MATERIALS-HANDLING SYSTEM USING AUTONOMOUS TRANSFER AND TRANSPORT VEHICLES

摘要

Methods and apparatus for selecting and combining items in an outbound container through the use of autonomous vehicles, each of which includes means for automatically loading and unloading a payload, to perform both transfer and transport functions in moving containers of items within a workspace via a network of roadways. Under computer control, said autonomous vehicles transfer and transport case containers of item units between incoming receiving stations, intermediate storage locations, and outgoing order-assembly stations where entire containers or individual item units are combined in the outbound container.

主权项

1. A storage and retrieval system comprising:
a multilevel storage structure, each level of the multilevel storage structure including storage locations and branching vehicle support roadways disposed adjacent the storage locations, the vehicle support roadways having more than one roadway level so that each roadway level is at a different level of the multilevel storage structure; at least one autonomous wheeled transport vehicle configured to traverse the vehicle support roadways, where the at least one autonomous wheeled transport vehicle includes a transfer mechanism for transferring at least one unpalletized shipping case, forming a not palletized case payload, to and from the at least one autonomous wheeled transport vehicle, and the branching vehicle support roadways include a substantially flat non-deterministic road surface configured to allow rotation of the at least one autonomous wheeled transport vehicle on the substantially flat non-deterministic road surface for selecting one of the branching roadways at a branch junction location; and at least one transfer station adjacent to at least one of the vehicle support roadways, the at least one transfer station and the at least one autonomous wheeled transport vehicle being configured to transfer product containers from the at least one transfer station to the at least one autonomous wheeled vehicle; wherein the at least one autonomous wheeled vehicle is configured to transfer the product containers between the at least one transfer station and the storage locations.