robot 110 grabs the picking surface PF1 (block 1420 in Figure 17), transports the picking surface PF1 to the storage space 130 (block 1421 in Figure 17) in the picking channel 130A2 where the outer box units 5 and 7 are located, and places the picking surface PF1 to the storage space 130S里 (Block 1430 in Figure 17). Note that since the entire picking surface is transferred to the common storage space and no box unit remains on the robot, the flow of this example does not proceed to block 1435 in FIG. 17.

After being placed on the inner picking surface PF1, the robot 110 then travels through the passage 130A2 with a common pass (for example, a single traversing the picking channel in a single direction) to the storage space of the outer box units 5 and 7 (the box units are adjacent to each other) The configuration is on the storage shelf, so that it can be picked up at the same time into the outer picking surface PF2). The robot 110 uses the common transfer arm 110PA (Figure 6) to pick up the pickup surface PF2 (Figure 17 block 1415), grasp the pickup surface PF2 (Figure 17 block 1420), and transport the pickup surface PF2 (Figure 17 block 1421) to lift outwards器150B1. On the one hand, the box units 5, 7 of the picking surface PF2 are placed in one of the surrounding buffer station BS or the interface station TS to form a unit (block 1430 in FIG. 17). On the other hand, the box units 5, 7 of the pick-up surface are separated and aligned (in a manner similar to that described above) to be placed in different positions (block 1425 in FIG. 17). For example In other words, the robot 110 places the box unit 7 in the surrounding buffer station BS (Figure 17 block 1430), returns the box unit 5 to the payload area of the robot 110 (Figure 17 box 1435), and grabs the box unit 5 (Figure 17 box 1420). ), the transport box unit 5 to the interface station TS (Figure 17 block 1421), and the transfer box unit 5 to the interface station (Figure 17 block 1430).

On the other hand, referring to FIG. 13, the outer box units 5 and 7 are picked up from different storage positions in the common channel 130A2 by the common transfer arm 110PA (FIG. 6) of the robot 110. Here, the robot 110 transfers one or more inner box unit ICU to one or more storage locations in the above-mentioned manner, and at least one of the inner box unit ICU is located in the same pickup location as the outer box units 5 and 7 In channel 130A2. After placing at least one inbound box unit in the predetermined storage position 130S of the channel 130A2, the robot 110 then travels through the picking channel 130A1 in the common passage of the picking channel 130A2, and picks up the box unit 5 from the storage space 130S1 in the above manner (Figure 17 block 1400). The box unit(s) 5 are lined up on the robot 110 toward the back of the payload area 110PL, as described above (Figure 17 block 1405). The robot 110 then travels through the picking channel 130A1 in the common passage of the picking channel, and picks up the box unit 7 from the different storage space 130S2 with the common transfer arm 110PA, so that the box unit(s) 7, 5 are adjacent to each other It is located on the common transfer arm 110PA (block 1410 in Figure 17). As can be understood, in one aspect, the controller 110C is configured to pick up the box unit(s) according to any suitable rule, for example, the rule is opposite to the rule for placing the box unit(s).

In this example of multiple picking, the box unit holding position(s) corresponds to the storage space 130S of the picking channel 130; but in other respects, the box unit holding position(s) include input lifter modules 150A1, 150A2 (The direct transfer between the robot and the lifter occurs here), the interface used to form the interface with the input lifter modules 150A1, 150A2 or the surrounding buffer stations TS, BS (where the lifter module and the robot Indirect transfer between them), storage space 130S (note that the robot 110 picks up from the interface station TS and the input lift module 150A, where the box units required for the predetermined order shipment sequence are not located in the storage space 130S, and It is imported into the storage rack array in a just-in-time manner to be roughly directly transmitted to the output lift(s) 150B1, 150B2).

The robot 110 grasps both the box units 7 and 5 in the payload area 110PL in the above-mentioned manner, and leaves the picking channel 130A1 (block 1420 in FIG. 17). The robot travels along the transfer deck 130B and forms an interface with the output lift 150B1 (Figure 17 block 1421). The robot separates the box units 7 and 5 in the payload area 110PL. As described above, the box unit(s) can be arranged in any suitable manner. For example, for example, the box unit(s) 7 will line up toward the reward. The front of the loading area 110PL, and the box unit(s) 5 are aligned toward the back of the loading area 110PL (block 1425 in FIG. 17). The box unit 7 is transferred to the surrounding buffer station BS (Figure 17 block 1430). The robot shrinks the transfer arm 110PA to return the box unit(s) 5 to the payload area 110PL (Figure 17 block 1435) and grabs the box unit 5 (Figure 17 block 1420). The box unit 5 is transported to the interface station TS of the output lift 150B1 (block 1421 in Figure 17), as described above The alignments are toward the front of the payload area 110PL (Figure 17 block 1425) and transfer to the transfer station TS (Figure 17 block 1430) as described above. In other respects, depending on the predetermined output order of the box units, the robot 110 places all the box units 7, 5 in a common place/position, such as a certain output lifter 150B1, 150B2. For example, the picking surface 20 (FIG. 9) on the shelf 7000H may include both box units 7 and 5, so that the robot 110 places the box units as multiple box unit picking surfaces at a single position of the shelf 7000H. As can be understood, the box unit(s) placed in the buffer station BS are transferred to the interface station TS by the robot 110 on the one hand; or, in other aspects, by any suitable conveyance that connects the buffer station BS to the interface station TS Bring transfer. On the one hand, in the case where the box unit(s) are transferred from the buffer station BS to the interface station TS by the robot 110, the transfer is an opportunistic transfer so that it travels along the transfer deck (for example, in the transfer (Multiple) picking surface to storage, sorting the picking surface, transferring (multiple) picking surface... from the storage to the path of another task) and the robot 110 traveling through the buffer station BS stops, While performing the process of other tasks, the pickup surface is picked up from the buffer station BS and transferred to the interface station TS.

