AUTOMATED GRID STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM WITH PASSIVE FIRE PREVENTION ARRANGEMENT

Abstract

An autonomous grid storage system arranged in a warehouse space. The autonomous grid storage system is divided within the warehouse space, for example on a single floor of said space, into a plurality of sub grids separated by fire walls. One or more bridges pass through openings in the fire wall to allow bin handling vehicles to traverse between the sub grids. The openings are provided with closable fire door.

Claims

1. An automated grid storage and retrieval system comprising: a framework structure comprising a track system upon which one or more bin handling vehicles are operatable; a plurality of storage columns each being arranged to store a respective stack of storage bins, wherein the track system and the plurality of storage columns are arranged to allow the one or more bin handling vehicles to collect and return storage bins to and from the plurality of storage columns, and wherein the automated grid storage and retrieval system is separated into a plurality of sub grids, adjacent sub grids being separated from each other by a firewall having one or more openings sized to allow bin handling vehicles to pass from the track system of one sub grid to the track system of another sub grid.

2. The automated grid storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein each opening in the firewall comprises a fire door.

3. The automated grid storage and retrieval system of claim 2, wherein the fire door is arranged to close off the opening in the firewall in the event of a fire.

4. The automated grid storage and retrieval system of claim 2, wherein the fire door is a slidable door.

5. The automated grid storage and retrieval system of claim 4, wherein the slidable door is suspended from a door rail and held in an open position by a releasable latch or magnet, the door rail being arranged at an angle whereby the fire door will slide from the open position to a closed position by gravity upon release of the latch or magnet.

6. The automated grid storage and retrieval system of claim 2, wherein the fire door comprises a flexible fireproof material.

7. The automated grid storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the firewall allows the one or more bin handling vehicles to transport the storage bins, at a lower level of the automated grid storage and retrieval system, through the one or more openings in the firewall to an access station.

8. The automated grid storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the adjacent sub grids are co-joined by one or more bridges in the form of sections of track that pass through the one or more openings in the firewall.

9. The automated grid storage and retrieval system of claim 8, wherein the one or more bridges are arranged with multiple tracks, such that a plurality of bin handling vehicles can pass simultaneously through one of the openings in the firewall.

10. The automated grid storage and retrieval system of claim 8, wherein each opening in the firewall comprises a fire door.

11. The automated grid storage and retrieval system of claim 10, wherein the fire door is arranged to close off the opening in the firewall in the event of a fire.

12. The automated grid storage and retrieval system of claim 11, wherein the fire door comprises sealing means for sealing against the section of track that passes through the opening in the firewall.

13. The automated grid storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the adjacent sub grids are separated from each other by the firewall and an aisle.

14. The automated grid storage and retrieval system of claim 1, further comprising active fire prevention and/or firefighting apparatus.

15. The automated grid storage and retrieval system of claim 14, wherein the active fire prevention and/or firefighting apparatus comprises at least one of emergency lighting, heat detectors, sprinkler systems, or an apparatus for introducing inert gas.

16. The automated grid storage and retrieval system of claim 15, wherein the sprinkler system is configured to selectively activate in one of the plurality of sub grids in which fire is detected.

17. A method of operating an automated grid storage and retrieval system, the automated grid storage and retrieval system comprising a framework structure comprising a track system upon which one or more bin handling vehicles operate, and a plurality of storage columns each storing a respective stack of storage bins, wherein the track system and plurality of storage columns are arranged to allow the one or more bin handling vehicles to collect and return storage bins to and from the plurality of storage columns, wherein the automated grid storage and retrieval system is separated into a plurality of sub grids, adjacent sub grids being separated from each other by a firewall having one or more openings to allow bin handling vehicles to pass from the track system of one sub grid to the track system of another sub grid, the method comprising: controlling a bin handling vehicle to retrieve a target storage bin from a first sub grid; and controlling the bin handling vehicle to transport the target storage bin to a second sub grid via an opening in the firewall separating the first sub grid and the second sub grid.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: detecting a fire in a warehouse space in which the automated grid storage and retrieval system is installed; responsive to detecting the fire, controlling a fire door in the opening in the firewall separating the first sub grid and the second sub grid to close.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein controlling the fire door comprises releasing a latch or magnet to allow the fire door to slide from an open position to a closed position under the influence of gravity.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein detecting the fire comprises detecting the fire in one of the first sub grid or the second sub grid, the method further comprising, responsive to detecting the fire, selectively activating a sprinkler system in the one of the first sub grid or the second sub grid in which the fire is detected.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] The following drawings are appended to facilitate the understanding of the invention. The drawings show embodiments of the invention, which will now be described by way of example only, where:

