Abstract: A container-handling vehicle includes a vehicle body and a lifting device for lifting a storage container from a grid. The lifting device includes a lifting band drive assembly connected to the vehicle body, a horizontal lifting frame for releasable connection to a storage container, and four lifting bands connecting the lifting band drive assembly to the lifting frame. The lifting band drive assembly includes a lifting shaft assembly having a lifting shaft and at least one motor for rotating the lifting shaft. The lifting shaft includes a first end section and a second end section. Two of the lifting bands are connected at each of the first and second end sections. The lifting shaft assembly includes at least one electrical insulating element arranged such that the lifting bands connected at the first end section is electrically insulated from the lifting bands connected at the second end section.

Abstract: A displacement mechanism for a remotely operated vehicle includes a motor configured to actuate a drive crank, a coupler link connected to the drive crank on a first side, and a lift rocker on a second side, a displacement link connected to the lift rocker, and a displacement plate connected to the displacement link and having a plurality of wheels provided thereon. The drive crank, the coupler link, the lift rocker, the displacement link, and the displacement plate are each respectively connected with pivot connections such that actuation of the motor actuates the displacement plate between a raised position and a lowered position. The lift rocker is configured with a pivot point arranged in a body of the lift rocker such that the lift rocker, the pivot connection between the displacement link and the lift rocker, and the pivot connection between the lift rocker and the coupler link each rotate around the pivot point when the motor is actuated.

Abstract: A storage facility includes a storage space, a container handling vehicle, a first upper vehicle support, a first lower vehicle support, a container delivery vehicle, a transit space, and a first separation wall. The storage space encloses a storage and retrieval system including a storage grid configured to store a plurality of storage containers in vertical stacks. The first upper vehicle support extends in an upper horizontal plane above the storage grid. The container handling vehicle is configured: to transport at least one of the plurality of storage containers by a wheel arrangement between at least two locations on the first upper vehicle support; and to vertically displace the at least one storage container by a lifting device. The first lower vehicle support extends in a lower horizontal plane below the first upper vehicle support. The container delivery vehicle operates within a lower section of the storage space above the first lower vehicle support.

Abstract: A container accessing station is configured to offer multiple access points where access to each access point may be permitted through an upper working surface of the container accessing station to an underlying container that has been delivered to the access point. The container accessing station includes one or more working surface sections, access panels and blanking-off panels. Each working surface section has a common attachment configuration to allow either the access panel or the blanking-off panel to be fitted as part of the container accessing station at any of the multiple access points.

Abstract: A container handling vehicle for picking up storage containers from a three-dimensional grid of an underlying storage system includes a first set of wheels for moving the vehicle along an X direction on a rail system of the grid; and a second set of wheels for moving the vehicle along a Y direction on the rail system of the grid. The Y direction is perpendicular to the X direction. The container handling vehicle includes a vehicle body having a vehicle body footprint defined by horizontal peripheries in the X and Y directions of the vehicle body. The vehicle body includes a first section and a second section. The first section has a first footprint and the second section has a second footprint. The first and second footprints are defined by horizontal peripheries in the X and Y directions of the first and second sections, respectively.

Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system that includes a rail system that includes 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 that is orthogonal to the first direction; a plurality of stacks of storage containers arranged in storage columns located beneath the rail system, each storage column is located vertically below a grid opening; and a trolley for transporting the storage containers between the storage columns and at least one deployment area. The first and second sets of tracks form a grid pattern in the horizontal plane including a plurality of adjacent grid cells, each grid cell including 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 track.

Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system includes at least one container handling vehicle, a horizontal rail system for the container handling vehicle to run on, and a charging station for recharging a replaceable power source of the container handling vehicle. The container handling vehicle includes a power supply compartment for accommodating a replaceable power supply when the container handling vehicle is in use. The charging station includes one or more charging racks. Each charging rack provides a column of charging positions for recharging replaceable power supplies and each charging position is configured to accommodate a replaceable power supply during a recharging process. The charging station includes an automated loader including a power supply support. The automated loader is arranged to move vertically and horizontally for exchanging and transporting a replaceable power supply between the charging rack and the power supply compartment of the container handling vehicle.

Abstract: A storage system includes a storage grid structure and multiple remotely operated storage bin handling vehicles. The storage grid structure includes a first and a second type of vertical storage column profiles defining multiple storage columns in which storage bins can be stored one on top of another in vertical stacks. The storage column profiles are interconnected at their top ends by rails forming a horizontal rail grid upon which the bin handling vehicles may move in two perpendicular directions. The first type of storage column profiles has a cross-section comprising a hollow centre section and four corner sections. Each corner section includes two perpendicular bin guiding plates for accommodating a corner of a storage bin. The second type of storage column profiles has a cross-section comprising a hollow centre section having at least two connecting elements, and at least one corner section. The corner section includes two perpendicular bin guiding plates for accommodating a corner of a storage bin.

Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system includes a rail system for guiding a plurality of container handling vehicles. The rail system includes a first set of parallel rails arranged in a horizontal plane and extending in a first direction, and a second set of parallel rails arranged in the horizontal plane and extending in a second direction, which is orthogonal to the first direction. The first and second sets of rails form a grid pattern in the horizontal plane including a plurality of adjacent grid cells. Each grid cell includes a 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. The automated storage and retrieval system includes a storage volume beneath the rail system. The storage volume includes storage columns for storing storage containers and the container handling vehicles are operable to retrieve a storage container from a stack of storage containers within the storage volume.