In the example described here, the transfer of the box unit between the robot 110 and the lifter 150 occurs passively via the interface station TS, as described above. For an example of transfer, referring to Figure 18, the autonomous transport vehicle is positioned relative to the interface station TS in a manner similar to that described above with respect to the slats 1210S and/or positioning features 130F (Figure 18 block 1800). The transfer arm 110PA (such as an end effector) of the robot 110 extends to transfer the pickup The surface is transferred to the interface station TS, where the fingers 273A-273E of the transfer arm 110PA, for example, form an interface with the slats 1210S of the interface station TS (block 1801 in FIG. 18). As can be understood, and as noted above, multiple pick-up surfaces can be placed on the interface station TS (for example, multiple individual pick-up surfaces are simultaneously held on the interface station) to be independently transferred to the lifter 150 at the same time. The lifter 150 moves to position the loading handling devices LHD, LHDA, LHDB adjacent to the interface station TS (Figure 18 block 1802). The loading handles LHD, LHDA, LHDB extend to lift the pickup surface from the interface station and transfer the pickup surface to the lifter 150, where the fingers 4273 of the loading handles LHD, LHDA, LHDB and the slat 1210S of the interface station TS For example, the interface is formed in the manner described above relative to FIG. 4B (block 1803 in FIG. 18). As can be understood, the interface station TS has no moving parts, and the transfer of the pickup surface(s) between the robot 110 and the lift 150 via the interface station TS is a passive transfer. As can also be understood, the transfer of the pick-up surface from the lift 150 to the robot 110 can occur in a manner substantially opposite to that described above with respect to FIG. 18.

On the one hand, the picking surface established by the robot 110 (for example, in the above-mentioned manner) and transferred (for example, placed) to, for example, the interface station TS (and/or the buffer station BS) is not moved by the vertical lift 150 from the interface station TS ( And/or the same pickup surface picked up by the buffer station BS). For example, referring to FIG. 9, the robot 110 creates a first picking surface from the storage space 130S in the rack module RM (for example, as shown in FIG. 2A), which includes individual picking surfaces 7 and 5 (block 1900 in FIG. 19). The robot 110 transfers the first picking surface to and places it on the shelf 7000B of the interface station TS, for example, to transfer to the vertical Lift 150 (Block 1910 in Figure 19). As can be understood, although in this example, the individual pick-up surfaces 5, 7 (for example, which form the first pick-up surface) are only placed on the common shelf 7000B, but in other respects, the individual pick-up surfaces 5, 7 7 is placed on different shelves 7000A~7000F, so that the picking surface placed on the shelf by the robot 110 is different from the first picking surface but includes at least one box unit that is common to the first picking surface. For example, the first picking surface is broken so that a different picking surface including the individual picking surface 5 is placed on the shelf 7000B, and another different picking surface including the individual picking surface 7 is placed on the shelf 7000H, for example. The vertical lifter (for example, lifter 150B1) picks up the second picking surface from one or more shelves 7000A~7000F (for example, it is common to both the robot 110 and the vertical lifter 150B1) of the transfer station TS (Figure 19 Box 1920). Here, the second pick-up surface is different from the first pick-up surface but includes at least one of the individual pick-up surfaces 5 and 7, so that at least one box unit is common between the first pick-up surface and the second pick-up surface.

Similarly, on the one hand, the picking surface transferred from the inward vertical lift 150 (see the vertical lift 150A of FIG. 1) to (for example, placed on), for example, the interface station TS (and/or the buffer station BS) is not The same picking surface picked up by the robot 110 from the interface station TS (and/or the buffer station BS). For example, referring to Figure 9A, the first pick-up surface is transferred from the inward conveyor belt 160CB from the input station(s) 160IN to one or more vertical lifts 150A1, 150A2 (Figure 20 box 2000). In this example, a certain first pick-up surface includes a combination of individual pick-up surfaces 5 and 7 and another first pick-up surface includes a combination of individual pick-up surfaces 20 and 22. Vertical lift 150A1 places the individual first pick-up surfaces 5 and 7 on the shelf 7000B of the interface station TS, and the vertical lifter 150A2 places another individual first pick-up surface 20, 22 to another interface station on the same storage level 130L TS shelf 7000H (Figure 20 box 2010). The robot 110 establishes or additionally picks up the second picking surface(s) from the interface station(s) TS, and thus is placed on the shelf(s) 7000B, 7000H by the vertical lifters 150A1, 150A2 (which are, for example, common to The first pick-up surface(s) of both the robot 110 and the individual vertical lift 150A are different from the second pick-up surface, but the second pick-up surface includes at least one box unit and is common to the first pick-up surface (Figure 20 block 2020). For example, the first picking surface 5, 7 is broken so that the different picking surface including the individual picking surface 5 (or the individual picking surface 7) is picked up by the robot 110; and/or another first picking surface 20, 22 is broken so that different picking surfaces including the individual picking surface 20 (or the individual picking surface 22) are picked up by the robot 110. Here, the second pick-up surface is different from the first pick-up surface but includes at least one of the individual pick-up surfaces of the first pick-up surface, so that at least one box unit is common between the first pick-up surface and the second pick-up surface . As can be understood, the second pick-up surface can be broken by the robot, so that the pick-up surface placed on at least one storage shelf by 110 is different from the second pick-up surface, and at least one box unit is on the second pick-up surface and The pickup surfaces placed on at least one storage shelf are common.

On the one hand, referring to FIG. 5A again, the lifter with multiple individually operable loading controls LHD1, LHD2 picks up and places from more than one interface station TS at different storage levels 130LA, 130LB Set the box unit, and transfer the box unit to the same or different outbound conveyor interface station TS (for example, when the service common lift 150 is one or more outbound conveyor belt transfer stations TS are stacked one on another on). Here, each loading handling device LHD1 and LHD2 that can be operated individually picks up and places box units from the interface station shelves 7000A~7000F, and transfers the picked box units to the outbound conveyor belt 160CB, in a manner roughly similar to the above. Figures 10F, 10G, and 10H. Note that on the one hand, each loading control device LHD1, LHD2 includes a single transfer arm LHDA, LHDB (see Figure 4A, 5A) or more than one transfer arm LHDA, LHDB (see Figure 5) (for example, a loading control device includes a single transfer arm Arm, and the other loading manipulation device includes more than one transfer arm; both loading manipulation devices include a single transfer arm; both loading manipulation devices include more than one transfer arm). In one aspect, the loading handling devices LHD1, LHD2 include the sorting and aligning mechanism described above with respect to FIG. 5B.

