The invention concerns an automated storage and retrieval system (1), a storage container handling vehicle (3) and a method for operating such a system. The system (1) comprises one or more vehicle (3) configured to lift and move storage containers (106) stacked in the system (1). Each vehicle (3) comprises a storage container lifting device (16), a drive system (18) with a wheel arrangement (19, 20) configured to drive and maneuver the vehicle (3) along the track system (108), abase (31) onto which the wheel arrangement (19, 20) is connected, a rotational part (30) rotationally connected via a swivel device (32) to the base (31) and a rotational drive system (34) for rotating the rotational part (30) relative to the base (31).

The invention concerns an automated storage and retrieval system (1), a storage container handling vehicle (3) and a method for operating such a system. The system (1) comprises one or more vehicle (3) configured to lift and move storage containers (106) stacked in the system (1). Each vehicle (3) comprises a storage container lifting device (16), a drive system (18) with a wheel arrangement (19, 20) configured to drive and maneuver the vehicle (3) along the track system (108), abase (31) onto which the wheel arrangement (19, 20) is connected, a rotational part (30) rotationally connected via a swivel device (32) to the base (31) and a rotational drive system (34) for rotating the rotational part (30) relative to the base (31).

A device for gripping and handling pallets and/or layer pads, is provided with an attachment flange for a multiple axis movement mechanism, for example a robot of anthropomorphic type or Cartesian type, including a first anti-collision safety group, fixed to the attachment flange, with a device for detecting the vertical position of the pallet and/or of the layer pad to be picked up; a second group, connected to the first group, for the gripping, centering of the pallet and/or of the layer pad and with safety function with regard to accidental pallet falls, with a first section for gripping the pallets, for centering the pallets and/or the layer pads, and a second section for gripping the layer pads; and a control unit for supervising and controlling the functions of the device itself. Methods for gripping a pallet and/or a layer pad which use the device are also provided.

An automated storage and retrieval system includes a storage array of storage locations for case units. An in-out case conveyor is capable of bi-directionally transporting case units to and from the storage array, and an in-out loaded pallet conveyor is capable of bi-directionally transporting loaded pallets towards and away from the storage array. A palletizer-depalletizer cell includes a bi-directional pallet transport system with more than one independently driven pallet transports, each with a different pallet holder independently movable relative to a cell frame. Placement of case units commissioning a pallet layer loading a pallet, and removal of case units decommissioning a pallet layer unloading another pallet are both effected at the common pallet layer interface at a predetermined level of the cell frame. The pallet transports independently index a first and a second of the different pallet holders, each independently holding the pallet loading at the common pallet layer interface.

The present invention relates to an auxiliary battery and an auxiliary battery rental device, and the auxiliary battery rental device according to the present invention comprises: a battery port allowing an auxiliary battery to be discharged therefrom or returned thereto; a battery queue in which auxiliary batteries are vertically stacked and loaded; a carrier for discharging an auxiliary battery loaded in the battery queue to the battery port, or loading an auxiliary battery returned to the battery port in the battery queue; a lift for lifting at least some of the auxiliary batteries loaded in the battery queue; a charging unit for charging at least some of the auxiliary batteries loaded in the battery queue; and a control unit for controlling an operation of the rental device such that lending and returning operations of the auxiliary batteries are automatically performed. According to the present invention, lending, returning, charging, and lending of auxiliary batteries can be circularly and automatically performed.

A sequencing station includes a buffer including a plurality of positions, each position being configured to receive an item. An industrial robot is configured to place items to the positions and pick items from the positions, and a transport device is configured to move items into and out of a work area of the robot. The robot has at least four degrees of freedom. A robot with four degrees of freedom manages both sequencing and restacking tasks faster and with lower investment than conventional machines dedicated to specific tasks.

A control unit performs first loading control that is to be performed when a target article that has been determined by a determination unit as being an article that is in an appropriate orientation is to be loaded onto a first supporting member in the appropriate orientation, and second loading control that is to be performed when a target article that has been determined by the determination unit as being an article that is in an inappropriate orientation is to be loaded onto the first supporting member in the appropriate orientation. The first loading control is performed to control a loading operation unit to suck and support a first sucking-target surface of a target article that is supported by the second supporting member, from above, then move a sucking portion, and thereafter release the target article from the state of being sucked by the sucking portion, and the second loading control is performed to control the loading operation unit to perform an orientation changing operation, and thereafter release the target article from the state of being sucked by the sucking portion when the target article is located immediately above the first supporting member and the first sucking-target surface faces upward.

A control unit performs first loading control that is to be performed when a target article that has been determined by a determination unit as being an article that is in an appropriate orientation is to be loaded onto a first supporting member in the appropriate orientation, and second loading control that is to be performed when a target article that has been determined by the determination unit as being an article that is in an inappropriate orientation is to be loaded onto the first supporting member in the appropriate orientation. The first loading control is performed to control a loading operation unit to suck and support a first sucking-target surface of a target article that is supported by the second supporting member, from above, then move a sucking portion, and thereafter release the target article from the state of being sucked by the sucking portion, and the second loading control is performed to control the loading operation unit to perform an orientation changing operation, and thereafter release the target article from the state of being sucked by the sucking portion when the target article is located immediately above the first supporting member and the first sucking-target surface faces upward.

An apparatus and method for filling containers with value documents and to a system for processing value documents, wherein the apparatus has: a container receiving device which is adapted to receive a container stack having two or several containers for receiving value documents, a lid receiving device which is adapted to receive a lid stack having two or several lids for closing the containers, a container removal device which is adapted to remove, preferably, the respectively lowermost container from the container stack, a closing device and a transport device which is adapted to convey the container removed from the container stack to a filling station, in which the container can be filled with value documents, and to convey the container filled with value documents to the closing device which is adapted to remove a lid from the lid stack and close the filled container with the removed lid.

An apparatus and method for filling containers with value documents and to a system for processing value documents, wherein the apparatus has: a container receiving device which is adapted to receive a container stack having two or several containers for receiving value documents, a lid receiving device which is adapted to receive a lid stack having two or several lids for closing the containers, a container removal device which is adapted to remove, preferably, the respectively lowermost container from the container stack, a closing device and a transport device which is adapted to convey the container removed from the container stack to a filling station, in which the container can be filled with value documents, and to convey the container filled with value documents to the closing device which is adapted to remove a lid from the lid stack and close the filled container with the removed lid.