US-12617610-B2 - Grid framework structure

US12617610B2US 12617610 B2US12617610 B2US 12617610B2US-12617610-B2

Abstract

A grid framework structure for supporting a load handling device operative to move one or more containers includes: plural upright columns arranged to form vertical storage locations for containers to be stacked and be guided by the upright columns in a vertical direction. The upright columns are interconnected at their top ends by a first set of grid members extending in a first direction and a second set of grid members extending in a second direction, the second set running transversely to the first set in a substantially horizontal plane to form a grid structure having grid cells. The first and second sets of grid members are sub-divided into plural grid elements such that adjacent grid elements extending in the first direction or the second direction are offset with respect to each other in the horizontal plane by at least one grid cell.

Inventors

Martyn BATES
Felix FABER

Assignees

OCADO INNOVATION LIMITED

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20210302
Priority Date: 20200303

Claims (20)

1 . A grid framework structure for supporting a load handling device operative to move one or more containers, the grid framework structure comprising: a plurality of upright columns arranged to form a plurality of vertical storage locations for one or more containers to be stacked between the upright columns and be guided by the upright columns in a vertical direction; wherein the plurality of upright columns are interconnected at their top ends by a first set of grid members extending in a first direction and a second set of grid members extending in a second direction, the second set of grid members running transversely to the first set of grid members in a substantially horizontal plane to form a grid structure having a plurality of grid cells; and wherein: the first and the second set of grid members are sub-divided into a plurality of grid elements such that adjacent grid elements extending in the first direction or the second direction are offset with respect to each other in the horizontal plane by at least one grid cell; and wherein the first set of grid members is sub-divided into a first subset of grid members and a second subset of grid members extending in the first direction, the second subset of grid members being spaced apart in the second direction from the first subset of grid members, the first subset of grid members being sub-divided into a first set of grid elements of the plurality of grid elements, and the second subset of grid members being sub-divided into a second set of grid elements of the plurality of grid elements, wherein the first set of grid elements is offset from the second set of grid elements in the first direction by at least one grid cell.
2 . The grid framework structure of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of grid elements is arranged to extend or span across a top end of a single upright column.
3 . The grid framework structure of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of upright columns are interconnected at their top ends to support an end of a first grid element of the plurality of grid elements extending in the first direction and a center of a second grid element of the plurality of grid elements extending in the second direction.
4 . The grid framework structure of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of grid elements of the first and the second set of grid members comprise: interlocking features that are arranged to interlock with each other at the top ends of the plurality of upright columns.
5 . The grid framework structure of claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of grid elements of the first set of grid members extending in the first direction interlock with corresponding grid elements of the second set of grid members extending in the second direction by a hook receivable in a corresponding opening.
6 . The grid framework structure of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of grid elements of the first set of grid members and the second set of grid members comprise: at least one hook at their distal or opposing ends, and an opening substantially mid-way along a length of the grid element.
7 . The grid framework structure of claim 1 , wherein a length of each of the plurality of grid elements of the first set of grid members extending in the first direction is substantially a same length, and a length of each of the plurality of grid elements of the second set of grid members extending in the second direction are substantially a same length, and wherein the length of each of the plurality of grid elements of the first set of grid members is different to the length of each of the plurality of grid elements of the second set of grid members.
8 . The grid framework structure of claim 1 , comprising: a cap plate secured to the top end of each of the plurality of upright columns, said cap plate being shaped as a cross having four perpendicular ends, each of the four perpendicular ends being configured for connecting with at least one of the plurality of grid elements, the cap plate being arranged to connect to at least one grid element extending in the first direction and in the second direction.
9 . The grid framework structure of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of upright columns has a cross-section comprising: a hollow center section and four corner sections, and the cap plate comprises: a spigot arranged to be snap fitted into the hollow center section.
10 . The grid framework structure of claim 1 , wherein the first and second set of grid members is an assembly of back-to-back C-beams.
11 . The grid framework structure of claim 10 , wherein each of the grid elements of the first and second sets of grid members comprises: a first C-beam element, and a second C-beam element, each of the first and the second C-beam elements having at least one interlocking feature at one its distal end, the first and second C-beams being arranged back to back to form the grid element such that the at least one interlocking feature is at the distal ends of each of the grid elements.
12 . The grid framework structure of claim 1 , wherein the first and the second sets of grid members support a first and a second set of tracks, respectively.
13 . The grid framework structure of claim 12 , wherein each of the first and the second set of tracks are respectively mounted to the first and the second set of grid members in a snap-fit configuration.
14 . The grid framework structure of claim 13 , wherein the first and the second of tracks are sub-divided into a plurality of track elements such that each of the plurality of track elements is arranged to extend or span across the top end of a single upright column.
15 . The grid framework structure of claim 14 , wherein adjacent track elements, extending in the first direction or the second direction, are offset with respect to each other in the horizontal plane by at least one grid cell.