The output lifts 150B1 and 150B2 also pick up and transfer the multiple orders placed on the shelves 7000A~7000L by the robot 110 to the output station 160UT according to the predetermined order delivery sequence. For example, referring to Fig. 9 again, the pick-up surfaces 1-22 are picked up by the lifts 150B1 and 150B2 according to the sorting rules, so the pick-up surfaces 1-22 are delivered to the output station 160UT according to a predetermined rule (for example, In other words, as indicated by the number associated with each box unit/pick-up surface shown in Fig. 9), the predetermined rule is required to form a mixed pallet load MPL (Fig. 1C) and/or according to, for example, one or more The rule of the customer’s order is the predetermined ordering sequence of the picked items (for example, the order shipment sequence). Order to be placed in one or more bags, carriers or other container TOT. In this way, each interface station TS of each lifter 150B1, 150B2 forms a buffer, which holds one or more box units until the box unit(s) are needed and picked up by the individual lifters 150B1, 150B2 To form a mixed pallet load.

Referring to Fig. 22, according to various aspects of the disclosed embodiment, storage spaces are provided, which are arranged in an array along the picking channel on the rack (block 1600 in Fig. 22). There is also a multi-level deck (Figure 22 box 1610), where at least one deck level of the multi-level deck is connected to each channel, and the multi-level deck and channel define the autonomous transport vehicle for each level of the multi-level deck. Rolling surface. The pylons at the multiple pylon level are taken from the individual rolling surfaces common to the multiple pylon levels (block 1620 in Figure 22), where the pylons are arranged along at least one channel at each level of the multi-level deck. On the one hand, the vertical spacing between the pylon levels varies for some individual passages. On the one hand, the vertical distance between at least two pylon levels of the part of the individual passage is related to another vertical distance between at least two other pylon levels of the other passage part of the individual passage, so autonomous transportation Cars are picked up in order of order in the common passage. On the one hand, the vertical distance between at least two rack levels of the part of the individual passage is related to another vertical distance between at least two other rack levels of the other passage part of the individual passage, so that the vertical The spacing and another vertical spacing are performed to roughly fill the vertical space between the multiple deck levels with the stored items.

As can be understood, the aforementioned loading and handling device is constructed Hold one or more picking surfaces of different sizes and/or including any number of box units. For example only, FIG. 5A demonstrates the loading and handling device LHDA, which holds two picking surfaces PCKFC1 and PCKFC2. Note that the loading handling device LHDA is shown for demonstration only, and it should be understood that any loading handling device described herein is constructed in a manner substantially similar to that described with respect to the loading handling device LHDA. Here, the pickup surface PCKFC1 includes a single box unit CU1, and the pickup surface PCKFC2 includes two box units CU2 and CU3, so that the pickup surface PCKFC2 is larger than PCKFC1. In other respects, the pickup surfaces PCKFC1 and PCKFC2 have any suitable size and include any suitable number of box units. As can also be understood, although the two pickup surfaces PCKFC1 and PCKFC2 are demonstrated to be held on the loading handling device LHDA, in other respects, the loading handling device LHDA holds any suitable number of pickup faces, such as more than two or less than two. . The arrangement of the picking surfaces PCKFC1 and PCKFC2 (and the box unit/carrier) is on the one hand arranged on the inward or outward lifters 150A, 150B according to a predetermined sequence. For example, the pickup surfaces PCKFC1 and PCKFC2 are similar to the one or more pickup surfaces 5 and 7 described above.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the automatic storage and retrieval system includes: at least one autonomous transport vehicle; a transfer deck that defines a transport surface for the uncertain purpose of the at least one autonomous transport vehicle, the transfer deck having Multiple lanes; at least one vertical reciprocating lift; and at least one pick-up surface transfer station, which is connected to the transfer deck and is between at least one autonomous transport vehicle and at least one vertical reciprocating lift on the transfer deck Interface, so the pickup surface is at least one vertical reciprocating and at least one free Transfer between main transport vehicles.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one pick-up surface transfer station is a passive transfer station.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one pick-up surface transfer station is constructed to simultaneously support independent pick-up surface loading.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the automatic storage and retrieval system further includes a picking channel connected to the transfer deck, wherein at least one picking surface transfer station is configured on the side of the transfer deck opposite to the picking channel .

