A bin holding device includes two vertical side elements spaced to accommodate a storage bin between the two vertical side elements. Each side element is provided with a bin supporting assembly including a bin support and an actuator. The bin support includes an upper bin interacting part arranged to interact with the storage bin when the storage bin is accommodated in the bin holding device, such that a top edge of the accommodated storage bin is held at a predetermined level. The actuator is operably connected to the bin support and includes a lower bin interacting part arranged to interact with the storage bin during introduction of the storage bin into the bin holding device in a downward vertical direction, such that the upper bin interacting part is moved to interact with the storage bin.

A storage system and a load handling device for lifting and moving containers stacked in the storage system are described. The storage system includes a plurality of rails arranged in a grid pattern above the stacks of containers. The grid pattern has a plurality of grid spaces and each stack is located within a footprint of a single grid space. The load handling device can move laterally on the rails above the stacks and includes a container receiving space located above the rails in use and a lifting device arranged to lift a container from a stack into the container receiving space. The load handling device also includes a mechanism for enabling lateral movement of the device in one of two transverse directions by enabling either a first or second set of wheels to selectively engage the first or second set of rails.

An automated storage and retrieval system includes a first track system and a second track system. The first track system includes a first set of parallel tracks arranged in a first horizontal plane and extending in a first direction of the first track system and a second set of parallel tracks arranged in the first horizontal plane and extending in a second direction of the first track system which is orthogonal to the first direction of the first track system. The first and second sets of tracks of the first track system forming a grid pattern in the first horizontal plane including a plurality of adjacent grid cells. Each grid cell of the first track system comprising a grid opening defined by a pair of neighboring tracks of the first set of tracks and a pair of neighboring tracks of the second set of tracks. Storage columns are located beneath the first track system for storing storage containers in a plurality of stacks. Each storage column is located vertically below a grid opening. The second track system includes a third set of parallel tracks arranged in a second horizontal plane and extending in a first direction of the second track system, and a fourth set of parallel tracks arranged in the second horizontal plane and extending in a second direction of the second track system which is orthogonal to the first direction of the second track system. The third and fourth sets of tracks forming a grid pattern in the second horizontal plane including a plurality of adjacent grid cells. Each grid cell of the second track system including a grid opening defined by a pair of neighboring tracks of the third set of tracks and a pair of neighboring tracks of the fourth set of tracks. Storage columns are located beneath the second track system for storing storage containers in a plurality of stacks. Each storage column is located vertically below a grid opening. The first horizontal plane of the first track system and second horizontal plane of the second track system are arranged vertically displaced relative each other. The automated storage and retrieval system further includes a vehicle lift device for transfer of at least one vehicle arranged on the first track system to the second transfer system and vice versa. The vehicle lift device includes a platform arranged to carry the vehicle and a lift mechanism arranged to move the platform between: a first lift stop position establishing access between the platform and the first track system for enabling relocation of the vehicle between a support position on the platform and an operative position on the first track system, and a second lift stop position establishing access between the platform and the seco

A container accessing station for accessing a storage container of an automated storage and retrieval system includes a housing and a vehicle lift. The housing includes an access opening, and a base opening. A human and/or robot may access contents of the storage container through the access opening. The storage container can enter the container accessing station to be presented at the access opening through the base opening. The vehicle lift is arranged to lift a delivery vehicle carrying the storage container on an upper surface of the delivery vehicle from a pickup level below the base opening up to an accessing level where the storage container is presented to be accessed through the access opening by the human and/or robot while the storage container is still being carried by the delivery vehicle.

A storage system includes a storage grid structure and multiple remotely operated storage bin handling vehicles. The storage grid structure includes vertical storage column profiles defining multiple storage columns in which storage bins can be stored one on top of another in vertical stacks. Each of the storage column profiles have an upper end and a lower end and the storage column profiles are interconnected at their upper ends by rails forming a horizontal rail grid upon which the bin handling vehicles may move in two perpendicular directions. The storage grid structure features grid supports include multiple base angle brackets. Each base angle bracket includes a vertical flange and a horizontal flange. The vertical flange is connected to a storage column profile. The horizontal flange is connected by bolts to a floor upon which the storage grid is arranged and a web interconnecting the flanges. Each of the flanges has a first end and a second end. The first end is arranged closer than the second end to the lower end of the storage column profile to which the vertical flange is connected. The web has a recess arranged between the first ends of the flanges.

