Patent · US11273983B2 · B2 · US

Multiposition lift

(11) Publication number

US11273983B2

(21) Application number

16/984,599

(22) Filing date

2020-08-04

(30) Priority date

2013-03-15

(43) Publication date

2022-03-15

(45) Date of grant

2022-03-15

(51) IPC

B65G 1/04; B65G 1/137; G06Q 10/08

(52) CPC

B65G Transport or storage devices, e.g. conveyors for loading or tipping, shop conveyor systems or pneumatic tube conveyors: 1/0485, 1/0492, 1/137
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: 10/08

(73) Assignee

Symbotic Inc

(72) Inventors

Larry Sweet; Kil Kwak; Kirill Pankratov; Russell G. Barbour; William Johnson; Juergen D. Conrad; Juergen Baumbach; Ronald Kyslinger

(54) Title

Multiposition lift

(57) Abstract

An automated storage and retrieval system includes a first independently operable section having a first number of predetermined storage and retrieval transactions, and a second independently operable section in communication with the first independently operable section and having a second number of predetermined storage and retrieval transactions. The first and second independently operable sections are configured to provide a respective number of predetermined storage and retrieval transactions so that the first number of predetermined storage and retrieval transactions substantially matches the second number of predetermined storage and retrieval transactions.

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Claims (20)

An automated storage and retrieval system comprising: at least one vertical lift module having more than one lift platforms on opposite sides of the at least one vertical lift module; a transfer deck section in communication with the at least one vertical lift module; at least one storage section in communication with the transfer deck; and at least one independently operable rover configured to traverse the transfer deck section and interface with the at least one storage section and the at least one vertical lift module; wherein the transfer deck includes rover travel avenues and rover travel aisles and the at least one vertical lift module the rover travel avenues connecting rover travel aisles providing access to the more than one lift platforms on the opposite sides of the at least one vertical lift module so that each of the more than one lift platforms on each respective side of the opposite sides faces the rover travel avenue providing access to the more than one lift platform on the respective side and rover travel aisles providing access on a common level of the transfer deck to each of the more than one lift platforms on the respective side.
The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein one of the at least one vertical lift module, the transfer deck section, the at least one storage section, and the at least one independently operable rover form one or more of a first or second independently operable sections.
The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 2, further comprising at least one charging section configured to interface with the at least one independently operable rover, wherein the at least one charging station forms one or more of the first or second independently operable sections.
The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 2, further comprising at least one palletizing section and at least one depalletizing section, wherein one or more of the at least one palletizing section and the at least one depalletizing section forms one or more of the first or second independently operable sections.
The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the at least one vertical lift module comprises two side by side vertical lifts and the rover travel aisles are shared by the two side by side vertical lifts.
The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the at least one vertical lift module comprises two side by side vertical lifts and the transfer deck includes an open deck configured for unrestrained travel of rovers along the open deck for allowing rover access to the two side by side vertical lifts.
The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the rover travel aisles extend between adjacent vertical lift modules.
The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the rover travel aisles extend between adjacent lift platforms of a common vertical lift module.
The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein each lift platform includes variably configurable payload holding locations.
The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the at least one vertical lift module is configured for both inputting and removing payload items to and from the automated storage and retrieval system.
The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, further comprising vertically stacked storage levels, where the more than one lift platforms are positioned within the automated storage and retrieval system so that each lift platform is accessible at each storage level from opposite sides of a respective lift platform.
A method for automated storage and retrieval, the method comprising: providing at least one vertical lift module having more than one lift platforms on opposite sides of the at least one vertical lift module; providing a transfer deck section in communication with the at least one vertical lift module, the transfer deck including rover travel avenues connecting rover travel aisles providing access to the more than one lift platforms on the opposite sides of the at least one vertical lift module so that each of the more than one lift platforms on each respective side of the opposite sides faces the rover travel avenue providing access to the more than one lift platform on the respective side and rover travel aisles providing access on a common level of the transfer deck to each of the more than one lift platforms on the respective side; providing at least one storage section in communication with the transfer deck; and interfacing the at least one storage section and the at least one vertical lift module with at least one independently operable rover traversing the transfer deck section.
The method of claim 12, further comprising providing at least one charging section for interfacing with the at least one independently operable rover.
The method of claim 12, further comprising providing at least one palletizing section and at least one depalletizing section.
The method of claim 12, further comprising providing two side by side vertical lifts and accessing the two side by side vertical lifts with each rover travel aisle.
The method of claim 12, further comprising extending the rover travel aisles between adjacent vertical lift modules.
The method of claim 12, further comprising extending the rover travel aisles between adjacent lift platforms of a common vertical lift module.
The method of claim 12, further comprising inputting and removing payload items to and from the automated storage and retrieval system with the vertical lift module.
The method of claim 12, further comprising providing vertically stacked storage levels, and positioning the at least one vertical lift module within the automated storage and retrieval system so that each lift platform is accessible at each storage level from opposite sides of a respective platform.
The method of claim 12, further comprising providing two side by side vertical lifts on the at least one vertical lift module, providing an open deck configuration on the transfer deck for unrestricted travel of rovers along the open deck, and accessing the two side by side vertical lifts with the rovers via the open configuration.