[0042] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art automated grid storage and retrieval system;

[0043] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a prior art bin handling vehicle having a centrally arranged cavity for containing storage bins therein;

[0044] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a prior art bin handling vehicle having a cantilever for containing storage bins underneath;

[0045] FIG. 4 is a top view of a prior art single rail grid;

[0046] FIG. 5 is a top view of a prior art double rail grid;

[0047] FIG. 6 is a top view of a rail system of the automated grid storage and retrieval system according to FIG. 1;

[0048] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a grid storage system divided into two sub grids.

[0049] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a grid storage system divided into two sub grids, separated by a fire wall.

[0050] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a grid storage system as depicted in FIG. 8, showing fire doors in open positions.

[0051] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a grid storage system as depicted in FIG. 8, showing fire doors in closed positions.

[0052] FIG. 11 is a close up view of fire doors in open positions.

[0053] FIG. 12 is a close up view of fire doors in closed positions.

[0054] FIG. 13 is a close up view of a vehicle bridge, a vehicle and a single fire door in an open position.

[0055] FIG. 14 is a close up view of a vehicle bridge, a vehicle and a single fire door in an semi closed position.

[0056] FIG. 15 is a close up view of a vehicle bridge and a single fire door in a closed position.

[0057] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a grid storage system divided into two sub grids, separated by fire walls, in which dedicated transport vehicles operate on a ground level through closable fire doors in an open position.

[0058] FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the grid storage system from FIG. 16, with fire doors in closed positions.

[0059] FIGS. 18 and 19 are close up views of the grid storage system from FIGS. 16 and 17 respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0060] FIGS. 1-6 collectively illustrate an autonomous grid storage system as known in the prior art, such as, for example, the Autostore system of the present applicant. As shown in FIG. 1, a salient feature is such a system is the dense, efficient utilization of as much of a usable space in a warehouse area as possible.

[0061] According to the present invention, fire safety is improved by dividing the storage grid into a plurality of sub grids. FIG. 7 shows two sub grids 10A and 10B arranged in a warehouse space 12. While FIG. 7 illustrates two sub grids, it should be understood that the storage system can be divided into any number of sub grids, depending on the size of warehouse space 12, fire safety regulations mandating grid size, or other considerations. As further illustrated in FIG. 7, bin handling vehicles 201/301 operated at the upper level of the storage grid structure 104, and travel between sub grids 10A and 10B over one or more bridges 14.

[0062] In one embodiment of the invention, illustrated in FIG. 8, the sub grids 10A and 10B are separated by a fire wall, barrier or partition 18 (hereafter collectively referred to as a firewall). The firewall is arranged such that an aisle 16 is intermediate the grid structure and the firewall. The aisle may function as a fire break, as well as providing access to firefighting personnel and equipment. The grid structure may extend essentially adjacent to the firewall however. One or more bridge or bridges 14 pass through one or more openings 20 in fire wall 18. Fire wall 18 has dimensions and is manufactured of a suitable fire preventive material according to known techniques in the art of fire prevention and according to applicable national and international standards, such as ICC IBC 2018 for example.

