Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
  • B65G1/00—Storing articles, individually or in orderly arrangement, in warehouses or magazines
  • B65G1/02—Storage devices
  • B65G1/04—Storage devices mechanical
  • B65G1/0464—Storage devices mechanical with access from above
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
  • B65G1/00—Storing articles, individually or in orderly arrangement, in warehouses or magazines
  • B65G1/02—Storage devices
  • B65G1/04—Storage devices mechanical
  • B65G1/137—Storage devices mechanical with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
  • B65G1/1373—Storage devices mechanical with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed for fulfilling orders in warehouses
  • B65G1/1378—Storage devices mechanical with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed for fulfilling orders in warehouses the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F25D13/00—Stationary devices, e.g. cold-rooms
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G06Q10/00—Administration; Management
  • G06Q10/08—Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
  • G06Q10/087—Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G06Q10/00—Administration; Management
  • G06Q10/10—Office automation; Time management

Definitions

• the framework structure 100 comprises upright members 102 and a storage volume comprising storage columns 105 arranged in rows between the upright members 102.
• storage containers 106 also known as containers, are stacked one on top of one another to form stacks 107.
• the members 102 may typically be made of metal, e.g. extruded aluminum profiles.
• WO2018/146304A1 illustrates a typical configuration of rail system 108 comprising rails and parallel tracks in both X and Y directions.
• columns 105 In the framework structure 100, a majority of the columns 105 are storage columns 105, i.e. columns 105 where storage containers 106 are stored in stacks 107. However, some columns 105 may have other purposes.
• columns 119 and 120 are such special-purpose columns used by the container handling vehicles 201,301,401 to drop off and/or pick up storage containers 106 so that they can be transported to an access station (not shown) where the storage containers 106 can be accessed from outside of the framework structure 100 or transferred out of or into the framework structure 100.
• such a location is normally referred to as a ‘port’ and the column in which the port is located may be referred to as a ‘port column’ 119,120.
• the transportation to the access station may be in any direction, that is horizontal, tilted and/or vertical.
• the storage containers 106 may be placed in a random or dedicated column 105 within the framework structure 100, then picked up by any container handling vehicle and transported to a port column 119,120 for further transportation to an access station.
• the transportation from the port to the access station may require movement along various different directions, by means such as delivery vehicles, trolleys or other transportation lines.
• tilted means transportation of storage containers 106 having a general transportation orientation somewhere between horizontal and vertical.
• the first port column 119 may for example be a dedicated drop-off port column where the container handling vehicles 201,301,401 can drop off storage containers 106 to be transported to an access or a transfer station
• the second port column 120 may be a dedicated pick-up port column where the container handling vehicles 201,301,401 can pick up storage containers 106 that have been transported from an access or a transfer station.
• the access station may typically be a picking or a stocking station where product items are removed from or positioned into the storage containers 106.
• the storage containers 106 are normally not removed from the automated storage and retrieval system 1 but are returned into the framework structure 100 again once accessed.
• a port can also be used for transferring storage containers to another storage facility (e.g. to another framework structure or to another automated storage and retrieval system), to a transport vehicle (e.g. a train or a lorry), or to a production facility.
• a conveyor system comprising conveyors is normally employed to transport the storage containers between the port columns 119,120 and the access station.
• the conveyor system may comprise a lift device with a vertical component for transporting the storage containers 106 vertically between the port column 119,120 and the access station.
• the conveyor system may be arranged to transfer storage containers 106 between different framework structures, e.g. as is described in WO2014/075937A1, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
• one of the container handling vehicles 201,301,401 is instructed to retrieve the target storage container 106 from its position and transport it to the drop-off port column 119.
• This operation involves moving the container handling vehicle 201,301,401 to a location above the storage column 105 in which the target storage container 106 is positioned, retrieving the storage container 106 from the storage column 105 using the container handling vehicle’s 201,301,401 lifting device (not shown), and transporting the storage container 106 to the drop-off port column 119. If the target storage container 106 is located deep within a stack 107, i.e.
• the operation also involves temporarily moving the above-positioned storage containers prior to lifting the target storage container 106 from the storage column 105.
• This step which is sometimes referred to as “digging” within the art, may be performed with the same container handling vehicle that is subsequently used for transporting the target storage container to the drop-off port column 119, or with one or a plurality of other cooperating container handling vehicles.
• the automated storage and retrieval system 1 may have container handling vehicles 201,301,401 specifically dedicated to the task of temporarily removing storage containers 106 from a storage column 105. Once the target storage container 106 has been removed from the storage column 105, the temporarily removed storage containers 106 can be repositioned into the original storage column 105. However, the removed storage containers 106 may alternatively be relocated to other storage columns 105.
• one of the container handling vehicles 201,301,401 is instructed to pick up the storage container 106 from the pick-up port column 120 and transport it to a location above the storage column 105 where it is to be stored.