The present invention relates to automated storage and retrieval system comprising: a track system comprising a first set of parallel tracks arranged in a horizontal plane and extending in a first direction, and a second set of parallel tracks arranged in the horizontal plane and extending in a second direction which is orthogonal to the first direction, which first and second sets of tracks form a grid pattern in the horizontal plane comprising a plurality of adjacent grid cells, each comprising a grid opening defined by a pair of adjacent tracks of the first set of tracks and a pair of adjacent tracks of the second set of tracks; a plurality of stacks of storage containers arranged in storage columns located beneath the track system, wherein each storage column is located vertically below a grid opening; a plurality of container handling vehicles for lifting and moving storage containers stacked in the stacks, the container handling vehicles being configured to move laterally on the track system above the storage columns to access the storage containers via the grid openings, wherein each of the plurality of container handling vehicles has a footprint with a horizontal extension which is equal to or less than the horizontal extension of a grid cell and comprises: a wheel assembly for guiding the container handling vehicle along the track system and a container-receiving storage space arranged within the footprint of the container handling vehicle for accommodating a storage container. Each container handling vehicle comprises a protruding section which extends horizontally beyond the footprint of the container handling vehicle and, when the container handling vehicle is positioned above a grid cell, into a neighbouring grid cell.

The present invention also relates to a container handling vehicle for such an automated storage and retrieval system.

Automated storage and retrieval systems which include robots that move along ceilings and/or walls to retrieve and/or transport goods. The robots use magnetic adhesion to hold to the surfaces. The robots adjust the magnetic adhesion force in response to changes in weight or other conditions.

A control system controls an automated storage and retrieval system to perform a method including receiving a plurality of orders in an order list; allocating each order to one of a plurality of pick-up entities; ranking the plurality of orders in the order list according to time received; estimating, for each order, a preparation time for preparing and delivering the order to a pick-up point for pick-up by the allocated pick-up entity; estimating, for each order, a pick-up time at which the allocated pick-up entity will be ready to pick up the order based on information about the allocated pick-up entity; comparing, for each order, the estimated preparation time and the estimated pick-up time; updating the ranking of the orders in the order list so that each order will be delivered at the pick-up point at a time within a predetermined time interval overlapping the estimated pick-up time of the allocated pick-up entity; and controlling the automated storage and retrieval system for preparing and delivering the orders of goods at the pick-up point according to the updated ranking of orders in the order list.

Embodiments herein provide automated bin packing of heterogeneous objects to fill maximum number of objects in an available bin space in an efficient manner. Conventional methods are less efficient in packing heterogeneous objects in a space and time efficient manner. The apparatus receives a plurality of 3D objects through a primary conveyor and diverts each of the plurality of 3D objects to an identified cuboidal bin through a corresponding secondary conveyor. Each of the plurality of 3D objects are diverted based on a tracking code associated with each of the plurality of 3D objects and a computed available bin space of the identified cuboidal bin corresponding to each of the plurality of 3D objects. Here the available bin space is computed based on a bin space information received from a corresponding bin vision sensor and a corresponding state space of the identified cuboidal bin.

A container handling vehicle for an automated storage and retrieval system includes a three-dimensional grid having multiple storage columns, in which containers are stored one on top of another in vertical stacks. The container handling vehicle is arrangeable above a top level of the grid for retrieving a container from, and storing a container in, at least some of the storage columns, and/or for transporting a container horizontally across the top level of the grid. The container handling vehicle has a lifting device including a lifting frame for releasable connection to a container, and lifting bands arranged to lower and raise the lifting frame relative to the storage columns. The lifting device includes a container centring device arranged to extend around portions of the lifting frame. The container centring device having a lower open end including at least one edge element for interaction with a peripheral part of the upper end of a storage column. The edge element is arranged such that a container connected to the lifting frame is centred relative said upper end when the edge element interacts with the peripheral part.