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one pick-up side transfer station is offset from multiple lanes, so that the autonomous transport vehicle interface for at least one pick-up side transfer station is effective for autonomous transport vehicles along the multiple lanes. In the future, the purpose is uncertain.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one autonomous transport vehicle includes an end effector, which is constructed as a transfer pickup surface to and from at least one autonomous transport vehicle; at least one vertical reciprocating lift includes an end effector, Its structure is configured to transfer the pick-up surface to and from at least one vertical reciprocating lift; and the at least one pick-up surface transfer station includes a static pick-up surface support surface, which is configured to interact with the end effector of at least one autonomous transport vehicle and at least one vertical reciprocating lift At least one of the end effectors of the lifter forms an interface, and at least one vertical reciprocating lifter is firmly connected to the transfer deck.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the automatic storage and retrieval system further includes: a buffer station having at least one shelf, which buffers the picking surface between the picking and placing picking surfaces of the autonomous transport vehicle.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the buffer station is configured to be adjacent to the at least one pickup surface transfer station.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the buffer station includes an array of vertically stacked shelves stacked on top of another, each shelf being constructed to buffer the picking between the picking and placing picking surfaces of the autonomous transport vehicle surface.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the buffer station is connected to at least one pick-up surface transfer station via at least one autonomous transport vehicle.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one pick-up surface transfer station includes a positioning feature to allow the at least one autonomous transport vehicle to position itself relative to the at least one pick-up surface transfer station.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the automatic storage and retrieval system includes: at least one autonomous transport vehicle having a transport vehicle end effector, the end effector being constructed as a transfer picking surface to and from at least one autonomous transport vehicle Vehicle; transfer deck, which defines a transport surface for at least one autonomous transport vehicle for uncertain purposes, the transfer deck has multiple lanes; at least one vertical reciprocating lift, which has a lift end effector, the end The effector is configured to transfer the pick-up surface to and from at least one vertical reciprocating lift; and at least one pick-up surface transfer station is configured to form an interface with at least one of the end effector of the transport vehicle and the end effector of the lifter , In order to carry out picking surface transfer between at least one of at least one autonomous transport vehicle and at least one vertical reciprocating lift and at least one picking surface transfer station.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one pick-up surface transfer station is a passive transfer station.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one pick-up surface transfer station is constructed to simultaneously support independent pick-up surface loading.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the automatic storage and retrieval system further includes: a picking channel connected to the transfer deck, wherein at least one picking surface transfer station is configured on the side of the transfer deck opposite to the picking channel on.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one pick-up side transfer station is offset from multiple lanes, so that the autonomous transport vehicle interface for at least one pick-up side transfer station is effective for autonomous transport vehicles along the multiple lanes. In the future, the purpose is uncertain.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one pick-up surface transfer station includes a pick-up surface support surface configured to form an interface with at least one of the end effector of the transport vehicle and the end effector of the lifter.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the automatic storage and retrieval system further includes: a buffer station configured to be adjacent to the at least one pickup surface transfer station.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the buffer station is connected to at least one pick-up surface transfer station via at least one autonomous transport vehicle.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one picking surface transfer station includes a positioning feature to allow the at least one autonomous transport to position itself relative to the at least one picking surface transfer station.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the method includes: using an autonomous transport vehicle to place a first picking surface at a picking surface transfer station; and using a vertical reciprocating lift to pick up a second picking surface from the picking surface transfer station. pickup Picking surface, the second picking surface is different from the first picking surface; the picking surface transfer station is common to the autonomous transport vehicle and the vertical reciprocating lift, and at least one box unit is between the first picking surface and the second picking surface Are common.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the method further includes: using an autonomous transport vehicle to establish a pickup surface adjacent to the at least one storage shelf, wherein the pickup surface established adjacent to the at least one storage shelf is different from the first The pick-up surface, and at least one of the box units is common between the first pick-up surface and the pick-up surface established adjacent to the at least one storage shelf.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the method includes: picking up the first picking surface from the storage rack with an autonomous transport vehicle; and buffering the first picking surface on the stationary shelf of the picking surface transfer station using the autonomous transport vehicle Surface; a second pick-up surface is formed on the stationary shelf. The second pick-up surface is different from the first pick-up surface and includes more than one box-in ordering sequence corresponding to the predetermined box-out ordering sequence of the mixed box, wherein the first pick-up surface It has at least one box in common with the second pick-up surface; and picks up the second pick-up surface from the stationary shelf with a vertical reciprocating lift.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the pick-up surface transfer station includes more than one vertically stacked stationary shelf, wherein placing the first pick-up surface on the stationary shelf includes: Placing the first pick-up surface on one; and picking up the second pick-up surface from the static shelf includes: picking the second pick-up surface from one of more than one vertically stacked static shelves.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, wherein the second pick-up surface picked up by the vertical reciprocating lift from the stationary shelf is different from the self- The first picking surface placed by the main transporter, wherein the stationary shelf is common to the second picking surface picked up by the vertical reciprocating lift and the first picking surface placed by the autonomous transporter.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the automatic storage and retrieval system includes: a three-dimensional storage array with multiple levels of pylons in a passage, the passage being constructed for autonomous vehicles to travel in the passage; and The transfer deck has an indeterminate transport surface on which the autonomous transport vehicle travels, and the indeterminate transport surface has more than one parallel lanes connecting channels.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, more than one side-by-side lanes are juxtaposed along the common indefinite transportation surface between the opposite sides of the transfer deck.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the channel is joined to the transfer deck on one side of the transfer deck.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the transfer deck has another side different from the one side, and the deck storage racks are distributed along the other side of the transfer deck, so that at least a part of the transfer deck is inserted Between the deck storage rack and the aisle.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the automatic storage and retrieval system further includes a vertical lift, wherein the deck storage rack is arranged along the other side, so that the deck storage rack is independent from the transfer deck The transport vehicle communicates with the vertical lifter.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the method includes: using a vertical reciprocating lift to transfer hands on the picking surface to place the first pick Picking up the surface; and picking up the second picking surface from the picking surface transfer station with the autonomous transport vehicle; wherein the picking surface transfer station is common to the autonomous transport vehicle and the vertical reciprocating lift, and at least one box unit is on the first picking surface and The second pick-up surfaces are common.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the method further includes: placing a pickup surface on at least one storage shelf by an autonomous transport vehicle, wherein the pickup surface placed on the at least one storage shelf is different from the second pickup surface And at least one of the box units is common between the second pick-up surface and the pick-up surface placed on the at least one storage shelf.