Description

The exemplary embodiments generally relate to material handling systems and, more particularly, to transport of items within the material handling system.

Multilevel storage and retrieval systems may be used in warehouses for the storage and retrieval of goods. Generally the transportation of goods into and out of the storage structure is done with lifts for transfer to a vehicle on a storage level, vehicles travelling up ramps to a predetermined storage level, or with vehicles that include lifts traveling along guide ways. Throughput of these storage and retrieval systems may be limited by one or more of the retrieval of the goods at a storage level and the transfer of goods between storage levels.

It would be advantageous to balance the throughput so that a storage and retrieval transfer rate of one or more levels substantially matches a goods transfer rate between levels of the storage and retrieval system.

The foregoing aspects and other features of the disclosed embodiment are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an automated storage and retrieval system in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIGS. 2-19 are schematic illustrations of portions of the automated storage and retrieval system in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment.

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an automated storage and retrieval system 100 in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment.

Citations (155)

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Record as JSON

{
  "publication_number": "US11273983B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Multiposition lift",
  "abstract": "An automated storage and retrieval system includes a first independently operable section having a first number of predetermined storage and retrieval transactions, and a second independently operable section in communication with the first independently operable section and having a second number of predetermined storage and retrieval transactions. The first and second independently operable sections are configured to provide a respective number of predetermined storage and retrieval transactions so that the first number of predetermined storage and retrieval transactions substantially matches the second number of predetermined storage and retrieval transactions.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An automated storage and retrieval system comprising: at least one vertical lift module having more than one lift platforms on opposite sides of the at least one vertical lift module; a transfer deck section in communication with the at least one vertical lift module; at least one storage section in communication with the transfer deck; and at least one independently operable rover configured to traverse the transfer deck section and interface with the at least one storage section and the at least one vertical lift module; wherein the transfer deck includes rover travel avenues and rover travel aisles and the at least one vertical lift module the rover travel avenues connecting rover travel aisles providing access to the more than one lift platforms on the opposite sides of the at least one vertical lift module so that each of the more than one lift platforms on each respective side of the opposite sides faces the rover travel avenue providing access to the more than one lift platform on the respective side and rover travel aisles providing access on a common level of the transfer deck to each of the more than one lift platforms on the respective side.",
    "2. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein one of the at least one vertical lift module, the transfer deck section, the at least one storage section, and the at least one independently operable rover form one or more of a first or second independently operable sections.",
    "3. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 2, further comprising at least one charging section configured to interface with the at least one independently operable rover, wherein the at least one charging station forms one or more of the first or second independently operable sections.",
    "4. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 2, further comprising at least one palletizing section and at least one depalletizing section, wherein one or more of the at least one palletizing section and the at least one depalletizing section forms one or more of the first or second independently operable sections.",
    "5. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the at least one vertical lift module comprises two side by side vertical lifts and the rover travel aisles are shared by the two side by side vertical lifts.",
    "6. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the at least one vertical lift module comprises two side by side vertical lifts and the transfer deck includes an open deck configured for unrestrained travel of rovers along the open deck for allowing rover access to the two side by side vertical lifts.",
    "7. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the rover travel aisles extend between adjacent vertical lift modules.",
    "8. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the rover travel aisles extend between adjacent lift platforms of a common vertical lift module.",
    "9. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein each lift platform includes variably configurable payload holding locations.",
