| Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
|---|
| 414273000 | With control system responsive to changeable operating instructions | 63 |
| 20080240894 | Storage and retrieval system - A storage and retrieval system that includes a track assembly and a carrier defining a support surface configured to support a product stored by the storage and retrieval system. The carrier includes a guide member rotatable with respect to the support surface from a first position to a second position such that the carrier is movable in a first direction when the guide member is in the first position and the carrier is movable in a second direction when the guide member is in the second position. The track assembly includes a track member coupled to the guide member. The track member is selectively rotatable from a first orientation to a second orientation such that the carrier is movable in the first direction when the track member is in the first orientation and the carrier is movable in the second direction when the track member is in the second orientation. | 10-02-2008 |
| 20090028675 | Article Storage Facility - An article storage facility comprising a storage rack that includes a plurality of storage units that store articles; a first article transport that includes a first vertically movable body guided by a first vertical guide and a first transit body configured to move along a path defined along the storage rack, the first vertical guide being provided in said first article transport so as to be positioned on one side of a lateral direction of the path; and a second article transport that includes a second vertically movable body guided by a second vertical guide and a second transit body configured to move along the path, the second vertical guide being provided in the second article transport so as to be positioned on the other lateral side of the path. The first transit body and said second transit body are configured so as to be able to pass each other. | 01-29-2009 |
| 20090136328 | Rack-Integrated Packing Station and Order-Picking Method - It is disclosed: a method and a work station ( | 05-28-2009 |
| 20100129183 | Library apparatus - A library apparatus includes a robot in operation that performs transfer between the record medium storage shelf and the input-output device, a robot on standby that stands by at a predetermined position as a reserve of the robot in operation; and a control device that controls operations of two of the robot in operation and the robot on standby. The information record medium has a bar code for identification. The robot in operation and the robot on standby individually include a read unit which has an imaging device to optically read the bar code of the information record medium. The robot on standby further includes an air spray unit which blows air to the imaging device of the robot in operation which moves relatively to a predetermined position and attitude. | 05-27-2010 |
| 20100150689 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ASSEMBLING PALLETS FOR STOCK ORDERS - A method of assembling pallets containing stock units is disclosed using a negative pick/put transfer having donor pallets | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100310344 | DUAL TEMPERATURE AUTOMATED STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM - An automated storage and retrieval system is presented. The automated storage and retrieval system may have at least two zones that are thermally isolated. The automated storage and retrieval system is operative to store and retrieve items from a plurality of storage locations in the first and second zone. An access member may be provided to selectively maintain and interrupt thermal isolation of the zones. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20100316468 | STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM - A storage and retrieval system including a vertical array of storage levels, each storage level having, picking aisles, storage locations, disposed within the picking aisles, and at least one transfer deck providing access to the picking aisles, a multilevel vertical conveyor system configured to transport the uncontained case units to and from the vertical array of storage levels, each storage level being configured to receive uncontained case units from the multilevel vertical conveyor system, at least one autonomous transport located on each storage level for transporting the uncontained case units between respective storage locations and the multilevel vertical conveyor system, and a controller configured to create a primary access path through the transfer decks and picking aisles to a predetermined one of the storage locations and at least one secondary access path to the predetermined one of the storage locations when the primary path is impassible. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20100316469 | AUTONOMOUS TRANSPORTS FOR STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS - An autonomous transport vehicle for transferring case units to and from predefined storage areas in an automated case unit storage system, the automated case unit storage system including an array of multilevel storage racks with picking aisles passing therebetween and at least one multilevel vertical conveyor having movable shelves, the autonomous transport vehicle including a frame configured to traverse the picking aisles and a transfer deck connecting the picking aisles to the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor for transferring case units between the predefined storage areas and the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor, and a controller connected to the frame, the controller being configured to effect movement of the autonomous transport vehicle through the picking aisles for accessing each storage area within a respective level of the array of multilevel storage racks and each shelf of the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20100316470 | CONTROL SYSTEM FOR STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS - A warehouse storage and retrieval system including an array of multilevel storage racks having at least one transfer deck, picking isles and storage areas disposed along picking isles, the storage areas being configured to hold differing loads, and a controller including a management module configured to variably size the storage areas of the array of multilevel storage rack modules and assign each of the variably sized storage areas to a corresponding one of the differing loads, wherein the storage and retrieval system is arranged to transport the differing loads for placement in the variably sized storage areas assigned by the controller. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20100316471 | Automatic storage system - The front automatic storage system includes a plurality of shelves, a transferring apparatus, and a moveable frame. The shelves are arranged facing a semiconductor processing apparatus and at least one of the shelves is positioned above a transfer port of the semiconductor processing apparatus. The transferring apparatus is contrived to move among the shelves and transfer cassettes C between any shelf and the transfer port. The frame is contrived such that it can move the transferring apparatus and the at least one shelf positioned above the transfer port. The frame is also contrived such that it can move in a first horizontal direction toward and away from a first position where the at least one shelf is arranged above the transfer section. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20100322746 | LIFT INTERFACE FOR STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS - A transport system for a storage and retrieval system having an array of storage levels, each storage level having respective storage areas, the transport system including a vertical conveyor having a frame and support shelves movably coupled to the frame, each support shelf being configured to hold one or more uncontained case units in predetermined areas of the support shelf, and transfer vehicles disposed on respective ones of the storage levels, the vertical conveyor having a conveyor to transfer vehicle interface configured to transfer the uncontained case units substantially directly between the support shelves and the transfer vehicles for transport to the storage areas in substantially one transfer vehicle picking operation. | 12-23-2010 |
| 20100322747 | STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM - A storage and retrieval system including a vertical array of storage levels, each storage level having storage locations, a multilevel vertical conveyor system configured to transport the uncontained case units to and from the vertical array of storage levels, each storage level being configured to receive uncontained case units from the multilevel vertical conveyor system, at least one autonomous transport confined to each storage level, the at least one autonomous transport being configured to transport the uncontained case units between respective storage locations and the multilevel vertical conveyor system, and a controller configured to effect operation of the multilevel vertical conveyor system and at least one autonomous transport for assembling orders of uncontained case units of different types without moving bundles of the same uncontained case unit type throughout the storage and retrieval system. | 12-23-2010 |
| 20110027053 | METHOD AND WAREHOUSE SYSTEM FOR FEEDING SUPPLY GOODS TO A DESTINATION STORAGE, PREFERABLY A HIGH-BAY WAREHOUSE AREA OF A PICKING SYSTEM - A method and warehouse system for feeding supply goods in the form of packages, containers, cartons, single and/or bundled goods from a feeding station via a feeding section ( | 02-03-2011 |
| 20110081222 | MULTI-TRACK HANDLING AND STORAGE APPARATUS AND METHOD THEREOF - A multi-track handling and storage apparatus includes at least two main tracks, at least two cranes and an intelligent integrated logic system. The main tracks are arranged separately, and every two adjacent main tracks are connected by at least one switching track. Bottoms of the cranes are slidably disposed on the main tracks. The intelligent integrated logic system includes a command receiving unit, a database unit, an analyzing unit, a crane dispatching unit and a route selection unit which are integrated with each other. The above-mentioned main tracks, switching tracks and cranes are controlled by the units of the intelligent integrated logic system. The present invention further provides a multi-track handling and storage method. | 04-07-2011 |
| 20110318145 | STORAGE AND ORDER COLLECTION SYSTEM - Device for the storage of articles and the formation of groups of articles therefrom, includes a frame having a first series of mutually parallel elongated storage sections that extend between a first end and a second end of the frame, a number of holders for the articles, wherein the storage sections are provided with holder supports on which a number of the holders can be supported, wherein at the first end and the second end of the frame first and second platforms, respectively, have been arranged which each are adapted for accommodating at least one holder, and movement elements for horizontally moving at least one holder from the first platform at the first end of the frame to the holder supports of a selected storage section while moving one or more holders representing a same holder length from the selected storage section to the second platform at the second end of the frame. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20120076622 | EFFICIENT MAGAZINE MOVES - A storage library is described that includes a tape magazine that possesses at least one spare slot and a number of other addressable slots that each contains a tape cartridge. Each addressable slot is mapped and made known to a host when the host is linked to the storage library. One of the addressable slots contains a tape cartridge that prior to being mapped as an addressable slot was formerly a spare slot unmapped to the host and the current spare slot was formerly mapped as an addressable slot. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120114452 | TRANSPORT SYSTEM HAVING MULTILAYER TRACKS AND CONTROLLING METHOD THEREOF - A transport system having multilayer tracks is presented. The system has a bottom track and at least one top track disposed above on the bottom track. Shuttle carriages are moving along the top and bottom tracks. The shuttle body of each shuttle carriage has a first locking portion on the top end thereof, and has a second locking portion on the bottom end thereof. The second locking portion of the shuttle carriage on the top track can be locked with the first locking portion of the shuttle carriage on the bottom track. Therefore, the two transports on different tracks are locked so that the object can be transported between the top and bottom tracks. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120128454 | Material Handling Apparatus for Sorting or Retrieving Items - A method and apparatus are provided for sorting or retrieving items to/from a plurality of destinations areas. The items are loaded onto one of a plurality of independently controlled delivery vehicles. The delivery vehicles follow a track that guides the delivery vehicles to/from the destination areas, which are positioned along the track. Once at the appropriate destination area, an item is transferred between the delivery vehicle and the destination area. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120189409 | AUTONOMOUS TRANSPORT VEHICLE - An autonomous transport vehicle including a frame having a longitudinal axis extending from a front of the frame to a back of the frame, at least one first guide member mounted on one side of the frame and having a first guide member frame of reference, and at least one second guide member mounted to an opposite side of the frame than the at least one first guide member and having a second guide member frame of reference, wherein the first and second guide members are asymmetrically compliant guide members so that a stiffness of the at least one first guide member in response to a force in a predetermined direction relative to the first guide member frame of reference is different than a stiffness of the at least second guide member in response to the force in the predetermined direction relative to the second guide member frame of reference. | 07-26-2012 |
| 20120189410 | BOT POSITION SENSING - A storage and retrieval system including a storage structure having storage shelves, each storage shelf having slats for supporting stored items where the slats are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, an autonomous transport vehicle including at least one sensor configured to sense each of the slats and output a signal indicating when a slat is sensed, and a controller for verifying a location of the autonomous transport vehicle within the storage structure based on at least the output signal. | 07-26-2012 |
| 20120189411 | ARTICLE STORAGE FACILITY - An article storage facility with a storing shelf structured by lining up a plurality of article storage units in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. A stacker crane travels along a traveling rail to transport articles to each article storage unit. The stacker crane has a traveling cart having a pair of vertical-movement guiding masts set upright on both ends of the traveling cart in the front-back width direction, and a vertical-movement platform movable vertically along the pair of vertical-movement guiding masts between the pair of vertical-movement guiding masts. An article transfer device is provided on the vertical-movement platform. The stacker crane has a work frame, having a width in the sideways direction of the traveling cart and the front-back width direction of the traveling cart between the pair of vertical-movement guiding masts structured so as to be freely attached and removed. | 07-26-2012 |
| 20120213616 | Method to Audit Portable Cassettes Removeably Disposed in a Data Storage Library Comprising a Pass-Through Accessor - A method to audit portable cassettes removeably disposed in a data storage library comprising a plurality of storage slots, a plurality of portable cassettes removeably disposed in one or more of said plurality of storage slots, and a pass-through accessor comprising a moveable fixturing apparatus, wherein the pass-through accessor is moveably disposed in said data storage library. The method disposes the pass-through accessor adjacent a first one of said plurality of storage slots, removes a first portable cassette from the first storage slot, and attaches the first portable cassette to a first fixturing assembly disposed on the fixturing apparatus. The method then removes a second portable cassette from the first storage slot, and attaches the second portable cassette to a second fixturing assembly disposed on the fixturing apparatus. | 08-23-2012 |
| 20130051959 | SYSTEM FOR STORING AND RETRIEVING SHOES - The system for storing and retrieving shoes includes a cabinet defining a housing enclosing storage units. The housing defines a central shaft for raising and lowering shoe trays, and defines two columns of storage rack units for the shoe trays on opposite sides of the central shaft. A portal at the base of the central shaft provides access for placing shoes on a shoe tray and retrieving the shoes from the cabinet. A long support arm is movable horizontally to align a shoe tray in either the left or the right column of rack units. A short support arm is movable vertically on the long arm to align the shoe tray vertically, and has clips for grasping and releasing the shoe trays. An electronic control system controls movement of the two arms, and issues a card or claim check identifying the storage rack unit for later retrieval of the shoes. | 02-28-2013 |
