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CN-121986060-A - Method, system and computer readable storage medium for controlling movement of a cantilevered container handling vehicle

CN121986060ACN 121986060 ACN121986060 ACN 121986060ACN-121986060-A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system, method and computer readable storage medium for controlling a cantilevered container handling vehicle (301,601) on a track system (108) of a grid-type automated storage and retrieval system (1). The grid-type storage and retrieval system (1) includes storage containers (121, 521) that extend above the track system (108). The control system (122) determines whether the cantilevered container handling vehicle (301,601) can traverse the extended storage container (121, 521) and then instructs the container handling vehicle (301,601) to travel based on a path that takes the extended storage container (121, 521) into account.

Inventors

  • Ole Alexander Mailer
  • Christian Hakon Pruen
  • Lonna Stuart

Assignees

  • 自动存储科技股份有限公司

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20231009

Claims (11)

  1. 1. A method (800) of controlling cantilevered container handling vehicles (301,601) on a track system (108) of a grid-type automated storage and retrieval system (2), each of the cantilevered container handling vehicles (301,601) including a storage space (305,605), the grid-type automated storage and retrieval system (2) comprising: -a frame structure (100) comprising an upright member (102) and the rail system (108) comprising a grid of horizontal rails (110, 111) provided at an upper end of the upright member (102), the frame structure (100) defining a storage volume comprising storage columns (105) arranged adjacent to each other below the horizontal rails (110 ); -a plurality of storage containers (106) stacked on top of each other in said storage column (105) to form a plurality of stacks (107) in said storage column (105), and at least one of said stacks (107) comprises a storage container (121, 521) protruding above said horizontal rail (110, 111); -a control system (122) comprising, for each stack (107) of storage containers (106), a record of the level of the storage containers (106) in said stack (107); wherein the method comprises the following steps: -determining (801), with the control system (122), a first path from a first location on the grid of horizontal rails (110, 111) to a second location on the grid of horizontal rails (110, 111) for a first cantilevered container handling vehicle to follow; Characterized in that the method comprises: -determining (802), with the control system (122), the first path through the storage containers (121, 521) protruding above the grid of horizontal tracks (110, 111) based on the level of the storage containers (106) in each stack (107), and -If it is determined (803) with the control system (122) that the storage space (305,605) of the first cantilevered container handling vehicle (301,601) is large enough to pass over the extended storage container (121, 521), instructing (804) the first cantilevered container handling vehicle (301,601) to follow the first path.
  2. 2. The method (800) of claim 1, comprising the steps of: If it is determined (803) with the control system (122) that the storage space (305) of the first cantilevered container handling vehicle (301) is insufficient to traverse the extended storage container (521), a second path is determined (805) from the first position to the second position and clear of the extended storage container (521), and the first cantilevered container handling vehicle (301) is instructed (804) to follow the second path.
  3. 3. The method (800) of claim 1, comprising the steps of: -if it is determined (803) with the control system (122) that the storage space (305) of the first cantilevered container handling vehicle (301) is insufficient to clear the extended storage container (521), and it is determined (806) that the storage space (605) of the second cantilevered container handling vehicle (601) is large enough to clear the extended storage container (121, 521), instructing (804) the second cantilevered container handling vehicle (601) to follow the first path.
  4. 4. The method (800) of any of the preceding claims, wherein determining that the storage space (305,605) of the first cantilevered container handling vehicle (301,601) is large enough to pass over the extended storage container (121, 521) comprises determining that the height (h T ,h L ) of the storage space (305,605) of the first cantilevered container handling vehicle is greater than the maximum height of the extended storage container (121, 521) above the horizontal rail (110, 111).
  5. 5. The method (800) of any one of the preceding claims, comprising determining a maximum height of the protruding storage containers (121, 521) above a horizontal rail (110, 111) by summing the heights of each storage container (106) in the stack (107).
  6. 6. A system for controlling cantilevered container handling vehicles (301,601) on a track system (108) of a grid-type automated storage and retrieval system (2), each of said cantilevered container handling vehicles (301,601) including a storage space (305,605), said grid-type automated storage and retrieval system (2) comprising: -a frame structure (100) comprising an upright member (102) and the rail system (108) comprising a grid of horizontal rails (110, 111) provided at an upper end of the upright member (102), the frame structure (100) defining a storage volume comprising storage columns (105) arranged adjacent to each other below the horizontal rails (110, 111); -a plurality of storage containers (106) stacked on top of each other in said storage column (105) to form a plurality of stacks (107) in said storage column (105), and at least one of said stacks (107) comprises a storage container (121, 521) protruding above said horizontal rail (110, 111); -a control system (122) comprising, for each stack (107) of storage containers (106), a record of the level of the storage containers (106) in said stack (107); wherein the control system (122) is adapted to: -determining a first path from a first location on the grid of horizontal rails (110, 111) to a second location on the grid of horizontal rails (110, 111) for a first cantilevered container handling vehicle (301,601) to follow; characterized in that the control system (122) is adapted to: -determining, based on the level of the storage containers (106) in each stack (107), that the first path passes through the storage containers (121, 521) protruding above the grid of horizontal tracks (110, 111), and -In case it is determined that the storage space (305,605) of the first cantilevered container handling vehicle (301,601) is large enough to pass over the extended storage container (121, 521), instructing the first cantilevered container handling vehicle (301,601) to follow the first path.
  7. 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the control system (122) is adapted to determine a second path from the first position to the second position and avoiding the extended storage container (521) and instruct the first cantilevered container handling vehicle (301) to travel along the second path if it is determined that the storage space (305) of the first cantilevered container handling vehicle (301) is insufficient to traverse the extended storage container (521).
  8. 8. The system of claim 6, wherein the control system (122) is adapted to instruct the second cantilevered container handling vehicle (601) to travel along the first path if it is determined that the storage space (305) of the first cantilevered container handling vehicle (301) is insufficient to clear the extended storage container (521) and it is determined that the storage space (605) of the second cantilevered container handling vehicle (601) is large enough to clear the extended storage container (121, 521).
  9. 9. The system of any of claims 6 to 8, wherein determining that the storage space (305,605) of the first cantilevered container handling vehicle (301,601) is large enough to pass over the extended storage container (121, 521) includes determining that a height (h T ,h L ) of the storage space (305,605) of the first cantilevered container handling vehicle is greater than a maximum height of the extended storage container (121, 521) above a horizontal rail (110, 111).
  10. 10. The system of any of claims 6 to 9, comprising determining a maximum height of the protruding storage containers (121, 521) above a horizontal rail (110, 111) by summing the heights of each storage container (106) in the stack (107).
  11. 11. A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that when run on the control system (122) of the system according to claims 6 to 10 perform the method (800) according to claims 1 to 5.