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the first pickup surface is different from the second pickup surface.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the automatic storage and retrieval system includes: at least one autonomous transport vehicle; a storage array having a rack channel and multiple storage rack modules arranged along the rack channel; A transfer deck, which defines a transport surface for at least one autonomous transport vehicle; at least one vertical reciprocating lift; and at least one pick-up surface transfer station, which is connected to the transfer deck and is at least one autonomous transport vehicle on the transfer deck And at least one vertical reciprocating lift; wherein at least one autonomous transport vehicle is constructed to transport the first picking surface between the pylon channel and at least one picking surface transfer station, and at least one picking surface transfer station A second pick-up surface different from the first pick-up surface is placed on the common surface. The common surface is common to both at least one autonomous transport vehicle and at least one vertical reciprocating lift. The second pick-up surface has a box, which is common The box on the first picking surface; and at least one vertical reciprocating lift is constructed to form a common table for the transfer station from at least one picking surface The third pick-up surface is different from the first and second pick-up surfaces, and the common box is common to the first, second, and third pick-up surfaces.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one autonomous transport vehicle is configured to operate during the period from the first picking position in the pylon channel to the placement of the second picking surface at the at least one picking surface transfer station. Create the first picking surface in.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one autonomous transport vehicle includes a controller configured to establish the first picking surface.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one autonomous transport vehicle is configured to transport different pick-up surfaces from the pylon channel, and place different pick-up surfaces on the shelf of the at least one pick-up surface transfer station, and from Shelves are used to transport the second pickup surface to a common surface.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the product order fulfillment system includes: at least one autonomous transport vehicle configured to hold and transport a pick-up surface; and a storage array having a transfer deck defining at least one The transport surface of the autonomous transport vehicle; at least one other pick-up surface transport system connected to the transfer deck; and at least one pick-up surface transfer station configured to be adjacent to the transfer deck, and the at least one pick-up surface transfer station is constructed on at least one Transfer pick-up surfaces between autonomous transport vehicles and at least one other pick-up surface transport system; wherein at least one other pick-up surface transport system defines a fulfillment route from the storage array to the pick-up surface of the mixed box loaded and filled, and at least one of the pick-up surfaces changes hands The stations commonly support more than one mixing box pick-up surface, which is based on the predetermined order of loading and filling and ordering the pick-up surface Define the part of the pickup surface from the storage array that enters the fulfillment route of the mixing box.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one pick-up surface transfer station forms a common pick-up surface transfer interface for at least one other pick-up surface transportation system, so that the commonly supported pick-up surface is common to at least one other pick-up surface Pick up from the transportation system.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, each of the at least one pick-up surface transfer station supports more than one mixing box pick-up surface in common, which is defined by the ordering order of the pick-up surface based on a predetermined order of loading and filling. The part of the pickup surface of the mixing box outside the storage array.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the part of the mixing box pick-up surface from the storage array out of the storage array is defined in order of order, and the part of the mixing box pick-up surface that is commonly supported on at least one pick-up surface transfer station is based on The ordering order of the pick-up surface on another pick-up surface transfer station of another fulfillment route.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the product order fulfillment system further includes a controller that communicates with at least one autonomous transport vehicle, and the controller is configured to change hands on at least one pickup surface based on the ordering order of the pickup surface Place on the pick surface of the station.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one other pick-up surface transportation system includes a vertical reciprocating lift.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one pick-up surface transfer station has a stationary shelf that performs pick-up surface transfer between at least one autonomous transport vehicle and at least one other pick-up surface transportation system.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the lifter includes: at least one loading control device configured to reciprocate vertically along a vertical axis, the loading control device including a frame formed with a payload support surface The payload area has a common height, and is constructed at the common height of the payload support surface to hold one or more pick-up surfaces; at least one transfer arm, which is movably mounted on the frame; and the drive area, which is connected To the loading control device, and is constructed to move the loading control device along the vertical axis; wherein one or more pick-up surfaces carried by the combination of the payload supporting surface of at least one loading control device are output according to the predetermined box of the mixing box The ordering order defines the ordering order of the picking surface on at least one loading handling device.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the lifter further includes: a controller connected to the driving area, and the controller is configured to perform the loading operation on at least one loading control device according to a predetermined ordering sequence of the mixing box The ordering order is defined on the pick-up surface.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one of the one or more pickup surfaces is a multiple box unit pickup surface.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the lifter is configured to place one or more picking surfaces according to a predetermined order out of the box.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one transfer arm is common to two or more picking surfaces, so that the transfer arm is configured to hold two or more picking surfaces adjacent to each other.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one transfer arm includes two independently operable transfer arms, which are configured to form individual transfer pickup surfaces to and from the loading handling device.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one loading handling device includes two independently operable loading handling devices, which are configured to form individual transfer picking surfaces.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the loading handling device further includes an aligning member disposed in the payload area, wherein the controller is configured to control the combined movement of the aligning member and the transfer arm to carry out the loading on the payload. The classification of the pickup surface of two or more boxes in the loading area.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the lifter further includes: an aligning member connected to the driving area and the controller, the aligning member is movably installed on the frame, wherein the transfer arm and the aligning member Both can move independently of each other.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the controller is configured to control the driving area and perform the movement of the aligning member and the transfer arm, so that the classification in the operation is performed by maintaining at least one of the two or more picking surfaces One is in the payload area while at least one of the two or more pick-up surfaces is transferred to or from the payload area.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the lifter is a high-speed lifter with a pick-up surface transfer handling rate approximately equal to that of an autonomous transport vehicle that transfers the pick-up surface to the vertical reciprocating lifter. rate.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one loading handling device is mounted on the mast so as to reciprocate along the length of the mast.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, automatic storage The storage and retrieval system lifter includes: a frame; at least one payload carrier, which has a carrier frame and a drive axis, and forms a payload area, which is configured to hold one or more payload items ; And the multiple independent degrees of freedom transfer arm, which is arranged on the first payload axis, so as to move along the first payload axis transverse to the drive axis, the multiple independent degrees of freedom transfer arm is at least partially configured in the payload In the area; and the multiple independent degrees of freedom transfer arm and the payload area are constructed to perform classification in the operation of one or more payload items carried in the payload area.