| 20130084149 | NON-HOST INTERFACE FOR MOVING CARTRIDGES IN A CARTRIDGE LIBRARY TO PREVENT BONDING WITH LIBRARY STORAGE SLOTS - Cartridges of a computer-implemented cartridge library are moved without host system move commands to avoid bonding of cartridges to storage slots. Via a non-host interface providing external communication with respect to the cartridge library, an inventory list is obtained of cartridges of the cartridge library, bypassing host-based inventory limitations which limit each host's view to its own virtual library. Using the library inventory list, cartridges are identified that have been stored in one storage slot for a period of time that exceeds a threshold. The cartridge library is operated to move the identified cartridges, each moving to a different storage slot than the inventoried storage slot, and a library element address of each moved cartridge is updated without altering a host address for the cartridge. | 04-04-2013 |
| 20130343842 | SYSTEM FOR AUTO-EXCHANGING OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERY - A system for automatically exchanging a battery of an electric vehicle, including a horizontal frame of a predetermined area formed at a location higher than the electric vehicle; a plurality of battery stands formed on a bottom surface of the horizontal frame at a predetermined interval; a pair of fixed guide rails arranged and installed on front and rear sides or left and right sides of the horizontal frame, respectively; a variable guide rail adapted to move horizontally along X-axis or Y-axis along the fixed guide rails; a movable rail adapted to move horizontally along Y-axis or X-axis along the variable guide rail and ascend/descend vertically; and a grasping part installed on a lower end of the movable rail and adapted to pick up a battery of the electric vehicle or a battery seated on the battery stand and exchange each other. | 12-26-2013 |
| 20140003893 | Article Storage Facility and Article Storage Method | 01-02-2014 |
| 20140030049 | MOVING CARTRIDGE BETWEEN LIBRARY STRINGS - A library manager to determine a relay-point library string when a particular cartridge (specific cartridge) is moved to an empty drive (target drive) for mounting. A method for determining a relay-point library string includes: receiving a command to mount a cartridge in a library string located on one side of the relay-point library string; searching for the target drive among library strings, and finding the target drive in a library string on the other side of an interposed relay-point library string relative to the library string in which the specific cartridge is located; selecting a relay-point library string based on predetermined conditions to move the specific cartridge using shuttle connections to the found target drive; and searching to determine whether or there is a newly available drive in a relay-point library string other than the selected relay-point library string before the selected cartridge reaches the selected relay-point library string. | 01-30-2014 |
| 20140037404 | PACKAGE DELIVERY KIOSK INCLUDING INTEGRATED ROBOTIC PACKAGE LIFTING ASSEMBLY WITH SHELVING SYSTEM - Described herein is a package delivery kiosk (PDK) including an integrated robotic package lifting assembly and shelving system. The system includes a PDK, associated front end and back end package delivery management systems, including portals for the consumer, retailer, common carrier, sender, and recipient, a package inventory management system, integrated retailer access, and a real and automated retailer bidding system. The shelving system has shelves with receiving apertures and dividers configured to fit into the receiving apertures, where the dividers each have a receiving slot. A package retrieving apparatus includes a base, a vertical support interconnected with the base, and a package picker module. The package picker module is oriented to move up and down on the vertical support. The package picker module includes grippers configured to surround and grip the object. A kiosk includes a kiosk body having a package delivery slot and an interface slot. | 02-06-2014 |
| 20140037405 | Warehouse System - A warehouse system including a temporary storage device and a stacking crane is disclosed. The stacking crane includes a rack and a goods support. The rack includes three sensors. The temporary storage device includes a lifted support and a roller support. The goods support, the lifted support and the roller support may be lifted vertically between its high level and low level. The temporary storage device includes three reflective plates arranged according. to the locations of the third high level of the roller support, the second high level of the lifted support and the lifted support. In addition, three sensors are configured to sense the three reflective plate and determines if the stacking crane has to be shut down according to the sensing results. The warehouse system is capable of preventing the stacking crane from crash accidents. | 02-06-2014 |
| 20140086714 | AUTOMATED WAREHOUSING SYSTEMS AND METHOD - A dynamically automated warehousing system including a three-dimensional storage volume having a plurality of horizontal storage levels which are vertically offset from each other, each level defining a grid of mutually adjacent palletized load storage/travel locations, at least some of the storage/travel locations being accessible from multiple directions, a three-dimensional palletized load storage/travel controller operative to dynamically control placement of palletized loads to and removal of palletized loads from palletized load storage locations and being operative to changeably designate a first plurality of the storage/travel locations as palletized load storage locations and a second plurality of the storage/travel locations as palletized load travel locations at a first time, and at a second time to designate a third plurality, different from the first plurality, of the storage/travel locations as palletized load storage locations and a fourth plurality, different from the second plurality, of the storage/travel locations as palletized load travel locations. | 03-27-2014 |