16 . The grid framework structure of claim 15 , wherein the first set of tracks is sub-divided into a first subset of tracks and a second subset of tracks extending in the first direction, the second subset of tracks spaced apart in the second direction from the first subset of tracks, the first subset of tracks being sub-divided into a first set of track elements, and the second subset of tracks being sub-divided into a second set of track elements, wherein the first set of track elements is offset from the second set of track elements in the first direction by at least one grid cell.
17 . The grid framework structure of claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of track elements of the first and the second sets of tracks comprise: interconnecting features such that each of the plurality of track elements of the first set of tracks is arranged to interconnect with corresponding track elements of the second set of tracks at the top ends of the plurality of upright columns.
18 . The grid framework structure of claim 17 , wherein each of the track elements of the first and the second sets of tracks comprise: a cut-out that is arranged to cooperate with ends of corresponding track elements of the first and second set of tracks at the top ends of the plurality of upright columns.
19 . A storage system comprising: i) a grid framework structure as recited in claim 1 ; ii) a plurality of stacks of containers arranged in storage columns located below the grid, wherein each storage column is located vertically below a grid cell; iii) a plurality of load handling devices for lifting and moving containers stacked in the stacks, the plurality of load handling devices being configured to be remotely operated to move laterally on the grid above the storage columns to access the containers through substantially rectangular frames of the grid framework structure, each of said plurality load handling devices comprising: a) a wheel assembly for guiding the load handling device on the grid; b) a container-receiving space arranged to be located above the grid; and c) a lifting device arranged to lift a single container from a stack into the container-receiving space.
20 . The storage system of claim 19 , comprising: panelling to restrict access to the grid framework structure.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to the field of remotely operated load handling devices on tracks located on a grid framework structure for handling storage containers or bins stacked in the grid framework structure, more specifically to a grid framework structure for supporting the remotely operated load handling devices. BACKGROUND Storage systems comprising a three-dimensional storage grid structure, within which storage containers/bins are stacked on top of each other, are well known. PCT Publication No. WO2015/185628A (Ocado) describes a known storage and fulfilment system in which stacks of bins or containers are arranged within a grid framework structure. The bins or containers are accessed by load handling devices remotely operative on tracks located on the top of the grid framework structure. A system of this type is illustrated schematically in FIGS. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, stackable containers, known as bins or containers 10, are stacked on top of one another to form stacks 12. The stacks 12 are arranged in a grid framework structure 14 in a warehousing or manufacturing environment. The grid framework is made up of a plurality of storage columns or grid columns. Each grid in the grid framework structure has at least one grid column for storage of a stack of containers. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the grid framework structure 14, and FIG. 2 is a top-down view showing a stack 12 of bins 10 arranged within the framework structure 14. Each bin 10 typically holds a plurality of product items (not shown), and the product items within a bin 10 may be identical, or may be of different product types depending on the application. The grid framework structure 14 comprises a plurality of upright members or upright columns 16 that support horizontal members 18, 20. A first set of parallel horizontal grid members 18 is arranged perpendicularly to a second set of parallel horizontal grid members 20 and arranged in a grid pattern to form a grid structure comprising a plurality of grid cells or grid spaces supported by the upright members 16. The members 16, 18, 20 are typically manufactured from metal and typically welding or bolted together or a combination of both. The bins 10 are stacked between the members 16, 18, 20 of the grid framework structure 14, so that the grid framework structure 14 guards against horizontal movement of the stacks 12 of bins 10, and guides vertical movement of the bins 10. The top level of the grid framework structure 14 includes rails 22 arranged in a grid pattern across the top of the stacks 12. Referring additionally to FIG. 3, the rails 22 support a plurality of load handling devices 30. A first set 22a of parallel rails 22 guide movement of the robotic load handling devices 30 in a first direction (for example, an X-direction) across the top of the grid framework structure 14, and a second set 22b of parallel rails 22, arranged perpendicular to the first set 22a, guide movement of the load handling devices 30 in a second direction (for example, a Y-direction), perpendicular to the first direction. In this way, the rails 22 allow movement of the robotic load handling devices 30 laterally in two dimensions in the horizontal X-Y plane, so that a load handling device 30 can be moved into position above any of the stacks 12. A known load handling device 30 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 comprises a vehicle body 32 is described in PCT Patent Publication No. WO2015/019055 (Ocado), hereby incorporated by reference, where each load handling device 30 only covers one grid space of the grid framework structure 14. Here, the load handling device 30 comprises a wheel assembly comprising a first set of wheels 34 consisting a pair of wheels on the front of the vehicle body 32 and a pair of wheels 34 on the back of the vehicle 32 for engaging with the first set of rails or tracks to guide movement of the device in a first direction and a second set of wheels 36 consisting of a pair of wheels 36 on each side of the vehicle 32 for engaging with the second set of rails or tracks to guide movement of the device in a second direction. Each of the set wheels are driven to enable movement of the vehicle in X and Y directions respectively along the rails. One or both sets of wheels can be moved vertically to lift each set of wheels clear of the respective rails, thereby allowing the vehicle to move in the desired direction. The load handling device 30 is equipped with a lifting device or crane mechanism to lift a storage container from above. The crane mechanism comprises a winch tether or cable 38 wound on a spool or reel (not shown) and a grabber device 39. The lifting device comprise a set of lifting tethers 38 extending in a vertical direction and connected nearby or at the four corners of a lifting frame 39, otherwise known as a grabber device (one tether near each of the four corners of the grabber device) for releasable connection t