US-12617619-B2 - Container handling module

US12617619B2US 12617619 B2US12617619 B2US 12617619B2US-12617619-B2

Abstract

A container handling module for an access station in a storage system includes a first container holder, a second container holder, a shuttle, and a rail assembly. The first and second container holders are rotatably mounted to the shuttle via a rotary shaft. Each of the first and second container holders is arranged to accommodate a storage container and is rotatable around an axis of rotation between a first angular position and a second angular position. The second angular position is opposite the first angular position relative to a centreline of the rotary shaft. The shuttle is configured for linear movement in a horizontal direction between a first linear position and a second linear position relative to the rail assembly.

Inventors

Trond Austrheim
Amund Skålerud

Assignees

Autostore Technology AS

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20211122
Priority Date: 20201127

Claims (20)

1 . A container handling module for an access station in a storage system, the container handling module comprises a first container holder, a second container holder, and a shuttle, the first and second container holders are rotatably mounted to the shuttle via a rotary shaft, wherein each of the first and second container holders is arranged to accommodate a storage container and is rotatable around an axis of rotation between a first angular position and a second angular position, the second angular position being opposite the first angular position relative to a centreline of the rotary shaft, and the shuttle being configured for movement in between a first position and a second position, wherein the axis of rotation is inclined at a first angle relative to a vertical, and each of the first container holder and the second container holder is configured such that a centreline of an accommodated storage container when supported by the respective container holder is inclined at a second angle relative to the axis of rotation.
2 . The container handling module according to claim 1 further comprising a rail assembly, wherein the rail assembly comprises two parallel rails and a support framework.
3 . The container handling module according to claim 2 , wherein each of the two parallel rails has a cross-section comprising guide surfaces, the guide surfaces arranged to interact with the shuttle to restrict vertical movement of the shuttle relative to the rail assembly.
4 . The container handling module according to claim 2 , wherein the shuttle comprises a set of wheels in contact with the rail assembly and configured to allow movement of the shuttle between the first position and the second position relative to the rail assembly.
5 . The container handling module according to claim 2 , wherein the shuttle may move between a first end and a second end of the rail assembly.
6 . The container handling module according to claim 5 , wherein either of the first container holder or the second container holder being in the first angular position is arranged at the first end of the rail assembly when the shuttle is in the first position.
7 . The container handling module according to claim 1 , wherein the shuttle may move linearly for a distance being at least equal to a horizontal distance between the axis of rotation and a distal portion of the first container holder or the second container holder.
8 . The container handling module according to claim 1 , wherein the first container holder is in the first angular position when the second container holder is in the second angular position.
9 . The container handling module according to claim 1 , wherein the shuttle may move to at least one intermediate linear position arranged between the first position and the second position.
10 . The container handling module according to claim 5 , wherein the centreline of an accommodated storage container is vertical when in the second angular position and inclined at a third angle relative to the vertical when in the first angular position, the third angle being equal to the sum of the first angle and the second angle.
11 . The container handling module according to claim 10 , wherein the axis of rotation is inclined towards the first end of the rail assembly.
12 . An access station comprising at least one container handling module according to claim 2 , wherein the container handling module is arranged to present a storage container at an access position of the access station, at which access position an operator or robot has access to the storage container when the storage container is supported by either the first or the second container holder being in the first angular position and the shuttle is in the first position.
13 . The access station according to claim 12 , wherein the container handling module is arranged to allow a storage container to be provided to or retrieved from either the first or the second container holder, when the respective container holder is in the second angular position and the shuttle is in the second position.
14 . The access station according to claim 12 , wherein the container handling module is arranged to allow a storage container to be provided to or retrieved from either the first or the second container holder, when the respective container holder is in the second angular position and the shuttle is in any of the first position and the second position.
15 . The access station according to claim 12 , wherein the first and second container holder may rotate around the axis of rotation when the shuttle is in the second position.
16 . The access station according to claim 12 , the access station further comprising a cabinet within which a first end of the rail assembly of the at least one container handling module is arranged, the cabinet comprises an access opening arranged to be aligned with the access position.
17 . The access station according to claim 12 for a storage system featuring at least one port column, through which port column storage containers may be transferred in a vertical direction, and wherein the access station comprises a station framework configured for supporting the lower ends of the at least one port column above the rail assembly.