| 20140178161 | CONVEYOR TECHNOLOGY SUPPORTED COMMISSIONING OF ARTICLES - A system for commissioning articles stored on source pallets in a pallet warehouse has a supply-conveyor line for supplying source pallets from the pallet warehouse to commissioning work stations having packing stations. Customer orders are assigned to a packing station. At the packing station a customer-transporting means is provided for picking up the articles to be directly commissioned from the source pallets. An outlet conveying line removes source pallets that are no longer needed from the commissioning work station back into the pallet warehouse or to another commissioning work station. An article arrival conveying line conveys the source pallets from an article arrival to the pallet warehouse. Automated guided vehicles are provided for conveying the source pallets along the article arrival conveying line, the supply-conveyor line and/or the outlet conveying line. | 06-26-2014 |
| 20140212248 | TUBE SORTER AND TUBE SORTING SYSTEM - Disclosed is a tube sorter comprising: a transporting section configured to transport a sample rack; a storage arranged at a higher level than the transporting section, capable of storing a plurality of sample tubes; a lifting section configured to lift up the sample rack transported by the rack transporting section; and a sample tube transferring section configured to remove a sample tube from the sample rack lifted up by the lifting section and set the removed sample tube in the storage. | 07-31-2014 |
| 20140255132 | STORAGE AND DISTRIBUTION DEVICE AND METHOD BASED ON ARRANGEMENT WHEREBY LARGEST SIDES OF BOXED PRODUCTS ARE IN CONTACT WITH ONE ANOTHER - A storage and distribution device and method based on an arrangement whereby the largest sides of boxed products are in contact with one another are disclosed. The device includes a storage device, a blind door and a restocking manipulator. The blind door is disposed at the front of the storage device, and the restocking manipulator is disposed at the rear of the storage device. The storage device includes a plurality of storage units. Each of the storage units includes a matrix storage rack provided with a plurality of storage passages in a matrix arrangement. Each of the storage passages includes two baffle plates having brushes and a bottom plate. A discharge control device is disposed at the front of a discharge end of each storage passage. A spiral spring driver is further disposed on each storage passage. The driver is driven by a spiral spring energy-storage device to move stored items towards the discharge end of the passage. The restocking manipulator automatically restocks according to instructions from a computer. The system of the present invention is highly automatic, and has large storage capacity and short feeding time, thereby substantially increasing space utilization rate and operating efficiency. | 09-11-2014 |
| 20140271063 | STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM - A storage and retrieval system including a vertical array of storage levels, each storage level having storage locations, a multilevel vertical conveyor system configured to transport the uncontained case units to and from the vertical array of storage levels, each storage level being configured to receive uncontained case units from the multilevel vertical conveyor system, at least one autonomous transport confined to each storage level, the at least one autonomous transport being configured to transport the uncontained case units between respective storage locations and the multilevel vertical conveyor system, and a controller configured to effect operation of the multilevel vertical conveyor system and at least one autonomous transport for assembling orders of uncontained case units of different types without moving bundles of the same uncontained case unit type throughout the storage and retrieval system. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140301810 | WAREHOUSE SYSTEM HAVING SEVERAL AISLES AND AUTOMATED METHOD FOR OPERATING SAME WHILE THE AISLE IS IN A MAINTENANCE MODE - It is disclosed a warehouse system comprising: a control device; a plurality of racks defining a plurality of rack aisles therebetween, wherein each of the rack aisles comprises an access and is secured against unauthorized entry by an operator by means of the access, which is locked and unlocked by means of an access key, wherein a first sensor monitors, whether the access is closed or open, and transmits corresponding status signals to the control device; a plurality of rack serving units, wherein in each of the rack aisles at least respectively one rack serving unit can travel in an automated manner at least along a longitudinal direction of the rack aisle and wherein each of the rack serving units comprises at least one load handling device or shuttle, which can be extracted and retracted on both sides along a transverse direction, for storing and retrieving storage goods in an automatic mode in and from each of the racks in an automated manner, the racks being arranged directly adjacent to the respective load handling device, wherein each of the load handling devices has assigned at least one second sensor which detects whether the load handling device is in a retracted neutral position, currently extracts, or is extracted, and which transmits a corresponding state signal to the control device; and at least one aisle-serving switch device, wherein each of the switch devices communicates with the control device and can be shifted physically by means of an access key between an automatic position