Abstract: A container-handling vehicle includes a vehicle body and a lifting device for lifting a storage container from a grid. The lifting device includes a lifting band drive assembly connected to the vehicle body, a horizontal lifting frame for releasable connection to a storage container, and four lifting bands connecting the lifting band drive assembly to the lifting frame. The lifting band drive assembly includes a lifting shaft assembly having a lifting shaft and at least one motor for rotating the lifting shaft. The lifting shaft includes a first end section and a second end section. Two of the lifting bands are connected at each of the first and second end sections. The lifting shaft assembly includes at least one electrical insulating element arranged such that the lifting bands connected at the first end section is electrically insulated from the lifting bands connected at the second end section.

Abstract: A delivery system for transport of a container to an access point for handling of items held in the container by a human and/or robotic operator includes a delivery rail grid, a delivery vehicle, and a container accessing station. The delivery rail grid includes at least a first set of parallel rails arranged in a horizontal plane and extending in a first direction, and at least a second set of parallel rails arranged in the horizontal plane and extending in a second direction, which is orthogonal to the first direction. The at least first and second sets of rails together define a plurality of delivery grid cells. The delivery vehicle is adapted for carrying the container and operating on the delivery rail grid. The container accessing station includes the access point. At least one conveyor line extends into the access point and is operationally connected to the delivery rail grid.

Abstract: An automated grid based storage and retrieval system includes a storage grid and a plurality of storage containers for storing product items therein. In the storage grid, the storage containers are stacked vertically in stacks arranged beneath openings of a grid-based rail system to provide storage columns of a storage volume. The storage volume includes a flow path extending through a plurality of the stacks. The flow path is formed by spacers positioned within the stacks. The spacers are configured to allow a fluid to flow through the spacer. Each spacer is stacked at a predetermined level between storage containers in a stack and adjacent another of the spacers in a neighboring stack to provide adjacent sections of the flow path.

Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system comprises a rail 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 neighboring tracks of the first set of tracks and a pair of neighboring tracks of the second set of tracks; and a plurality of stacks of storage containers arranged in storage columns located beneath the rail system. Each storage column is located vertically below a grid opening.

Abstract: A storage system includes a storage grid structure and multiple container handling vehicles. The storage grid structure includes vertical column profiles defining multiple storage columns, in which storage containers can be stored one on top of another in vertical stacks, and at least one transfer column, the column profiles are interconnected at their upper ends by top rails forming a horizontal top rail grid upon which the container handling vehicles may move in two perpendicular directions, the container handling vehicles are able to retrieve storage containers from, and store storage containers in, the storage columns, and transport the storage containers on the storage grid structure. The storage grid structure includes at least one horizontal transfer section. The storage system includes multiple container transfer vehicles and transfer rails forming a transfer rail grid upon which the container transfer vehicles may move in at least one horizontal direction.

Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system includes a track system including 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 orthogonal to the first direction, forming a grid pattern in the horizontal plane comprising a plurality of adjacent grid cells. Each grid cell includes a grid opening. A plurality of stacks of storage containers are arranged in storage columns located beneath the track system. Each storage column is located vertically below the grid opening. A plurality of container handling vehicles for lifting and moving storage containers stacked in the stacks are configured to move laterally on the track system above the storage columns to access the storage containers via the grid openings.

Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system includes a rail system, a master control system, and a plurality of remotely operated vehicles. The rail system includes a first and second set of parallel tracks arranged orthogonally in a horizontal plane. The master control system is configured to keep track of any remotely operated vehicle operating on the rail system. The plurality of remotely operated vehicles handling storage containers, which operate on the rail system, each include first and second sets of wheels for transport on the rail system, and a fire detection device configured to transmit data from the fire detection device to the master control system. The master control system includes a processing device for processing the data from the fire detection devices so as to create a heat map of the automated storage and retrieval system.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system that includes a rail system that includes 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 that is orthogonal to the first direction. The first and second sets of tracks form a grid pattern in the horizontal plane including a plurality of adjacent grid cells, each grid cell includes 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; and a plurality of stacks of storage containers arranged in storage columns located beneath the rail system, where each storage column is located vertically below a grid opening.

Abstract: A remotely operated vehicle assembly for an automated storage and retrieval system moves a product item between a storage container stored in an automated storage and retrieval grid configured to store a plurality of stacks of storage containers, and target containers. The remotely operated vehicle assembly includes a first vehicle including a vehicle body and a wheel arrangement connected to the vehicle body configured to move the remotely operated vehicle along a rail system of the automated storage and retrieval system; and a picking system for moving the product item. The first vehicle includes a container lifting device configured to carry a first target container. The vehicle assembly further includes a second vehicle including a vehicle body and a wheel arrangement connected to the vehicle body configured to move the remotely operated vehicle along a rail system of the automated storage and retrieval system.

Abstract: A container handling vehicle for picking up storage containers from a three-dimensional grid of an underlying storage system includes a first set of wheels for moving the vehicle along an X direction on a rail system of the grid; and a second set of wheels for moving the vehicle along a Y direction on the rail system of the grid. The Y direction is perpendicular to the X direction. The container handling vehicle includes a vehicle body having a vehicle body footprint defined by horizontal peripheries in the X and Y directions of the vehicle body. The vehicle body includes a first section and a second section. The first section has a first footprint and the second section has a second footprint. The first and second footprints are defined by horizontal peripheries in the X and Y directions of the first and second sections respectively.