Automated system for transporting payloads

摘要

An automated warehouse storage system including a multilevel storage array with storage distributed along multiple aisles. Each aisle of which has a set of storage levels and each level has storage locations distributed along the aisle. The guideway network extending through the multilevel storage array and configured for autonomous vehicles to move along the guideway network within the multilevel storage array. The guideway network including an inter-aisle guideway spanning at least two of the multiple aisles and a set of guideway levels extending in an aisle of the multiple aisles and disposed so that each guideway level is at a different one of the storage levels and the vehicles on the guideway level can access the storage locations distributed along the aisle. A ramp guideway communicably connecting each of the set of guideway levels to the inter-aisle guideway forming a common guideway path connecting the inter-aisle guideway and each guideway level so that a vehicle moving between inter-aisle guideway and each guideway level moves along the common guideway path.

主权项

1. An automated warehouse storage system comprising:
a multilevel storage array with storage distributed along multiple aisles, each aisle has a set of storage levels and each level has storage locations distributed along the aisle; a guideway network extending through the multilevel storage array and configured for autonomous vehicles to move along the guideway network within the multilevel storage array the guideway network including an inter-aisle guideway spanning at least two of the multiple aisles, a set of guideway levels extending in at least one aisle of the multiple aisles and disposed so that each guideway level of the set of guideway levels is at a different one of the storage levels and the vehicles on a respective guideway level can access the storage locations distributed along a respective aisle, and a vertical transition guideway disposed within the at least one aisle connecting one guideway level with another different guideway level; wherein at least one of the guideway levels is selectably connected to the vertical transition guideway and the automated warehouse storage system further comprises a controller configured to effect selection between a connected and disconnected state of the at least one of the guideway levels.