[0063] As seen in FIG. 9, openings 20 may be selectively closed by a closable fire door, such as for example sliding fire doors 22. In one embodiment, fire doors 22 are sliding doors, arranged to slide along rails 24 though other arrangements are possible within the scope of the invention. FIG. 9 shows the fire doors 22 in an open position, while FIG. 10 shows fire doors 22 in a closed position. As seen in an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 11, rails 24 are arranged at an angle 26, such that the weight of the doors themselves cause the doors to slide under the influence of gravity from the open to the closed position. In this embodiment, the fire doors may be held in the open position (as seen in FIG. 11) during normal operation of the storage system by a latch or magnet (not shown). In the event a fire is detected, the latch or magnet may be released, allowing the doors to slide to the closed position (as seen in FIG. 12) due to their own weight. The fire doors may comprise sealing means for effectively scaling against the tracks of bridges 14 where necessary to meet applicable fire rating standards for fire doors.

[0064] FIG. 13. Illustrates an embodiment where bridge 14 is double width, comprises tracks for two vehicles 201/301 to pass through opening 20 simultaneously. The bridge may be a single track, or any integer (for example, three, four or five vehicle tracks) that is deemed expeditious. FIG. 14 shows partially closed, thus blocking one of two vehicle tracks on bridge 14. FIG. 15 shows fire door 22 fully closed.

[0065] FIG. 16-19 illustrate an embodiment of the invention a plurality of dedicated container delivery vehicles 28 operate on a lower level 30 of the grid storage system.

[0066] Delivery vehicles 28 transport containers that have been lowered from the top of the sub grids (for example by integrated lifting means in vehicles 201/301, or by a separate bin lift). Transport vehicles 28 may, for example, transport containers to an access station 32, where containers are accessed by an operator 34 for removal or replacement of items from containers.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 16-19, this embodiment also comprises a fire wall 18 arranged between adjacent sub grids. Fire wall 18 comprises one or more openings 36 through which the transport vehicles 28 may pass. Closable fire doors, for example slidable doors 38, are arranged to selectively close openings 36 in the event of a fire. As with the case with the previously described embodiments, the doors may be slidably arranged on slanted rails, whereby the weight of the doors will cause the doors to slide closed under the influence of gravity. As with the previously described embodiment, the doors 38 may be held open by a releasable latch or magnet during normal operation, such latch or magnet being released in the event of fire. The embodiment shown in FIG. 16-19 may alternately also comprise bridges between sub grids as in the previously described embodiments.

[0068] It is to be understood that the embodiments described and illustrated herein are merely exemplary, and one skilled in the art may arrange the sub grids, fire walls, bridges etc in other configurations within the scope of the invention.

REFERENCE NUMERALS:

[0069] 1 Storage and retrieval system (prior art) [0070] 100 Framework structure [0071] 102 Upright members/vertical members of framework structure [0072] 103 Horizontal members of framework structure [0073] 104 Storage grid structure [0074] 105 Storage column [0075] 106 Storage bin [0076] 106 Particular position of storage bin [0077] 107 Stack [0078] 108 Rail system/track system [0079] 110 Parallel rails in first direction (X) [0080] 110a First rail of neighboring rails 110 [0081] 110b Second rail of neighboring rails 110 [0082] 111 Parallel rails in second direction (Y) [0083] 111a First rail of neighboring rails 111 [0084] 111b Second rail of neighboring rails 111 [0085] 112 Grid column [0086] 115 Grid opening [0087] 119 First port column/first port [0088] 120 Second port column/second port [0089] 122 Grid cell/storage cell [0090] 201 Prior art single cell bin handling vehicle [0091] 201a Vehicle body of the bin handling vehicle 201 [0092] 201b Drive means/wheel arrangement, first direction (X) [0093] 201c Drive means/wheel arrangement, second direction (Y) [0094] 301 Prior art cantilever bin handling vehicle [0095] 301a Vehicle body of the bin handling vehicle 301 [0096] 301b Drive means in first direction (X) [0097] 301c Drive means in second direction (Y) [0098] 303 Gripping/engaging device [0099] 10A/10B Sub grids [0100] 12 Warehouse space [0101] 14 Bridge [0102] 16 Aisle [0103] 18 Fire wall [0104] 20 Opening in Firewall [0105] 22 Fire door [0106] 24 Door Rail [0107] 26 Angle (of door rail) [0108] 28 Dedicated delivery vehicle [0109] 30 Lower level [0110] 32 Access station [0111] 34 Operator [0112] 36 Opening in fire wall (lower level) [0113] 38 Fire door