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the at least one payload carrier further includes an alignment member disposed in the payload area so as to be along a second payload axis transverse to the first payload axis And move.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the lifter further includes a controller connected to the aligning member and the at least one transfer arm, and the controller is configured to control the combined movement of the aligning member and the at least one transfer arm. , In order to classify one or more payload items carried in the payload area.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the aligning member and the at least one transfer arm can move independently of each other.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the controller is configured to move the aligning member and at least one transfer arm, so that the aligning member is inserted between the two of the one or more payload items , To separate the two entities in one or more payload items.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the alignment member is configured to move one or more rewards in both directions along the second axis in the payload area. Items contained.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, wherein the controller is configured to control the movement of the aligning member and the at least one transfer arm, so that the classification is performed by maintaining at least one of the one or more payload items While in the payload area, at least another of one or more payload items is transferred to or from the payload area at the same time.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, at least one payload carrier includes two individually operable payload carriers, which are arranged side by side on the mast, so as to be independent of each other along the mast March.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one transfer arm includes multiple payload holding positions configured to hold the payload in an at least side-to-side configuration, and carry out the transfer of the payload to and from the at least one transfer arm. Simultaneous transfer.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the transfer arm includes a plurality of payload support tines configured to pass to the payload holding position of the storage and retrieval system through payload transfer.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the drive axis includes a common mast on which multiple independent degrees of freedom transfer arms are configured.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the lifter includes: at least one loading handling device installed so as to reciprocate along a vertical axis, the loading handling device including a frame that forms a reward with a payload supporting surface The loading area has a common height, and is constructed at the common height of the payload support surface to hold one or more picking surfaces; at least one transfer arm, which is movably mounted on the frame; and the drive area, which is connected to the loading Control device, And it is constructed to move the loading control device along the vertical axis; wherein one or more picking surfaces carried by the combination of the payload supporting surface of at least one loading control device are output according to the predetermined box between the picking surfaces of different constructions. The ordering order defines the ordering order of the picking surface on at least one loading handling device.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the lifter further includes: a controller connected to the drive area, and the controller is configured to perform the ordering according to a predetermined ordering sequence between picking surfaces of different configurations. At least one of the pick-up surfaces on the loading handling device defines the ordering order.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one of the one or more pickup surfaces is a multiple box unit pickup surface.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the lifter is configured to place one or more picking surfaces according to a predetermined order out of the box.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one transfer arm is common to two or more picking surfaces, so that the transfer arm is configured to hold two or more picking surfaces adjacent to each other.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one transfer arm includes two independently operable transfer arms, which are configured to form individual transfer pickup surfaces to and from the loading handling device.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one loading handling device includes two independently operable loading handling devices, which are configured to form individual transfer picking surfaces.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the loading handling device further includes an aligning member disposed in the payload area, wherein the controller is configured to control the combined movement of the aligning member and the transfer arm to perform the movement in the payload area The classification of the pickup surface of two or more boxes carried.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the lifter further includes: an aligning member connected to the driving area and the controller, the aligning member is movably installed on the frame, wherein the transfer arm and the aligning member Both can move independently of each other.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the controller is configured to control the driving area and perform the movement of the aligning member and the transfer arm, so that the classification in the operation is performed by maintaining at least one of the two or more picking surfaces One is in the payload area while at least one of the two or more pick-up surfaces is transferred to or from the payload area.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the lifter is a high-speed lifter with a pick-up surface transfer handling rate approximately equal to that of an autonomous transport vehicle that transfers the pick-up surface to the vertical reciprocating lifter. rate.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the method includes: picking up pick-up surfaces with a common platform of the vertical lift, the pick-up surfaces being in a regular order; and using the common platform and substantially simultaneously in a regular order Place the pickup surface at the holding position of the outward pickup surface.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the pickup surface includes a mixing box unit.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the pickup surface includes more than one different pickup surface.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the pick-up surface is picked up from the pick-up surface holding position of the common level.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the pick-up surface is picked from multiple levels of pick-up surface holding positions.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the method includes: using a common platform of a vertical lifter to pick up more than one picking surface; and using the vertical lifter to classify more than one picking surface.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the classification in operations with more than one pick-up surface includes: stacks of holding positions across the pick-up surface in a common direction on a common platform.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the method includes: using a common platform of a vertical lift to pick up at least one picking surface; and using a vertical lift to place the at least one picking surface outside in one unloading step At least one of the pick-up surface holding positions has a sorting configuration in unloading.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one pickup surface includes a mixing box unit.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one pickup surface includes more than one different pickup surface.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one pick-up surface is picked up from a pick-up surface holding position of a common level.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one pick-up surface is picked up from multiple levels of pick-up surface holding positions.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the lift includes: at least one loading control device installed so as to reciprocate along a vertical axis, the loading control device including a frame supported by a common payload The platform forms the payload area, and the structure is constructed to hold one or more pick-up surfaces on the common payload support platform; at least one transfer arm, which is movably mounted on the frame; the drive area, which is connected to the loading handling device , And constructed to move the loading handling device along the vertical axis; and a controller, which is connected to the drive area, and constructed to use a common payload support platform to pick up more than one picking surface, and to use a common payload Support the platform to perform classification in operations with more than one picking surface.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the controller is configured to use a common payload support platform to perform picking on more than one picking surface in a regular sequence, and to use the common payload support platform to perform picking on a regular basis. Place one or more pick-up surfaces in the outer pick-up surface holding position in sequence.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the controller is configured to perform classification in operations with more than one picking surface, wherein a common payload support platform traverses the stack of holding positions of the picking surface in a common direction.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the controller is configured to place more than one pick-up surface at the holding position of the outward pick-up surface in one unloading step, wherein more than one pick-up surface has a sorting configuration in unloading .

