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 storage apparatus, and a transporting device and a transporting method for a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) are provided. The storage apparatus includes: at least two carrying bins configured to carry the FOUP; and a rotating component. The at least two carrying bins are connected to the rotating component at different positions of the rotating component. The rotating component is configured to change positions of the at least two carrying bins through rotation of the rotating component.

A storage apparatus, and a transporting device and a transporting method for a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) are provided. The storage apparatus includes: at least two carrying bins configured to carry the FOUP; and a rotating component. The at least two carrying bins are connected to the rotating component at different positions of the rotating component. The rotating component is configured to change positions of the at least two carrying bins through rotation of the rotating component.

A processing line processes logs of convolutely wound web material and has upstream and downstream sections. A main accumulator has buckets that receive, hold, and release logs. An input feeder receives logs from the upstream section and conveys them to a bucket of main accumulator. A loader has a loader accumulator and loader buckets that receive, hold, and release logs. A transfer conveyor between the main accumulator and the loader receives a log from the main accumulator bucket and conveys the log a loader bucket independently of the input feeder. The loader receives a log from the transfer conveyor. The loader conveys the log in the loader bucket to a discharge of the loader. The loader discharge discharges the log from the loader bucket to the downstream section of the processing line.

A processing line processes logs of convolutely wound web material and has upstream and downstream sections. A main accumulator has buckets that receive, hold, and release logs. An input feeder receives logs from the upstream section and conveys them to a bucket of main accumulator. A loader has a loader accumulator and loader buckets that receive, hold, and release logs. A transfer conveyor between the main accumulator and the loader receives a log from the main accumulator bucket and conveys the log a loader bucket independently of the input feeder. The loader receives a log from the transfer conveyor. The loader conveys the log in the loader bucket to a discharge of the loader. The loader discharge discharges the log from the loader bucket to the downstream section of the processing line.