A widget device for use in delivering products or items stored on a storage unit to a transfer system, is described herein. The widget device includes a shell, a positioning magnet mounted to the shell and deployable to selectively contact the storage unit to hold the widget device at a desired location associated with a corresponding product or item, and a processor programmed to operate the positioning magnet to control a position of the widget device with respect to the storage unit.

An automatic storage and retrieval system includes: a delivery vehicle; a storage container carried by the delivery vehicle; and an unloading station for unloading an item from the storage container while it is being carried by the delivery vehicle. The unloading station includes: an unloading device; and a destination conveyor configured to convey the item to a target destination, wherein the unloading device is configured to move the item through a side opening of the storage container to the destination conveyor.

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.

A storage, retrieval and processing system is disclosed for processing objects. The system includes a plurality of bins including objects to be distributed by the processing system, said plurality of bins being provided in at least a partially generally circular arrangement, a programmable motion device that includes an end effector for grasping and moving any of the objects, said programmable motion device being capable of reaching any of the objects within the plurality of bins, and a plurality of destination containers for receiving any of the objects from the plurality of bins, said plurality of destination containers being provided in a region that is generally within the at least partially generally circular arrangement of the plurality of bins.

In general, the subject matter described in this disclosure can be embodied in a multi-level pallet-conveying system for a storage facility. The conveying system includes a first-level conveying system, a first-level into-storage conveying lane adapted to receive pallets from the first-level conveying system and provide such pallets to a first-level station of a storage lifting system, and a first-level from-storage conveying lane adapted to receive pallets from the first-level station of the storage lifting system and provide such pallets to the first-level conveying system. The conveying system also includes a second-level conveying system, a second-level into-storage conveying lane adapted to receive pallets from the second-level conveying system and provide such pallets to a second-level station of the storage lifting system, and a second-level from-storage conveying lane adapted to receive pallets from the second-level station of the storage lifting system and provide such pallets to the second-level conveying system.

A conveyor carriage movable on a guide rail. The conveyor carriage includes a conveyor frame; a pair of side rails spaced apart from each other; and a load carrying portion coupled to the pair of side rails. A drop-down plate hingedly mounted to the conveyor frame and positioned in between the pair of side rails. The drop-down plate is pivotable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the drop-down plate encloses a component of the conveyor carriage in the closed position. The conveyor carriage to pick up and deposit loads from and to a load handling station. The load handling station including a control box with a pivotable lid to enclose one or more components of the load handling station in the closed position.

A transport device for storing and retrieving loads into and out of storage racks. The transport device including a load handling module and a power module. The load handling module includes a load carrying portion, a load handling device with a pair of extendable arms to extend and retract relative to the load carrying portion towards and away from the storage racks. A pair of support wheels to support a weight of the loads While the extendable arms extract the loads from the storage rack into the load carrying portion. A pair of side guides to position the retrieved load on the load carrying portion. The load handling device is attached to a mounting platform with an attachment bracket having an elongated groove. Further, the power module includes a collector shoe assembly pivotable between a conducting position and a non-conducting position using a movable arm and a locking mechanism.

An automated storage and retrieval system includes a framework structure having a plurality of internal and peripheral upright members arranged to define a storage grid including multiple storage columns for storing storage containers on top of each other in vertical stacks. The upright members are interconnected at their upper ends by a rail system arranged to guide at least one container handling vehicle thereon. The container handling vehicle is configured to raise storage containers from, and lower storage containers into the storage columns and to transport the storage containers horizontally above the storage columns. The peripheral upright members of the framework structure define a horizontal periphery of the framework structure. A vehicle elevator includes a vertically extending support, a platform, and a lift mechanism. The platform includes a horizontally extending structure arranged to carry the container handling vehicle and a connection device moveably attaching the platform to the vertically extending support. The lift mechanism is arranged to move the platform between a first lift stop position, which establishes access between the platform and the rail system, and a second lift stop position arranged within an accessing area such that a human operator/service personnel and/or robot can perform in-situ maintenance on the container handling vehicle while the container handling vehicle is arranged on the platform. The first and second lift stop positions are arranged vertically offset.

The present invention includes a pallet storage device (30) having holding units (31, 32, 33) holding pallets (P) and a frame (40) supporting the holding units (31, 32, 33), a conveyance device (10) having a traveling base (11) having a traveling path (11a) extending along the pallet storage device (30) and a conveyance unit (15) loading and unloading the pallets (P) into and from the holding units (31, 32, 33) and conveying the pallets (P) to and from a predetermined place, and a controller (60) controlling operation of the conveyance device (10). The frame (40) has a space capable of receiving the controller (60) therein and has a plate-shaped cover (43, 48, 51) arranged to be located above the controller (60) and inclined downward toward the traveling base (11) side. The cover (43, 48, 51) is supported by the frame (40) such that a lower end of the cover (43, 48, 51) can be flipped up, and the cover (40) is configured such that the controller (60) can pass under the cover (43, 48, 51) when the lower end of the cover (43, 48, 51) is in a flipped-up state.

The present invention relates to an autonomous driving mobile service robot warehousing and delivery system that is capable of systematically storing and delivering a plurality of robot bodies from line parts by means of a server and comparing the number of delivery times of the robot bodies by line part to allow the robot bodies to be delivered sequentially from the line part having the smallest number of delivery times, thereby distributing the usage rate of the robot bodies disposed by line part.