Description

Method, system and computer readable storage medium for controlling movement of a cantilevered container handling vehicle Technical Field The present invention relates to an automated storage and retrieval system for storage and retrieval of containers, and more particularly to a method, system and computer program for controlling movement of a cantilevered container handling vehicle. Background Fig. 1 discloses a prior art automated storage and retrieval system 1 having a frame structure 100, and fig. 2, 3 and 4 disclose three different prior art container handling vehicles 201, 301, 401 adapted to operate on the system 1. The frame structure 100 comprises upright members 102 and a storage volume comprising storage columns 105 arranged in rows between the upright members 102. In these storage columns 105, storage containers 106 (also referred to as bins) are stacked one on top of the other to form a stack 107. The member 102 may generally be made of metal (e.g., extruded aluminum profile). The frame structure 100 of the automated storage and retrieval system 1 includes a track system 108 disposed across the top of the frame structure 100 on which a plurality of container handling vehicles 201, 301, 401 may run to lift and lower storage containers 106 from and into the storage columns 105 and also transport storage containers 106 over the storage columns 105. The track system 108 includes a first set of parallel tracks 110 arranged to guide movement of the container handling vehicles 201, 301, 401 in a first direction X across the top of the frame structure 100, and a second set of parallel tracks 111 arranged perpendicular to the first set of tracks 110 to guide movement of the container handling vehicles 201, 301, 401 in a second direction Y perpendicular to the first direction X. The containers 106 stored in the column 105 are accessed by the container handling vehicles 201, 301, 401 through the access opening 112 in the track system 108. The container handling vehicles 201, 301, 401 may move laterally over the storage columns 105, i.e., in a plane parallel to the horizontal X-Y plane. The upstanding members 102 of the frame structure 100 may be used to guide the storage containers during lifting and lowering of the containers from and into the columns 105. The stack 107 of containers 106 is typically self-supporting. Each prior art container handling vehicle 201, 301, 401 includes a vehicle body 201a, 301a, 401a and a first set of wheels 201b, 301b, 401b and a second set of wheels 201c, 301c, 401c that enable the container handling vehicle 201, 301, 401 to move laterally in the X-direction and the Y-direction, respectively. In fig. 2,3 and 4, two wheels of each set of wheels are fully visible. The first set of wheels 201b, 301b, 401b are arranged to engage with two adjacent tracks of the first set of tracks 110 and the second set of wheels 201c, 301c, 401c are arranged to engage with two adjacent tracks of the second set of tracks 111. At least one of the sets of wheels 201b, 201c, 301b, 301c, 401b, 401c may be raised and lowered such that the first set of wheels 201b, 301b, 401b and/or the second set of wheels 201c, 301c, 401c may engage the corresponding set of tracks 110, 111 at any point in time. Each prior art container handling vehicle 201, 301, 401 also includes a lifting device for vertical transport of the storage containers 106 (e.g., lifting the storage containers 106 from the storage column 105 and lowering the storage containers 106 into the storage column). The lifting device comprises one or more clamping/engagement devices adapted to engage with the storage container 106 and which can be lowered from the vehicle 201, 301, 401 such that the position of the clamping/engagement devices relative to the vehicle 201, 301, 401 can be adjusted in a third direction Z orthogonal to the first direction X and the second direction Y. Some parts of the gripping means of the container handling vehicles 301, 401 are shown in fig. 3 and 4 and denoted by reference numerals 304, 404. The gripping means of the container handling device 201 are located in the vehicle body 201a in fig. 2 and are therefore not shown. Conventionally and also for the purposes of the present application, z=1 identifies the uppermost layer below the rails 110, 111 available for storage containers, i.e., the layer immediately below the rail system 108, z=2 identifies the second layer below the rail system 108, z=3 identifies the third layer, etc. In the exemplary prior art disclosed in fig. 1, z=8 identifies the lowest bottom layer of the storage container. In a similar manner to that described above, x=1......n. and y=x. 1......n. each of the n identifiers. The locations of the individual storage columns 105 in the horizontal plane. Thus, as an example, and using the cartesian coordinate system X, Y, Z shown in fig. 1, it can be said that the storage vessel identified as 106' in fig. 1 occupies a storage position of x=17, y=1, z=6