18 . The access station according to claim 17 , wherein the storage system has a plurality of port columns, and the station framework is configured for supporting the lower ends of the plurality of port columns above the rail assembly.
19 . A storage system comprising an access station according to claim 12 , wherein the storage system features at least one port column, through which port column storage containers may be transferred in a vertical direction, the at least one port column is arranged above the rail assembly of the at least one container handling module of the access station such that a storage container may be delivered to, or retrieved from, the first or second container holder via the port column when the first or second container holder is arranged in the second angular position and the shuttle is in the second position.
20 . A method of presenting a storage container for access at an access station according to claim 12 , comprising: moving the shuttle to the second position; loading the storage container onto the first or second container holder being in the second angular position; rotating the first and second container holders around the axis of rotation to move the first or second container holder, on which the storage container is loaded, to the first angular position; and moving the shuttle to the first position to present the storage container at the access position.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to container handling module, an access station comprising a container handling module and a storage system comprising such an access station. BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART FIG. 1 discloses a typical prior art automated storage and retrieval system 1 with a framework structure 100 and FIGS. 2 to 4 disclose two different prior art container handling vehicles 201,301 suitable for operating on such a system 1. The framework structure 100 comprises upright members 102, horizontal members 103 and a storage volume comprising storage columns 105 arranged in rows between the upright members 102 and the horizontal members 103. In these storage columns 105 storage containers 106, also known as bins, are stacked one on top of one another to form stacks 107. The members 102, 103 may typically be made of metal, e.g. extruded aluminium profiles. The framework structure 100 of the automated storage and retrieval system 1 comprises a rail system 108 arranged in a grid pattern across the top of the framework structure 100, on which rail system 108 a plurality of container handling vehicles 201,301 are operated to raise storage containers 106 from, and lower storage containers 106 into, the storage columns 105, and also to transport the storage containers 106 above the storage columns 105. The horizontal extent of one of the grid cells 122 constituting the grid pattern is marked by thick lines. The rail system 108 (i.e. a rail grid) comprises a first set of parallel rails 110 arranged to guide movement of the container handling vehicles 201,301 in a first direction X across the top of the frame structure 100, and a second set of parallel rails 111 arranged perpendicular to the first set of rails 110 to guide movement of the container handling vehicles 201,301 in a second direction Y which is perpendicular to the first direction X. Containers 106 stored in the columns 105 are accessed by the container handling vehicles through access openings 112 in the rail system 108. The container handling vehicles 201,301 can move laterally above the storage columns 105, i.e. in a plane which is parallel to the horizontal X-Y plane. Commonly, at least one of the sets of rails 110,111 is made up of dual-track rails allowing two container handling vehicles to pass each other on neighbouring grid cells 122. Dual-track rails are well-known and disclosed in for instance WO 2015/193278 A1 and WO 2015/140216 A1, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The upright members 102 of the framework structure 100 may be used to guide the storage containers during raising of the containers out from and lowering of the containers into the columns 105. The stacks 107 of containers 106 are typically self-supportive. Each prior art container handling vehicle 201,301 comprises a vehicle body 201a,301a, and first and second sets of wheels 201b,301b,201c,301c which enable the lateral movement of the container handling vehicles 201,301 in the X direction and in the Y direction, respectively. In FIGS. 2 and 3 two wheels in each set are fully visible. The first set of wheels 201b,301b is arranged to engage with two adjacent rails of the first set 110 of rails, and the second set of wheels 201c,301c is arranged to engage with two adjacent rails of the second set 111 of rails. At least one of the sets of wheels 201b,301b,201c,301c can be lifted and lowered, so that the first set of wheels 201b,301b and/or the second set of wheels 201c,301c can be engaged with the respective set of rails 110, 111 at any one time. Each prior art container handling vehicle 201,301 also comprises a container lifting assembly 2 (shown in FIG. 4) for vertical transportation of storage containers 106, e.g. raising a storage container 106 from, and lowering a storage container 106 into, a storage column 105. The container lifting assembly 2 comprises a lifting frame 3 having one or more gripping/engaging devices 4 adapted to engage a storage container 106 and guide pins 304 for correct positioning of the lifting frame 3 relative to the storage container 106. The lifting frame 3 can be lowered from the vehicle 201,301 by lifting bands 5 so that the position of the lifting frame with respect to the vehicle 201,301 can be adjusted in a third direction Z which is orthogonal the first direction X and the second direction Y. The lifting frame 3 (not shown) of the container handling vehicle 201 in FIG. 2 is located within a cavity of the vehicle body 201a. Conventionally, and also for the purpose of this application, Z=1 identifies the uppermost layer of storage containers, i.e. the layer immediately below the rail system 108, Z=2 the second layer below the rail system 108, Z=3 the third layer etc. In the exemplary prior art disclosed in FIG. 1, Z=8 identifies the lowermost, bottom layer of storage containers. Similarly, X=1 . . . n and Y=1 . . . n identifies the position of each storage column 105 in the horizontal plane. Consequ