    "10. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the at least one vertical lift module is configured for both inputting and removing payload items to and from the automated storage and retrieval system.",
    "11. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, further comprising vertically stacked storage levels, where the more than one lift platforms are positioned within the automated storage and retrieval system so that each lift platform is accessible at each storage level from opposite sides of a respective lift platform.",
    "12. A method for automated storage and retrieval, the method comprising: providing at least one vertical lift module having more than one lift platforms on opposite sides of the at least one vertical lift module; providing a transfer deck section in communication with the at least one vertical lift module, the transfer deck including rover travel avenues connecting rover travel aisles providing access to the more than one lift platforms on the opposite sides of the at least one vertical lift module so that each of the more than one lift platforms on each respective side of the opposite sides faces the rover travel avenue providing access to the more than one lift platform on the respective side and rover travel aisles providing access on a common level of the transfer deck to each of the more than one lift platforms on the respective side; providing at least one storage section in communication with the transfer deck; and interfacing the at least one storage section and the at least one vertical lift module with at least one independently operable rover traversing the transfer deck section.",
    "13. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing at least one charging section for interfacing with the at least one independently operable rover.",
    "14. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing at least one palletizing section and at least one depalletizing section.",
    "15. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing two side by side vertical lifts and accessing the two side by side vertical lifts with each rover travel aisle.",
    "16. The method of claim 12, further comprising extending the rover travel aisles between adjacent vertical lift modules.",
    "17. The method of claim 12, further comprising extending the rover travel aisles between adjacent lift platforms of a common vertical lift module.",
    "18. The method of claim 12, further comprising inputting and removing payload items to and from the automated storage and retrieval system with the vertical lift module.",
    "19. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing vertically stacked storage levels, and positioning the at least one vertical lift module within the automated storage and retrieval system so that each lift platform is accessible at each storage level from opposite sides of a respective platform.",
    "20. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing two side by side vertical lifts on the at least one vertical lift module, providing an open deck configuration on the transfer deck for unrestricted travel of rovers along the open deck, and accessing the two side by side vertical lifts with the rovers via the open configuration."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The exemplary embodiments generally relate to material handling systems and, more particularly, to transport of items within the material handling system.\n\nMultilevel storage and retrieval systems may be used in warehouses for the storage and retrieval of goods. Generally the transportation of goods into and out of the storage structure is done with lifts for transfer to a vehicle on a storage level, vehicles travelling up ramps to a predetermined storage level, or with vehicles that include lifts traveling along guide ways. Throughput of these storage and retrieval systems may be limited by one or more of the retrieval of the goods at a storage level and the transfer of goods between storage levels.\n\nIt would be advantageous to balance the throughput so that a storage and retrieval transfer rate of one or more levels substantially matches a goods transfer rate between levels of the storage and retrieval system.\n\nThe foregoing aspects and other features of the disclosed embodiment are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:\n\nFIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an automated storage and retrieval system in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment;\n\nFIGS. 2-19 are schematic illustrations of portions of the automated storage and retrieval system in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment.\n\nFIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an automated storage and retrieval system 100 in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment.",
  "cpc": [
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  "ipc": [
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  "assignees": [
    "Symbotic Inc"
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  "inventors": [
    "Larry Sweet",
    "Kil Kwak",
    "Kirill Pankratov",
    "Russell G. Barbour",
    "William Johnson",
    "Juergen D. Conrad",
    "Juergen Baumbach",
    "Ronald Kyslinger"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2020-08-04",
  "publication_date": "2022-03-15",
  "grant_date": "2022-03-15",
  "priority_date": "2013-03-15",
  "application_number": "US-202016984599-A",
  "family_id": "50625181",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
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