and a maintenance position, wherein the access key in the automatic position is physically connected inseparably to the respective switch device and is physically connected in the maintenance position separable from the respective switch device, in order to open one of the accesses which is determined by one of the rack aisles to be maintained; wherein the control device is adapted to: communicate with the rack serving units, each of the switch devices, the first sensors and the second sensors; to operate each of the rack serving units in the automatic mode if the status signal signals that all of the accesses are closed; to instruct each of the load handling devices of one of the rack serving units which is operated in a directly neighbouring rack aisle adjacent to the to-be-maintained rack aisle to which the operator needs to gain admission for the purpose of maintenance, in a maintenance mode to only store and retrieve storage goods in and from such racks which are not arranged directly adjacent to the to-be-maintained rack aisle; and to initiate an emergency switching of the to-be-maintained rack aisle and at least of the directly adjacent rack aisle, if a state signal comes in which indicates that one of the load handling devices of the rack servicing units of the directly adjacent rack aisles is extracted towards one of the racks which is arranged direct adjacent to the to-be-maintained rack aisle. | 10-09-2014 |
| 20150050106 | EFFICIENT MOVES VIA REPOSITORY - A storage library is described that includes a shelf system adapted to support a number of tape cartridges. The storage library further includes a tape drive adapted to read and write data to and from tape cartridges. The storage library further possesses a temporary repository near the tape drive that is adapted to facilitate an exchange of a first tape cartridge intended to be loaded in the tape drive with a second tape cartridge ready to be removed from the tape drive with a single tape picker device. | 02-19-2015 |
| 20150071743 | MATERIALS-HANDLING SYSTEM USING AUTONOMOUS TRANSFER AND TRANSPORT VEHICLES - 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. | 03-12-2015 |
| 20150098774 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC STORAGE OF TAPE GUIDES - A system and method for surface mount assembly of PCBs, using an automated pick-and-place machine into which component tapes on reels are fed, uses component tape reels each of which has been pre-threaded into its appropriate tape guide and been stored as a reel/tape guide packet in an automated SMD storage tower, from which appropriate packets are retrieved for coupling to the pick-and-place machine. | 04-09-2015 |
| 20150117992 | LIBRARY DEVICE, LIBRARY CONTROL METHOD, AND COMPUTER READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM - A library device includes cell units which include a plurality of cells each configured to hold a cartridge, the cell units being loaded in a rack in a state where the cell units are arranged at least along a width direction of the rack to be capable of sliding out of the rack, and a robot adjacent to the rack holding the cell units. The robot includes a first mechanism of moving the robot at least along the width direction, a second mechanism of pulling out or loading the cell units from or into the rack, and a third mechanism of unloading or loading the cartridge from or into one of the cells while the cell unit is pulled out, and loading or unloading the cartridge into or from a drive operating the cartridge. | 04-30-2015 |
| 20150291356 | BIN-MODULE BASED AUTOMATED STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM AND METHOD - A bin-module based automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) includes a plurality of storage shelves, each removably supporting a plurality of bin modules. Each bin module includes multiple bins. The system also includes a collection shelf configured to removably support bin modules. The system further includes a dolly including: (a) a dolly frame, (b) a drive module configured to propel the dolly, and (c) an actuator configured to move a coupler to couple to the bin module supported in one of the plurality of storage shelves when the dolly is positioned adjacent to said storage shelf the actuator being further configured to remove said bin module from said storage shelf to the dolly frame, and to move said bin module from the dolly frame to the collection shelf when the dolly is positioned adjacent to the collection shelf. | 10-15-2015 |
| 20150321845 | TRANSFER DEVICE - A transfer device includes an arm, a conveyor, and a controller. The arm includes a first hook capable of entering and exiting a first abutment position that allows the first hook to abut the article, and a second hook being capable of entering and exiting a second abutment position that allows the second hook to abut the article. The controller moves the conveyor forward at a speed lower than a stretching speed of the arm when the article placed on the placement area is unloaded onto the shelf, and moves the conveyor rearward at a speed lower than a retracting speed of the arm when the article placed on the shelf is loaded onto the placement area. | 11-12-2015 |
| 20150344225 | CARGO HANDLING APPARATUS AND METHOD - According to one embodiment, a cargo handling apparatus includes a first mechanism, a second mechanism, a holding unit, a third mechanism, a fourth mechanism and a conveyor. The first mechanism is movable in a first direction. The second mechanism is connected to the first mechanism and is movable on a first horizontal plane intersecting the first direction. The holding unit is connected to the second mechanism and holds an object to be picked up. The third mechanism is arranged below the first mechanism, the second mechanism and the holding unit, and is movable in the first direction. The fourth mechanism is connected to the third mechanism and is movable on a second horizontal plane opposed to the first horizontal plane. The conveyor is connected to the fourth mechanism, and loads and conveys the object held by the holding unit. | 12-03-2015 |
