An automated storage system for receiving, storing, and dispensing items is herein proposed. The system has an enclosure, which defines a storage volume, and a port which selectively connects the storage volume to the ambient space for deposit and retrieval of items. The system also includes a plurality of containers for containing at least one item being stored as well as a support structure for supporting the plurality of containers in the storage volume. The containers feature a base, an envelope extending from the base, and an opening opposing the base and providing access to an inner volume defined by the base and envelope for containing at least one item. The system includes a manipulator for transporting the containers between an access position at the port and a storage position at the support structure. Finally, the system includes a one-sided attachment interface between the container and the support structure for removably attach the container to the support structure in the storage position, in which the opening of the container is above the base.

A system for processing picking orders each having a plurality of articles, includes a replenishing storage, at least one reloading station connected to the replenishing storage for reloading of articles for hanging transportation, and a buffer storage connected to the reloading station with parallel circulating storages for hanging transports. A controller allocates orders to be picked to each circulating storage and generates a list and quantity of all articles per circulating storage, and supplies the articles present therein to the respective circulating storage. The controller checks each circulating storage to determine whether a) articles for the fulfilment of an original order are present, and/or b) articles for the fulfilment of another order to be treated preferentially are present, and/or c) articles for the fulfilment of another order to be treated preferentially are present in two or more circulating storages. Thereupon the articles are discharged from the respective circulating storage.

A storage system prevents a large load from being applied to a part of the ceiling. The storage system in which a rack is provided by being suspended from a first position of a ceiling by a first suspending member attached to a grid ceiling, a second overhead track is provided by being suspended from a second position of the grid ceiling by a second suspending member attached to the grid ceiling, and the first position and the second position are set to be apart by at least a predetermined distance.

A vehicle tilting device for tilting a delivery vehicle for increasing access to items from a storage container transported on the delivery vehicle. The vehicle tilting device comprises a base structure and a tiltable platform connected to the base structure, wherein the tiltable platform comprises guiding features adapted to guide the delivery vehicle onto the tiltable platform. The tiltable platform is arranged to be connected to a delivery grid cell of a delivery rail system such that that there is a path to and/or from the tiltable platform for the delivery vehicle via the delivery grid cell. The invention is also related to an access station, a delivery system and a method of accessing a storage container.

An unloading arrangement, an unloading station, and a method of unloading an item (5) from a storage container (6), comprising: a delivery vehicle (30); a storage container (6) carried by the delivery vehicle (30); and an unloading station (10) for unloading an item (5) from the storage container (6) while it is being carried by the delivery vehicle (30) in an automatic storage and retrieval system (1), the unloading station (10) comprising: an unloading device (40); and a destination conveyor (60) configured to convey the item (5) to a target destination (TD), wherein the unloading device (40) is configured to move the item (5) through a side opening of the storage container (6) to the destination conveyor (60).

An overhead traveling vehicle and an overhead traveling vehicle fault processing system are provided. The overhead traveling vehicle includes: an overhead traveling vehicle main body; a main walking part, installed on the overhead traveling vehicle main body and configured to drive the overhead traveling vehicle main body to walk on tracks; an auxiliary walking part, installed on the overhead traveling vehicle main body and configured to drive the overhead traveling vehicle main body to walk on the tracks; and a control part, configured to control one of the main walking part and the auxiliary walking part to be on the tracks and to control the other one of the main walking part and the auxiliary walking part to leave the tracks.

An inventory system is disclosed. The inventory system may include a support frame and a suspension support that is configured to extend from the support frame. The inventory system may include a sensor configuration arranged on the suspension support. The sensor configuration may include a plurality of sensor elements that are configured to sense whether one or more objects are being suspended from the suspension support. The inventory system may include an electrical connector interface that facilitates communication of an inventory status associated with the suspension support.

The present invention is a robotic system for maintaining product inventory and dispensing products upon request from a customer or other user. Product items are stored in an inventory storage unit (ISU), one item per bin. Controller logic allows items to be stored in, and retrieved from, arbitrarily-assigned storage locations. The bins hang on rails within drawers. Configuration of the rails facilitates bins of variable height.

In a case of changing the traveling speed of a transport vehicle, in order for the traveling speed of the transport vehicle to reach a target speed at a target position that is on a downstream side in the travel path relative to the current position of the transport vehicle, a control unit generates reference speed commands in accordance with a traveling speed time change pattern according to which the travel acceleration changes in a stepwise manner, generates a moving average command obtained using the moving average of the reference speed commands in a set period, and controls travel operations of a travel unit based on the moving average command.

In a picking system, commodities are efficiently transported to a picking area and a shipment area by one type of transportation vehicle travelling along a travelling route including a diverging section and a merging section. The picking system is provided with a transportation vehicle, racks, picking units, the shipment area, and a controller configured and programmed to control the transportation vehicle. The picking units are provided with a carrying-in station to which the transportation vehicle transports a container and a carrying-out station from which the transportation vehicle transports the container and the picked commodities. The transportation vehicle transports a container containing ordered commodities from the racks to a carrying-in station, the picked commodities to the shipment area, and a container after picking the commodities to the racks.