• the container handling vehicle 201,301,401 positions the storage container 106 at the desired position. The removed storage containers 106 may then be lowered back into the storage column 105 or relocated to other storage columns 105.
• the automated storage and retrieval system 1 For monitoring and controlling the automated storage and retrieval system 1, e.g. monitoring and controlling the location of respective storage containers 106 within the framework structure 100, the content of each storage container 106, and the movement of the container handling vehicles 201,301,401 so that a desired storage container 106 can be delivered to the desired location at the desired time without the container handling vehicles 201,301,401 colliding with each other, the automated storage and retrieval system 1 comprises a control system 500 which typically is computerized and which typically comprises a database for keeping track of the storage containers 106.
• a first aspect of the present invention regards a method for controlling the movement of containers in an automated storage and retrieval system
• a framework structure (100) forming a three-dimensional storage grid structure (104) for storing storage containers (106) for storing items
• the framework structure (100) forms vertical storage columns (105) each having a horizontal area defined by the size of an access opening (112) of the vertical storage columns (105) and where the framework structure comprises a rail system (108) arranged above the storage columns (105), the rail system comprising a plurality of rails extending in an X- direction and a plurality of rails extending in a Y-direction to form a grid, the rails defining a perimeter of each access opening (112) on top of each storage column (105), the rail system (108) providing available routes in the X-direction or the Y- direction for container handling vehicles (201, 301) handling and transferring the storage containers (106) to and from the storage columns (105), and a central computer system, the grid structure (104) further comprising a port column (119,
• Fig. 6 is a flow chart describing an alternative embodiment of the present invention.
• Fig. 5 is a flow chart describing an embodiment of the present invention.
• the container handling vehicle picks up the container from the port and transports it to the correct place in the storage and retrieval system.
• the timer can be set running when the storage container arrives at the port, such that the elapsed time corresponds to the time that the storage container has spent in the port.
• the timer can be set running when the storage container leaves the temperature controlled and/or atmospherically-controlled zone, such that the elapsed time corresponds to the time that the storage container has been outside of the temperature controlled and/or atmospherically-controlled zone.
• the central computer system can order the removing of the other containers from the port to allow the storage container with the items that is sensitive to temperature and atmospheric conditions access to the port.
• the central computer system can also rearrange a queue of containers to be picked at the port in order to allow the storage container to be picked before other storage containers which need not be stored in the atmospherically controlled zone
• Examples of the types of items that needs to be stored in temperature controlled zones are frozen foods that need to be stored in frozen conditions in order to be within the parameters set by the health authorities. There can be many different frozen zones for storing items that needs to be kept at different temperatures.
• the zones are parts of the storage and retrieval system that is particularly controlled it is not the entire system.
• Fig. 6 is a flow chart describing an alternative embodiment of the present invention.
• the central computer system sends an order to empty all the containers from ports that are inactive. This means that if a port does not have a new container that needs to be picked coming in, the central computer system creates at least one job ordering the containers in the inactive ports to be picked up by container handling vehicles and transported back into the storage and retrieval system.
• This system is called an auto flushing of container from a port.
• Auto-flushing of containers in a port provides the possibility to enable a way to automatically empty a port after a configured timeout.
• the concept is that an automatic flush will trigger if the central computer system has not requested a container in the corresponding port in a preconfigured time. As an example, if the configuration specifies 60 seconds, the central computer system will automatically flush all containers in the port 60 seconds after the previous container was closed - if the central computer system does not request a new container to be opened in the port. This applies regardless of the mode of the port (i.e. regardless of whether the port is still open or not).
• Framework structure 102 Upright members of framework structure 104 Storage grid 105 Storage column
• Prior art container handling vehicle 201a Vehicle body of the container handling vehicle 201 201b Drive means / wheel arrangement / first set of wheels in first direction (A)
• 201c Drive means / wheel arrangement / second set of wheels in second direction (F)

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Entrepreneurship & Innovation (AREA)
• Economics (AREA)
• Strategic Management (AREA)
• Human Resources & Organizations (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Quality & Reliability (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Marketing (AREA)
• Operations Research (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Tourism & Hospitality (AREA)
• General Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Data Mining & Analysis (AREA)
• Accounting & Taxation (AREA)
• Finance (AREA)
• Development Economics (AREA)
• Warehouses Or Storage Devices (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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• 2022
  • 2022-09-01 NO NO20220942A patent/NO20220942A1/en unknown
• 2023
  • 2023-08-29 EP EP23762423.4A patent/EP4580964A1/de active Pending
  • 2023-08-29 CN CN202380048936.9A patent/CN119421848A/zh active Pending
  • 2023-08-29 WO PCT/EP2023/073626 patent/WO2024047018A1/en not_active Ceased

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