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the product order fulfillment system includes: multiple decks arranged in arrays at different levels and defining multi-level decks; at least one autonomous transport vehicle configured on each of the multi-level decks And construct a pick-up surface for holding and transporting on each deck; at least one lift, which traverses and connects the multi-layer deck On one level and configured to lift and lower the pick-up surface from the multi-level deck; and at least one pick-up surface transfer station on each deck, which forms an interface between the autonomous transport vehicle on the deck and at least one lifter , In order to carry out the transfer of the picking surface between the autonomous transport vehicle and at least one lifter; wherein at least one lifter defines the fulfillment flow line from the multi-level deck out to the picking surface of the mixed box loaded and filled, and at least The streamline has an ordering order of the streamline picking surface, where the ordering order of the streamline picking surface is based on another fulfillment streamline.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the loading and filling includes mixing box pickup surfaces arranged in a predetermined pickup surface loading order.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the ordering order of the streamline pick-up surfaces from at least the streamline is related to a predetermined pick-up surface loading order.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the ordering order of the streamline pick-up surfaces from at least a flow line is a combination of pick-up surfaces from other fulfillment streamlines, and the loading is filled in a predetermined pick-up surface loading order sequence.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one pick-up surface from other fulfillment flow lines is combined with an order sequence of the flow-line pick-up surface from at least one flow line to form a coherent regular pick-up of the predetermined pick-up surface loading order Part of the face.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one lift includes the first lift, and other fulfillment flow lines are independent of the first lift One lift is defined by at least another lift.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the first lifter has a lifter platform configured to support more than one pick-up surface on the lifter platform, and is configured such that the first lifter is A lifter platform with a common lifter height can pick or place more than one picking surface corresponding to the ordering sequence of the streamlined picking surface.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the first lifter performs picking or placing on more than one picking surface substantially simultaneously.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the product order fulfillment system further includes: a storage array having a storage rack, the storage rack having a pick-up surface storage position, which is configured to correspond to different levels of the multi-level deck level.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the product order fulfillment system includes: multiple decks arranged in arrays at different levels and defining multi-level decks; at least one autonomous transport vehicle configured on each of the multi-level decks The first lifter, which traverses and connects to more than one of the multi-level decks, is configured to lift and lower from the multi-level deck. The second lifter, which traverses and connects more than one level of the multi-level deck, and is configured to lift and lower the pick-up surface from the multi-level deck; and at least one pick-up on each deck A surface transfer station, which forms an interface between the autonomous transport vehicle on the deck and the first and second lifters to perform pick-up surface transfer between the autonomous transport vehicle and the first and second lifters; A lifter defines the mixing box picking from the multi-level deck out to the loading and filling The first fulfillment flow line of the fetching surface, the second lifter defines the second fulfillment flow line from the multi-level deck out to the pickup surface of the loading and filling mixing box, and the first fulfillment flow line has the first order of the streamline pickup surface In order, the second flow line has a second order order of the flow line picking surface, and the first order order of the flow line picking surface supplements the second order order of the flow line picking surface and the order order regarding loading and filling.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the loading and filling includes mixing box pickup surfaces arranged in a predetermined pickup surface loading order.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one of the first ordering order from the streamline picking surface of the first fulfillment streamline and the second ordering order from the streamline picking surface of the second fulfillment streamline It is about the ordering order of the predetermined pick-up surface loading.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the first ordering order from the streamline picking surface of the first fulfillment streamline combines the picking surface of the second order order from the streamline picking surface of the second fulfillment streamline, Instead, the loading is filled in a predetermined order of picking surface loading.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one pick-up surface from the second fulfillment flow line and the first order sequence of the streamline pick-up surface from the first fulfillment flow line are combined to form a predetermined pick-up surface loading order sequence The coherent rule picks up part of the surface.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one lift includes a first lift, and the second fulfillment flow line is defined by at least another lift independent of the first lift.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the first lifter has a lifter platform configured to support more than one pick-up surface on the lifter platform, and is configured such that the first lifter is The lifter platform of the common lifter height corresponds to the first ordering order of the streamlined picking surface to pick or place more than one picking surface.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the first lifter performs picking or placing on more than one picking surface substantially simultaneously.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the product order fulfillment system further includes: a storage array having a storage rack, the storage rack having a pick-up surface storage position, which is arranged in multiple layers corresponding to different levels of the multi-layer deck level.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the method of product order fulfillment includes: providing multiple decks arranged in arrays at different levels and defining multi-level decks; arranging at least one autonomous transport vehicle on each of the multi-level decks At least one autonomous transport vehicle is used on each deck to hold and transport the pick-up surface; at least one lifter is used to lift and lower the pick-up surface from the multi-level deck, and the at least one lifter traverses and connects more More than one level in the level deck; at least one pick-up surface transfer station on each deck is used for pick-up surface transfer between the autonomous transport vehicle and at least one lifter, the at least one pick-up surface transfer station on the deck An interface is formed between the autonomous transport vehicle and at least one lifter; and at least one lifter is used to define the fulfillment flow line from the multi-level deck out to the pickup surface of the loaded and filled mixing box, wherein at least the first flow line in the fulfillment flow line has The ordering sequence of the streamline picking surface, and the ordering sequence of the streamline picking surface is based on another fulfillment stream line.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the loading and filling includes mixing box picking surfaces, and the method further includes: configuring the mixing box picking surfaces in a predetermined picking surface loading order.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the ordering order of the streamline pick-up surfaces from at least the streamline is related to a predetermined pick-up surface loading order.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the method further includes: combining the ordering sequence of the streamline picking surface from at least the flow line with the picking surfaces from other fulfillment streamlines, and filling with a predetermined picking surface loading order sequence Load filling.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the method further includes: combining at least one pick-up surface from other fulfillment flow lines with an order sequence of the flow-line pick-up surface from at least one flow line to form a predetermined pick-up surface loading order The sequential rules of order pick up part of the face.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one lifter includes a first lifter, and the method further includes at least another lifter independent of the first lifter to define other fulfillment flow lines.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the first lifter has a lifter platform configured to support more than one pick-up surface on the lifter platform, and the method further includes setting at a common lifter height The first lifter is used to pick or place more than one picking surface corresponding to the ordering sequence of the streamline picking surface.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the method proceeds One step includes: using the first lifter to pick or place more than one picking surface at approximately the same time.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the method further includes: providing a storage array with a storage rack, the storage rack having a pick-up surface storage position, which is arranged at multiple levels corresponding to different levels of the multi-level deck.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the product order fulfillment system includes: multiple decks arranged in arrays at different levels and defining multi-level decks; at least one autonomous transport vehicle configured on each of the multi-level decks At least one lifter, which traverses and connects to more than one level of the multi-level deck, is configured to lift and lower the pick-up surface from the multi-level deck. Picking surface; and at least one picking surface buffer station on each deck, which forms an interface between at least one autonomous transport vehicle and at least one lifter on the deck to carry out between the autonomous transport vehicle and at least one lifter The transfer of the picking surface; wherein at least one lifter defines the fulfillment flow line from the multi-level deck to the pick-up surface of the loading and filling mixing box, and at least one pick-up surface buffer station of at least one of the multi-level decks is commonly supported More than one mixing box pick-up surface, which defines part of the stream-line pick-up surface in the order of the stream-line pick-up surface based on a predetermined order of loading and filling.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one pick-up surface buffer station forms a common pick-up surface transfer interface for at least one lifter, so that the commonly supported pick-up surface is commonly picked up by at least one lifter.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one pick-up surface buffer station of more than one of the multi-level decks all supports more than one mixing box pick-up surface, which is based on a predetermined sequence of loading and filling. The ordering order of the line picking surface defines part of the stream line picking surface.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the ordering order defines the mixing box pickup surface of the partial streamline pickup surface that is commonly supported on the buffer station, based on the order on another buffer station of another fulfillment streamline. The order in which the picking surface is ordered.