| 20160009492 | LIFT CONFIGURATION FOR CARRIAGE-BASED WAREHOUSE | 01-14-2016 |
| 20160016732 | Article Storage Facility and Method of Operating Same - A main controller controls carry in operations and carry out operations of articles to or from an article storage rack using article transport devices by causing a control command to be transmitted from a first optical communication device that is associated with each article transport device to a second optical communication device provided to each article transport device. The main controller is configured to perform a temporally-divided light-emission control in which a plurality of the first optical communication devices are caused to emit light in a temporally divided manner such that there is only one first optical communication device that emits light in any one time period among the first optical communication devices that are located close to one another in the vertical direction. | 01-21-2016 |
| 20160016733 | REPLENISHMENT AND ORDER FULFILLMENT SYSTEM - A warehousing system for storing and retrieving goods disposed in containers is provided. The system includes a multilevel storage array including an array of storage shelves for holding containers thereon, at least one substantially continuous lift for transporting containers to and from at least one level of the storage array, at least one transport vehicle located on the at least one level and configured to traverse a transport area transporting containers between the at least one continuous lift and container storage locations so that the at least one continuous lift communicates non-deterministically, via the transport vehicle, with storage locations of each of the storage shelves on the at least one level, an infeed transport system linked to the at least one continuous lift, and an order fulfillment station for generating order containers corresponding to customer orders where the order containers are entered onto the storage shelves of the storage array. | 01-21-2016 |
| 20160031643 | Automated storage/retrieval system comprising an elevator cooperating with a transfer device and a sequencer - An automated storage/retrieval system is proposed. The system includes a control system, at least one storage unit having several levels at which loads can be picked or deposited and at least one interface conveyor for entries/exits of loads into and out of the system, and at least one elevator for a transfer of loads between said at least interface conveyor and the at least one storage unit. The at least one elevator is a multi-level elevator, and the automated storage/retrieval system furthermore includes at least one multi-level transfer device capable of simultaneously receiving, on several levels, a set of loads intended for or coming from at least one elevator; and at least one sequencer provided with elements of vertical moving and capable of transferring loads between the at least one multi-level transfer device and the at least one interface conveyor. | 02-04-2016 |
| 20160052716 | STORAGE SYSTEM HAVING A TRANSPORT SYSTEM FORMED BY MAGNETICALLY DRIVEN SHUTTLES - In a storage system with racks for storing products and with a first transfer device for transferring products to be stored in and removed from the racks from a transport system to a rack conveying system and with a second transfer device for transferring products removed from storage which have been transported with the transport system and, respectively, for receiving products to be stored and to be transported with the transport system, it is envisaged that the transport system includes rail-mounted shuttles which are individually controllable with regard to the transport direction and the transport speed and are configured for transporting the products removed from storage and the products to be put into storage between the first transfer device and the second transfer device across rails of at least one main loop. | 02-25-2016 |
| 20160060033 | CARRIER SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING CARRIER SYSTEM - A carrier system capable of rapidly carrying a cargo includes: a circulation rail which is hung from above and includes a curved part; a plurality of carriers, each of which includes a travelling vehicle that travels along the circulation rail and a lift stage that is liftably hung on the travelling vehicle and serves to hold a cargo, and each of which lifts and lowers the lift stage while traveling along the circulation rail; a plurality of racks which are arranged in parallel along the circulation rail, and each of which includes a plurality of placement parts arranged in parallel in a vertical direction; and a controller which selects any of the plurality of placement parts as a storing position of the cargo and instructs the carrier that holds the cargo out of the plurality of carriers, about the storing position. | 03-03-2016 |
| 20160075512 | AUTOMATED SYSTEM FOR TRANSPORTING PAYLOADS - 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. | 03-17-2016 |
| 20160107838 | STORAGE AND PICKING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PICKING WITH AUTONOMOUSLY MOVING SHELF-SERVING DEVICES - It is disclosed a storage and picking system for storing and picking of articles in accordance with a picking order into order containers comprising: a storage zone; a working zone; at least one picking-work station; and a plurality of storage and retrieval devices, wherein each of the storage and retrieval devices comprises: a load-handling device; a vertical mast along which the load-handling device is supported vertically movable, preferably exclusively; and a ground-near travelling unit, wherein the travelling unit is connected to the mast; and a controlling device being integrated into the travelling unit; wherein the travelling unit is dimensioned such that and wherein the mast is arranged such that the storage and retrieval device can travel, for purpose of storing or retrieving, in the travelling direction beneath one of the racks while an other storage and retrieval device can pass the storage and retrieval device in the rack aisle; an wherein the storage and retrieval device can travel autonomously within each of the zones and between the zones in the travelling direction along a travelling path which is selectable freely. | 04-21-2016 |
