A load handling device for operating in a storage system, a floor of the storage system including a network of tracks, or track network, based on a grid system, the tracks including a first set of track members extending in a first (x-) direction, and a second set of track members extending in a second (y-) direction, the second set of track members running transversely to the first set of track members in a substantially horizontal plane. The load handling device includes: a first set of wheels and a second set of wheels; and a support pad for receiving a storage container which support pad can be raised and or lowered in a vertical (z-) direction.

An automated storage and retrieval system includes an automated storage and retrieval grid, a container accessing station, a delivery rail system, and a delivery vehicle operating on the delivery rail system. The automated storage and retrieval grid includes a container handling vehicle rail system for guiding a plurality of container handling vehicles, the container handling vehicle rail system comprising a first set of parallel rails arranged in a horizontal plane (P) and extending in a first direction (X), and a second set of parallel rails arranged in the horizontal plane (P) and extending in a second direction (Y) which is orthogonal to the first direction (X), which first and second sets of rails form a grid pattern in the horizontal plane (P) comprising a plurality of adjacent container handling vehicle grid cells, each container handling vehicle grid cell comprising a container handling vehicle grid opening defined by a pair of neighboring rails of the first set of rails and a pair of neighboring rails of the second set of rails; and a delivery column adapted for transport of a storage container arranged in a stack of storage containers beneath the container handling vehicle rail system between a container handling vehicle and a delivery port situated at a lower end of the delivery column. The delivery rail system includes at least a first set of parallel rails arranged in a horizontal plane (P1) and extending in a first direction (X), and at least a second set of parallel rails arranged in the horizontal plane (P1) and extending in a second direction (Y) which is orthogonal to the first direction (X), the first and second sets of rails together defining a delivery grid of delivery grid cells. The delivery vehicle includes a motorized vehicle body and a container carrier provided above the motorized vehicle body for carrying the storage container. The delivery vehicle is arranged to transport the storage container from the delivery port of the storage grid across the delivery grid to the delivery grid cell situated below the container accessing station. The container accessing station includes an access opening through which a human and/or robot may access contents of the storage container; a base opening; and a lifting device arranged to retrieve the storage container from a first level beneath the base opening and lift it up through the base opening to a second level so that the storage container may be accessed through the access opening. The delivery vehicle is arranged to deliver the storage container to the lifting device of the container accessing station, or receive a storage container from the lifting device and return the st

There is provided an automated storage and retrieval system including: a rack storing a plurality of bins for containing items; and a transportation robot for transporting the bin in the rack. The rack includes a plurality of floors each of which stores the plurality of bins, and allows the transportation robot to run along a surface thereof, and, when the one or more bins obstructive for transportation of the target bin are arranged on the one floor, the one or more transportation robots move the one or more obstructive bins to enable another transportation robot to transport the target bin.

The present disclosure relates to an automated storage and retrieval system. The system comprises a multi-floor storage structure defined with a storage space in each floor of the multi-floor storage structure. The system includes a plurality of storage bins arranged in the storage space and is configured to store inventory. Further, there is at least one autonomous vehicle configured to move under and transport the at least one storage bin of the plurality of storage bins and is configured to transport the plurality of storage bins within each floor and across multiple floors of the multi-floor storage structure.

A rack includes a plurality of floors each of which stores a plurality of bins for containing items, and allows a transportation robot to run along a surface thereof; and a plurality of support columns supporting the floors. Each of the floors includes a plurality of floor modules making up part of each of the floors, and each of the floor modules is detachably supported by the support column. This method for assembling a rack includes steps of: assembling each of the floors from a lower floor to an upper floor by attaching the floor module to the support column; and detaching the at least one floor module from the support column on each of the floors to secure a route for an operator to go down to the floor of the lower floor from the upper floor in the assembling step.

There is provided an automated storage and retrieval system including: a rack storing a plurality of bins for containing items; a transportation robot transporting the bin in the rack; and a transportation elevator which moves in the rack and can transport the transportation robot. The rack includes a plurality of floors each of which stores each of the plurality of bins, and allows the transportation robot to run along a surface thereof, and the rack includes a plurality of support column modules forming a passage of the transportation elevator. Each of the support column modules extends between at least mutually neighboring floors, and one support column module is configured to be able to be coupled to the another support column module.

An object is to provide a transportation robot control system for a warehouse system and a control method that can stably control a large number of robots by wireless communication.

A transportation robot control system 3 controls transportation robots 30 in a warehouse system 1. The transportation robot control system 3 includes: a central wireless communication unit 200 configured to be able to wirelessly communicate with the transportation robots 30 in a specific region of the warehouse system 1; an individual wireless communication unit 210 configured to be able to wirelessly communicate with the transportation robots 30; and individual control units 220 that respectively control the movements of the transportation robots 30. The individual wireless communication unit 210 includes information reading units 211 that are respectively provided in the transportation robots 30 and a plurality of information holding units 212 that are arranged in a rack 2. Each of the information holding units 212 holds position information indicating a position in the rack 2, at the position, the information holding unit 212 is arranged.

There is provided an automated storage and retrieval system including: a rack storing a plurality of bins for containing items; a picking station for picking the item from the bin; and a transportation robot for transporting the bin between the rack and the picking station. The picking station defines a plurality of picking positions at which a plurality of the transportation robots transporting the bins are simultaneously aligned to enable picking work of the item from the bin.

A maintenance system is disclosed for assisting in maintaining an automated carrier system for moving objects to be processed. The maintenance system includes a plurality of automated carriers that are adapted to move on an array of discontinuous standard track sections, each said automated carrier including a carrier body that is no larger in either a length or width direction that a standard track section, and an automated maintenance carrier that is adapted to move on the array of discontinuous track sections, said automated maintenance system including a maintenance body that is larger in at least one of a length or width direction than the standard track section.

A system may include a vehicle for delivering items and a moveable track that cooperates with the vehicle. The moveable track may cooperate with a storage system having storage locations for storing items. The vehicle may drive into the moveable track and lift the track using a vertical drive mechanism. The vehicle may include a horizontal drive system operable to drive the vehicle horizontally along the ground to carry the moveable track to a position adjacent the storage location. The vehicle may operate the vertical drive system to drop the moveable track adjacent the storage system. Additionally, the vehicle may operate the vertical drive to drive up the moveable track to an elevated position adjacent one of the storage locations in the storage system. The vehicle may include a transfer mechanism for transferring items between the vehicle and the storage location while the vehicle is in the elevated position.