According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the product order fulfillment system further includes: a controller, which communicates with at least one autonomous transport vehicle, and the controller is configured to perform ordering on the at least one pick-up based on the ordering sequence of the streamline pick-up surface Pick surface placement on the surface buffer station.

It should be understood that the foregoing description only demonstrates many aspects of the embodiments. Those skilled in the art can design various alternatives and modifications without departing from many aspects of the disclosed embodiments. Accordingly, many aspects of the disclosed embodiments are intended to cover all such substitutions, modifications, and changes that fall within the scope of the attached patent application. Furthermore, different sub-items or independent items quote different features, which are merely facts and do not indicate that combinations of these features cannot be used to advantage, and such combinations are still within the scope of many aspects of the present invention.

110‧‧‧Autonomous Transport Vehicle ("Robot")

130B‧‧‧Transfer deck

150B‧‧‧Output Vertical Lift Module

160CB‧‧‧Conveyor belt

202‧‧‧Drive wheel

1200‧‧‧Horizontal support, shelf rail

1210‧‧‧Shelf track

1210S‧‧‧Slats

BL‧‧‧basic level

BS‧‧‧Buffer station, surrounding buffer station

CS‧‧‧Common support/surface

CU‧‧‧Box Unit

LHD‧‧‧Lift loading control device

MLS‧‧‧Multiple loading station

PCF1‧‧‧First pickup surface

PCF2‧‧‧Second Pickup Surface

PCF3‧‧‧Different picking surfaces

PCF4‧‧‧The third pickup surface

RTS‧‧‧Transfer rack shelf

TL1, TL2‧‧‧Stacking level

TS‧‧‧Transfer station, interface station

Claims (20)

An automatic storage and retrieval system, comprising: at least one autonomous transport vehicle; a transfer deck defining a transport surface for the uncertain purpose of the at least one autonomous transport vehicle, the transfer deck having multiple lanes; and at least one vertical reciprocating vehicle Lift; and at least one pick-up surface transfer station, which is connected to the transfer deck and is the interface between the at least one autonomous transport vehicle and the at least one vertical reciprocating lift on the transfer deck, so that the pick The surface is transferred between the at least one vertical reciprocating lift and the at least one autonomous transport vehicle; wherein the common support surface of the at least one pick-up surface transfer station is between the at least one autonomous transport vehicle and the at least one reciprocating lift The interfaces define the at least one pick-up surface transfer station between the devices, so that each elevator of the at least one reciprocating lift has a variably selective interface position on the common support surface along the transfer deck. For example, the automatic storage and retrieval system of item 1 in the scope of patent application, wherein the at least one pick-up surface transfer station is a passive transfer station. For example, the automatic storage and retrieval system of item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the at least one pick-up surface transfer station is constructed to support independent pick-up surface loading. For example, the automatic storage and retrieval system of item 1 of the scope of patent application further includes: a pick-up channel connected to the transfer deck, wherein the at least one pick-up surface transfer station is disposed on the transfer deck opposite to the pick-up channel On one side. For example, the automatic storage and retrieval system of item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the at least one pick-up side transfer station is offset from the multiple lanes, so the autonomous transport vehicle interface for the at least one pick-up side transfer station is For autonomous transport vehicles with multiple lanes, the purpose is uncertain. For example, the automatic storage and retrieval system of item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein: the at least one autonomous transport vehicle includes an end effector, which is constructed as a transfer pickup surface to and from the at least one autonomous transport vehicle, and the at least one vertical reciprocating vehicle The lifter includes an end effector configured to transfer a pick-up surface to and from the at least one vertical reciprocating lifter, and the at least one pick-up surface transfer station includes a static pick-up surface support surface, which is configured to be consistent with the at least one autonomous The end effector of the transport vehicle and at least one of the end effector of the at least one vertical reciprocating lift form an interface, and the at least one vertical reciprocating lift is firmly connected to the transfer deck. For example, the automatic storage and retrieval system of item 1 of the scope of the patent application further includes: a buffer station with at least one shelf, which buffers the picking surface between the picking and placing picking surfaces of the autonomous transport vehicle. For example, the automatic storage and retrieval system of item 7 of the scope of patent application, wherein the buffer station is configured to be adjacent to the at least one pickup surface transfer station. For example, the automatic storage and retrieval system of item 7 of the scope of patent application, wherein the buffer station includes an array of vertical stacking shelves stacked on another, and each shelf is constructed as a buffer for picking and placing in an autonomous transport vehicle. Pick up faces between faces. For example, the automatic storage and retrieval system of item 7 of the scope of patent application, wherein the buffer station is connected to the at least one pick-up surface transfer station via the at least one autonomous transport vehicle. For example, in the automatic storage and retrieval system of item 1 of the scope of patent application, at least one pick-up surface transfer station includes a positioning feature to allow the at least one autonomous transport vehicle to position itself relative to the at least one pick-up surface transfer station. An automatic storage and retrieval system, comprising: at least one autonomous transport vehicle, which has a transport vehicle end effector, the end effector is constructed to form a transfer pickup surface to and from the at least one autonomous transport vehicle; a transfer deck, which defines On the indefinite transportation surface of the at least one autonomous transport vehicle, the transfer deck has multiple lanes; at least one vertical reciprocating lift has an end effector of the lifter, and the end effector is constructed as a transfer pickup surface And to and from the at least one vertical reciprocating lift; and at least one pick-up surface transfer station, which is constructed to form an interface with at least one of the end effector of the transport vehicle and the end effector of the lift, so as to At least one of the at least one autonomous transport vehicle and the at least one vertical reciprocating lift performs pick-up surface transfer between the at least one pick-up surface transfer station; wherein the common support surface of the at least one pick-up surface transfer station is in the The interface between the at least one autonomous transport vehicle and the at least one reciprocating lifter defines the at least one pick-up surface transfer station, so that each lifter of the at least one reciprocating lifter is supported on the common support along the transfer deck The surface has a variably selective interface position. For example, the automatic storage and retrieval system of item 12 of the scope of patent application, wherein the at least one pickup surface transfer station is a passive transfer station. For example, the automatic storage and retrieval system of item 12 of the scope of patent application, wherein the at least one pick-up surface transfer station is constructed to support independent pick-up surface loading. For example, the automatic storage and retrieval system of item 12 of the scope of patent application further includes: a pick-up channel connected to the transfer deck, wherein the at least one pick-up surface transfer station is disposed on the transfer deck opposite to the pick-up channel On one side. For example, the automatic storage and retrieval system of item 12 of the scope of patent application, in which the at least one pick-up surface transfer station is offset from the multiple lanes, so the autonomous transport vehicle interface for the at least one pick-up surface transfer station is For autonomous transport vehicles with multiple lanes, the purpose is uncertain. For example, the automatic storage and retrieval system of item 12 of the scope of patent application, wherein the at least one pick-up surface transfer station includes a pick-up surface supporting surface, which is configured to be compatible with at least one of the transporter end effector and the lifter end effector One forms the interface. For example, the automatic storage and retrieval system of item 12 of the scope of the patent application further includes: a buffer station configured to be adjacent to the at least one pickup surface transfer station. For example, the automatic storage and retrieval system of item 18 of the scope of patent application, wherein the buffer station is connected to the at least one pickup surface transfer station via the at least one autonomous transport vehicle. Such as the automatic storage and retrieval system of item 12 of the scope of patent application, The at least one picking surface transfer station includes a positioning feature to allow the at least one autonomous transport to position itself relative to the at least one picking surface transfer station.

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