US 12,240,694 B2
Station for providing access to contents in a storage container and an automated storage and retrieval system
Trond Austrheim, Etne (NO); and Magne Hatteland, Stavanger (NO)
Assigned to AutoStore Technology AS, Nedre Vats (NO)
Appl. No. 17/288,932
Filed by Autostore Technology AS, Nedre Vats (NO)
PCT Filed Nov. 5, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/080164
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 27, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/094604, PCT Pub. Date May 14, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 20181416 (NO), filed on Nov. 5, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0387804 A1, Dec. 16, 2021
Int. Cl. B65G 1/04 (2006.01); B65D 25/04 (2006.01); B65G 1/06 (2006.01); F16P 3/08 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 1/0464 (2013.01) [B65D 25/04 (2013.01); B65G 1/065 (2013.01); F16P 3/08 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A station for providing access to contents in a storage container of an automated storage and retrieval system, the station comprising:
an access barrier comprising an opening, and a plurality of covers, wherein each cover is arranged to be selectively deployed to close off a respective portion of the opening and thereby restrict access therethrough;
a loading mechanism arranged to receive the storage container and move it to the opening of the access barrier so that contents of the storage container may be accessed through the opening; and
a housing which is able to prevent access to the opening of the access barrier;
wherein the station is arranged to transition between the storage system and the station;
a loading configuration in which access to the opening of the access barrier is prevented by the housing, and
an access configuration in which the opening of the access barrier is presented to thereby enable access to contents of the storage container through the opening; and
wherein the station is configured to deploy the covers to close off predetermined portions of the opening prior to transition into the access configuration to thereby restrict or permit access to contents of the storage container through predetermined portions of the opening;
wherein each of the plurality of covers is pivotably connected to the access barrier adjacent the opening and each cover is moveable between an initial position in which the cover is not deployed thereby leaving the respective portion of the opening accessible, and a deployed position in which the cover closes off the respective portion of the opening;
wherein each of the plurality of covers, in an initial position, extends at least partially in a vertical direction such that it allows the storage container to pass without contact while the storage container is being lifted to the opening of the access barrier, thereby leaving the respective portion of the opening accessible such that contents of the storage container may be accessed through the portion.