| 20160122078 | PALLET FOR THE STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION OF ARTICLES - The present invention provides pallets for use in gravity pallet flow racks and pallet push back racks which resist becoming misaligned and jammed in such racks. This accordingly provides better reliability (reduces down time) and reduces the manual labor which is required to clear jammed pallets from such rack systems. The use of these pallets in gravity pallet flow racks and pallet push back racks does not compromise any of the inherent advantages of such systems. In other words, systems which utilize the pallets of this invention offer highly efficient use of warehouse space and require low maintenance. They are also compatible for use in conjunction with a means for automatically placing, positioning, and/or stacking the pallets in an organized manner in the system and retrieving the pallets which are stored in the system. | 05-05-2016 |
| 20160137418 | AUTOMATED WAREHOUSES - Automated warehouses are provided which include a main path, a series of secondary paths perpendicular to the main path along which storage stations are defined, suitable for receiving cargo units. In order to move the cargo units, a main self-propelled vehicle is movable along the main path, and is associated with an auxiliary self-propelled vehicle, movable along the secondary paths. Location data representations are provided along the paths, which identify absolute positions of reference points or ranges within the automated warehouse. Sensors to read the data are mounted on board of the main self-propelled vehicle and the auxiliary self-propelled vehicle. Methods for storing and withdrawing cargo units in automated warehouses are also provided. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160152412 | Article Storage Facility | 06-02-2016 |
| 20160176633 | AUTOMATED WAREHOUSE AND OPERATING METHOD FOR THE SAME | 06-23-2016 |
| 20160185526 | STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM - A storage and retrieval system including a vertical array of storage levels, each storage level having, picking aisles, storage locations, disposed within the picking aisles, and at least one transfer deck providing access to the picking aisles, a multilevel vertical conveyor system configured to transport the uncontained case units to and from the vertical array of storage levels, each storage level being configured to receive uncontained case units from the multilevel vertical conveyor system, at least one autonomous transport located on each storage level for transporting the uncontained case units between respective storage locations and the multilevel vertical conveyor system, and a controller configured to create a primary access path through the transfer decks and picking aisles to a predetermined one of the storage locations and at least one secondary access path to the predetermined one of the storage locations when the primary path is impassable. | 06-30-2016 |
| 20160194152 | AUTOMATIC WAREHOUSE | 07-07-2016 |
| 20160200514 | MODULAR SAMPLE STORAGE SYSTEM | 07-14-2016 |
| 20160200516 | CONTAINER HANDLING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATING CONTAINER HANDLING EQUIPMENT | 07-14-2016 |
| 414274000 | With means on charging or discharging means to determine status of member | 3 |
| 20090129902 | Rack Warehouse and Order-Picking Method - It is disclosed a order-picking method and a rack warehouse ( | 05-21-2009 |
| 20110020098 | STORAGE RACK WITH LOADING MANAGEMENT - The invention relates to a method of introducing article carriers ( | 01-27-2011 |
| 20160167879 | SIDE ARM TRANSFER DEVICE | 06-16-2016 |
| 414275000 | With means to detect obstruction and alter movement of charging or discharging means | 2 |
| 20130302116 | MAGAZINE DROP-OUT FOR A ROBOTIC GRIPPER - Embodiments of the invention include systems and methods for providing gripper recovery using a magazine drop-out feature. Embodiments operate in context of a data storage library having a number of media cartridges physically located within slots of one or more magazines. A robotic hand assembly uses a gripper mechanism to retrieve and ferry the cartridges between the magazines and one or more media drives. In some instances, the gripper mechanism is unable to disengage from the cartridge or to disengage the cartridge from its magazine slot. Embodiments detect this condition and direct the robotic hand assembly to drop out of engagement with the cartridge through the drop-out region of the magazine slot, allowing the gripper mechanism to recover. | 11-14-2013 |
| 20150360865 | ROBOTIC MANIPULATOR FOR WAREHOUSES - A warehouse robotic system includes a picker robot, including a mobile base, an environment sensing system, a communications system and at least one manipulator. The picker robot can also include an object sensing system. The robotic system also includes a control system, including a communications system and a robot controller which communicates with the picker robot and is connected to an associated warehouse inventory system. The picker robot is adapted to maneuver to a first location, retrieve at least one associated object from the first location, transport the at least one associated object to a second location and place the at least one associated object at the second location. The system can also include a carrier robot and a storage container. | 12-17-2015 |
